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A room full of frustrated Iowans urged Sen. Chuck Grassley to stand up to President Donald Trump and push back against the executive branch during a Tuesday town hall.
In a tiny southeast Iowa city council chambers that couldn't fit everyone who turned out, Grassley mostly listened to complaints about Trump and concerns about the sweeping overhaul of the federal government taking place since he returned to office.
“We would like to know what you, as the people, the Congress, who are supposed to rein in this dictator, what are you going to do about it?” one man asked Grassley. “These people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in a foreign country with no due process. Our government cannot do anything?”
The answers Grassley did offer hardly seemed to assuage the angst inside the room.
One person asked the senator point blank: “Are you proud of Trump?”
“There's no president I've agreed with 100% of the time,” he replied. The tight and measured response drew groans from the crowd, where most of the seats were occupied.
Grassley, the chair of the powerful judiciary committee, appeared to side with Trump in the ongoing legal saga over Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador. After someone else yelled out, “Are you going to bring that guy back from El Salvador?” Grassley said the case was outside the bounds of Congress.
When the same person shouted back, “The Supreme Court said to bring him back,” Grassley echoed the White House's argument that the US couldn't force El Salvador to return him.
“The president of that country is not subject to our Supreme Court,” Grassley said.
Asked about Trump's tariffs, Grassley acknowledged the potential for pain to Iowa farmers, especially grain producers. He touted his bill that would limit tariff powers of presidents going forward.
“When you put something negative, like a tariff, on some country, they seem to retaliate against agriculture,” he said.
The senator promised to stand in the way of cuts to Social Security, but signaled support for work requirements on able-bodied people who receive federal food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He also defended the Republican push to extend the Trump-era tax cuts, though he expressed openness to raising the income tax rate for top earners.
Grassley dismissed concerns about the SAVE Act, a bill to crackdown on voter registration that recently passed the House, noting that the legislation had little chance of making it through the Senate, where Republicans don't have the 60 votes needed to end debate.
Despite the palpable frustration in the room, many attendees also expressed gratitude he was holding the forum while other Iowa Republicans have avoided similar town halls. When some members of the crowd shouted down Grassley or interrupted him speaking, several jumped to defend him, saying, “Let him finish.”
Grassley famously visits all 99 counties in Iowa each year. He started the meeting by acknowledging the increased interest this year in his activity and said his office has received more emails this year than it did in all of 2024. He worked off a list of topics he wanted to first cover, including the Farm Bill and rural health care, telling the audience that he was criticized during a previous town hall for letting questions about Trump dominate the discussion.
The more structured approach, however, didn't alter the tenor of the event. All but one question asked was critical of the administration.
One person who attended Tuesday to thank Grassley began his remarks by saying, “I'm a rarity here: I'm a happy Republican.”
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The Trump administration is looking at closing nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates as it eyes significant changes to its diplomatic presence abroad, according to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN.
The document also recommends reducing the footprint at the US diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq — two countries that have been key to US counterterrorism efforts — and “resizing” other diplomatic outposts.
The proposed changes come amid a broader expected overhaul of the US' diplomatic agency as the Trump administration, spurred by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency makes dramatic efforts to shrink the federal government. It is unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed off on the proposed closures.
The document recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates. Many of the posts are in Europe and Africa, though they also include ones in Asia and the Caribbean. They include embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan. The list also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa and one in South Korea.
The document proposes that the closed embassies' duties be covered by outposts in neighboring countries.
State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce would not comment on the internal document or plans to drastically cut the State Department.
“I would suggest that you check with the White House and the President of the US as they continue to work on their budget plan and what they submit to congress,” Bruce said. “The kinds of numbers and what we tend to see is reporting that is early or wrong, based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown.”
The administration has announced ambassadorial nominees for only two of the embassies recommended for closure — Malta and Luxembourg.
CNN reported in March that the State Department was moving to close some of the consulates listed on the internal document.
Embassies and consulates serve as important outposts for the State Department. They provide services like visa processing and assistance for American citizens in need. The posts also collect information to send back to Washington, DC, and officials say they are an important diplomatic tool as the US looks to counter nations like China. Most consulates do not have a large workforce.
The document, which says it is the State Department's undersecretary for management's recommendations for closure, notes that “posts were evaluated based on feedback from regional bureaus and the interagency, consular workload, cost per USDH (US direct hire) billet, condition of facilities, and security ratings.”
For the recommended “resizing,” the document notes that the US missions in Japan and Canada “could serve as a model large mission by consolidating consulate support into a specialized unit” in larger posts.
It proposes “FLEX-style light footprint posts with limited focus and staffing” in a number of countries, as well as “dual-hatted leadership” in multi-mission posts, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and UNESCO in Paris.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
CNN's Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.
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Suspects charged for drug and weapon offences as well as scheme in which drivers felt compelled to pay fees
Italian police have arrested 24 suspected members of the Camorra – the notorious Neapolitan mafia – on charges of drug trafficking, arms possession and running an illegal parking attendant scheme.
According to investigators, several of those arrested on Monday were reportedly affiliated with well-known Camorra families operating in the Fuorigrotta and Chiaia districts of Naples. Some were already serving jail sentences.
Investigators said the Troncone and Frizziero clans, in addition to involvement in the drug trade and cigarette smuggling, were behind a parking scheme in which drivers felt compelled by “attendants” to pay extra fees in order to ensure their vehicles remained untouched when parked.
The practice is widespread in southern Italy and, according to a report by the Greens and Left Alliance political grouping, there are approximately 2,400 illegal parking attendants operating in Naples alone. Many of them are thought to be affiliated with Camorra clans, and the illicit trade allegedly generates more than €100m (£86m) a year.
In other areas, unauthorised attendants are forced to pay protection money to mobsters in order to be allowed to operate within territories controlled by the mafia.
“Illegal parking attendants essentially demand a protection fee, a pizzo, from drivers,” said Francesco Emilio Borrelli, an MP for the Greens and Left Alliance.
“They even ask you to pay when you park in areas that are already marked for payment. If you refuse, you are threatened, your car can be damaged or, even worse, you can be physically assaulted.”
Borrelli himself has been beaten and threatened on several occasions by illegal attendants in Naples. In one instance, he says, they even attempted to run him over with a car.
Borrelli said the problem was that, under the law, acting as an unauthorised parking attendant was not considered a criminal offence. “Offenders merely receive a token fine,” he added. “If we don't change the law, these clans will continue to exploit citizens for their own profit.”
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Last year, the police discovered that during Napoli football matches, or for concerts at the Stadio Maradona, prices for parking in lots managed by unauthorised attendants fluctuated between €15 and €20, climbing as high as €30 during Champions League or high-profile league matches.
Merwil Gutiérrez sent from New York to El Salvador prison although family says he has no criminal history or gang ties
A 19-year-old Venezuelan in New York City reportedly was apprehended by Trump administration immigration authorities and deported to El Salvador despite agents' realizing he was not whom they meant to arrest in a targeted operation.
Merwil Gutiérrez, whose family opened an asylum case after arriving in the US, was deported from the Bronx to the notorious Cecot prison in El Salvador despite his relatives' insistence that he has no gang ties or criminal history, according to Documented, a newsroom dedicated to telling the stories of immigrants in New York City. The Gutiérrez family says it has been left without information or answers.
The teen was detained alongside 237 other Venezuelans on 24 February by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). His father, Wilmer Gutiérrez, told Documented: “I feel like my son was kidnapped.
“I've spent countless hours searching for him, going from one precinct to another, speaking with numerous people who kept referring me elsewhere. Yet, after all this, no one has given me any information or provided a single document about his case.”
The elder Gutiérrez reportedly said he overheard Ice agents saying that his son had not been the person they had come to get.
“The officers grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to our building. One said: ‘No, he's not the one,' like they were looking for someone else. But the other said: ‘Take him anyway,'” he recalled.
Gutiérrez has no criminal record either in Venezuela or the US, his family said. He also did not have any tattoos, which is a feature that US law enforcement often use to link people to the Tren de Aragua gang – a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela – and to justify their expulsions from the country.
Despite this, Gutiérrez was arrested and later deported to El Salvador, to which he has no ties.
Wilmer Gutiérrez says he discovered through a news report that his son had been deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. He watched videos on social media that showed detainees facing harsh conditions, such as having their heads shaved by authorities and being marched to their prison cells.
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“I could have understood if he'd been sent back to Venezuela,” he said. “But why to a foreign country he's never even been to?”
The Gutiérrez family's reported ordeal comes after the Trump administration admitted to wrongly deporting a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego García, to the same Cecot facility.
The president of El Salvador said in a meeting with Trump on Monday that the Salvadoran government would not order the return of Abrego García to the US.
Monday's meeting at the White House came amid a broader push by the Trump administration to remove noncitizens from the US, including people who are here legally and have not been charged with crimes.
Trump has also openly stated that he would like to remove US citizens who commit unspecified violent crimes and send them to the same Salvadoran prison as Abrego García and Gutiérrez.
Trump proposed that ‘homegrown criminals' should be deported, an idea that experts say is clearly illegal
The US attorney general declined on Tuesday to say whether Donald Trump's suggestion of removing US citizens to El Salvador was legal, in alarming remarks about what experts think is an obviously illegal idea.
Trump proposed the idea on Monday in the Oval Office during a visit with El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, who has been accepting people deported from the US and imprisoning them in a gigantic facility notorious for human rights abuses.
The US president said “homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when they're not looking” could be sent to El Salvador and imprisoned.
Asked by the Fox News host Jesse Watters if the idea was legal, Bondi demurred.
“These are Americans who he is saying have committed the most heinous crimes in our country, and crime is going to decrease dramatically because he has given us a directive to make America safe again,” she said.
“These people need to be locked up as long as they can, as long as the law allows. We're not going to let them go anywhere, and if we have to build more prisons in our country, we will do it.”
Trump has previously said he “loved” the idea of deporting US citizens to El Salvador. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, has said Trump “simply floated” the idea.
Lawyers and other experts say the idea is clearly illegal.
“There is no provision under US law that would allow the government to kick citizens out of the country,” the University of Notre Dame professor Erin Corcoran, an immigration law expert, told Reuters.
“It is pretty obviously illegal and unconstitutional,” said Ilya Somin, a professor at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, told NBC News.
The US is currently paying El Salvador $6m to house people whom it alleges are members of the Tren de Aragua gang for a year.
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Only three months into his new term, President Donald Trump is escalating a battle against institutions that challenge his strongman instincts, including the courts, the legal profession, elite education and the media.
The administration is projecting presidential authority in a broader and more overt way than any modern White House. Its expansive interpretation of statutes and questionable interpretations of judges' rulings is causing alarm about its impact on the rule of law, freedom of expression and the Constitution.
“There's something broken,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Monday. “The liberal establishment – but they're not running things anymore in this country.”
He sat beside President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who brands himself as the world's “coolest dictator” and whose huge popularity is based on a brand of elected authoritarianism Trump admires. The warmth lavished on a leader who'd have been treated as a pariah by a conventional US administration was an ominous window into the 47th president's future intentions.
Bukele has suspended parts of the Salvadoran constitution and imprisoned tens of thousands of people without due process in a crackdown against crime.
He suggested Trump might try something similar. “Mr. President, you have 350 million people to liberate, you know. But to liberate 350 million people, you have to imprison some. You know, that's the way it works, right?”
Trump's own hardline aspirations were revealed in the meeting through the prism of his increasingly ruthless deportation policy, which is raising profound questions about apparent abuses of due process and human rights.
Both presidents relished the chance to publicly refuse to release an undocumented migrant who was seized in Maryland and deported to a notorious mega-prison in his native El Salvador without a court hearing and despite a judge's order that he should not be sent back to the country.
The White House is refusing to act on another judge's order that Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia should be brought back to the US and is walking a fine line on a Supreme Court decision saying it must facilitate his return. It says Abrego Garcia is a gang member and terrorist despite producing no public evidence. It also argues that US courts have no jurisdiction because Abrego Garcia's fate is bound up in Trump's power to set foreign policy.
The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 last week that the administration must “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia after it admitted expelling him over an administrative error. But the White House is using its rather imprecise language – perhaps motivated by a push for unity or a desire to avoid a direct constitutional showdown – to claim the justices endorsed its position, rather than rebuking it.
“I think the Supreme Court is responsible to some extent because they diced words,” retired judge Shira Scheindlin told CNN's John Berman on Monday. But Scheindlin warned the administration was entering dangerous ground. “What we have here is a defiance of the Supreme Court order. The Supreme Court said facilitate his return and expedite it.”
Scheindlin added: “It's defiance which puts us on the edge of a constitutional crisis between the judicial branch and the executive branch.”
Laurence Tribe, a renowned constitutional scholar, told CNN Monday that the administration's defiance made it likely the case would end up back before the Supreme Court – which would then face a fateful choice. “It is not just immigrants who are subject to this kind of game. It is a deadly game that could be played with any citizen,” Tribe, professor emeritus at Harvard Law told Kaitlan Collins, who had earlier questioned Trump and Bukele in the Oval Office. “The president has already begun to play it. That is not the country that any of us I think grew up in.”
Indeed, Trump is mulling an even more flagrant challenge to the law. He suggested that his scheme to deport those who he says are gang members and terrorists to harsh El Salvadorian prisons could be widened.
“I'd like to go a step further, I mean … I don't know what the laws are. We always have to obey the laws,” Trump said, looking at Attorney General Pam Bondi on a White House sofa. “But we also have home-grown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when they're not looking, that are absolute monsters. I'd like to include them in the group of people – to get them out of the country.”
The idea that the administration would ignore constitutional protections available to all Americans, even those who are incarcerated, and deport them to draconian prison camps overseas might strain credulity. But Trump's words came amid an atmosphere of growing authoritarianism around his White House and an apparent determination to reject constitutional constraints on his behavior.
The White House's power moves suggest it does not just want to unilaterally decide who gets deported, based on its own criteria and not those of the courts. It also wants to heavily influence the caseloads of big-time law firms; what is taught in top universities; and the news Americans see on television. These are classic pages from the playbooks of strongman leaders like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, another Trump hero, who established his power by reining in the independence of the law, the media and academia.
In recent days, Trump has increased pressure on top law firms that took cases or employed attorneys he sees as hostile to his political interests, extracting deals for hundreds of millions of dollars of “pro bono” work on cases to be named later.
The White House has also threatened numerous universities with funding cuts if they don't make changes to school policy and even what they teach. Separately on Sunday, he demanded punishment for CBS' “60 Minutes” and called on the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the network's license.
A president who campaigned for a second term on a promise to purge the weaponization of the Justice Department last week used his power to order probes into two critics, Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor, who served in his first administration. And Elon Musk's unilateral decisions on firing officials and shredding federal funding for government agencies already awarded by Congress seems designed to outrace the courts' capacity to assess their legality.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, has been wielding vast power to cancel the visas of hundreds of foreign students, some of whom took part in anti-Israel protests. He argues their activities are detrimental to US foreign policy – a sweeping rationale that might be used to curtail almost any speech. Several foreign students have been approached in the street and taken into immigration custody hundreds of miles away or forced to flee the country. On Monday, Palestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi went into a Vermont immigration office hoping to begin the final step to becoming a US citizen. But the Columbia University student, who has been in the US for a decade, was taken away in handcuffs, his lawyer told CNN.
And the cronyism that often afflicts hardline regimes that thwart democratic freedoms seems to be taking root in Washington. Trump, for instance, signaled that he was open to negotiations with top CEOs for opt-outs from his tariffs that have rocked the US and global economies.
Trump won his second term partly on a promise to his supporters to eviscerate an elite establishment that he argues is contemptuous toward many Americans and infected by extreme liberal values on race and gender. This is a popular stance among many voters – especially in Trump's political base, for whom he mostly seems to govern. A cultural assault on institutions regarded as dominated by elites is also a useful distraction from his trade war chaos and the failure so far of his peace initiative in Ukraine.
Trump's wild rhetoric and obvious belief that he has limitless power – reinforced by a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity – have long caused his critics to warn, sometimes in overly alarmist terms, that he's a dictator-in-waiting. But his refusal to accept the result of the 2020 election and his fresh efforts to thwart government accountability, legal processes and even the freedom of expression are adding up.
But some of the institutions are fighting back.
Harvard University on Monday rejected the administration's demands for policy changes. “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights,” Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement. The administration quickly froze several billion dollars in federal funding for the Ivy League school.
The White House had demanded changes to Harvard's diversity, equity and inclusion programs; a ban on masks at campus protests; and reforms to merit-based hiring and admissions. It wanted to reduce the power held by faculty and administrators.
Harvard's decision could establish a precedent for other higher education institutions to follow suit. But Columbia University submitted to administration demands for restrictions on demonstrations and new disciplinary procedures, and immediate reviewed its Middle East curriculum.
The pattern of resistance and some submission to Trump policies is also playing out in the legal industry.
Two large firms, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale, which have huge Washington practices, have sued the administration to challenge Trump executive orders targeting them and their clients. They accuse the government of using unconstitutional executive orders to punish or chill speech it doesn't like.
The administration's singling out of journalists prompted the Associated Press to take its case to the courts after its journalists were banned from the travel pool on Air Force One and events in the Oval Office over the newswire and photo agency's refusal to follow Trump's lead in renaming the Gulf of Mexico in its stylebook. A federal judge last week deemed the White House's punishment of the AP unconstitutional.
Trump's next challenge to the rule of law is likely to play out on Tuesday in the latest hearing of the case of Abrego Garcia, who was picked off the streets of suburban Maryland and sent to the El Salvador mega-prison.
The Justice Department has responded to a federal judge's orders to detail daily efforts to bring him back with challenges to the court's authority. Joseph Mazzara, an attorney for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a sworn statement Monday that the agency “does not have authority to forcibly extract an alien from the domestic custody of a foreign sovereign nation.”
This followed Bukele's statement a few hours before suggesting cooperation with the White House. “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don't – I don't have the power to return him to the United States,” the Salvadoran president said.
The administration response shows it is doing nothing to bring Abrego Garcia back. It's beginning to look like yet another attempt to evade the authority of the judiciary.
On this and many other fronts, the sense of a coming constitutional collision is growing impossible to ignore.
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Lil Nas X has said that he is experiencing partial paralysis in his face, as he posted a series of videos to social media from hospital on Monday.
In one video, the “Old Town Road” rapper attempts to smile from his hospital bed but only one half of his face complies while the other stays still. In the video caption, the 26-year-old said he'd “lost control of the right side of my face.”
“This is me doing a full smile right now by the way,” he said jokingly in the video. “It's like, what the f**k? I can't even laugh right bro.”
Seemingly in good spirits, Lil Nas X posted another video to his Instagram Stories, zooming in on one side of his face and saying, “we normal over here” before panning to the other side and saying, “we get crazy over here.”
To stop his fans from worrying for his health, the Grammy winner said he was “OK,” adding: “Stop being sad for me! Shake ur a** for me instead! Imma look funny for a lil bit but that's it.”
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The comments underneath his post were filled with wellwishes.
“Get well baby,” actress Taraji P. Henson said while actress Niecy Nash said, “Wishing you a speedy recovery.”
Lil Nas X didn't reveal the cause of his condition.
CNN has contacted his representatives for comment.
He is not the first celebrity to suffer from a case of partial facial paralysis, which can have many different underlying causes.
Justin Bieber took a break from performing in 2022 after a case of Ramsay Hunt syndrome left him unable to move half of his face
Meanwhile, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid suffered a case of Bell's palsy, which causes sudden weakness in facial muscles, in April 2024 but was still able to play even though he said the condition was affecting his vision.
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Police have arrested two people suspected of breeding and selling exotic cats in Spain.
Officers detained the pair at a property in Manacor, on the island of Majorca, after finding 19 exotic cats including a desert lynx and two servals, according to a statement from the Guardia Civil on Monday.
“The detainees sold different animal species such as white tigers, black leopards, hyenas and pumas to different parts of the world via the internet,” police said.
Investigators seized extensive documentation as well as more than 40 animal passports from Russia, Belarus and China, as well as two computers, three cellphones and two pen drives, according to the statement.
“The operation has uncovered a global criminal organization which included breeders, traffickers and veterinarians,” it added.
The investigation started in March when the nature protection service (Seprona) received reports that a couple were breeding exotic cats at a property in Majorca before selling them online.
Authorities said that the couple had an “extremely active” presence on social media and that the breeding operation in Majorca was just “the tip of the iceberg.”
The couple are accused of being part of an international wildlife trafficking network that saw the majority of animals being smuggled into the European Union from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine via the Poland-Belarus border, according to the Guardia Civil.
Species offered for sale included a clouded leopard with an asking price of 60,000 euros ($68,000), police said.
The seized animals, which included 16 mixed breeds, have been temporarily placed at the Safari Zoo de Son Servera in Majorca.
They will later be permanently rehomed in Alicante, mainland Spain.
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These species require lots of space and can also be dangerous to humans, the Guardia Civil said.
As a result, traffickers have started trying to breed species such as desert lynx with domestic cats in order to produce exclusive but less dangerous animals, added the statement.
All of the seized animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement for the protection of certain species.
The couple are accused of wildlife crimes, smuggling, falsifying documents and criminal conspiracy.
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the European Union is thought to be the third largest destination for illegal wildlife as well as “a crucial transit hub for illegal wildlife trade.”
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Medical information will be available from UK Biobank, despite western intelligence agencies' security fears
Researchers from China are to be allowed access to half a million UK GP records despite western intelligence agencies' fears about the authoritarian regime amassing health data, the Guardian can reveal.
Preparations are under way to transfer the records to UK Biobank, a research hub that holds detailed medical information donated by 500,000 volunteers. One of the world's largest troves of health data, the facility makes its information available to universities, scientific institutes and private companies. A Guardian analysis shows one in five successful applications for access come from China.
For the past year, health officials had been assessing whether extra safeguards were needed for patient records when added to the genomes, tissue samples and questionnaire responses held by UK Biobank. Personal details such as names and dates of birth are stripped from UK Biobank data before it is shared but experts say that in some cases individuals can still be identified.
MI5, the UK Security Service, has warned that Chinese organisations and individuals granted access to UK data can be ordered by Chinese intelligence agencies “to carry out work on their behalf”. But UK Biobank told the Guardian that the NHS unit responsible for health data had in recent weeks cleared it to grant Chinese researchers access to GP records.
As Keir Starmer's ministers court Beijing in search of economic growth, the decision avoids crossing a rising superpower that has made biotech prowess a priority. UK-China relations already face tests over the fate of a Chinese-owned steel plant in Scunthorpe and plans for new rules on foreign interference campaigns.
“Security and privacy considerations are always taken into account when UK health data is used to drive forward our understanding of diseases and advance scientific research,” a government spokesperson said. Health data was “only shared with legitimate researchers”, they added.
Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP who chairs parliament's science and technology committee, said: “UK Biobank is an enormous success and global medical research is all the better for it.” But she added: “We need a government-wide strategy that gives people confidence that they have control of their data, that their data is only ever shared securely and responsibly, and that reflects the realities of geopolitics and the potential for bad actors to use our data for ill.”
Of the 1,375 successful applications for access to UK Biobank data, 265 came from China, or almost 20%, second only to the US, according to a Guardian analysis of its published records. Chinese scientists have used UK Biobank data to understand the effects of air pollution and to spot biological markers that could predict dementia.
Last year, UK Biobank approved access for a research project on ageing by a unit of the Chinese genetics company BGI. The US, by contrast, has blacklisted BGI subsidiaries, barring Americans from exporting to them.
Joe Biden's government justified the restrictions in 2023, saying it had information indicating that BGI units' “collection and analysis of genetic data poses a significant risk of contributing to monitoring and surveillance by the government of China, which has been utilised in the repression of ethnic minorities in China”. It also claimed “the actions of these entities concerning the collection and analysis of genetic data present a significant risk of diversion to China's military programs”.
These were “unsubstantiated allegations”, a BGI representative said. “We have never undertaken genetic surveillance of anybody. BGI does not engage in unethical practices and does not provide gene technology for surveillance. BGI does not condone and would never be involved in any human rights abuses.” The company dismissed claims the military could access data, saying its research “is undertaken for civilian and scientific purposes only”.
A UK Biobank representative said it was “continually in dialogue” with MI5 and other state agencies about the use of its data, including by BGI.
Despite objections from some GPs, in October Wes Streeting, the health secretary, gave instructions to press ahead with the transfer of patient records for consenting volunteers to UK Biobank and other research hubs.
“Access will only be for countries approved by NHS England,” Michael Chapman, a senior NHS official, told UK Biobank's conference in December, adding that approval would be based on “security considerations” and countries' data protection.
NHS England, the body that manages the health service and oversees the use of health data, has in recent weeks audited UK Biobank's processes for sharing data internationally, including how it assesses applications from China, a representative of the research hub said. UK Biobank passed the audit, the representative said, so Chinese researchers would be able to apply for access to the GP records.
NHS England said: “Any approval of access to personal data from overseas territories requires data recipients to comply with their responsibilities” under UK data law “and is kept under review if circumstances change”.
Data troves such as UK Biobank “were set up to encourage research worldwide”, says a leaked May 2024 NHS England presentation on policing access to GP records, “but the global picture has since changed”.
Yves Moreau, a geneticist who has worked on projects using data from UK Biobank and praises it as a “world class” resource, said China's rulers “regard genomic data and other health data as strategic”. He said it was “reasonable to worry about China vacuuming such data from around the world to strengthen its biotech sector”.
Beyond commercial advantages, intelligence sources say health data can be useful in espionage if anonymisation can be broken. Experts say it may be possible to match public information about an individual's medical treatment with anonymised patient records to identify who they refer to. UK Biobank's representative said it had “no evidence of anyone being identified”.
After China adopted new legislation in 2017 to enforce cooperation with the regime's spies, MI5 warned custodians of British personal data that the national intelligence law “may affect the level of control you have over your information and assets as you engage with Chinese individuals and organisations, especially if you work in an area that is of interest to the Chinese state”.
China is “developing the world's largest bio database”, Edward You, then a top US intelligence officer specialising in new technologies, said in 2021. “Once they have access to your genetic data, it's not something you can change like a pin code.”
Privacy campaigners at medConfidential asked UK Biobank last year “whether Biobank continues to send British citizens' genetic and (NHS) patient data to China or other ‘hostile states'.” They added: “No one should be satisfied that there is still no clarity on exactly what patient data Biobank has disseminated to what researchers where, despite this being a constant question for multiple years.”
Until last year, UK Biobank allowed researchers to take copies of its data. Recipients agreed to destroy it once their projects were finished but there was no way to ensure they did. In October, the Guardian revealed that a fringe group promoting racist pseudoscience claimed to have access to UK Biobank data. UK Biobank has now switched to a system where researchers access data within its own platform. Its representative said access to GP records would be through this platform only.
Prof Sir Rory Collins, UK Biobank's chief executive, said: “All our volunteers have given explicit consent for researchers to study their de-identified health data, and many have emphasised the importance of their GP data being analysed.”
Additional reporting: Zeke Hunter-Green, Dominic Kendrick and Olivia Lee in London
Ethical doubts over role of campaign backers and investors with financial ties to president worth hundreds of millions
Some of Donald Trump's biggest campaign donors and investors, who collectively have hundreds of millions of dollars in financial ties to the US president, are positioned to potentially profit from any American takeover of Greenland, raising even more ethical questions around Trump's controversial pursuit of the Arctic territory.
The administration is in part aiming to secure rare minerals that are essential for the US tech industry and national security, and to potentially reopen oil and gas exploration: “This is about critical minerals, this is about natural resources,” Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, recently said.
A Guardian analysis of campaign finance records and corporate filings show US tech moguls who invested in mining companies operating in Greenland, fossil fuel executives and crypto tycoons with their own set of plans for the country collectively gave at least $243m to the president's 2024 campaign.
Meanwhile institutional investors bankrolling Greenland mining interests also amassed $314m worth of shares in Trump Media, most just ahead of the election.
“There's a closed loop among these investors, billionaires, Trump and the crypto projects,” said Emily DiVito, a senior adviser for economic policy with the Groundwork Collaborative economic thinktank. Greenland is an example of that in action, she added.
“These donations are investments, and they were made with particular outcomes in mind, and even if they weren't stated at the time, the money changed hands,” DiVito said.
Vice-President JD Vance recently visited Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, in the latest installment of the unfolding dispute between the countries. Trump has vowed to acquire Greenland “one way or another”.
Among those who have invested millions in KoBold Metals, a mining company at the leading edge of Greenland's “modern gold rush” for rare minerals essential to tech companies, are major Trump donors such as Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and other Silicon Valley moguls.
The top investor in Critical Metals Corp, which has a mining permit in Greenland, is the hedge fund Cantor Fitzgerald, which Trump's commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, led until January. Critical Metals' other top institutional investors include Vanguard, BlackRock, Geode Capital and State Street – companies that have amassed $314m in Trump Media stock, much of it purchased just ahead of the election.
Among the Greenland bids' loudest supporters are crypto tycoons who poured unparalleled sums of money into 2024 Trump and Republican campaigns while labeling Greenland an “investment frontier” where data centers essential to the US artificial intelligence and crypto currency industries could be built. Some of the same donors also want to establish a largely autonomous libertarian utopian “post state” for the tech elite in Greenland that could be used to practice “terraforming” for a Mars colony.
The group behind the “state”, Praxis, labels its members “optimistic pioneers”, but critics say it is a colonialist operation aimed at plundering wealth and resources from a weak nation still linked to Denmark – its colonial power. Regardless, Praxis is already backed by $525m and includes members of or donors to the Trump administration, such as the PayPal co-founder Ken Howery, who was nominated for ambassador to Denmark.
What's unfolding in Greenland represents the “circle of grift”, said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, a government transparency non-profit.
“Put money into the Trump family bank and the money comes back to you in the form of some government policy,” Weissman said. “That even includes the deployment of the empire in service of libertarians who favor a stateless society.”
The minerals found in Greenland are used in laptops, smartphones, weapons, clean energy technology, electric vehicles and elsewhere across the economy. China so far controls 70% of the rare earth market, and vital trade and military routes run through Greenland's waters, so the administration portrays its interest as buttressing US security and industry. But Greenlanders are largely opposed to the idea.
Moreover, Greenland is a largely frozen, dark country with very little infrastructure, and it's prone to rock slides, tsunamis and a shifting ground, said Paul Bierman, a natural resources researcher at the University of Vermont who spent four seasons working there. It is extremely difficult and expensive to extract resources, and the idea that a “gold rush” is possible is “almost completely pie in the sky”, Bierman said.
The opposition from Greenlanders and unforgiving terrain has done little to tamp the tech, mining and Trump administration donor enthusiasm for a takeover.
KoBold holds permits to extract cobalt, nickel and platinum, and is now valued at $3bn. Its largest backer is the tech investment firm Andreessen Horowitz – Marc Andreessen, who has assisted the unofficial “department of government efficiency” (Doge), and Ben Horowitz each donated $2.5m to a pro-Donald Trump Super Pac, according to FEC filings, in addition to contributing or helping raise tens of millions of dollars more via other channels.
Bezos, Altman, Zuckerberg and Microsoft's Bill Gates each donated $1m to Trump's inauguration. Also among KoBold backers is Patrice Motsepe, a South African mining mogul who generated controversy in 2020 when he told Trump “Africa loves you!”
Lutnick, Trump's commerce secretary, who gave $5m to the president ahead of the election, just stepped down from his position at Cantor Fitzgerald, but other Trump donors lead the company. A spokesperson pointed to a press release stating that Lutnick had divested and “does not expect any arrangement that involves selling shares on the open market”.
BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street – who are Critical Metals' other top shareholders – are generally considered to be passive investors who have their fingers in pots across the economy. Still, the three became Trump Media's top investors when they purchased over $175m worth of stock just ahead of the election, which was widely viewed as an investment in the president. The companies did not respond to a request for comment.
DiVito said Greenland was “littered with the corpses of mineral investors”, but some industry players including consultant Drew Horn, a former senior adviser in the previous Trump administration's energy department, are regularly in the media cheerleading the administration's Greenland policy and touting the riches that lie in the nation's ground.
Horn's company, GreenMet, leverages his administration relationships to secure political and financial backing for mining companies. GreenMet “advance[s] private sector investments and sound legislative and regulatory action to develop a resilient domestic supply chain”, the company states.
On Fox News, Horn touted the “significant opportunity for US investment in mining and energy production”, but industry observers with no financial stake remain skeptical. In the event that a mining startup doesn't strike it rich in Greenland, Horn still receives fees for his consulting.
Bierman did not comment on Horn, but said other reports that promote Greenland mining opportunities trace back to the mining industry, not independent or Danish government sources.
“It makes me wonder: is it just self-promotion to get investment money?” Bierman said.
Ahead of the election, the crypto tycoon Tyler Winklevoss summed up the industry's mood: Biden had “openly declared war against crypto”, he insisted. He and his twin, Cameron Winklevoss, would each donate $1m to Trump, who would “put an end to the Biden administration's war on crypto.”
The industry followed suit, fervently backing Trump and the Republicans. The largest crypto Pac, Fairshake, reported spending $195m in the last election cycle, with at least $148m going to the president and Republicans. Top firms reportedly poured another $10m into the president's inaugural fund.
The crypto industry's aims in Greenland are slightly more nebulous than mining's, but it has fixated on the region. In part, the cold climate and easy access to renewable energy is attractive for bitcoin mining operations – Horn said it “literally is the best place in the world for data centers”. The crypto industry startup Lympid just tokenized the first property in Greenland, meaning the real estate asset is converted into coins that people can buy, giving them a stake in the company. Lympid's co-founder Joao Lages laid out why in revealing terms.
“This isn't just about real estate; it's about democratizing access to one of the world's most unique and promising investment frontiers,” Lages said. “We're creating a bridge for global investors to participate in the region's growth story.”
Praxis's deep roster of tech elite includes folks such as Joe Lonsdale, a venture capitalist who co-founded the AI, drone and weapons producer Palantir and gave millions to Trump, while the company gave another $2.5m. Vance and Trump ally Peter Thiel, and Dryden Brown, a 28-year-old tech entrepreneur who “went to Greenland to try to buy it” several years ago, are also part of the group.
When Trump nominated the Praxis member and PayPal co-founder Howery as ambassador to Denmark, Praxis responded on X: “According to plan.”
Soon after Trump's announcement, Brown tweeted that Praxis would like to “extract critical resources, terraform the land with advanced technology to make it more habitable, and build a mythical city in the North”.
After 50 years of allowing industry to figure out – largely unsuccessfully – how to efficiently pull oil from Greenland, its government banned exploration in 2021, citing the challenges and climate change.
The Trump administration, which benefited from at least $75m in donations from industry executives ahead of the election, has regularly repeated that oil and gas exploration could be reopened if the US took over Greenland.
But some suspect this is merely an attempt to drum up support for and justify a Greenland takeover. Bierman said drilling was risky, costly and had failed to turn up the huge reserves that some speculate exist.
“The Trump administration is not always grounded in science and reality, and I think this is an example of that,” Bierman said.
European Commission may reportedly let companies declare force majeure as part of strategy to rid bloc of Russian fossil fuels by 2027
The European Commission is considering plans that would allow European companies to break long-term Russian gas contracts without paying penalties to Moscow, it has been reported.
Citing three officials with knowledge of the plan, the Financial Times reported that the commission was studying the possibility of allowing companies to declare force majeure, which would absolve importers of their obligations to pay penalty fees for ending contracts.
The plans are said to be part of a roadmap on how the EU will rid itself of Russian fossil fuels by 2027, a document scheduled to be published on 6 May, following repeated delays.
A commission spokesperson declined to comment.
The commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said last month at a press conference, when asked about the delays, that she was committed to phasing out Russian gas, saying it was “an absolute must”.
EU leaders promised to end dependency on Russian oil and gas in 2022, amid widespread concern that these revenues were funding Russia's war against Ukraine.
The EU imported just under 52bn cubic metres of Russian gas in 2024, compared with 150bn cubic metres in 2021, according to EU statistics. Last year, however, Europe bought a record amount of Russian liquified natural gas, and Russian gas imports increased by 18%, according to energy thinktank Ember.
Pipeline imports have also continued, despite the end of gas flows through Ukraine on 1 January 2025 when a transit deal expired. In February 2025, the EU received 56m cubic metres a day via the TurkStream pipeline, an 11% monthly increase. “These increases could threaten the 2027 Russian gas phaseout pathway,” Ember said, also referring to liquified natural gas (LNG).
The US is Europe's biggest supplier of LNG and officials have expressed interest in buying even more of the ultra-cold shipped fuel since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Energy executives are openly talking about resuming Russian gas imports. “If there is a reasonable peace in Ukraine, we could go back to flows of 60bn cubic metres, maybe 70, annually, including LNG,” Didier Holleaux, the executive vice-president at France's Engie, told Reuters in an interview. The French government partly owns Engie, which used to be among the biggest buyers of Gazprom's gas.
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In Germany, businesses are also said to be interested in restarting Russian gas imports, which used to provide 55% of its supply and helped factories run at competitive prices. “Reopening pipelines would reduce prices more than any current subsidy programmes,” Christof Guenther, the managing director of InfraLeuna chemical park, home to Dow Chemical and Shell, told Reuters. He added that many colleagues agreed on the need to go back to Russian gas but said it was a “taboo topic”.
However, the market volatility in the wake of the US tariff moves has hit Russia's oil exports and earnings in recent weeks.
According to Bloomberg, crude flows from Russian ports in the four weeks to 13 April fell to 3.13m barrels a day, their lowest since February, while the gross value of shipments dropped by about $80m (£60.5m) to $1.29bn a week, the lowest since mid-July 2023.
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During a Cabinet meeting last week, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed what is now the second-worst measles outbreak in the US since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.
Kennedy has claimed repeatedly that measles cases have “plateaued,” despite contradictory data from his own federal agencies.
On Friday, the health department in Texas – the center of the outbreak that now spans multiple states – reported 232 new cases over the past three weeks, 42% more than in the three weeks before that. New outbreaks have also been reported in Indiana and Ohio.
Overall, there have been at least 735 cases in 24 states this year, according to CNN's tally.
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However, many experts believe that the actual case count stands in the thousands.
“I don't think any of us have full situational awareness of what's going on with this outbreak,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “You can't say something is flattening if you don't actually know the denominator of cases or [have] an understanding you're getting [the] full capture of the cases.”
Some experts think the number of deaths alone indicates that cases are deeply undercounted. The measles fatality rate is typically up to 3 deaths per 1,000 cases. But three deaths have already been reported in the ongoing outbreak in — two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico — even though the official outbreak case count stands at not quite 650 between Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and possibly Kansas.
Underreporting could also be happening for a variety of reasons, and that makes it difficult to predict exactly how bad this outbreak will get and how long it will last, said Dr. Nina Masters, a senior research scientist at Truveta, a health-care data and analytics company, and a former epidemiologist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Better data would be helpful, Masters said, to help public health officials set expectations about how big an outbreak might get, to help public health departments figure out where to allocate resources and to better understand what might be affecting cases.
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The outbreak has mainly infected people who were not vaccinated or whose vaccine status is unknown. If a local agency knows who is unvaccinated, it could do more targeted outreach to help persuade them to get protected against the virus.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine works rapidly and has been shown to provide the best protection against measles, particularly when it's given to people in affected areas quickly.
During a measles outbreak at a migrant shelter in Chicago last year, Masters – then with the CDC – created a model to predict the size of the outbreak and another to determine what effect interventions would have.
“In both of those models, the results were very non-subtle that mass vaccination is really the way to bring these outbreaks under control, and the days matter. If you delay by a week, that increases the size of the outbreak,” she said.
Without mass vaccinations in the affected community in Chicago, the model predicted, there would be 250 cases. But because vaccines were administered quickly, there were only 57.
In 2019, Dr. Mark S. Roberts was part of an effort to create a model that took into account Texas' expected number of unvaccinated to predict what a measles outbreak there would look like.
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Until recently, the prediction was eerily similar to the case count in the current outbreak, said Roberts, a distinguished professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management and director of the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.
Now, though, cases in some counties have even outpaced the prediction.
Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the outbreak, had 355 cases as of April 11, and the state health department says that number is expected to continue to rise.
If there had been an outbreak in Gaines County in 2018, Roberts' model predicted 270 cases, 100 of whom would be “bystanders” — not children whose parents refused vaccination but those who couldn't get vaccinated or for whom the vaccine hadn't fully worked.
Roberts and many other public health experts are frustrated by the deaths that have already taken place.
“It's freaking 2025, and a child has died of measles,” Roberts said. “It's just not right. This is a disease that, 12 years ago, we basically had eradicated.”
Models are helpful in an outbreak, but even with all the data in the world, Roberts knows, not everyone is going to listen to the message that the unvaccinated need protection.
In 2019, he presented his model to the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers asked good questions and understood what he showed them, he said, but not a single law was passed to improve vaccination rates in Texas.
“The thing that's really sad about this is that all of this was predictable and totally avoidable,” Roberts said. “It's just really sad.”
Cases may be undercounted in the ongoing outbreak, Masters said, because people aren't getting tested or because they may be staying away from hospitals. In the Mennonite community that has been the center of the outbreak in Texas, there is a great sense of self-reliance and a preference for home remedies over doctors.
“I think it's a little difficult to tease apart which element of the underreporting Is leaning in which direction,” Masters said.
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Another reason it's been hard to get an accurate case count is because of massive federal funding cuts for public health. The CDC pulled back over $11 billion in grants allocated during the Covid-19 pandemic that state and local health departments had been using to respond to a variety of public health threats, including measles.
In New Mexico, where at least 58 cases have been reported, a pullback of federal funds meant the public health department had to terminate contracts for 20 temporary workers who were helping with the measles response by checking vaccination records.
Dr. Phil Huang, Health and Human Services director in Dallas County, Texas, said that in addition to canceling dozens of vaccine clinics in school districts with low vaccination rates, he had to lay off 11 permanent staff and 10 temporary workers, including three who work in the labs used to detect measles.
“Those are our numbers so far,” he said. “We are looking at perhaps a few further cuts in the near future.”
These cuts mean real numbers may become even more difficult to pin down.
Measles, a highly contagious virus, behaves in an entirely predictable fashion, Masters said.
“It behaves almost the same way in almost every setting,” she said. “If someone has measles, they go into a room with a bunch of people who are susceptible to measles, a lot of those people are going to get sick.”
Kennedy said last week that the US is a “model for the rest of the world” when it comes to managing measles, but the country is no longer as effective at preventing outbreaks because of decreasing vaccination rates.
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“Saying we're better or no worse off than other countries, that's misleading at best and kind of a whitewash of the significance of this measles outbreak,” said Dr. Bill Moss, a professor in epidemiology and executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“It is true that, historically, the United States has done better than many other countries in the world,” he said. “That's because we've had a strong immunization program.”
Measles had been declared eliminated in the US in 2000 because the majority of people were vaccinated, but that number has been falling since the Covid-19 pandemic – even before a lawyer with a history of vaccine skepticism took over HHS.
In 2024, just 68.5% of kids in the US had their first dose of the MMR vaccine by 15 months of age, according to a new report from Truveta. This is a significant decline from 2020, when more than 77% of kids got their first shot by this age. And it's far short of the federal goal of 95% of children in kindergarten having had their second dose, the threshold needed to prevent measles outbreaks.
Coverage of the MMR vaccine is particularly low in Gaines County, where nearly 1 in 5 incoming kindergartners in the 2023-24 school year had not gotten the shot. Some other counties in the affected states also fall below the 95% benchmark, according to CDC data.
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In Kansas, for example, only 90% of kindergartners have gotten their MMR vaccines. The Sublette Unified School District in the southwestern part of the state, where most of the state's cases are concentrated, has a vaccination rate of just 44%, according to data from the state health department.
Working on Truveta's report “set off real alarm bells for me,” Masters said.
Current measles vaccination rates mean the country is no longer closing immunity gaps like it used to, “which is very concerning for the future of this outbreak,” she said.
Kennedy has said that people should get the MMR vaccine, but he has also said that doing so should be a personal choice.
With so much hesitancy in areas that have seen so many cases, experts say that here needs to be a clearer message from the top and that, as with a 2019 measles outbreak, many more people will need to be convinced that getting a vaccine is not just in their best interest, it is also in the best interest of the community.
“It's important for people to know, not vaccinating your child doesn't only put your child at risk, it puts other children at risk,” Roberts said.
CNN's Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.
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The spectator who threw a bottle at Mathieu van der Poel during Sunday's Paris-Roubaix has surrendered to Flemish police. French justice officials launched an investigation after the Dutchman had a plastic bottle hurled at his face during his triumphant ride to a third consecutive Paris-Roubaix victory.
The Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reported on Monday that the spectator had surrendered to Flemish police. The public prosecutor Filiep Jodts told the BBC: “We can confirm that the man presented himself to the police. An official report was drawn up, in which his statement was recorded. The Public Prosecution Service will decide in the coming days what action should be taken.”
On Monday, the Lille prosecutor Carole Etienne said on X: “An investigation was opened into the charge of violence with a weapon in order to identify and arrest the perpetrator.” The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was struck while powering solo over a cobbled section with 33km remaining in the prestigious one-day classic, nicknamed “The Hell of the North”.
“It's not normal. It was a full bottle, it's maybe half a kilogram and I rode 50kph, it was like a stone hitting my face,” a visibly angered Van der Poel said. “This is just not acceptable. If they spit or throw beer, it's also unacceptable, but that's a different story. This is really something we have to take legal action against.”
Cycling's governing body, the UCI, expressed its support for the 2023 World Road Race champion. “[We] unanimously condemn, in the strongest terms, the unacceptable behaviour of a spectator,” it said. “Such behaviour cannot be tolerated in the context of a cycling event.
