A consumer places a flat of eggs in a shopping cart in a Costco warehouse Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)2025-03-27T12:37:42Z WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy annual 2.4% pace the final three months of 2024, supported by a year-end surge in consumer spending, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its previous estimate of fourth-quarter growth.But its unclear whether the United States can sustain that growth as President Donald Trump wages trade wars, purges the federal workforce and promises mass deportations of immigrants working in the country illegally.Growth in gross domestic product the nations output of goods and services decelerated from a 3.1% pace in July-September 2024, the Commerce Department said. For all of 2024, the economy the worlds biggest grew 2.8%, down a tick from 2.9% in 2023.Consumer spending rose at a 4% pace, up from 3.7% in third-quarter 2023. But business investment fell, led by an 8.7% drop in investment in equipment. A drop in business inventories shaved 0.84 percentage points off fourth-quarter GDP growth. A category within the GDP data that measures the economys underlying strength rose at a healthy 2.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter, slipping from the governments previous estimate of 3.2% and from 3.4% in the third quarter. This category includes consumer spending and private investment but excludes volatile items like exports, inventories and government spending. Wednesdays report showed continued inflationary pressure at the end of 2024. The Federal Reserves favored inflation gauge the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index rose at an annual rate of 2.4%, up from 1.5% in the third quarter and above the Federal Reserves 2% target. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core PC inflation registered 2.6%, compared to 2.2% in the third quarter. Thursdays report was the governments third and final look at fourth-quarter GDP.The outlook is cloudier. Trumps decision to slap taxes on a range of imports including a 25% tax on foreign autos announced Wednesday could push up inflation and disrupt investment, hurting growth. The fourth-quarter showed the U.S. economy before the enormous surge in policy uncertainty, particularly trade, took hold and the Trump administration imposed additional tariffs, wrote Ryan Sweet, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. The combination of policy uncertainty, tariffs, and tightening financial market conditions are weighing on growth early this year.'U.S. consumer confidence is sliding sharpy over anxiety about both tariffs and inflation, and major retailers are lowering their expectations for the year, saying that customers are already pulling back on spending.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00877-8A newfound ability to produce an antibiotic helped a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to take over a hospital.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08676-xExome sequencing of 851 trios from more than 2,500 individuals finds 187 genes with de novo mutations that contribute to meningomyelocele (spina bifida) and highlights critical pathways required for neural tube closure.

This contributed photo shows Rumeysa Ozturk on an apple-picking trip in 2021. (AP Photo)2025-03-27T13:23:09Z BOSTON (AP) A Turkish student ambushed by federal police as she walked on the streets of a Boston suburb is the latest supporter of Palestinian causes to be swept up in the Trump administrations crackdown on immigrants who have expressed their political views.Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, a doctoral student at Tufts University, had been moved out of Massachusetts by the time her lawyer went to court and a judge ordered her to be kept in the state, U.S. government lawyers said in a court document Thursday. The lawyers said that Ozturk, who was detained Tuesday shortly after she left her home in Somerville, was moved to a U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement detention center in Basile, Louisiana. They said they made her lawyers aware that she was being moved there and they helped facilitate contact with her Wednesday night. A senior Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said federal authorities detained Ozturk and revoked her visa after an investigation found she had engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans. A visa is a privilege, not a right, the spokesperson added. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is common sense security. The DHS did not provide evidence of Ozturks support of Hamas, which is designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. Friends and colleagues of Ozturk said she was not closely involved in pro-Palestinian protests that broke out on campuses last spring. Her only known activism, they said, was co-authoring an op-ed in a student newspaper that called on Tufts University to engage with student demands to cut ties with Israel.To my knowledge, the only thing I know of that Rumeysa organized was a Thanksgiving potluck, said Jennifer Hoyden, a close friend of Ozturks who studied with her at Columbia Universitys Teachers College. Theres a very important distinction between writing a letter supporting the student Senate and taking the kind of action theyre accusing her of, which Ive seen no evidence of. The arrest appears to be part of President Donald Trumps pledge to deport students who, he said, engage in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, a label the administration has applied broadly to those who criticize Israel and protest its military campaign in Gaza.Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in an attack that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people, according to Gazas Health Ministry, and destroyed much of the enclave.Video obtained by The Associated Press appears to show six people, their faces covered, taking away a shouting Ozturks phone as she is handcuffed. Were the police, members of the group are heard saying in the video.A bystander is heard asking, Why are you hiding your faces?Ozturks lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, filed a petition seeking her release Tuesday and then an emergency motion Wednesday. She said no charges have been filed against Ozturk. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani initially issued an order giving the government until Friday to answer why Ozturk was being detained. Talwani also ordered that Ozturk not be moved outside the District of Massachusetts without 48 hours advance notice.The government said in its response Thursday that it will set forth the timeline of Ozturks arrest and transfer from Massachusetts. Ozturk, who is Muslim, was meeting friends for iftar, a meal that breaks a fast at sunset during Ramadan, according to Khanbabai.We are in touch with local, state, and federal elected officials and hope that Rumeysa is provided the opportunity to avail herself of her due process rights, Tufts University President Sunil Kumar said in a statement Wednesday night. The university is actively working to support the Tufts community as it mobilizes its collective resources and contacts to ensure our students safety and wellbeing. Ozturk was one of four students last March who wrote an op-ed in The Tufts Daily criticizing the universitys response to student demands that Tufts acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.After the op-ed was published, Ozturks name, photograph and work history were published on the website Canary Mission, a website that describes itself as documenting people who promote hatred of the U.S.A., Israel and Jews on North American college campuses.A large crowd gathered Wednesday night in Somerville to protest Ozturks detainment. Its important that we all remember what she wrote about and why she was targeted, which is Palestine, Lea Kayali, from the Palestinian Youth Movement, told the crowd.Its important for us to remember that this is not new for immigrant communities, and this is not new for Palestinians, she added. The U.S. government is deliberately trying to target our movement and scare us into silence. But we will not be silenced. MICHAEL CASEY Casey writes about the environment, housing and inequality for The Associated Press. He lives in Boston. twitter mailto JAKE OFFENHARTZ Offenhartz is a general assignment reporter in the New York City bureau of The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella stands behind his bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)2025-03-27T13:50:08Z The Philadelphia Flyers fired coach John Tortorella on Thursday with nine games left in another losing season for a franchise that hasnt been in the playoffs since 2020.The Flyers are last in the Metropolitan Division at 28-36-9 for 65 points under the notoriously brusque Tortorella. The Flyers suffered their sixth straight loss Tuesday, 7-2 to Toronto.Tortorella, who won a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, said after the game he was not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season, where were at right now.But I have to do a better job, he said. So this falls on me, getting the team prepared to play the proper way until we get to the end.The Flyers will get to the end without him.The Flyers named Brad Shaw the interim coach, starting with Thursdays game against Montreal.John played a vital role in our rebuild. He set a standard of play and re-established what it means to be a Philadelphia Flyer, general manager Danny Briere said. Johns passion on the bench was only equaled by his charitable work in our community. As we move into the next chapter of this rebuild, I felt this was the best for our team to move forward. Id like to thank John for his tireless work and commitment to the Flyers. The Flyers have lost 11 of their last 12 games and won only six times over the last 25 games a massive blow for a rebuilding team that had mild playoff hopes entering the season. Tortorella, who brandished his reputation as a fiery, no-nonsense coach on a team still mostly full of young 20-somethings finding their way in the NHL, went 97-107-33 for the Flyers and was fired with one year left on his contract. The Flyers havent won the Stanley Cup since the last of their two straight championships in 1975. They last played in the Stanley Cup Final in 2010.Briere championed the job Tortorella did last season as he guided the Flyers to the last game of the season with meaningful hockey to play. The Flyers were widely predicted by experts, fans and oddsmakers to finish near the bottom of the NHL. Briere preached patience over playoffs again this season, even with the ascension of rookie star Matvei Michkov, who has lived up to the hype with 51 points in 71 games. The 66-year-old Tortorella did come under scrutiny this season when he healthy scratched Michkov or benched him for long periods, explaining it was part of a tough-love approach toward the Russians development.His resume was about as good as it gets in the NHL when he was hired in October 2022: a Stanley Cup winner with Tampa Bay in 2004; a conference final in 2012 with the Rangers; the master motivator who lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets from perennial losers before he was hired into four straight seasons in the playoffs.The Flyers have been dragged down by years of poor drafting, inadequate talent evaluation and churned through six coaches in 10 years before Tortorella was hired. Briere, a former Flyers standout, was named general manager in spring 2023 and promised he would revamp the organization from top-to-bottom and boldly proclaimed the team was set for a rebuild a term management had long loathed publicly using.The long road toward the playoffs goes on only without the coach known as Torts on the bench.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl DAN GELSTON Gelston is an an Associated Press sports writer covering major college and pro sports in Philadelphia, including the 76ers, Flyers, Eagles, Phillies and Villanova. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00961-zAntimicrobial molecule discovered in soil from lab technicians garden plus, a huge study assessing the nuances of humans impacts on biodiversity.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08799-1A gene-edited pig liver transplanted into a human recipient remains functional after 10days and indicates that porcine organs could help meet the growing demand for liver transplants.

