This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP, File)2025-08-19T03:50:15Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The Menendez brothers are set to make their cases for parole starting Thursday, marking the closest theyve been to winning freedom from prison since their convictions almost 30 years ago for murdering their parents.Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison for fatally shooting their father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. They were 18 and 21 at the time. While defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.The brothers became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge in May reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole under California law because they were under the ages of 26 when they committed their crimes. A panel or two or three parole hearing officers from a board of commissioners appointed by the governor will evaluate the brothers individually. Erik Menendez will have his hearing Thursday morning, followed by Lyle Menendez on Friday, over videoconference from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. The board will assess whether the brothers pose an unreasonable risk of danger to society if released, considering factors like criminal history, motivation for the crime and signs of remorse, behavior while in prison and plans for the future, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. Even if the board grants their parole, it could still be months before the brothers walk free if at all. If the board grants each brothers parole, the chief legal counsel has 120 days to review the case. Then Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has 30 days to affirm or deny the parole. Only then, if Newsom affirms the parole, would the Menendez brothers be able to leave prison. Newsom had previously ordered the state parole board to conduct a risk assessment of the brothers in response to a clemency request. At the time, he emphasized that the key question was whether the brothers posed an unreasonable risk to public safety. He noted at a May news conference that he has both approved and rejected decisions by the parole board before and that he was the ultimate arbiter.The brothers lawyer, Mark Geragos, sought release last month for Erik Menendez after he was hospitalized for a serious medical condition. He has since returned to prison. The case has captured the attention of true crime enthusiasts for decades and spawned documentaries, television specials and dramatizations. The Netflix drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story " and the documentary The Menendez Brothers, both released in 2024, have been credited for bringing new attention to the brothers.In the last year, weigh-in from celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and a greater recognition of the brothers as victims of sexual abuse has helped amass a legion of supporters who have called for their release. Some have flown to Los Angeles over the past few months, holding rallies and attending court hearings as the brothers attorneys pushed for their resentencing. The previous LA County district attorney, George Gascn, first opened the door to possible freedom for the brothers last fall by asking a judge to reduce their sentences. Since their conviction, the brothers have gotten an education, participated in self-help classes and started various support groups for fellow people in prison, his office said in a petition.The judges decision to ultimately resentence the brothers followed months of pushback from current prosecutors, who argued the brothers hadnt taken adequate responsibility for their crimes.The Menendez brothers still have a pending habeas corpus petition filed in May 2023 seeking a review of their convictions based on new evidence supporting their claims of sexual abuse by their father. Last month, a different judge ordered Los Angeles prosecutors to explain why their case shouldnt be reexamined.The state corrections department has selected one media representative to view the proceedings virtually and share notes with the rest of the press at set intervals. JAIMIE DING Ding covers California breaking news for The Associated Press. She focuses on law enforcement and the courts, and is based in Los Angeles. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02634-3JoAnn Trejo has turned mentoring into an evidence-based science, driven by her own exposure to inspiring mentors.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02619-2Policies incentivizing electrified transport dont seem to be working. Heres what we need to do.