“The UCI and representatives of cycling's families express their support for the rider and will explore, in conjunction with the competent authorities, all the legal channels at their disposal so that such behaviour is duly and severely punished, as has already been the case in the past. They will take the same action in the future against any act that threatens the physical integrity of riders.”
Alpecin-Deceuninck said late on Monday they were seeking sanctions over the bottle throwing, describing it as “a dangerous and unacceptable incident”.
“We will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behaviour,”they said. “This issue goes beyond that single act. Too often, we observe that such misconduct is either caused by or accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption. It jeopardises the safety of our riders, overshadows the enjoyment and reputation of genuine cycling enthusiasts, and diverts attention from the sporting achievements.”
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They said no, over and over again.
Career officials at the Internal Revenue Service were pressed by Trump officials and DOGE staffers to hand over access to sensitive taxpayer data to immigration agencies, but repeatedly refused, telling their new overseers that doing so would be illegal.
The chief privacy officer told the agency's acting commissioner in late February that “there is no clear legal authority right now for this,” according to a source with knowledge of the conversation. Another senior IRS career official told colleagues, “This doesn't sound quite kosher to me,” according to the source.
But President Donald Trump's political appointees and staff from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency barreled ahead. Their initial effort to collect home addresses of suspected undocumented immigrants was blocked by career officials in February, but they tried again in March, and closed the deal during a frenetic final push this month.
Along the way, they demoted IRS legal advisers who raised concerns, sidelined senior IT staffers who could've stood in the way, and worked in a silo to finalize the agency's unprecedented data-sharing agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that was announced last week, according to interviews with more than a dozen people with direct knowledge of situation, as well as emails and documents reviewed by CNN.
“It felt like a hostile takeover,” said one former IRS employee who recently left the agency. “If we would have imagined some foreign government sending in adversaries to take us over, this is what it would have felt like.”
Two months after the first DOGE envoy arrived with little warning at IRS headquarters, the federal tax collection agency has effectively been conquered by Trump and his political appointees. Its sensitive taxpayer information – among the government's most highly protected databases – is on track to be used to locate undocumented immigrants for possible deportation.
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Its workforce is bracing for sweeping layoffs and some of its most senior career officials have left, having either been fired, quit in protest, or taken buyouts as part of the administration's deferred resignation program.
Now, as Americans file their taxes before Tuesday's deadline, questions are swirling around the future of the agency that collects nearly all federal revenue. The deal with ICE helped spur an ongoing exodus of seasoned career officials – including the acting commissioner, the agency's third leader this year. Meanwhile, the Senate seems in no hurry to schedule a hearing for Trump's pick to run the IRS, Republican former congressman Billy Long of Missouri.
“It's hard to think of anything positive that will come from the amount of uncertainty and turbulence at the IRS right now,” former IRS commissioner Danny Werfel, who quit on Trump's first day instead of getting fired, told CNN. “I see confidence eroding right now.”
The story of how a group of career IRS officials tried but ultimately failed to keep DOGE at bay reveals how Musk's allies overpowered parts of the federal bureaucracy to quickly implement one of the most controversial pillars of Trump's agenda – essentially by never taking no for an answer.
Multiple sources inside the IRS told CNN that tensions are extremely high and that the agency is in disarray as it prepares for an imminent round of mass layoffs that could cut as much as 20% of its roughly 100,000 workers.
Even as tax season progresses without major hiccups for most taxpayers and businesses, the internal tumult inside IRS couldn't come at a worse time in the calendar, right around Tax Day.
“It's like going into your final practice before the Super Bowl and then telling the players and staff that they'll get texts during the practice about whether they're fired or not,” a senior IRS official said. “And whether you win or lose the big game, more people will then be fired.”
Asked about the decision of several high-ranking IRS officials to leave in the wake of the data-sharing deal with ICE, White House spokesman Harrison Fields said, “Those that are not willing to support the president's agenda and common-sense reform to government, don't let the door hit you on the way out.”
Asked about the potential that this new policy could cost the government billions in lost revenue from undocumented taxpayers, Fields suggested it was a worthy tradeoff.
“You cannot compare the loss of tax revenue to the yearly cost endured by keeping them here,” Fields said.
In response to detailed inquiries from CNN, a Treasury Department spokesperson responded with the same prepared statement they issued last week while announcing the IRS-ICE deal. It said the interagency agreement was “founded in longstanding authorities granted by Congress, which serve to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans while streamlining the ability to pursue criminals.”
Within days of DOGE first arriving at the IRS, the administration pressed for access to the agency's highly confidential taxpayer data to boost its immigration agenda.
One of the first asks went to the IRS' criminal investigation division, which surprised some officials, who expected a request like this to go through the chief privacy officer, Kathleen Walters. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, wanted home addresses for 700,000 possible undocumented immigrants that they believed already had removal orders.
Then-acting IRS commissioner Doug O'Donnell, a four-decade veteran of the agency seen as a privacy stalwart with nearly unmatched expertise, shut down the effort.
“When they brought it up with him, he said, ‘Absolutely not, that's not what we do here,'” the former IRS employee told CNN about O'Donnell's pushback to the proposal.
O'Donnell's opposition was backed up by IRS lawyers as well as Walters, who immediately questioned the legality of the proposal. The federal tax code has strict limits on when taxpayers' personal information can be shared, what types of data can be shared, and when a court order is required.
Some top IRS officials believed the issue was settled once O'Donnell put his foot down in mid-February.
Among them was Melanie Krause, who at the time was the agency's chief operating officer. Krause sent an email on February 18 saying, “Closing the loop that this has been resolved.”
A few days later though, O'Donnell retired.
One person familiar with the matter said O'Donnell's retirement was “sudden and unexpected.”
Krause became acting commissioner after O'Donnell's exit. She had spent a decade in federal government oversight roles, but was a relative IRS newbie, having joined in 2021.
Just one hour into Krause's tenure atop the agency, the issue of data-sharing resurfaced.
There was a flurry of emails on her first day, February 28, again asking to give ICE the data on 700,000 suspected undocumented immigrants that they were denied access to just days earlier, according to documents reviewed by CNN.
This spurred a wave of panic in the IRS privacy division. But a source familiar with the situation said Krause wanted to see what could be done to make it work, while complying with the law.
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Again, career privacy experts raised the alarm. Walters, the privacy chief, and IRS Chief Risk Officer Mike Wetklow said the plan posed significant legal problems, the person added.
Though the data remained outside of ICE's hands, the continued back and forth led to a significant amount of stress for a number of IRS employees, sources said. Around this time, the Trump administration also proposed cutting 20% of IRS staffers, and press reports in early March indicated that the final number could end up closer to half of the agency's total workforce.
This all led to what some sources said was a loss of confidence in Krause's ability to protect the agency and its workforce from what many felt were blatantly unlawful requests.
One former senior IRS official told CNN Krause was “intellectually brilliant” and “a passionate civil servant,” but that she was outmaneuvered by the new administration. Krause did not respond to CNN's request for comment.
By mid-March, the IRS' acting general counsel, a career official named Bill Paul, was demoted and replaced with a DOGE ally, Andrew De Mello.
“This was a big moment,” one source familiar with internal maneuvering at the agency said. “Bill was raising questions about the data-sharing agreement. They replaced him, not with the person who reported underneath him. Instead, they went deeper into the organization to find someone that they knew from Trump's first administration. They locked in someone who would be more agreeable.”
Trump allies at the IRS started boxing out more and more career officials who, one source familiar with the situation, referred to as “blockers .” As Walters continued to object, she and her privacy team got shut out of the process.
“Kathleen was removed from the room of decision-making,” a person familiar with the situation told CNN, adding that Walters “wasn't invited to as many of the meetings” after sending long emails with concerns.
At least one government lawyer brought in to help draft the final agreement was instructed not to share it with their boss in the IRS general counsel's office, one of the sources said.
There was a sudden urgency in April, as the IRS neared the peak of its busiest season.
De Mello, the new DOGE-aligned general counsel, sent an email on April 2 to several top IRS officials – including Krause, who was ostensibly his boss – telling them they “cannot wait” much longer on the ICE deal because Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others “need this finalized and executed immediately,” according to an email reviewed by CNN.
At De Mello's behest, Walters and others attended a video chat with DHS officials who stunned the room with news that they might seek data on as many as 7 million suspected undocumented immigrants, CNN previously reported. Walters asked to see the draft data-sharing deal before the meeting and “was given it cold,” a source said.
At some point, Walters refused to sign the agreement, because she wasn't involved in the drafting and “she thought it was not legal,” another source said.
With Walters still refusing to sign it, De Mello went up the chain of command and asked other career IRS officials to sign, two sources said. But multiple officials said no, CNN has reported, so Bessent ended up signing it. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed for DHS.
On the night of April 7, shortly after 11 p.m. the Trump administration revealed in a court filing that the agreement had been signed. Fox News published an “exclusive” story within an hour. Krause learned that the deal had been finalized from the news coverage, CNN has reported. By the end of that workday, Krause told her staff that she was planning to resign.
Many career officials, former officials like the ex-commissioner Werfel, and legal experts have raised concerns that agreement goes beyond what is permitted in the tax code for sharing sensitive data outside of the IRS. Immigrant rights groups filed a lawsuit in early March, hoping to block any improper data-sharing between the agencies.
“If I was sitting there as IRS commissioner, it would really take my general counsel a lot to convince me to sign it, because there is no explicit language allowing this exception,” Werfel said in an interview.
The data-sharing deal triggered a full-blown staff exodus among IRS leadership.
As the deal was hammered out, and in the wake of its finalization, several key officials with decades of combined experience announced their intent to resign.
In addition to Krause, the chief financial officer, the chief risk officer, the chief information officer, the agency's chief of staff and Walters, the chief privacy officer, are all leaving. And the chief HR officer was placed on leave after clashing with DOGE staff earlier this year.
“It's pretty much a bloodbath,” a former senior IRS official told CNN.
“These are all great people, passionate civil servants who were asking the right questions,” another former senior IRS official said about the mass resignations. “Taxpayers should be happy that these questions were being asked and that they were raising significant concerns.”
The chaos at the IRS, has also spurred a crisis for undocumented immigrants who are already on high alert amid Trump's deportation push.
“Our clients are freaking out,” immigration lawyer Neil Weinrib said in an interview. “In the 40 years that I've been practicing immigration law, I've never seen anything like this. It's roiling our clients globally. It's having a tremendous chilling effect on foreign nationals who are in the United States.”
Weinrib showed CNN snippets of frantic emails he received from clients. One message from an Indian national said, “What is this news with the IRS? … IRS head will share all informations (sic) with DHS? … If my wife gets caught with my son, what should she do?”
At least one effort is underway to block the data-sharing deal. Two immigrant rights groups filed a lawsuit last month, and a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in DC federal court.
The immigrant groups claim federal law clearly requires a court order before the IRS can provide taxpayer data to another agency “exclusively for use in locating” an individual. They also claim the Trump administration is trying to stretch a provision of the tax code, which allows data-sharing for individual criminal probes, into a bulk collection program.
Justice Department lawyers have argued that the program “is lawful.”
“The American people need to be confident in the fact that their personal privacy will be protected and that this will be a targeted agreement that will go specifically after individuals who do perpetuate violence and enact crimes in this country,” Noem said last week, even though the data-sharing isn't restricted to only targeting violent criminals.
For generations, undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens have been encouraged to come forward, register with the IRS, and pay their taxes. Some have even used this to boost their attempts to secure legal status, as it demonstrates their good-faith behavior.
“This shift contradicts years of best practice that encourages all responsible individuals in the United States to file taxes, regardless of immigration status,” Cornell University professor Shannon Gleeson, who studies immigrant workers' rights, said in an email.
The policy of guaranteeing confidentiality for undocumented taxpayers fills government coffers, too – to spend on programs like Social Security and federally funded infrastructure projects. The left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that undocumented immigrants paid more than $96 billion in federal and state taxes in 2022.
The Budget Lab, a nonpartisan research center at Yale University, estimated that the federal government could see a $300 billion revenue drop over the next decade because of the new policy. CNN recently reported that some tax experts have noticed that undocumented immigrants are hesitant to file their taxes this year, out of fear of possible deportation.
“Losses could be more – and not just with undocumented population – as this action, along with many others, make people more nervous about sharing data with the IRS and skeptical of the tax system writ large,” tweeted Natasha Sarin, a Yale Law School professor who runs the research lab and previously served in the Biden-era Treasury Department.
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NEU leader says union is ‘living rent free' in Farage's head after the politician accused him of ‘poisoning the minds of our kids'
The largest education union in the country, the National Education Union (NEU), has called Reform UK a “racist and far-right” political party.
Reform – led by Nigel Farage - has been neck and neck with Labour and ahead of the Tories in some recent polls and will contest nearly all the 1,600 council seats up for re-election on 1 May.
Delegates at the annual NEU conference called for the union's political fund to be used to help campaign against Reform UK election candidates whose policies and campaigns were described as “racist”, according to the PA news agency.
A motion, which was passed by delegates at the conference on Tuesday, said it believes Reform UK is racist because of its hardline policies on immigration and its “campaigns against migrants”.
It added that organisations like Reform UK “seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
Speaking to the media at the union's annual conference in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “I think there's an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform. I think Nigel Farage is a right-wing populist.”
Speaking about Farage specifically, Kebede added:
I'm surprised that our union seems to be living rent free in his head, to be honest.
But this is just lifted directly from the Donald Trump playbook. Both Elon Musk and Donald Trump have been directly attacking the AFT and the NEA, the American teachers' unions, and this is what Nigel Farage is. He's a pound shop Donald Trump.
When asked about the union's stance on Reform UK at a press conference in County Durham on Tuesday afternoon, Farage accused the NEU leader of being a “self-declared Marxist” who he claimed was determined that “children should be poisoned at school” about everything to do with the country.
The UK's largest teaching union has called Reform UK “far-right and racist”, and its leader has dismissed Nigel Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump,” as the union pledged funds to oppose the party's candidates in elections. Delegates to the National Education Union's annual conference backed a motion stating that “far-right and racist organisations, including Reform, seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
Nigel Farage has said Reform UK's are “parking their tanks on the lawns of the ‘red wall'” in a speech ahead of May's local elections in England. He claimed that Labour had become a middle-class party and abandoned the roots it was founded for, saying “our support is coming directly from people who have been, in many cases, lifelong Labour voters. “Reform are parking their tanks on the lawns of the ‘red wall'”, he said. “Today's the first day I've said that but I absolutely mean it, and we're here, and we're here to stay. And the evidence is that people who are switching to us, this is not a short term protest. They actually believe in us.”
The business secretary has refused to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite calls from trade unions to end the programme of job losses started by its former owners. Jonathan Reynolds said on Tuesday the plant might need to have a “different employment footprint” after the government's takeover, even as he promised to try to save the plant's two blast furnaces.
Foreign secretary David Lammy has said it is “morally wrong” to give up and turn away from the violence in Sudan, and committed the UK government to £120m worth of additional support. Opening a conference on the topic at the Foriegn Office in London, he said he personally had “refused to turn away”, saying it was wrong for people to “conclude that further conflict is effectively inevitable” because of “the country's fraught history.”
Business and trade minister Sarah Jones has insisted that funds to rescue the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe has already been budgeted for, and is “within the existing fiscal envelope”. Speaking on Tuesday morning on Times Radio, the Labour MP for Croydon West said: “We have been really clear on steel that securing the future of the site in Scunthorpe is not just important for the 2,700 people who work there, but also because we know that demand for steel in the UK is growing. We know there's a market there.”
Ed Davey has called on China to release the tapes of the interrogation of a Liberal Democrat MP who was denied entry to Hong Kong to visit her family. The party leader also urged foreign secretary David Lammy to summon the country's ambassador to Britain to demand an explanation for Wera Hobhouse's deportation, saying the UK should not be “kowtowing” to Beijing.
Ministers have announced an overhaul of the way carer's allowance overpayments are checked in an attempt to fix the failing system which has left thousands with life-changing debts,fines and criminal records. In a significant policy change, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been ordered to hire extra staff to investigate 100% of the carer's allowance earnings breach alerts it receives and swiftly notify carers if they are at risk of falling into debt.
Keir Starmer's Labour party faces a very difficult electoral test in the bellwether Scottish parliament seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in June, after Reform UK confirmed Nigel Farage will make a rare campaigning visit to Scotland. It emerged today a byelection will be held there on 5 June after the unexpected death last month of its widely respected MSP, Christina McKelvie, who had held the seat for the Scottish National party for 14 years. McKelvie, who had been fighting secondary breast cancer, had already announced she would stand down before the Holyrood elections next year.
The business secretary has refused to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite calls from trade unions to end the programme of job losses started by its former owners.
Jonathan Reynolds said on Tuesday the plant might need to have a “different employment footprint” after the government's takeover, even as he promised to try to save the plant's two blast furnaces.
Reynolds was speaking during a visit to Immingham docks to oversee coal and iron ore being unloaded on its way to the Scunthorpe plant. The government took control of the plant after finding out its Chinese owner, Jingye, was attempting to sell the supplies and hasten the closure of the furnaces.
“What we need for the long-term future of British Steel is that private sector partner to work with us as a government on a transformation programme,” Reynolds said.
The UK's largest teaching union has called Reform UK “far-right and racist”, and its leader has dismissed Nigel Farage as “a poundshop Donald Trump,” as the union pledged funds to oppose the party's candidates in elections.
Delegates to the National Education Union's annual conference backed a motion stating that “far-right and racist organisations, including Reform, seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
The motion also committed the NEU to use its political fund for campaigns against Reform election candidates and to support the union's branches in local activity.
Speakers in favour of the motion argued that some Reform UK candidates and activists “have been former members of fascist organisations or espoused their views” as justification.
Daniel Kebede, the NEU's general secretary, told journalists: “I'm sure Reform claim that they are not a racist organisation. However, they seem to be attracting an awful lot of former BNP activists, which would make me question that.
“But fundamentally I have great concerns about what a Reform government would do to education.”
Ed Davey has called on China to release the tapes of the interrogation of a Liberal Democrat MP who was denied entry to Hong Kong to visit her family.
The party leader also urged foreign secretary David Lammy to summon the country's ambassador to Britain to demand an explanation for Wera Hobhouse's deportation, saying the UK should not be “kowtowing” to Beijing.
Hobhouse, the MP for Bath who is a member of the Inter-parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) which has been critical of Beijing's human rights record, has said she believes the action was taken to silence her.
She had flown to Hong Kong to see her son and newborn grandson but was held at the airport, questioned and sent back to the UK.
Asked whether he agreed that she had been detained to “shut her up”, Davey told the PA news agency: “I think it's very likely the case.
“Liberal Democrats have stood up for the people of Hong Kong against oppression from Beijing, stood up for human rights, and I don't think the Chinese government likes that.
“And this may be a part of retaliation, even though Wera was only on a family visit, but I think that shows you that they behaved in a shocking way – they need to back down.”
He added: “I very much hope the British Government, the foreign secretary, David Lammy, will call in the Chinese ambassador and demand an explanation. We shouldn't be kowtow(ing), I'm afraid, to Beijing.”
Keir Starmer's Labour party faces a very difficult electoral test in the bellwether Scottish parliament seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in June, after Reform UK confirmed Nigel Farage will make a rare campaigning visit to Scotland.
It emerged today a byelection will be held there on 5 June after the unexpected death last month of its widely respected MSP, Christina McKelvie, who had held the seat for the Scottish National party for 14 years.
McKelvie, who had been fighting secondary breast cancer, had already announced she would stand down before the Holyrood elections next year.
In normal circumstances this contest would be a straight head to head between the SNP and Scottish Labour, which had hoped to finally regain power at Holyrood after nearly 20 years in opposition.
Labour trounced the SNP in a byelection for the adjacent Westminster seat of Rutherglen and Hamilton West in late 2023, but its popularity has plummeted since the general election.
Although it has primarily cut into Scottish Conservative support in Scotland, Reform UK is also making inroads into Labour's vote, adding to its difficulties. This byelection could become a classic protest vote against Starmer's government: Scottish Labour's support has slumped in parallel with the fall in Labour's UK-wide popularity.
The SNP, which has seen its support flatline under current leader John Swinney, will focus heavily on Labour's decision not to compensate the Waspi pensioners; its continuing two child benefits cap and the cuts to winter fuel payments.
A Reform UK spokesperson told the Herald it had already started canvassing:
Nigel is definitely coming. The team will be up here … I'm sure if there is an opportunity for Nigel to campaign in Hamilton Nigel will be looking to do that.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's deputy leader, said the byelection was “a chance to vote for a new direction with Scottish Labour. People in this community and right across Scotland are being let down by this tired and out-of-touch SNP government.”
The SNP has already selected Katy Loudon, who lost to Labour in the Rutherglen byelection. She said:
Households across the constituency are benefiting from SNP decisions – including free prescriptions and social care, free university tuition or help for older people with heating bills.
In stark contrast, the UK Labour government is making life harder for ordinary people across Scotland.
Ministers have announced an overhaul of the way carer's allowance overpayments are checked in an attempt to fix the failing system which has left thousands with life-changing debts,fines and criminal records.
In a significant policy change, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been ordered to hire extra staff to investigate 100% of the carer's allowance earnings breach alerts it receives and swiftly notify carers if they are at risk of falling into debt.
Last year, the Guardian revealed that for the last six years, the DWP has chosen to investigate just 50% of alerts on cost grounds – even though this has led to huge numbers of carers unknowingly accruing massive overpayments.
Campaigners are optimistic the move could, over time, significantly reduce the numbers of carers falling foul of the system – but warned thousands more will be unfairly hit by overpayments as huge backlogs of alerts are processed over the next few months.
Carers in England and Wales who breach carer's allowance earnings limits of £196 a week must return the full £83.30 a week benefit payment, a “cliff edge” penalty that means going £1 a week over the limit for one year would result in the claimant being hit with a repayment demand not of £52, but £4,330.
Ed Davey said Donald Trump was “acting like a bully” and the government should respond with “strength”.
Speaking to the PA news agency from manufacturing business LJA Miers & Co in St Neots, the Liberal Democrats leader said:
We [should] say to president Trump, if you're not going to play fair, we're going to keep trading with each other.
We're going to grow elsewhere, but also come together to oppose what president Trump is doing to the world economy at the moment.
At the moment he's picking us off, he's dividing and ruling, he's acting like a bully.
The only way you respond to a bully is by strength and by people coming together to oppose that.
We briefly mentioned in an earlier post that the National Education Union (NEU) indicated that it would launch a formal ballot on strike action if the government's final pay offer for teachers “remains unacceptable”. We now have some more details from their annual conference, held in Harrogate in North Yorkshire this year.
A motion passed at the conference said the government's recommended 2.8% pay rise for September was “inadequate and unfunded” and it would prevent the government achieving its target of recruiting 6,500 more teachers.
In its evidence to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) in December, the department for education (DfE) said a 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would be “appropriate” and would “maintain the competitiveness” of teachers' pay despite the “challenging financial backdrop” the government is facing.
The government has yet to publish the recommendations of the teachers' pay review body, or its decision on whether to accept them. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said “any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible”.
An urgent motion, carried by conference delegates on Tuesday, called for a formal industrial action ballot to be launched if the final outcome of the STRB process “remains unacceptable” – or if the government does not announce real-terms funding increases in the spending review in June.
NEU members staged eight days of strike action in state schools in England in 2023 in a long-running pay dispute. In July 2023, the government agreed to implement the STRB's recommendation of a 6.5% increase for teachers in England, and co-ordinated strike action by four unions was called off.
Teachers in England received a fully funded 5.5% pay rise in September last year.
The largest education union in the country, the National Education Union (NEU), has called Reform UK a “racist and far-right” political party.
Reform – led by Nigel Farage - has been neck and neck with Labour and ahead of the Tories in some recent polls and will contest nearly all the 1,600 council seats up for re-election on 1 May.
Delegates at the annual NEU conference called for the union's political fund to be used to help campaign against Reform UK election candidates whose policies and campaigns were described as “racist”, according to the PA news agency.
A motion, which was passed by delegates at the conference on Tuesday, said it believes Reform UK is racist because of its hardline policies on immigration and its “campaigns against migrants”.
It added that organisations like Reform UK “seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
Speaking to the media at the union's annual conference in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “I think there's an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform. I think Nigel Farage is a right-wing populist.”
Speaking about Farage specifically, Kebede added:
I'm surprised that our union seems to be living rent free in his head, to be honest.
But this is just lifted directly from the Donald Trump playbook. Both Elon Musk and Donald Trump have been directly attacking the AFT and the NEA, the American teachers' unions, and this is what Nigel Farage is. He's a pound shop Donald Trump.
When asked about the union's stance on Reform UK at a press conference in County Durham on Tuesday afternoon, Farage accused the NEU leader of being a “self-declared Marxist” who he claimed was determined that “children should be poisoned at school” about everything to do with the country.
Ed Davey has been campaigning in Cambridgeshire today, where he has been planting flowers, and also posing with a baby, which makes for a guaranteed inclusion in the politics live blog while I am at the helm. This is my last post for the day however, as I am now handing you over to the good care of my colleague Yohannes Lowe. I will see you again tomorrow.
Nigel Farage has said Reform UK's are “parking their tanks on the lawns of the ‘red wall'” in a speech ahead of May's local elections in England.
He claimed that Labour had become a middle-class party and abandoned the roots it was founded for, saying “our support is coming directly from people who have been, in many cases, lifelong Labour voters.
“Reform are parking their tanks on the lawns of the ‘red wall'”, he said. “Today's the first day I've said that but I absolutely mean it, and we're here, and we're here to stay. And the evidence is that people who are switching to us, this is not a short term protest. They actually believe in us.”
Listing recent council byelection gains, the MP for Clacton, speaking in County Durham, claimed the party is giving Labour “one hell of a run for their money” and is now “the opposition to the Labour party, with the Conservatives trailing some way behind”.
He attacked the Conservatives as a spent force and wasted vote in large areas of England, saying “The sheer level of betrayal of what people who voted for Boris Johnson in 2019 got, they didn't get the Brexit they voted for, and they got mass immigration on a scale never seen before in the history of these islands, those people are not ever going to trust the Conservative party again.”
In a lengthy speech covering regular Reform UK talking points, Farage claimed there had been a cover-up over the Southport stabbings, that it was a conspiracy theory to suggest he held favourable views of Vladimir Putin, and said Reform was against “DEI and that madness”.
At one point during the speech, made on the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Farage posed with a front page of today's the Sun newspaper which declared Britain was broken. The Reform UK leader wrote an op-ed for the paper today.
Farage appeared to try to claim credit for the government's rescue of British Steel, telling supporters at the event “I don't believe there would have been a Saturday sitting in parliament if Richard Tice and I had not been up to Scunthorpe and been greeted the way we were by those workers, especially in the local ‘Spoons afterwards, they actually felt there was someone speaking up for them.”
Farage said it was Reform's policy to “re-industrialise” Britain, and claimed that investments in oil and gas would provide tens of thousands of well paid jobs. He accused Ed Miliband of wanting to “despoil” the British coastline with windfarms, and suggested that the removal of inheritance tax perks from farms was partly because Miliband wanted to replace agricultural land with “Chinese slave-labour made solar farms.”
Farage also angrily attacked Daniel Kebede, president of the National Education Union (NEU) as someone he said was “poisoning the minds of our kids”, and said that if Reform won the next general election it would “go to war with the National Education union and all the left wing teaching unions.”
The Reform UK leader ended his speech by saying it was the party's “historic mission” to change Britain's culture. He said “It's about understanding that Britain is broken, and that without the right leadership, without the right change of mentality, and I think most of us feel, within a decade, it frankly, won't be a place worth living in. And we are damn determined to turn this round.”
The business secretary has said that he might accept offers of involvement with British Steel from Chinese companies, but would “look at a Chinese firm in a different way” from other bidders. He also said he would not rule out job losses, saying there might be a “different employment footprint” at Scunthorpe.
Speaking as raw materials were being delivered to the keep the blast furnaces running, Jonathan Reynolds said:
What we need for the long-term future of British Steel is that private sector partner to work with us as a government on a transformation programme.
That might be new technology, new facilities, that might have a different employment footprint. The staff here absolutely know that, they know they need a long-term future.
These blast furnaces have given this country nearly a century of service in one case, so they know they need the future and that might be a different model, different technology. What they didn't want was the unplanned, uncontrolled shutdown of the blast furnaces with thousands of job losses and no plan in place for the future.
And by what we've been able to do, working with the brilliant team here at British Steel, is secure the possibility of that better future – and I for one am confident that we've made the right decision to support the people here.
Reynolds said he believed the government “can improve on the financial performance that we have seen” but that the support that has been put in place is “better value for the taxpayer” than if jobs had been lost.
On the issue of potential future partners, Reynolds told broadcasters “I think we've got to recognise that steel is a sensitive sector. It's a sensitive sector around the world, and a lot of the issues in the global economy with steel come from over-production and dumping of steel products, and that does come from China.
“So I think you would look at a Chinese firm in a different way but I'm really keen to stress the action we've taken here was to step in, because it was one specific company that I thought wasn't acting in the UK's national interest, and we had to take the action we did.”
The Liberal Democrats have urged the government to rule out any involvement from Chinese firms in the future domestic production of steel. Foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said that would put national security at risk and be “completely unacceptable.”
Earlier Reform UK leader Nigel Farage appeared to try to take credit for the rescue operation, claiming Labour had only moved the way it did because of the warm reception Farage and Richard Tice received when they visited the plant last week.
Mark Rutte makes unannounced visit to Odesa and tells Zelenskyy that ‘Nato support is unwavering'
Speaking in Odesa, Rutte strongly condemned the Russian attack on Sumy as “simply outrageous” and “part of a terrible pattern of Russia attacking civilian targets and infrastructure,” as he assured Zelenskyy of Nato's continued support.
In a statement, published in the last few minutes by Nato, he said that “Ukraine's people deserve real peace – real safety and security in their country. In their homes,” and said he wanted to use his visit to “affirm … this simple message: Nato stands with Ukraine.”
“I also know that some have called Nato's support into question in the last couple of months. But let there be no doubt. Our support is unwavering,” he said.
He said in his remarks that he spoke with Zelenskyy about “the important talks that president Trump is leading with Ukraine as well as with Russia to try to end the war and secure a durable peace.”
He acknowledged that “these discussions are not easy – not least in the wake of this horrific violence – but we all support president Trump's push for peace.”
“So let me say again – to the people of Ukraine: We stand with you. And look forward to a day that the brave men and women of this incredible country can enjoy freedom without fear,” he said.
… and on that note, it's a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte made a surprise visit to Odesa in Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reaffirm the alliance's support for Ukraine after recent “outrageous” attacks by Russia (15:52, 15:59, 16:06), amid growing concerns about the US administration's unwillingness to criticise Russia for recent attacks in Sumy with reports it refused to sign a G7 statement on the strike (9:23 and 15:48).
The European Union warned that “significant joint efforts will be needed” for a successful outcome to trade talks at the end of Donald Trump's 90-day pause on tariffs (12:35), with European Commission spokesperson admitting that the bloc would need “an additional level of engagement from the US to keep the ball rolling forward” (12:46).
France's national terrorism office launched an investigation into a wave of apparently coordinated attacks at multiple prisons across the country believed to be linked to a government clampdown on drug traffickers (11:07, 11:12, 13:22 and story).
A group of Serbian students were on the final approach to Strasbourg finishing their epic 1,300km cycling trip to draw the European Union's attention to mass protests in the country against alleged corruption among political leaders (10:51, 10:56, 18:33).
And that's all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
I was hoping to bring you one final update on the Serbian students cycling to Strasbourg before we close the blog today but they appear to be slightly delayed and still some 25 kilometers out from their finish line, according to their live tracker.
Their ETA has been updated to 7.30pm local time.
The good news is that there appears to be a big welcome party waiting for them when they reach Strasbourg…
We now have a bit more detail on Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy's comments about that meeting on Black Sea security in Turkey involving Ukraine, the UK, France and Turkey (16:26).
Reuters reported that Zelenskyy, speaking alongside Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, said “this is a military meeting on security in the Black Sea, first of all, a coalition of the willing, appropriate steps.”
Reuters noted it was not immediately clear whether meetings were already ongoing.
“There are already quite a few such meetings, in various formats,” Zelenskyy added.
“Turkey has in 2022 already successfully agreed a ceasefire when it came to a greater grain deal … let's be positive on the fact that Turkey, again, tries to bring together all relevant parties, And let's hope they are successful,” Rutte said.
“We are talking about the presence of a contingent at sea, and we believe that Turkey can have a serious place in future security guarantees for the sea,” Zelenskyy said.
“This is not about ending the war, this is about what will happen after the ceasefire – security guarantees.”
On a different note, today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp by British forces on 15 April 1945 and our Athens correspondent Helena Smith spoke with one of the survivors, Lola Hassid Angel.
For a long time, Lola Hassid Angel did not want to talk about the horrors of her childhood. Her experiences of the second world war had not been light: by the age of eight, the Holocaust survivor had “reached adulthood”, seen things she should never have seen, heard sounds she should never have heard, been confronted by terrors she could neither forgive nor forget.
Which is why the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen by British forces on 15 April 1945 is as much a cause for joy as for the horror to come flooding back.
“But it's also different,” Angel, now 88 and a great-great-grandmother, admitted over tea in her apartment in Athens. “Now I want to tell the whole world what happened. And that's because I want all these men who lead us to know what war really looks like. The Germans had a zeal for death; they had turned it into a science.”
Read Helena's story here:
You can also read Richard Nelsson's compilation of how the Guardian's David Woodward, Manchester Guardian war correspondent, covered these events in 1945.
And we recently reviewed Sam Mendes's debut documentary What They Found, which combines two precious artefacts held at the Imperial War Museum in London: 35mm film, shot by Sgt Mike Lewis and Sgt Bill Lawrie of the British Army Film and Photographic Unit, before and during the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp near the town of Celle in northern Germany in April 1945 and audio interviews given by the cameramen in the 1980s.
By their own admission, Lewis and Lawrie are not prepared for what is inside the camp gates, having only heard rumours about what the Nazis have been doing to Jews and other minorities. A little like viewers of this film who may have read and heard about the Holocaust, but who have not before encountered moving images of the unique terror of Belsen, what Lewis and Lawrie are about to see will change them and stay with them for ever.
The official commemoration of the liberation will take place on 27 April.
We are also getting more lines from Zelenskyy, as he revealed that representatives of Ukraine, the UK, France and Turkey are meeting in Turkey today to discuss Black Sea security.
And in the last few minutes, Ukraine's military said that it had hit a base belonging to the Russian rocket brigade that conducted the missile attack on Sumy on Sunday.
“(A base) of the 448th missile brigade of the Russian occupiers was hit, a secondary detonation of ammunition was recorded. The results of the strike are being clarified,” the military said in a statement on Telegram, Reuters reported.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post that the pair “visited a hospital where Ukrainian defenders are recovering from their wounds,” and spoke with some of the soldiers.
“I am grateful to our guys for their strength, resilience, and for protecting our people,” he said.
Separately, the Ukrainian president spoke with Nato's Rutte about the country's “acute” neeed for air defence systems and missiles, AFP reported.
Zelenskyy also spoke about the importance of the UK-French-led “reassurance force” being ready “fast enough” to help Ukraine, the agency said.
Speaking in Odesa, Rutte strongly condemned the Russian attack on Sumy as “simply outrageous” and “part of a terrible pattern of Russia attacking civilian targets and infrastructure,” as he assured Zelenskyy of Nato's continued support.
In a statement, published in the last few minutes by Nato, he said that “Ukraine's people deserve real peace – real safety and security in their country. In their homes,” and said he wanted to use his visit to “affirm … this simple message: Nato stands with Ukraine.”
“I also know that some have called Nato's support into question in the last couple of months. But let there be no doubt. Our support is unwavering,” he said.
He said in his remarks that he spoke with Zelenskyy about “the important talks that president Trump is leading with Ukraine as well as with Russia to try to end the war and secure a durable peace.”
He acknowledged that “these discussions are not easy – not least in the wake of this horrific violence – but we all support president Trump's push for peace.”
“So let me say again – to the people of Ukraine: We stand with you. And look forward to a day that the brave men and women of this incredible country can enjoy freedom without fear,” he said.
And in the last few minutes, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte revealed he made an unannounced trip to Odesa in Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a post on social media, he said he reassured Zelenskyy that Nato's support remained “unwavering” and the alliance would “continue to help Ukraine so it can defend today and deter future aggression.”
Here is his post in full:
Today I visited Odesa along with @ZelenskyyUa. Ukraine's people have endured so much - not least Russia's Palm Sunday attack on Sumy. Nato support is unwavering. We will continue to help Ukraine so it can defend today and deter future aggression, ensuring a just and lasting peace.
I will bring you more lines from Rutte soon.
In the latest example of US president Donald Trump's rather lenient response to Russian actions, Bloomberg (£) is now reporting that the US declined to endorse a G7 statement condemning Russia's attack on Sumy over the weekend as it feared it could derail peace negotiations on Ukraine.
The attack on Palm Sunday killed at least 34 and injured over 110 people.
But diplomatic sources told Bloomberg that the US administration “told allies it couldn't sign the statement denouncing the attack as it is working to preserve the space to negotiate peace.”
In his only public comments on the attack, Trump said he had been told that the Russians had “made a mistake” in the strike on Sumy.
Giorgia Meloni's influence over Donald Trump is to be put to the test when the pair reunite in Washington on Thursday for their first bilateral summit. She is the first European leader to meet Trump since he paused some of his planned tariff hikes last week.
The summit will be closely watched. On one hand, it is an ideal opportunity for Meloni to demonstrate an affinity with Trump, with whom her natural political tendencies lie, while boosting her credentials as a conduittowards more meaningful dialogue. On the other, it will be a delicate balancing act for the prime minister, who also knows she must be careful to maintain her allegiance to Italy's EU partners.
Behind the scenes, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Meloni are understood to have discussed a gameplan. Still, the solo trip has caused anxiety among EU allies, with the French industry minister, Marc Ferracci, warning last week that it threatened to undermine European unity against the US tariffs.
Their concerns are not without reason. Meloni, a former Eurosceptic, defended a blistering attack against European values by Trump's deputy, JD Vance, at the Munich Security Conference in February. She will be back in Rome on Friday to meet Vance, who is in Italy for the Easter weekend.
Read the analysis in full:
Earlier today, I brought you the latest on the fragile state of the EU-US trade talks in Washington.
On Thursday, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni will try a different tactic as she goes to Washington for talks with US president Donald Trump, who has (so far) been more receptive to interventions from individual national leaders rather than the EU as a whole.
So let's go to our Rome correspondent Angela Giuffrida for her analysis…
Elsewhere, French president Emmanuel Macron will bestow awards on around 100 craftspeople and officials who helped restore Notre Dame to its former glory after a fire nearly destroyed the beloved Paris cathedral six years ago, AFP reported.
The ceremony at the Élysée Palace will take place from early Tuesday evening, around the same time the devastating fire broke out at the Gothic masterpiece in 2019.
AFP noted that Macron will honour Philippe Jost, who headed the public organisation tasked with restoring the cathedral and was elevated to the rank of “commander” of the Legion of Honour, France's highest national award.
Jost succeeded Jean-Louis Georgelin, the general who had been put in charge of overseeing the restoration but who died in 2023.
Georgelin was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest rank of the award established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.
The architects Remi Fromont and Philippe Villeneuve will also be decorated.
Alongside them, nearly 100 civil servants, entrepreneurs and craftspeople will be awarded the Legion of Honour or the National Order of Merit, another top award established by Charles de Gaulle.
They represent around 2,000 people who took part in the restoration of the cathedral.
They come from “all the trades” and include carpenters, ironworkers, scaffolders, rope access workers, organ restorers and stained glass artisans, the French presidency said.
The Serbian students cycling towards Strasbourg that we reported on earlier today (10:51 and 10:56) are now back on the move on the final stage of their journey.
You can follow their finish live here – they are currently passing through a small town of Durmersheim in Germany, near the French border.
The European Commission is considering plans that would allow European companies to break long-term Russian gas contracts without paying penalties to Moscow, it has been reported.
Citing three officials with knowledge of the plan, the Financial Times reported (£) that the commission was studying the possibility of allowing companies to declare force majeure, which would absolve importers of their obligations to pay penalty fees for ending contracts.
The plans are reported to be part of a roadmap on how the EU will rid itself of Russian fossil fuels by 2027, a document scheduled to be published on 6 May, following repeated delays.
A commission spokesperson declined to comment.
Full story:
Back to France, the country's national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it had taken charge of the investigation into attacks on several French prisons overnight that we reported earlier (11:07).
Reuters said that France's DGSI national security agency will also be involved into the investigation into the attacks, the prosecutor said.
… and more than 1,200 people have signed a petition, launched by academics at Budapest's Eötvös Loránd university, protesting against the Hungarian government's ban on public events by the LGBTQ+ community.
On Monday, Hungary's rightwing populist government, led by Viktor Orbán, voted through a constitutional amendment backing the ban, in what rights campaigners described as a “significant escalation” in the government's efforts to chip away at human rights.
The university remains committed to inclusion, the petition noted. “As university lecturers and researchers, we protest against this curtailment of basic rights,” it said.
It also sought to highlight the worrying precedent set by the ban. “The government's spurious claim, all too familiar from history, to protect our children sets the stage for the curtailment of the freedom of assembly of arbitrarily designated groups – in the first instance LGBTQI communities – as well as their surveillance and punishment.”
Staff at the internationally renowned university had decided to speak out as “many of our students and staff rightly feel threatened by discriminatory, arbitrary legislation and stigmatisation,” the petition noted.
The signatories said they would work to ensure that students or employees belonging to the LGBTQ+ community would feel free to speak up when it comes to matters concerning themselves or the wider university community.
“It is especially important to take this responsibility at a time when our institutions and communities are under increasing government pressure and similar attacks are taking place in other countries,” the petition said.
Rights campaigners have called on the European Commission to launch a procedure against the Hungarian government, arguing that the legal changes – believed to be the first of their kind in the EU's modern history – are a breach of EU law.
(Asked about the next steps at the commission's briefing, Hrncirova said she could not offer any timeline on this process. – Jakub)
Separately, European Commission spokesperson on equality Eva Hrncirova was asked about the executive's view on the Hungarian constitutional amendment passed yesterday that campaigners described as a “significant escalation” in the government's efforts to crack down on dissent and chip away at human rights.
She said the EU was “obviously aware” of the amendment, but needed time to “analyse the changes, because [they] cover several topics and we need to look at them very carefully to be able to see them from the perspective of the European law.”
Yesterday's vote prompted further protests in Budapest against the decision, so let me bring you some pictures from that protest, and…
And on trade talks with the US, the European Commission's trade spokesperson Olof Gill just told reporters that the EU needed “an additional level of engagement from the US to keep the ball rolling forward.”
“Our offers are still clearly and plainly on the table, zero for zero tariffs on industrial products, including cars, and we're willing to look at a range of other areas,” he said.
Responding to Trump's comments that the EU “have got to come to the table, and they're trying to,” Gill said: “Mr President, we are at the table,” as he rejected the suggestion that the EU exploits the US by saying “the facts do not support this claim.”
Pushed on what is being discussed, he said that – despite Trump's longstanding frustration with EU regulations – “EU standards, particularly as they relate to food, health and safety, are sacrosanct.”
“That's not part of the negotiation. It never will be, not with the US, not with anyone else,” he said.
He also added that “our regulation that applies to technology and digital markets, that's not up for negotiation.”
These comments will particularly resonate with the US as there is growing anticipation that the EU should announce its first enforcement against Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act in the coming days and weeks.
Issue is seen as a key stumbling block in talks with US as Washington seeks to scale back Iran's nuclear programme
Iran is expected to resist a US proposal to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country – such as Russia – as part of Washington's effort to scale back Tehran's civil nuclear programme and prevent it from being used to develop a nuclear weapon.
The issue, seen as one of the key stumbling blocks to a future agreement, was raised in the initial, largely indirect, talks held in Muscat, Oman, between Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Iran is arguing the stockpile, amassed over the past four years, should remain in Iran under the strict supervision of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency. Tehran sees this as a precaution, or a form of insurance in case a future US administration withdraws from the agreement, as Donald Trump did in 2018 when he rejected the 2015 deal brokered by Barack Obama.
Tehran says that if the stockpile was to leave Iran and the US pulled out of the deal, it would have to start from scratch in enriching uranium to higher purity – effectively punishing Iran for a breach committed by Washington.
Although the bulk of the exchanges in Muscat were held indirectly between the Iranian and US delegations, with Oman acting as the intermediary, direct meetings between Witkoff and Araghchi also took place.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has agreed to host the next round of talks on Saturday in Rome, in a move seen as a political gesture by Trump towards Italy. It also serves to marginalise the main European powers in the Iran negotiations, with Oman continuing to act as the mediator. The US vice-president, JD Vance, will also be in Rome over the Easter weekend.
During the initial nuclear talks in 2015, Italy felt it was excluded from the process, with France, Germany and the UK – the so-called “E3” – representing European interests at the talks.
Mohamed Amersi, of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said: “Meloni is an interesting choice since Meloni seems to be the European leader that has the best personal line to Trump, more than France, Germany and the UK. If Italy hosts the meeting it begs the question of the future role of the E3 in the US-Iran dialogue.”
Iran is negotiating under the threat of not just further sanctions but a potential military attack on its nuclear sites by the US.
With the Iranian economy in decline, Tehran is eager to attract direct investment by lifting US sanctions. Discussions have already started on potential insurance options for companies looking to invest in Iran, in case of a further breakdown in US relations. After the 2018 withdrawal and the imposition of sanctions on foreign companies trading with Iran, the EU was unable to devise a viable way of protecting businesses that wanted to invest in Iran.