Nature, Published online: 27 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00559-5Learning how to influence the way people see me when I enter a room has been key to boosting my confidence in job interviews.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00900-yVaccines containing peptides called antigens are bad at stimulating key immune cells called killer T cells. A molecule now enables antigens to encounter these T cells.

Police are investigating after several vehicles were set on fire at a Tesla service center, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File)/2025-03-27T20:20:40Z LAS VEGAS (AP) A man who set fire to Tesla vehicles in Las Vegas and who painted the word resist for authorities to find at the scene has been arrested, police announced Thursday.Paul Hyon Kim, 36, faces charges in connection with the March 18 attack in both state and federal court. He was taken into the custody of the federal government Thursday.In state court, Kim is facing charges of arson, possession of an explosive device and firing a weapon into a vehicle, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference.Kim is also charged with federal unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm and arson, according to a criminal complaint. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas later Thursday.An attorney for Kim who could comment on his behalf was not listed Thursday in court records.Security video played at the news conference showed the suspect, dressed all in black and covering his face, paint the word resist across the glass doors of a Tesla service center early on March 18. McMahill said the suspect threw Molotov cocktails crude bombs filled with gasoline or another flammable liquid and fired several rounds from a weapon into multiple vehicles. McMahill said Thursday they were actively investigating a motive and whether it is connected to other recent cases of vandalism targeting Tesla property across the country. There has been a clear uptick of violent attacks on property carrying the Tesla logo across the U.S. and overseas since President Donald Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that has slashed government spending. The attacks are keeping law enforcement busy.Prosecutors in Colorado charged a woman last month in connection with attacks on Tesla dealerships, including Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles and the words Nazi cars spray-painted on a building. And federal agents in South Carolina have arrested a man they say set fire to Tesla charging stations near Charleston Some of the most prominent incidents have been reported in left-leaning cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, where anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment runs high.An Oregon man faces charges after allegedly throwing several Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store in Salem, then returning another day and shooting out windows. In the Portland suburb of Tigard, more than a dozen bullets were fired at a Tesla showroom last week, damaging vehicles and windows, the second time in a week that the store was targeted.Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI division, declined Thursday to comment on the similarities of the cases. But he told reporters last week that the Las Vegas case has some of the hallmarks of terrorism.Was this terrorism? Was it something else? It certainly has some of the hallmarks that we might think the writing on the wall, potential political agenda, an act of violence, Evans said. None of those factors are lost on us. RIO YAMAT Yamat covers Nevada and the U.S. Southwest for The Associated Press. She is based in Las Vegas. twitter mailto

Britain's King Charles III greets a guest during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, for guests from a wide range of media organisations across the country, Wednesday March 26, 2025. (Aaron Chown, Pool via AP)2025-03-27T21:10:20Z LONDON (AP) King Charles III was briefly hospitalized for observation on Thursday after experiencing temporary side effects related to a scheduled cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. His engagements for Thursday afternoon and Friday were canceled.His majesty has now returned to Clarence House and as a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrows diary program will also be rescheduled, the palace said. His majesty would like to send his apologies to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.The kings health has been closely watched ever since early last year when he announced that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. Charles, 76, stepped away from public duties for about three months but continued fulfilling state duties, such as reviewing government papers and meeting with the prime minister. Charles cancer diagnosis has heaped pressure on the British monarchy, which is still evolving after the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.When he succeeded his mother in September 2022, Charles task was to demonstrate that the 1,000-year-old institution remains relevant in a modern nation whose citizens come from all corners of the globe. But this task takes much time and energy. Although the duties of a constitutional monarch are largely ceremonial, the royal whirl can be exhausting. Besides the occasional procession in full royal regalia, there are meetings with political leaders, dedication ceremonies and events honoring the accomplishments of British citizens. That added up to 161 days of royal engagements during Charless first year on the throne.Charles illness came as his daughter-in-law, Kate, the Princess of Wales, was also diagnosed with cancer. Kate, the wife of Prince William, took more than six months off before returning to public duties in late September.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00899-2Ultraviolet light from a galaxy observed when the Universe was just 330 million years old has intriguing implications for understanding how the first generations of stars and black holes were formed.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00888-5Global sea surface temperatures in 202324 exceeded the previous record by an unprecedented margin. Observation-based statistical models and climate models suggest that such jumps in ocean temperatures are unlikely to occur even with global warming but are almost impossible without it. In climate models, temperatures revert to the long-term warming trend in the years after such jumps.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08921-3Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08748-yIn mice, prolonged consumption of a high-fat diet decreases interest in calorie-rich foods as a result of reduced neurotensin expression and signalling, which uncouples hedonic feeding behaviour linked to neurons projecting from lateral nucleus accumbens to ventral tegmental area.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08651-6JNJ-9676a small-molecule inhibitor targeting coronavirus M protein that shows excellent efficacy in Syrian golden hamster modelsbinds to and stabilizes the M protein dimer in an altered conformational state between its long and short forms, preventing the release of infectious virus.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08675-yThis Perspective describes how recent advances in artificial intelligence could be used to automate medical image interpretation to complement human expertise and empower physicians and patients.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08716-6Deconstruction of rubber is achieved using CH amination and aza-Cope rearrangement to provide precursors for epoxy resins.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08787-5EGF-induced recruitment of UPF1 adjacent to HNRNPC induces splicing surveillance of cell proliferation mRNAs.

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)2025-03-28T01:17:09Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Suspected U.S. airstrikes pummeled sites across Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels early Friday, including neighborhoods in the capital, Sanaa.The extent of the damage and possible casualties wasnt immediately clear, though the number of strikes appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15. An Associated Press review has found the new American operation under President Donald Trump appears more more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities. Initial reports from the Houthis described at least seven people being hurt in the attacks Friday in Sanaa, Yemens capital that the rebels have held since 2014. Other strikes hit around the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, the rebels stronghold of Saada and in Yemens al-Jawf and Amran governorates. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge what at those sites had been targeted, other than Sanaa International Airport, which is used for both civilian and military traffic. Neighborhoods in the capital also are home to military and intelligence service sites as well as crowded with civilians. Other areas hit included mountainous terrain north of Sanaa in Amran, where military camps and other installations are believed to be. The Houthis al-Masirah satellite news network described communication networks going down after the attacks, which included at least 19 strikes there alone. The U.S. militarys Central Command, which now has authority from the White House to strike offensively in Yemen without pre-approval, did not immediately acknowledge conducting any strikes. The command, which under Biden offered details on individual strikes, has not provided that information in this campaign. The campaign of airstrikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 57 people immediately after they began March 15, started after the Houthis threatened to begin targeting Israeli ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well.The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors during their campaign targeting ships from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships, though none have been hit so far.The attacks greatly raised the Houthis profile as they faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemens decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab worlds poorest nation. 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

