Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02603-wLipid molecules form the membranes that organize cellular biochemistry in all domains of life. Imaging approaches have been developed to visualize different types of lipid at subcellular scales and show that these molecules are sorted into membranes by lipid transfer proteins, rather than by vesicles.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09401-4Cultivation of tropical soil microorganisms combined with physiological experiments and bioinformatics analyses identify a family of clade III lactonase-type nitrous oxide reductases with low sequence identity but high 3D structural similarity to known nitrous oxide reductases.

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The White House ordered a sweeping review of Smithsonian museum exhibits to ensure alignment with President Trumps vision of American exceptionalism, even as the Smithsonian affirms its scholarly mission. What do you think?Id like to see him try that shit at the SPAM Museum.Cyril Ward, Padlock PolisherCan I have all the history stuff theyre throwing out?Caroline McVea, Tariff CalculatorHes just helping them with an immersive exhibit on fascism.George Nichols, Adhesives ExpertThe post White House Evaluates Smithsonian For Alignment With Trump appeared first on The Onion.

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A granite Ten Commandments monument stands on the ground of the Texas Capitol, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)2025-08-20T14:59:47Z Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the states new requirement.Texas is the third state where recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools have been blocked by a court.A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the First Amendments protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise. Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Bierys ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight thats expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do, Biery, who was named to the bench by President Bill Clinton, wrote in the 55-page ruling that began with quoting the First Amendment and ended with Amen. The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under the state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious families, including clergy, who have children in the public schools. Although Fridays ruling marked a major win for civil liberties groups, the legal battle is likely far from over. A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it flawed. The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship, the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law. Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument. The families were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.Todays ruling is a major win that protects the constitutional right to religious freedom for Texas families of all backgrounds, Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing.A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, although other districts in the state said theyre not putting them up either. In Louisiana the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional.___This story has been updated to correct that the ruling covers specific school districts in Texas, not the entire state, and to correct the identities of the plaintiffs and defendants. ANDREW DEMILLO DeMillo is a government and politics reporter for The Associated Press, based in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked for the AP since 2005. twitter mailto

The DC National Guard may soon be patrolling the streets of our nation's capital with a handgun famous for firing on its own.Following news that National Guard troops in DC would soon carry weapons, journalist Marisa Kabas of The Handbasket reported that members of the Guard on duty in DC were being sent to firing ranges to make sure they know their way around M-17 pistols.The M-17 is the military variant of the Sig Sauer P320, a handgun famous for accidental discharges. Controversy has swirled around the weapon in gun nerd circles for years as the number of incidents where it fires on its own has stacked up. Multiple shooting ranges wont allow the P320 on the premises, ICE told its agents to stop using the gun, and a recently leaked 2024 FBI report confirmed its prone to fire at random.And yet the National Guard is being trained to carry it on the streets of DC. According to messages and documents obtained by Kabas, members of the DC National Guard task force were qualifying with the M-17, meaning they can demonstrate proficiency with it and are cleared to use it during a mission. According to two people familiar with the situation and whose identities are being kept anonymous for their safety, members of the DC National Guard task force assigned to patrol the streets of the nations capitol are qualifyingmilitary speak for meeting training requirementsto carry and operate M-17 pistols, Kabas reported.The U.S. military started carrying the M-17 in 2017 after Sig won a contract to replace aging Beretta M9s and Sig M11s.The gun has long been controversial, but the problems with it broke into the mainstream in July after Airman Brayden Lovan died at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Early reporting indicated that Lovan had died from a gunshot wound. Days after his death, Air Forces Global Strike Command suspended the use of M-18 pistols (a compact variant of the M-17) and people assumed the weapons infamous accidental discharge problems were to blame.In the aftermath of Lovans death, gun nerds spent hours dismantling the gun online in an effort to explain its mysterious tendency to fire by itself. Matt Rittman, who makes YouTube videos under the name Wyoming Gun Project, discovered that the P320s