Trump has so far excluded other aspects of the US-Iran relationship from the talks, such as Tehran's “destabilising regional behaviour”, a decision that has confounded both Israel and anti-regime hawks in Washington. The US may seek some form of Iranian assurance that it will not use its influence to interfere in the sovereignty of other states. Iran, however, argues it is Israel making land grabs in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.
Iran's influence in the region has been weakened by the fall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, Israel's assaults on Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and US attacks on Yemen. Iran's oil export fleet is also facing increasing sanctions pressure from the US president.
Live Updates
• Harvard freeze: The Trump administration called on Harvard University to apologize today and questioned the purpose of federal funding after it froze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school. President Donald Trump threatened to remove the school's tax-exempt status over the institution's decision to reject his administration's policy change demands.
• Immigration showdown: A federal court hearing is underway in the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador, who the Trump administration and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele made clear won't be brought back to the US despite a Supreme Court ruling.
• Focus on benefits: Trump will sign a memorandum today aimed at stopping “ineligible people” from claiming Social Security benefits, the White House said.
Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was placed on administrative leave over an alleged “unauthorized disclosure” of information, a defense official said today.
Reuters first reported that Dan Caldwell was placed on leave and escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday.
The investigation comes just weeks after it was discovered Hegseth disclosed sensitive information about a military operation in a Signal group chat with other national security officials, which included a reporter. Caldwell was identified by Hegseth in the Signal chat as his point of contact for the operation, according to The Atlantic. It also comes after a March 21 memo from Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, ordering an investigation of unauthorized disclosures in the Defense Department.
In his first public speech since leaving office, former President Joe Biden plans to present Social Security as a sacred promise for recipients and discuss what is happening to the program under President Donald Trump's administration, a source familiar with his remarks said.
It's unclear whether Biden will mention Trump by name or veer into other issues in his remarks. The former president is expected to make final edits to the speech in the hours before his appearance.
The Social Security Administration is undergoing a massive reorganization as part of DOGE's government downsizing efforts, including cutting thousands of jobs. The agency's technology systems have faced additional strains in recent months and phone lines have been flooded by Americans with questions about the state of their benefits.
Biden's speech on Social Security coincides with Democratic congressional leaders launching a day of action around preserving the program amid fears of cuts under Trump's watch, signaling a potential messaging focus for Democrats ahead of next year's midterm elections.
White House border czar Tom Homan said Tuesday that if the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador returns to the United States, he will be “detained and removed again.”
“Now the court said we got to facilitate. We'll facilitate, but, but, but El Salvador has full authority on this again, a terrorist threat,” Homan said on Fox News about Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
“Now if somehow he comes back and that happens, he's going to be detained and removed again. He's an MS-13 gang member based on our intelligence and El Salvador's intelligence. He will be detained and he will be deported,” Homan added, without providing details of that intelligence.
The United States could legally send Abrego Garcia to another country if he does return to the United States. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, entered the US illegally sometime around 2011, but an immigration judge in 2019, after reviewing evidence, withheld his removal. That meant he could not be deported to El Salvador but could be deported to another country.
Homan's comments come as El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele told reporters in the Oval Office Monday that while he has the power to release Abrego Garcia, his administration isn't “very fond of releasing terrorists” being detained in his country.
US officials have alleged that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, which the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. His attorneys, however, dispute the claim and at least one federal judge has voiced skepticism toward it.
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez contributed reporting.
President Donald Trump's border czar declined to weigh in today on the president suggesting he'd be open to deporting US citizens who are considered violent criminals to an El Salvador prison.
“You know, someone mentioned that to me this morning. I haven't yet talked to the president. I just got back in town yesterday, I haven't had that conversation, what that conversation was about, where it comes from, but so I'm not going to comment on that ‘til I speak to the president directly,” Tom Homan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins at the White House.
Trump was asked in the Oval Office yesterday if he was considering deporting Americans who've committed a crime to El Salvador, as the administration has with undocumented migrants. He told reporters, “If it's a homegrown criminal, I have no problem,” adding that Attorney General Pam Bondi is studying the laws “right now.”
But pressed on the legality of such a move, Homan, who's worked in both Democratic and Republican administrations, wouldn't weigh in.
“I don't know — again, I didn't I didn't see it, I didn't hear it,” Homan told Collins. “Again, I don't know the context, the question was, I don't know the context of what the response, of what he meant by the response. I'd be opining on something I really don't have the information on. I'll get briefed on it, and I'll respond to you later about it, but I'm just unfamiliar about it.”
The Trump administration canceled 139 State Department grants worth $214 million as the administration focuses on shrinking the department's spending, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday.
“The American taxpayers should not be funding misguided programs like ‘Building the Migrant Domestic Worker-Led Movement' in Lebanon or ‘Get the Trolls Out!' in the United Kingdom,” Rubio tweeted. “We are cleaning up the mess the previous administration left and rebuilding an agency that's focused on putting America First.”
The full list of the grants that have been canceled remain unclear but the move comes at the Trump administration works to cut back spending at the State Department after dismantling the United States Agency for International Development.
The Trump administration is looking to almost halve the State Department budget and close nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates, according to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN.
Lawyers for both the Trump administration and a man mistakenly deported to El Salvador will be back in court this afternoon at 4 p.m. in Greenbelt, Maryland, as the fight over his return to the US intensifies.
It is the first proceeding held by US District Judge Paula Xinis since Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele vowed yesterday to keep Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia locked in one of his country's notorious mega-prisons and US officials made clear they wouldn't push the leader to release him.
Earlier today, lawyers for Abrego Garcia told the judge the Trump administration is misreading a Supreme Court decision that upheld the jurist's directive that the government “facilitate” his return.
The high court last week largely endorsed Xinis' order that the administration work to bring Abrego Garcia back stateside, but Justice Department attorneys are pushing the argument that they understand “facilitate” to mean working to “remove any domestic obstacles” that may stand in the way of his return and not a requirement that they request Salvadoran officials to release him.
“Not so,” Abrego Garcia's lawyers wrote in a brief filing to Xinis, adding that the high court's decision backing the lower-court order “is rendered null if construed solely to require removing ‘domestic obstacles.'”
“To give any meaning to the Supreme Court's order, the Government should at least be required to request the release of Abrego Garcia,” they wrote. “To date, the Government has not done so.”
Over the weekend, Justice Department attorneys leaned into a part of that the Supreme Court decision that said Xinis must clarify her order in the case with “due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs,” according to court papers.
This post has been updated with more details about the hearing in Maryland.
The White House is doubling down on calling Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia a “foreign terrorist” despite the administration conceding in court documents that he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
“Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking. He illegally came into our country. And so, deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at Tuesday's press briefing without providing evidence of those charges.
The Trump administration has designated MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization. But Abrego Garcia's attorneys have disputed the claim that he's a member of the gang and at least one federal judge has voiced skepticism toward it.
“There is never going to be a world in which is an individual who is going to live a peaceful life in Maryland because he is a foreign terrorist. And an MS-13 gang member. Not only have we confirmed that, President (Nayib) Bukele yesterday in the Oval Office confirmed that as well,” Leavitt added.
The White House and Bukele made clear during Monday's White House meeting that Abrego Garcia won't be returned to the US.
But a senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement official previously stated in court filings that Abrego Garcia was sent to El Salvador as a result of an “administrative error.”
He was granted protected status by an immigration judge in 2019 that prohibited the federal government from sending him to El Salvador and his attorneys say that he fled gang violence more than a decade ago.
President Donald Trump will sign a memorandum Tuesday aimed at stopping “ineligible people” from claiming Social Security benefits, the White House said.
“Later this afternoon, the president will be signing a presidential memorandum aimed at stopping illegal aliens and other ineligible people from obtaining Social Security Act benefits. The memorandum will direct the administration to ensure ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from the Social Security Act programs,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
As CNN previously reported, the Social Security Administration, spurred by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, on Monday implemented new anti-fraud measures that have sparked widespread concern and confusion.
Social Security will now conduct an anti-fraud check on all phone applications for benefits and flag claims that could be fraudulent. Those who are flagged must verify their identity in person. The agency is also implementing a new policy barring beneficiaries from changing their direct deposit information by telephone.
Biden speech: The expected memorandum comes as former President Joe Biden is set to speak about protecting Social Security at a Tuesday event in Chicago — the first big public speech of his post-presidency.
Asked about Social Security being the topic of Biden's speech, Leavitt pointed to Trump's comments on the campaign trail that he will “protect that program.”
“This president, President Trump, is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens and seniors who have paid into this program. He will always protect that program. He campaigned on it. He protected it in his first term, and he's back again to continue protecting it,” she said.
CNN's Tami Luhby contributed to reporting to this post.
President Donald Trump is “actively” assessing several trade deal proposals, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday.
“We've had more than 15 deals, pieces of paper put on the table, proposals that are actively being considered,” she said. Leavitt did not share any details regarding which trading partners' proposals were being considered nor what they included.
“I don't want to get ahead of them on announcements,” she said. “As we've said consistently, more than 75 countries have reached out, so there's a lot of work to do.”
This comes after Trump enacted a 90-day pause on “reciprocal” tariffs that briefly took effect last week, impacting dozens of nations, including US allies and adversaries. The pause was put in place to buy more time to work on nailing down more trade deals, administration officials have said.
The pause, however, did not impact China, whose products are subject to a minimum 145%, with the exception of certain electronics.
Little progress was made yesterday at a key trade meeting between the European Union and the Trump administration, according to a readout of the gathering.
The meeting took place in Washington, DC, with European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The US hit the EU last month with tariffs on steel and aluminum exports. The EU responded with its own set of levies on goods imported from the US. The Trump administration this month rolled out even higher levies as part of its “reciprocal” tariffs. Those were then paused for 90 days. The EU then agreed to pause its own countertariffs on US goods.
European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said the main focus was to “work towards zero-for-zero reciprocal tariffs for all industrial goods, including cars,” according to a readout shared with CNN.
“The EU is doing its part,” he said. “Now, it is necessary for the US to define its position. As with every negotiation, this must be a two-way street.”
The EU was set to see tariffs across all goods jump to 20%. With the pause, however, tariffs are now at the baseline 10% universal level.
A representative from the US Commerce Department did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.
The meeting comes amid a tense tug-of-war between Washington and its counterparts in Brussels. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he perceives the EU as taking advantage of the US and stalling on a trade deal.
Gill addressed that belief Tuesday, saying: “Mr. President, we're at the table.”
For three hours, a federal judge in Baltimore, Maryland, heard arguments on whether she should continue to restrict the Department of Government Efficiency's broad access to Americans' sensitive personal data held by the Social Security Administration.
US District Judge Ellen Hollander had asked the agency's acting commissioner, Leland Dudek to come to the hearing to help clear up inconsistencies in the record about why DOGE needs access to the data. That request that was turned down by the administration late yesterday, to the judge's frustration.
“What is it we're doing that needs all of that information?” Hollander asked a Justice Department attorney today, referring to the administration's claim that the sweeping access to the data was required for DOGE address inaccuracies in the agency's death records.
“That is the part that hasn't really been made clear to me. But Mr. Dudek isn't here,” Hollander said.
A lawyer for the challengers — unions represented by Democracy Forward — argued that what Dudek was claiming in declarations filed to the court about DOGE's need for the data wasn't aligning with the story told by the internal records in the case, suggesting that there was an effort to create an after-the-fact need for the access after the decision to grant it was already made.
Hollander seemed to agree as she grilled a DOJ attorney on the rationale for DOGE getting the keys to entire data systems rather than asking for access to a person's sensitive personal information on a case by case basis.
Hollander ended the hearing without a ruling, with the clock ticking on the temporary restraining order expiring this Thursday.
The Trump administration called on Harvard University to apologize Tuesday and questioned the purpose of federal funding after it froze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school on Monday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the administration's action as an effort to curb antisemitism on college campuses. But the administration is also demanding the university eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, ban masks at campus protests, and ensure merit-based hiring practices.
Pressed on President Donald Trump's threat earlier Tuesday to tax Harvard as a political entity and remove its tax-exempt status, Leavitt deferred questions to the Internal Revenue Service. But she said broadly that the university needed to apologize.
Trump, Leavitt said, “wants to see Harvard apologize, and Harvard should apologize for the egregious antisemitism that took place on their college campus against Jewish American students.”
Leavitt pointed to remarks during a congressional hearing from the university's former president, Claudine Gay, who said calling for the genocide of Jews “can” violate Harvard's rules of bullying and harassment “depending on the context.” Gay has apologized for the remarks.
Leavitt also pointed to what she described as Harvard's failure to discipline students involved in an encampment on campus and the disruption of classes. “The president believes Harvard should apologize to its Jewish American students for allowing such egregious behavior,” Leavitt said.
She also reiterated questions about the future of the university's federal funding, a fight the Trump administration clearly believes is a winning political issue.
“I think the president is also begging a good question: more than $2 billion out the door to Harvard when they have a more than $50 billion endowment — why are the American taxpayers subsidizing a university that has billions of dollars in the bank already? And we certainly should not be funding a place where such grave antisemitism exists,” she said.
Read more about the Harvard funding freeze in the video below:
The Trump administration announced that it would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value at Harvard University after the school said it would not follow policy demands from the administration. CNN's Kara Scannell reports. #cnn #news #trump #harvard #israel #gaza
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump firmly believes the ball is in China's court when it comes to negotiating the trade war between the two countries.
“I do have an additional statement that he just shared with me in the Oval Office,” Leavitt said from the press briefing podium. “‘The ball is in China's court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don't have to make a deal with them. There's no difference between China and any other country, except that they are much larger, and China wants what we have, what every country wants, what we have: The American consumer, or to put it another way, they need our money.'”
“The president, again, has made it quite clear that he's open to a deal with China,” Leavitt added. “So China needs to make a deal with the United States of America.”
Some context: Trump last week imposed an additional 145% tariff on all Chinese imports despite pausing his “reciprocal” levies on all other countries in a stunning reversal.
But China is not backing down, saying it will “fight to the end” if the president continues to escalate what is already becoming a full-blown trade war. On Friday, China also significantly ramped up its own duties on US imports into the country.
President Donald Trump spoke today with the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, where he thanked the leader for hosting talks between the US and Iran over the weekend.
“(Trump) held a call with the sultan of Oman today, and he thanked him for hosting the first direct meeting between the United States and Iran and emphasized the need for Iran to end its nuclear program through negotiations,” Leavitt said. “The two leaders also discussed the United States' ongoing operations against the Houthis and emphasize that the Houthis will pay a severe price until they end their attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea.”
Following the talks in Oman over the weekend, US special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News yesterday that moving forward, talks with Iran would be about verification of its nuclear program, stopping short of calling for Tehran to dismantle it altogether.
But in a subsequent statement today, Witkoff backpedaled, writing on X: “A deal with Iran will only be completed if it is a Trump deal. Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East — meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.”
President Donald Trump has not made a decision on raising the corporate tax rate, White House press secretary Karoline Levitt told reporters Tuesday.
“Look, I've seen this idea proposed. I've heard this idea discussed, but I don't believe the president has made a determination on whether he supports it or not,” Leavitt said when asked about raising the corporate tax rate.
Some context: Among the most notable efforts of Trump's first administration was slashing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% as part of his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
On the 2024 campaign trail, he promised to continue that effort. In a speech in September, he highlighted his plan to reduce the corporate tax rate to 15% for companies that make their products in the US, which he vowed would unleash a boom in domestic manufacturing and entice foreign companies to shift their operations to America.
The White House announced Tuesday that it was expanding the “new national defense area” established by presidential memorandum last week along the US-Mexico border, adding 90 miles to the area aimed at securing the border.
“This new national defense area spans more than 170 miles across our border in New Mexico, but in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles in the state of Texas,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during today's press briefing. “This national defense area will enhance our ability to detect, interdict and prosecute the illegal aliens, criminal gangs and terrorists who were able to invade our country without consequence for the past four years under the Biden administration.”
The memo, which President Donald Trump signed last week, directs the US military to “take a more direct role” in efforts to secure the border and calls on Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to act to provide the Defense Department “use and jurisdiction” over certain federal lands “to enable military activities” on military installations.
Because Trump has declared a national emergency at the border, according to the memo, Burgum “may make withdrawals, reservations, and restrictions of public lands to provide for the utilization of public lands by the Department of Defense.”
CNN's Kit Maher contributed reporting to this post.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump is exploring the legality of potentially sending the most “violent” and “egregious” US criminals to a mega-prison in El Salvador.
“He would only consider this, if legal for Americans who are the most violent, egregious, repeat-offenders of crime, who nobody in this room wants living in their communities,” Leavitt said at a White House press briefing.
Asked by a reporter if the administration is considering changing the law, if it's not legal, Leavitt said, “It's another question that the president has raised. It's a legal question that the president is looking into.”
Pressed to clarify what exactly the administration is looking into, Leavitt said, “We're looking at it, and when I have more for you to share I certainly will.”
More context: El Salvador agreed to house violent US criminals and receive deportees of any nationality, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in February, in an unprecedented — and legally problematic deal — that alarmed critics and rights groups.
During a meeting yesterday with El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, Trump signaled that deportees to El Salvador could also include US citizens who are considered violent criminals.
Any effort by the Trump administration to deport incarcerated US nationals to another country would likely face significant legal pushback, and legal experts have noted the US is barred from such a move.
President Donald Trump's foreign envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday backpedaled comments he made a day earlier about the US position on nuclear talks with Iran.
“A deal with Iran will only be completed if it is a Trump deal. Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East — meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program,” Witkoff wrote on X. “It is imperative for the world that we create a tough, fair deal that will endure, and that is what President Trump has asked me to do.”
What he said yesterday: Witkoff had told Fox News that the conversation with Iran will focus on verification of uranium enrichment, “and ultimately verification on weaponization, that includes missiles, type of missiles that they have stockpiled there, and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”
Witkoff did not mention a demand to fully dismantle Iran's nuclear program, as other US officials have, saying only that Iran does not need to enrich uranium past 3.67% to run a civilian program.
The leaders of Stanford University say they are standing with Harvard in its escalating battle with the Trump administration over federal funding.
Stanford University President Jonathan Levin and Provost Jenny Martinez issued a statement backing Harvard University — which refused to comply with the White House's demands for policy changes at the school.
“Harvard's objections to the letter it received are rooted in the American tradition of liberty, a tradition essential to our country's universities, and worth defending,” Levin and Martinez wrote in a statement shared with the student newspaper The Stanford Daily.
“America's universities are a source of great national strength, creating knowledge and driving innovation and economic growth,” Levin and Martinez said in their statement. “This strength has been built on government investment but not government control.”
How we got here: The federal government announced yesterday it will freeze more than $2 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard after the university rejected the Trump administration's demands.
Harvard appears to be the first elite US university to rebuke the White House's demands targeting higher education. The university has refused to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, ban masks at campus protests and enact merit-based hiring and admissions reforms, among other demands.
In February, Stanford announced it would implement a freeze on staff hiring amid mounting federal financial uncertainties for universities across the US.
Farmers are on the “front line” of what President Donald Trump has described as a trade war with China, but the US will protect them, the president said Tuesday.
“Our farmers are GREAT, but because of their GREATNESS, they are always put on the Front Line with our adversaries, such as China, whenever there is a Trade negotiation or, in this case, a Trade War,” Trump posted on Truth Social, notably referring to the clash with China as a trade war.
Recalling his first term, Trump said China treated US farmers poorly, but that “a great trade deal was made.” He added: “I rewarded our farmers with a payment of $28 Billion Dollars, all through the China deal.” He went on to say: “The USA will PROTECT OUR FARMERS!!!”
Later on in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “relief is being considered” for farmers. She also reiterated that Trump “has their backs” and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has talked to the president about assistance.
Trump also noted reports of China halting the delivery of Boeing jets to its airlines, which would be another blow to the struggling aircraft maker that builds all of its planes at US factories. “Interestingly, they just reneged on the big Boeing deal, saying that they will ‘not take possession' of fully committed to aircraft,” he wrote of China.
Neither Chinese authorities, Boeing nor the White House responded to CNN requests earlier Tuesday about the Bloomberg reporting that Chinese authorities had ordered its airlines not to take any further Boeing deliveries.
Take a look at how Trump's trade war with China will hurt the farmers who voted him through these charts.
CNN's Elise Hammond has contributed reporting to this post which has been updated with comments from Leavitt on relief.
The Trump administration is looking at closing nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates as it eyes significant changes to its diplomatic presence abroad, according to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN.
Embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan have been recommended for closure in the document. The list also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa and one in South Korea.
It also recommends reducing the footprint at the US diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq — two countries that have been key to US counterterrorism efforts — and “resizing” other diplomatic outposts.
It's unclear if Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed off on the proposed closures. CNN has reached out to the State Department for comment on the document.
The proposed changes come amid a broader expected overhaul of the US' diplomatic agency as the administration, spurred by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), makes dramatic changes to shrink the federal government.
CNN reported in March that the State Department was moving to close some of the consulates listed on the internal document.
Why does this matter? Embassies and consulates serve as important outposts for the State Department. They provide services like visa processing and assistance for American citizens in need. The posts also collect information to send back to Washington, DC, and officials say they are an important diplomatic tool as the US looks to counter nations like China. Most consulates do not have a large workforce.
President Donald Trump is threatening to tax Harvard University as a political entity after the institution rejected the administration's policy change demands, which resulted in the freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding.
“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?' Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
More on the freezing of funds: The Trump administration has threatened numerous colleges across the US with funding cuts if changes in school policy weren't made, and Harvard's move appears to mark the first time an elite university has rebuked the White House over those demands.
Among the mandates in the administration's letter are the elimination of Harvard's diversity, equity and inclusion programs, banning masks at campus protests, merit-based hiring and admissions reforms and reducing the power held by faculty and administrators “more committed to activism than scholarship.”
The proposed changes are the latest effort of the federal task force to combat antisemitism on college campuses after a spate of high-profile incidents around the country in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
CNN's Jeff Winter and Taylor Romine contributed reporting to this post.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a tour of Southeast Asia, positioning China as a stable partner in contrast to the US. President Donald Trump reacted by saying the tour was a chance to “screw” the US.
CNN's Kristi Lu Stout reports:
Melinda French Gates, the philanthropist ex-wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, told CNN's Abby Phillip in an interview Monday that she's troubled by the US withdrawal from crucial roles on the global health stage.
When Phillip asked what keeps her up at night, Gates responded, “What keeps me up are young children dying.”
“The United States is pulling back on the vaccine alliance that was created well over 20 years ago,” she said. “That and malaria bed nets are the two things … that have kept children alive that have reduced the childhood death around the world by more than half. So to see that we would do something so devastating to families and it's so inexpensive, it just it doesn't feel like who we've been as a country.”
Studies have found that childhood vaccination has averted more than 150 million deaths since 1974, accounting for 40% of declines in global infant mortality. However, a billion-dollar grant to GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, which is also largely funded by the Gates Foundation, was reportedly among the foreign aid cuts detailed by the US State Department last month.
Insecticide-treated bed nets to fight the spread of malaria, another priority of the Gates Foundation, are estimated to have reduced all-cause death of young children by about 20% in several trials in Africa.
Gates said philanthropists can't make up the difference in lost US funding.
“The philanthropic sector can try experiments you wouldn't want to try with taxpayer dollars, right, because … some of the medicines don't come to fruition. But once they do, then it takes government funding to scale them up. So nobody can fill that void.”
Watch the interview with Gates tonight at 10 p.m. ET on CNN NewsNight.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it is “not easy” to agree on a deal with the United States on ending Moscow's war in Ukraine.
When asked whether there was some agreement between the US and Russia on key parts of a future deal, Lavrov told the Kommersant newspaper: “The answer is immediately ‘no'.”
“It is not easy to agree on the key components of a settlement. They are being discussed,” Lavrov said in the interview, released today.
Lavrov indicated it may be too soon to think about normalizing relations with the US.
“If we return to other aspects of the Russian-American dialogue, of course, after three years of failure, it's not easy to pull relations out of this hole,” he said.
“Compelling commercial opportunities”: Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's foreign envoy Steve Witkoff said yesterday that commercial opportunities for Russia to do business with the US and Europe could be part of an “emerging” deal to end the war.
“I believe there's a possibility to reshape the Russian-United States relationship through some very compelling commercial opportunities that I think give real stability to the region too. Partnerships create stability,” Witkoff told Fox News.
He also discussed his nearly 5-hour-long meeting in Russia with President Vladimir Putin.
“It was a compelling meeting and towards the end, we actually came up with — I'm going to say finally but I don't mean in the way that we were waiting, I mean in a way that it took a while for us to get to this place — what Putin's request is to get to have a permanent peace here. So, beyond the ceasefire, we got an answer to that,” Witkoff said, without providing more details.
CNN's Rashard Rose contributed reporting.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said yesterday that talks with Iran would be about “verification” of its nuclear program, stopping short of calling for Tehran to dismantle it altogether.
“The conversation with the Iranians will be much about two critical points,” Witkoff told Fox News yesterday. The first is verification of uranium enrichment, “and ultimately verification on weaponization, that includes missiles, type of missiles that they have stockpiled there, and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”
Witkoff did not mention a demand to fully dismantle Iran's nuclear program, as other US officials have suggested, saying only that Iran does not need to enrich uranium past 3.67% to run a civilian program.
Some context: In December, Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, told Reuters that Iran was “dramatically” accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, closer to the roughly 90% level that is weapons grade.
US national security adviser Michael Waltz told CBS last month that Trump would demand a “full dismantlement” of Iran's nuclear program.
Iranian officials have dismissed that proposal as a non-starter, accusing the US of using it as a pretext to weaken and ultimately topple the Islamic Republic. Tehran is entitled to a civilian nuclear energy program under a UN treaty.
On Friday, semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iran had set strict terms ahead of the talks with the US, saying that “red lines” include “threatening language” by the Trump administration and “excessive demands regarding Iran's nuclear program.” The US must also refrain from raising issues relating to Iran's defense industry, Tasnim said, likely referring Iran's ballistic missile program, which America's Middle Eastern allies see as a threat to their security.
South Korea has earmarked a fresh budget of 12 trillion won ($8.4 billion) to beef up its economy and support industries dealing with the impact of Trump's tariffs.
The stimulus package is two trillion won ($1.4 billion) bigger than the previous proposal of 10 trillion won, the country's deputy prime minister and economy minister, Choi Sang-mok, said on Tuesday. Of the total, about one third is intended to support companies affected by global trade turmoil and also AI firms.
Choi urged lawmakers at the National Assembly to move quickly to approve the package as soon as possible. But domestic politics could get in the way. Rival parties may find it difficult to come to agreement as they prepare for a June 3 election that will determine South Korea's next president.
Acting President Han Duck-soo, who assumed office after Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted over a martial law crisis that is still reverberating across the country, told CNN last week in an exclusive interview that South Korea “clearly would like to negotiate” with the US and praised the two countries' “very strong alliance.”
Last week, Trump suspended his “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries except China. But South Korea still faces a universal 10% levy, a metals tax and also tariffs on exports of cars and auto parts to the US.
Former President Joe Biden will deliver a keynote address this evening at the 2025 Conference of Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) in Chicago, Illinois.
The remarks will be Biden's first public remarks since leaving office in January.
He is scheduled to speak at 5:45 p.m. ET.
Read more about Biden's public reemergence here.
President Donald Trump responded on social media to the conviction of the man accused of murdering Rachel Morin, a mother of five from Maryland.
Trump called Victor Martinez-Hernandez an “illegal criminal” and criticized former President Joe Biden's immigration policies, claiming they enabled his entry into the United States.
“Her life was taken at the hands of a monster who should have NEVER been here in the first place,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly mentioned the case and also met with Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin.
Trump urged more focus from the media on Morin's case instead of that of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month.
Alongside El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office yesterday, Trump made clear that Abrego Garcia would not be returned to the US.
The European Union has published the list of American goods it will hit with retaliatory tariffs if trade negotiations with the United States aren't successful.
Some 400 US products on the EU list could face higher tariffs from mid-July. Another 1,300 items or so could be hit with steep import taxes at the same time or at a later stage.
A long list of products, published yesterday, includes US toilet paper, eye makeup, cigars and tobacco, plus men's and women's clothing. Most of the imports will be subject to additional customs duties of 25%.
The EU measures were due to come into force today in retaliation for a sharp increase in US tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum. However, the bloc of 27 countries suspended its countermeasures for 90 days until July 14 after the US delayed its so-called reciprocal tariffs.
According to EU calculations based on official US data for 2023, the top five goods exports from America to the bloc are oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and medicines, aerospace products and parts, medical equipment and supplies, and motor vehicles.
The US has so far hit the EU with 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum and 25% levies on cars. As for President Donald Trump's 20% “reciprocal” tariffs on all other goods from the bloc, those have been reduced to 10% for 90 days.
This post has been updated with more information about the items on the EU list.
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of key political developments across the US today.
A lot is going on, from immigration disputes to university funding pauses.
Tariffs: Today we'll be watching to see whether President Donald Trump will firm up the auto tariff exemptions he hinted at yesterday. Most European markets edged up this morning after the announcement.
Immigration: We'll also be following developments in the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father who was mistakenly deported from the US to a mega prison in El Salvador. The Trump administration says he's a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his lawyers and wife deny.
Yesterday, Trump met with the leader of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, in the Oval Office, where the Salvadoran president made clear he had no intention of bringing Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
Universities: Another thread to keep an eye on is what's happening across US colleges. Yesterday, the Trump administration said it was freezing billions of dollars of funding for Harvard University after the school rejected its policy demands. We'll see how lawmakers, universities and students alike respond to that.
Separately, by CNN's count, more than 500 students, faculty and researchers across the US have had their visas revoked this year.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University who's been in the United States for a decade, went into a Vermont immigration office yesterday hoping to begin the final step to becoming a US citizen. But instead, immigration officials detained Mahdawi, a prominent organizer of pro-Palestinian protests on campus a year ago. His detention appears to be part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters from last spring.
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DHS Public Affairs Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responds to the latest developments in the case on 'The Story.'
Trump administration officials are slated to appear in federal court this afternoon for what's expected to be a fiery hearing over the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident removed to El Salvador last month in what officials have acknowledged was an "administrative error."
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the hearing after government lawyers failed to comply with multiple court directives regarding Abrego Garcia's return to the U.S. – with the Supreme Court most recently ordering the administration to "facilitate" his release from Salvadorian custody and resume his immigration proceedings as if he were never removed.
The administration's apparent refusal to act – or even clarify Abrego Garcia's whereabouts – has pushed the case to a boiling point, raising the prospect that Xinis could hold the Trump administration in contempt.
In addition to filing incomplete status updates and refusing to answer questions about Abrego Garcia's whereabouts or efforts to secure his return, Trump officials suggested at the White House on Monday that the U.S. lacks the authority to bring him back.
'UP TO EL SALVADOR': TRUMP ADMIN PUNTS ON RETURN OF WRONGFULLY DEPORTED MARYLAND RESIDENT
Demonstrators gather in Boston, cheering and chanting slogans during the nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Elon Musk. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)
Xinis will weigh these developments as the court considers next steps in the case, including whether to pursue civil contempt proceedings against the administration.
Last night, the Trump administration failed to include in its daily status update to the court answers to any of the three questions sought by the judge. These included the location and custodial status of Garcia; what steps the government has taken to facilitate his return, and what steps the government is planning in order to make that happen.
Xinis previously called the government's refusal to answer these questions "extremely troubling."
Tensions soared Monday during a White House visit from Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, whose government is receiving $6 million from the U.S. to detain migrants at its sprawling maximum-security prison, CECOT – including alleged members of MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
While Trump allies and immigration hawks have praised the removals, critics warn these rapid deportations may violate due process protections under the U.S. Constitution, and they cite concerns that the individuals deported may not have had a chance to challenge their removals in court.
APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN'S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT
President Donald Trump shakes hands with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Al Drago for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Abrego Garcia, for his part, was deported from the U.S. to El Salvador last month without a hearing. The Trump administration, including U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer, has acknowledged in court documents his removal was an "administrative error."
Asked Monday about progress in returning Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil, Trump officials said his return was "up to El Salvador" and that the U.S. would "provide a plane" – appearing to ignore a court order to facilitate his return.
"That's up to El Salvador if they want to return him," Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters. "That's not up to us."
This contention was backed by other Cabinet officials, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and by Salvadorian President Bukele himself.
"How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States?" Bukele told reporters Monday during a sit-down with President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials.
"Of course I'm not going to do it. The question is preposterous," he said.
JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: 'PRETTY SKETCHY'
A prison guard transfers deportees from the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on Sunday. (El Salvador presidential press office via AP)
Hours later, Trump administration lawyers breezed past a 5 p.m. court-ordered deadline set by Xinis to file a daily status update on their efforts to return Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil.
Justice Department lawyers said in a weekend filing they are not required to comply with a judge's order to "facilitate" his return, arguing the courts, in their view, "have no authority to direct the Executive Branch to conduct foreign relations in a particular way, or engage with a foreign sovereign in a given manner."
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Trump officials continue to publicly rail against so-called "activist judges," whom they have argued are attempting to stymie Trump's agenda and his priorities on immigration enforcement.
As of this writing, the Trump administration has not returned any of the individuals who have been sent to El Salvador's sprawling, high-security prison, including any Venezuelan nationals who may have been mistakenly identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as well as Abrego Garcia.
Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI, and other national news.
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Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.
Atlanta Braves TV reporter Wiley Ballard's interaction with two female fans while on-air sparked a journalism debate on social media on Monday night and into Tuesday.
The Braves were in the midst of an 8-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays when the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast cut to Ballard, who was talking to two women at the rooftop lounge at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Neither woman appeared to have hopes for the Braves.
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Sideline reporter Wiley Ballard holds a stuffed animal Snitbear during an interview with Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, #20, after a victory over the Miami Marlins at Truist Park in Atlanta on April 4, 2025. (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
Ballard was on-air when he said the broadcast booth wanted him to get their numbers.
"I'm dead serious, they're saying in my ear right now … She doesn't believe me because she thinks you guys are making this up." Ballard said. "I'm gonna use that in the future that's actually a pretty good move.
"I should've thought of this years ago."
One woman seemingly put her phone number into Ballard's phone. The other woman did not appear to follow suit.
Atlanta Braves' Sean Murphy, #12, hits a two-run home run which also scored Matt Olson in first-inning baseball game action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday, April 14, 2025. (The Canadian Press via AP)
The segment drew responses across the board.
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM REVERSES GOLD DIGGERS NAME CHANGE AFTER OUTRAGE
Ballard posted on his X account a scene from "Good Will Hunting" showing Matt Damon's character getting Minnie Driver's character's phone number.
Braves color commentator C.J. Nitkowski defended Ballard on X. Play-by-plan Brandon Gaudin also appeared to praise Ballard's efforts.
Fox News Digital reached out to FanDuel for comment.
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The Antlanda Braves defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)
The Braves moved to 5-11 with the win. The Blue Jays fell to 9-8.
Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
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A massive sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore depicts U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in, Keystone, S.D. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in their office in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in their office in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in the rotunda of the historic Hurt building where their offices are located in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in the rotunda of the historic Hurt building where their offices are located in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in the rotunda of the historic Hurt building where their offices are located in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
People gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery to announce the installation of a life-size painting of President Abraham Lincoln by artist W.F.K. Travers, Feb. 10, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Community celebrations being planned to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary next year are at risk of being significantly scaled back or canceled because of federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump's administration, according to multiple state humanities councils across the country.
The councils have been working on programming for America250, an initiative marking the milestone anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. But the Republican administration's deep cost-cutting effort across the federal government has led the National Endowment for the Humanities to cancel its grants for state humanities councils. That has left them with less money for programming to plan for the celebration, ranging from themed K-12 school curriculums to special events at public libraries.
“I cannot imagine how we're supposed to have a national commemoration that's meaningful for people where they live without the humanities being supported,” said Gabrielle Lyon, executive director of Illinois Humanities, the state's humanities council.
“What is it going to mean for small towns and rural communities who were expecting the possibility of having grants to do special exhibits, special commemorations, their own programs, and speakers and performers? All of that is now extremely tenuous. And those are exactly the kinds of things people have been looking forward to.”
People gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery to announce the installation of a life-size painting of President Abraham Lincoln by artist W.F.K. Travers, Feb. 10, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
The head of Washington state's humanities council said the NEH funding cuts appeared at odds with Trump's focus on the commemorations. Earlier this year, the president signed an executive order creating a White House task force to plan a “grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence.”
“The organization that's positioned to do that for America is the National Endowment for the Humanities,” said Julie Ziegler, CEO and executive director of Humanities Washington.
The White House and the NEH did not respond to requests for comment. America250, the initiative established by Congress to help orchestrate the commemorations, did not comment for this story.
The humanities funding cuts come as Trump has targeted cultural establishments from the Smithsonian Institution to the Institute of Museum and Library Services in executive orders. The moves are part of his goals to downsize the federal government and end initiatives seen as promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. The order directed at the Smithsonian, for example, said it has “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology.”
To comply with the orders, federal agencies have scrubbed images and information designated as DEI material from websites pertaining to certain parts of American history. That ranges from a webpage highlighting baseball trailblazer Jackie Robinson's military service to the National Park Service removing content about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Both were restored after a public outcry.
“I think that what's happening is the administration is trying to shape the history that we're going to tell in a way that's unprecedented,” said James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association. “The expertise of professional historians is being set aside in favor of a narrow, ideologically driven idea of the American past.”
A massive sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore depicts U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in, Keystone, S.D. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
State humanities councils across the country have been discussing how to present the myriad histories that make up the U.S. for the 250th commemoration events. But leaders of those councils say the loss of money from the National Endowment for the Humanities means some events are now unlikely to take place.
The NEH is a federal agency that awards money appropriated by Congress to a variety of recipients, including state humanities councils, museums, universities and historic sites. The money supports educational programs, research and preservation, among other things.
This month, the Trump administration's Department of Governmental Efficiency, overseen by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk, placed roughly 80% of NEH staff members on administrative leave, according to the Federation of State Humanities Councils.
The NEH also sent letters to state humanities councils across the country saying their federal grants had been terminated. The halt in funding came during the middle of the fiscal year for thousands of organizations and is causing widespread changes in their programs, including planning for the 250th anniversary.
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in the rotunda of the historic Hurt building where their offices are located in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Georgia Humanities, the state's humanities council, has been planning various events for the 250th anniversary, said president Mary McCartin Wearn.
They include a statewide “digital book club” in partnership with the state's public library service, a program for speakers to travel across the state to give lectures and presentations, and a Smithsonian Institution program known as Museum on Main Street, which brings traveling exhibits to small towns and rural areas.
But the council has now lost $740,000 in federal funding that had been awarded to it, placing those programs in jeopardy, said McCartin Wearn, who has been fielding calls and emails from people asking about the status of their programming for the anniversary events.
“It's really something that is heartbreaking, because it is a moment for reflection about who we are and who we want to be,” she said.
Mary Wearn, president of Georgia Humanities, poses for a portrait in the rotunda of the historic Hurt building where their offices are located in Atlanta, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
Adam Davis, executive director of Oregon Humanities, said his state had already run trainings at rural libraries and begun conversations about “freedom, equality, how we remember key events, why we monumentalize or memorialize big things, and how we should do that.”
“You can celebrate the 250th by having a commercial at the Super Bowl and waving a big flag,” Davis said. “You could also do things like get community members talking to each other about the core values in the country and what we hope for, and you can build trust and strengthen the fabric of our democracy.”
Without the funding, he said, “the scale is going to be quite different.”
Miranda Restovic, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, said the state's role in the nation's history makes the 250th anniversary “a really wonderful opportunity.” However, the funding cuts, which amount to $600,000 this fiscal year, put her organization in “contingency planning mode rather than continuing to think creatively about how we celebrate that important moment for our nation and our history.”
In a state that has shaped American history, cuisine and culture, the group's plan for the 250th anniversary was to “nudge” people around the state to design programs that would show off the distinct flavors of their communities.
“We were planning to lean into us as a grant maker and support local initiatives that celebrated the 250th so that people can tell their own story,” Restovic said. “We are likely not going to be able to do that.”
Brenda Thomson, executive director of Arizona Humanities, said she had been imagining dramatic readings of the Bill of Rights, theater productions, parades, book readings and festivals as activities that communities would be putting on “with a heightened sense of pride” for the 250th anniversary.
She said the $1 million cut to her organization will mean curtailing those activities in a way that will not allow the telling of the nation's full story. She lamented what would be lost.
“How do you know what you're doing if you don't know where you came from,” she said.
___
Rush reported from Portland, Ore.
___
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This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12, 2025. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/U.S. Navy via AP)
This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows an F-35C Lightning II launch off the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 10, 2025. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Isaiah Goessl/U.S. Navy via AP)
In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting with a group of top officials, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting with a group of top officials, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.
The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the monthlong U.S. campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations.
Questions remain over where the weekend talks between the countries will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman. American officials so far haven't said where the talks will be held, though Trump did call Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Tuesday while the ruler was on a trip to the Netherlands.
The stakes of the negotiations couldn't be higher for the two nations closing in on half a century of enmity. Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear program if a deal isn't reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
But even Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly described the first round of talks as going “well,” while still couching his remarks Tuesday.
U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, who represented America in last weekend's talks in Oman, separately signaled that the Trump administration may be looking at terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that the president unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 as a basis for these negotiations. He described the talks last weekend as “positive, constructive, compelling.”
“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night. “That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes the trigger for a bomb.”
He added: “We're here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue.”
Satellite photos taken Monday by the European Union's Copernicus program showed the Vinson, which is based out of San Diego, California, operating northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen that sits near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. The Vinson is accompanied by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.
The U.S. ordered the Vinson to the Mideast to back up the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been launching airstrikes against the Houthis since the American campaign started March 15. Footage released by the Navy showed the Vinson preparing ordinance and launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets off its deck in recent days.
The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which oversees the Mideast, declined to discuss details of the Vinson's operations. However, hours after the AP's report, the U.S. military's Central Command posted videos from the two carriers on the social platform X saying there had been “24/7 strikes” on the Houthis by the two carriers.
The Vinson's arrival came as Khamenei, while speaking to high-ranking government officials in Tehran on Tuesday, endorsed the progress of the talks.
“We shouldn't be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic,” the 85-year-old Khamenei said. “The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully. The red lines are clear — both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it's worth pursuing.”
He also urged officials “not to tie the country's affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.
“Of course, we don't fully trust them — we know who we're dealing with,” Khamenei added. “But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”
Meanwhile, Witkoff offered for the first time a specific enrichment level he'd like to see for Iran's nuclear program. Today, Tehran enriches uranium to up to 60% — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
“They do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff told Fox News. “In some circumstances, they're at 60%, in other circumstances, 20%. That cannot be.
“And you do not need to run, as they claim, a civil nuclear program where you're enriching past 3.67%. So this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization.”
The 2015 nuclear deal Iran agreed to with world powers under President Barack Obama saw Tehran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran in exchange received access to frozen funds around the world, and sanctions were lifted on its crucial oil industry and other sectors.
Late Tuesday, Witkoff wrote on X that “a deal with Iran will only be completed if it is a Trump deal.”
“Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program,” he wrote. “It is imperative for the world that we create a tough, fair deal that will endure, and that is what President Trump has asked me to do.”
Iran's Javan newspaper, which is believed to be close to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested in an editorial Tuesday that Tehran would be open to reducing its enrichment.
“Something that we have done before, why should we not carry it again and reach a deal?” the editorial asked. “This is not called a withdrawal by Islamic Republic from its ideals anywhere in the world.”
When Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, however, he pointed at Iran's ballistic missile stockpile as one reason to leave the deal. Witkoff said any deal with Iran would have to include “missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”
Iran relies on its ballistic missiles as a hedge against regional nations armed with advanced fighter jets and other American weaponry. Getting it to abandon its missile program likely will be difficult in negotiations.
___
Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/
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President Donald Trump sits down with Fox Noticas host Rachel Campos-Duffy to discuss pivotal issues like immigration and taxes. She joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss her conversation with the president.
President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Noticias, airing Tuesday, that he's open to sending violent American criminals to El Salvador prisons.
"He's made it a very safe place," Trump said of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, whom he welcomed to the White House on Monday. "People go, and they feel very secure and safe. He's also built one but also other prisons. Very big ones, and we're using his system because we're getting rid of our criminals from out of the United States that were allowed to come in by Biden."
"We're getting them out, and the president is helping us with that — President Bukele. So, I was very impressed with him, very, very impressed," Trump added.
When asked by Fox's Rachel Campos-Duffy if the prison could be used for "our own violent criminals," Trump replied that it was possible, saying it could be implemented for what he referred to as "homegrown" offenders.
TRUMP, OFFICIALS HAVE TENSE EXCHANGE WITH CNN REPORTER OVER DEPORTATION OF EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL
President Donald Trump speaks with Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy for a Fox Noticias interview on April 14, 2025. (Fox News)
"The ones that grew up and something went wrong, and they hit people over the head with a baseball bat, and push people into subways just before the train gets there, like you see happening sometimes," Trump said. "We are looking into it, and we want to do it. I would love to do that."
The Trump administration has been coordinating with Bukele on deportation flights, and sending hundreds — including alleged Tren de Aragua gang members — to El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT.
The prison is at the center of a dispute involving deported El Salvadoran national and illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia. While some officials acknowledged in court filings that he was mistakenly deported, top Trump figures like advisor Stephen Miller maintain it was not a mistake. Miller and Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday that courts had said he was a member of the transnational terrorist group MS-13, although he has not been formally charged with being part of the notorious gang.
‘UP TO EL SALVADOR': TRUMP ADMIN PUNTS ON RETURN OF WRONGFULLY DEPORTED MARYLAND RESIDENT
Trump's 2024 campaign was critical of the Biden administration's catch-and-release border policies, as well as liberal bail reform laws in many Democratic jurisdictions that forced police to release suspects back onto the streets, often to reoffend.