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Sierra Moran, a transgender service member, listens during a press conference in Tacoma, Wash., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)2025-03-28T00:57:43Z TACOMA, Wash. (AP) A U.S. judge in Washington state has blocked enforcement of President Donald Trumps order banning transgender people from serving in the military the second nationwide injunction against the policy in as many weeks.The order Thursday day from U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma came in a case brought by several long-serving transgender military members who say the ban is insulting and discriminatory, and that their firing would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations.U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C., similarly issued an order blocking the policy last week but then put her own ruling temporarily on hold. Following further legal briefing, she declined to dissolve that injunction, which is now set to take effect Friday.In a more limited ruling on Monday, a judge in New Jersey barred the Air Force from removing two transgender men, saying they showed their separation would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations that no monetary settlement could repair. Trump signed an executive order Jan. 27 that claims the sexual identity of transgender service members conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in ones personal life and is harmful to military readiness. In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. Those challenging the policy and Trumps executive order in Tacoma include Gender Justice League, which counts transgender troops among its members, and several transgender members of the military. Among them is U.S. Navy Cmdr. Emily Hawking Shilling, a 42-year-old woman who has served for more than 19 years, including 60 missions as a combat aviator in Iraq and Afghanistan.They can do the right number of pullups. They can do the right amount of pushups. They can shoot straight, Sasha Buchert, an attorney with the civil rights law firm Lambda Legal, said after arguments Monday in Tacoma. Yet, theyre being told they have to leave the military simply because of who they are. Justice Department lawyer Jason Lynch argued that the president was entitled to deference in military affairs and suggested the service ban was not as broad as the plaintiffs had suggested. The judge, an appointee of former President George W. Bush and a former captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps, peppered Lynch with questions, noting that the government had offered no evidence that allowing transgender troops to serve openly has caused any problems for military readiness.Thousands of transgender people serve in the military, but they represent less than 1% of the total number of active-duty service members.In 2016, a Defense Department policy permitted transgender people to serve openly in the military. During Trumps first term in the White House, the Republican issued a directive to ban transgender service members, with an exception for some of those who had already started transitioning under more lenient rules that were in effect during the Obama administration. The Supreme Court allowed that ban to take effect. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, scrapped it when he took office.The rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth include no such exceptions.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08723-7A new lasso peptide antibiotic exhibits broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by interfering with bacterial protein synthesis, is unaffected by common resistance mechanisms and shows no toxicity towards human cells.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08742-4A standard commercial CMOS FET can exhibit synaptic-like long-term potentiation and depression or neuron-like leaky-integrate-and-fire and adaptive frequency-bursting behaviour when biased in a specific but unconventional way.

Alabama guard Chris Youngblood (8) and guard Mark Sears (1) react during the second half of a Sweet 16 round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Brigham Young, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)2025-03-28T01:50:06Z Follow APs full coverage of March Madness.Get the AP Top 25 mens college basketball poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Alabama broke the 35-year-old March Madness record for 3-pointers with 25 and Mark Sears scored 30 of his 34 points on 3s, a relentless long-range spree that ushered the second-seeded Crimson Tide past BYU 113-88 on Thursday night in an NCAA Tournament East Region semifinal.Alabama reached the Elite Eight in consecutive years for the first time in program history.The Crimson Tide made 25 of 51 3-point attempts to break the record of 21 set by Loyola Marymount in 1990. Sears, a first-team All-America guard, hit the record-breaking 22nd 3 late in the game to make it 97-66. He received a standing ovation from the Alabama fans when he checked out with 10 3s and more than four minutes left to play.Sears and the Crimson Tide (28-8) showed they are no March fluke under coach Nate Oats. Riding a wave of 3s, Alabama set itself up for a date against either Duke or Arizona for a shot at the Final Four. Richie Saunders scored 25 points to lead BYU (26-10), which hasnt played in a regional final since 1981.Sears 10 3s were one short of the record set by Loyola Marymounts Jeff Fryer in a memorable 149-115 second-round win over Michigan. The Crimson Tide made their first Final Four appearance in school history last season, when they lost to eventual national champion UConn.Alabama loved the 3 this season, averaging 28 attempts a game. Against sixth-seeded BYU (24-9), Sears and the Crimson Tide feasted on the long ball. Sears hit five in the first half, camping out behind the arc without much of a hand in his face. Sears and Chris Youngblood hit back-to-back 3s for a 38-30 lead and repeated the feat minutes later for a 44-34 advantage. BYUs Egor Demin followed with an airball and Alabama could smell crimson in the water.Alabama attempted 15 2-pointers and made 10 of them.Sears raised his teammates out of their seats and into a frenzy when another 3 early in the second half for a 63-47 lead that sent the shaken Cougars into a timeout. The deep, up-tempo Crimson Tide let Sears bury 3 after 3 after 3 with the Elite Eight in sight. TakeawaysAlabama continued the Southeastern Conferences run in the tournament and coasted in its third straight Sweet 16 appearance.The shots and now, free tater tots dried up for BYU. Saunders, a descendant of the man who invented tater tots, had fueled BYUs run to the Sweet 16.BYU was a bust trying match Alabama beyond the arc. The Cougars missed 12 of 13 3s in the first half.The Cougars gamely pulled within striking distance only to get socked down by, yes, another Alabama 3. Demin hit a 3 that pulled BYU within 63-55, only for Aden Holloway to connect again beyond the arc for the Tide.Holloway made six 3s and Youngblood had five.Up nextAlabama will try to reach only the second Final Four in program history.___AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. DAN GELSTON Gelston is an an Associated Press sports writer covering major college and pro sports in Philadelphia, including the 76ers, Flyers, Eagles, Phillies and Villanova. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00848-zHundreds of cubes of human brain tissue help scientists to chart the energy-making capabilities of various brain regions.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08690-zA longstanding challenge in organic synthesisthe catalytic allylation of unprotected saccharides in an aqueous medium, a key step for the synthesis of Millad NX 8000is achieved through a simple and efficient indium-catalysed nucleophilic allylation using a three-carbon-unit allylboronic acid or its pinacol ester.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00959-7Data from 300,000 births reveal how essential biological measurements are altered by carrying and delivering a baby.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08794-6A study describes the split integrated stress response, a cellular stress response mechanism characterized by reduced eIF2B activity without eIF2 phosphorylation, which activates the eIF4EATF4PCK2 axis, enabling metabolic reprogramming.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08773-xHigh-throughput screening and hit optimization have led to the development of a small molecule, CIM-834, that targets the SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein and blocks assembly of the virus.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00865-yMost communication between neurons is mediated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. The finding that temperature influences how glutamate binds to neuronal receptor proteins to initiate signal transduction reveals the mechanics of one of the brains most important processes.

Toronto residents Douglas Bloomfield, from right, his son Phoenix and wife Ame, who are on vacation in Washington, hold a Canadian flag and an ice hockey stick to show their support for Canada regarding trade tariffs in front of the White House in Washington, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)2025-03-28T04:07:13Z WASHINGTON (AP) Americans are less likely to see Canada and the U.S. as close allies than they were two years ago, the latest indication that President Donald Trumps tariff threats and talk of taking over a neighboring ally are souring a critical economic and military relationship. The U.S. shift in viewpoint comes primarily from Democrats, though Republicans are less likely to see Canada as Americas ally now too, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. While about 7 in 10 Democrats saw Canada and the U.S. as close allies before Trump returned to office, now that number is down to about half. For Republicans, the number dropped from 55% to 44%. Although most still see the countries relationship as at least friendly, just under half of U.S. adults now consider the U.S. to be close allies with its neighbor to the north. Thats down from about 6 in 10 in a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023. Hes turning everybody against us, bemoaned Lynn Huster, 73, a lifelong Democrat who lives in York, Pennsylvania. Huster says she has been dismayed by Trumps actions and how they have affected relationships with other allies, including the United Kingdom. Canada, she said, had been our friends, you know, they backed us. And some of the other countries, the U.K., they dont want any part of us anymore. And its sad that our countrys going to stand alone if anything happens. The poll comes as Trump has dramatically realigned U.S. foreign policy and Americas relations since his return to office.He has slapped sweeping tariffs on goods made in Canada, Mexico and China, and this week added a 25% tax on imported autos. Next week, he says he will put in place reciprocal taxes mirroring the tariffs charged by other nations a move he is calling Liberation Day. Beyond the economic threats, Trump has repeatedly antagonized and belittled historic partners, notably the one with which the U.S. shares a 5,500-mile (8,900-kilometer) border. He has threatened Canadas sovereignty, saying it should become the countrys 51st state, and repeatedly labeled its prime minister governor. His moves have sparked deep feelings of betrayal across Canada, where the U.S.-Canada relationship had long been seen akin to family. The U.S. national anthem has been booed at Canadian arenas and American liquor has been stripped from Canadian shelves.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose partys fortunes have been revived by taking a hard line against Trump, said Thursday that the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner and that Canadians must now look out for ourselves.Shaya Scher, 35, a Republican who lives in New Jersey, argues that Trumps rhetoric toward Canada is largely bluster.I think hes just doing it to make them freak out so they can get a deal, Scher said.He believes a deal will eventually happen and tensions will ease.I think at the end of the day, theyre still allies, he said. Under the hood were still allies, and if anything comes up, well still be allies. Others, however, were more despondent.Hes sabotaging decades of goodwill by having tariffs on foreign steel and foreign cars and foreign flowers, said Scott Cunningham, 69, a Democrat who lives in South Bend, Indiana. Tariffs are really going to hurt relationships trading relationships, personal relationships after being allies for decades. You do something like that, Im going to remember that.About 3 in 10 Americans see Canada as friendly but not a close ally, while about 2 in 10 say the two countries are not friendly but not enemies. Very few see them as outright enemies.Cunningham characterized the current U.S. relationship with Canada as not friendly but not enemies.Were not friends because of tariffs and him wanting to take over the country. Thats not going well, he said. Its very strained right now.When it comes to the rest of the world, the AP-NORC poll found about half of U.S. adults see the United Kingdom as a close U.S. ally, but only about 3 in 10 say the same about France and Germany. About 4 in 10 say the European Union is a close ally. Almost no Americans see either Russia or China as a close ally. About one-third say China is an enemy of the United States, and a similar share think this about Russia. Republicans are less likely to see Russia as a threat. Only about one-third of Republicans see Russia as an enemy of the U.S., compared to about 4 in 10 Democrats.Trent Ramsaran, 37, a freelancer who lives in Brooklyn, New York, said many European leaders of traditional U.S. allies clearly have conflicting views with Trump, particularly on immigration.Im starting to see the pattern there where it seems like all these quote-unquote allies are in favor of having immigrants take over the country, he said. His vision is really not the same as these allies. So hes saying these allies are not on the same page. But Ramsaran said hes not at all worried about the U.S. someday needing allies it has alienated, given how much the country spends on defense and high-tech weapons.If America ended up being attacked, Im totally confident that we do not need the help of our allies to defend this country, he said. Weve got Tom Cruise. He can teach people how to dogfight in Top Gun.___Colvin reported from New York.___The AP-NORC poll of 1,229 adults was conducted Mar. 20-24, using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. JILL COLVIN Colvin is an Associated Press national political reporter covering the 2024 presidential campaign. She is based in New York. mailto LINLEY SANDERS Sanders is a polls and surveys reporter for The Associated Press. She develops and writes about polls conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and works on AP VoteCast. twitter