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Photography and text by Adriana Loureiro Fernndez for ProPublica ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. Mireya Sandia was lying on the bed with her eyes wide open. Her skin was pale, her white hair nearly gone. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer years earlier, and more recently it had spread to her brain and affected her speech. When we first met, in May, she waved me closer, grabbed my hand with a surprisingly strong grip and said, as best she could: I want to see my son again. Then she began to cry. With a knot in my throat, I held her hand, fearing that there would not be enough time for her to see her only son, Wilmer Vega Sandia.Her health was what led her son to migrate to the United States. His detention and later deportation to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, known as CECOT, had, in turn, led me to her bedroom in a small village in the Andes. Over the past four months, as part of a ProPublica-led investigation in collaboration with The Texas Tribune, Alianza Rebelde Investiga (Rebel Alliance Investigates) and Cazadores de Fake News (Fake News Hunters), I have documented in photographs the lives of five families whose sons had been imprisoned in El Salvador, as well as their return to Venezuela, where I am from. I had visited with mothers like Mireya Sandia and other relatives to see how the absence of their loved ones had affected them.I walked beside them when they protested on the streets of Caracas, Venezuelas capital. I saw them as their hopes grew when there was word that the negotiations for the mens return were ongoing, and I saw them again when those hopes were deflated after the first negotiations failed.I documented the homecomings, when the men were abruptly flown back. Lina Ramos Hidalgo sits in the bedroom that used to belong to her son Juan Jos Ramos Ramos while he was detained in CECOT. First image: Mireya Sandia cries after eating lunch at her home while her son, Wilmer, was held in CECOT. Sandia has breast cancer, which has spread to her brain. Second image: Doris Sandia, Wilmers aunt, in her home. Crislida Bastidas plays with her grandson Jared at her home in El Tocuyo, Venezuela, while her son Jos Manuel Ramos Bastidas was detained in CECOT. Lina Ramos lived in a humble neighborhood on the outskirts of Caracas and attended several marches that I photographed. I knew how tight money was for the family and the incredible effort it took for her to advocate for her son, Juan Jos Ramos Ramos. Lina told me that she had to crowdfund and get donations from her church, family and neighbors to afford a $2 round-trip bus ticket to the capital. The anguish of his imprisonment, she told me, didnt let her sit still. Crislida Bastidas home was also modest. Imagine a tiny kitchen in the left corner and, on the opposite wall, two big beds beside one another for several people to sleep on. Her son Jos Manuel Ramos Bastidas had been in CECOT for more than three months by the time we met, and I could see her hope vanishing as his imprisonment stretched on. Her sadness was visible, and she looked exhausted. She told me that she couldnt sleep unless her 1-year-old grandson Jared was with her, the two of them nestled together, with a picture of Jos Manuel as a child hanging above the bed. The two were identical as children, and she clung to her grandson to feel near to her own son. As more time passed, they sometimes slipped into speaking about their sons in the past tense. Then theyd quickly correct themselves and say, Hes alive. I remember one mother on her knees, crying and asking, Please make this stop. Carmen Bonilla waits for her son to arrive near their house in Valencia, Venezuela. Zoe Martnez plays with balloons used to decorate the house to celebrate the return of her uncle Juan Ramos. Lina Ramos, center, hugs family members during a march in Caracas to celebrate the release of her son and other Venezuelan men held in CECOT. One morning, I got a call telling me that the men were coming home. It was one of the many mothers I had met in the past few months. I was wary, because this was not the first time I had gotten a call like that, and I always worried what disappointment would do to them. Doris Sandia, Wilmers aunt, called me and asked several times if I was sure the men were coming home. She was wary of getting her heart broken again. But this time it was true. By the time I got out of the house, families that could afford to come to Caracas were already marching downtown. This time they were celebrating. I ran into Lina Ramos and almost didnt recognize her. She had a wide smile that I had never seen before. She hugged me tight, relieved to see a familiar face behind dozens of cameras. I walked next to her for miles. The next day I was at Linas house at sunrise, waiting to finally photograph her son. Lina had gotten $20 in donations from family members and neighbors, and she used that money to decorate her house. She made stewed chicken with rice and plantains, her sons favorite. Lina didnt want to take any phone calls, to keep the line clear in case Juan called. She wouldnt leave the house because rumors had gone around that if nobody was home, the police officers escorting the men wouldnt drop