Trump has praised Bukele for taking custody of "violent alien enemies" of both the U.S. and the world, in an agreement struck between the two countries. Bukele has worked to lower crime rates in El Salvador, which was previously notoriously known as the "murder capital of the world," although his methods have attracted criticism.
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The full interview with Trump will air Tuesday afternoon on Fox Noticias at 4 p.m. ET.
Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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Fox News correspondent David Spunt reports on the Justice Department's decision to dismiss charges against an alleged MS-13 gang leader on ‘America's Newsroom.'
A Virginia-based judge has granted the Justice Department's motion to dismiss its illegal firearm case against a Virginia-based Salvadoran national accused of being an MS-13 leader.
The FBI announced the arrest of Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos on March 27 in Woodbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel describing him as the top MS-13 leader on the East Coast.
Villatoro Santos was charged with an illegal firearm charge at the time of his arrest.
DOJ ASKS TO DISMISS VIRGINIA CASE AGAINST SALVADORAN ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER SET TO BE DEPORTED
(A federal judge has granted the Justice Department's motion to dismiss a suit against a Virginia-based Salvadoran national accused of being an MS-13 leader.)
Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick said he would stay his decision until Friday morning to allow for Villatoro Santos' counsel to explore other avenues, including appealing the decision.
The DOJ initially moved to drop the case on April 9, shortly after his arrest.
Counsel for Villatoro Santos, Muhammad Elsayed, said during the April 15 hearing that the government had not clarified what would happen to his client once the case was dismissed, suggesting Villatoro Santos would likely be "summarily deported" without any due process.
His counsel noted a similar case from Maryland, where Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national and Maryland resident, was erroneously deported to El Salvador last month for being an alleged MS-13 gang member.
ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER NABBED BY PATEL'S FBI TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR NOW, JUDGE RULES
The FBI announced the arrest of Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos on Mar. 27 in Woodbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel describing him as the top MS-13 leader on the East Coast. (Reuters)
Elsayed also claimed during the hearing that the decision to dismiss the case came from high up in the Trump administration.
"They have already determined the outcome, that he'll go to the worst prison in the western hemisphere," Elsayed said.
Fitzpatrick said he has been cautious of not overstepping into the executive branch's purview, saying, "It wouldn't be appropriate [for me] to inquire about the deliberative process of prosecutors."
The judge noted Elsayed has been a good advocate for Villatoro Santos but said the case is straight-forward and the government has the authority to drop the case. Fitzpatrick proceeded to suggest the defense might want to bring a separate case with the Department of Homeland Security as a party, "where you can inquire what kind of treatment your client will get."
"As a terrorist, he will now face the removal process," Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News when the DOJ moved to drop its suit against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos. (Department of Justice)
Villatoro Santos' counsel responded in a court filing shortly after the DOJ filed to dismiss the case earlier this month that he understands "the Government now intends to pursue the deportation of Mr. Villatoro Santos in lieu of prosecution."
"The above is a fairly straightforward procedural history," the filing read. "But in the background of this routine legal process, the United States government, at its highest levels, has been publicly and loudly propagating allegations that Mr. Villatoro Santos ‘is one of the top leaders of MS-13' and ‘one of the leaders for the East Coast, one of the top in the entire country,' claims made by Attorney General Pam Bondi at a high-level press conference on March 27, 2025."
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"As a terrorist, he will now face the removal process," Bondi told Fox News at the time.
U.S. Magistrate Judge William Porter of the Eastern District of Virginia made an April 1 ruling to keep Villatoro Santos in custody. The defense was not seeking release at the time of the hearing.
Fox News' David Spunt and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
Haley Chi-Sing is a politics writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.
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President Joe Biden speaks in Charleston, S.C., Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Joe Biden returns to the national stage Tuesday to elevate liberal concerns that President Donald Trump's agenda is threatening the health of Social Security.
The 82-year-old Democrat has largely avoided speaking publicly since leaving the White House in January, which is typically the tradition for immediate past presidents. That's even as Trump frequently blames Biden for many of the nation's problems, often attacking his predecessor by name.
Biden is expected to fight back in an early evening speech to the national conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled in Chicago. While Biden has made a handful of public appearances in recent weeks, Tuesday's high-profile address focuses on a critical issue for tens of millions of Americans that could define next year's midterm elections.
“This is an all hands on deck moment, which is why President Biden's voice in this moment is so important,” Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a call with reporters ahead of Biden's speech.
Trump, a Republican, almost immediately began slashing the government workforce upon his return to the White House, including thousands of employees at the Social Security Administration.
Along with a planned layoff of 7,000 workers and controversial plans to impose tighter identity-proofing measures for recipients, the SSA has been sued over a decision to allow Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to access individuals' Social Security numbers and other personally identifiable information.
Musk, the world's richest man and one of Trump's most influential advisers, has called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
At the same time, Social Security recipients have complained about long call wait times as the agency's “my Social Security” benefits portal has seen an increase in outages. Individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income, including disabled seniors and low-income adults and children, also reported receiving a notice that said they were “not receiving benefits.”
The agency said the notice was a mistake. And the White House has vowed that it would not cut Social Security benefits, saying any changes are intended to reduce waste and fraud.
Biden will be joined in Chicago by a bipartisan group of former elected officials, including former Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and former Social Security Administrator Martin O'Malley.
“Social Security is a sacred promise between generations,” O'Malley said. “We are deeply grateful to the President for joining us at ACRD to discuss how we can keep that promise for all Americans.”
Biden is not expected to make frequent public appearances as he transitions into his post-presidency. He still maintains an office in Washington, but has returned to Delaware as his regular home base. Trump has revoked his security clearances.
While Biden may be in position to help his party with fundraising and messaging, he left the White House with weak approval ratings. Biden also faces blame from some progressives who argue he shouldn't have sought a second term. Biden ended his reelection bid after his disastrous debate performance against Trump and made way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in the fall.
Just 39% of Americans had a favorable opinion of Biden in January, according to a Gallup poll taken shortly after Trump's inauguration.
Views of the Democratic former president were essentially unchanged from a Gallup poll taken shortly after the November election. They broadly track with the steadily low favorability ratings that Biden experienced throughout the second half of his presidential term.
___
Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this report.
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The federal government says it's freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, since the institution said Monday it won't comply with the Trump administration's demands to limit activism on campus.
Hundreds of demonstrators gather on Cambridge Common during a rally at the historic park in Cambridge, Mass., Saturday, April 12, 2025, calling on Harvard University to resist what organizers described as attempts by President Trump to influence the institution. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via AP, File)
A student protester stands in front of the statue of John Harvard, the first major benefactor of Harvard College, draped in the Palestinian flag, at an encampment of students protesting against the war in Gaza, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
Students protesting against the war in Gaza, and passersby walking through Harvard Yard, are seen at an encampment at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
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BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it's freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, after the institution said it would defy the Trump administration's demands to limit activism on campus.
The hold on Harvard's funding marks the seventh time President Donald Trump's administration has taken the step at one of the nation's most elite colleges, in an attempt to force compliance with Trump's political agenda. Six of the seven schools are in the Ivy League.
It sets the stage for a showdown between the federal government and America's oldest and wealthiest university. With an endowment of more than $50 billion, Harvard is perhaps the best positioned university to push back on the administration's pressure campaign.
In a letter to Harvard Friday, Trump's administration had called for broad government and leadership reforms at the university, as well as changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs.
The federal government said almost $9 billion in grants and contracts in total were at risk if Harvard did not comply.
A student protester stands in front of the statue of John Harvard, the first major benefactor of Harvard College, draped in the Palestinian flag, at an encampment of students protesting against the war in Gaza, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
On Monday, Harvard President Alan Garber said the university would not bend to the government's demands.
“The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Garber said in a letter to the Harvard community. “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
Hours later, the government froze billions in Harvard's federal funding.
The first university targeted by the Trump administration was Columbia, which acquiesced to the government's demands under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts. The administration also has paused federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Princeton, Cornell and Northwestern.
Trump's administration has normalized the extraordinary step of withholding federal money to pressure major academic institutions to comply with the president's political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has argued universities allowed antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza.
Students protesting against the war in Gaza, and passersby walking through Harvard Yard, are seen at an encampment at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
Harvard, Garber said, already has made extensive reforms to address antisemitism. He said many of the government's demands don't relate to antisemitism, but instead are an attempt to regulate the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.
Withholding federal funding from Harvard, one of the nation's top research universities in science and medicine, “risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.” It also violates the university's First Amendment rights and exceeds the government's authority under Title VI, which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin, Garber said.
The government's demands included that Harvard institute what it called “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies and conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity. The administration also called for a ban on face masks at Harvard — an apparent target of pro-Palestinian campus protesters — and pressured the university to stop recognizing or funding “any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”
Harvard's defiance, the federal antisemitism task force said Monday, “reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation's most prestigious universities and colleges — that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws.
“The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable.”
Trump has promised a more aggressive approach against antisemitism on campus, accusing former President Joe Biden of letting schools off the hook. Trump's administration has opened new investigations at colleges and detained and deported several foreign students with ties to pro-Palestinian protests.
The demands from the Trump administration had prompted a group of Harvard alumni to write to university leaders calling for it to “legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and university self-governance.”
“Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, one of the alumni behind the letter. “Harvard reminded the world that learning, innovation and transformative growth will not yield to bullying and authoritarian whims.”
The government's pressure on Harvard also sparked a protest over the weekend from the campus community and residents of Cambridge and a lawsuit from the American Association of University Professors on Friday challenging the cuts.
In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration has failed to follow steps required under Title VI before it starts cutting funds, including giving notice of the cuts to both the university and Congress.
“These sweeping yet indeterminate demands are not remedies targeting the causes of any determination of noncompliance with federal law. Instead, they overtly seek to impose on Harvard University political views and policy preferences advanced by the Trump administration and commit the University to punishing disfavored speech,” plaintiffs wrote.
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President Donald Trump says he could never 'sleep' as good as former President Joe Biden on 'The Ingraham Angle.'
Former President Joe Biden is expected to deliver what is billed as his first public speech since leaving the Oval Office, delivering the keynote address on Tuesday before the national conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD).
"We are deeply honored President Biden is making his first public appearance at ACRD's sold-out conference," the group's executive director, Rachel Buck, said in a press release provided to Fox Digital. The conference will be held in Chicago.
"As bipartisan leaders have long agreed, Americans who retire after paying into Social Security their whole lives deserve the vital support and caring services they receive. As a result, we are thrilled the President will be joining us to discuss how we can work together for a stable and successful future for Social Security."
The event is billed as the 46th president's first public speech since leaving the White House, with the former president expected to address the conference sometime after 5 p.m. ET, Fox Digital learned. Biden, however, has delivered other public remarks since Jan. 20, Fox Digital found, including speaking before the National High School Model United Nations in March, which received little media attention, as well as joining an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers event this month.
ACRD is an advocacy organization that works to equip "disability professionals with the tools, technology, and training to lead the industry forward," according to its website. "Our mission is to empower and educate disability representatives by providing comprehensive training, fostering leadership skills, promoting technological proficiency, and offering valuable networking opportunities."
BIDEN'S TEAM HID TRUTH ABOUT HIS HEALTH ALL ALONG: WH PRESS SEC
Former President Joe Biden (Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Biden will headline the event, which will focus on strengthening Social Security, and will be joined by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and former Democrat Maryland Gov. and Social Security Administrator Martin O'Malley, according to the press release.
Blunt reported in comments provided in the press release that discussions on Tuesday will focus on bolstering the Social Security system so it can meet the needs of Americans by "reducing red tape, strengthening claims processing, and ensuring unnecessary spending is eliminated."
"Social Security is a sacred promise between generations," O'Malley, who serves as chair of ACRD's Advisory Board, added in the press release. "It's a promise that ensures dignity in retirement, security after tragedy, and support for those with disabilities. We are deeply grateful to the President for joining us at ACRD to discuss how we can keep that promise for all Americans."
BIDEN AIDES 'SCRIPTED' EVERYTHING, ALLOWED HIS FACULTIES TO 'ATROPHY,' NEW BOOK CLAIMS
Former President Joe Biden has kept a low profile since his predecessor and successor in office, President Donald Trump, re-entered the White House in January. (Kenny Holston/New York Times/Pool via Getty Images)
Biden has been out of the public's view since leaving the Oval Office on Jan. 20, when President Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th commander in chief. Biden attended the inauguration and was seen chatting with his successor after offering five family members pardons in the final minutes of his tenure, including to his two brothers and his sister.
BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP
Biden was slated to face off against Trump for the second time during the 2024 presidential election cycle but dropped out of the running in July as concerns mounted over his mental acuity and age. Biden passed the torch to his then-vice president, Kamala Harris, who failed to rally enough support to defeat Trump after just over 100 days on the campaign trail.
Biden's scheduled speech to disability advocates in Chicago on Tuesday is his first public event since leaving the Oval Office in January. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Bidens have been spotted at various events since Trump's Inauguration Day, including attending the opening night of "Othello" on Broadway last month in New York City and traveling to Santa Barbara County, California, immediately following the end of his administration.
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Biden has been spending his days in both Delaware and the nation's capital since his Oval Office exit, with the 46th president working on his next memoir while meeting with various Democratic Party leaders such as DNC Chair Ken Martin, NBC News reported in March.
Fox Digital reached out to Biden's office for additional comment on the matter but did not immediately receive a reply.
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National Republican Congressional Committee chair Rep. Richard Hudson tells Fox News Digital 'we have to raise enough money to keep up with the Democrats and make sure that our candidates can get their message out'
As it aims to defend its razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is off to a fast fundraising start.
The NRCC, which is the House GOP's campaign arm, announced on Tuesday that it "shattered records" with a $21.5 million fundraising haul last month, which it says was the committee's best month of an off-year and the best March in NRCC history.
Last month's fundraising fueled an overall $36.7 million haul during the January-March first quarter of 2025. The NRCC showcased that its fundraising in the past three months was its strongest off-year first quarter, outpacing by nearly $11 million what it brought in during the same period in the 2024 election cycle.
The NRCC also highlighted that it had $23.9 million cash on hand heading into April and that it had paid down its debt to $4.5 million, which it said was ahead of its pace in the 2024 cycle.
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS TARGETING THESE HOUSE REPUBLICANS IN 2026 MIDTERM BATTLE
Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
"The NRCC is on offense and fueled by unstoppable momentum and widespread support," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella emphasized.
Marinella claimed that "while out of touch House Democrats are fighting amongst themselves, we're charging toward 2026 with unmatched energy, ready to grow our House majority and continue delivering results for the American people."
The NRCC's first-quarter haul does not include the eye-popping $35.2 million it says it brought in at a fundraiser earlier this month in the nation's capital that was headlined by President Donald Trump. Those funds will be included in the committee's second quarter figures.
WERE THIS MONTH'S ELECTIONS IN WISCONSIN AND FLORIDA A CRYSTAL BALL FOR THINGS TO COME IN NEXT YEAR'S MIDTERMS?
The rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) had yet to announce its first quarter fundraising at the time this report was posted. The DCCC outraised the NRCC $11.1 million to $9.2 million in February fundraising.
Republicans currently control the House with a fragile 220-213 majority, with two blue-leaning vacant seats likely to be back in the hands of Democrats when special elections in those districts are held later this year.
Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is interviewed by Fox News Digital on April 7, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Fundraising is a crucial component to the GOP's game plan to keep control.
House Speaker Mike Johnson hauled in massive $32.2 million in the first quarter, with House Majoirty Leader Steve Scalise raking in $12 million and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer raising $10 million.
When asked what concerns him the most when it comes to defending the House majority, NRCC Chair Rep. Richard Hudson said in a Fox News Digital interview earlier this month that "Democrats have a structural advantage when it comes to fundraising. They always seem to have just mountains of money. So I think the amount of money the Democrats raise is probably the only thing that really concerns me."
"We have to raise enough money to keep up with the Democrats and make sure that our candidates can get their message out," Hudson emphasized.
POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS WITH AMERICANS 11 WEEKS INTO HIS SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Hudson, a North Carolina Republican and 12-year veteran of the House, said that "the President understands that he's got to keep the House majority in the midterm so that he has a four-year runway, instead of a two-year runway to get his agenda enacted."
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top Democrat in the chamber, speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Pointing to the House Democratic leader, Hudson added, "Speaker Hakeem Jeffries would fight President Trump on every front, and it would be really difficult for him to achieve his agenda. President Trump understands it's important to hold the House and he's, he's been extremely helpful to us and we appreciate it."
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The DCCC is taking aim at nearly three dozen Republican-held seats in the chamber as it aims to win back the majority. Earlier this month, the House Democrats' campaign arm released its initial 2026 target list, which included 35 GOP-controlled seats, and launched an effort to fundraise for the party's eventual nominees in each of the districts.
The DCCC emphasized that their moves signal that "Democrats are on offense and poised to win the majority in 2026."
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El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to discuss how the two countries could coordinate on reducing violent crime in the United States.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, tweeted on Monday night, "I miss you already, President T."
While seated next to Bukele in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump spoke highly of the foreign leader, saying that Salvadorans "have one hell of a president."
Bukele took note last week when Trump referred to him as "President B" in a Truth Social post.
BUKELE SAYS TRUMP HAS 350 MILLION AMERICANS TO ‘LIBERATE' BY ENDING CRIME, TERRORISM
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's president, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, April 14, 2025 (Al Drago for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"President Bukele has graciously accepted into his Nation's custody some of the most violent alien enemies of the World and, in particular, the United States," Trump declared in that April 12 Truth Social post. "These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!"
Bukele shared a screenshot of the post on X, drawing particular attention to Trump's "President B" nickname for him.
‘UP TO EL SALVADOR': TRUMP ADMIN PUNTS ON RETURN OF WRONGFULLY DEPORTED MARYLAND RESIDENT
Trump noted on Monday that he would be interested in sending violent "homegrown criminals" to El Salvador, if that could be done legally.
"Honored to join @POTUS in welcoming my friend President @nayibbukele to the United States," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a Monday post on X.
TRUMP, OFFICIALS HAVE TENSE EXCHANGE WITH CNN REPORTER OVER DEPORTATION OF EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL
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"Since my visit to El Salvador, the United States has deported dangerous MS13 and Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador's prison. Because of this, our nation is safer and more secure. Our hemisphere is lucky to have two leaders who are totally aligned in their commitment to law and order," Rubio noted.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
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China and U.S. national flags are seen on display on an entrance door of a souvenir shop in Beijing on April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China said Tuesday it is pursuing three alleged U.S. operatives accused of carrying out cyberattacks on Chinese infrastructure during the Asian Games held in the city of Harbin in February.
A notice from the Harbin police headquarters named them as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson and said they worked through the National Security Agency. The police said nothing about how they obtained the names or where the three were believed to be at present.
The alleged attacks targeted the systems for managing the Games themselves, such as registration, competition entry and travel, all of which stored “vast amounts of sensitive personal data of individuals associated with the Games,” the police said.
The attacks continued during the Games in an attempt to “disrupt them and undermine their normal operations,” according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
The report also alleged the NSA cyberattacks targeted critical infrastructure in Heilongjiang province, which includes Harbin, such as energy, transportation, water resources, telecommunications, and defense research institutions. The hackers also attacked Chinese technology company Huawei, Xinhua said.
The report alleged that the NSA “transmitted unknown encrypted data packets to specific devices running Microsoft Windows operating systems within the province.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, dished out further criticisms at a daily briefing, while offering no firm evidence.
The attacks caused “serious harm to China's critical infrastructure, national defense, finance, society, production, and the personal information security of Chinese citizens. The nature of these actions is extremely malicious,” Lin said.
“China has expressed its concerns to the U.S. side through various means regarding the U.S. cyberattacks on China's critical infrastructure. We urge the U.S. to adopt a responsible attitude on cybersecurity issues, stop cyberattacks on China, and cease unwarranted smears and attacks on China. China will continue to take necessary measures to protect its cybersecurity,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
It's not clear why the alleged attacks would have been timed to the Asian Games, unless it was expected that China might ease some of its strict internet controls while hosting the competition.
The U.S. and China have long accused each other of cyberattacks, with the U.S. also naming Chinese individuals who worked for military hacking units, even issuing wanted posters for them.
Just last month, the Justice Department and others announced coordinated efforts to disrupt and deter the malicious cyber activities of 12 Chinese nationals, including two law enforcement officers, the DOJ reported.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence last month called China “the most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks.”
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.
Two travelers from Arizona speak to Fox News Digital about the four letters "SSSS" that may be printed on your airline boarding pass.
With the deadline for Real IDs fast approaching, many Americans are struggling to book appointments to obtain the new documentation — especially in the state of New Jersey.
Beginning May 7, air travelers at domestic airports and people entering some federal buildings must have what's known as a Real ID.
On Monday in the Garden State, the Department of Motor Vehicles (NJDMV) website showed "0 appointments available" for Real ID services on its site.
REAL ID DEADLINE FOR TRAVELERS, SOME FEDERAL BUILDING ACCESS QUICKLY APPROACHING
Yet there were 13,243 appointments available for non-driver IDs, 34,155 appointments open for transferring driver's licenses from out of state, and 51,809 renewal appointments available.
If a driver's license falls within the renewal period, the person can book a renewal appointment to upgrade to a Real ID — and there are 51,809 appointments available.
On Monday, the NJDMV showed zero available appointments for Real IDs. (New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission)
Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Phil Murphy's office for comment.
"As seen in states across the country, the demand for Real ID now is extraordinarily high ahead of the start of federal enforcement in May," said the NJDMV's automated voice service on Monday.
AIRPORT'S STRICT 'QUIET POLICY' HAS FLIGHT PASSENGERS SOUNDING OFF
The department says 3,000 new appointments for Real ID upgrades are added each business day starting at 7 a.m.
"The upcoming enforcement date is most relevant for those New Jerseyans who plan to fly domestically in the short term and do not have a form of identification that will meet federal real ID requirements," the automated voice also said on Monday.
An example of a Real ID shows the gold star in the upper right-hand corner, as shared by TSA. (U.S. Transportation Security Administration)
As of Monday, the NJDMW had issued 1,381,916 REAL ID-compliant licenses and IDs, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"The NJMVC is processing record numbers of in-person transactions, especially Real IDs, and we continue to evaluate our operations and capacity each week, looking to add as many appointments for Real ID as possible," the spokesperson added.
Valid passports can be used as an alternative to boarding domestic flights and entering federal facilities.
Valid passports can be used as an alternative to boarding domestic flights and entering federal facilities.
The processing time for an expedited passport is two to three weeks with additional fees, according to the State Department's website.
MAN IN CAR CALLS HIS WIFE 'WORST BACKSEAT DRIVER,' SPARKING SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE
For Americans who don't have a passport and are unable to obtain a DMV appointment in time, select AAA branches offer a Real ID service.
A spokesperson with AAA told Fox News Digital that Real ID services vary across the country and are available in six states – with New Jersey not included in that list.
"Some AAA branch offices that offer DMV services can also issue Real IDs. We recommend calling the AAA branch office in your local area to determine if those services are available," said the spokesperson.
Passports can be used as an alternative to boarding domestic flights and entering federal facilities. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The spokesperson added, "The process is the same as it is at the DMV. However, there may be greater access to appointments at AAA branch offices. It also varies by location, but in some cases, these services are only available to AAA members."
Two proofs of residential address, one proof of Social Security number, and six points of ID are required at appointments.
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Some New Jersey residents took to social media to share their frustration about trying to get a Real ID appointment.
"No one in New Jersey can get an appointment for a Real ID," posted a user on X.
Beginning on May 7, air travelers at domestic airports and people entering some federal buildings must have a Real ID. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
One user said, "Just par for the course for NJ. No Real ID appointments available. GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ."
Another user posted, "Why is New Jersey not just using the 5,000 appointments they have for license renewals for Real ID applications?"
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"In NJ, you can't even get a Real ID for more than 3 [months], so you need to get a passport if you don't have an unexpired one," said an X user.
"Not once have I seen an open appointment."
"I've been sporadically checking the NJ MVC website for Real ID appointments over the last few months and not ONCE have I seen an open appointment, lol," said another user. So how "am I supposed to get one?"
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"The deadline to get a Real ID is next month and there's no available appointments in the entire state of NJ, lolol," posted another user.
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New Mexico Republican Party Executive Director Leticia Muñoz tells Fox News Digital that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's move to send the National Guard to Albuquerque isn't enough.
After Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced she's sending the National Guard to Albuquerque to address a spike in juvenile crime and fentanyl, the state's GOP said the move isn't enough.
Grisham signed an executive order on April 8 that authorized the deployment of the 60-70 New Mexico National Guard personnel to Albuquerque by mid-May, citing the fentanyl epidemic and a rise in juvenile crime as "critical issues requiring immediate intervention."
The National Guard, however, won't be directly helping tackle the fentanyl crisis or juvenile crime. Instead, they'll be used for scene security and traffic control, prisoner transport assistance and other roles that don't involve arrests. A press release from Grisham's office said the National Guard will free up Albuquerque Police Department resources.
New Mexico Republican Party Executive Director Leticia Muñoz told Fox News Digital that the National Guard deployment doesn't come close to addressing the issue at hand. She said more substantive measures such as bail reform and harsher penalties are needed.
NEW MEXICO HS BASEBALL PLAYER CHARGED, TEAM SUSPENDED AMID ALLEGATIONS TEEN URINATED IN OPPONENTS' WATER JUG
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan/File)
"No, this is definitely not enough. What this is, is you can see a mismanagement, obviously, of the mayor. And, you know, as much as we appreciate all the work that the law enforcement is doing here in Albuquerque, we know that their hands are tied," Muñoz said. "We know that there needs to be bail reform and reform as far as the deterrent of keeping individuals in jail longer."
She said it seems like Democrats are trying to "coddle juveniles," citing a proposed pilot program in the state that would provide up to $2,000 in housing assistance for juvenile suspects after their release from detention, if they're well-behaved.
"That alone just shows you the coddling mentality that the Democrats have for any type of juveniles and crime here in the state," she said of the proposal.
From 2019 to 2024, Albuquerque police have either arrested or cited 2,600 minors who were ages 11 to 17, according to KRQE.
In March, Albuquerque police arrested a 13-year-old boy after he was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen car and hit 63-year-old Scott Dwight Habermehl, who was riding a bicycle to work in May 2024.
CBP IN TEXAS CONFISCATES 242 POUNDS OF SMUGGLED MEXICAN BOLOGNA AT PORT OF ENTRY
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/File)
Police also arrested two other minors, aged 11 and 15, who were inside the car with the 13-year-old at the time when Habermehl was hit.
They're all being charged with first-degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person under 19.
The 13-year-old who was allegedly driving the car was also the suspect in a series of burglaries in June 2024.
Juvenile crime isn't the only issue prompting the National Guard to be deployed to Albuquerque. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen told KOB4 that since establishing Operation Route 66 seven weeks ago, around 2,700 fentanyl pills have been taken off the streets and almost 400 arrests have been made.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan/File | Sam Wasson/Getty Images/File)
"I will accept and collaborate with anybody that helps with crime, period. But our deputies and the New Mexico State Police, probation and parole, the DA's office, we've had close to 400 arrests, and we're getting fentanyl off the streets. I know that we're making a difference in the community," Allen said.
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Allen said Operation Route 66 is one of the reasons that Grisham is sending the National Guard.
The New Mexico Department of Health in January said fentanyl was involved in 65% of overdose deaths in the state in 2023, which is the most recent year for which data has been compiled.
Fox News Digital reached out to the National Guard, Albuquerque Police Department and Grisham's office for comment.
Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.
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Sales rep promote projectors at the 137th Canton Fair in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A worker holds up a sign for “Canada USA” in front of a logistics company at the 137th Canton Fair in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Vehicles for export are parked at a port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Visitors sit near television sets made by Guangzhou HD Electronics Technology Co. Ltd displayed at the 137th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
BANGKOK (AP) — The Trump administration has taken its next steps toward imposing more tariffs on key imports, launching investigations into imports of computer chips, chip making equipment and pharmaceuticals.
The Department of Commerce posted notices about the probes late Monday on the Federal Register, seeking public comment within three weeks. It had not formally announced them earlier.
Although President Donald Trump paused most of his biggest tariff hikes last week for 90 days, apart from those for imports from China, he has said he still plans tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.
The Commerce Department said it is investigating how imports of computer chips, equipment to make them and products that contain them — which include many daily necessities such as cars, refrigerators, smart phones and other items — affect national security. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 permits the president to order tariffs for the sake of national security.
The probe includes assessing the potential for U.S. domestic production of computer chips to meet U.S. demand and the role of foreign manufacturing and assembly, testing and packaging in meeting those needs.
Among other aspects of the entire computer chip supply chain, the government intends to also study the risks of having computer chip production concentrated in other places and the impact on U.S. competitiveness from foreign government subsidies, “foreign unfair trade practices and state-sponsored overcapacity.”
After Trump said electronics would not be included in what his administration calls “reciprocal” tariffs of up to 50% on some nations, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explained in an interview on ABC News that pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and autos will be handled with “sector specific” tariffs.
“And those are not available for negotiation,” Lutnick said. “They are just going to be part of making sure we reshore the core national security items that need to be made in this country. We need to make medicine in this country,” he said. “We need to make semiconductors.”
The investigation into pharmaceutical imports includes ingredients used to make such drugs and touches on many of the same aspects of relying on imports to make them.
Asked about his plans for more tariffs on pharmaceuticals, Trump said Monday, “Yeah, we're going to be doing that.”
He said it would be in the “not too distant future.”
“We're doing it because we want to make our own drugs,” he said.
More than 70% of the materials, or active pharmaceutical ingredients, used to make medicines made in the United States are produced in other countries, with India, the European Union and China leading suppliers. The U.S. produces about a fifth of all pharmaceuticals made worldwide, but consumes about 45%, far more than any other country.
The U.S. also is a major producer of semiconductors, but only in some areas. It relies heavily on imports from Taiwan and South Korea for certain kinds of advanced chips. In particular, Taiwan dominates advanced logic chip production at 92% of all fabrication capacity according to the International Trade Administration, with South Korea making 8%.
Products like laptops, smartphones and the components needed to make them accounted for nearly $174 billion in U.S. imports from China last year. The administration's plans suggest that such electronics will still be taxed by previous (non-“reciprocal”) tariffs — and potentially under additional, sector-specific levies.
Although major computer chip makers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. are investing heavily in U.S. manufacturing facilities, partly due to incentives put in place during former President Joe Biden's time in office, the costly process of changing entire supply chains would take years.
Separately, the Commerce Department said Monday that it was withdrawing from a 2019 agreement that had suspended an antidumping investigation into imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, effective in 90 days. It said the current arrangement failed to protect U.S. growers from “unfairly priced” imports of tomatoes. Most tomatoes from Mexico will be subject to a 20.91% tariff, it said.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program appeared ready Monday to leave the Middle East, as an Italian official said the next round of negotiations would take place in Rome.
Iran and the United States will hold more negotiations next week over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program, Iranian state television reported on Saturday at the end of the first round of talks between the two countries since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
This combo shows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, pictured in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 and Steve Witkoff, right, White House special envoy, pictured in Washington, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photos Stringer, Mark Schiefelbein)
In this photo released by Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, meets his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi prior to negotiations with U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat, Oman, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)
Omani security personnel watch a convoy believed to be carrying U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat, Oman, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting with a group of armed forces commanders, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, April 13, 2025. A portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini hangs on the wall. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
ROME (AP) — Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program appeared ready to leave the Middle East on Monday, as an Italian source and others said the next round of negotiations would take place in Rome. But early Tuesday, Iran insisted the next round would again be held in Oman.
It wasn't immediately clear where the negotiations would be held after Tehran's overnight announcement. American officials have not said where the talks would be held. President Donald Trump separately complained Monday about the pace of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran as the two countries start a new round of pivotal negotiations.
“I think they're tapping us along,” he said in the Oval Office during a meeting with El Salvador's president.
The next meeting had been expected to take place on Saturday in Rome, according to a source in the Italian government who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also signaled the talks would take place there.
“We received the request from the interested parties, from Oman, which plays the role of mediator and we gave a positive response,” Tajani told reporters during a trip to Osaka, Japan. “We are ready to welcome, as always, meetings that can bring positive results, in this case on the nuclear issue.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, speaking at a meeting in Luxembourg, also said the coming talks would be in Rome. And Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly said Monday the talks would happen in Rome while speaking to his Iraqi counterpart on Monday, according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency.
Then early Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying the talks would be back in Oman, without elaborating on the reason. Easter Sunday will be this coming weekend, a major holiday in Rome, which surrounds Vatican City, the home of the Roman Catholic church.
The first round of talks over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program took place over the past weekend in Oman.
The stakes of the negotiations couldn't be higher for the two nations closing in on half a century of enmity. Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear program if a deal isn't reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Speaking of Iran, Trump said “I want them to be a rich, great nation.” However, he said “these are radicalized people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog separately confirmed he would be taking a trip to Iran later in the week, possibly to discuss ways to improve access for his inspectors to Tehran's program.
The talks will follow a visit by Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Iran later this week.
The IAEA played a key role in verifying Iran's compliance with its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and has continued to work in the Islamic Republic, even as the country's theocracy slowly peeled away its access after Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord in 2018.
“Continued engagement and cooperation with the Agency is essential at a time when diplomatic solutions are urgently needed,” Grossi wrote on X.
Grossi will arrive in Iran on Wednesday night and will meet with Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, the state-run IRNA news agency reported, quoting Kazem Gharibabadi, a deputy foreign minister.
The 2015 nuclear deal saw Iran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Today, Iran enriches up to 60%, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels and has enough stockpile for multiple nuclear bombs, should it choose to build them.
The deal lifted economic sanctions on Iran and unfroze assets around the world. The deal's collapse refroze those funds and limited Iran's ability to sell crude oil abroad — though it still sells to China, likely at a sharp discount.
While the U.S. can offer sanctions relief for Iran's beleaguered economy, it remains unclear just how much Iran will be willing to concede. Judging from negotiations since 2018, Iran will likely ask to keep enriching uranium up to at least 20%. However, neither side has offered any public statements about what it is specifically seeking in the talks.
“There must definitely be guarantees in place regarding the fulfillment of commitments,” Baghaei said Monday. “The issue of guarantees is especially important given the history of broken promises in the past. God willing, the negotiating team will continue its work with all these factors and points in mind.”
He added: “As long as the language of sanctions, pressure, threats, and intimidation continues, direct negotiations will not take place.”
However, Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff did meet and speak face to face after some two hours of indirect talks mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.
Speaking to journalists on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he met with Witkoff and that his envoy had “very good meetings on the Middle East.”
“We'll be making a decision on Iran very quickly,” Trump said, without elaborating.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writers David Biller and Giada Zampano in Rome, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Molly Quell at The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/
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A Palestinian student at Columbia University went into a Vermont immigration office Monday hoping to begin the final step to becoming a US citizen. But instead of having an interview, Mohsen Mahdawi – who's been in the United States for a decade – was taken away in handcuffs.
Immigration officials detained Mahdawi, a prominent organizer of pro-Palestinian protests on campus a year ago, at a US Citizenship and Immigration Services facility in Colchester, Vermont, where he lives, his lawyer told CNN. His detention appears to be part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters from last spring.
A Vermont District judge has since issued a temporary restraining order preventing his removal from the US or Vermont.
“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian,” Mahdawi's attorney, Luna Droubi, wrote to CNN in a statement. “His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional.”
The Department of Homeland Security referred CNN to the State Department, which declined to comment on the matter at this time.
Mahdawi, a senior at Columbia, stepped back from his pro-Palestinian organizing in March 2024, before students started an encampment and occupied university buildings, drawing national scrutiny and a large police presence on campus.
He has plans to enroll in a master's program at the school this fall, according to his attorneys. He began the citizenship process in 2024, his lawyer told CNN.
Mahdawi grew up in a refugee camp in the West Bank and has been a lawful permanent resident for a decade, according to a habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf. His family remains in the West Bank.
His attorneys submitted the motion in Vermont's federal district court, calling for his release on bail, pending adjudication. Vermont District Court Judge William Sessions issued a temporary restraining order preventing his removal from Vermont and from the country.
Mahdawi is the second Palestinian student at Columbia with a green card who has been detained by immigration authorities for removal from the country. The other is Mahmoud Khalil, one of the lead negotiators of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, who was arrested March 8. Mahdawi and Khalil co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia in the fall of 2023.
Khalil is a permanent resident and his wife is a US citizen. Khalil is being held at a detention facility in Louisiana, pending litigation on his detention.
Mahdawi remains in Vermont, according to a statement from his lawyers, and his attorneys have been able to speak with him.
“We have confirmation he remains in Vermont from Acting US Attorney (Michael) Drescher and from the local ICE office,” Droubi told CNN. “One of his lawyers was able to speak to him. If they now choose to move him from Vermont, it will have been with full knowledge of the court's order telling them not to.”
Other students detained in similar situations have been transferred to detention facilities in Louisiana and Texas before a judge could order that they remain in the place they were originally detained.
Such transfers underscore ICE's power in deciding where to house detained migrants – a power that some immigration attorneys say the Trump administration is now using to move disfavored migrants far from their attorneys, families and support systems.
Columbia University declined to comment, citing privacy obligations.
Vermont's congressional delegation, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint, released a joint statement condemning the detention, calling it “immoral, inhumane and illegal.”
“Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont, walked into an immigration office for what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process,” they wrote. “Instead, he was arrested and removed in handcuffs by plainclothes, armed, individuals with their faces covered. … This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention.”
In its move to cancel Mahdawi's green card, his lawyer wrote in the filing, the Trump administration appears to be citing the foreign policy rule of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which grants the secretary of state the authority to cancel someone's permanent residency if they are deemed to pose a threat to American foreign policy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week discussed visa and green card revocations tied to protests on campus, saying people involved in the 2024 protests helped fuel antisemitism across the nation.
“If they're taking activities that are counter to our national interest, to our foreign policy, we'll revoke the visa,” Rubio said.
Mahdawi spoke to the CBS program “60 Minutes” in December 2023 about his activism on Columbia's campus and his experience as a Palestinian. During the interview, Mahdawi also spoke about antisemitism.
“The fight for freedom of Palestine and the fight against antisemitism go hand in hand because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Mahdawi told CBS.
Friday, a Louisiana immigration judge ruled Khalil is subject to removal given the government's determination that Khalil endangered American foreign policy. Khalil's case is also being litigated in a district court in New Jersey, and the immigration judge's ruling in Louisiana can be appealed, meaning Khalil's deportation is on hold. His attorneys have made clear they plan to appeal.
Khalil and Mahdawi are part of a group of students on college campuses who have student visas or green cards whom the government has detained as part of what the Trump administration claims are efforts to crack down on antisemitism and pro-Palestinian protests.
CNN's Eric Levenson and Gloria Pazmino contributed to this report.
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A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University has been arrested at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship.
This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)
Mohsen Mahdawi, left, and Mahmoud Khalil participate during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Mohsen Mahdawi, center, looks on during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)
This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)
A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University was arrested Monday at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship, his attorneys said.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his lawyers said.
The attorneys said they do not know where he is. They filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country.
“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian. His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional,” attorney Luna Droubi said in an email.
According to the court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master's degree program there in the fall.
The petition describes him as a committed Buddhist who believes in “non-violence and empathy as a central tenet of his religion.”
As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the U.S. and graduate student who recently was detained by ICE.
Khalil was the first person arrested under President Donald Trump's promised crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. On Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil can be deported as a national security risk.
Christopher Helali, a friend of Mahdawi who lives near him in Vermont, was present outside the immigration office when Mahdawi was detained and recorded a video of Mahdawi being led away by authorities. In the video, which Helali released on social media Monday, Mahdawi is shown giving a peace sign with his hands and being led away to a car.
Helali described Mahdawi as a peaceful demonstrator who has worked to foster dialogue about the struggle of Palestinians in his homeland. Helali said he and Mahdawi were aware that Mahdawi could be detained today and that his friend went forward with the appointment anyway.
“And rightfully so, he was nervous for what was going on around him. But he was very much resolute in coming to this interview and coming today because he didn't do anything wrong and was a law-abiding citizen, or soon-to-be citizen,” Helali said.
Vermont's congressional delegation issued a statement condemning Mahdawi's arrest, saying that instead of taking one of the final steps in his citizenship process, he was handcuffed by armed officers with their faces covered.
“This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention,” said the statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint.
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The Trump administration announced Monday that it would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value at Harvard University after the school said it would not follow policy demands from the administration.
Earlier Monday, Harvard University said it would reject the Trump administration's demands for policy changes at the school.
In response to the funding freeze, the university referred CNN to its earlier statement that it would not comply with the administration's demands, specifically focusing on the following: “For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals, but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.”
The university received a letter from a federal task force last week outlining additional policy demands that “will maintain Harvard's financial relationship with the federal government.”
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Harvard's president rejected Trump's demands. Here's how other university leaders have responded to the White House
“We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a statement. “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights.”
The Trump administration has threatened numerous colleges across the U.S. with funding cuts if changes in school policy weren't made, and Harvard's move appears to mark the first time an elite university has rebuked the White House over those demands.
Among the mandates in the administration's letter are the elimination of Harvard's diversity, equity and inclusion programs, banning masks at campus protests, merit-based hiring and admissions reforms and reducing the power held by faculty and administrators “more committed to activism than scholarship.”
The proposed changes are the latest effort of the federal task force to combat antisemitism on college campuses after a spate of high-profile incidents around the country in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
“President Trump is working to Make Higher Education Great Again by ending unchecked anti-Semitism and ensuring federal taxpayer dollars do not fund Harvard's support of dangerous racial discrimination or racially motivated violence,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement. “Harvard or any institution that wishes to violate Title VI is, by law, not eligible for federal funding.”
Garber said the majority of demands “represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions' at Harvard.”
“No government – regardless of which party is in power – should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber said.
Harvard's endowment was $53.2 billion in 2024, according to a financial report from the university.
The Harvard faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors, along with the national organization, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday in conjunction with a request from the professors for an immediate temporary restraining order to block the government from cutting off Harvard's federal funding, CNN previously reported.
The lawsuit says the cancellation of federal funding “is imminent,” citing how the Trump administration already slashed the funding of other higher education institutions such as Columbia University, which was the first college targeted, with $400 million in federal funding cuts.
“What the President of the United States is demanding of universities is nothing short of authoritarian,” Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie said Monday on CNN's News Central.
“He is violating the First Amendment rights of universities and faculty by demanding that if universities want to keep this money, they have to suppress our speech and change what we teach and how we study,” Bowie said.
The demands in the administration's earlier letter also include “full cooperation” with the Department of Homeland Security, which enforces immigration policy, and federal regulators to ensure “full compliance,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Harvard Crimson, a student-run newspaper.
The letter was received days after the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and the US General Services Administration announced they are reviewing $8.7 billion in grants and more than $255 million worth of contracts between Harvard, its affiliates and the federal government, according to a news release.
CNN's Emma Tucker and Alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Nicolas Tucat, Pool Photo via AP)
President Donald Trump, seated from right, UFC CEO Dana White and standing from right, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend a mixed martial arts fight at UFC 314, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House's Office of Management and Budget has proposed gutting the State Department's budget by almost 50%, closing a number of overseas diplomatic missions, slashing the number of diplomatic staff, and eliminating funding for nearly all international organizations, including the United Nations, many of its agencies and for NATO headquarters, officials said.
The proposal, which was presented to the State Department last week and is still in a highly preliminary phase, is not expected to pass muster with either the department's leadership or Congress, which will ultimately be asked to vote on the entire federal budget in the coming months.
Officials familiar with the proposal say it must still go through several rounds of review before it even gets to lawmakers, who in the past have amended and even rejected White House budget requests. Though the proposal is preliminary, it gives an indication of the Trump administration's priorities and coincides with massive job and funding cuts across the federal government, from Health and Human Services and the Education Department to the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Notes from an internal meeting about the proposal have been circulated in online chat groups among foreign service officers since the weekend but exploded Monday when the State Department was due to present a separate unrelated reorganization plan to the OMB.
One senior U.S. official familiar with the OMB proposal called it “aggressive” in terms of cost-cutting, but also stressed that it was an early outline that mirrored what OMB chief Russell Vought sought to do in President Donald Trump's first administration when he served in the same job. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations.
So did two people familiar with the matter who confirmed the proposal, one of whom also said it originated from OMB.
OMB spokesperson Alexandra McCandless said that “no final funding decisions have been made.” The National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment on the proposed cuts.
OMB's efforts to severely reduce the State Department's budget during Trump's first term were met with fierce resistance on Capitol Hill and largely failed.
However, Trump's second administration has moved swiftly to scale back the federal government, slashing jobs and funding across agencies. It's already dismantled USAID and moved to defund so-called other “soft power” institutions of foreign policy importance like the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Radio Free Asia and Radio/TV Marti, which broadcasts to Cuba.
Thus, State Department officials and others have expressed increasing concern about the possibility that the proposed drastic cuts could actually be implemented.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said she was “deeply troubled” by the proposed cuts.
“When America First becomes America Alone, our economy, security and prosperity will suffer as adversaries fill the void the Trump Administration leaves behind,” Shaheen said in a statement. “Investments in diplomatic programs that promote peace and stability, and advance American national security interests are commonsense priorities that should be reflected in the State Department's budget request.”
According to the notes from the internal State Department meeting, the budget proposal calls for:
— Halving foreign assistance funding managed by State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which stood at $52 billion in 2024.
— Eliminating more than a quarter of foreign assistance through State and USAID overall, freeze pay through next year, and cut travel and benefits for U.S. foreign service staffers.
— Eliminating global health funding other than small amounts for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Require global health partners to contribute a bigger share.
— Eliminating funding to the United Nations, a major logistical partner key to many humanitarian efforts around the world, and other major nongovernment organizations, including NATO.