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner shake hands upon Hegseth's arrival at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Philippines, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerard Carreon)2025-03-28T05:38:34Z MANILA, Philippines (AP) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Trump administration would boost military ties with the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against threats from the communist Chinese and ensure freedom of navigation in the disputed South China Sea.Hegseth spoke during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines, his first stop in his first trip to Asia to reaffirm Washingtons ironclad commitment to the region under Trump. Ahead of the visit, China called the United States a predator and an unreliable ally.Trumps America First foreign policy thrust has triggered concerns in Asia about the scale and depth of U.S. commitment to the region.Hegseths decision to make the Philippines his first stop in Asia, followed by Japan both U.S. treaty allies facing territorial disputes with China was the strongest assurance yet by the U.S. under Trump to maintain a security presence in the region. Deterrence is necessary around the world but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese, Hegseth told Marcos. Friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there is free navigation whether you call it the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea. Peace through strength is a very real thing, Hegseth said. He praised the Philippines for standing very firm to defend its interests in the contested waters. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a major security and global trade route. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the resource-rich and busy waters, but confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in the last two years.Chinese forces have used powerful water cannons and dangerous maneuvers in the high seas to block what Beijing said were encroachments by Philippine ships into Chinas waters. Chinese military aircraft have also approached Philippine patrol planes at alarmingly close distance to drive them away from the Scarborough Shoal, a hotly disputed fishing atoll in the disputed waterway. Under the previous Biden administration, the U.S. has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to help defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea.Hegseth echoed that pledge by expressing the ironclad commitment of Trump and him to the Mutual Defense Treaty and to the partnership.Marcos told the U.S. defense chief that by visiting the Philippines first in Asia he sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region, within the South China Sea.We have always understood the principle that the greatest force for peace in this part of the world would be the United States, Marcos said.Ahead of Hegseths visit, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said China opposes interference from outside countries in the South China Sea. U.S.-Philippines military cooperation must not harm the security interests of other countries or undermine regional peace and stability, he said Thursday in a monthly news conference.He added without elaborating that the United States has an astonishing record of breaking its promises and abandoning its allies throughout its history.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun separately warned the Philippines in a news conference on Tuesday that nothing good could come out of opening the door to a predator. Those who willingly serve as chess pieces will be deserted in the end.Hegseths visit to the Philippines comes a month before the longtime treaty allies hold the Balikatan, Tagalog for shoulder to shoulder, their largest annual combat exercises that include live-fire drills. Tn recent years, the exercises have been held near the South China Sea and the sea border between the Philippines and Taiwan. The defense secretary projected composure and camaraderie, as hes receiving harsh criticism for texting attack plans to a Signal group that included top-level U.S. security officials and the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine.Clad in a sweatshirt and shorts, he joined American and Filipino forces in physical training, including push-ups, in a gym. He shook hands and posed smiling with military personnel while they flashed the thumbs-up in pictures posted by the U.S. Embassy on X.___Associated Press journalist Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report. JIM GOMEZ Gomez is The AP Chief Correspondent in the Philippines. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08778-6Glutamate metabolically reprograms bone-marrow-derived macrophages, stabilizing HIF1, which transcriptionally activates WNT3 to promote YAP1-dependent hepatocyte proliferation, boosting liver regeneration.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00872-zMapping the density, molecular features and energy-transformation capacity of cell organelles called mitochondria in the brain reveals region- and cell-type-specific variability that tracks with evolutionary patterns. Correlations between mitochondrial and brain-imaging metrics could enable future non-invasive explorations of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the brain in health and disease.