slide has a lot of give and that a combination of slight pressure on the trigger and wobbling the slide can make the gun discharge. Its common enough that there are supercuts on YouTube that show law enforcement officers P320 firing when holstered. Rittmans demonstration has been copied, memed, and reposted in gun nerd circles since his discovery.On August 8, the Air Force announced it had arrested an unnamed airman in connection to Lovans death. The shot that had caused controversy around the P320 and sent gun nerds scrambling for answers looks to be anything but accidental. Out of an abundance of caution and based on initial reporting, Air Force authorities ordered various safety precautions involving the M-18 after this tragic event, an Air Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose. Since then, the investigation has progressed and an individual has now been arrested on suspicion of making a false official statement, obstruction of justice, and involuntary manslaughter.Through all of this, gunmaker Sig Sauer has denied any wrongdoing. It issued multiple statements saying the gun is safe and that it only fires if the trigger is moved to the rear. It also provides a customer service phone number to people impacted by a P320 range or a training provider ban so Sig can clarify any misinformation and provide the truth.Unless something changes, the M-17 will soon be on the streets of DC and in the hands of the National Guard as they conduct "presence patrols on behalf of the Trump administration.The D.C. National Guard did not return 404 Medias request for comment.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) fired back at anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) after the Georgia Congresswoman claimed she hasnt experienced hardship as a Black woman because she is well educated. So she claims to be, you know, from her people, Greene told right-wing journalist Megyn Kelly. She puts on this image that she understands the Black American struggle. But lets face it, the girl went to private school. She went on to, you know, I dont know what college and law school. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ MAGA Republican booed offstage by angry constituents 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 Greene also called Crockett a complete fake.Shes as fake as her eyelashes. Shes as fake as her hair. Shes as fake as her fingernails. And she is such a massive fraud. Crockett known for her outspoken passion for progressive policies clapped back on social media. It is funny that MAGA cultist want to challenge my blackness because of my education Remember how they challenged Barack Obama & his roots? Remember how they claimed Kamala turnedblack [sic], Crockett wrote.Yall are a joke. Walk a day in my shoes where your white supremacist friends send me hateful emails, death threats, DMs, & posts, and then you can tell me if Im truly living the black experience in this country, UNTIL then mind your business. She concluded, *ALSO being black has nothing to do with education (BUT for the record, if it did, just know that the MOST educated demographic in THIS country is BLACK WOMEN so stop pretending like we are inferior in ANY WAY!)Crocketts claim that Black women are the most educated demographic in the country is controversial, with some experts saying data showing merely that Black women outpace Black men in education has been wildly misinterpreted.Crocketts dedication to speaking out against oppression continues to ruffle right-wing feathers. Earlier this month, anti-LGBTQ+ MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk claimed she is trying to eliminate the white population after she slammed Texas Republicans for redistricting plans that would drastically reduce Black voting power in the state.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Cultural icon Julia Fox has come out as pansexual.The revelation comes a year after she appeared to come out as a lesbian in a TikTok video. The actor and author known for her signature eye makeup, avant-garde style, headline-making 2022 relationship with the rapper now known as Ye, and her breakthrough role in the 2019 filmUncut Gems also made comments about having sworn off men for more than two years while raising her young son. Related I found myself as a trans man when I embraced the flamboyance of camp and glitter Im pansexual, she declared during her recent cover story interview with Allure. I could be attracted to anyone and anything. If it were just down to the physical, Im more attracted to the female body. Men dont do it for me at all [physically], but I can be attracted to a mans mind. Im a vibes person.In October 2024, she told The Times she thinks shes a lesbian and that shed definitely be up for a relationship with a woman. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today You cannot equate that to a relationship with a man, she said at the time. With a woman, youre with your bestie, whereas ultimately men are always going to prioritize other men over you. Men love other men and masculine sh*t, and watching homoerotic things such as wrestling and football. In this toxic culture, I dont think theres room for them to love me.These days, her feelings on men dont seem to have changed. The way my life is, I cant see why a man would be beneficial, she told Allure. Im laser-focused on being a good mom, on being a good provider, on making my dreams come true. Theres just so much more you can do with your time than waiting around to see if a guys going to text you back or not. She said she doesnt miss being with them at all. She said it took her a while to settle into her pansexual identity, adding that she thinks its harder for women to realize theyre queer because we are so programmed to perform for men.Fox has since looked back at her self-described psycho codependent friendships and realized they were actually relationships.But there was no way I was going to admit that to myself, she said, and I couldnt because so much of my survival was hinged upon men taking care of me.Fox has been hinting that she is not straight (and more or less off men) for some time now. In a 2022 interview with comedian Ziwe Fumudoh, she said she thought she had a gay bone that she needed to explore.Maybe my ex-boyfriends werent wrong when they were calling me a lesbian and complaining that I never wanted to have sex with them, she said. Throughout that entire interview, Fox also made it clear that she was done with men.