them off. Lina was forced to stand still for the first time in four months. Linas granddaughters grabbed me by the hand and took me to help them pick flowers to welcome their uncle. They spent hours making the flower arrangements, and then tied yellow, blue and red balloons into an arch. But time passed and Juan didnt arrive. The balloons started to pop in the heat. By the time I left, the flowers had withered and the balloon arch was halfway gone.Carmen Bonilla had to call off from one of her jobs she drives a taxi and sometimes buys and then resells cheese just in case someone brought her son Andry home. Those last few days, when the men were back in Venezuela but not yet home, felt longer than the rest. Nobody dared to leave the house or take a call. I remember Carmen looking through her phone and seeing a video of Andry singing a song on a bus after the men arrived back in Venezuela. Carmen was happy but puzzled. He must be very happy to be singing, she said. Andry is not like that. Hes very serious.I think she realized at that moment that the son shed raised might not be the same person who was coming home. That whatever had happened to them in those months in prison had probably changed them forever. First image: Days after being released from CECOT, Juan Jos Ramos Ramos cries while recalling his experience in prison at his house in Guatire, Venezuela. Second image: Sara Martnez holds a flower arrangement to celebrate Ramos return. When Juan Jos Ramos arrived at Linas house, he cried and pointed at the peeling paint. He said he wanted to give his mother a more decent house; it had been one of his reasons for going to the U.S. In prison, he had asked the guards to end his life rather than force him to live that way any longer. Listening to her son talk about his experiences, she tried to understand the weight of his words.I returned to photograph Mireya Sandia once again. This time she cried in joy while her son held her. Much like his mother, he had spent four months with the daily thought that maybe he wouldnt make it home in time to say goodbye to her. She held my hand once again and I leaned in to listen to her speak. Shed become so weak over the previous four months that I could barely make out her words: Thank you, thank you, thank you. It dawned on me that during this time in El Salvador, each of the men were not only losing time, they were losing loved ones. They were missing major life moments that can never be recovered. Not only did the men say they were tortured during these four months; their families said they were too.As fireworks exploded in the town of Umuquena and residents surrounded Wilmer Vega, Mireya Sandia said, It felt like an endless night. Wilmer fell to his knees as if he could barely carry the joy of the moment.Several men had said that guards told them every day that they were worthless and nobody was looking for them. I thought of those words and wondered what Wilmer Vega was thinking as the people of his hometown filled the streets to greet him. A caravan follows Wilmer Vega Sandia as he drives into his hometown of Umuquena, Venezuela, after months in detention. Wilmer Vega Sandia kisses his mother, Mireya, after seeing her in person for the first time since he was released from detention. The men said they returned home deeply traumatized. Most of the men I met were struggling to sleep, drink water or leave their homes. Wilmer broke into tears telling me that he had a panic attack the first time he walked down a busy commercial street. In many cases, the celebration was bittersweet. The men were home but they were scarred.I thought this would be the end of a chapter, a long-awaited reunion. But life is more nuanced than that. Once I saw and heard from these men, it was clear the path before them was steep. They are coming back to Venezuela after losing what little they had made before. Most of them said they lost everything, either during detention in the U.S. or during their imprisonment in El Salvador.In many cases, these men left Venezuela nearly a decade ago. Their beds, their friends, their employers, even their children are no longer here. They returned with only the clothes they were wearing, with no equipment to resume their jobs, to a country that is, in many ways, the same one they had to leave. When asked about the future, they didnt have an answer. Carmen Bonilla hugs her son Andry Blanco after he returned home from months in detention. All this made me think of Venezuelans longing for opportunity, safety and freedom. It made sense for millions of people to imagine a life in the U.S., which has been perceived as a haven. Many Venezuelans supported President Donald Trumps policies, especially after his first term. I dont know how much this episode will change their views, but it has undoubtedly been a sobering moment for many. Still, thousands of Venezuelans are packing their suitcases. Boats, planes and buses continue to depart for other destinations: Colombia, Peru, Brazil, even Spain. They are filled with people who want to give their children medical care, buy their mother a prettier house, afford a parents cancer treatments. But it may not change the question that many Venezuelans now ask themselves and each other: Where will we be safe? Wilmer Vega Sandia kisses his mother.