Vice President JD Vance speaks at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico during a tour Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Quantico, Va. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)2025-03-28T04:13:49Z U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife are due to visit an American military base in Greenland on Friday in a trip that was scaled back after an uproar by Greenlanders and Danes who were irked that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.The couples revised trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country have soured after U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the mineral-rich territory of Denmark a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member.Fridays one-day visit to the U.S. Space Force outpost at Pituffik, on the northwest coast of Greenland, has removed the risk of violating potential diplomatic taboos by sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation. It will also reduce the likelihood that the Vance and his wife will cross paths with residents angered by Trumps annexation announcements. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that the visit, which was originally set for three days, created unacceptable pressure. On Thursday she was cited by Danish public broadcaster DR as saying: We really want to work with the Americans on defense and security in the kingdom. But Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Initially, Usha Vance had announced a solo trip to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut. Her husband then subsequently said he would join her on that trip, only to change that itinerary again after protests from Greenland and Denmark to a one-day visit of the couple to the military post only. Nonetheless, in an interview on Wednesday, Trump repeated his desire for U.S. control of Greenland. Asked if the people there were eager to become U.S. citizens, Trump said he didnt know but I think we have to do it, and we have to convince them. As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.During his first term, Trump floated the idea of purchasing the worlds largest island, even as Denmark insisted it wasnt for sale. The people of Greenland also have firmly rejected Trumps plans.Vance has several times criticized long-standing European allies for relying on military support from the United States, openly antagonizing partners in ways that have generated concerns about the reliability of the U.S.In the meantime, opponents of Trumps plans to control Greenland, announced a rally in front of the American embassy in the Danish capital for Saturday, DR reported Thursday. The protesters were planning to speak out against American pressure against Greenland and Denmark and unwanted visits from the U.S. government, DR reported. KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Grieshaber is a Berlin-based reporter covering Germany and Austria for The Associated Press. She covers general news as well as migration, populism and religion. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Debris of a French UTA jetliner seen in the desert of Niger, where the airliner crashed after exploding over the desert in September 1989. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere, File)2025-03-28T04:09:01Z The monthslong trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign is shedding light on Frances back-channel talks with the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.Sarkozy, 70, who was president from 2007 to 2012, has denied wrongdoing. French prosecutors were not convinced and on Thursday requested a seven-year prison sentence for Sarkozy. The verdict is expected at a later date.Some key moments in the trial focused on talks between France and Libya in the 2000s when Gadhafi was seeking to restore diplomatic ties with the West. Before that, Libya was considered a pariah state for having sponsored attacks.French families of victims of a 1989 plane bombing told the court about their shock and sense of betrayal as the trial questioned whether promises possibly made to Gadhafis government were part of the alleged corruption deal. The Lockerbie and UTA flight bombingsOn Sept. 19, 1989, the bombing of UTA flight 772 over Niger killed 170 people, including 54 French nationals on board, after an in-flight explosion caused by a suitcase bomb.The year before, a bomb planted aboard a Pam Am flight exploded while the plane was over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people from 21 countries including 190 Americans.Investigators tied both bombings to Libya, whose government had engaged in long-running hostilities with the U.S. and other Western governments. Now, families of victims are wondering whether French government officials close to Sarkozy promised to forget about the bombings in exchange for business opportunities with the oil-rich nation and possibly, an alleged corruption deal.What did they do with our dead? the daughter of a man who died in the bombing told the court. She said questions in her mind turn around whether the memories of the victims could have been used for bartering in talks between France and Libya.Sarkozy said he has never ever betrayed families of victims. I have never traded their fate for any compromise, nor pact of realpolitik, he said. Libyas push to restore ties with the WestLibya was long a pariah state for its involvement in the 1980s bombings.In 2003, it took responsibility for both the 1988 and 1989 plane bombings and agreed to pay billions in compensation to the victims families.Gadhafi also announced he was dismantling his nuclear weapons program, which led to the lifting of international sanctions against the country.Britain, France and other Western countries sought to restore a relationship with Libya for security, diplomatic and business purposes.In 2007, Sarkozy welcomed Gadhafi to Paris with great honors for a five-day official visit, allowing him to bring his bedouin tent near the Elysee presidential palace.Sarkozy said during the trial he would have preferred to do without Gadhafis visit at the time but it came as a diplomatic gesture after Libyas release of Bulgarian nurses in a highly-mediatized case. Bulgarian nursesOn July 24, 2007, under an accord partially brokered by French first lady Cecilia Sarkozy and EU officials, Libya released the five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor.The medics, who had spent over eight years in prison, faced death sentence on charges they deliberately infected hundreds of children with the AIDS virus in the late 1990s an allegation they denied.The release of the medics removed the last major obstacle to Libyas rejoining the international community.Sarkozy travelled to the capital, Tripoli, for talks with Gadhafi the day after the medics were returned to Bulgaria on a French presidential plane.He told the court his pride to have saved those six persons.If you did not discuss with Gadhafi, youd not get the release of the nurses, he said. Libyas spy chief at heart of questionsAccused of masterminding the attack on UTA Flight 772, Gadhafis brother-in-law and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi was convicted in absentia to life sentence by a Paris court in 1999 for the attack.An international arrest warrant was issued for him and five other suspects.Financial prosecutors have accused Sarkozy of having promised to lift the arrest warrant targeting al-Senoussi, in exchange for alleged campaign financing.In 2005, people close to Sarkozy, then interior minister, including his chief of staff Claude Guant and junior minister Brice Hortefeux, travelled to Tripoli, where they met with al-Senoussi.They both said during the trial it was a surprise meeting they were not aware of beforehand.Al-Senoussi told investigative judges millions have indeed been provided to support Sarkozys campaign. Accused of war crimes, he is now imprisoned in Libya.Sarkozy strongly denied that. Gadhafis son accusationsGadhafis son, Seif al-Islam, reiterated accusations in January, telling French news network RFI that he was personally involved in giving Sarkozy 5 million dollars in cash.Seif al-Islam sent RFI radio a two-page statement on his version of events. It was the first time he talked to the media about the case since 2011.He said Sarkozy initially received $2.5 million from Libya to finance his electoral campaign during the 2007 presidential election, in return for which Sarkozy would conclude agreements and carry out projects in favour of Libya.He said a second payment of $2.5 million in cash was handed over without specifying when it was given. According to him, Libyan authorities expected that in return, Sarkozy would end a legal case about the 1989 UTA Flight 771 attack including removing his name from an international warrant notice. Sarkozy denied any transfer of money, saying: youll never find one Libyan euro, one Libyan cent in my campaign.Theres no corruption money because there was no corruption, he added.Sarkozy turning his back to GadhafiThe Libyan civil war started in February 2011, with army units and militiamen loyal to Gadhafi opposing rebels.Sarkozy was the first Western leader to take a public stance to support the rebellion.On Feb. 25, 2011, he said the violence by pro-Gadhafi forces was unacceptable and should not go unpunished. Gadhafi must go, he said.On March 10 that year, France was the first country in the world to recognize the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya.That was the Arab Spring, Sarkozy told the court. Gadhafi was the only dictator who had sent (military) aircrafts against his people. He had promised rivers of blood, thats his expression. SYLVIE CORBET Corbet is an Associated Press reporter based in Paris. She covers French politics, diplomacy and defense as well as gender issues and breaking news. twitter

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08797-3A study finds that RUVBL2 is a conserved component of eukaryotic circadian clocks and suggests that slow ATPase activity, which was initially discovered in cyanobacteria, is a shared feature of eukaryotic clocks.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08752-2Key measures of biodiversity were quantified and found to be affected by human pressures that shifted community composition and decreased local diversity across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.

A New York City police officer keeps watch on the campus of Columbia University in New York, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)2025-03-28T04:06:25Z After decades of partnership with the U.S. government, colleges are facing new doubts about the future of their federal funding.President Donald Trumps administration has been using the funding spigot to seek compliance with his agenda, cutting off money to schools including Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. All the while, universities across the country are navigating cuts to grants for research institutions.The squeeze on higher education underscores how much American colleges depend on the federal government a provider of grants and contracts that have amounted to close to half the total revenue of some research universities, according to an Associated Press analysis.It adds up to a crisis for universities, and a problem for the country as a whole, say school administrators and advocates for academic freedom. Americas scientific and medical research capabilities are tightly entwined with its universities as part of a compact that started after World War II to develop national expertise and knowledge.It feels like any day, any university could step out of line in some way and then have all of their funding pulled, said Jonathan Friedman, managing director of free expression programs at PEN America. Tens of billions of dollars are at stakeThe AP analysis looked at federal funding for nearly 100 colleges currently under investigation for programs the administration has deemed as illegally pushing diversity, equity and inclusion, or for not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Those schools took in over $33 billion in federal revenue in the 2022-2023 academic year. Thats before taking into account federal student aid, which represents billions more in tuition and room-and-board payments.For most of the schools, around 10% to 13% of their revenue came from federal contracts or research funding, according to the analysis. For some prestigious research universities, however, federal money represented up to half of their revenue.The AP analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics and federal audit reports, with help from researchers Jason Cohn and James Carter at the Urban Institute.Perhaps no school is more vulnerable than Johns Hopkins University, which received $4 billion in federal funds, close to 40% of its revenue, according to the analysis. Much of that went to defense research, paying for projects like missile design, submarine technology and precision tracking systems in outer space. Billions of dollars also went to medical research for topics such as immunology and transplants, aging, neuroscience and mental health.Johns Hopkins is facing an antisemitism investigation, which threatens its federal money, but already it has been feeling the effects of cuts to research grants from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies. Earlier this month, it announced 2,200 layoffs.We face challenging times for the patients and families that rely on us for cures and treatments, and for the researchers dedicated to the pursuit of improving the health of all Americans, the university said in a statement. Trump extracted concessions from Columbia Trump has singled out Columbia University, making an example of the Ivy League school by withholding $400 million in federal money. The administration repeatedly accused Columbia of letting antisemitism go unchecked at protests against Israel that began at the New York City university last spring and quickly spread to other campuses a characterization disputed by those involved in the demonstrations.As a precondition for restoring that money along with billions more in future grants the Republican administration demanded unprecedented changes in university policy. Columbias decision last week to bow to those demands, in part to salvage ongoing research projects at its labs and medical center, has been criticized by some faculty and free speech groups as capitulating to an intrusion on academic freedom.At the White House on Wednesday, Trump expressed satisfaction with the pressure campaign on colleges.You see what were doing with the colleges, and theyre all bending and saying, Sir, thank you very much, we appreciate it, Trump said during an event for Womens History Month. In the 2022-2023 academic year, Columbia got close to a fifth of its revenue from federal sources, around $1.2 billion. An audit shows that much of Columbias federal money went to research and development, including $166 million for global AIDS programs, $99 million to study aging, $28 million for cancer biology and $24 million for drug abuse and addiction research. A new approach on enforcement of civil rights lawsFederal law allows the Education Department to terminate funding to colleges that violate civil rights laws, but only after taking certain steps. Title VI of the law says the department must first make a formal finding of noncompliance, offer a hearing, notify Congress and then wait 30 days before pulling aid.But the Trump administration has a new strategy, moving quickly from demands to penalties with little room for negotiating, and little indication of due process, legal experts say.At Penn, the administration suspended $175 million in federal funding from the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services over a transgender swimmer who last competed for the school in 2022. The White House said the action came out of a review of discretionary money going to universities. It looks like much of the playbook is intimidation, more so than actual substantiated legal findings, said Michael Pillera, director of educational equity issues at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. I think all of this is designed as an attempt to intimidate all universities, not just the institutions under investigation.The cuts and the uncertainty have led some universities to accept fewer graduate students, cutting off pathways to careers. Many graduate students in science programs receive scholarships and stipends that come from federal research grants.Purdue University senior Alyssa Johnson had been planning to pursue graduate research on amphibian diseases, and she was accepted into a program. But she ultimately decided to change her course of study because of the uncertainty around funding. I kind of went through a little bit of career crisis, which was definitely catalyzed by whats going on with the current administration and their attitudes toward science and science communication, Johnson said. ___AP writers Kasturi Pananjady, Cheyanne Mumphrey and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. ___The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. SHARON LURYE Lurye is the data reporter for The Associated Press Education Reporting Network. She is based in New Orleans. twitter facebook mailto JOCELYN GECKER Gecker is an Associated Press reporter covering education with a focus on social media and youth mental health. twitter mailto