— Eliminating the main office helping Afghan allies resettle in other countries to escape Taliban rule.
— Eliminating the government's independent watchdog office looking for waste and inefficiency in U.S. programs in Afghanistan.
— Cutting a number of refugee and immigration programs, and move them under a new bureau for international humanitarian affairs.
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Amiri reported from the United Nations. AP writer Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington.
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Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
President Donald Trump has reiterated that he'd like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country's president that he'd “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.
President Donald Trump's top advisers and El Salvador president Nayib Bukele say that they have no basis for the small Central American nation to return a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there last month.
Protestors chant during a demonstration against President Donald Trump's use of El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, prison for people deported from the U.S. for entering the country illegally, outside the Embassy of El Salvador in Washington, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
Prisoners look out from their cell at the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Friday, April 4, 2025, during a tour by the Costa Rica Justice and Peace minister. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)
President Donald Trump, left, greets El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele as Bukele arrives at the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that he'd like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country's president, Nayib Bukele, that he'd “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.
Trump's administration has already deported immigrants to El Salvador's notorious mega-prison CECOT, known for its harsh conditions. The president has also said his administration is trying to find “legal” ways to ship U.S. citizens there, too.
President Donald Trump, left, greets El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele as Bukele arrives at the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Trump on Monday insisted these would just be “violent people,” implying they would be those already convicted of crimes in the United States, though he's also floated it as a punishment for those who attack Tesla dealerships to protest his administration and its patron, billionaire Elon Musk. But it would likely be a violation of the U.S. Constitution for his administration to send any native-born citizen forcibly into an overseas prison. Indeed, it would likely even violate a provision of a law Trump himself signed during his first term.
Here's a look at the notion of sending U.S. citizens to prison in a foreign country, why it's likely not legal and some possible legal loopholes.
Immigrants can be deported from the United States, while citizens cannot. Deportation is covered by immigration law, which does not apply to U.S. citizens. Part of being a citizen means you cannot be forcibly sent to another country.
Immigrants can be removed, and that's what's been happening in El Salvador. The country is taking both its own citizens that the United States is sending as well as those from Venezuela and potentially other countries that will not take their own citizens back from the U.S. The Venezuelans sent there last month had no opportunity to respond to evidence against them or appear before a judge.
That's the deal the Trump administration signed with Bukele. The U.S. has sent people to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere even when they are not citizens of those countries. But, under international agreements, people cannot be sent to countries where they are likely to be persecuted or tortured.
Bukele calls himself “the world's coolest dictator” and has cracked down on human rights during his administration. He's also turned El Salvador from one of the world's most violent countries into a fairly safe one. Trump has embraced that example, including during the Oval Office visit Monday.
Protestors chant during a demonstration against President Donald Trump's use of El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, prison for people deported from the U.S. for entering the country illegally, outside the Embassy of El Salvador in Washington, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
Sending immigrants from countries like Venezuela to El Salvador sends a message to would-be migrants elsewhere about the risks of trying to make it to — or stay in — the United States.
There's a second benefit to the administration: People sent to El Salvador are outside the jurisdiction of United States courts. Judges, the administration argues, can't order someone sent to El Salvador to be released or shipped back to the U.S. because the U.S. government no longer has control of them.
It's a potential legal loophole that led Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to issue a grim warning in her opinion in a 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court finding that the administration could not fly alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador with no court hearing, even after Trump invoked an 18th century law last used during World War II to claim wartime powers.
“The implication of the Government's position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress,” Sotomayor warned. She was writing to dissent from the majority taking the case from the federal judge who had initially barred the administration from any deportations and had ordered planes en route to El Salvador turned around — an order the administration apparently ignored.
A second case highlights the risks of sending people to El Salvador. The administration admits it sent a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, erroneously to El Salvador. A Salvadoran immigrant, Abrego Garcia, who has not been charged with a crime, had an order against deportation but was shipped to CECOT anyway. On Monday Bukele and Trump scoffed at the idea of sending him back, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return.
Nothing like this has ever been contemplated in U.S. history, but it seems unlikely. There are other legal barriers besides the fact that you cannot deport U.S. citizens. The United States does have extradition treaties with several countries where it will send a citizen accused of a crime in that country to face trial there. That appears to be the only existing way a U.S. citizen can be forcibly removed from the country under current law.
The Constitution also prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” and one of CECOT's selling points is that conditions there are far harsher than in prisons in the U.S. As noted above, federal courts have no jurisdiction there, and that may deprive people sent there of the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.
“It is illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime,” wrote Lauren-Brooke Eisen of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York.
Prisoners look out from their cell at the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Friday, April 4, 2025, during a tour by the Costa Rica Justice and Peace minister. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)
She noted that even if the administration tries to transfer federal prisoners there, arguing they're already incarcerated, it could run afoul of the First Step Act that Trump himself championed and signed in 2018. The provision requires that the government try to house federal inmates as close to their homes as possible so their families can visit them — and indeed transfer anyone housed farther than 500 miles from their home to a closer facility.
There is one potential loophole that the administration could use to send a small group of citizens to El Salvador. They can try to strip the citizenship of people who earned it after immigrating to the United States.
People who were made U.S. citizens after birth can lose that status for a handful of offenses, like funding terrorist organizations or lying on naturalization forms. They would then revert to green card holders, and would be potentially eligible for deportation if convicted of other, serious crimes.
That's a small, but real, pool of people. Perhaps the most significant thing about it is that it would require loss of citizenship first. In other words, there's still likely no legal way to force a citizen out of the country. But a few could end up in legal jeopardy anyway.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele says it's “preposterous” to suggest he return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there last month. Bukele called Garcia “a terrorist” and said he doesn't “have the power” to send him back.
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President Donald Trump's top advisers and Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, said Monday that they had no basis for the small Central American nation to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there last month.
Trump administration officials emphasized that Abrego Garcia, who was sent to a notorious gang prison in El Salvador, was a citizen of that country and that the U.S. has no say in his future. And Bukele, who has been a vital partner for the Trump administration in its deportation efforts, said he does not “have the power to return him to the United States.”
The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia's return.
Other news we're following:
The federal government says it is freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard University.
The institution said Monday it won't comply with a list of the Trump administration's demands to limit activism on campus.
The list includes government and leadership reforms, as well as a requirement to institute what it calls a “merit-based” admissions and hiring policy. It also includes an audit of the study body and faculty on their views about diversity, as well as a ban on face masks which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters.
▶ Read more about the Harvard grants freeze
The American Civil Liberties Union is asking a federal judge in Colorado to prevent immigration authorities from removing Venezuelans under an 18th century law invoked by Trump last month.
District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney ordered the government not to remove two Venezuelan men on whose behalf the ACLU filed the lawsuit. The men were concerned they'd be falsely accused of belonging to the gang Tren de Aragua, which Trump said was invading the United States, and fast-tracked for deportation without adequate time to contest their removal.
The ACLU asked Sweeney on Monday to expand her order to protect all Venezuelans in the state who may be subject to the act. Its filing contended that Venezuelan men accused of belonging to Tren de Aragua were being prepared for a flight out of the state.
Several higher education organizations have filed a lawsuit over proposed cuts to research grants from the Department of Energy.
The department provides over $2.5 billion annually for research at more than 300 universities.
Grants come with a certain amount of money for overhead costs. The Trump administration announced Friday it would cap those payments at no more than 15% of the grant money, saying the cuts would reduce costs and improve inefficiency.
The Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities filed the lawsuit along with several universities. The plaintiffs said the cuts would set back scientific research and innovation that has boosted American manufacturing and competitiveness.
The Department of Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A federal judge has allowed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to continue, for now, its termination of millions of dollars in grants for enforcement of the federal anti-discrimination law.
The funding is for nonprofits that field the majority of fair housing complaints, most of which concern discrimination based on a disability, and help investigate and litigate cases for Americans.
The Associated Press reported the grant terminations to over 60 nonprofits in February, before the nonprofits sued the department and won the temporary restraining order in March that the judge lifted Monday.
Judge Richard G. Stearns wrote that the court may not have jurisdiction over the case, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision siding with the Trump administration's plea to cut hundreds of millions in educational grants.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it cannot bring back Abrego Garcia from El Salvador after the nation's president called the idea of sending him back “preposterous.”
A Monday evening court filing from Joseph Mazzara, the acting general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, said the Department of Homeland Security “does not have authority to forcibly extract” Abrego Garcia because he is “in the domestic custody of a foreign sovereign nation.”
Mazarra also said Abergo Garcia is “no longer eligible for withholding of removal” because the U.S. designated MS-13, the violent gang that two immigration court judges said Abrego Gargia was a member of, as a foreign terror organization. The man's attorneys say the government has provided no evidence that he was affiliated with MS-13 or any other gang.
El Salvador's president said “of course” he would not release Abrego Garcia back to U.S. soil.
The Department of Justice headquarters building in Washington is photographed early in the morning, May 14, 2013. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)
Lawyers in the division that enforces civil rights laws are being given an opportunity to voluntarily resign as part of the administration's effort to downsize the federal workforce, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.
The White House had previously offered all federal workers a deferred resignation program allowing them to quit and be paid until Sept. 30.
In a memo sent Monday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said eligible Civil Rights Division employees can now apply for a second round of the deferred resignation program.
Employees have through April 28 to apply. Those who aren't eligible for the resignation offer include attorneys in the criminal section and political appointees, according to the memo.
“The Trump administration must facilitate and effectuate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He should be returned to the U.S. immediately,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “Due process and the rule of law are cornerstones of American society for citizens and noncitizens alike, and not to follow that is dangerous and outrageous. A threat to one is a threat to all.”
“The U.S. government should not be in the business of disappearing people or using the Alien Enemies Act—regardless of immigration status,” said Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us.
He said Congress must “be loud and unequivocal” in standing with the court and “in demanding that U.S. taxpayer dollars are no longer used to enforce prohibited deportations or to obstruct efforts to bring people like Mr. Garcia home.”
The lawsuit filed Monday challenges the administration's removal of environmental justice tools such as EJScreen and the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool that were used by regulators, academics and advocates to identify communities disproportionately affected by industrial pollution and climate change.
The suit also challenges the removal of other environmental justice data, including at the Energy and Transportation departments and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The lawsuit was filed by the Sierra Club, Environmental Integrity Project, Union of Concerned Scientists and other groups.
Within days of taking office, the Trump administration began deleting mentions of climate change from agency websites and took a series of actions to eliminate environmental justice efforts across government, including closing the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice and downsizing the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The EPA — the first named defendant among many — declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness and delegations at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)
The Office of Management and Budget also has suggested closing a number of overseas diplomatic missions and eliminating funding for nearly all international organizations, including the United Nations, many of its agencies and for NATO headquarters, officials said.
The proposal was presented to the State Department last week and is still in a highly preliminary phase. It isn't expected to pass muster with either the department's leadership or Congress.
Officials familiar with the proposal say it must still go through several rounds of review before it even gets to lawmakers, who in the past have amended and even rejected White House budget requests.
▶ Read more about the potential cuts
Vice President JD Vance ended the Ohio State football team's visit to the White House Monday by fumbling the trophy the players had won as college football's national champion.
Several international students who have had their visas revoked in recent weeks have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, arguing the government denied them due process when it suddenly took away their permission to be in the U.S.
The actions by the federal government to terminate students' legal status have left hundreds of scholars at risk of detention and deportation.
In lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security, students have argued the government lacked justification to cancel their visa or terminate their legal status.
Homeland Security officials did not respond to a message seeking comment.
▶ Read more about canceled visas for international students
On Friday, the Trump administration paused its new taxes on electronics imported into the U.S. — signaling some relief from trade wars that have particularly escalated with China, a major exporter of technology from smartphones to laptops. But these goods remain subject to other levies.
Officials have also indicated that additional, sector-specific tariffs targeting electronics are on the way — all of which economists warn will raise costs and lead to higher prices for consumers.
▶ Read about what we know about Trump's new tariffs regime
Vice President JD Vance holds the top of the Ohio State University football team's championship trophy after it's base fell off as President Donald Trump welcomes the 2025 College Football National Champions during an event on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Vice President JD Vance ended the Ohio State football team's visit to the White House by fumbling the trophy the players had won as college football's national champion.
After a formal ceremony, Vance tried to lift the gold NAA championship trophy up along with its black base.
As he lifted them off the table, the base fell away and Vance dropped both.
The falling trophy was grabbed by OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson while Vance bent over to pick up the base.
The Marine Corps Band continued to play “We Are the Champions” despite an audible gasp from the crowd.
Ohio State University football player TreVeyon Henderson, left, holds the top of the team's championship trophy as Vice President JD Vance reaches to catch it's base after it fell off, as President Donald Trump welcomes the 2025 College Football National Champions during an event on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
A Georgia man has been arrested and charged with threatening Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her family.
Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, 24, was charged Friday and has been ordered held pending trial, according to court records. A public defender listed as representing Amin did not immediately respond Monday to an email seeking comment.
Federal prosecutors in Atlanta said in a statement that between March 29 and April 1, Amin sent text messages that included threats against Gabbard and her husband. Investigators found similar threats he made on social media, including an image showing a gun pointed at Gabbard, according to the statement.
Federal agents later found a gun while searching Amin's home in Lilburn, an Atlanta suburb.
A long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
The transfer of that border zone to military control — and making it part of an Army installation — is an attempt by the Trump administration to get around a federal law that prohibits U.S. troops from being used in domestic law enforcement on American soil.
But if the troops are providing security for land that's part of an Army base, they can perform that function. However, at least one presidential powers expert said the move is likely to be challenged in the courts.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public, said the issue is still under review in the Pentagon, but even as any legal review goes on, the administration's intent is to have troops detain migrants at the border.
▶ Read more about the military at the U.S.-Mexico border
President Donald Trump welcomes the 2025 College Football National Champions, the Ohio State University football team, during an event on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump welcomed members of the Ohio State University football team, which won the national championship this year.
“This team showed the world that the road to greatness is paved by hard work, sweat and often a great deal of adversity,” Trump said.
Flanked by dozens of beefy players, the president quipped that he would invite them into the Oval Office but said, “I don't know if the floor can withstand it.”
In Buenos Aires on Monday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent “commended Argentina for moving quickly to negotiate with the United States on a package of reciprocal trade measures,” according to a Treasury readout of the meeting between Bessent and Argentine finance minister Luis Caputo.
Trump's sweeping tariff package includes a 10% levy on imports from Argentina.
Bessent also met with Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday.
Milei announced Friday that he would lift most of the country's strict capital and currency controls this week, a high-stakes gamble made possible by a new loan from the International Monetary Fund.
The president has said openly that he'd also favor El Salvador taking custody of American citizens who've committed violent crimes, a view he repeated Monday.
“We have bad ones too, and I'm all for it because we can do things with the president for less money and have great security,” Trump said during the meeting with Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador. “And we have a huge prison population.” It is unclear how lawful U.S. citizens could be deported elsewhere in the world.
Before the press entered the Oval Office, Trump said in a video posted on social media by Bukele that he wanted to send “homegrowns” to be incarcerated in El Salvador, and added that “you've got to build five more places,” suggesting Bukele doesn't have enough prison capacity for all the U.S. citizens Trump would like to send there.
▶ Read more about Trump's plans to expand deportation
The charred doors that used to make up the entrance to the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters are propped up behind yellow caution tape in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
That's according to court records unsealed Monday.
A criminal complaint charges Jamison R. Wagner, 40, with federal arson charges in connection with the vandalism in February at a Tesla showroom in Bernalillo, New Mexico, where authorities found two Tesla Model Y vehicles ablaze as well as spray-painted graffiti messages including “Die Elon” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
Elon Musk is the billionaire CEO of Tesla and close ally of President Trump who's helped engineer a massive downsizing of the federal government and purge of employees.
The arrest is part of a federal crackdown on what Attorney General Pam Bondi has described as a wave of domestic terrorism against property carrying the logo of Musk's electric-car company.
▶ Read more about vandalism against Tesla
The mayor of the nation's capital says the city is raising its stalled budget as much as possible under authority granted by federal law, but it would still need to cut more than $410 million this fiscal year without action from Congress.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she'd sent a letter to the House and Senate appropriations committee to notify them.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference about the D.C. budget and the continuing resolution in Congress, Monday, March 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The move comes days after the House adjourned for a two-week recess without acting on a $1.1 billion hole in the city's budget, despite directives from President Trump to address the issue.
“We believed that the fix would happen, and we wouldn't be running around planning for cuts,” Bowser said Monday at a news conference.
She said the city is raising the budget 6%, as much as possible under federal statute, but the situation remains frustrating, with no options “off the table.”
Senior officials with Bowser's office said the law changing the budget requires council approval, but not congressional. They added that the remaining cuts would likely affect all city services, including public safety.
FILE - A Meta Portal Go is displayed during a preview of the Meta Store in Burlingame, Calif., on May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
A historic antitrust trial is underway Monday for Meta Platforms Inc. in a case that could force the tech giant to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups it bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses.
In opening statements, Federal Trade Commission attorney Daniel Matheson said Meta has used a monopoly to generate enormous profits as consumer satisfaction has dropped. He said Meta was “erecting a moat” to protect its interests by buying the two startups because the company feared they were a threat to Meta's dominance. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Meta witnesses will testify during the trial.
The trial will be the first big test of President Trump's Federal Trade Commission's ability to challenge Big Tech. The lawsuit was filed against Meta — then called Facebook — in 2020, during Trump's first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market.
▶ Read more about Meta's antitrust trial
The Associated Press logo is shown at the entrance to the news organization's office in New York on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Jackson, File)
Despite a court order, a reporter and photographer from The Associated Press were barred from an Oval Office news conference on Monday with Trump and his counterpart from El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.
Last week's federal court decision forbidding the Trump administration from punishing the AP for refusing to rename the Gulf of Mexico was to take effect Monday. The administration is appealing the decision and arguing with the news outlet over whether it needs to change anything until those appeals are exhausted.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit set a Thursday hearing on Trump's request that any changes be delayed while case is reviewed. The AP is fighting for more access as soon as possible.
▶ Read more about the dispute between the Trump administration and the AP
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks at a news conference about the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Democratic senator from Maryland wrote to El Salvadoran diplomats to “urgently request” meeting with the country's president, Nayib Bukele, to discuss the potential return of a former Maryland resident, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the Central American nation by the Trump administration.
A federal judge ruled Garcia should be returned to the U.S., a decision that was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
“If Kilmar is not home by midweek — I plan to travel to El Salvador this week to check on his condition and discuss his release,” Van Hollen wrote in a letter address to El Salvador's ambassador to Washington.
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said during a Monday Oval Office meeting that he did not intend to return Kilmar to the U.S.
President Trump on Friday urged Congress to “push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day” in his latest dig at the semiannual changing of clocks.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social media network, said it would be “Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!”
The Republican president's position calling for more daylight would push the schedule forward, keeping the country on daylight saving time. His post came a day after a Senate panel heard testimony examining whether to set one time all year instead of shifting.
There's been growing interest in states to standardize daylight saving time in recent years.
▶ Read more about daylight savings time
Advocates involved in the abortion debate are warning about the widening influence of a movement that seeks to outlaw all abortions and enforce the ban with criminal prosecution of any women who have abortions.
Mainstream anti-abortion groups have largely shied away from legislation that would punish women for having abortions, but abortion abolitionists believe abortion should be considered homicide and punished with the full force of the law.
With the U.S.Capitol in the background, crosses are placed on the ground during an anti-abortion rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
So far this year, bills introduced in at least 12 states — Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas — would allow prosecutors to charge those who have abortions with homicide. In some of those states, women could be subject to the death penalty if the bills were to become law.
“With the reversal of Roe v. Wade, now states can pass the most severe abortion bans, which has galvanized the anti-abortion movement as a whole, including this part of it,” said Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia. “Certainly the fall of Roe has brought abortion abolitionists one step closer to what they want — banning abortion nationwide.”
▶ Read more about the movement to charge women who have abortions
This image provided by the U.S. Air Force shows Lt. Gen. Dan Caine. (U.S. Air Force via AP)
That's nearly two months after President Trump fired his predecessor.
A formal White House ceremony is expected this week.
Caine, a decorated F-16 fighter pilot and well-respected officer, took over the role Saturday and was at the Pentagon over the weekend after Trump signed the necessary documents to allow him to fill the job.
He'll serve the remainder of the four-year term of Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who was fired by Trump as part of a broader purge of military officers believed to endorse diversity and equity programs.
Before the press entered the Oval Office, Trump and Bukele chatted in a video posted on social media by the leader of El Salvador.
The U.S. president said he wanted to send “homegrowns” to be incarcerated in El Salvador, and he suggested “you've got to build five more places,” suggesting Bukele doesn't have enough prison capacity for all of the U.S. citizens Trump would like to send there.
Trump also praised Bukele for his team's slickly produced video of migrants arriving in El Salvador after being deported by the U.S.
“That's what people want to see. Respect. They want to see respect,” Trump said.
He added, “you've got a good team. Can I use them?”
Bukele said “it's like a movie, but it's real.”
Biden will address the national conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled.
The former president has kept a very low profile since leaving office Jan. 20 — despite Trump scoffing repeatedly at his predecessor's mental competency.
Organizers of the conference say participants are “committed to safeguarding and strengthening Social Security for the generations to come.”
Trump has pledged to shield Social Security from possible cuts, even as Democrats say it, and other federal entitlements like Medicare, could face funding trims to help offset tax reductions the administration supports.
President Donald Trump says he might temporarily exempt the auto industry from tariffs he previously imposed, to give carmakers time to adjust their supply chains. The Republican president's statement hints at yet another round of reversals on tariffs.
And the president said he's talked with Apple CEO Tim Cook, whose company could be hurt if the China tariffs become permanent.
“They need a little bit of time,” Trump said of the automakers that would have to upend their supply chains to reduce their exposure to Trump's import taxes.
Trump also said he had talked to Cook and “helped” him by exempting electronics from some of his China tariffs.
“I don't want to hurt anybody but the end result is we're going to get to the position of greatness for our country,” said Trump.
The U.S. president also theorized that China and Vietnam were meeting “to figure out: how do we screw the United States of America?”
“We already solved inflation,” Trump told reporters gathered Monday in the Oval Office.
The U.S. president was touting the 2.4% annual inflation rate seen in the monthly consumer price report released last Thursday. Many economists are hesitant to claim a single report makes up a broader trend. Many economists and consumers worry Trump's tariffs will cause prices to go up in ways that hurt the economy.
The president expressed some impatience at the pace of nuclear negotiations with Iran.
“I think they're tapping us along,” he said.
The next meeting is scheduled for this coming weekend.
“These are radicalized people. And they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
He says the results indict “you've got me for a little longer.”
The president spent hours Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He said after it that testing went well.
A medical report on the physical was released Sunday. But Trump brought up the test again a day later, telling reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that he did well on a cognitive exam performed as part of it.
“I like taking them because they're not too tough for me to take,” Trump said of cognitive tests. He said his health was good enough that he should be around for years or at the very least “a little longer.”
Trump referred questions about Abrego Garcia to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said he was illegally in the U.S. and that courts have ruled that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang.
“That's up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That's not up to us,” Bondi said.
She called the issue “international matters” and “foreign affairs” and said the U.S. would facilitate Abrego Garcia's return of El Salvador wanted to send him back by providing an airplane.
Bukele was asked if he plans to return Abrego Garcia and he asked how he could return him and said it was “preposterous.” He called Abrego Garcia “a terrorist” and that he had no power to return Abrego Garcia to the United States.
In a complaint, Abrego Garcia's lawyers have disputed the government's claims that he was in a gang.
The president was asked about Cody Balmer, who police say broke into the mansion, set a fire that caused significant damage and forced Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building during the Jewish holiday of Passover. He said, “The attacker was not a fan of Trump.”
Trump's comments came in the Oval Office as he met with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.
Trump added, “The attacker basically wasn't a fan of anybody” and also noted, “A thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”
Trump criticized former President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but not Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
FILE - President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
“If Biden were competent and if Zelenskyy were competent . . . that war should've never been allowed to happen,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
Referring to Putin, Trump said “I'm not saying anybody's an angel.”
Trump has previously described the strike on Sumy as a “mistake.” On Monday, he said the mistake was allowing the war to start in the first place.
“Biden could've stopped it and Zelenskyy could've stopped it and Putin should've never started it,” he said. “Everybody's to blame.”
Trump and Bukele quickly got into a discussion about transgender athletes in the White House, with the U.S. president asking his counterpart from El Salvador, “Do you allow men to play in women's sports?”
“That's violence,” Bukele responded.
Trump said there are people in the U.S. who “fight to the death” to allow transgender athletes to play and Bukele said, “We're big on protecting women.”
Though Trump frequently speaks about transgender athletes, he said, “I don't like talking about it because I want to save it for just before the next election.”
President Donald Trump greets El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele as he arrives at the West Wing of the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump is meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office, telling the visiting head of state “you are helping us out” by holding migrants deported from the United States in a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Trump said his administration's hardline policies have restored order along the U.S.-Mexico border. He said of the changes, “We're proud of them. Now we just need to get the criminals and murders and rapists"out of “our country.”
President Donald Trump greets El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele as he arrives at the West Wing of the White House, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump greeted Bukele at the White House on Monday and ignored shouted questions from reporters about Abrego Garcia.
The president shook Bukele's hand and directed the leader of El Salvador towards waiting reporters to pose for pictures and Trump pumped his fist.
They then went inside together.
This morning, the president is meeting with the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele. After the meeting, they will have lunch together. This afternoon, at 3 p.m., Trump will meet with The Ohio State University football team, the 2025 College National Football champions.
Like many in the tech industry, Jeremy Lyons used to think of himself as a relatively apolitical guy.
The only time he had participated in a demonstration before now was in the opening days of Trump's first presidential term, when he joined fellow Google workers walking out of the company's Silicon Valley campus to protest immigration restrictions. Google's co-founder and its chief executive officer joined them.
Last weekend was Lyons' second, also against Trump, but it had a different feel.
The man directing thousands of marchers with a bullhorn in downtown San Jose on April 5 was another tech worker who wouldn't give his full name for fear of being identified by Trump backers. Marchers were urged not to harass drivers of Tesla vehicles, which have gone from a symbol of Silicon Valley's environmental futurism to a pro-Trump icon. And no tech executives were anywhere to be seen, only months after several joined Trump at his inauguration.
To Lyons, the change says as much about what's happened to Silicon Valley over the past quarter-century as it does about the atmosphere of fear surrounding many Trump critics nowadays.
“One of the things I've seen over that time is a shift from a nerdy utopia to a money first, move fast and break things,” Lyons said.
▶ Read more about Silicon Valley's political divide
That includes health and nutrition services for displaced people and child protection for children in notorious camps housing the families of alleged Islamic State members.
While funding cut from the World Food Program in Syria was restored, other cuts remain, including nearly $12 million from Save the Children and nearly $2 million from World Vision.
World Vision Syria Response Director Emmanuel Isch said the organization has largely halted a health and nutrition program serving 30,000 to 40,000 internally displaced people, many of whom “have limited access to basic services.”
Save the Children Country Director Bujar Hoxha said it has reprogrammed funding to continue case management for unaccompanied minors in the al-Hol and al-Roj camps and programs for malnourished children in different parts of Syria.
“But that is for very limited timeline,” he said, noting that within a few weeks “we have to either find a way to continue funding, or we have to close it down.”
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia's missile attack that killed at least 20 civilians in Sumy, Ukraine, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
President Trump issued a statement on social media over the ongoing war in Ukraine, saying he had “NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR.”
Despite his repeated promise as a candidate that he'd have the Russia-Ukraine war settled within 24 hours — even before taking office — he said Monday: “I just got here.”
“The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden's war, not mine. I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening,” Trump said.
Trump last month said he'd been “a little bit sarcastic” when he had past pledged he'd resolve the war.
Ahead of Trump's meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, a top White House aide signaled the U.S. president wouldn't be asking his counterpart to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S.
“It's up to El Salvador and to the government and the people of El Salvador what the fate of their own citizens is,” Stephen Miller, a deputy chief of staff, told reporters at the White House on Monday morning. “We can't extradite citizens of foreign countries to our country over the objection of those countries.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he plans to travel to El Salvador this week if Abrego Garcia, a constituent, isn't returned by that time.
This undated photo provided by CASA, an immigrant advocacy organization, in April 2025, shows Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (CASA via AP)
“Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now,” the Maryland Democrat said in a statement.
He said that since the Trump administration “appears to be ignoring these court mandates,” more action is needed.
The New York Stock Exchange is seen in New York, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Stocks are rallying worldwide after President Trump relaxed some of his tariffs, for now at least.
The S&P 500 was 1.7% higher in early trading Monday. It's coming off a chaotic week where it careened through historic swings as markets struggled to catch up with Trump's moves on tariffs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 434 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite was up 2.5%. Apple, Nvidia and other big technology companies led the way on Wall Street after Trump said he was exempting smartphones, computers and some other electronics from some of his stiff tariffs.
▶ Read more about the financial markets
President Trump is hosting Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, at the White House on Monday as the small Central American nation becomes a critical lynchpin of the U.S. administration's mass deportation operation.
FILE - El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele speaks to the press at Mexico's National Palace after meeting with the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City, March 12, 2019. The government of President Bukele secretly negotiated a truce with leaders of the country's powerful street gangs, the U.S. Treasury announced Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, cutting to the heart of one of Bukele's most highly touted successes in office: a plunge in the country's murder rate. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)
Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the U.S. more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants — whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes — and placed them inside the country's notorious maximum-security gang prison just outside of the capital, San Salvador. It's also holding a Maryland man who the administration admits was wrongly deported but has not been returned to the U.S., despite court orders to do so.
That has made Bukele, who remains extremely popular in El Salvador due in part to the crackdown on the country's powerful street gangs, a vital ally for the Trump administration, which has offered little evidence for its claims that the Venezuelan immigrants were in fact gang members, nor has it released names of those deported.
▶ Read more about El Salvador President Nayib Bukele
Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser to President Trump, said China's decision to stop exports of some rare earth minerals was “concerning.”
Rare earths are critical ingredients for technology and electronic manufacturing.
“The rare earth limits are being studied very carefully, and they're concerning, and we're thinking about all the options right now,” Hassett told reporters outside the White House.
He spoke to Fox Business earlier in the morning, where he said the administration was “100% not” expecting a recession as Trump disrupts global trade with his tariff plans.
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The Trump administration is kicking off investigations into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as part of a bid to impose tariffs on both sectors on national security grounds, notices posted to the Federal Register on Monday showed.
The filings set to be published on Wednesday set a 21-day deadline from that date for the submission of public comment on the issue and indicate the administration intends to pursue the levies under authority granted by Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Such section 232 probes need to be completed within 270 days after being announced.
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The next round of Trump's tariffs could hurt even more. Here's what to expect
The Trump administration has started 232 investigations into imports of copper and lumber, and probes completed in President Donald Trump's first term formed the basis for tariffs rolled out since his return to the White House in January on steel and aluminum and on the auto industry.
The United States began collecting 10% tariffs on imports on April 5. Pharmaceuticals and semiconductors are exempt from those duties, but Trump has said they will face separate tariffs.
Trump said on Sunday he would be announcing a tariff rate on imported semiconductors over the next week, adding that there would be flexibility with some companies in the sector.
The United States relies heavily on chips imported from Taiwan, something then-President Joe Biden sought to reverse by granting billions in Chips Act awards to lure chipmakers to expand production in the country.
The investigation announced on Monday will include both pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients as well as other derivative products, the notice showed.
The drug industry has argued that tariffs could increase the chance of shortages and reduce access for patients. Generic drug manufacturers operate on very thin margins, and any cost increase might prompt some to leave the market since it could be hard for them to absorb or pass along the tariff's impact.
Tariffs “will only amplify the problems that already exist in the U.S. market for affordable medicines,” John Murphy III, CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines, the trade group for generic and biosimilar medicine, said in a statement.
“Without substantive regulatory and reimbursement changes to the U.S. market, tariffs will exacerbate shortages that hinder patient access today,” he continued.
Brand name drug manufacturers have a greater ability to absorb tariffs, but some experts expect them to pass along the cost.
Although the pharmaceutical industry escaped the tariffs that Trump imposed during his first term, the president now argues that the United States needs more drug manufacturing so it does not have to rely on other countries for its supply of medicines.
Companies in the industry have lobbied Trump to phase in tariffs on imported pharmaceutical products in hopes of reducing the sting from the charges and to allow time to shift manufacturing.
Large drugmakers have global manufacturing footprints, mainly in the United States, Europe and Asia, and moving more production to the United States involves a major commitment of resources and could take years.
Tariffs will not push drugmakers to boost domestic manufacturing because the investment capacity doesn't exist at this time, Murphy told CNN recently.
Large tariffs will delay Indian companies' investment the United States, Kathleen Jaeger, US spokesperson for the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance. Nearly half of generic prescriptions in the United States come from Indian manufacturers.
“Adding tariffs on America's affordable medicine partners in India would make it even worse — for patients, the healthcare system and for America's national security,” she said in a statement.
This story has been updated with additional content.
Most stock quote data provided by BATS. US market indices are shown in real time, except for the S&P 500 which is refreshed every two minutes. All times are ET. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates. Fair value provided by IndexArb.com. Market holidays and trading hours provided by Copp Clark Limited.
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OpenAI is considering building a social network to compete with Elon Musk's X and Meta's Instagram, a source familiar with the plans confirmed to CNBC.
The project is still in its early stages, said the person, who asked not to be named due to confidentiality. It's based on the popularity of OpenAI's newest image-generation feature, which has led to an overloading of the company's servers.
The Verge was first to report on the project. OpenAI declined to comment.
In March, OpenAI debuted its latest image-generation tool, the inspiration for the potential social media project, as a way to produce everything from diagrams, infographics and logos to business cards and stock photos. The feature can also use an image as a starting point for art, such as a custom painting of a pet or editing a professional headshot.
Images of anime-style renderings of users' uploaded photos have been going viral on X and other social media apps, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman changed his X profile photo to an image generated by the new feature.
While it is "super fun seeing people love images" in ChatGPT, "our GPUs are melting," Altman posted on X late last month, referring to graphics processing units, which power AI training and workloads. He added that that the company would temporarily limit the feature's usage as it works to make it more efficient.
OpenAI faces hefty competition in the fast-growing generative AI market, including from Musk's xAI, which said last month that it had acquired X, also controlled by Musk. Altman and Musk are simultaneously involved in a heated legal battle, largely centering around OpenAI's effort to transform into a for-profit entity. Musk was one of the co-founders of OpenAI, which was launched in 2015 as a non-profit research lab.
A federal district court last month blocked Musk's attempt to stop OpenAI's transition to a for-profit company. In February, a Musk-led group offered to buy control of OpenAI for $97.4 billion, a bid that was swiftly rejected.
Last month, OpenAI closed what amounts to the largest private tech funding round on record, raising $40 billion at a $300 billion valuation.
WATCH: OpenAI closes $40 billion funding round
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This was CNBC's live blog covering European markets.
European markets rose on Tuesday amid tentative optimism that there will be some respite from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff regime.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally ended the day higher by 1.6%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 1.5%, while France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX rose by 0.9% and 1.3%, respectively.
It comes after a 2.7% jump in the Stoxx Europe 600 index on Monday.
The real estate and banking sectors led the market higher, rising by more than 2.4%, indicating risk-taking by investors.
Equity markets were comfortably in positive territory after Trump on Monday said he was looking to "help some of the car companies" amid his 25% auto tariffs, raising hopes of a wider industry reprieve.
Luxury bellwether LVMH dropped around 7.7% after sales unexpectedly declined in the first quarter.
Regional markets started the week on a positive note, closing higher Monday as traders digested news of a U.S. tariff exemption for some tech items.
Trump on Sunday said he would be announcing the tariff rate on imported semiconductors over the next week, NBC News reported. The news boosted sentiment on Wall Street on Monday, and Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose overnight as a result.
Questions remain over exactly how long Trump's wider pause on his full "reciprocal tariff" plan will last, however, and how various countries will seek to or be able to negotiate without resorting to their own retaliatory action. The EU last week paused its own countertariffs for 90 days in order to engage in talks.
European stocks closed higher on Tuesday amid hopes of further tariff relief from the United States.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally ended the day higher by 1.6%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 1.5%, while France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX rose by 0.9% and 1.3%, respectively.
— Ganesh Rao
Stocks traded within striking distance of flat as Tuesday's trading day kicked off.
The Dow and Nasdaq Composite ticked higher by 0.1% each shortly after 9:30 a.m. ET. The S&P 500 added 0.2%.
— Alex Harring
Dan Ives, global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, said that, if U.S. Donald President Trump's tariffs on tech went into effect, it would take the U.S. tech sector back a decade.
Europe's Stoxx 600 autos and parts index jumped 2.5% on Tuesday morning, leading broader regional gains after U.S. President Donald Trump touted the prospect of temporary exemptions for the auto industry.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he is looking to help some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), adding that they may "need a little bit of time" to move their production to the U.S.
The Trump administration implemented a 25% charge on all foreign cars imported into the country earlier in the month. The White House said it also intends to place tariffs on some auto parts no later than May 3.
Trump's latest comments, however, raised hopes of a reprieve for the global automotive sector.
Shares of Milan-listed Stellantis rose 5%, French car parts supplier Valeo was up 4.9%, while German auto giant Volkswagen was last seen 3.3% higher.
Analysts at Citi said auto giants so far appear to be avoiding any detailed revisions to financial guidance, "likely hoping for changes in the tariff regime before making more lasting strategic decisions."
"Whilst it seems clear that at the very least EU OEM US import tariffs will remain in place, the time of peak tariff panic may now be behind us," they added.
— Sam Meredith
LVMH plunged as much as 8% on Tuesday morning, at one point losing its position as world's largest luxury firm to rival Hermès after an unexpected decline in first-quarter sales.
Shares were down 6% at 9:49 a.m. London time.
The results pulled down the wider sector in early deals. Kering shares declined 1.46%, Burberry fell 2.2% while Richemont traded 0.6% lower.
A smaller dip in the share price of Hermès saw the Birkin bag-maker's market capitalization surpass that of LVMH at one point during morning trade, according to Reuters. LVMH's market capitalization was last 248.2 billion euros ($281.6 billion) against Hermes' 246 billion euros, according to a CNBC calculation of LSEG data.
— Jenni Reid
The U.K. employment rate ticked 0.2 percentage points higher on the quarter to 75.1% between December 2024 and February 2025, the Office for National Statistics said in a labor market report published Tuesday.
In an initial estimate, the number of payrolled employees fell 0.3% month on month and 0.2% annually in March.
Average annual wage growth excluding bonuses came in at 5.9% in December to February, up from a rate of 5.8% in November to January. Wage growth including bonuses was 5.6%.
"These figures indicate that labor market activity was sluggish in the run-up to this month's substantial surge in tax and tariff costs, with unease over these twin threats limiting hiring plans," Suren Thiru, economics director at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, said in a note.
"This strong wage growth may be more a lagging indicator of wider labour market conditions than strengthening underlying inflation, as it takes time for employers to adjust pay settlements to changing circumstances."
Ashley Webb, U.K. economist at Capital Economics, said, "While the jobs market softened further, there were few signs of this feeding through to slower wage growth. But if the more uncertain backdrop from the recent U.S. tariffs chaos soon becomes a bigger drag on firms' hiring intentions, pay growth could start to fade more markedly."
— Jenni Reid
Luxury giant LVMH reported a 3% year-on-year fall in first-quarter sales in a trading update published shortly after the market close on Monday, missing consensus analyst expectations for slight growth.
The French group's wines and spirits business saw the sharpest revenue decline, down 9%, as it flagged weaker demand in the U.S. and China for cognac — the popular brandy variety that has been caught up in geopolitical tensions.
Fashion and leather goods sales slid 5%, while watch sales were flat.
Citi analysts Thomas Chauvet and Mahesh Mohankumar said in a Monday evening note that there was "not much to cheer for at the luxury bellwether," with sales "overall below the most conservative buyside expectations."
They added that it was difficult to foresee sequential revenue improvement in the second and third quarters for either LVMH or the luxury sector while U.S. and global economic uncertainty remained elevated.
Analysts at Jefferies meanwhile cut their target price on the stock to 510 euros ($578.62) from 670 euros.
The luxury sector, reliant on global supply chains and U.S. consumer demand, is facing a host of headwinds from U.S. President Donald Trump's volatile trade policy.
— Jenni Reid
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Monday that inflation from Trump's tariffs likely will be "transitory," and indicated that interest rate reductions are still on the table.
In a speech delivered in St. Louis, the central bank official broke down tariffs into two scenarios, one in which they are higher and longer lasting and the other whether they are negotiated lower. In either case, Waller said rate cuts are likely to boost growth under the higher-tariff scenario or as "good news" reductions under the reduced level.
"I can hear the howls already that this must be a mistake given what happened in 2021 and 2022. But just because it didn't work out once does not mean you should never think that way again," Waller said of the "transitory" call.
— Jeff Cox
European markets are expected to open in mixed territory Tuesday.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 17 points higher at 8,136, Germany's DAX up 15 points at 20,922, France's CAC 40 points lower at 7,221 and Italy's FTSE MIB 135 points higher at 34,180, according to data from IG.
Earnings are set to come from Ericsson and Publicis on Tuesday, and data releases will include European industrial production figures, the latest U.K. unemployment data and the German ZEW survey of economic sentiment.
— Holly Ellyatt
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Mark Zuckerberg departs E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House in Washington, DC, on April 14.
Mark Zuckerberg returned to federal court on Tuesday to answer questions about his acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which are at the center of a federal antitrust lawsuit that seeks to unwind the deals more than a decade after they were completed.
The Meta Platforms Inc. chief executive officer appeared in Washington for the second day and was questioned about a series of internal emails by lawyers from the US Federal Trade Commission, who allege that Meta's acquisitions gave the company an illegal monopoly over parts of the social networking industry.
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Students and faculty gather at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in Chicago, Illinois.
Private equity investor Konstantin Sokolov has donated $100 million to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, giving it a potential lifeline at a time when elite US colleges risk losing billions of dollars in federal funding.
Sokolov dedicated the funds to the school's executive MBA program, from which he graduated 20 years ago. The University of Chicago said the gift will ensure the program can continue to offer scholarships and afford its operations. Founded in 1943 to address wartime demand for skilled administrators, the executive MBA curriculum will be renamed after him.
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Shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise rose 4% after Elliott Investment Management built a more than $1.5 billion stake in the server maker, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
The activist investor hopes to engage the company in discussions on how to improve shareholder value, the source said.
Elliott and HPE declined to comment on the news.
Shares of the data center equipment maker have lost more than a fourth in value this year. Last month, the company topped quarterly revenue expectations, but issued weak fiscal full-year guidance. HPE said it was grappling with higher discounting and expected price adjustments to weigh on its top-line growth.
Elliott has a long history in pushing for changes at some of the world's largest companies, including Salesforce, Southwest Airlines and Starbucks.
Most recently, the investment management firm took a $1.5 billion stake in industrial software maker Aspen Technology, and said it opposed a deal that would allow Emerson Electric to buy remaining shares of the company in a $7.2 billion deal. In March, the firm named nominees to join the board of oil company Phillips 66, where it has amassed a $2.5 billion stake.
HPE is currently attempting to buy Juniper Networks for $14 billion, but the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block the deal earlier this year.
Bloomberg first reported the news.
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Elliott took a $1.5 billion stake in HPE. A previous version of the story misstated the amount.
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U.S. President Donald Trump's moves to take China to task on trade are likely to backfire as his sweeping global tariffs hit allies as well as rivals, according to former national security advisor John Bolton.
"This is certainly not the way you treat your friends. You don't slap them in the face publicly and say, I'm going to tariff you unless you do better on trade negotiations," Bolton told CNBC's Dan Murphy on Monday.
"And in fact, the one country that really deserves a trade war — China — we've put them in a much better position strategically by going to war on tariffs with our best friends, whereas if we had all joined together, maybe we would have had an impact on China's behavior. So, this is a not just an economic blunder, which I think it clearly is. It's a strategic blunder that's going to cost the United States dearly if this tariff policy isn't reversed."
A White House spokesperson was not immediately available to respond when contacted by CNBC.
Trump sent global markets into chaos on April 2, which he termed "liberation day," unveiling tariffs on nearly every country and territory based on a calculation that economists roundly criticized as nonsensical. A blanket 10% tariff on imported goods was imposed globally, while many countries faced much larger levies based on the U.S. trade deficit with them — a move Trump described as "reciprocal" despite the metric being unrelated to tariffs.
Within a few days that saw market mayhem, trillions of dollars of wealth erased, and a spike in U.S. treasury yields, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the larger tariffs but maintained the blanket 10% measure on all countries, including Washington's closest allies, as well as prior 25% tariffs imposed on Mexico and Canada. He then increased levies on China, which had already responded with its own tariffs on U.S. goods.
The world's two largest economies escalated the levies tit for tat, with the current U.S. tariff on Chinese imports at 145% and China's tariff on U.S. imports at 125%. China has vowed to "fight to the end"; the Trump administration recently announced an exemption for Chinese-imported electronics, including smartphones.
Bolton agreed with Trump's conviction that China should be held to account for what he described as unfair trade practices and violations, including intellectual property theft, protecting and subsidizing certain industries to create unfair competition, and "manipulating the World Trade Organization."
"If you want to deal with that problem, certainly it would make sense to get together with Japan, Korea, Singapore, other Asian countries, the European countries, others around the world who have been victimized by China in the same way the U.S. has," Bolton said.
"Instead, we're having a war with our friends and really crippling our ability to deal effectively with China."
International leaders have criticized Trump's actions. On Tuesday, French Prime Minister François Bayrou said that "the president of the United States has started a hurricane" that shattered trust around the world, according to a Reuters translation.