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Trans creators on Bluesky are raising the alarm after multiple users were suspended for posts expressing negative sentiments about J.K. Rowlingincluding ones that didnt mention violence or threats.The controversy began when trans writer and YouTuber Jessie Earl (aka Jessie Gender) was suspended for 24 hours after simply posting: I also wish ill on JK Rowling.When they returned, they admitted they were disappointed with the way BlueSky handled the situation.Im back! I saw your messages on here & elsewherethank you all Jessie Gender (@jessiegender.bsky.social) August 16, 2025 at 3:57 PMThey also clarified they "wish on JK Rowling everything that she wishes upon trans people."And let me be clear -- I wish on JK Rowling everything that she wishes upon trans people. Jessie Gender (@jessiegender.bsky.social) August 16, 2025 at 3:58 PMThe post that originally got Earl banned was a quote of another trans writer, Gretchen Felker-Martin, whose own account had been suspended after she wrote, I hope someone splits her skull. Felker-Martin responded to the ongoing controversy by telling the BlueSky mods to "pull your heads out of your asses."Mods can you pull your heads out of your asses and unban Jessie Gender?[image or embed] Gretchen Felker-Martin (@scumbelievable.bsky.social) August 16, 2025 at 7:43 AMEarls quote made no mention of Felker-Martins phrasing, but Bluesky moderators lumped their post into a violation involving threats of violence and incitement of self-harm, according to an investigative report by Assigned Media. The report quoted Earl saying the phrasing was mildespecially compared to Rowlings own rhetoric about trans people.Other trans users who posted similar variations, including author Dani Finn, were also briefly suspended. However, the report also noted that BlueSky largely left smaller accounts alone.Finns post was later reinstated, and Bluesky admitted it had been wrongly removed. Earl and Felker-Martinss posts have not been restored.In a muddled statement, Bluesky said only Felker-Martins post violated the platforms terms. But users say the patternsuspending trans voices criticizing Rowling, while ignoring worse rhetoric elsewheresuggests something more worrying.Although some queer celebrities like WNBA star Breanna Stewart argue there should be a platform where people can love Harry Potter while also speaking out against Rowling, users note that simply wishing ill on someone isnt the same as abuse, especially considering the harmful language Rowling uses against the community. If their definition of harm includes wishing ill, words have lost all meaning, Finn said. They can censor any criticism they dont like.

Target is entering a new chapter, and it is not one of growth. After more than a decade at the helm, CEO Brian Cornell announced he will step down in February 2026, as the retail giant grapples with a dramatic decline in sales and backlash following its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.Cornell, 66, will be replaced by Michael Fiddelke, the companys current chief operating officer, who has been with the brand for more than 20 years, starting out as an intern. Fiddelke is set to take over on Feb. 1, 2026, amid what analysts are calling a crisis of relevance for the once trendsetting retailer.Mike is the right candidate to lead our business back to growth, Cornell said in a call with investors on Wednesday, August 20, noting that the board selected Fiddelke after reviewing a strong list of external and internal candidates.But not everyone is convinced that an internal promotion is the change Target needs.This internal appointment does not necessarily remedy the problems of entrenched groupthink and the inward looking mindset that have plagued Target for years, said Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Retail. Target, which used to be very attuned to consumer demand, has lost its grip on delivering for the American shopper.Once a Darling of Progressive ShoppersTarget has long branded itself as a socially conscious alternative to Walmart, winning over many LGBTQ+ and progressive consumers in the mid 2010s with inclusive ad campaigns, LGBTQ+ Pride merchandise, and corporate DEI programs. But in recent years, that identity has started to blur and alienate both sides of the political spectrum.Earlier this year, the company faced backlash for scaling back its Pride merchandise displays and pausing internal DEI trainings following public pressure from right wing groups.The decision ignited fury among many of the brands LGBTQ+ customers and allies, who had come to view Target as a rare corporate ally in an increasingly polarized retail environment.Even Anne and Lucy Dayton, heirs to one of Targets founding families, condemned the rollback, calling it a betrayal.Falling Behind in a Hypercompetitive MarketTargets troubles, however, run deeper than internal policies. According to the Associated Press, the retailer reported a 21 percent drop in net income for the quarter ending August 2, 2025. Comparable sales have been stagnant or declining in eight of the past 10 quarters, a worrying sign for a company once