Duke forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after making a three point basket against Arizona to end the first half of a Sweet 16 round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)2025-03-28T04:33:30Z Follow APs full coverage of March Madness.Get the AP Top 25 mens college basketball poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Duke stud Cooper Flaggs highlight reel included a 3-pointer from just in front of the logo at the halftime buzzer, one no-look pass for an alley-oop and another for a 3, and a huge blocked shot into a row of Arizona cheerleaders.He needed all that to hold off an onslaught from the Wildcats and Dukes biggest nemesis, Caleb Love, for a 100-93 victory in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night that pushed the Blue Devils a win from the Final Four.Flaggs final line: 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, three blocks. And his biggest college win yet.Thats one of the best tournament performances Ive ever coached or been a part of, said coach Jon Scheyer, who has seen plenty.Love, a thorn in Dukes side for the last five years, finished with 35 points, one short of his career high, including a streak of 15 straight for his fourth-seeded Wildcats (24-13) during a ferocious second-half run that cut a 19-point deficit to five with 1:56 left. But its the top-seeded Blue Devils (34-3) moving on. On Saturday comes a 1-vs.-2 showdown in the East Region, when Scheyers team faces Alabama, which set a March Madnessrecord for 3-pointers in a 113-88 win over BYU earlier in the evening. A win would put Duke in the Final Four for the 18th time. The last time, in 2022, Love played for North Carolina and scored 28 points to bring an end to legendary coach Mike Krzyzewskis career. This time, the 18-year-old Flagg ended Loves stay in college, and showed why he should be the top pick in the NBA draft if he decides to leave, too.What Ive wanted from him was not to defer, Scheyer said. Just wanted him to fully be him. I thought he was in his element tonight. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing.Arizona chipped away at its big deficit and got within five when Carter Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1:56 left. Flagg made three of four free throws and Duke made 9 of 10 to salt away the win down the stretch.They were a machine on offense, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. Duke shot 60% from the floor and 57.9% from 3 to close out a defense-optional night at the Prudential Center in which both winners hit triple digits.The fourth-seeded Wildcats sagged and hung on the 6-foot-9 freshman and made him work for everything. But he was just better than everyone on the court.There were too many highlights to count. Here were a few: At the end of the first half, when Duke rebounded Loves missed 3, worked the ball to Flagg and he swished his own 3, then turned around and screamed Lets go, man! as he ran to the locker room with a 48-42 lead. A spinning, no-look pass to Sion James, who made an open 3 early in the second half, as part of a run that built the lead to 19. Two alley-oops, one a no-look to Khaman Maluach, the other to Kon Knueppel. A massive rejection of Arizona guard KJ Lewis into the phalanx of Arizona cheerleaders on a possession that couldve trimmed the deficit to seven with about five minutes left.It was a show that brought a close to Loves vibrant college career one he wasnt willing to see end without a fight. He missed his first three shots but finished 11 for 21 and made five 3s to keep his team in it. Hes had an amazing career and Im so excited for his future, Lloyd said. He was tremendous today. Hes going to wake up tomorrow and hes going to smile. He has a lot to look forward to and so Im really, really proud of him.Love scored seven more than he did when he shut down Coach Ks career. In this one, he got the most help from Jaden Bradley, who finished with 15 points. But the Wildcats couldnt do enough to conjure a repeat of 2011, the last time these programs met in the tournament and Arizona knocked out the top-seeded Blue Devils.Brown back for DukeMaliq Brown returned to action for the Blue Devils after sitting out two weeks with an injured shoulder. Sporting a sleeve on his left shoulder and upper arm, the junior came into the game with 7:51 left in the first half. He played four minutes and finished with a rebound and an assist. Arizona gets recruiting winArizona did get a big win earlier Thursday, when one of the nations top high school prospects, Koa Peat, said on The Pat McAfee Show that he was committing to play for the Wildcats.Peat is expected to join another top recruit, LeBron James son Bryce, in coach Tommy Lloyds program next season.___AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00882-xA method for the degradation of forever chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) coupled with fluoride recovery has been developed by applying a phosphateenabled mechanochemical process. This approach reduces the environmental impact of PFAS and could supplement fluorspar, the fast-depleting mineral used for producing fluorochemicals.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08740-6The ability to physically partition the human brain at a spatial resolution comparable to neuroimaging methods enabled the development of a brain-wide atlas of mitochondrial content, specialization and enzymatic oxidation and phosphorylation activities.

A farmer displays eggs from his chickens in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)2025-03-28T06:09:37Z SCHOENEICHE, Germany (AP) The U.S. government is on a global egg hunt, seeking exports from countries in Europe and elsewhere to ease a severe shortage that has caused egg prices at grocery stores to hit record highs. Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the nations the U.S. Department of Agriculture approached to address the shortage brought on by a bird flu outbreak, according to European industry groups. But supplying Americans with eggs would be complicated for foreign producers and not because of political tensions over the myriad import tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed or threatened to impose on his nations top trading partners.Even if they were eager to share, European countries dont have many surplus eggs because of their own avian flu outbreaks and the growing domestic demand ahead of Easter. One of the biggest obstacles, however, is the approach the United States takes to preventing salmonella contamination. U.S. food safety regulations require fresh eggs to be sanitized and refrigerated before they reach shoppers; in the European Union, safety standards call for Grade A eggs to be sold unwashed and without extended chilling. These are two systems that could not be more different, said Hans-Peter Goldnick, the president of the German Egg Association. Feathers on eggs at the supermarketIt is common in parts of Europe, for example, for consumers to buy eggs that still have feathers and chicken poop stuck to them.Farmer David Karlsch described the simple process that gets eggs from hens to customers of the family-owned Saballus poultry farm in Schoeneiche, a town just outside Germanys capital: The eggs are taken from nests, placed into cartons and sold on the premises or from a refrigerated vending machine just outside the property.The demand at Easter time is of course very, very high, as many children naturally want to paint eggs, Karlsch said. Poland, a major egg exporter, fielded a U.S. query about the availability of eggs, according to Katarzyna Gawroska, director of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers. The issue of washed vs. unwashed was a major factor as European officials considered such requests, she said. Eggs are not cleaned in most of the 27 EU member nations because of concerns that removing the natural protective coating from eggshells makes them more vulnerable to bacteria, Gawroska said.Polish veterinary officials are trying to determine if the country and its farmers can meet U.S. requirements, such as whether the exporting country has a comparable food safety inspection system or a significant bird flu outbreak. Powdered egg productsAlthough European Union regulations state that table eggs shall not be washed or cleaned, member countries have some leeway if they authorized egg baths at packing plants decades ago. Danish Egg Association CEO Jrgen Nyberg Larsen said national customs are part of it; washed eggs are the norm in Sweden, for example. But Sweden and Norway have informed the U.S. they dont have extra eggs to export, Larsen said. For now, any increased U.S. egg imports from Europe are more likely to arrive in powdered form or other products that can be shipped frozen or dried, Larsen said. Thats the response Polands trade association gave U.S. officials. If the U.S. certifies Poland as a source, the organizations members would have a limited number of shell eggs to sell but could supply very large volumes of egg processing products, Gawroska said.Processed eggs usually are pasteurized to prevent foodborne illnesses and then used in food manufacturing or by restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Baked goods, pasta and sauces like mayonnaise are some of the commercial products made with egg powder. Europes own production problemsU.S. officials also tried to sound out farmers in northern Italys Veneto region for emergency egg supplies, according to Coldiretti, the main Italian agricultural lobbying organization. But Italy only produces enough eggs to cover the national demand so most of the regions producers said they could not help. Bird flu outbreaks since the start of last year also have taken a toll on the Italian poultry industry.Germany cannot contribute much either. Its domestic poultry industry generates about 73% of the eggs consumed in the country, and we ourselves essentially have to import eggs from Holland every day to keep everyone satisfied, the German Egg Associations Goldnick said. We have around 45 million eggs that we can collect from the chicken coops every day, and in America, theres a shortage of around 50 million eggs a day. That shows how difficult it is, he said. An improving US market and Easter demandOther countries the U.S. government contacted include Austria, Norway, Spain and Denmark. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it secured new egg commitments from Turkey and South Korea in recent months, although it did not specify the amount or type. Imports of liquid, frozen and dried eggs may help free up some domestic shell eggs for consumers, but the U.S. made its appeal for foreign eggs amid a significant deficit; last month, the country produced 720 million fewer table eggs than in February 2024, a decline of nearly 10%. The U.S. also cut its own egg exports to boost supplies at home, the Agriculture Department said.While the informal trade talks continue, the U.S. market has shown signs of improvement. Its been nearly a month since a major bird flu outbreak impacted egg-laying hens, the department said. It reported the national wholesale price for large eggs dropped to $3.27 per dozen as of March 21, or less than half its peak of $8.15 per dozen on Feb. 21.U.S. consumers are just starting to see those falling wholesale prices translate to lower prices on grocery shelves, the department said. The big demand for eggs that usually accompanies Easter and Passover could cause prices to edge up again next month. Business is businessTrump hasnt exactly walked on eggshells with the people of Europe since starting his second term. The presidents repeated threats to seize Greenland, a Danish territory, infuriated many in Denmark. His posture toward Ukraine and disparaging remarks from top members of his administration have alarmed Americas European allies. The European Union, which is the third-largest trade partner of the U.S., was not exempted from the tariffs Trump ordered on steel, aluminum and automobiles. Bracing for more, it has prepared counter-tariffs on American products. But many officials in Europe say none of that would rule out exporting eggs.Goldnick said an egg producer friend recently told him that if the price is right, then Ill deliver. Any deals made or not would come down to business decisions, he said. I have two souls in my chest. On the one hand, I would say, No, we cant support this system, but thats not the right answer, he said, referring to the new U.S. tariffs on European goods. The right answer is we have to help where we can. And it concerns the people. It doesnt concern the government. You wouldnt prop them up or anything, but its just peoples demand at Easter, for eggs, and thats just as important to satisfy in America as it is here.___Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland. Pietro De Cristofaro in Schoeneiche, Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Giada Zampano in Rome and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.