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Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02615-6Steep population declines in most countries are expected to have negative impacts over the next several generations, but adaptation is possible.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02591-xMost studies on how exercise affects the survival of people with cancer have been observational. A clinical trial provides compelling evidence of the benefits of physical activity.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02586-8Rat-sized carnivore called the ampurta makes speedy comeback despite unprecedented drought.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02663-yAfrican countries must rethink health-care financing

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Supporters for the returning Texas democrats chant as members enter the house at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)2025-08-19T04:01:54Z AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Democrats who ended a walkout found themselves shadowed by law enforcement officers to keep them from repeating the protest that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts and fulfill President Donald Trumps desire to reshape U.S. House maps.Republicans in the Texas House forced returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called permission slips, agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor. However, Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night. The Democrats return to Texas puts the Republican-run Legislature in position to satisfy Trumps demands, possibly later this week, as California Democrats advance new congressional boundaries in retaliation. Lawmakers had officers posted outside their Capitol offices, and suburban Dallas Rep. Mihaela Plesa said one tailed her on her Monday evening drive back to her apartment in Austin after spending much of the day on a couch in her office. She said he went with her for a staff lunch and even down the hallway with her for restroom breaks. We were kind of laughing about it, to be honest, but this is really serious stuff, Plesa said in a telephone interview. This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and really performative theater. Collier, who represents a minority-majority district, said she would not sign away my dignity and allow Republicans to control my movements and monitor me.I know these maps will harm my constituents, she said in a statement. I wont just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination. 2 states at the center of an expanding fightThe tit-for-tat puts the nations two most populous states at the center of an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The battle has rallied Democrats nationally following infighting and frustrations among the partys voters since Republicans took total control of the federal government in January.Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers left for Illinois and elsewhere on Aug. 3, denying their Republican colleagues the attendance necessary to vote on redrawn maps intended to send five more Texas Republicans to Washington. Republicans now hold 25 of Texas 38 U.S. House seats. They declared victory Friday, pointing to Californias proposal intended to increase Democrats U.S. House advantage by five seats. Many absent Democrats left Chicago early Monday and landed hours later at a private airfield in Austin, where several boarded a charter bus to the Capitol. Cheering supporters greeted them inside. Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows did not mention redistricting on the floor but promised swift action on the Legislatures agenda. We arent playing around, Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, whose district includes part of the Dallas area, said in a post on the X social media platform. Democrats promise to keep fightingEven as they declared victory, Democrats acknowledged Republicans can now approve redrawn districts. Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu said Democrats would challenge the new designs in court. Lawmakers did not take up any bills Monday and were not scheduled to return until Wednesday. Trump has pressured other Republican-run states to consider redistricting, as well, while Democratic governors in multiple statehouses have indicated they would follow Californias lead in response. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts. The president wants to shore up Republicans narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of the midterms during his first presidency. After gaining House control in 2018, Democrats used their majority to stymie his agenda and twice impeach him. Nationally, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total House seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control.Redistricting typically occurs once at the beginning of each decade after the census. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empower independent commissions, giving Newsom an additional hurdle. California Democrats start redrawing processDemocratic legislators introduced new California maps Monday. It was the first official move toward the fall referendum asking voters to override the independent commissions work after the 2020 census. The proposed boundaries would replace current ones through 2030. Democrats said they will return the mapmaking power to the commission after that.State Republicans promised lawsuits. Democrats hold 43 out of Californias 52 U.S. House seats. The proposal would try to expand that advantage by targeting battleground districts in Northern California, San Diego and Orange counties, and the Central Valley. Some Democratic incumbents also get more left-leaning voters in their districts. We dont want this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot run away from this fight, said Democrat Marc Berman, a California Assembly member