hailed as a leader in affordable style and convenience.With nearly 2,000 stores across the United States, Target now finds itself struggling to keep pace with retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Costco, all of which have invested heavily in online infrastructure and ultra competitive pricing.The post pandemic landscape hasnt helped either. Analysts point to increased price sensitivity among consumers and a shift toward budget retailers like TJ Maxx and Dollar General as key factors dragging Target down.Meanwhile, Targets online operations, once seen as its key to future proofing, have lagged behind competitors. And customer loyalty, once one of the brands greatest assets, has eroded as its cultural relevance fades.A Broader Crisis in Brick and Mortar RetailTarget isnt the only retail brand feeling the pinch. Earlier this month, tween accessories chain Claires filed for bankruptcy for the second time, citing mounting debt and a shrinking brick and mortar market. The company will keep its stores open for now, but its future is uncertain.The parallel between Target and Claires is telling: brands that once symbolized cultural moments and niche community appeal are now drowning in debt, changing consumer habits, and failed attempts at reinvention.For Target, the transition to Fiddelke represents a potential inflection point, but only if the new leadership is willing to adapt.Whats at Stake for LGBTQ+ ShoppersFor many queer shoppers, Targets fall from grace represents more than corporate instability, it is a sign of how quickly support can be withdrawn when public pressure mounts.Targets earlier commitment to Pride campaigns, inclusive sizing, and visibility in its workforce once set it apart. But its rapid retreat from these values in the face of boycotts has prompted questions about just how deep its commitment really runs.While the company remains a major retail player, its once strong cultural cachet is fading fast, and with it, the trust of the communities it once courted.As LGBTQ+ consumers increasingly look to support brands that are consistent, vocal, and courageous in their advocacy, Target will have to work harder than ever to regain its footing.Whether new leadership will rise to the moment or double down on the status quo remains to be seen.Source

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09386-0Screening by a graphite gate placed at 1 nm proximity to graphene produces transformative improvement in its electronic quality, reducing charge inhomogeneity by two orders of magnitude.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09395-zChronic alcohol use in humans and mice downregulates small intestinal mAChR4 and reduces goblet-cell-associated antigen passage formation, disrupting antimicrobial immunity.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09402-3Structural insights into ultrafast Ca2+ transport by plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPases are provided, highlighting an essential role for PtdIns(4,5)P2 dynamics.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09428-7Using cryo-electron microscopy, the interactions of Sestrin2 and CASTOR1 with GATOR2 were resolved, revealing how mTORC1 activation is regulated and how nutrient availability triggers signalling for cellular growth.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02683-8Chemists used an electrochemical method to enhance the rates of fusion in a desktop reactor plus, how microbes give chocolate its taste.

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A board outlining the case against Ghislaine Maxwell is seen during a news conference to announce charges against Maxwell for her alleged role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of multiple minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein, July 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)2025-08-20T17:37:19Z NEW YORK (AP) A federal judge in New York who presided over the sex trafficking case against the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the governments request to unseal grand jury transcripts.The ruling Wednesday by federal Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, also turned down the governments request.Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women.Epstein died in jail awaiting trial. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.Berman said the information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice. According to Bermans ruling, no victims testified before the Epstein grand jury. The only witness, the judge wrote, was an FBI agent who had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay. The agent testified over two days, on June 18 and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled. Maxwells case has been the subject of heightened public focus since an outcry over the Justice Departments statement last month saying that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. The decision infuriated online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of President Donald Trumps base who had hoped to see proof of a government cover-up. Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel. Since then, Trump administration officials have tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case, including by requesting from courts the unsealing of grand jury transcripts. The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file, Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the Justice Departments refusal to release additional records on its own while simultaneously moving to unseal grand jury transcripts.By comparison, he added, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a diversion from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Governments possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged conduct.