Two boys look at a cellphone in a dark street in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)2025-03-28T05:25:43Z JARAMANA, Syria (AP) Rana Al-Ahmad opens her fridge after breaking fast at sundown with her husband and four children during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.Apart from eggs, potatoes and some bread, its empty because state electricity in Syria only comes two hours a day.We cant leave our food in the fridge because it will spoil, she said.Her husband, a taxi driver in Damascus, is struggling to make ends meet, so the family cant afford to install a solar panel in their two-room apartment in Jaramana on the outskirts of the capital.Months after a lightning insurgency ended over half a century of the Assad dynastys rule in Syria, the Islamist interim government has been struggling to fix battered infrastructure after a 14-year conflict decimated much of the country. Severe electricity shortages continue to plague the war-torn country. A truck sits on the side of a road as a car drives by along an otherwise dark road in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) A truck sits on the side of a road as a car drives by along an otherwise dark road in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The United Nations estimates that 90% of Syrians live in poverty and the Syrian government has only been able to provide about two hours of electricity every day. Millions of Syrians, like Al-Ahmad and her family, cant afford to pay hefty fees for private generator services or install solar panels. Syrias new authorities under interim leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa have tried to ease the countrys electricity crisis, but have been unable to stop the outages with patchwork solutions. Even with a recent gas deal with Qatar and an agreement with Kurdish-led authorities that will give them access to Syrias oil fields, the country spends most of its days with virtually no power. Reports of oil shipments coming from Russia, a key military and political ally of Assad, shows the desperation. Lights illuminate a few windows of a damaged building in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Lights illuminate a few windows of a damaged building in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Pitch blackAt Al-Ahmads home, she and her husband were only able to get a small battery that could power some lights.The battery we have is small and its charge runs out quickly, said Al-Ahmad, 37. Its just enough that her children can huddle in the living room to finish their homework after school.And the family is not alone. Everywhere in Syria, from Damascus to Daraa in the south, neighborhoods turn pitch black once the sun sets, lit only from street lamps, mosque minarets and car headlights. Residents walk along a poorly illuminated street in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Residents walk along a poorly illuminated street in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The downfall of Assad in December brought rare hope to Syrians. But the new interim authorities have scrambled to establish control across the country and convince Western nations to lift economic sanctions to make its economy viable again.The United States in January eased some restrictions for six months, authorizing some energy-related transactions. But it doesnt appear to have made a significant difference on the ground just yet.Battered and bruised fieldsWashington and other Western governments face a delicate balance with Syrias new authorities, and appear to be keen on lifting restrictions only if the war-torn countrys political transition is democratic and inclusive of Syrian civil society, women and non-Sunni Muslim communities. Some minority groups have been concerned about the new authorities, especially incidents of revenge attacks targeting the Alawite community during a counter-offensive against an insurgency of Assad loyalists.Fixing Syrias damaged power plants and oil fields takes time, so Damascus is racing to get as much fuel as it can to produce more energy. A worker operates a makeshift refinery on the outskirts of Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025, where oil is refined into gasoline and other products like diesel. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) A worker operates a makeshift refinery on the outskirts of Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025, where oil is refined into gasoline and other products like diesel. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Damascus is now looking towards the northeastern provinces, where its oil fields under Kurdish-led authorities are to boost its capacity, especially after reaching a landmark ceasefire deal with them.Political economist Karam Shaar said 85% of the countrys oil production is based in those areas, and Syria once exported crude oil in exchange for refined oil to boost local production, though the fields are battered and bruised from years of conflict.These crucial oil fields fell into the hands of the extremist Islamic State group, which carved out a so-called caliphate across large swaths of Syria and Iraq from 2014 to 2017.Its during that period where much of the damage to the (oil) sector happened, said Shaar, highlighting intense airstrikes and fighting against the group by a U.S.-led international coalition. Tankers line up as they prepare to head to the rural areas where oil and gas fields are located in the outskirts Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost its capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them.(AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Tankers line up as they prepare to head to the rural areas where oil and gas fields are located in the outskirts Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost its capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them.(AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More After IS fell, the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces took control of key fields, leaving them away from the central government in Damascus. The new authorities hope to resolve this in a landmark deal with the SDF signed earlier this month.Kamran Omar, who oversees oil production in the Rmeilan oil fields in the northeastern city of Hassakeh, says shortages in equipment and supplies and clashes that persisted with Turkey and Turkish-backed forces have slowed down production, but told the AP that some of that production will eventually go to households and factories in other parts of Syria.The fields only produce a fraction of what they once did. The Rmeilan field sends just 15,000 of the approximately 100,000 barrels they produce to other parts of Syria to ease some of the burden on the state.The authorities in Damascus also hope that a recent deal with Qatar that would supply them with gas through Jordan to a major plant south of the capital will be the first of more agreements. The cornerstone of recovery Tankers line up as they prepare to head to the rural areas where oil and gas fields are located in the outskirts Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost its capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them.(AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Tankers line up as they prepare to head to the rural areas where oil and gas fields are located in the outskirts Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost its capacity after a landmark ceasefire deal with them.(AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Electricity cables hang across a street in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Electricity cables hang across a street in Damascus, Syria, early Thursday March 27, 2025. Neighborhoods in most parts of the country turn pitch black once the sunsets, save on some lights from street lamps, Mosque minarets, and drivers with their floodlights on to see.(AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Syrias authorities have not acknowledged reports of Russia sending oil shipments to the country. Moscow once aided Assad in the conflict against armed Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that toppled the former president, but this shows that they are willing to stock up on fuel from whoever is offering.Interim Electricity Minister Omar Shaqrouq admitted in a news conference that bringing back electricity to Syrian homes 24 hours a day is not on the horizon.It will soon be four hours, but maybe some more in the coming days. Smoke rises from a tank used as makeshift refinery on the outskirts of Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025, where oil is refined into gasoline and other products like diesel. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost capacity following a landmark ceasefire deal with them. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Smoke rises from a tank used as makeshift refinery on the outskirts of Qamishli, northeast Syria, Saturday, March 22, 2025, where oil is refined into gasoline and other products like diesel. Damascus is urgently working to secure as much fuel as possible to increase energy production, focusing on the countrys northeastern provinces, where oil fields controlled by Kurdish-led authorities could help boost capacity following a landmark ceasefire deal with them. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Increasing that supply will be critical for the battered country, which hopes to ease the economic woes of millions and bring about calm and stability. Shaar, who has visited and met with Syrias new authorities, says that the focus on trying to bring fuel in the absence of funding for major infrastructural overhauls is the best Damascus can do given how critical the situation is.Electricity is the cornerstone of economic recovery, said Shaar. Without electricity you cant have a productive sector, (or any) meaningful industries.___Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press journalist Hogir El Abdo reported from Hassakeh, Syria. KAREEM CHEHAYEB Chehayeb is an Associated Press reporter in Beirut. twitter instagram mailto

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08795-5The RBPJNCOR repressor complex is identified as a negative regulator of FOXP3 expression through modulation of histone acetylation in induced regulatory T cells.

Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)2025-03-28T06:40:09Z BANGKOK (AP) A high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar midday on Friday, police said, and possible casualties are not yet known.A dramatic video circulated on social media showed the multi-story building with a crane on top collapsing into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran.Police told The Associated Press they were responding to the scene near Bangkoks popular Chatuchak Market, and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse.The midday temblor was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock, and people in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more. All of a sudden the whole building began to move, immediately there was screaming and a lot of panic, said Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, who was in one of Bangkoks many malls shopping for camera equipment. I just started walking calmly at first but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators, lots of banging and crashing inside the mall. Like thousands of others in downtown Bangkok, Morton sought refuge in Benjasiri Park away from the tall buildings all around. I got outside and then looked up at the building and the whole building was moving, dust and debris, it was pretty intense, he said. Lots of chaos. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germanys GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with an epicenter in Myanmar, according to preliminary reports.In Mandalay, the countrys second-largest city and close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media. While the area is prone to earthquakes, it is generally sparsely populated, and most houses are low-rise structures.In the Sagaing region just southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmars largest city, Yangon, were also damaged.Residents in Yangon rushed out of their homes when the quake struck. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground, and some homes.In Bangkok, alarms went off in buildings as the earthquake hit around 1:30 p.m., and startled residents were evacuated down staircases of high-rise condominiums and hotels.The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.Water from high-rise rooftop pools sloshed over the side as they shook, and debris fell from many buildings as the long-lasting earthquake rattled the city.I have experienced earthquakes twice before in Myanmar, but that was only one second, one big bang, but here it went on for at least, Id say, a minute, said Zsuzsanna Vari-Kovacs, a Hungarian resident of Bangkok, who had just finished eating at a restaurant when the quake hit. My husband was in a high-rise, I think thats even worse.Thailands Department of Disaster Prevention said the quake was felt in almost all regions of the country. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the quake._____Adam Schreck, Haruka Naga, Jerry Harmer and Penny Wong contributed to this report. DAVID RISING Rising covers regional Asia-Pacific stories for The Associated Press. He has worked around the world, including covering the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, and was based for nearly 20 years in Berlin before moving to Bangkok. twitter mailto

South Korean army soldiers work to prevent the further spread of wildfires in Uiseong, South Korea, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)2025-03-28T03:34:18Z SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Rain and cooler temperatures are helping South Korean fire crews as they battle the countrys worst-ever wildfires on Friday, as the governor of the hardest-hit region called for overhauling response strategies to respond to the climate crisis that he says worsened the disaster. The wildfires, which have killed 28 people and razed vast swaths of land in the southeast in the last week, were 85% contained as of Friday morning, Korea Forest Service chief Lim Sang-seop told a televised briefing. He said authorities will launch all-out efforts to extinguish the remaining blazes by bringing more helicopters and fire fighters to the areas. The raging inferno has also destroyed thousands of houses, factories, vehicles and other structures, while mountains and hills were stripped of anything but a carpet of smoldering ashes. Hazes have been diminished because of the rain last night, so thats favorable for securing visibility. Also temperatures are now lower than the last few days, so things are very favorable to put out the wildfires, Lim said.Firefighters many in their 60s, a reflection of one of the worlds fastest-aging populations navigated forests in yellow helmets and red protective suits, spraying suppressants at flames that flickered near their feet. Helicopters dropped buckets of water over hills that glowed red in the night. Residents hunkered down in temporary shelters in places like schools and gyms, but the fire crept dangerously close to some of them too. A video shared by one evacuee shows blazes approaching a school soccer field under a sky choked with smoke. I just kept crying this morning, said 79-year-old Seo Jae Tak, an evacuee at a gym in Andong city, on Thursday. When I went back yesterday, the entire mountain had turned to ashes. Its just unbelievable, I cant even put it into words. All I can do is cry. Authorities were mobilizing about 9,000 people, 125 helicopters and hundreds of other vehicles to battle the wildfires, the governments disaster response center said.The wildfires have burned 47,860 hectares (118,265 acres) of land, forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes and injured 37 others since last Friday. Officials said Friday that 8,000 residents remained at temporary shelters. The fires have been driven by strong winds and dry weather.While its hard to link any one event to climate change, officials and experts say that it is making wildfires more likely and more severe. Scientists have already warned the warming atmosphere around the world is driving ever more extreme weather events, including wildfires, flooding, droughts, hurricanes and heat waves that are killing people and causing billions of dollars in damage every year.We must completely overhaul our wildfire response strategy in the face of extreme climate conditions, said Lee Cheol-woo, governor of North Gyeongsang Province, in a news conference.Lee noted that the past week has shown how wildfires, fueled by dry and windy conditions, can quickly overwhelm the countrys resources. He said he would request that the government establish better evacuation guidelines, adopt more powerful firefighting tools including aircraft equipped with water cannons, and adopt other approaches to improve firefighting efforts during nighttime hours. We dont have the equipment for firefighting at night, Lee said. In the night, firefighting is done solely with manual efforts, but with the increased density of our forests compared to the past, its difficult to manage with just that.On Thursday, Lee Han-kyung, deputy head of the disaster response center, told a meeting that the wildfires showed the reality of climate crisis that we have yet experienced, according to Yonhap news agency.The people killed were mostly in their 60s or older. They include a pilot whose helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a fire Wednesday and four firefighters and other workers who died earlier after being trapped by fast-moving flames. Officials say older people found it difficult to evacuate quickly but have not provided details of the civilian dead. In Uiseong, about 20 of the 30 structures at the Gounsa temple complex, which is said to have been originally built in the 7th century, have burned. Among them were two state-designated treasures: a pavilion overlooking a stream that dates to 1668, and a Joseon dynasty structure built in 1904 to mark the longevity of a king. ___Associated Press video journalist Yong Jun Chang in Andong, South Korea contributed to this report. HYUNG-JIN KIM Hyung-jin is an Associated Press reporter in Seoul, South Korea. He reports on security, political and other general news on the Korean Peninsula. twitter mailto KIM TONG-HYUNG Kim has been covering the Koreas for the AP since 2014. He has published widely read stories on North Koreas nuclear ambitions, the dark side of South Koreas economic rise and international adoptions of Korean children. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 28 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00937-zStudy finds genetic imprints in three generations of Syrian refugees. Researchers urge caution in interpreting findings and call for replication.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00974-8Protein-structure-prediction tools have transformed biology, but RNA is a tougher nut to crack. Plus, the NIH is cancelling COVID-19 research funds and how qudits can boost quantum computing.

Britain's King Charles III is driven by car from Clarence House, his London home, along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace in London, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)2025-03-28T11:02:14Z LONDON (AP) King Charles III smiled and waved to members of the public Friday as he left his home in London, the day after a brief hospitalization for the side effects from his cancer treatment.The kings appointments for the day were canceled following his short period of observation in hospital on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said. The kings health has been closely watched ever since early last year when he announced that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.Charles was seen as he left Clarence House in the back of a black Audi.Tourist Julian Mati said he was relieved to see the king looked well. We were horrified when we heard the news yesterday, Mati said. We had come down to the palace today to take pictures but we never imagined we would see the king. To see him smiling and waving, its such a relief. Charles, 76, stepped away from public engagements for about three months but continued fulfilling state duties, such as reviewing government papers and meeting with the prime minister.Charles cancer diagnosis has heaped pressure on the British monarchy, which is still evolving after the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. When he succeeded his mother in September 2022, Charles task was to demonstrate that the 1,000-year-old institution remains relevant in a modern nation whose citizens come from all corners of the globe. But this task takes much time and energy. Although the duties of a constitutional monarch are largely ceremonial, the royal whirl can be exhausting. Besides the occasional procession in full royal regalia, there are meetings with political leaders, dedication ceremonies and events honoring the accomplishments of British citizens. That added up to 161 days of royal engagements during Charles first year on the throne.Charles illness came as his daughter-in-law, Kate, the Princess of Wales, was also diagnosed with cancer. Kate, the wife of Prince William, the heir to the throne, took more than six months off before returning to public duties in late September.