On Monday, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping embarked on what some observers are dubbing a charm offensive through Southeast Asia, first visiting Vietnam followed by scheduled trips to Malaysia and Cambodia.
"Xi Jinping is trying to build up allies," Bolton said. "If Trump had any sense, he would be doing the same thing; instead of he's alienating our allies. ... The damage that's being done to us, credibility, our good faith, people's reliance on [the U.S.] built up over the last eight decades — since the end of World War II — Trump is shredding. And China, of all places, is saying, you know, we're really an island of stability in the midst of all this turmoil. I don't think Trump understands this."
The Chinese leader "is not going to stop in Southeast Asia," Bolton said. "We know even before the tariffs started being imposed ... his people had spoken to South Korea and Japan to have a common front against the U.S. tariffs. This is just insanity from the U.S. point of view, that we would even let this happen."
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As China imposes export controls on rare earth elements, the U.S. would be unable to fill a potential shortfall, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies — and this could threaten Washington's military capabilities.
Amid U.S. President Donald Trump's escalating tariffs on China, Beijing earlier this month imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements and magnets used in defense, energy and automotive technologies.
The new restrictions — which encompass the medium and heavy rare earth elements samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium — will require Chinese companies to secure special licenses to export the resources.
Though it remains to be seen exactly how China will implement this policy, the CSIS report, published Monday, warns it will likely result in a pause in exports as Beijing establishes the licensing system, and cause disruptions in supply to some U.S. firms.
The New York Times reported earlier this week that a pause in China's rare earth element exports was already occurring.
As China effectively holds a monopoly over the supply of global heavy rare earths processing, such restrictions pose a serious threat to the U.S., especially its defense technology sector.
"The United States is particularly vulnerable for these supply chains," CSIS warned, emphasizing that rare earths are crucial for a range of advanced defense technologies and are used in types of fighter jets, submarines, missiles, radar systems and drones.
Along with the export controls, Beijing has placed 16 U.S. entities — all but one in the defense and aerospace industries — on its export control list. Placement on the list prevents companies from receiving "dual-use goods," including the aforementioned rare earth elements.
According to CSIS' report, if China's trade controls result in a complete shutdown of the medium and heavy rare earth element exports, the U.S. will be incapable of filling the gap.
"There is no heavy rare earths separation happening in the United States at present," CSIS said, though it noted the development of these capabilities is underway.
For example, the Department of Defense set a goal to develop a complete rare earth element supply chain that can meet all U.S. defense needs by 2027 in its 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy.
Since 2020, the DOD has committed more than $439 million toward building domestic supply chains and heavy rare earths processing facilities, according to data collected by CSIS.
However, CSIS said that by the time these facilities are operational, their output will fall well short of China's, with the U.S. still far from meeting the DOD's goal of an independent rare earth element supply.
"Developing mining and processing capabilities requires a long-term effort, meaning the United States will be on the back foot for the foreseeable future," it added.
Trump has also been seeking a deal with Ukraine, which would give it access to its deposits of rare earth minerals. However, questions remain about the value and accessibility of such deposits.
The CSIS report warns that the export controls pose direct threats to U.S. military readiness, highlighting that the country is already lagging behind in its defense manufacturing.
"Even before the latest restrictions, the U.S. defense industrial base struggled with limited capacity and lacked the ability to scale up production to meet defense technology demands," its authors said.
They cite an estimate that China is acquiring advanced weapons systems and equipment five to six times faster than the U.S., originating from a U.S. Air Force official in 2022.
"Further bans on critical minerals inputs will only widen the gap, enabling China to strengthen its military capabilities more quickly than the United States," the report concludes.
The U.S. is not alone in its concerns about China's monopoly on rare earths, with countries like Australia and Brazil also investing in strengthening domestic rare earth elements supply chains.
CSIS recommends that the U.S. provide financial and diplomatic support to ensure the success of these initiatives.
However, China's new export licensing system for the rare earths could also incentivize countries across the world to cooperate with China to prevent disruptions to their own supply of the elements, CSIS said.
A research report from Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics, on Monday also noted how controls on rare earths and critical minerals have become part of Beijing's playbook in pushing back against Washington.
Shearing notes that in addition to China's hold on some rare earths, the supply of many other critical minerals, including cobalt and palladium, is concentrated in countries that align with Beijing.
"The weaponising of this control over critical minerals — and the race by other countries to secure alternative supplies — will be a central feature of a fractured global economy," he said.
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A hedge fund has revealed it's betting against President Donald Trump's media company.
Qube Research & Technologies disclosed a net short position in Trump Media & Technology Group — representing 2.5% of the Truth Social owner's outstanding shares — in Germany's Federal Gazette on Monday. The wager is valued at about $105 million, based on TMTG's market value of about $4.2 billion.
Breakout Point, the research firm that first spotted the filing, said in a note emailed to Business Insider that this was the first short wager against TMTG to be disclosed to regulators, and QRT's second-biggest short in percentage terms. Other short sellers have targeted the stock in the past.
This filing was likely made to comply with Germany's short-selling regulations, intended to increase market transparency.
QRT's press team said in an emailed statement to BI that the firm operated a diversified, quantitative long/short portfolio and did not comment on its positions.
"Our positions are model-driven and do not reflect a specific view on the fundamental of the company," they said.
TMTG shares tumbled to a six-month low this month after the company registered for sale shares belonging to Trump — who owns 53% of the business — and several other shareholders. TMTG didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
Usually, an investor who is "long" on a stock has bought it expecting it to rise, while one who is "short" is betting that it will fall.
Short sellers borrow shares of their target company and then sell them, hoping they can buy back the shares at a lower price, return them to the lender, and pocket the difference as profit.
TMTG went public in March last year via a merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp. The meme stock has tanked 44% this year and trades more than 80% below its peak price.
Total short interest was 4.9% on Monday, Nasdaq data shows.
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Caterpillar said on Tuesday that Chief Operating Officer Joe Creed would succeed Jim Umpleby as CEO, tapping an insider to help the construction equipment maker navigate the fallout of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs.
Umpleby, a veteran who has been with the company for more than four decades, held the top job for the last eight years and guided the firm through a demand and supply chain downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Umpleby, who will transition to executive chairman, will hand over the reins on May 1 to 49-year-old Joseph Creed, a 28-year veteran with extensive leadership experience at Caterpillar.
"While Creed will be stepping into the role at a challenging part in the cycle and amid a dynamic macro backdrop, we believe the well-telegraphed internal succession, and Umpleby's transition to executive chairman likely limits the impact on shares," Kristen Owen, senior analyst at Oppenheimer, wrote in a note.
Caterpillar's shares were up 1% in morning trade. They have lost nearly 18% of their value this year.
"Historically, this means there will be consistency and continuity rather than any big changes in strategy or tactics," Jefferies analyst Stephen Volkmann said.
"I would not expect any meaningful changes at the company for at least a year or two, if at all."
Caterpillar had reaped the benefits of former President Joe Biden's 2021 infrastructure law - a $1 trillion enactment aimed at upgrading roads, bridges and other transport infrastructure.
However, the initial demand surge waned as due to high borrowing costs and persistent inflation.
Several contractors are also adopting a wait-and-see approach to buying new machinery against the backdrop of mounting uncertainty over government spending under the Trump administration.
The company, set to report first-quarter results later this month, has forecast a slight decline in sales for 2025.
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Bank of America on Tuesday posted first-quarter results that topped analysts' expectations for profit and revenue on stronger-than-expected net interest income and trading revenue.
Here's what the company reported:
The bank said profit climbed 11% to $7.4 billion, or 90 cents a share, as revenue rose 5.9% to $27.51 billion.
Those gains were fueled by net interest income, which is the difference in what a bank pays depositors and what it earns on loans and investments, that rose to $14.6 billion in the quarter, exceeding the $14.56 billion StreetAccount estimate.
Bank of America said its NII benefited from lower deposit costs and higher-yielding investments compared with the year-earlier period.
"Our business clients have been performing well; and consumers have shown resilience, continuing to spend and maintaining healthy credit quality," CEO Brian Moynihan said in a release. "Though we potentially face a changing economy in the future, we believe the disciplined investments we have made for high-quality growth, our diverse set of businesses, and the team's relentless focus on responsible growth will remain a source of strength."
Shares of the firm rose 4%.
The bank said equities trading revenue rose 17% to $2.2 billion, which slightly topped the $2.12 billion estimate, and fixed income revenue rose 5% to $3.5 billion, compared with the $3.46 billion estimate.
Investment banking fees slipped 3% to $1.5 billion, missing the $1.6 billion estimate, amid the industrywide slowdown caused by trade uncertainty.
The firm's provision for loan losses, another key metric watched by investors as banks plan for a possible recession later this year, came in better than expected at $1.5 billion, compared with the $1.58 billion estimate.
Bank of America shares have sold off in recent weeks on concern that President Donald Trump's tariff policies could cause a recession.
The company's stock has fallen more than 16% this year through Monday.
JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs each exceeded analysts' estimates on a boom in equities trading revenue as banks took advantage of volatility in the quarter.
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President Donald Trump's on-and-off again tariff announcements have sent the market whipsawing in the past week.
But investor Christopher Tsai says the current market volatility has not spurred him to alter his investment strategy.
"So the current market volatility does not impact how we are thinking about holding these businesses over the long term. In fact, market volatility has often proven to be beneficial for us because volatility can come with opportunity," Tsai told Business Insider on Monday.
Tsai, 50, is the president and chief investment officer of the investment management firm Tsai Capital. He manages a $137 million portfolio that includes holdings in companies like Tesla and Apple.
"I think it's too soon to tell if the tariffs will lead the world into a recession," Tsai said. "It primarily depends upon how long and to what extent the tariffs remain in place."
On April 2, Trump announced reciprocal tariffs for over 180 countries on what he called "Liberation Day."
A baseline rate of 10% went into effect on April 5. A higher set of tariff rates that varied by country took effect on Wednesday before Trump announced a 90-day pause on the same day.
The pause, however, does not apply to China. Trump had already imposed a 20% tariff on China last month. He initially announced a 34% reciprocal tariff on China on April 2 before hiking it up to 145% last week. China has retaliated with a 125% tariff on US imports.
"I don't agree with the approach of starting an all-out economic war, but I do give him credit for following through on the threat of tariffs," Tsai said of Trump's recent tariff announcements.
Tariffs have long been a fixation of Trump's. Besides waging a trade war with China in his first term, Trump often talked about placing tariffs on foreign countries and companies while on the campaign trail last year.
"By doing so, Trump showed the world he was not bluffing and that he was willing to inflict some degree of domestic pain in order to demonstrate how serious the impact of the tariff would be on other countries," Tsai said, adding that countries like Japan and South Korea are now eager to start negotiating with the US.
Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said almost 70 countries had approached the Trump administration on starting trade talks.
"Trump's use of credible threats and a tit-for-tat retaliation on China is consistent with game theory. A back-and-forth negotiating style might appear inconsistent, but is not necessarily inconsistent with a strong position," Tsai said.
Tsai told BI that he was more concerned about Trump's 90-day pause on tariffs and whether it will be extended.
"I think that Trump is fully aware of the difficulties companies will have if they are not given enough time to adjust their operations to a new cost structure, and that's why he has paused some reciprocal tariffs and exempted certain goods," Tsai said.
"It's unclear, and intentionally unclear, whether 90 days will wind up being 180 days. But I want to stress that, unfortunately for many businesses, that's just not enough time to adjust," Tsai added.
Tsai said he had spoken to several business owners. Some told him that they are adopting a wait-and-see approach to their investments, while others are proactively shifting their supply chains to other countries.
The impact of Trump's tariffs on small and medium-sized businesses that aren't able to adjust could be what tips the US into recession, Tsai said. Small and medium-sized businesses represent about 44% of America's GDP, per the US Chamber of Commerce.
"This is a lot more than numbers. People's jobs are at stake and businesses that have been thriving and contributing to the economy for years are all of a sudden in an extremely different situation. That's worrisome to me," Tsai said.
Trump's tariffs have drawn criticism from business leaders and experts, including one of Trump's biggest backers, Elon Musk.
Musk recently called for a "zero-tariff situation" and a "free trade zone" between the US and Europe. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also criticized Trump's top trade advisor, Peter Navarro. Musk said Navarro was "dumber than a sack of bricks" after he called Musk a "car assembler."
But Tsai believes Tesla is in an "even better position" than before Trump's tariff announcement.
"We think that tariffs are a relative positive for Tesla as Tesla vehicles become relatively cheaper than competing vehicles. That's because Tesla has a 100% US production footprint, and almost all of its component parts come from within the United States," Tsai said.
Tesla shares make up a large part of Tsai's portfolio. In an SEC filing on February 12, Tsai Capital said it owned 69,700 shares, or about one-fifth of its portfolio.
Tesla shares have slid by nearly 50% from their record highs. The automaker's shares closed at about $252 on Monday, down from a peak closing price of $479 in mid-December.
The company initially enjoyed a postelection boost after Trump's November election victory, but it has since seen a drop in sales in Europe and China.
Musk's work with the White House DOGE office has also hurt Tesla, as the company's showrooms and vehicles have become targets for protesters and vandals.
Tsai told BI last month that Tsai Capital had started buying Tesla stock again. He said Musk's involvement with the US government was a "significantly positive event" for Tesla and "negative market sentiment will disappear at some point."
"There's always been issues with any company, including Tesla. The way we look at it is that Tesla has a very small share of a growing pie that will eventually result in a pie almost entirely composed of electric vehicles," Tsai said on Monday.
"So we don't get too caught up with what might be happening in any given month and miss the forest for the trees," he added.
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The U.K. has a "good chance" of securing a trade deal with America, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said, as global market sentiment rises on hopes there will be further respite from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies.
"We're certainly working very hard with [U.K. Prime Minister] Keir Starmer's government" on a trade deal, Vance said in an interview with the UnHerd website published on Monday.
"The President really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen [Elizabeth II]. He admires and loves the King [Charles]. It is a very important relationship. And he's a businessman and has a number of important business relationships in [Britain]. But I think it's much deeper than that. There's a real cultural affinity. And of course, fundamentally America is an Anglo country," Vance said.
"I think there's a good chance that, yes, we'll come to a great agreement that's in the best interest of both countries," he added.
The U.K. escaped relatively unscathed from Trump's tariffs regime, struck with a 10% duty on all of its imports to the U.S. — as opposed to a 20% tariff imposed on its neighbors in the European Union — when the White House leader announced his wide-ranging global tariffs policy at the start of April.
Britain has a far more balanced trading relationship with the U.S. when it comes to goods, although it runs a sizeable surplus in the trade of services, the latest data shows.
British government officials say they are working hard to strike a trade deal with the U.S., although the scope and breadth of any agreement remains unknown.
Aside from the more balanced trading relationship, Trump's affection for the U.K. is well documented, with the president visibly enjoying the grandeur of a state visit to the U.K. during his first term in office, when he and first lady Melania Trump were the guests of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
During a recent visit to Washington, Starmer hand-delivered another invitation from King Charles, inviting Trump for a second state visit. The U.S. president looked visibly pleased at the gesture.
While the U.K. is optimistic it can forge a deal with its trans-Atlantic ally, the rest of Europe has a more volatile relationship with the States, which frequently lambasts the EU for its large trade surplus.
Trump imposed a 20% "reciprocal" tariff on all EU imports to the U.S., which Brussels decried as unfair and bad for trade, jobs and economic growth, before responding with its own retaliatory tariffs of the same amount.
Global market turmoil in the wake of the tariffs announcement prompted a pullback by the president, however, with Trump suspending the 20% tariff on the EU for 90 days and instead halving the import tax to 10%. In response, the EU also postponed its retaliatory 25% tariff on a raft of U.S. goods, saying it hoped to agree on a trade deal with the U.S. in the interim.
Vance, who has frequently singled out the EU for criticism when it comes to trade and defense spending, signaled in his interview with UnHerd that Washington could sign trade deals with the bloc, but said that these arrangements would be dictated by "fairness."
"With the United Kingdom, we have a much more reciprocal relationship than we have with, say, Germany. … While we love the Germans, they are heavily dependent on exporting to the United States but are pretty tough on a lot of American businesses that would like to export into Germany," he commented.
Vance said he believed talks would lead to positive trade relationships with Europe, insisting that the U.S. saw the Continent as an ally. "We just want it to be an alliance where Europeans are a little more independent, and our security and trade relationships are going to reflect that," he said.
Vance was once more seen to be critical of Europe in recent leaked remarks detailing conversations between top officials in the Trump administration, however, saying he hated the idea of "bailing Europe out" when it came to defense.
Speaking to UnHerd, Vance appeared to row back on that position, saying: "I love Europe."
"I love European people. I've said repeatedly that I think that you can't separate American culture from European culture," Vance said, although he again added that the bloc needed to up its defense spending.
"It's not in Europe's interest, and it's not in America's interest, for Europe to be a permanent security vassal of the United States," Vance said.
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It was a dumb mistake — and the beginning of a nightmare
There are moments in life when your own stupidity dumbfounds you. The letter I got from the IRS — on my birthday, no less — was one of those moments.
"Your tax return does not match the information we have on file," the three-page letter began in large bold font.
Confusion quickly curdled into panic. I had to scan the document four times before my brain absorbed the issue. On a page titled "What caused the differences," there were two numbers listed side by side. One number, under the heading "reported by third parties," was my salary at Business Insider. The other number, under "shown on your return," was zero dollars.
Oh, Christ. Not only had I forgotten to attach my W2 in my filing, but I hadn't even declared my salary at BI, which I had joined midway through the year. Without meaning to, I had cheated on my taxes.
In my defense, 2023 had been a chaotic year for my family. Both my wife and I changed jobs. We had our second kid, which meant we remained sleep-deprived throughout tax season. We started a college savings fund for our children. So when it came time to upload all our tax documents, we missed one of the biggest of them all — my W2 for the second half of the year.
I took pictures of the IRS notice and emailed it to Greta Whelan, our accountant for the past decade. She replied three minutes later. "I'll take a look and get back to you," she assured us. "This happens much more often than you might think."
As usual, Greta was right. Every year, several million of Americans fail to properly file their taxes. The IRS also sends taxpayers 170 million notices a year.
My therapist told me I was his third client to get an IRS notice this year. I heard about a guy who became the CEO of a major corporation but forgot to tell his accountant — who wound up omitting more than $3 million in income on the guy's returns. Even tax specialists screw up and forget to attach their W2s. "It happened to me once, I hate to confess," says Richard Rampell, a retired accountant in Palm Beach, Florida.
The galling thing is, it doesn't have to be this way. In the notice I received, the IRS revealed that it already knew damn well exactly how much I had earned from BI that year — without my help. In other words, just by consulting the W2 it received from BI, it could have solved my problem before it even arose. But rather than share its knowledge with me, it penalized me for not reporting the information it already had in hand. More than three dozen other countries already have systems in place to eliminate the need for taxpayers to submit their W2s — but lobbyists for TurboTax and H&R Block have squashed efforts to bring tax sanity to America. With one simple change, we could simplify tax filing, eliminate inadvertent mistakes like mine, and increase America's tax revenue, all without adding a single IRS agent to the federal payroll.
Countries as diverse as Chile, Denmark, and Estonia already automate tax returns. In New Zealand, you log onto a website, see what the government says you owe, and click to verify. In Japan you get a postcard. The government calculates your taxes, you agree or disagree, and you're done. It's a win-win for everyone: less stress for taxpayers, more money for schools and roads and healthcare.
In 2005, the Stanford law professor Joseph Bankman — Sam Bankman-Fried's dad — designed a California pilot program called ReadyReturn, in which single-income taxpayers received return forms prefilled with information the state already had on them. It was a huge success; 99% of taxpayers gave it positive reviews. Arnold Schwarzenegger, then governor, was a fan, and other states were watching closely. But when Bankman tried to get ReadyReturn passed through the state legislature, lobbyists from the big tax accounting firms made sure it was shot down. Why let the government fill out your tax forms for free, when you can pay $50 for some software and struggle through it on your own?
As a result, Americans are stuck with a system that's both cumbersome and prone to errors. A study by economists at the Treasury Department and Dartmouth College found that nearly half of all tax returns are so simple that the IRS could automate them. But instead of implementing this one simple fix to America's tax system, Elon Musk and DOGE are busy firing IRS employees who were working to modernize the agency's technology and operate its taxpayer hotline. In the absence of automated returns, it's been estimated that Americans were forced to spend an average of nine hours on their taxes last year — a staggering 7.9 billion hours of needless stress and lost productivity.
When you get a notice from the IRS, you enter a game of chicken. All our notice asked for was for us to check a box indicating whether we agreed or disagreed with the differences between the amount of income we filed on our returns and the amount the agency knew we actually made. The notice was asking us to say, "You caught me." There was nothing about how much we owed. With the IRS, only after you confess to your crime does the agency send you the bill.
The problem is, you could be waiting a long time for that bill. The agency has a three-year statute of limitations to review filings. But since the pandemic, Greta explained to us, it's been taking longer and longer for the IRS to do its job. Greta has some clients who received bills more than a year and a half after they filed their taxes.
Hence, the game of chicken. We could refile our returns right away and pay the additional taxes we owed, plus nine months of interest and penalties. Or we could wait for the bill and risk letting many more months — or even years — of interest and penalties accrue, in the hopes that we could beg for mercy as first-time offenders.
Greta asked what we wanted to do. Make it go away, we said. Tell us what we owe and make the nightmare end. She redid our returns and emailed us a revised calculation. All told, we owed $10,102, including just over a grand in penalties and interest. Call me crazy, but this sure seems like a place where the world's richest man — a guy who built his wealth on the wonders of technology — could help me keep a little of my own.
Zak Jason is a deputy editor of Discourse at Business Insider.
Business Insider's Discourse stories provide perspectives on the day's most pressing issues, informed by analysis, reporting, and expertise.
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Shares of LVMH plunged 7.8% on Tuesday, losing its position as the world's largest luxury firm to rival Hermès after an unexpected decline in first-quarter sales.
LVMH reported a 3% year-on-year fall in first-quarter sales in a trading update published shortly after the market close on Monday, missing consensus analyst expectations for slight growth.
The results pulled down the wider sector in morning deals amid broader market gains. Kering shares declined 5.2%, Burberry fell 4.6% while Richemont traded 0.9% lower.
LVMH shares on course for the worst session since March 2020. A 0.2% increase in the share price of Hermès saw the Birkin bag-maker's market capitalization surpass that of LVMH.
The afternoon moves put LVMH's market capitalization at 244.1 billion euros ($275.4 billion) against Hermès' 246.4 billion euros, according to a CNBC calculation of FactSet data.
LVMH spent several years as Europe's most valuable company starting with 2021, as luxury stocks were buoyed by hopes of a post-Covid-19 pandemic boom. It has lost more 45% of its value since its record close in 2023.
It was overtaken by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk in late 2023 — before the maker of weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy was itself usurped by German software firm SAP in March 2025.
LVMH's wines and spirits saw the sharpest revenue decline in the first quarter, down 9%, as it flagged weaker demand in the U.S. and China for cognac — the popular brandy variety that has been caught up in geopolitical tensions.
The key fashion and leather goods division, which accounted for 78% of profit in 2024, slid 5%. Sales of watches were flat.
Europe was the only region to record growth, up 2% on an organic basis. Asia excluding Japan plunged 11%, U.S. sales were 3% lower, while Japan was down 1%.
Citi analysts Thomas Chauvet and Mahesh Mohankumar said in a Monday evening note that there was "not much to cheer for at the luxury bellwether," with sales "overall below the most conservative buyside expectations."
They added that it was difficult to foresee sequential revenue improvement in the second and third quarters for either LVMH or the luxury sector while U.S. and global economic uncertainty remained elevated.
"Whilst structural growth drivers remain in place, shorter term visibility is very limited, especially in light of trade tension and tariffs... The next positive catalyst for LVMH/the sector would likely need to come from a macro surprise, as fundamentals will likely remain tough in the short term," Bank of America Global Research analysts said in a note.
The luxury sector, reliant on global supply chains and U.S. consumer demand, is facing a host of headwinds from U.S. President Donald Trump's volatile trade policy.
LVMH, which owns brands including Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon and Hennessy, is the first major European luxury firm to report first-quarter earnings since Trump announced — and then delayed — reciprocal tariffs on its global trading partners.
As such, investors are eager for an indication of the firms' forward guidance on the potential impact of tariffs on input costs and consumer demand.
LVMH Chief Financial Officer Cecile Cabanis told analysts in a Monday call that the group had not seen a "major change in trend" in the first quarter and that it continued to see solid growth in the past six months.
"It's true that aspirational clientele is always more vulnerable in less positive economic cycles and uncertainties, and it might have had some impact in the recent weeks, but rather on categories like wines and spirits and beauty," Cabanis said, according to a FactSet transcript.
Cabanis declined to comment specifically on pricing in the second quarter, but said that it would consider using repricing of goods as a level to moderately offset inflation or swings in currencies.
Luxury brands are expected to be more sheltered than other retailers from the immediate impact of tariffs, with high-end labels typically better able to pass on added costs to wealthy consumers.
Still, analysts have warned that the potential for a tariff-induced economic downturn could weigh heavily on demand —particularly in the key U.S. and China markets — further delaying the sector's recovery from a period of prolonged weakness.
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The U.S. Treasury market over the past week saw investors fleeing the safe haven, in an unusual move that added to the market turmoil caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs — forcing him to suspend the duties.
In just a few sessions, yield on the 10-year Treasury soared to 4.592% on Friday, the highest since February. Similarly, the 30-year Treasury bond yield notched its highest since November 2023 last Wednesday. While yields have ticked lower since then, they still remain elevated.
Yields rose around 50 basis points in the five days to April 11, according to data from LSEG.
With recession fears mounting and markets remaining volatile, the sell-off in Treasurys was unusual as during times of uncertainty investors generally tend to flock to the safety of U.S. debt.
The unusual outflow begs the question: who has been selling — and why?
China is America's second largest foreign creditor after Japan, holding about $760 billion in Treasury securities.
"I think China is actually weaponizing the Treasury holding already," said Chen Zhao, chief global strategist at Alpine Macro.
"They sell U.S. Treasurys and convert the proceeds into Euros or German bunds. That's actually very consistent with what happened over the last couple of weeks," he added. Germany's bunds had bucked a wider sell-off in long-dated Treasurys last week, with its 10-year yields sliding.
However, others suggest that selling Treasurys will bite China just much as it will hurt the U.S.
A rapid sell-off will drive down the value of the remaining bonds, which means China would incur losses on its own investments, said Michael Pettis, Carnegie's senior fellow based in Beijing.
"China selling down Treasury holdings would effectively be shooting themselves in the foot," said Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone. China selling down Treasurys will necessitate capital being moved back into Beijing and spark an appreciation in the yuan.
That will be the "precise opposite" of what Beijing is going for, especially at a time when the government is hoping to stimulate the domestic economy and cushion the blow from tariffs, Brown told CNBC.
The role of Japan, the largest holder of U.S. debt, has also been called into question. The policy chief of the country's ruling party has reportedly emphasized that Japan should not "intentionally" sell its Treasury holdings after an opposition lawmaker floated the idea of using Treasurys as a negotiating tool in bilateral trade negotiations.
One analyst flagged that Japan could actually be the bigger culprit in the Treasurys selloff, rather than China.
"Japan is actually the bigger problem," said BCA Research's Garry Evans. More specifically, Japan's life insurers.
"It's all very well for the Japanese government to say, we're not going to sell U.S. Treasurys, but it's not the Japanese government that owns them. It's Nippon life," he added.
If these insurers are worried about U.S. policy flip-flopping and want to reduce exposure, there's "not a lot the government can do."
The selling could also have been fueled by a combination of European and Japanese pension accounts selling long-dated Treasurys to purchase European fixed income, said Prashant Newnaha, TD Securities' Asia-Pacific macro strategist.
As the bond sell-off gained pace, hedge funds could have been forced to unwind bond-basis trades, which in turn added more fuel to the selling, said Newnaha. When brokers issue margin calls, funds could have been forced to unwind their positions by selling Treasury bonds to raise cash.
These basis trades are commonly employed by macro hedge funds and involve borrowing money to buy Treasurys while selling futures contracts tied to these bonds with the aim of profiting off the price differences.
"Bond vigilantes," a moniker for investors who keep tabs on monetary or fiscal policies that may be inflationary by eschewing government debt or selling them also make the list of suspected sellers.
"The Bond Vigilantes have struck again," wrote Ed Yardeni, who pointed out that recent market movements were a sign that Trump's policies were misguided.
On top of hedge funds unwinding on positions, bond vigilantes imposing their fiscal discipline and ensuring that whatever Trump wants to do is put in check likely catapulted in the selling of UST holdings, observed Newnaha.
Monthly Treasury data usually comes with a lag, and the most recent figures released in March are from January. April data is slated to be released only in June. Given the scale of the sell-off and lack of clear and immediate figures, it's not easy to isolate specific parties driving it and to what degree, market watchers told CNBC.
But undergirding all the conjectures is the perception of diminishing confidence in U.S. policies.
The "incoherent and volatile nature" of policymaking is significantly denting the appeal of Treasurys as a safe haven, said Pepperstone's Brown.
America's policy flip-flops with regards to tariffs has undermined confidence in U.S. assets that has led to a weakening in the U.S. dollar which would typically be a beneficiary of investors looking for safe haven assets.
"Should the market's trust issues with the U.S. administration deteriorate further, then this could be the catalyst for the sell-off to take on its next leg," said Newnaha.
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A day without major tariff developments from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is, for markets, a period of cautious optimism (or at least what passes as "optimism" in such unusual times). There was breathing room on Monday for markets to make tentative moves upward, especially after the news out late Friday of a last-minute exception for electronics from so-called reciprocal tariffs. White House officials are still making their rounds on major news channels to preach the sense of Trump's economic policy. The latest to do so is National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, who, on Fox Business, said Monday the country would "100% not" fall into a recession this year.Consumers don't share that faith. A Federal Reserve survey, conducted in March and released on Monday, is the latest in a series of consumer polls that show sentiment over the economy slumping. Any gains in the market, then, could last only as far as tariff don't run further amok and cause economic damage, despite White House officials' attempts to reassure on the latter front.
Markets across the globe riseU.S. stocks rose Monday, aided by a slight recovery in tech names on news of a tariff exemption for electronic goods. The S&P 500 added 0.79%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.78% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.64%. Asia-Pacific markets were mostly positive Tuesday. India's Nifty 50 popped more than 2% at its open. Market watchers are awaiting the country's March inflation figures, out later today. China's CSI 300 fell around 0.3% amid UBS downgrading its forecast of the country's 2025 economic growth.
Hassett says no chance of recessionU.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Monday that "more than 10" countries had made "very good, amazing" trade deal offers to the U.S. He also said that there was no chance at all that the U.S. will experience a recession in 2025. A Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey released the same day — but conducted before April 2 — showed consumer worries in March growing over inflation, unemployment and the stock market.
Volatility from zero-day optionsZero-day-to-expiration options are partly to blame for the wild swings in the stock market recently. Zero-day options, which are contracts that expire the same day they're traded, have surged 23% in trading volume from the start of the year to April, according to JPMorgan data. "We find that 0DTE (+1DTE) have been instrumental in driving more intraday volatility, Maxwell Grinacoff, UBS' head of U.S. equity derivatives research, said in a note.
Nvidia to build supercomputer in U.S.Nvidia said Monday it plans to produce up to $500 billion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the U.S. via its manufacturing partnerships over the next four years. Its Blackwell AI chips have started production in Phoenix at Taiwan Semiconductor plants, the chipmaker wrote in a blog post. Nvidia is also building manufacturing plants in Texas to produce AI super computers — the first time Nvidia will make one entirely in the U.S.
Semiconductor support package amid probeSouth Korea on Tuesday announced a support package of 33 trillion won ($23.25 billion) for its semiconductor industry. That amount is about a quarter more than the 26 trillion won committed last year, according to a press release from the finance ministry, possibly in response to U.S. trade policy. The U.S. Commerce Department is conducting a national security investigation into imports of semiconductor technology and related downstream products, according to a Federal Register notice put online Monday.
[PRO] 'Prepare to be fooled' on tariffs: Morgan StanleyDespite recent concessions on tariffs by Trump, Morgan Stanley cautioned investors not to let their guard down. "Investors should prepare to be fooled many more times," the firm's strategists led by Matthew Hornbach said in a note to clients titled "Fool Me Once, Shame On You. Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me."
Trump tariffs won't lead supply chains back to U.S. — companies will go low-tariff globe-hopping: CNBC survey
If China is going to lose some manufacturing as a result of Trump's tariffs, the U.S. manufacturing sector won't be the main beneficiary, according to a new CNBC Supply Chain Survey. The Trump administration says a reshoring boom is coming, but most companies tell CNBC that the costs could as much as double to bring supply chains back and instead a new search for low-tariff regimes around the world will commence.
Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) said cost was the top reason for saying they would not be reshoring production, followed by the challenge of finding skilled labor (21%). The Trump administration has promised tax cuts for companies that bring back manufacturing, but the survey found taxes lower in the ranking of costs that impact manufacturing site decision making.
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Oil giant BP has been thrust into the spotlight as a prime takeover candidate — but energy analysts question whether any of the likeliest suitors will rise to the occasion.
Britain's beleaguered energy giant, which holds its annual general meeting on Thursday, has recently sought to resolve something of an identity crisis by launching a fundamental reset.
Seeking to rebuild investor confidence, BP in February pledged to slash renewable spending and boost annual expenditure on its core business of oil and gas. CEO Murray Auchincloss has said that the pivot is starting to attract "significant interest" in the firm's non-core assets.
BP's green strategy U-turn follows a protracted period of underperformance relative to its industry peers, with its depressed share price reigniting speculation of a prospective tie-up with domestic rival Shell. U.S. oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron have also been touted as possible suitors for the £54.75 billion ($71.61 billion) oil major.
Shell declined to comment on the speculation. Spokespersons for BP, Exxon and Chevron did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by CNBC.
"Certainly, BP is a potential takeover target — no doubt about that," Maurizio Carulli, energy and materials analyst at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC by video call.
"I would conceptualize the question of 'will Shell bid for BP' in the more general consolidation that it is happening in the resources sector, both oil but also mining — particularly in the past year a lot of companies thought that to buy was better than to build," he added.
In the energy sector, for example, Exxon Mobil completed its $60 billion purchase of Pioneer Natural Resources in May last year, while Chevron still seeks to acquire Hess for $53 billion. The latter agreement remains shrouded in legal uncertainty, however, with an arbitration hearing scheduled for next month.
In the mining space, market speculation kicked into overdrive at the start of the year following reports of a potential tie-up between industry giants Rio Tinto and Glencore. Both companies declined to comment at the time.
Quilter Cheviot's Carulli named Chevron as a potential suitor for BP, particularly if the U.S. energy giant's pursuit of Hess falls through.
Speculation about a potential merger between Shell and BP, meanwhile, is far from new. Carulli said that while the rumors have some merit, a prospective deal would likely trigger antitrust concerns.
Perhaps more importantly, Carulli added that a move to acquire BP would conflict with Shell's steadfast commitment to capital discipline under CEO Wael Sawan.
"Never say never, right? I think even Exxon-Chevron in the depth of the pandemic held talks so I think that would have been even wilder to say," Allen Good, director of equity research at Morningstar, told CNBC by telephone.
"I wouldn't take anything off on the table. You know, oil and gas is facing an existential crisis. Now, views differ on how soon that crisis will come to head. I think we're still decades away," Good said.
For Shell, Morningstar's Good said that any pursuit of BP would likely be an attempt to merge the two British peers, as opposed to an outright acquisition — although he said he doesn't expect such a prospect to materialize in the near term.
Asked about the likelihood of Chevron seeking to purchase BP if a deal to acquire Hess collapses, Morningstar's Good said he couldn't rule it out.
"BP certainly doesn't have the growth prospects that Hess does, but you could get a situation where, again, like I said with Shell, you'd have Chevron acquiring BP, stripping out a lot of costs, certainly the headquarters would no longer be in London … but it doesn't address the growth concerns ex-Permian for Chevron. So, in that case, I would be a little skeptical," Good said.
"The issues these companies are facing are to please shareholders, and the two ways to do that really are to reduce costs and return cash to shareholders. So if you can continue to lean into that model somehow, then that's the probably the way to do it," he added.
Michele Della Vigna, head of EMEA natural resources research at Goldman Sachs, described BP's recent strategic reset as "very wise" and "thoughtful," but acknowledged that it may not have gone far enough for an activist investor.
U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management has reportedly built a near 5% stake to become one of BP's largest shareholders. Activist investor Follow This, meanwhile, recently pushed for investors to vote against Helge Lund's reappointment as chair at BP's upcoming shareholder meeting in protest over the firm's recent strategy U-turn. BP has since said that Lund will step down, likely in 2026, kickstarting a succession process.
"I think there are three major optionalities in BP's portfolio that any activist investor would love to see monetized. The first one is not all in BP's hands, it's the monetization of the Rosneft stake," Della Vigna told CNBC over a video call.
BP announced it was abandoning its 19.75% shareholding in Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft shortly after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. It had marked a costly and abrupt end to more than three decades of activity in the country.
A second optionality for BP, Della Vigna said, is the firm's marketing and convenience business.
"I mean, within BP, a company that trades on three times EBITDA, there's a division that can trade at 10 times EBITDA, right? Amazing. You can make the same point for a lot of the other Big Oils," Della Vigna said.
EBITDA is a standard metric that refers to a firm's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.
"The third option is BP is a U.S.- centered energy company — and it's clear, right? BP is the most U.S.- exposed of all the majors, more than Exxon and Chevron," Della Vigna said, noting that 40% of BP's cash flow comes from the U.S.
"So, being listed in the U.K., when the U.K. gets you the biggest discount of any other region in Big Oil, doesn't feel right. I think some form of relocation or transatlantic merger may be worth considering," he added.
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Hong Kong pushes to position itself not only as a bridge to mainland capital, but as a true global gateway for the ultra-wealthy.
Hong Kong is going all-in to lure family offices and cement its place on the global wealth map.
The city is setting an ambitious target: 200 new large family offices by the end of 2025, on top of the 2,700 already in place as of late 2023. The government is pulling key levers to get there, from hosting its third high-profile Wealth for Good Summit on March 26, to easingBloomberg Terminal capital investment visa rules and floating fresh tax perksBloomberg Terminal for family offices.
Ethereum Gaming Project CyberKongz Says SEC Has Ended Investigation
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Ethereum NFT and gaming project CyberKongz said Tuesday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ended its investigation into the project, adding to the growing list of concluded investigations from the regulator since the shift to a more crypto-friendly administration under President Donald Trump.
The project, which said that it had been in contact with the Commission for at least two years, announced the receipt of a Wells notice from the regulator in December. A Wells notice informs recipients that the SEC is considering taking enforcement action against them, but now that investigation has ended without findings or enforcement.
An SEC spokesperson declined comment when reached by Decrypt. The regulator has consistently declined comment when firms have reported closed investigations in recent weeks.
“After years of litigation, unjust allegations, crippling legal fees, and the biggest hurdle we could possibly encounter—we are free,” the project posted on X (formerly Twitter). “This is an extremely proud moment for CyberKongz. We are a small, passionate, and creative Web3 team that elected to fight this battle for the betterment of Web3.”
The SEC's scrutiny of the project stemmed from the use of its BANANA token, alongside a blockchain game and the project's Genesis Kongz contract migration in 2021—which regulators had apparently interpreted as a token sale.
Given the popularity of projects launching tokens alongside blockchain games, CyberKongz called the SEC's token discourse “very concerning rhetoric,” which could “have major implications for the entire Web3 gaming industry.”
Now, though, the project's leadership believes this result will provide clarity to projects building in the Web3 gaming space.
“We have taken some hard hits; but ultimately we have come through the other side—stronger and more determined than ever,” said pseudonymous CyberKongz creator and artist Myoo on X. “The next chapter involves going back to our roots and doing what Kongz does best.”
CyberKongz is not the only NFT-adjacent crypto project to announce a “victory” against the SEC of late. In early March, Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs announced that its investigation by the SEC had been closed, calling it a “huge win” for NFTs.
Furthermore, NFT marketplace OpenSea also had its investigation dropped by the Commission in late February. However, as recently as last week, it was still seeking clarity from the regulator about NFT marketplace rules.
CyberKongz launched its genesis NFT collection on Ethereum in 2021. The project has since spawned multiple companion collections, including one on Ethereum gaming sidechain Ronin, where it migrated its Play & Kollect game in 2023.
Once boasting sales above $300,000, the project's flagship collection now starts at a price of $5,447 worth of Ethereum, according to NFT Price Floor.
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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Michael Ebiekutan
FXStreet
Ethereum (ETH) is down 2% on Tuesday following a 120K ETH decline in the net balance of staking protocols in the past five days. While the decreasing staking balance could accelerate selling pressure, the resumption of whale buying activity could help the top altcoin defend a key ascending triangle's support.
With the shadow of Trump's tariffs still hanging over the crypto market, ETH investors who have held their tokens in staking protocols are beginning to show weakness after depleting their staked holdings. In the past five days, Ethereum's total value staked dropped by over 120K ETH, worth about $192 million.
ETH total value staked. Source: CryptoQuant
A decrease in the total number of staked coins signals that investors are looking to distribute their assets. If these unstaked tokens enter the open market, it could cause further downside pressure on ETH.
The staking outflows align with a rapid increase in Ethereum exchange supply in the past two weeks. Since the beginning of April, ETH's supply on exchanges has increased by nearly 400K ETH, causing prices to decline briefly below $1,500 last week.
A cryptocurrency's exchange supply increase indicates rising selling pressure and could result in an opposite price reaction.
ETH exchange reserve. Source: CryptoQuant
While the bearish sentiment remains, Ethereum whales — with a balance of 10K ETH to 100K ETH — flipped from selling to buying on Tuesday. After distributing over 570K ETH between April 2 and April 14, these whales have resumed accumulation, scooping up 320K ETH in the past 24 hours.
An extended rise in whale buying could provide support for and boost prices.
ETH supply distribution (10K-100K ETH). Source: Santiment
Ethereum saw $34.30 million in futures liquidations in the past 24 hours, according to Coinglass data. The total amount of liquidated long and short positions accounted for $24.72 million and $9.58 million, respectively.
ETH tested the support of an ascending triangle in the past few hours as it aims to hold the $1,600 level. If the triangle's support holds, ETH could test the resistance near $1,688, which is strengthened by a key descending trendline extending from March 25. A firm move above the resistance could see ETH tackle the $1,800 level.
ETH/USDT 4-hour chart
On the downside, a firm breakdown below the ascending triangle could send ETH toward the $1,522 key support. Bulls will have to defend the $1,412 key level if this support fails.
Since Friday, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastic Oscillator (Stoch) have mostly been above their neutral levels. However, the recent move below their neutral levels could accelerate bearish momentum.
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Axiom meme coin trading volume hit $101 million for the first time, surpassing other platforms on Solana. Axiom accounts for 30% of the ecosystem's trading users, followed by Photon and Bullx at 24% each.
Bitcoin (BTC) price edges higher and trades slightly above $85,500 at the time of writing on Tuesday after recovering nearly 7% the previous week. The rising Global M2 money supply could be a favorable signal for both Gold and Bitcoin.
Cryptocurrencies have sustained a buoyant outlook since last week as US President Donald Trump's tariff war was paused for 90 days, except for China, propping global markets for lifeline relief rallies.
Algorand, Decentraland and JasmyCoin hovers around $0.19, $0.27, and $0.015 on Tuesday after a double-digit recovery last week. ALGO, MANA and JASMY approach their key resistance levels; breakout suggests a rally ahead.
Bitcoin (BTC) price extends recovery to around $82,500 on Friday after dumping to a new year-to-date low of $74,508 to start the week. Market uncertainty remains high, leading to a massive shakeout, with total liquidations hitting $2.18 billion across crypto markets.
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Bitcoin Has a DC Policy Institute, So Does Solana. Where's Ethereum?
$84,105.00
$1,611.74
$2.12
$583.04
$127.95
$0.99999
$0.25109
$0.155391
$0.619918
$1,607.31
$84,069.00
$9.36
$19.37
$12.40
$2.95
$0.238779
$1.00
$0.00001183
$2.14
$1,930.75
$0.159831
$323.38
$75.51
$3.59
$1.00
$4.29
$15.33
$0.999229
$0.661436
$1,611.16
$27.63
$213.44
$1,713.53
$5.25
$84,013.00
$51.07
$0.00000703
$4.68
$22.37
$33.75
$0.84498
$1.048
$2.05
$1.00
$0.702579
$4.81
$0.083082
$15.02
$1.17
$135.64
$231.50
$0.075358
$0.02265378
$3.76
$4.20
$4.04
$83,974.00
$0.99756
$2.42
$0.181456
$7.87
$0.182129
$0.28025
$0.475608
$2.47
$3.76
$0.284319
$83,951.00
$10.34
$0.460271
$1,370.78
$4.10
$0.0702
$0.999794
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$0.644294
$0.36435
$1.025
$0.01563489
$1,612.75
$65.73
$1,677.10
$0.00001205
$0.722767
$0.595158
$0.586891
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$0.844748
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$0.592227
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$0.078184
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$0.401951
$0.01489567
$0.998128
$84,049.00
$0.274405
$0.669331
$1,714.28
$0.01425795
$0.999471
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$0.689463
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$2.08
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$0.158746
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$0.271848
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$1,685.04
$3.06
$0.998931
$0.49015
$0.99999
$0.068779
$80,851.00
$14.11
$0.99999
$0.424293
$0.126283
$1.62
$0.470438
$0.00475286
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$84,033.00
$84,514.00
$0.00000043
$0.546273
$1,680.24
$0.99977
$1.08
$0.00710511
$110.69
$0.15529
$0.395139
$1.87
$1.12
$0.00001962
$13.84
$1,712.97
$82,964.00
$5.39
$83,966.00
$23.02
$0.999982
$0.569426
$1,603.54
$0.03646834
$39.86
$0.999832
$0.122006
$1,611.79
$1.002
$2.18
$0.067889
$1,606.41
$0.03610818
$1,612.21
$1.00
$5.08
$0.412336
$0.125433
$0.01687152
$1.001
$0.999254
$0.401378
$0.999898
$0.069798
$0.18131
$0.00005752
$0.748712
$0.156205
$3.88
$0.725625
$0.03067792
$0.259776
$0.00573401
$0.0035369
$0.999915
$0.00463417
$1,630.25
$0.468031
$0.140134
$109.10
$0.299345
$0.00000136
$2.45
$84,094.00
$3,213.93
$84,020.00
$1.06
$1,593.91
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$0.20704
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$0.0027917
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$1,612.62
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$21.68
$0.420326
$0.02775061
$1,702.01
$0.239328
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$0.167736
$19.36
$1,688.84
$0.99899
$0.03192277
$0.095871
$3.35
$1,763.82
$0.093864
$0.635279
$0.01081902
$1,750.26
$84,030.00
$1.13
$1.00
$2.67
$0.00035169
$0.881217
$12.80
$1.95
By Sander Lutz
Apr 15, 2025Apr 15, 2025
5 min read
The popular line in D.C. these days is that 2025 is the most important year crypto policy will ever have. Federal agencies are reshaping their digital asset policies at a mile a minute; foundational crypto bills are sprinting through both chambers of Congress; meanwhile, the president continues to enact policies the industry has craved for years.