President Donald Trump listens during an event in the Oval Office to mark the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-08-20T17:41:34Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administrations announcement this week that it would rescind the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials was hardly an isolated act.In ordering the revocation of the clearances, President Donald Trump was turning to a favored retributive tactic that hes wielded or at least tried to against high-profile political figures, lawyers and intelligence officials.The latest targets include officials who have served in the government across a range of agencies and positions, including on former President Joe Bidens national security team and at the National Security Agency. Some have been vocal critics of Trump and some have worked directly on matters that infuriated him, including an intelligence community assessment that said Russia interfered on his behalf in the 2016 presidential election. Security clearances are important tools not only for current national security workers but also former ones who may need them to preserve access to sensitive information in their capacity as contractors.The practical impact is unclear because its not known how many of the 37 people newly singled out by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard still have security clearances. But critics have decried the move as an act of retribution meant to chill dissent or make intelligence officials think twice before reaching conclusions, or engaging in work, that anger the president.A look at some of the other people and industries affected by Trumps security clearance actions: Signers of the letter on Hunter Bidens laptopOn his first day in office, Trump moved to revoke the clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials who in 2020 had signed on to a letter saying the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a Russian information operation.The list includes prominent officials like James Clapper, director of national intelligence under former President Barack Obama; John Brennan and Leon Panetta, who both served as Obamas CIA directors, and John Bolton, who was fired as Trumps national security adviser during his first term.The laptop storyline surfaced after The New York Post in 2020 reported that it had obtained a hard drive of a computer that Hunter Biden had dropped off at a Wilmington, Delaware, repair shop. The newspaper published communications related to the younger Bidens business dealings in Ukraine.A subsequent letter from 51 former intelligence officials raised alarms about the provenance of emails reported by the Post. The signatories wrote that they didnt know whether the emails were authentic but that their emergence has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.Trumps then-director of national intelligence and current CIA director, John Ratcliffe, contradicted that assessment by saying there was no intelligence to support the idea that Russia had anything to do with Hunter Bidens laptop. The FBI, which was conducting its own criminal investigations into the younger Biden, seemed to back up Ratcliffes statement by telling Congress in a letter that it had nothing to add to what he had said.Hunter Biden was subsequently convicted of both tax and gun charges but was pardoned by his father. Former President Joe Biden and his key officialsTrump followed up with a separate order stripping Biden of his clearance, saying in February there was no need for him to continue receiving access to classified information. He also ended intelligence briefings for Biden in payback for Biden doing the same to him in 2021.Top Biden administration officials saw their security clearances suspended in a March order, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.Other Trump foesA host of Trumps perceived adversaries also were targeted in that same March order, including: Andrew Weissmann, a top prosecutor on the Justice Department special counsel team that during Trumps first term investigated ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign. Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney whose office prosecuted Trump last year in connection with hush money payments in 2016. Mark Zaid, a prominent Washington national security lawyer whose clients have included an intelligence community whistleblower whose complaint initiated the first of two impeachment cases against Trump.Zaid subsequently sued, calling it an act of improper political retribution that jeopardizes his ability to continue representing clients in sensitive national security cases. Law firmsTrump also made the suspension of clearances a key provision in a spate of executive orders this year targeting prominent law firms over legal work he disfavored or for their relationships to attorneys he did not like.The actions also sought to bar firm attorneys from accessing federal buildings and threatened the cancellation of federal contracts.Four firms Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey and Jenner & Block sued in federal court to block the enforcement of the orders and in each case prevailed in getting them struck down, leaving the clearances intact. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department. twitter mailto