who previously chaired the elections committee.Republicans expressed opposition in terms that echoed Democrats in Austin, accusing the majority of abusing power. Sacramento Republicans said they will introduce legislation advocating independent redistricting commissions in all states. Texas governor jumped to the presidents aidTexas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott launched the expanding battle when he heeded Trumps wishes and added redistricting to an initial special session agenda that included multiple issues, including a package responding to devastating floods that killed more than 130 people last month.Abbott has blamed Democrats absence for delaying action on those measures. Democrats have answered that Abbott is responsible because he effectively linked the hyper-partisan matter to nonpartisan flood relief.Abbott, Burrows and other Republicans tried various threats and legal maneuvers to pressure Democrats return, including the governor arguing that Texas judges should remove absent lawmakers from office.As long as they were out of state, lawmakers were beyond the reach of the civil arrest warrants that Burrows issued. The Democrats who returned Monday did so without being detained by law enforcement. The lawmakers who left face fines of up to $500 for each legislative day they missed. Burrows has insisted Democratic lawmakers also will pay pick up the tab for law enforcement who attempted to corral them during the walkout.___Barrow reported from Atlanta. Nguyen reported from Sacramento, California. Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. BILL BARROW Bill Barrow covers U.S. politics. He is based in Atlanta. twitter mailto FERNANDA FIGUEROA Figueroa reports on Latino/Hispanic affairs as a member of the APs Race & Ethnicity team. twitter mailto JOHN HANNA Hanna covers politics and state government in Kansas for The Associated Press. Hes worked for the AP in Topeka since 1986. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Rana Mourer waves an American flag outside of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Ochopee, Fla. (AP Photo/Alexandra Rodriguez, file)2025-08-19T11:43:38Z MIAMI (AP) A federal judge in Miami issued a split decision in a lawsuit over the legal rights of detainees at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, dismissing part of the suit and also moving the case to a different jurisdiction.U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz issued the decision late Monday, writing in a 47-page ruling that claims the detainees at the facility dont have confidential access to their lawyers or to hearings in immigration court were rendered moot when the Trump administration recently designated the Krome North Processing Center near Miami as a site for their cases to be heard.The judge heard arguments from both sides in a hearing earlier Monday in Miami. Civil rights civil rights attorneys were seeking a preliminary injunction to ensure detainees at the facility have access to their lawyers and can get a hearing. The state and federal government had argued that even though the isolated airstrip where the facility is located is owned by Miami-Dade County, Floridas southern district was the wrong venue since the detention center is located in neighboring Collier County, which is in the states middle district. Judge Ruiz had hinted during a hearing last week that he had some concerns over which jurisdiction was appropriate. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. The state and federal government defendants made an identical argument last week about jurisdiction for a second lawsuit in which environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe sued to stop further construction and operations at the Everglades detention center until its in compliance with federal environmental laws. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami on Aug. 7 ordered a 14-day halt on additional construction at the site while witnesses testified at a hearing that wrapped up last week. She has said she plans to issue a ruling before the order expires later this week. She had yet to rule on the venue question.___Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Schneider reported from Orlando, Florida. MIKE SCHNEIDER Schneider covers census, demographics and Florida for The Associated Press. Author of 2023 book, Mickey and the Teamsters. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A federal appeals court has ruled that West Texas A&M Universitys ban on student organization drag performances violates the Constitutions First Amendment protections of free speech. The courts Thursday ruling overturns a 2023 district court ruling in favor of the university.In March 2023, West Texas A&M University presidentWalter Wendler sent a letterto students, faculty, and staff announcing that the student LGBTQ+ group Spectrum WTs upcoming drag event benefitting the Trevor Project, scheduled for March 31 of that year, had been canceled. Though the organizers had promised to avoid any profanity or lewdness and to bar attendance from anyone younger than 18, Wendlers letter still characterized drag as a form of derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny and also compared it to blackface. Related A federal judge shut down a university that tried to ban students from holding a drag show Wendlers letter added that he would not appear to condone the diminishment of any group at the expense of impertinent gestures toward another group for any reason, even when the law of the land appears to require it.In response to his letter, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)filed a federal lawsuiton behalf of Spectrum WT seeking an injunction forcing the university to allow the event on campus. FIREs suit said that Wendler admitted to censoring the show in violation of the First Amendment. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today FIREs lawsuit also claimed that Wendlers actions violated a campus free speech law signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2020, which explicitly forbids universities from taking action against student organizations on the basis of a political, religious, philosophical, ideological, or academic viewpoint expressed by the organization or [its] expressive activities.In its 2-1 decisionissued last Thursday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Leslie H. Southwick (an appointee of former President George W. Bush) wrote that theatric performances anddrag shows, plainly involve expressive conduct within the protection of the First Amendment. President Wendler did not argue, either before the district court or on appeal, that restricting the intended drag show would survive strict scrutiny, Southwick added. Based on the record before us, the district court erred in concluding that the plaintiffs were not substantially likely to succeed on the merits of their First Amendment claim.Adam Steinbaugh, a FIRE attorney, wrote that FIRE is overjoyed that our clients will now be able to express themselves freely, and well be watching to make sure that President Wendler obeys the law of the land while the case proceeds, The Hill reports.This is a victory not just for Spectrum WT, but for any public university students at risk of being silenced by campus censors.In his dissent, appeals judge James C. Ho (appointed by the current president) wrote that drag shows enjoy greater favor among cultural elites than religious activities, that bans on drag are necessary to protect cisgender women, and that forcing universities to host on-campus drag shows may lead to courts forcing universities to implement transgender-inclusive policies.In a social media post, gay legal journalist Mark Joseph Stern criticized Hos rancid dissent, saying Ho used it to whine about discrimination against Christians, criticize drag, slander trans people, and plug Allie Beth Stuckeys new book. Stern called Hos dissent part of the judges campaign to eventually be named as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. A quick history of the lawsuits against Texas A&Ms drag banThough Spectrum WT and FIRE filed the lawsuit against Wendler in March 2023, in September 2023, a Texas district court judge denied the students request for a preliminary injunction and dismissed a damages claim against Wendler. FIRE appealed that decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals the following month. However, in February 2024, the appeals court declined to expedite the appeal.While awaiting the ruling, Wendler canceled Spectrum WTs 2024 drag event, citing his 2023 letter anda June 2023 Texas lawrestricting sexually oriented performances.(A federal judge knocked down the law barely three months after it went into effect.) In 2024, the Supreme Court refused Spectrum WTsrequest for emergency intervention against Wendlers action.Then, on March 25 of this year, Texas A&M Universitys Board of Regentspassed a resolutionbanning all drag performances on its 11 university campuses. The resolution, approved in a unanimous vote, said that drag shows are inconsistent with [the systems] mission and core values, including the value of respect for others because such performances are likely to create or contribute to a hostile environment for women, contrary to university and federal anti-discrimination policies.These events often involve unwelcome and objectively offensive conduct based on sex for many members of the respective communities of the universities, particularly when they involve the mockery or objectification of women, the resolution stated, echoing similar language found in the U.S. presidentsgender ideology executive order.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02242-1Like so much else, this small scientific programme is on the Trump administrations hit list. This will hurt the United States, says Dan Seaton.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02620-9Anthony Waddles unconventional approach resulted in a stunningly practical solution to fight a deadly fungal infection.

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Ahmed Al-Hajj carries the body of his daughter, Dana Al-Hajj, 13, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-08-19T12:40:22Z JERUSALEM (AP) A key mediator on Tuesday stressed the urgency of brokering a ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas showed a positive response to a proposal, but Israel has yet to weigh in as its military prepares an offensive on some of the territorys most populated areas.The prospect of an expanded assault on areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians has sparked condemnation inside Israel and abroad. Most war-weary Palestinians see no place in Gaza as safe, not even declared humanitarian zones, after 22 months of war.Many Israelis, who rallied in the hundreds of thousands on Sunday, fear the offensive will further endanger the remaining hostages in Gaza. Just 20 of the 50 remaining are thought to be alive.If this (ceasefire) proposal fails, the crisis will exacerbate, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatars foreign ministry, told journalists, adding they have yet to hear from Israel on it. Witkoff is invited to rejoin the talksQatar is among the countries mediating to end the war. Al-Ansari said Hamas had agreed to terms under discussion. He declined to provide details but said the proposal was almost identical to one previously advanced by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.That U.S. proposal was for a 60-day ceasefire, during which some of the remaining hostages would be released and the sides would negotiate a lasting ceasefire and the return of the rest.If we get to a deal, it shouldnt be expected that it would be instantaneously implemented, al-Ansari said. Were not there yet. That cautious assessment came a day after the foreign