In response, backers of the world's biggest blockchains have rushed to set up specialized shops in Washington, to make the most of crypto's big moment. At the start of the year, the Bitcoin Policy Institute—which previously had only three full-time staff members—tripled in size and set up physical D.C. offices for the first time. Earlier this month, two of Washington's top crypto lobbyists made waves by joining forces to create the Solana Policy Institute.
So where, among all the noise, is Ethereum?
The dominant blockchain, which birthed decentralized applications and smart contracts at scale, is undeniably one of crypto's biggest players. But the chain's leadership has also suffered a reputation, for some time, as caring more about technological principles than the often essential but less lofty task of courting public opinion.
There is no Ethereum-branded policy shop currently active in Washington. Nor are you likely to run into any lobbyist in the city who would describe their job as solely dedicated to advocating for Ethereum during the second Trump administration. But when recently pressed on the question, some of the blockchain's top political allies argued there's nothing about that setup that needs to change anytime soon.
“There is not one iota of anxiety or concern about the degree, or the quality, of engagement about Ethereum,” Bill Hughes, Consensys' director of Global Regulatory Matters, told Decrypt of the current state of play in Trump's Washington.
Hughes' full-time gig chiefly concerns shepherding Consensys, the Ethereum software giant, through all manner of regulatory hurdles. But the former Trump official, who held various positions in the White House and at the DOJ during the president's first term, also considers representing the Ethereum network more broadly to be a crucial part of his job.
In recent weeks, Hughes has taken meetings at the White House and the SEC to discuss Ethereum's long-term future. But, the executive says, signaling Ethereum's accomplishments in that arena is simply unnecessary.
“We don't need a marketing exercise for our policy work,” he said. “And maybe other people do.”
While Hughes said he welcomed the recent creation of the Solana Policy Institute (“The more the merrier,” he said), he also colored the move as a marketing play—one he says Ethereum would never need, given the chain is so “naturally” dominant in policy conversations.
Hughes recounted a recent SEC meeting focused on crypto staking where, he said, agency staff discussed the practice “completely in the context of Ethereum”—prompting a Solana-focused attendee to “stand up and be like, ‘Well, also, Solana does it a little bit differently.'”
“MEV in Solana? Never discussed,” Hughes continued, speaking generally of conversations in D.C. about the specialized practice of extracting additional revenue for network miners and validators on decentralized networks. “To the extent MEV is a policy issue, it will be discussed in the context of Ethereum, full stop.”
Hughes added the same is true of policy discussions related to other issues like staking ETPs—Wall Street-traded products seeking to pass on rewards earned from staking cryptocurrencies like ETH and SOL to investors. Though regulations in that arena certainly concern both Ethereum and Solana, Hughes maintains Ethereum has been—and will always be—the focus of such conversations in Washington.
Representatives for the Solana Policy Institute declined to be interviewed for this story.
Danny Ryan, a longtime Ethereum developer who coordinated the blockchain's 2022 merge, proudly considers the network's lobbying strategies superior to other chains because of their decentralized character.
“Ethereum itself does well by having many, many advocates,” he recently told Decrypt. “True decentralization, rather than an entirely centralized play.”
Ryan considers himself one soldier in Ethereum's army of the many. Last month, he joined Etherealize, a new organization dedicated to streamlining the network's relationship with Wall Street. Every so often, Ryan also makes his way down to D.C. to represent the blockchain in policy conversations. Earlier this month, he joined the same Ethereum-focused White House meeting attended by Consensys' Bill Hughes.
As with Hughes, Ryan's full-time job isn't representing Ethereum's interests in Washington. And the software developer acknowledges that, in hyper-centralized ecosystems like Washington and Wall Street, it can be crucial for powerful people to know where to go when they want to liaise directly on a given subject.
“But that's something that we're trying to do,” he said. “To be a coherent voice… that picks up the phone and gets on a call.”
Earlier this year, amid increasing anger at the Ethereum Foundation over its leadership's perceived lack of concern for matters of public relations, Ryan's name was floated by many as an ideal choice for executive director—given his perceived ability to lobby hard for the network and represent its cultural identity. But ultimately, he was not appointed to the job.
More than other one-time Ethereum Foundation bigwigs, Ryan is willing to state outright that the Ethereum ecosystem can sometimes struggle with marketing—even if such considerations may not be existential.
“There's certainly a vacuum,” Ryan acknowledged. But the developer maintains that his role, and the role of other part-time contributors to the decentralized Ethereum advocacy apparatus, is to “help fill that vacuum”—and in doing so create “a more coherent discussion and narrative.”
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The Bitcoin miner plans to start manufacturing mining rigs in the United States, according to Bloomberg.
Bitcoin miner Bitdeer is reportedly expanding its self-mining operations and investing in United States-based production as looming trade wars rock global supply chains and cryptocurrency markets.
Bitdeer has begun prioritizing mining Bitcoin (BTC) itself in response to cooling demand for its mining hardware from other miners, Bloomberg reported on April 15.
“Our plan going forward is to prioritize our own self-mining,” Jeff LaBerge, Bitdeer's head of capital markets and strategic initiatives, reportedly said.
Additionally, Bitdeer plans to scale US hardware manufacturing in the second half of the year as US President Donald Trump touts plans to penalize foreign imports and promote domestic manufacturing, Bloomberg said.
“This is something we've been planning for a long time,” LaBerge said about the manufacturing plans. “We want to bring jobs and manufacturing back to America.”
In April, Trump tipped plans for sweeping tariffs on US imports. The Bitcoin network is especially vulnerable to trade barriers since mining hardware involves complex global supply chains.
Bitcoin's hash price is near all-time lows. Source: Hashrate Index
Related: Tariffs, capital controls could fragment blockchain networks — Execs
Bitcoin miners — including Bitdeer — have struggled in 2025 as volatile crypto markets worsen the impact of the Bitcoin network's April 2024 halving.
In February, Bitdeer's stock dropped by roughly 28% after the Bitcoin miner announced lower-than-expected earnings and revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024.
Bitdeer's “lower performance compared to Q4 2023 was primarily driven by the impact of the April 2024 halving,” among other factors, Harris Bassett, Bitdeer's chief strategy officer, said during Bitdeer's earnings call.
Every four years, the amount of BTC mined per “block” — a bundle of transaction data stored on the blockchain — is cut in half. The April 2024 halving reduced mining rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC per block.
Bitcoin price versus stocks. Source: 21Shares
Since then, mining revenues and gross profits have dropped by an average of 46% and 57%, respectively, JPMorgan said previously in a research note shared with Cointelegraph.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin's hash price — a measure of miner profitability — has sunk to nearly all-time lows, according to data from the Hashrate Index.
In 2024, Bitdeer tried to offset declining mining revenues by selling its own energy-efficient Bitcoin mining rigs. However, sales growth has been limited and did not offset weakness in other business lines in Q4.
The market turbulence comes as Bitcoin Trump family-backed crypto mining operation American Bitcoin reportedly is considering an initial public offering.
Magazine: Memecoin degeneracy is funding groundbreaking anti-aging research
A Pennsylvania man could serve up to six years in prison after filing false tax returns that underreported millions of dollars of income he made from selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Waylon Wilcox earned most of his unreported money by hawking 97 CryptoPunk NFTs in 2021 and 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Attorney says Wilcox underreported his 2021 income by more than $8.5 million and reduced his tax burden by nearly $2.2 million. He then underreported his 2022 income by nearly $4.6 million and reduced his tax by more than $1 million. Both years, he indicated on his tax returns that he didn't receive money for digital assets, but prosecutors say that he sold 97 CryptoPunks worth $12.3 million.
Explained Yury Kruty, Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge,
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial schemes involving virtual currencies and non-fungible token (NFT) transactions designed to conceal taxable income. In today's economic environment, it's more important than ever that the American people feel confident that everyone is playing by the rules and paying the taxes they owe.”
Wilcox pled guilty last week to two counts related to filing false tax returns. He will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison.
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Leading altcoin Ethereum has seen its price climb 5% over the past week, riding the wave of a broader market recovery. This price growth has reignited demand for the altcoin, particularly among US-based ETH retail traders, as indicated by on-chain data.
However, institutional investors appear to remain skeptical. They continue to pull their capital from ETH-backed funds, signaling their lack of confidence in any near-term price rebound.
The increase in retail interest is evident in ETH's Coinbase Premium. It has moved back above zero, signaling heightened buying activity from US investors. At press time, this is at 0.016.
ETH's Coinbase Premium Index measures the difference between the coin's prices on Coinbase and Binance. When its value climbs above zero, it suggests significant buying activity by US-based investors on Coinbase.
Conversely, when it declines and dips into the negative territory, it signals less trading activity on the US-based exchange.
ETH's Coinbase Premium Index reflects bullish sentiment in the market, as traders are willing to pay a premium to purchase the coin on Coinbase. In the short term, this can drive up the altcoin's value, as it signals growing investor interest.
However, institutional investors in the US remain cautious. This is evident in the ongoing outflows from US-based spot ETH exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking the altcoin's seventh consecutive day of withdrawals.
The continued exit of institutional capital stands in stark contrast to the growing enthusiasm among retail traders. This divergence suggests that while US retail investors are increasingly optimistic about ETH's short-term prospects, institutional players are more cautious, possibly due to macroeconomic uncertainty.
ETH's Balance of Power (BoP) is positive at press time, reflecting today's market recovery. This indicator, which measures buying and selling pressures, is in an upward trend at 0.57.
A positive BoP like this indicates more capital inflow into ETH than outflow, signaling an accumulation trend. If this continues, it could push the altcoin's price to $2,114.
However, if market sentiment turns bearish and ETH retail traders reduce their demand for the altcoin, it could lose recent gains and drop to $1,395.
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By Emily Harper
Key Takeaways:
On April 14, OpenSea, one of the earliest and most widely used NFT marketplaces, made a full transition to new infrastructure by launching OS 2.0. The new version is the culmination of two years of engineering work, designed to rebuild OpenSea from the ground up for Web3's next-generation, modular infrastructure.
OS 2.0 introduces substantial architecture and performance improvements. The platform now shares a uniform smart contract basis across all chains, starting with Ethereum and in the future scaling to other networks. The contracts are upgradable, modular, and creator-collector-optimized. OpenSea ensures better load times, improved reliability, and lower gas fees with this launch. Features like premium order types, royalty optimization, and on-chain compliance aim to give creators more control and allow traders to be more functional.
Perhaps the most anticipated announcement is the release of SEA, OpenSea's long-anticipated native token. After years of speculation, the firm has confirmed that the token does indeed exist and detailed a multi-phase airdrop under the rubric “OpenSea is now a protocol, not just a marketplace.”
The SEA token will be a governance token for the OpenSea protocol, with voting rights in decision-making for protocol upgrades, incentive design, and treasury payouts. Unlike most other marketplace tokens, which tend to care primarily about fee discounts, SEA is built to influence the direction of the platform instead of just itself — bringing OpenSea in line with the decentralization ethos of Web3.
The airdrop structure will benefit long-time OpenSea buyers, regular NFT traders, and early adopters. Qualification will be based on contribution history as well as on-chain activity. OpenSea has already launched a claims page that is live, where qualified wallets can confirm and redeem their allocations. The initial distribution is live, with additional waves to come over the next few months.
One of the standout features of OS 2.0 is its smart contract system, which allows for quick upgrades and feature extension without the need to completely redeploy contracts. That translates to the platform being able to be improved faster, respond to creator and community feedback faster, and reduce downtime from large changes.
OS 2.0 also facilitates gas-optimized execution, or reduced listing and purchasing NFT fees. This would help bridge the cost gap between decentralized and centralized platforms, and make OpenSea more attractive to new users.
The launch of the SEA token has generated widespread excitement among the NFT community. Traders are watching closely for eligibility and positioning themselves to be part of DAO governance.
Early feedback on OS 2.0 has been uniformly positive, with users reporting smoother experiences and thanking OpenSea for the transparency shown in releasing its roadmap. However, success relies on implementation and how OpenSea builds trust across communities after years of dominance within the centralized landscape.
More News: OpenSea's Bold Move: SEA Token Launch, OS2 Revamp, and a Battle for NFT Market Dominance
Emily Harper
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Emily creates beginner-friendly content to help newcomers understand cryptocurrency basics. She has a background in education and started her crypto journey researching Ethereum's smart contracts. Her goal is to empower readers to make informed decisions in the crypto world. Emily's approachable writing style makes complex topics accessible.
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The US considers untapped financial resources, like tariff revenues and gold revaluation, to fund Bitcoin acquisitions.
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
Bo Hines, Executive Director of the Presidential Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, has outlined how he claims the US plans to grow its newly established Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) budget-neutrally.
On Anthony Pompliano's podcast, Hines explained that the administration is exploring several budget-neutral strategies, including leveraging tariff revenue and revaluing Treasury gold certificates.
Hines pointed out that one of the options under review is the use of tariff-generated revenue.
Over the past weeks, President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs that triggered a temporary global market downturn. While the President has since paused part of its policy, his administration has maintained its tariffs on China.
According to Hines, any future tariff earnings could help support Bitcoin purchases and align with their commitment to avoid extra costs for the BTC purchases.
He stated:
“We're looking at many creative ways—whether it be from tariffs, whether it be from something else… Everything is on the table.”
Hines pointed out that another proposal gaining traction involves updating the valuation of Treasury-held gold certificates.
Currently, these certificates are priced at $43 per ounce, far below the actual market rate of over $3,000.
The government official said that revising this outdated valuation could unlock capital that may be used to acquire more Bitcoin for the reserve.
According to him:
“If you took that value, what you could do is use that extra funding to buy more Bitcoin. That could be used for the reserve.”
Hines made it clear there is no cap on how much Bitcoin the government aims to hold, contrasting to the 1 million target matched by many.
He said:
“You know, I've heard a lot of different senators and folks on the Hill talk about specific numbers. But I'd like it to be infinite. I want as much as we can possibly accumulate.”
The government official continued that the goal is to secure long-term economic strength through strategic accumulation, not arbitrary targets.
He concluded:
“That's like asking how much gold you want as a country. Anything with intrinsic store value—you want as much as you can possibly accumulate. And that's no different with Bitcoin.”
Oluwapelumi values Bitcoin's potential. He imparts insights on a range of topics like DeFi, hacks, mining and culture, underlining transformative power.
Also known as "Akiba," Liam Wright is the Editor-in-Chief at CryptoSlate and host of the SlateCast. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change.
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After launching his NFT cards, the World Liberty Financial crypto DeFi platform, the USD1 stablecoin, and the $TRUMP meme coin, president Trump is now reportedly preparing to launch a crypto game that is similar to the iconic MONOPOLY GO!
To wit, Fortune is now reporting that Trump is about to remove the proverbial wraps from his latest venture: a Monopoly-like crypto game where players can earn in-game cash by moving and erecting properties in a digital city.
The venture is reportedly being spearheaded by Bill Zanker, a longtime Trump associate. Zanker has confirmed that he is developing a game that will launch later in April, but denied his initiative's purported similarity to MONOPOLY GO!
As stated earlier, this venture would merely be the latest in a long series of commercial ventures that Trump and his family members have launched recently. For instance, the Trump family receives hefty fees from the sale of the $WLFI token, which is the governance token of the World Liberty Financial DeFi platform. Moreover, the launch of the $TRUMP meme coin just ahead of his inauguration briefly swelled the president's net worth to around $70 billion.
Recently, Trump Media and Technology Group, where Trump holds the majority stake albeit encapsulated within a trust, partnered with Crypto.com to offer a variety of crypto-related ETFs under the Truth.Fi brand, in conjunction with Yorkville advisors.
The CEO of Crypto.com recently noted that the envisaged ETFs will include one that comprises "the first of its kind basket of tokens including CRO." These crypto-focused ETFs are expected to launch later this year following regulatory approval, and will also be widely available internationally.
In November, the Financial Times reported that Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) was in advanced talks to acquire Bakkt, a dedicated crypto exchange owned by Intercontinental Exchange.
More recently, Trump Media's board approved the creation of a "strategic acquisition fund with select investors," setting off a wave of speculation in relation to the possible acquisition of Bakkt.
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Shares of Applied Digital (APLD), a Texas bitcoin mining and data center firm, dropped sharply on Tuesday after the digital infrastructure provider reported quarterly results that fell short of Wall Street expectations.
The company, which has pivoted from its crypto mining roots to focus on high-performance computing (HPC) and AI-focused data centers, reported revenue of $52.9 million for the quarter ending February 28, 2025—a 22% increase from a year earlier, but well below analysts' consensus estimate of $64.5 million, a nearly 18% miss.
Despite the top-line miss, Applied Digital reported a non-GAAP net loss of $0.08 per share, beating analysts' expectations of a $0.10 per-share loss. However, adjusted EBITDA came in at $10 million, a 41% miss compared to the expected $16.9 million, signaling continued margin pressure amid heavy infrastructure investments.APLD shares plunged as much as 30% from the Monday close, and were trading around $3.90 in the early hours of the session.A significant drag came from the company's Cloud Services unit, which posted a sharp sequential revenue decline of 36%, falling from $27.7 million in the prior quarter to $17.8 million. Applied Digital attributed the drop to a shift from single-tenant contracts to a multi-tenant, on-demand GPU model—a transition that faced initial technical challenges.
Notably, the company's board of directors approved on April 10 a plan to sell the Cloud Services business entirely, aiming to refocus on its core HPC data center operations and potentially position itself as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the future.
“We believe separating the Cloud Services business from our data center operations better serves the long-term interests of our shareholders,” said CEO Wes Cummins on the company's earnings call.
Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
Krisztian Sandor is a U.S. markets reporter focusing on stablecoins, tokenization, real-world assets. He graduated from New York University's business and economic reporting program before joining CoinDesk. He holds BTC, SOL and ETH.
“AI Boost” indicates a generative text tool, typically an AI chatbot, contributed to the article. In each and every case, the article was edited, fact-checked and published by a human. Read more about CoinDesk's AI Policy.
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Bitcoin takes fresh stabs at $86,000 as trader optimism mixes with distrust of a genuine BTC price trend change based on short-term market behavior.
Bitcoin (BTC) eyed new April highs at the April 15 Wall Street open amid skepticism over BTC price strength.
BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD seeking to break through $86,000.
Continued strength through the weekend had set up the pair for an attack on levels closer to $90,000, these absent since early March.
Concerns over macroeconomic volatility, with the US trade war at its center, nonetheless kept market participants from calling an end to the Bitcoin bull market correction.
“It's funny watching sentiment shift so quickly - just days ago everyone was calling for 50k, now they're rushing to flip bullish at the first green candle. This emotional rollercoaster is exactly why most traders lose money,” trading resource Stockmoney Lizards wrote in part of its latest analysis on X.
BTC/USDT perpetual contract 2-day chart. Source: Stockmoney Lizards/X
Stockmoney Lizards saw rangebound BTC price action continuing prior to a retest of the most significant longer-term resistance nearer $100,000.
“My outlook remains cautiously optimistic - expect continued ranging between 78-88k for several weeks as Bitcoin builds energy for its next move,” they forecast.
A key topic of conversation among traders was a BTC price breakthrough attempt focusing on a multimonth downward trend line.
Related: Can 3-month Bitcoin RSI highs counter bearish BTC price 'seasonality?'
As Cointelegraph reported, this has been in place since BTC/USD set its current all-time highs in January. Now, its status as resistance appears to be waning.
It didn't break a multimonth downtrend just for $86K, it wants to challenge for a higher high near the 200 MA,” popular trader SuperBro summarized in part of a recent X update.
SuperBro referred to the 200-day simple moving average (SMA), a classic bull market support trend line, currently at $87,566.
“If the HH is successful, which is likely imo, then it can retrace for a HL anywhere above the low before it runs for the wedge target above $100K,” he added.
BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: SuperBro/X
Not everyone, however, was convinced that breaking the downtrend would mark a watershed moment for Bitcoin bulls.
For veteran trader Peter Brandt, nothing could be gained from observing price behavior around the trend line.
“Of all chart construction, trendlines are the LEAST significant,” he told X followers on the day.
BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: Peter Brandt/X
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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Bitcoin Prints Bullish Reversal Signal, But Short-Term Risks Loom
Bitcoin kicked off the week with strength, testing overhead resistance twice and printing a long-awaited TBO Close Short on the daily timeframe. Historically, this signal has marked the end of prolonged consolidation phases, and the current price action suggests the same shift could be underway. Daily volume is outpacing its 30-day average, On-Balance Volume is trending higher, and RSI continues to pressure resistance—all classic ingredients for a bullish breakout. BTC also sits inside the daily TBO Cloud, signaling long-term strength.
Despite this optimistic backdrop, there are clear short-term concerns. A TBT Bearish Divergence appeared on the 4-hour chart, the same signal that preceded the sharp drop from $88,000 to $74,000 in April. Additionally, a TBT Stop Loss Hunting alert fired yesterday, which frequently, though not always, foreshadows sudden bearish price action. These two warnings, paired with BTC's inability to pierce daily resistance and RSI's failure to break above its long-term trendline, suggest a short-term correction may be imminent. A -4% to -5% dip to the $81,000–$82,000 range appears likely, especially considering confluence at key Fibonacci retracement levels.
Dominance Metrics Suggest Altcoins Will Struggle in a Pullback
If BTC does retrace, stablecoin dominance is expected to rise back toward resistance at 8.22%, while Bitcoin dominance is likely to continue climbing. Despite lower highs forming on daily RSI for BTC.D, price strength suggests altcoins will lag. Top 10 Dominance will likely fall alongside BTC, while OTHERS.D remains in recovery mode following its recent drop. Given the known multiple factor effect—where altcoins react with greater volatility than BTC—a pullback in Bitcoin will disproportionately impact the broader altcoin market.
The total crypto market cap is still consolidating inside the daily TBO Cloud after breaking its first resistance fan line. While this is a positive signal, a BTC correction would drag TOTAL back down. The OTHERS chart continues to look weak, holding below the daily TBO Cloud and confirming its bearish bias. This reinforces the likelihood that altcoins will react more violently than Bitcoin during any near-term drawdown.
Volatility Eases but Could Return Quickly if BTC Pulls Back
BVOL7D has exited the Rejection Zone as expected, a reflection of reduced short-term volatility in response to falling RSI and declining price momentum. However, if BTC falls by 4% to 5%, volatility could spike again. This setup is reminiscent of February's pattern, when brief corrections led to quick surges in BVOL7D before resuming broader trends.
Ethereum and Major Altcoins Remain Vulnerable to BTC Movement
Ethereum remains structurally bearish with no signs of reversal. Volume is weak, OBV continues its downward slope, and price remains below both the daily and weekly TBO Clouds. XRP is back inside the TBO Cloud, but a BTC pullback would likely drag it down as well. SOL managed to close above overhead resistance and into the TBO Cloud, printing a daily TBO Close Short and reclaiming the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement level. However, a TBT Bearish Divergence on the 4-hour points to a potential pullback toward $121 to close its CME gap.
LTC is now on its fourth day above its first resistance fan line, but the muted market reaction suggests limited conviction. LTC needs a stronger move inside the TBO Cloud to turn sentiment. OM saw massive volume on Sunday and Monday, totaling nearly $900 million on Binance, but price action has cooled considerably. While the weekly chart offers a possible path to 0.8876, traders should be cautious with weekly RSI still heavily oversold and long-term support much lower.
Final Thoughts
Bitcoin's daily chart looks strong and continues to support a longer-term move toward $94,000. However, multiple short-term bearish signals are flashing warnings. A pullback to $81,000–$82,000 appears likely, and altcoins are expected to react more violently in that scenario. The broader crypto market continues to show signs of recovery, but volatility is far from over.
Take partial profits where possible and reduce risk when bearish signals appear. Even in a slow grind higher, corrections are inevitable. Securing gains along the way ensures you remain in control, regardless of market turbulence.
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Fuse and Check Point are building a blockchain firewall designed not only to track but also to prevent unsafe transactions.
Artificial intelligence applications have significant potential in crypto, especially in security. On Tuesday, April 15, layer 2 blockchain Fuse partnered with cybersecurity firm Check Point to create an AI-powered threat-prevention layer.
🕸️ Web3 needs security that moves as fast as blockchain.Check Point + @Fuse_network are building the first real-time blockchain firewall — stopping threats before they hit wallets, smart contracts & transactions https://t.co/3r4CHQrnZX#BlockchainSecurity #Web3 #CyberSecurity pic.twitter.com/CP0khwZ87M
This security layer for the Fuse network would use artificial intelligence to scan transactions before they complete. The AI would then use its training data to determine whether a transaction is likely to be fraudulent.
“Prevention is always better than a cure,” said Fuse CEO Mark Smargon. He hopes that stated that he hopes the new security layer would become a standard for protecting layer two networks.
“With Check Point providing a dedicated security layer, we're confident that we can not only deter hackers, who are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but pioneer a cybersecurity model that will become the gold standard for protecting web3 protocols,” Mark Smargon, Fuse CEO
While web3 tech has developed significantly, concerns over its security are hurting its mainstream appeal. As all transactions on chain are final, signing the wrong smart contract or sending funds to the wrong address can have serious financial consequences.
To attract mainstream users, crypto protocols need robust anti-hacking and fraud measures, said Dan Danay, Head of Web 3.0 Security at Check Point.
“Just as robust cybersecurity powered the rise of Web 2.0, real-time prevention will be key to Web3's mainstream adoption,” Dan Danay, Check Point.
For instance, crypto hacking losses amounted to $98.19 million in January, despite a decline in asset prices. While the figure was down 39% from $160 million in January 2024, hacking risks continue to be a top concern. At the same time, phishing attacks in the same month amounted to $10.25 million.
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XYO, one of the oldest decentralized physical infrastructure network projects, announced the launch of a public beta of its own Layer 1 blockchain.
XYO is transitioning away from the Ethereum (ETH) Layer 2 ecosystem, where it previously operated, to a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to improve the network's ability to handle large volumes of real-time data with high throughput and low latency.
XYO's new Layer 1 blockchain introduces a novel consensus mechanism called Proof of Perfect. This system allows decentralized nodes to deterministically identify the correct chain to append a block to by algorithmically ranking chain tips based on their “perfectness,” evaluating each tip's validity, recency, and protocol alignment. This method eliminates the need to process full chain history, improving efficiency without relying on energy-intensive consensus models.
This is enabled by a lookback windowing mechanism that limits each node's active memory to recent transactions, while archiving older data for future access.
XYO also announced a new utility token, XL1. The original XYO token will continue to serve governance and staking functions while XL1 will handle the network's operational needs, including payment of base and gas fees for transactions and smart contract execution, priority fees, and rewards for active network participants.
This structure is intended to balance long-term governance with real-time operational efficiency, offering tailored incentives for both token holders and active network participants.
“By decoupling governance from transactional utility and designing incentives to drive both performance and security, this next-generation token model lays the foundation for a truly scalable, decentralised infrastructure network that is optimised for the next wave of DePIN innovation,” the company said in the press release.
Read more about
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Pi Network gains 35% in one week after Chainlink integration — analysts now eye over 220% upside
The United States SEC's timely stablecoin guidelines | Opinion
Ripple, Hidden Road deal exemplifies crypto's TradFi takeover: Coin Bureau CEO
Crypto, DeFi score legal wins courtesy of Trump | Weekly Recap
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Altcoins are recovering on Tuesday as the dust settles on US President Donald Trump's tariff announcements last week. The President has repeatedly changed his mind on several tariff-related concerns, ushering volatility in Bitcoin and altcoin prices.
Mantra (OM) rallies nearly 5%, while Dogecoin (DOGE) and XRP gains slightly at the time of writing on Tuesday.
XRP derivatives analysis on Coinglass shows that $2.24 million in long positions were liquidated in the last 24 hours against $1.70 million in shorts.
Meanwhile, XRP Open Interest (OI), the net value of all open positions in the token, is up to $3.21 billion, as XRP gains and adds nearly 1% to its value and trades at $2.1478, above key support at $2, at the time of writing on Tuesday.
XRP Derivatives Data Analysis | Source: Coinglass
Dogecoin observed $3.39 million in long liquidations compared to $326,120 in shorts in the past 24 hours. Coinglass data shows DOGE's bullish bets suffered even as the meme coin climbs on Tuesday.
Dogecoin Derivatives Data Analysis | Source: Coinglass
At the time of writing on Tuesday, DOGE trades at $0.15912, up 0.32% on the day.
Mantra's OM token noted $8.85 million in long liquidations in the last 24 hours; a total of $17 million in derivatives positions were liquidated according to Coinglass data. There was a significant decline in OM's Open Interest, down from $345.66 million on Sunday to $135.99 million.
The long/short ratio is under one, meaning traders expect a correction in OM, and derivatives data analysis supports a bearish thesis for the token.
OM Futures Open Interest (USD) | Source: Coinglass
Bitcoin holds steady above the $85,000 support and defies the uncertainty of global markets. BTC dominance is 63.85%, climbing towards 64%, a level previously observed in January 2021. As Bitcoin dominance inches towards a four-year high, altcoin season is likely delayed.
Altcoin season refers to a period where 75% of the altcoins ranked within the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization outperform Bitcoin in a 90-day timeframe.
Altcoin season index | Source: Blockchaincenter.net
XRP, DOGE and OM gain amidst the ongoing market uncertainty even as altcoin season is delayed.
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Axiom meme coin trading volume hit $101 million for the first time, surpassing other platforms on Solana. Axiom accounts for 30% of the ecosystem's trading users, followed by Photon and Bullx at 24% each.
Bitcoin (BTC) price edges higher and trades slightly above $85,500 at the time of writing on Tuesday after recovering nearly 7% the previous week. The rising Global M2 money supply could be a favorable signal for both Gold and Bitcoin.
Cryptocurrencies have sustained a buoyant outlook since last week as US President Donald Trump's tariff war was paused for 90 days, except for China, propping global markets for lifeline relief rallies.
Algorand, Decentraland and JasmyCoin hovers around $0.19, $0.27, and $0.015 on Tuesday after a double-digit recovery last week. ALGO, MANA and JASMY approach their key resistance levels; breakout suggests a rally ahead.
Bitcoin (BTC) price extends recovery to around $82,500 on Friday after dumping to a new year-to-date low of $74,508 to start the week. Market uncertainty remains high, leading to a massive shakeout, with total liquidations hitting $2.18 billion across crypto markets.
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Bitcoin miner CleanSpark (CLSK) is moving away from its strategy of HODLing 100% of the BTC it mines.
The Henderson, Nevada-based company said it is returning to selling a portion of the bitcoin mined to support its operations in an announcement on Tuesday.
"While we remain committed to bitcoin as a long-term, hardened asset, we believe a more effective way to increase shareholder value is through a balanced approach between monetizing new production and building long-term holdings," CEO Zach Bradford said.
CleanSpark's holdings now exceed 12,000 BTC, worth just over $1 billion at current prices.
The company has also increased its credit facility with Coinbase Prime (COIN) to $200 million, pursuing a strategy of funding its operations without having to sell equity. CleanSpark, which has 40.2 exahash per second (EH/s) mining power, is looking to expand it to 50 EH/s.
"As part of this balanced approach, we intend to further build out our diversified capital stack. In today's market environment, we view the debt markets as the most efficient and responsible path to support accretive growth, and our strong balance sheet positions us to take full advantage of that opportunity," Bradford added.
CLSK shares rose just over 1% before paring their gains in early trading on Tuesday, outperforming the broader BTC mining sector, as measured by the CoinShares Bitcoin Miners ETF (WGMI), which fell more than.
Jamie has been part of CoinDesk's news team since February 2021, focusing on breaking news, Bitcoin tech and protocols and crypto VC. He holds BTC, ETH and DOGE.
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Tether, the global giant of digital assets and leading stablecoin issuer, announced a significant strategic investment in Fizen Limited, a fintech company at the forefront of self-custody crypto wallets and digital payments.
The operation represents a significant step in the shared mission of the two companies: to make transactions in stablecoin more accessible, secure, and intuitive for users and businesses around the world.
The collaboration between Tether and Fizen lays the foundation for a future in which cryptocurrencies are no longer niche instruments, but payment solutions integrated into daily life, capable of bridging the gap between blockchain technologies and the needs of the real market.
Summary
Founded with the goal of simplifying the adoption of criptovalute, Fizen develops advanced solutions for digital payments, making the use of stablecoin immediate for both consumers and businesses.
The company stands out for its user-oriented approach, offering intuitive interfaces (UI/UX) and technologies that allow payments in crypto without the user perceiving the complexity of the underlying blockchain system.
Through this investment, Tether will allow Fizen to strengthen its blockchain infrastructure and increase the integration of stablecoins across multiple ecosystems.
This will have a concrete impact on the ability for users to store, transfer, and pay easily via stablecoin, even in the most remote corners of the world or where access to traditional banks is precluded.
According to the Global Findex Report of the World Bank, millions of people around the world are still excluded from the traditional banking system. Among the main obstacles: the distance from financial institutions and the lack of official documentation.
In this context, stablecoins represent a concrete alternative, especially in areas where barriers to access are still high.
However, although they offer advantages such as reduced fees, enhanced security, and near-instant transactions, stablecoins still struggle to find a true application in daily commerce.
One of the main obstacles remains the low adoption by merchants. And this is precisely where Fizen comes into play, aiming to bridge the gap between crypto innovation and the concrete needs of the market.
The model proposed by Fizen allows any merchant to accept payments in stablecoin without investments in costly technological upgrades.
In fact, thanks to already widespread methods like QR code and card readers, the user can pay in crypto and the merchant immediately receives fiat currency, ensuring a familiar and efficient experience.
A solution that aims to revolutionize the global market of digital payments, especially in a context destined to grow exponentially.
Only in 2024, it is estimated that payments via QR code will exceed 3 trillion dollars, with over 2.2 billion users by 2025.
This evolution is driven not only by the spread of smartphones, but above all by the growing demand for fluid, secure, and accessible payments.
At the center of this strategy is the belief that the technological infrastructure already exists, but practical tools are still lacking to bring cryptocurrencies into people's daily lives.
It was clearly explained by Leo Vu, founder and CEO of Fizen.io, who emphasized how tools like USD₮, Tether's leading stablecoin, already have the potential to become the engine of financial inclusion.
However, an additional step forward is needed on the front of ease of use, and Fizen is ready to lead this transformation:
“Facilitating crypto payments through intuitive user experiences, where blockchain technologies remain invisible to the user's eyes, is our goal.”
For his part, Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, reiterated the centrality of the investment in Fizen as part of a broader vision aimed at promoting the conscious use of digital resources in daily life:
“We recognize the essential role that self-custody payment infrastructures play in creating concrete use cases for cryptocurrencies.”
This philosophy reinforces not only Tether's global leadership as the most used stablecoin, but also its long-term commitment to a more equitable and globally inclusive financial system.
In other words, the union between the expertise of Tether and the technological innovation of Fizen represents a turning point for the bull and bear world of cryptocurrencies.
Through a solid blockchain infrastructure, a customer-oriented vision, and the removal of access barriers for businesses and individuals, this partnership aims to accelerate the mass adoption of digital payments on a global scale.
In an era marked by the transformation of financial models, this joint initiative marks a decisive step in the direction of a decentralized, secure, and truly accessible ecosystem for everyone.
And it strengthens, once again, the belief that cryptocurrencies are not just an alternative, but a true evolution of traditional economic systems.
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A CryptoQuant analyst has suggested it might be time for investors to load up on altcoins.
The analyst's view is based on a key chart.
Other analysts have also expressed similar views, but the tide may not lift all boats.
Over the past few months, the volatility of altcoins, which makes them appealing to investors with high-risk tolerance, has again proven to be a double-edged sword. Amid broader market uncertainty, most altcoins have tanked over 50% from their Q4 2024 highs.
But now, one analyst suggests that a reversal may be on the horizon.
“It might be time to start a DCA strategy on altcoins,” CryptoQuant analyst “Darkfost” asserted in a report on Thursday.
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DCA, short for dollar-cost averaging, is a popular investment strategy where a fixed amount of money is invested at regular intervals regardless of price action. By suggesting that investors start a DCA altcoin strategy, Darkfost is encouraging investors to load up on altcoins in anticipation of a potential rally.
The analyst's view is based on an intersection of moving averages on the Aggregated Altcoin Trading Volume for Stablecoin Quote Pairs chart, tracking volumes across multiple altcoin pairs.
Darkfost argues that altcoins have recently entered “a buying zone,” as the 30-day moving average on this chart has fallen below the annual average.
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The analyst highlighted that this last occurred in September 2023, before the beginning of the bullish market run that continued in 2024.
“These phases can last several weeks or even months, but historically, they've consistently offered attractive opportunities to set up a DCA strategy,” the CryptoQuant analyst stressed.
Darkfost is not the only analyst recently suggesting that an altcoin rally may be on the horizon.
In an April 3 livestream, Real Vision Chief Crypto Analyst Jamie Coutts argued that altcoins still had gas for one more impulsive move in the current market cycle, eying June for the start of such a rally. But Coutts cautioned that the tide would not lift all boats, instead urging investors to look out for assets seeing a bump in network activity.
This view suggests that the coming rally may not be the all-out “altcoin season” that market participants have been pining for since the recent bull run kicked off. It aligns with recent arguments from CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju that the dynamics of crypto altcoin season have changed.
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Altcoin season is a bull market phase during which altcoins record substantial price increases, significantly outperforming Bitcoin. It has historically been the result of capital rotation from Bitcoin as investors seek higher beta plays. As such, the historical sign for altcoin season has been a decline in Bitcoin dominance.
But with the emergence of proxies like MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) and spot exchange-traded funds, Young Ju contended that the cord between Bitcoin and altcoins has been broken. Further, he argued that the metric to watch was no longer Bitcoin dominance but trading volumes, theorizing that coins that will make it will be the ones with paper wrappers like ETFs or ecosystems based on stablecoins or Bitcoin.
Nonetheless, any potential altcoin rally will likely depend on an improvement in the current macroeconomic conditions, as uncertainty sparked by President Donald Trump's tariff policy discourages investments in risk assets.
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This article Why This Analyst Says 'It Might Be Time To Start A DCA Strategy On Altcoins' originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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The blockchain ecosystem has been defined by its ability to decentralize power. But in doing so, it's also opened itself to a growing volume of exploits, smart contract bugs, and wallet-level attacks. This raises a central question: Can real-time cybersecurity protocols, like those used in Web2 infrastructure, be implemented in decentralized systems?
Fuse, a layer 2 blockchain focused on crypto payments, believes the answer lies in collaboration. On April 15, it announced a partnership with Check Point Software to deploy the first advanced blockchain firewall designed to prevent threats in real time. The move signals a shift from reactive security to proactive defense.
Rather than detecting malicious transactions after they occur, the partnership aims to stop them before execution. According to Fuse, the approach draws on Check Point's three decades of experience in threat intelligence and firewall technology—now applied to a blockchain setting.
Traditional blockchain security measures, such as smart contract audits and static code analysis, occur post-deployment. These are essential but insufficient, especially as attacks become more dynamic. The proposed solution is a dedicated AI-powered firewall that functions at the infrastructure level, integrated across the Fuse network.
Mark Smargon, CEO of Fuse, explained the intent behind the move:
“Prevention is always better than a cure, particularly with crypto networks that serve as the backbone for global payments. With Check Point providing a dedicated security layer, we're confident that we can not only deter hackers, who are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but pioneer a cybersecurity model that will become the gold standard for protecting web3 protocols.”
The security layer will leverage Check Point's proprietary threat prevention models, which are trained on historical and real-time data to block transactions flagged as malicious. According to Dan Danay, Head of Web 3.0 Security at Check Point, this type of security architecture mirrors the evolution from static antivirus tools to real-time cloud-based monitoring in the traditional web:
“Just as robust cybersecurity powered the rise of Web 2.0, real-time prevention will be key to Web3's mainstream adoption.”
Rather than functioning as a simple list of known bad actors, the security layer integrates with Fuse's transaction pipeline to actively inspect intent. It leverages AI-powered threat engines and real-time data feeds from Check Point's global cyber intelligence network. Fuse's approach does not stop at smart contracts. Wallet interactions, dApp behavior, and node communications will also be subject to live monitoring. According to the teams, this breadth of coverage is key for reducing attack surfaces and enabling developer trust.
The firewall will not act as a gatekeeper to decentralization but as an internal risk assessment tool. Developers, node operators, and users will retain autonomy but can opt into an additional layer of security baked directly into the protocol.
The announcement comes shortly after the launch of Fuse's Ember Nodes, a governance and validation system backed by venture participants such as Collider Ventures, TRGC, and Blockchain Founders Fund. These nodes allow users to acquire ownership and participate in decision-making, a process that could be enhanced by real-time threat analytics.
With thousands of active users and a growing number of stablecoin transactions processed daily, Fuse has chosen to build security into the core of its payment-focused infrastructure. This is a notable departure from retrofitting security tools after scaling. The hope is that by implementing this level of scrutiny now, Fuse can avoid the pattern observed in other networks—where vulnerabilities are only addressed after they are exploited.
Security remains one of the largest friction points for Web3 adoption. Protocols like Fuse that prioritize infrastructure-level security may begin to redefine baseline expectations for operational safety across chains. While Fuse is currently focused on B2B and B2C payments, the model it's implementing with Check Point could apply across other verticals: gaming, decentralized finance, and supply chain platforms.
Whether the industry will follow remains to be seen. But with regulatory scrutiny increasing and users demanding stronger protections, moving from detection to prevention might become not just a differentiator—but a requirement.
In my view, this partnership sets a precedent for what blockchain networks should begin to consider non-negotiable. Security shouldn't be a feature, it should be infrastructure. Fuse's integration with Check Point isn't about marketing a firewall to web3 audience, it's about acknowledging that decentralization without defense is unsustainable in the long term.
If other L2s or payment blockchains follow suit, we may finally see a turning point where security architecture in Web3 begins to match the financial value these systems are expected to move.
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Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYO
Bitcoin (BTC) stands above other crypto assets amid the ongoing economic turbulence, according to the digital asset investment management firm NYDIG.
Greg Cipolaro, the global head of research at NYDIG, notes in a new analysis that crypto markets have remained largely stable despite the “carnage” in traditional financial markets.
“Perpetual swap rates have been persistently positive. Liquidations spiked on Sunday and Monday [last week], but the two-day total of $480 million was well below other notable liquidation events. The basis on on-shore and off-shore futures has remained positive. Finally, the price of USDT, while below $1.00, has not experienced a sharp decline.
Historically, in broad risk-off moves, we tend to see stresses show up in crypto markets. We have yet to see that.”
Cipolaro notes Bitcoin has largely fared better than Ethereum (ETH) and other altcoins, noting that BTC remains the number one hedge against currency debasement.
“The ETH-BTC cross continues to plumb levels not seen since 2019, for example, and many other cryptocurrencies have yet to find their footing in this volatile environment.
In a world of global uncertainty and a loss in faith of fiat currencies and sovereign nations, there does not appear to be a second-best option to fiat debasement.”
BTC is trading at $84,984 at time of writing.
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
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ByBilly Bambrough
ByBilly Bambrough,
Senior Contributor.
Bitcoin and crypto prices have ricocheted wildly in recent weeks as U.S. president Donald Trump's barrage of global trade tariffs fuels a dollar "confidence crisis" and fears of “collapse.”
Front-run Donald Trump, the White House and Wall Street by subscribing now to Forbes' CryptoAsset & Blockchain Advisor where you can "uncover blockchain blockbusters poised for 1,000% plus gains!"
The bitcoin price has bounced back from lows of around $75,000 per bitcoin in early April (despite Michael Saylor's Strategy issuing a surprise bitcoin “sell” warning).
Now, as Wall Street banks prepare to face an “existential" threat, billionaire Ray Dalio has warned the U.S. is hurtling toward a financial crisis and recession that could be worse than 2008—something that BlackRock's head of crypto has predicted could be a “big catalyst” for the bitcoin price.
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U.S. president Donald Trump is grappling with an economy teetering on the verge of a recession that ... More could be "worse than 2008"—setting up the bitcoin price for an opportune moment.