For the past week, conservatives on social media have been attacking two male cheerleaders with the Minnesota Vikings, and a lot of liberals are having a hard time understanding what is pretty obviously just homophobia. Earlier this month, the Vikings announced that they would have two male cheerleaders for the first time, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, and released some videos and photos of them training. Related Its well-known that Lindsey Graham is gay, Trump ally testifies in deposition The right was outraged. Men? In cheerleading? But a few of the most-shared social media posts show that their issue isnt with the cheerleading, per se.This conservative influencer said that one of the cheerleaders was girating while sharing a video of Conn dancing with the women cheerleaders. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Imagine you buy front row season football tickets and when you sit down there's some man girating right in front of you. pic.twitter.com/0zWpnY6hzW Owen Shroyer (@OwenShroyer1776) August 11, 2025Another viral X post showed Conn strutting in a stereotypically feminine way. The America First poster wrote, this isnt cool.I dont care how the NFL spins itthis isnt cool. pic.twitter.com/CAjVh8AnBf Desiree (@DesireeAmerica4) August 17, 2025 A trad wife influencer posted a picture of Shiek, who appears to be wearing make-up, and said shes so done with this state JFC.This is an official Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader this year. Im so done with this state JFC. pic.twitter.com/ubUqOsCgta Traditionally Sarah (@tradwifemom) August 9, 2025And MAGA actor Kevin Sorbo said he was abandoning his favorite NFL team and posted a video with the male cheerleaders. Ive been a Vikings fan all my life sigh. I need a new team now. pic.twitter.com/VYLdQxyix7 Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) August 12, 2025Liberals response to this has been to point out that there have been male cheerleaders for a long time, that Republicans like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were cheerleaders in college, and that theres no reason men shouldnt be allowed to cheer. Media Matters analyst Ari Drennens X post here reflects the response from liberals in general.George W Bush was head cheerleader at his high school https://t.co/QtHT0KedN5 Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) August 18, 2025 This response has gotten 144,000 likes so far. Here is Ronald Reagan when he was a cheerleader at Eureka Collegeso go fuck off. https://t.co/kZ2UgRotJE pic.twitter.com/CFaS6sPiTJ Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) August 10, 2025While its true that men have been a part of cheerleading since the beginning of the sport, that misses the point. The issue that the right has with Conn and Shiek isnt that theyre male cheerleaders but that theyre visibly gay. And, as usual, liberals and many LGBTQ+ people are uncomfortable acknowledging just how homophobic and transphobic people can be.One MAGA X poster tried to make their complaint about the cheerleaders clearer by approvingly posting a video of a male cheerleader who was wearing a different uniform than the female cheerleaders on his squad and helping one perform stunts, showing that he didnt want to be like the women cheerleaders and was not a threat to traditional gender roles.This is what a male cheerleader is supposed to look like, he wrote. This is what a male cheerleader is supposed to look like pic.twitter.com/QVi7yFiOf5 Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) August 18, 2025And still, some of the liberal responses getting lots of attention are missing the point, even though that conservative was pretty obvious about it.ok Im confused now are male cheerleaders ok or are they woke or what, one responded, getting nearly 50,000 likes. They just hate anyone who looks gay, someone replied in an attempt to get people to understand that homophobia and femme-phobia exist. They just hate anyone who looks gay Miss Mommy Molly Findom (@missmommymolly) August 19, 2025The situation is reminiscent of the rights attacks on the art of drag these past few years. Conservatives have been saying that drag performers are groomers or worse, that no one should be publicly seen in drag. Yet, conservatives keep wearing clothing associated with the opposite sex, often as a joke or as part of a show. The president famously promisedNO MORE DRAG SHOWS at the Kennedy Center when he took it over. Then, the center announced that its new season would feature several shows with men in womens clothes, including Mrs. Doubtfire and Spamalot.The issue, though, isnt drag itself. When straight men wear womens clothes, the right isnt bothered since their sexualities that is, their identities arent subversive. Theres no threat when its some frat bros wearing dresses as part of a prank or an actor wearing a dress in Mrs. Doubtfire, thats just people having fun. Nothing is threatening to their identities because theyre just temporarily wearing some clothes that everyone knows theyll take off later (before putting on more gender stereotypical clothing). Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who vocally hates drag performers, just laughed it off when a clip of her boyfriend, conservative pundit Brian Glenn, wearing womens clothes on TV was shared online in 2023.Im literally loling, she wrote in response to liberals sharing the video. The morons over at [the liberal watchdog X account] Patriot Takes think this is an attack. Brian loves the throwback and is reposting.The left is so stupid, Greene added. Perhaps shes right. There is something stupid about expecting conservatives to have a consistent idea of which actions are good to do and which are bad. Conservatives, in reality, understand the world through people: There are good people and bad people, and good people do good things and bad people do bad things, and whether something is good or bad depends on whos doing it.While Glenn put on a wig, a dress, and held a handbag in the video, its clear from his mannerisms that he wasnt taking it seriously. It was a joke, not a form of self-expression. So its not threatening. That is, Glenn did drag like a straight man, which means that its okay for people like Greene. Transgressing gender roles is fine as long as the right kind of person is doing it, the kind of person who everyone can confidently assume considers the transgressing of gender roles as shameful. And for the male cheerleaders, the conservative view is that its okay to participate in a sport that is, today, mostly made up of women, just as long as they do it in a masculine way, as long as they act like straight men when they do it and clearly show through different uniforms and different roles in the squad that they do not want to be anything like women cheerleaders.The issue is that homophobia and transphobia discourage people who are different from being visible and proud, and that male cheerleaders show that some people dont aspire to be like everyone else.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A new directive issued by the Department of Homeland Security orders U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers to go far beyond statutory requirements and judge applicants for entry and naturalization based on the Trump administrations new holistic definition of ethical standards and expectations and good moral character. Depending on how good moral character is judged, activists fear that LGBTQ+ immigrants may be denied naturalization.The guidance is a throwback to a period when LGBTQ+ visitors and immigrants were routinely deemed psychopathic personalities and barred from entry to the United States as immoral aliens.The authors of the revised guidance are behind the draconian immigration restrictions proposed in Project 2025, the Christian nationalist Heritage Foundations blueprint for the second Trump administration. Related New immigration policy bans visas for trans athletes: Not in the national interest That same document says that straight marriage is best for children and condones discrimination against LGBTQ+ people based on a religious freedom to do so.Our fear stems from the incontrovertible fact that the USCIS policy memo does not exist in isolation. It is part of a larger Project 2025 agenda, said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, the civil liberties advocacy group. Many of the authors of Project 2025 are high-ranking Trump administration veterans now back in power, writing the playbook for policies like this one. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They have made clear that their goal is to resurrect outdated notions of morality and enforce them on society an approach that has historically been wielded as a weapon against sexual and gender minorities, Besen said, following the release of the new policy on Friday.For decades, immigration officials interpreted good moral character to mean that a candidate for naturalization hasnt committed certain criminal offenses. But now the administration wants immigration officials to take a more holistic approach to assessing good moral character and consider additional factors. Potential Trojan horses targeting the LGBTQ+ community in the new guidance include a directive to scrutinize the Family Responsibilitiesof candidates for naturalization. The Christian nationalist ideology underpinning Project 2025 and espoused by its authors doesnt recognize the legitimacy of LGBTQ+ families, including their legal right to marry or adopt children. An officer influenced by the same far-right ideology could deem a married same-sex couple raising children in conflict with their own subjective interpretation of good moral character.Officers are also ordered to take Severe Violations of Religious Freedominto account in their evaluations. That means that a gay immigrant who protested a local churchs anti-LGBTQ+ views could be labeled as violating the administrations interpretation of religious freedom that condones discrimination against gay people. And at least two Supreme Court justices believe that gay people having the right to marry is a violation of Christians religious freedom. While the directives may sound neutral or even benign on their own, Besen said, in reality they are invitations to discrimination, giving bigoted adjudicators free rein to deny LGBTQ people citizenship for reasons that have nothing to do with law and everything to do with prejudice.Once again, LGBTQ immigrants risk being judged not by the law, but by the prejudices of individual officers empowered to play moral arbiter, Besen said. That is fundamentally un-American and contradicts the principle of equal protection under the law.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The race is far from over. MTV and Paramount+ have officially renewed RuPauls Drag Race for Season 18, alongside fresh seasons of Untucked, RuPauls Drag Race All Stars, and All Stars Untucked. The news comes on the heels of a landmark year for the franchise. Season 17 of Drag Race delivered the shows biggest [...]The post BRING BACK MY GIRLS! RuPauls Drag Race Announces New Season Renewals Across Franchises first appeared on GLAAD.