minister of Egypt, another mediator, said they were were pushing for a phased deal and noted that Qatars prime minister had joined the talks between Hamas leaders and Arab mediators.Witkoff has been invited to rejoin the talks, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told The Associated Press. Witkoff pulled out of negotiations less than a month ago, accusing Hamas of not acting in good faith. It was not clear how Witkoff has responded to the invitation.An Israeli official on Monday said the countrys positions, including on the release of all hostages, had not changed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a final push is needed to complete the defeat of Hamas He has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been disarmed.28 Palestinians killed in GazaHospitals in Gaza said they had received the bodies of 28 Palestinians killed Tuesday, including women and children, as Israeli strikes continued across the territory. Among them were nine people killed while seeking aid, officials at two hospitals told The Associated Press.The deaths were recorded across Gaza, including in central Deir al-Balah, southern Khan Younis and near aid distribution points, hospital officials said.The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed private American contractor that has become the primary distributor of aid in Gaza since May, operates those sites. Nasser Hospital also said an airstrike killed a mother, father and three children in their tent overnight in Muwasi, a camp for hundreds of thousands of civilians.An entire family was gone in an instant. What was their fault? the childrens grandfather, Majed al-Mashwakhi, said, sobbing.Neither the GHF nor Israels military immediately responded to questions about the casualties reported by Nasser, Awda and al-Aqsa hospitals.The Palestinian death toll in the war surpassed 62,000 on Monday, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them.In addition to that toll, other Palestinians have died from malnutrition and starvation, including three reported in the past 24 hours, the ministry said Tuesday. It says 154 adults have died of malnutrition-related causes since late June, when it began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Aid groups continue to struggle to deliver supplies to Gaza. Israel imposed a full blockade in March, then allowed limited aid to resume two and a half months later. The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, said 370 trucks of aid entered Tuesday still below the 600 per day that the United Nations and partners say is needed. A new attempt to deliver aid by seaIsrael has controlled all Gaza border crossings since seizing the Palestinian side of Rafah in May 2024. With land routes restricted, aid groups have attempted to deliver supplies by air and sea.COGAT said Tuesday that 180 pallets of aid were airdropped into Gaza with help from countries including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and France. The U.N. and partners have called airdrops expensive, inefficient and even dangerous for people on the ground.A ship carrying 1,200 tons of food left Cyprus on Tuesday for the Israeli port of Ashdod loaded with pasta, rice, baby food and canned goods that were pre-screened in Cyprus.___Magdy reported from Cairo and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Melanie Lidman contributed from Tel Aviv, Israel.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war SAM METZ Metz covers Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and points beyond for The Associated Press. mailto JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto

Trader Michael Capolino left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)2025-08-19T06:42:16Z Wall Street held near its records in premarket trading Tuesday as traders digested the latest corporate earnings reports while waiting for fresh cues about interest rates from the Federal Reserve. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were each off about 0.1% before the bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.1%.This week will bring updates from the head of the Federal Reserve and from some of the biggest U.S. retailers. Home Depot shares held steady Tuesday after the home improvement chain reaffirmed its previous full-year guidance even as its second-quarter sales and profit came in a touch lighter than analysts forecast. The company said homeowners have been focused on smaller home repairs while putting off bigger projects because of increased borrowing costs and lingering concerns about inflation.Target and Lowes report their latest results on Wednesday, followed by retail bellwether Walmart on Thursday. Palo Alto Networks jumped 6.3% overnight after the cybersecurity company beat Wall Streets sales and profit forecasts. The California company also announced the retirement of Nir Zuk, its founder, chief technology officer and board member. Nexstar Media Group climbed 9% in premarket trading after the owner of local television broadcasters said it was buying Tegna, another regional TV station owner, for $6.2 billion. The companies said combining will give them a broader reach and allow them to better compete with Big Tech and legacy media. Shares of Tegna, which split from Gannett a decade ago, rose about 5% before the bell. On Friday, the focus will swing to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which has been the home in past years of many big policy announcements from the Fed. There, Fed Chair Jerome Powell will give a speech, and investors are hoping that hes changed his mind since saying last month that he wanted to wait longer before cutting interest rates. The Feds twin jobs are to keep the job market healthy while also maintaining a lid on inflation, and helping one can often hurt the other in the short term. Lower rates can boost the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to borrow to buy houses, cars or