The Womens Rugby World Cup starts on Friday, and the lineup for the American team is proving why rugby really is the gayest sport around. Sure, the WNBA has dozens of queer players and couples playing on the same team and rival teams, and the National Womens Soccer League is chock full of sapphics, but womens rugby is definitely the queerest sport out there. The Eagles, the name of the U.S Womens Rugby World Cup squad, has six queer players, and there are 54 LGBTQ+ players playing in the international competition. So lets meet the sapphic American players ready to set the pitch on fire!Alev KelterRuby sevens star Alev Kelter has had an impressive career. This will be the third time Kelter has represented the United States in the Rugby World Cup. She also competed on Team USA at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. In 2024, not only did she take home a bronze medal, but she also proposed to her girlfriend, fellow rugby player Kathryn Treder.Mckenzie HawkinsMcKenzie Hawkins plays at Flyhalf for the United States and this will be her second time at the Rugby World Cup, although she never stepped onto the field the last time around. Hawkins has been dating her girlfriend Liz for two years.Charli JacobyCharli Jacoby plays Prop for the United States during international competition, but also played for the Exerter Chiefs in the Premier 15s. In 2024, she became the first American to play in Australias Super Rugby Womens completion for the Queensland Reds for the 2024 season. Jacoby is dating Australian Rugby World Cup team member Lori Cramer.Erica Jarrell-SearcyHarvard alum Erica Jarrell-Searcy was on the 2021 Rugby World Cup traveling roster, but didnt get a chance to walk onto the pitch. This time around, shell be making her World Cup debut as a starting Lock. Just six weeks ago, Jarrell-Searcy celebrated marrying wife Kay with a carousel of photos on Instagram.Kathryn TrederAmerican rugby union player Kathryn Treder made her World Cup debut at the 2021 games in New Zealand. The 29-year-old hooker and flanker was also named in the Bay Breakers squad for their inaugural season as part of Womens Elite Rugby. Treders girlfriend, fellow World Cup team member Alev Kelter, proposed to her after winning bronze at the Paris Olympics.Kate ZackaryThis will be team captain Kate Zackarys third time competing in the World Cup. The fierce competitor and leader began her professional rugby career in 2014 when she quit her job working at a gym to join the womens Eagles sevens team. She married wife Mandy back in 2023.

Post Malone has taken on many roles over the course of his career including singer, songwriter, rapper, beer enthusiast but now hes adding underwear model to the list. The chart-topping artist made his modeling debut in Kim Kardashians latest SKIMS menswear campaign, and in true Posty fashion, he brought a mix of humor, vulnerability, and fried chicken to the experience.The 30-year-old Grammy-nominated artist fronts SKIMS new Realtree camouflage capsule, a limited-edition release featuring relaxed-fit tops, bottoms, and yes, camo briefs. The campaign, shot in Utah by acclaimed photographer Theo Wenner, marks Malones first time modeling in his underwear, and according to the singer, it was anything but comfortable at first.Despite his self-deprecating humor, Malone clearly leaned into the vibe. The visuals feature the singer confidently posing shirtless and lounging in camo boxers, an unexpected move from someone known more for his tattoos and trucker hats than for fashion campaigns. But he says the camo helped.From the Studio to the Fitting RoomPreparing for a fashion shoot can be grueling, especially when the job requires posing in your underwear. Malone, known for his casual and unfiltered approach to just about everything, admitted he did try to bulk up in advancesort of.Relatable.Still, the singer said the shoot turned out to be a lot of fun, and credited the teamand the SKIMS gear itselfwith helping him feel more confident.The camo aesthetic wasnt a random choice either. Post Malone is famously a fan of the pattern, often incorporating it into his streetwear looks and stage outfits.A Brand Built on Celebrity and DisruptionMalone joins a growing list of celebrities tapped by SKIMS to front campaigns, including ROS of BLACKPINK, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Abby Champion, and even Kris Jenner. The brand, founded by Kim Kardashian, has made waves not just for its comfortable, minimalist shapewear and loungewear, but also for its social-media-savvy rollouts and viral campaign visuals.Earlier this year, SKIMS ventured into beauty-adjacent territory with its Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap, a facial compression garment designed to offer jaw support. The product went viral almost instantly, thanks in part to an unexpected Instagram endorsement from Anthony Hopkins, who playfully referenced his Silence of the Lambs character while modeling the wrap.And while the shoot may have been terrifying for him, the images reveal a Post Malone whos confidently himself. Whether hes joking about Sasquatch sightings or fantasizing about texts from admirers, his presence in a campaign like this adds another layer to the evolving conversation around masculinity, self-expression, and body image.Source

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09421-0The transcription factors TCF1 and LEF1 promote self-renewal and regulatory functions in B-1a cells.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02428-7When enzymes require rescue strategies to complete progression through their reaction, but natural safety nets fail, disease states can ensue.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09405-0An experimental method is used to assign partial charges based on crystal structure determination through electron diffraction, applicable to any crystalline compound.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09433-wDual cyclin A/B RxL inhibitors selectively kill small cell lung cancer cells and other cancer cells with high E2F activity.