equipment, for example, but they also risk worsening inflation.Inflation updates have been mixed, but traders are expecting the Fed to cut its main interest rate for the first time this year at its next meeting in September. The hope is that Powell could give a nod to that.Germanys DAX gained 0.2%, the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.8% and Britains FTSE was 0.4% higher.In Asian trading, Tokyos Nikkei 225 index lost 0.2% as market heavyweight SoftBank Group Corp. fell 4% after it announced it was taking a $2 billion stake in U.S. computer chip maker Intel. Intel gained 5.2% in pre-market trading Tuesday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng shed 0.2%, while the Shanghai Composite index edged less than 0.1% lower. Australias S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.7% and in Seoul, the Kospi gave up 0.8%. Taiwans Taiex fell 0.5% and the Sensex in India was up 0.4%. In Bangkok, the SET slipped 0.1%. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the APs business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Disgraced Nazi-loving rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) has admitted, I sucked my cousins d**k till I was 14. He made this statement while promoting the release of a new song entitled Cousins. His admission is complex and has garnered mixed reactions on social media.In an X post published on Monday, Ye wrote, This song is about my cousin thats locked in jail for life for killing a pregnant lady a few years after I told him we wouldnt look at dirty magazines together anymore[.] Perhaps in my self centered mess I felt it was my fault that I showed him those dirty magazines when he was 6 and then we acted out what we saw. Related Former Ye staffer claims rapper directed vicious homophobia, racism & antisemitism at employees Ye wrote that his father had Playboy magazines, but added, the magazines I found in the top of my moms closet were different. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today He ended the post by declaring, My name is Ye and I sucked my cousins d**k till I was 14.Its unclear if Ye has ever publicly declared his sexual orientation, but he was previously married to reality starKim Kardashian and has publicly dated several women since their divorce in November 2022.Its also unclear how old Ye was when he began sexually interacting with his cousin or what age difference the two boys mightve had. As such, his admission raises questions about consent, understanding, and possible abuse. Ye also publicly said in 2016 that he has bipolar disorder, a mental issue sometimes associated with psychosis, a mental state associated with a loss of contact with reality, hallucinations, and delusions. (Though he has also repeatedly suggested that his bipolar disorder may have been misdiagnosed.)I felt it was my fault that I showed him those dirty magazines when he was 6 and then we acted out what we saw.Ye (formerly Kanye West)Regardless, Yes post was met by many people accusing him of being gay or of harming his cousin, though other commenters responded with surprise and support.[I dont know] how anyone could laugh at this, one commenter wrote. This is childhood trauma not to be taken lightly. Another wrote, This is heavy. If its trolling its not edgy, its deeply harmful. If its real, youre clearly in pain. But pain doesnt erase accountability. Please get help. Some things are too deep for the internet to hold.Another wrote, You need to understand how Kanye works, and his marketing genius. Im not discounting the trauma of this but he uses shock to drive his marketing campaigns. LGBTQ+children and young people face higher risks of child sex abuse than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts due to societal biases and discrimination, according to a 2024 article in Child Protection and Practice. Right-wingers, like the ones that Ye has increasingly associated himself with, have long blamed LGBTQ+ people for sexually abusing children. However, Statistically its adults who identify as straight who abuse the most children, writes Pat Brothwell, who wrote, discussing the issue for The Citizen Times.Putting the bulk of the blame on the LGBTQ community allows scores of adult groomers to continue their behavior unchecked and puts kids at risk, Brothwell added.In February, Ye was sued and dropped by his talent agency, 33 & West, after he published a series of antisemitic social media messages, including, Im a Nazi I love Hitler. During the most recent Super Bowl, he advertised the website of his fashion brand Yeezy,which prominently featured a swastika T-shirt for sale. Despite (or because of) his antisemitism, his last two albums, Vultures 1 and Vultures 2, released in 2024, reached number 1 and 2 in the U.S. charts.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02590-yAn infant with an inherited life-threatening metabolic condition has responded to a tailored therapy that uses the gene-editing tool CRISPR to correct a specific mutation.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02676-7A quirk of physics lets light power flight in low pressure environments.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02613-8Enabling people to take more personal responsibility for their safety can reduce the risks posed by earthquakes and floods.

Cade Klubnik said he appreciates the support he has received from Dabo Swinney, who backed the QB when "a lot of people wanted me out of Clemson."

Atlanta will be pressure-tested against the league's best teams this week, starting with a red-hot Las Vegas.

Indiana's original bison mascot was described as "the devil with a cheerleader in it" -- but now a new version has risen from the ashes thanks to a passionate professor, underground student government action, a campus bar and more.

From Lionel Messi to Son Heung-Min, how do MLS teams know when signing a close-to-retirement star from Europe is a good idea?