"I think that right now we are at a decision-making point and very close to a recession," Dalio, the founder of the world's largest hedge fund Bridgewater Associates who issued a similar warning in 2007, told NBC. "And I'm worried about something worse than [the 2008]
Dalio said Trump's aggressive pursuit of tariffs is causing a “breaking down of the monetary order,” adding to a lengthy X post from last week when he said, “we are seeing a classic breakdown of the major monetary, political, and geopolitical orders. This sort of breakdown occurs only about once in a lifetime, but they have happened many times in history when similar unsustainable conditions were in place.”
In a rapidly escalating trade war, Trump has slapped tariffs of up to 145% on many China exports to the U.S., while China has hit back with a 125% levy on U.S. products.
Globally, Trump has added a 10% tax on goods entering the U.S. while giving many countries a 90-day deal deadline before he reinstates a raft of much higher charges.
The global trade war saw the ICE U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the U.S. dollar against a basket of global currencies, fall sharply last week, dropping under the 100 level and putting it on course to return to its 2022 range.
The bitcoin price has climbed over the last month, despite recession fears taking hold. Betting markets are putting the odds of recession at between 40% to 60%, per Coindesk.
Last month, BlackRock's head of digital assets Robbie Mitchnick predicted a recession could boost the bitcoin price.
“I don't know if we'll have a recession or not, but a recession would be a big catalyst for bitcoin,” Mitchnick told Yahoo Finance, pointing to how recession responses such as increased fiscal spending, deficit accumulation, lower interest rates and monetary stimulus have historically boosted the bitcoin price.
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The bitcoin price has surged since Donald Trump retook the White House in November, with some ... More predicting the bitcoin price could continue to climb even in a recession.
Bitcoin and crypto market watchers are feeling bullish about the bitcoin price outlook even as uncertainty bubbles up over tariffs and the economy.
“Bitcoin is consolidating at higher levels (and above where it was trading before Trump's election win in November last year), and the structural groundwork—ranging from institutional infrastructure to sovereign-level interest—is being quietly laid,” analysts with the Bitfinex bitcoin and crypto exchange said in an emailed note. "The market is coiled, not broken, and the coming months could bring significant upside if catalysts align."
In December, Dalio warned of a looming "debt crisis" which he expects will trigger a sharp decline in the value of the U.S. dollar.
U.S. debt has soared over recent years, topping $35 trillion at the beginning of 2025, with Covid and lockdown stimulus measures contributing to massive government spending and helping to send inflation spiraling out of control in 2022.
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Hashlock, a leading authority in Web3 security and smart contract auditing, is proud to announce the successful audit of the IGNA token. IGNA is an innovative crypto project focused on integrating blockchain technology with environmental sustainability. The project offers an investment opportunity built on tokenized assets, promoting green initiatives. Positioned at the intersection of blockchain and environmental impact, IGNA is revolutionizing the approach to sustainable investing.
From Plastic Waste to Value: IGNA's Pyrolysis-Based Solution in Global Steps
IGNA is a groundbreaking cryptocurrency project led by SlavkaSk, a non-profit organization registered in Slovakia with a global mission. The project's goal is to address the global plastic waste crisis through pyrolysis technology, which produces pyrolysis oil—a valuable raw material for the chemical industry. Pyrolysis units are mobile, quick to deploy, require no pre-sorted plastic, and operate with minimal environmental emissions and self-sustaining heat generation. The first facility is already under construction, with a target of establishing 30 units in the initial phase, followed by global expansion. From the beginning, SlavkaSk will operate every facility in accordance with four key ISO standards: quality management, environmental management, information security, and energy management.
IGNA's Global Expansion: Milestone Investment, Token Buybacks, and Sustainable Growth
The first IGNA facility investment is scheduled to launch in September 2025—marking a major milestone in the project's path toward global rollout. This milestone is expected to drive significant demand and price appreciation for the IGNA token. IGNA tokens are currently available for purchase on the DEX-TRADE exchange, with plans to list on additional platforms in the near future.
What makes the IGNA token unique is that funds raised from token sales are used exclusively for building new facilities. Only the amount needed for the next facility is minted, and a portion of the revenue from oil sales is used to buy back tokens, which are then resold on crypto exchanges.
IGNA is more than just a token—it represents a new mindset: responsible, environmentally conscious, and sustainable. It is a cryptocurrency that builds not only in the financial world but in the real world as well.
Hashlock's Role in Ensuring Security and Trust
Hashlock manually and proactively reviewed the code to ensure the project's team and community that the deployed contracts are secure. Hashlock found that all contracts, libraries, and interfaces mostly followed standard best practices, the code is well-commented, and the logic is straightforward. The IGNA project team gladly welcomed the advice of the Hashlock team regarding enhanced wallet security, followed their recommendations, and fully implemented them.
For more information about IGNA visit: https://igna-crypto.com/
Follow IGNA in the social media too:
Twitter https://x.com/IGNAproject
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ignacryptotoken/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@igna_token?lang=en
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564872915680
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/igna-project
Copyright @ TheCryptoUpdates
April 15, 2025
18 min read
Suddenly Miners Are Tearing Up the Seafloor for Critical Metals
The owners of a controversial mining license have begun extracting valuable metals from the ocean floor
By Willem Marx edited by Mark Fischetti
Mark Smith
In hindsight, I am still not sure why the operators of the Danish-flagged MV Coco allowed me onboard. By the time I arrived last June, the vessel had been sailing for several weeks in the Bismarck Sea, a part of Papua New Guinea's territorial waters, digging chunks of metal-rich deposits out of the ocean floor with a 12-ton hydraulic claw. The crew was testing the feasibility of mining seafloor deposits full of copper and some gold. It was probably the closest thing in the world to an operational deep-sea mining site. And the more I learned about the endeavor, the more surprised I became about the project's very existence.
On that summer morning, I arrived on a red catamaran after rolling over six-foot swells in the South Pacific for two hours, and I clambered up a metal ladder hanging down on the Coco's starboard side. The 270-foot, 4,000-ton vessel towers at its prow, its vast aft deck full of cranes, winches and a remotely operated submersible. I was there at the invitation of Richard Parkinson, who founded Magellan, a company that specializes in deep-sea operations. At the top of the ladder, two crew members hauled me onboard the ship, which was roughly 20 miles from the closest shore, and a British manager for Magellan named James Holt greeted me, his smile sun-creased from more than two decades at sea. After a safety briefing, he ushered me through a heavy door into a dark, windowless shipping container on the rear deck that served as a control room.
Inside the hushed cabin was a young Brazilian named Afhonso Perseguin, his face lit by screens displaying digital readings and colorful topographic charts. Gripping a joystick with his right hand, he delicately maneuvered a big, boxy remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, over a patch of seafloor a mile below. I watched on monitors as a robotic arm protruded from the ROV toward a monstrous set of clamshell jaws suspended from a cable that rose all the way up to the ship. Perseguin used the ROV's arm to steer the jaws as a colleague beside him radioed instructions to a winch operator on deck.
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Hydraulics drove the open clamshell into a gray chunk of flat seafloor ringed by rocky mounds and jagged slopes. The opposing teeth dug in, throwing up clouds of silt that filled the video feeds from the ROV. The robotic arm released, and the winch started hauling the jaws, clamped shut around their rocky cargo, on an hour-long journey up to the ship.
Within minutes Perseguin reversed the ROV to survey the wider scene, revealing chimneys of rock looming up from the seafloor, pale yellow and gray in the submersible's powerful lights. Small mollusk shells dotted their surface; a crab scuttled out of frame. “Quite amazing, really, isn't it?” murmured John Matheson, a shaven-headed Scot supervising the ROV team. As Perseguin steered the ROV slowly around a column, the cameras suddenly captured a glassy plume of unmistakably warmer water spewing up from a hidden crevice.
Hydraulics drove the monstrous clamshell jaws into a gray chunk of seafloor, throwing up clouds of silt that filled the video feeds from the remotely operated vehicle.
That hydrothermal vent marked the edge of a tectonic plate in the Bismarck Sea. The metal-rich magma ejected over millennia from several such vents—some dormant, some still active like this one—was Magellan's prize. The teams on the ship, hired by a company called Deep Sea Mining Finance (DSMF), were conducting bulk seafloor mining tests under a 2011 mining license issued by the Papua New Guinea (PNG) mining regulator. I was the only reporter onboard to witness the operation.
Worldwide, oceanographers have found three distinct types of mineral deposits on the deep seafloor. Manganese crust is an inches-thick, metal-rich pavement that builds up over millions of years as dissolved metallic compounds in seawater gradually precipitate on certain seafloor regions. Polymetallic nodules are softball-size, metal-rich rocks strewn across enormous seafloor fields. And massive sulfide deposits, such as the ones being mined by the crew of the Coco, are big mounds and stacks of rock formed around hydrothermal vents. Over the past decade several companies have developed detailed but still hypothetical plans to profit from these deposits, hoping to help meet the world's surging demand for the valuable metals necessary for batteries, electric cars, electronics, and many other products. Scientists have warned that these efforts risk destroying unique deep-sea habitats that we do not yet fully understand, and governments have been reluctant to grant exploration licenses in their territorial waters. But from what I saw during my two days and one night onboard the Coco, DSMF was digging in, and a new era of deep-sea mining had all but begun.
Holt, one of Magellan's offshore managers, said the aim was to test the physical requirements and environmental impacts of pulling up sulfide deposits. What would soon become unclear, however, was why the operators were stockpiling mounds of excavated rock on the seabed, and who in PNG knew the Coco was there.
I was back outside on the rear deck as the sun dipped below the horizon when the cables finally brought the locked clamshell with its heavy contents to the sea surface. The giant yellow jaws emerged from the waves, gleaming under the ship's floodlights. As they swung over the rear deck, water and small stones dripped from them; apparently the hydraulic system had failed to fully shut the contraption.
A handful of us stood watching as it opened, dumping the load with a loud thud onto a massive metal weighing tray. The scales showed that some of the anticipated material was missing, presumably dropped during the mile-long journey to the surface. Crew members who had already completed dozens of similar lifts said this loss was an unusual occurrence. But the failure highlighted just one of the dangers of underwater mining: clouds of sediment leaked during these hauls to the surface or kicked up when the seafloor is ripped apart could suffocate sea creatures or unintentionally disperse harmful minerals.
Mark Smith
The Coco had been bringing up a jaw-load roughly every 12 hours. Just before this latest cache was swung onboard, an Australian marine scientist named Josh Young had been preparing to drop his testing equipment over the ship's side. After each haul, he or his Papua New Guinean colleague Nicole Frani tried to measure the size and spread of the silt plume directly underneath the vessel. Using another winch, Young lowered a ring of long plastic cylinders known as Niskin tubes into the surf. Each sampling tube was set to open at a different depth as the ring passed down through the water column for several thousand feet. The scientists wanted to know how widely the cloud of silt “is spreading out and how it can affect the sea life below,” Frani explained.
After less than an hour, Young hoisted the ring of tubes back up onto the deck. Peering over his shoulder, I watched an electronic screen reveal the water's temperature, acidity, salinity, density, cloudiness and oxygen content, as well as its oxidizing capacity and conductivity—proxies for water cleanliness—at each depth.
Like many offshore projects, the Coco operation was globalization incarnate. Frani and Young work for Erias, an Australian environmental consultancy that Magellan hired as a contractor for the summer's endeavor. Magellan also hired the South African and British deckhands helping Young, plus the ROV team and a number of Malaysian hydrographic surveyors. Itself headquartered in Guernsey, an island between the U.K. and France, Magellan had chartered the Coco from a Danish firm, with sailors from the North Atlantic's Faroe Islands and pursers from the Philippines. Much of the venture's financing—for daily costs topping tens of thousands of dollars over several months—came from Russian and Omani investors, who had registered DSMF in the tax-friendly British Virgin Islands.
Up on the ship's bridge, Holt told me this enormously expensive exercise was to better understand the speed and power requirements of this mining technique, which relied on off-the-shelf commercial equipment Magellan had modified for underwater use. His remit was also to quantify the environmental impacts that a future vessel even larger than the 270-foot Coco might generate through similar extraction cycles. He told me that before the excursion had started he had been “totally in two minds” about seafloor mining. “But now I've seen how rich the deposit is and how little we've been disturbing the seabed,” he said. “We haven't got huge clouds of sediment that are drifting off down in the current, smothering coral reefs, or all this sort of stuff that people are worried about.”
Jen Christiansen
I observed the same 12-hour extraction cycle twice during my time onboard. Holt told me that over nearly two months Magellan's teams were focusing on four separate locations in a wider area collectively designated Solwara 1. In each location, the crew would excavate a number of square plots 33 feet on edge and up to 23 feet deep. He said PNG's Mineral Resources Authority, or MRA, had approved the extraction of about 200 tons of material—from an ore body estimated at more than two million tons—for removal and further testing on shore. He also explained that to maximize the clamshell jaws' productivity on the seafloor between each long descent and ascent, Magellan had decided to stockpile more material than the 200 tons permitted for testing—up to 600 tons from each of the four sites—perhaps for collection at a later date. I realized this meant Magellan and DSMF might be digging up more of the seabed than the regulator had anticipated.
As with any mining endeavor, Solwara 1's long-term economic viability would live and die on global metal prices, and in this case the ore's copper concentration was a crucial factor. Two local geologists onboard seemed enthralled by their initial readings. Leaning over the pile of dark-gray rock that had been dumped onto the rear deck—after it had been smashed into pieces by a large drill—Paul Lahari grabbed some samples and carried them into a cramped prefab shipping container that served as a laboratory. “Anything to do with 0.5 or 1 percent, we're already excited,” said the Papua New Guinean, who had decades of onshore and offshore mining experience.
He was referring to the typical copper concentrations in ore mined on land. Inside the lab he wielded a small instrument that measures x-ray fluorescence, which he said would reveal the elemental composition of each sample. Soon, on its small digital screen, the instrument began to show matches to elements in the periodic table, as well as their estimated concentration in the sample. For copper, it was 12.33 percent. “That's 10 times more than we get on land,” Lahari said, his voice rising. He noted that the sampling averages so far on the trip had hovered around 7 percent.
All 200 tons the Coco recovered and carried onboard would eventually reach an Australian facility, where the rock would be further pulverized. Much smaller samples would then pass through a gauntlet of geochemical tests—heating, fusing, leaching—and the entire batch would be assigned an industry-recognized average copper concentration, or “grade,” alongside a report on the other metals found, including gold.
Oceanographers have identified massive sulfide deposits across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic Oceans. Small-scale sample drilling has shown that they often contain similarly high concentrations of copper, alongside zinc and lead. Deposits form close to, if not on, the seafloor surface, meaning there's far less “overburden”—the valueless material that must be removed to access the ore—than in most land-based mines.
Other prospectors have been interested in Solwara's potential for years. In 2011 executives from Nautilus Minerals, headquartered in Canada, leased the Solwara 1 site from PNG as a 20-year underwater-mining concession. Authorities in the perennially cash-strapped country invested $120 million in the project through a state-owned entity. The country's taxpayers thus became a junior partner with Nautilus.
At the time, Nautilus was hailed as a pioneer—the only company in the world to hold a license for deep-sea mining. But as the project progressed, things went sideways. A coastal nation controls resource exploitation in the waters constituting its exclusive economic zone, which reaches 200 nautical miles out from its shoreline in all directions. Any activities in the international waters between nations' economic zones, such as deep-sea mining, are regulated by the International Seabed Authority, or ISA, a body established through a treaty sponsored by the United Nations.
A Papua New Guinea governor wrote in a statement that he considered the “presence of any [mining] vessel or activity in the area to be illegal.”
When PNG issued Nautilus's license in 2011 for operations in its national waters, it had no specific underwater-mining legislation. The MRA, the country's mining regulator, issued the license under rules for land-based mining after Nautilus had carried out impact assessments to earn a separate environmental permit. After false starts in sourcing a ship, in 2014 Nautilus commissioned a Chinese shipyard to build a mining vessel, and Nautilus contracted engineers to develop three enormous, tracked vehicles to break up, churn up and then suck up material from a massive sulfide deposit through a mile-long slurry hose connected to the surface vessel. The technique would mean dumping mining water back into the sea—something other mining operators were planning to do, too.
But Nautilus began burning through up to $2 million a month, according to 2018 financial disclosures, eventually defaulting on payments to the Chinese shipyard before filing for bankruptcy in 2019. Its remaining assets included the mining permit, a few promising core samples, and the three tracked vehicles, only ever tested in shallow waters, that sat rusting on the edge of PNG's capital, Port Moresby. After its insolvency, PNG Prime Minister James Marape told a local newspaper that the country had wasted tens of millions of dollars on a “concept that is a total failure.” In 2020 the head of the MRA ruled out any chance of reviving the Solwara project.
I disembarked from the Coco less than a day and a half after I had boarded. In blazing afternoon sunshine, a much smaller skiff ferried me back to a remote, pebbly beach on the PNG island of New Ireland. I wanted to know how PNG's officials and citizens felt about the Coco pulling up their seafloor. A local driver I had hired drove me in the dark over bumpy coastal roads to a guesthouse in the village of Kono.
The following morning I sat outside at a rickety wood table, sharing a breakfast of fish, yams and crackers with some of the local men. One of them, Jonathan Mesulam, was a spokesperson for the Alliance of Solwara Warriors, a group that has long demanded a ban on deep-sea mining in the Bismarck Sea. A Fiji-based environmental campaigner had introduced me to him via an encrypted messaging app. As I described what I had seen onboard the Coco, Mesulam shifted from initially incredulous to increasingly agitated. He walked to the home of Kono's chief, Chris Malagan, to discuss what I had told him ahead of a weekly public meeting Malagan presides over, which attracts many of the village's 700 residents.
Malagan began that afternoon's meeting underneath large shoreline trees. Nearby, children waded out from the beach to cast lines for small fish in the shallows close to more than a dozen mud and straw huts. Adults sitting among the trees listened intently to Mesulam's description of the Coco's operations, which was based on my eyewitness account. Several people stood up to angrily denounce activities they considered threatening to their fish-centered livelihoods.
“People are surprised—they are shocked after learning that the new company's coming back,” Mesulam told me as villagers drifted away. “After all our efforts on campaigning against seabed mining, we thought it was a dead issue now,” he continued, becoming occasionally tearful. “We don't want to be used as guinea pigs for trial and error,” he said. “These metals that are going to be dug out of our ocean will not benefit anyone from here because nobody here is using electric cars.”
Mark Smith
The lack of local awareness and the Coco's stockpiling of seafloor material seemed unusual for a 21st-century extraction project. To better understand the political support and permitting process for deep-sea mining, I left New Ireland on a plane headed to Port Moresby. The capital, with its sprawling neighborhoods, is built around a spectacular natural harbor. In a hilltop hotel, I told a lawyer named Peter Bosip that I had recently been onboard a deep-sea-mining vessel. He seemed upset. He told me neither Nautilus's 25-year environmental permit nor the MRA's subsequently issued mining license for Solwara 1 had ever been made public—despite a constitutionally mandated transparency requirement and a decade-long legal battle waged by good-governance and environmental groups. (Parkinson sent me the cover page of the license, but neither he nor Magellan nor PNG regulators provided a full copy.)
Such opaqueness was common in PNG, Bosip told me, but meant it was difficult for local communities to hold international companies to account for potential environmental infractions. Bosip is executive director of the Center for Environmental Law and Community Rights in PNG, a public-interest law firm that sued the government for access to the Solwara permit documents. “In PNG,” he told me, “the system is such a way that the responses are not forthcoming.” He apparently meant that government ministries, agencies and regulators rarely shared information willingly.
DSMF provided the struggling Nautilus with high-interest loans, and during the 2019 bankruptcy proceedings, the company took possession of Nautilus's Solwara 1 license. A document from the Supreme Court of British Columbia shows that DSMF's listed representatives during those proceedings were Christopher Jordinson, an Australian who'd previously pled guilty to insider trading, and Matthias Bolliger, a Swiss national who was subsequently barred from directorships on the Isle of Man. Documents from the bankruptcy proceedings show the pair are listed as points of contact for DSMF's largest shareholders: Omani tycoon Mohammed Al Barwani, whose family firm owns oil, gas and mining subsidiaries, and Alisher Usmanov, who is among Russia's wealthiest pro-Putin oligarchs. Usmanov had been involved in Solwara-based mining for almost 20 years, but now—after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022—he tops worldwide sanctions lists.
In July 2022 DSMF joined forces with SM2, another company founded by Parkinson, who in turn hired his firm Magellan to operate in PNG waters under Nautilus's original license. Parkinson told me that in November 2023 he, Bolliger and Jordinson met with New Ireland's governor. Sometime later various PNG agencies, including the MRA, approved the new mining technique.
I spent days chasing down officials across Port Moresby, trying to get clarity on this approval process. After unanswered e-mails and unreturned phone calls, I finally reached the MRA's managing director, Jerry Garry, by video call. He was in a remote highland region that was slated to host a gold mine, he said, but he told me his officials should be onboard any deep-sea-mining vessel in PNG to monitor operations. When I noted none had been onboard the Coco, he insisted he had no idea the Coco was even in the Bismarck Sea. Garry never again answered my calls.
PNG's attorney general, Pila Kole Niningi, didn't reply to interview requests. I did reach Fiona Pagla, the PNG Department of Justice's acting director for the national oceans office, who was at a conference in Bali. She told me that she knew nothing about the Coco but that if it was conducting marine scientific research, a committee inside her department should have been asked for approval. Hours later, when I pressed her for details in WhatsApp messages, Pagla replied, “No comment.”
The country's environment minister, Simon Kilepa, didn't make himself available for an interview. Jude Tukuliya, head of the PNG Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, and officials at the country's National Fisheries Authority did not respond to calls and written questions about the Coco and DSMF. Prime Minister Marape's chief of staff insisted the premier would not discuss deep-sea mining.
After returning to London, where I live, I continued my attempted outreach from afar. Late last summer DSMF's website was taken down and replaced with a fresh one featuring a new entity called Sustainable Mining Solutions (SMS), billed as a joint venture between DSMF and Parkinson's SM2. The site repeatedly mentioned Nautilus's mining license and environmental permits—still not public—and said PNG would gain from Solwara 1's profits and mining royalties, with benefits for local people “currently being negotiated.” Parkinson had told me soon after I'd left the Coco that Magellan and SM2 were not “cutting corners” and were “operating within the laws of that country.” He had also said the Australian lab readings indicated Solwara 1 is “a credible source of copper.” In response to a request for comment I sent in March by e-mail, DSMF wrote that the results “will be provided to the relevant regulatory authorities in due course, once the analyses by internal and third-party experts are completed.”
This past January I finally, and unexpectedly, heard from Julius Chan, a PNG prime minister turned New Ireland governor with a national parliamentary seat. He'd previously said deep-sea miners should engage with islanders to provide confidence that a project wouldn't affect their livelihoods. He wrote in a statement that those involved in Solwara “certainly do not have my government support and approval” and that he considered the “presence of any vessel or activity in the area to be illegal.” He died three weeks later at age 85. In its e-mail response, DSMF wrote, “The Solwara 1 project is compliant with the regulations, having secured a valid mining license as defined in the PNG Mining Act, and is a fully permitted project having met license requirements under relevant Papua New Guinea laws and regulations.” It also noted that “the allowable impacts of mining at Solwara 1 are regulated, managed and conducted in accordance with the Mining Law and Environmental Act (2000).”
The Magellan team onboard the Coco had told me it was operating with permission from the MRA, and Parkinson told me before and after my visit to PNG that government officials were aware and supportive of their large-scale extraction tests. Perhaps some people inside the government had not shared details of the Coco's mission as widely as they could have, I reasoned. But when I was onboard, there seemed to be little stopping the Solwara 1 project from scaling up significantly—unless steep capital costs somehow dissuaded deep-pocketed investors or public uproar in PNG forced a rethink among national politicians, who perhaps might have been hoping to recoup the sizable state investment Nautilus once blew through.
What is clear is that deep-sea mining on a commercial scale will begin soon somewhere. Norway, the Cook Islands, Japan and Sweden have approved deep-sea mining in their exclusive economic zones. Norway's offshore-resources agency says the country's waters contain manganese crusts, as well as sulfide deposits, and the government had considered awarding exploitation licenses this year. Authorities in the Cook Islands have issued exploration licenses to three operators surveying for polymetallic nodules. Scientists at the University of Tokyo and collaborating institutions recently confirmed a vast nodule field close to Japan's easternmost island, a tiny atoll called Minamitorishima. Estimates indicate the field contains more than 600,000 tons of cobalt—much more than the total 2023 output from the Democratic Republic of Congo, by far the largest global cobalt producer.
A consortium of government agencies, academic institutions and private enterprises plans to extract Japan's underwater resources in the decades ahead. With enormous deep-sea regions still unmapped, scientists say similar opportunities exist elsewhere. But after a 2023 study found that some polymetallic nodules emitted enough radiation that inappropriate handling could pose health risks, questions have increased about the wisdom of nodule mining. Citing limited scientific data on long-term environmental impacts, many nations, including Germany, Spain and Chile, have called for a pause. Palau and Fiji have advocated for a moratorium, and France wants an outright ban.
The ISA has granted more than 30 exploration licenses for international waters, some for each of the three kinds of deposits. It has repeatedly delayed a framework for exploitation licenses, though, to the frustration of some people in the mining industry. The authority's new secretary-general, Brazilian oceanographer Leticia Carvalho, took charge in January 2025, promising to end what she considers cozy relations between ISA and potential commercial operators. She has also suggested that the new subsea-mining code should be finalized by late this year.
Unlike in the early years of, say, coal mining, environmental scientists are deeply involved in the development of seafloor extraction. But much remains unknown about the impacts. Scant studies exist on the consequences for marine life of sulfide-deposit mining like the Coco was carrying out. A case study involving Japanese state entities digging sulfides at a similar depth, several thousand miles north in the Pacific Ocean, gives some idea of what to expect. Researchers assessed the impact on nearby ocean flora and fauna for three years after a brief mining session. They found that populations of organisms less than a tenth of an inch in size may return to normal levels within a year, but larger species may remain depleted more than three years later. That mining lasted only six hours.
In its statement, DSMF wrote, “Extensive scientific studies have enabled SMS to assess the risks to marine ecosystems and carefully weigh them against the damage caused by terrestrial mining.” The new SMS website says mining in Solwara 1 “will not adversely affect the marine life habitat” and that with recolonization efforts, three years after mining ends, the environment around any vents will “resemble the pre-mining condition of biomass and diversity.” Marine scientists I spoke to questioned that assertion. The ecosystem will not recover “unless the chemistry and the substrate and the texture and the morphology of the bottom, and the temperature and everything else, are what they were” before a location was disturbed, says Lisa Levin, professor emerita of biological oceanography and marine ecology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. “It couldn't possibly be.” She says certain species exist only near these vents, and after mining it's “highly likely” those species will become extinct. “People have to be willing to give up the seafloor ecosystems if they want to mine them,” Levin says. She adds that the contamination of fish stocks by chemicals from the seafloor should reasonably concern local societies.
Throughout the world's deep ocean zones, where scientists estimate thousands of species remain undiscovered, heavy mining equipment may harm organisms that are unable to quickly move out of its way. Leaks from mining equipment or mining water dumped from surface vessels could also threaten open-ocean fisheries, and noise and light pollution could impact reproduction or feeding patterns of species already threatened by other human actions. The environmental team onboard the Coco was clearly aware of some of these potential consequences.
The juxtapositions I experienced at sea and on land were jarring. The extraordinary scale and power of the Coco's technology, backed by distant billionaires, were in sharp contrast to subsistence communities where villagers paddle canoes into the surf to fish by hand. The informational asymmetry was striking, too: hydrographers, geologists and environmental scientists with millions of data points designed to gauge surroundings—and profits to be realized thousands of miles away—were set against local residents who seemed to lack access to attested Solwara permits, let alone details of possible environmental drawbacks. For the people who live there, short-term benefits—new local jobs, perhaps, or increased government revenues—might never outweigh stress to the ecosystem and a way of life that depends on it.
As this article was going to press, senior PNG officials—including one in the country's Department of Justice—told me the questions I had asked during my reporting had prompted action. In late February the government introduced new mining legislation that, for the first time, includes specific rules for deep-sea mining. The country's Marine Scientific Research Committee, which comprises almost two dozen government entities, passed guidelines that will require future deep-sea-mining licenses to have committee approval. Because the legislation is open to public comment, it is not yet clear whether a new mining law will have retroactive force. If it does, officials told me, DSMF might have to reapply for its environmental permits and mining license and publish a fresh environmental impact assessment.
Some of the reporting for this story was originally done while Willem Marx was on assignment for PBS.
Deep-Sea Dilemma. Olive Heffernan; September 2023.ScientificAmerican.com/archive
Willem Marx is a London-based magazine, radio and television journalist, and he is working on a book about a contentious pipeline project in Africa. Marx has written for the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Businessweek, Harpers and Wired, among other publications.
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© 2024 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
April 15, 2025
11 min read
The Nontoxic Cleaner That Kills Germs Better Than Bleach—And You Can Use It on Your Skin
Hypochlorous acid is safe enough to spray in your eyes yet more effective than bleach. Why isn't it everywhere?
By Jen Schwartz edited by Seth Fletcher
Richard Borge
As norovirus surged across the U.S. last winter, the only thing more horrifying than descriptions of the highly contagious illness—violent projectile vomiting!—was learning that nothing seemed to kill the microbe that causes it. Hand sanitizers made with alcohol are useless. Water needs to be above 150 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the virus, which is too hot for handwashing. Rubbing with soapy water and rinsing can physically remove the virus from your hands and send it down the drain but won't effectively kill it. Bleach dismantles norovirus, but you can't spray bleach on skin or food or many other things, and norovirus can live on surfaces for weeks.
During the early days of the COVID pandemic, however, I had learned about a disinfecting agent called hypochlorous acid, or HOCl. My dad, a now retired otolaryngologist, had been wondering whether there was something he might put up patients' noses—and his own—to reduce viral load and decrease the chance of COVID infection without, of course, irritating the mucosa or otherwise doing harm. He was imagining a preventive tool, another layer of protection for health-care workers in addition to masks and face shields.
Hypochlorous acid is a weak acid with a pH slightly below neutral. It should not be confused with sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), the main active ingredient in household bleach products, even though they both involve chlorine. Chemically, they are not the same. Sodium hypochlorite is a strong base with a pH of 11 to 13, and when added to water for consumer products it can be irritating and toxic. Hypochlorous acid, in contrast, is safe on skin.
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All mammals naturally make hypochlorous acid to fight infection. When you cut yourself, for instance, white blood cells known as neutrophils go to the site of injury, capturing any invading pathogens. Once the pathogen is engulfed, the cell releases biocides, including hypochlorous acid, a powerful oxidant that kills invading microbes within milliseconds by tearing apart their cell membranes and breaking strands of their DNA.
Hypochlorous acid is a well-studied disinfectant that appears to be extremely effective and safe—so why isn't it a household name?
The synthetic form of hypochlorous acid destroys a broad spectrum of harmful microbes—including highly resistant spores and viruses such as norovirus. Like most disinfectants, it kills pathogens by penetrating their cell walls. But compared with bleach, hypochlorous acid has been shown to be more than 100 times more effective at much lower concentrations, and it works much faster.
Hypochlorous acid isn't new. It's listed as one of the World Health Organization's essential medicines and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use on food products and in certain clinical applications. It's increasingly used in industrial and commercial settings, such as water-treatment plants, hospitals and nursing homes. It doesn't irritate the skin, eyes or lungs. In fact, optometrists use it to clean eyes before procedures, and people have been treating wounds with it for more than a century. It breaks down quickly, doesn't produce toxic waste, and isn't harmful to animals or the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists it as a surface disinfectant for the COVID-causing virus SARS-CoV-2.
Hypochlorous acid is a well-studied disinfectant that appears to be extremely effective and safe—so why isn't it a household name?
Scientists have known about the powers of hypochlorous acid for nearly 200 years. In 1834 French chemist Antoine-Jérôme Balard made hypochlorous acid when he added a dilute mix of mercury oxide in water to chlorine gas. Later in the 19th century, English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday developed a technique for synthesizing HOCl from salt and water via a process called electrochemical activation.
Before the advent of antibiotics, hypochlorous acid was a go-to disinfectant. It was used as a wound sanitizer during World War I. The authors of a 1915 article in the British Medical Journal set out to investigate antiseptics that could be used to dress wounds in the field. They compared the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) with that of hypochlorous acid and “found that hypochlorous acid is a more potent germicide than its salts.” They “accordingly devised a method in which the free acid is employed as the antiseptic agent.”
For all its benefits, hypochlorous acid solution has one major weakness: it's highly unstable. It remains stable only in a solution with a pH between about 4 and 6. The solution is still made using salt, water and electricity through the process of electrolysis. Within minutes of exposure to light or air hypochlorous acid starts to deteriorate back into salt water, making it useless as a disinfectant. If the solution were to get too acidic, it would start converting into chlorine gas. If it were to get too alkaline, it would gain a higher percentage of hypochlorite. This lack of shelf stability is the biggest reason hypochlorous acid sprays never became a staple of the cleaning-products aisle.
Richard Borge
For decades hypochlorous acid lingered in the background, used as a disinfectant in specific industrial and commercial contexts that could justify a pricey, on-site manufacturing process to create products on demand. But COVID accelerated the need for different methods of disinfection that would be safe, effective and easy to use in a wide range of environments. According to an article in the magazine Health Facilities Management, during the pandemic “many countries introduced continuous HOCl misting and fogging tunnels for entry and exit corridors at mass transit facilities.” Since then, use of HOCl in places such as kitchens, gyms, nursing homes and medical offices has been rising significantly.
Hypochlorous acid consumer products are now proliferating, thanks to the development of new manufacturing processes that reportedly make an extended shelf life possible while keeping costs low. The more reputable of these companies claim their products are effective within two years of the manufacturing date stamped on the bottle if stored correctly (ideally at room temperature, away from sunlight).
Most common are surface sanitizers sold by the bottle and marketed as all-purpose disinfectants for your home, although pure hypochlorous acid isn't really a cleaner—it's not meant to get rid of grime and grease. Like all disinfectants, once hypochlorous acid is applied, it must be left to sit for a period of time. But unlike some germicides that require up to 10 minutes to kill harmful stuff, hypochlorous acid requires only one minute. You don't have to wipe it up, either, but because it doesn't dry quickly, I found it was easier to do so on hard surfaces such as counters.
A frustrating thing about the finicky nature of hypochlorous acid is that you can't really decant it from its original bottle into a smaller one without potentially affecting its quality and longevity. When I needed hypochlorous acid that was suitable for air travel, I had to buy a two-ounce bottle of Magic Molecule, an FDA-cleared product launched in 2023. These bottles are conveniently sized but don't last long, and not being able to refill them results in significant plastic waste.
A customer was sprayed with fogged hypochlorous acid solution at a pub entrance in Tokyo in May 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Fogging certain surfaces may be useful; fogging people probably isn't.
Kyodo News via Getty Images
Other companies have taken a different approach to the shelf-life problem. Force of Nature, for example, sells countertop electrolysis machines for home use. The idea is that you can make as much disinfectant as you need for a week or two, as often as you want, using salt tablets you buy from the company. The process takes about eight minutes. Force of Nature also includes vinegar in its formulation, which gives the product cleansing abilities that the company recommends for use on hard surfaces or carpets. Other businesses sell devices that let you add your own salt. In online forums dedicated to fans of hypochlorous acid, members discuss how they use these devices. Some use pH test strips to make sure each batch of hypochlorous acid is within the correct range. Some people, however, are skeptical that at-home machines can consistently make pure HOCl.
Last December, troubled by Reddit posters' descriptions of suffering with norovirus, I bought a range of products from Briotech, a company based in Washington State that has been around for years and has coordinated its research with the University of Washington. It sells “pure” hypochlorous acid, as well as some skin-care products. It claims its proprietary manufacturing processes extend the shelf life of its HOCl to up to two years, although the company recommends that you use its products within six months of opening the bottle.
Briotech sells different concentrations and formulations, including a “skin renew serum” at 0.018 percent concentration (or 180 parts per million) and a stronger gel for taking care of body piercings. Magic Molecule calls its hypochlorous acid an “antimicrobial skin cleanser” under the umbrella of “wound care,” marketing it as a treatment for acne, eczema, rashes, bug bites, and other concerns. It's currently sold online and, as of this year, at the beauty-supply shop Ulta. When I went to Ulta to buy Magic Molecule, however, the person I asked for help had no idea what I was talking about. “What is this stuff?” she asked when she found the bottles, encased in slick, vague packaging. The label proclaims it “The Solution for All Skin Types” and encourages you to use it as often as needed. If I didn't already know about hypochlorous acid, my skepticism radar would have been on highest alert.
Lots of things made by the body are manufactured and sold as serums, pills and powders. I might have dismissed hypochlorous acid as just another snake oil.
But it's not just the beauty industry showing new interest in HOCl. Research into medical uses for hypochlorous acid has expanded as well. Before the pandemic, it was known that low levels of hypochlorous acid showed some promise in reducing the symptoms of viral and bacterial infections in nasal epithelial cells, but it was unclear how well people would tolerate HOCl administered straight up the nose as an irrigation or a spray. COVID led to some novel investigations.
At one hospital in Reading, Pa., for example, 74 COVID-positive patients, all of whom were unvaccinated, completed an experimental course of treatment that involved using a neti pot to rinse their nose with a hypochlorous acid solution for 10 days. Participants used Vashe Wound Solution, a hypochlorous acid that is safely used to treat wounds on skin or eyes and in the mouth. Although the author of the study acknowledged several limitations (for example, its small sample size and the lack of follow-up swabbing), it's notable that none of the participants, who started the treatment within 72 hours of testing positive, required mechanical ventilation in the hospital. The reported adverse reactions were mild—a sensation of nasal burning, a nosebleed that stopped on its own—and the researcher suggested this application would be safe and effective, albeit one that requires more investigation.
Other studies have since shown hypochlorous acid to be effective in reducing symptoms in a range of upper respiratory infections—and, more important, that it does not cause adverse effects. In Europe, Sentinox, an over-the-counter nasal spray containing a low concentration of HOCl (0.005 percent), is already certified as a medical device to reduce the risk of infection from viruses and bacteria, including SARS-CoV-2, by lowering the microbial load in the nose. In a randomized, controlled trial published in 2022, researchers used Sentinox on people with COVID and reported good outcomes with no evidence of safety concerns. “These promising results,” the authors wrote, “support future larger-scale clinical studies in order to assess whether the [Sentinox] spray is also effective in the primary prevention of both symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], and other acute respiratory infections in the at-risk population.” More work is needed to explore whether HOCl might have the potential to stop the spread of viruses from person to person.
Over the winter, my relationship with hypochlorous acid was like the gag in the 2002 movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the grandfather sprays Windex on everything as if it's a panacea. I sprayed down my phone case, sink faucets, toothbrush bristles and car steering wheel. I spritzed my face, hands and water bottle multiple times during workouts at the gym. After returning from the grocery store, I showered my bananas, limes, avocados and leafy herbs in the stuff. At a restaurant, I watched a server deliver my drink by holding the rim of my glass, so out came the bottle. I refrained from spraying my friend's toddler as I anxiously tracked his germy behavior while he moved across a carpeted airport floor.
When my seatmate on a crowded train coughed the entire ride, I lifted my mask and sprayed HOCl directly up my nose; for good measure, I also soaked my eyes.
Here's what happened: I got sick with type A influenza. My husband got it first, and I didn't try to avoid the inevitable. Just after recovering from the flu, I picked up COVID at a large family gathering. Given the nature of airborne respiratory viruses, these events didn't sour me on HOCl. I was diligent about spritzing myself and objects of potential exposure during travel, but it's not like I was excusing myself from dinner conversations to take a huff of the stuff. Without constant hypervigilance and social isolation, your time comes when your times comes. I can't live in a fog of aerosolized HOCl even if part of me wants to.
Richard Borge
As of this writing, I have not been sickened by norovirus, and I'd like to believe my judicious use of HOCl has something to do with that. If more people were aware of this molecule, maybe they would swap their Purell bottles and Clorox bleach for a more effective, safer option. (One product called a “norovirus cleanup kit” contains hypochlorous acid.)
One thing I hope we've learned from the early days of the COVID pandemic is that stopping the spread of infectious illnesses requires a collective effort. Hypochlorous acid has been shown to work against avian influenza. If bird flu becomes the next pandemic, HOCl could be one potentially effective mode of virus control that's easily available and cheap to access. Fogging machines could be used to clean surfaces and objects in medical settings, for example. (Fogging people with hypochlorous acid, which was done in Japan in 2020, for instance, is not known to be effective.)
But something about hypochlorous acid as a new product at a beauty store makes me uneasy. Although some of the products sold by recently established companies have been cleared by the FDA, many are not regulated. Notably, few of these products are specifically marketed as hand sanitizers, at least in the U.S. (A U.K. company does make a hypochlorous acid sanitizing hand gel approved by European regulatory agencies.) But if the efficacy of the product depends on its long-term stability, how much can you trust a bottle that's lived in your car for six months?
So-called miracle products abound on the Internet. Lots of things made naturally by the body are manufactured, bottled and sold as serums, pills and powders. Hypochlorous acid sprays now show up in my social feeds, promoted by influencers gushing about their skin-rejuvenating properties. Some of the products I've seen use specialty salts (truly unnecessary) and charge significantly more for the purported luxury. If I hadn't first encountered this disinfectant in academic literature, I might have scrolled right past these ads, dismissing hypochlorous acid as just another snake oil sold to exploit people's fears.
Hypochlorous acid might go through rigorous regulatory channels if it's pursued as an intranasal spray that prevents infection by killing viruses before they get into the lungs. Until then, I'll be discreet any time I spray hypochlorous acid up my nose, not because I'm worried this off-label use is harming me—the biggest risk is that I'm irrigating with very expensive saline—but because I think back to President Donald Trump's infamously cringey April 2020 press conference where he suggested possible COVID treatments. “And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks [SARS-CoV-2] out in a minute, one minute,” Trump said. “Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs.”
Trump was rightly skewered by experts (and many others) for promoting dangerous advice. It goes without saying that bleach, the disinfectant in question, should never be injected into your body. But behind Trump's misinterpretation of whatever medical information had been shared with him prior to that press conference was the seed of an idea: What if a disinfectant could do a type of cleaning, as it were, knocking out virus particles in less than a minute? With norovirus still circulating and the possibility of a bird flu spillover, the potential uses of hypochlorous acid might be worth a closer look.
The Next Flu Pandemic Could Be Worse Than COVID If We Don't Heed History. Arijit Chakravarty, Lyne Filiatrault and T. Ryan Gregory; ScientificAmerican.com, March 13, 2025.ScientificAmerican.com/archive
Jen Schwartz is a senior features editor at Scientific American. She produces stories and special projects about how society is adapting—or not—to a rapidly changing world.
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Scientific American is part of Springer Nature, which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications (many of them can be found at www.springernature.com/us). Scientific American maintains a strict policy of editorial independence in reporting developments in science to our readers.
© 2025 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
April 15, 2025
15 min read
Mathematicians' Favorite Shapes Hold the Key to Big Mathematical Mysteries
Mathematicians describe the most beautiful and beguiling forms and surfaces they know
By Rachel Crowell & Violet Frances edited by Clara Moskowitz & Jen Christiansen
Violet Frances
When most people think of shapes, they imagine a triangle, a rectangle, or maybe even a fancier- sounding rhombus or trapezoid. But to mathematicians, shapes encompass a vast universe of surprising forms, from one-dimensional loops to polytopes (geometric objects with flat sides that can exist in any desired dimension).
A related category, surfaces—collections of points that form boundaries in 3D space—includes an entire zoo of striking, strange mathematical objects. In this playground of structures and ideas, mathematicians explore, discover new insights and ponder open questions.
Some mathematicians love shapes that are deeply connected to the physical world, such as Borromean rings, which are related to regular hair braids, and the permutahedron, which is the basic shape of a zeolite crystal (a material widely used in industrial applications). Others favor more abstract options that represent higher-dimensional realms seemingly divorced from the world we live in.
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We asked mathematicians to choose their favorite shapes and surfaces and tell us why they find them so exciting and intriguing. Here are their edited responses.
Violet Frances
My favorite shape is the loop, a circle with all geometric information stripped away, leaving only a free-form one-dimensional object. In fact, there's a sense in which it is the only one-dimensional object. The biggest questions in topology [the branch of math concerned with the properties of shapes that stay constant even when the forms are stretched and warped] concern classifications of closed manifolds, which are the abstract notion of what “shape” means to a topologist. Surprisingly, we have a good sense of what every possible closed manifold looks like, provided it is one-, two- or three-dimensional or five-or-more-dimensional, but we know little about how four-dimensional manifolds can look. In this framework, the only one-dimensional closed manifold is a loop.
The loop is also ubiquitous throughout different fields of topology, often in a very crucial way. For example, the most fruitful and important invariant in topology is arguably the fundamental group, an algebraic object that counts how many ways a loop can be squeezed inside a space. And knot theory is an entire field of math focusing on the question “What are all the ways a loop can be tangled in three-dimensional space?” There is still so much to be learned about loops. —Shintaro Fushida-Hardy, Stanford University
Violet Frances
The complement of a knot is everything in three-dimensional space that isn't the knot. It's a topological object—if you wiggle the knot around, then its complement also squishes around. In the late 1970s American mathematician Robert F. Riley realized the complement of the figure-eight knot—this flexible topological object—is secretly an impossibly hard geometric diamond.
This is all metaphor—by “geometric diamond,” I mean it isn't just topological; it has geometry to it, and “diamond” is supposed to make you think of a rigid gemstone. It is a gem, as in a singular, beautiful object, and it is rigid in the sense that you cannot change its geometry—the geometry is unique. “Impossibly hard” is also trying to express this rigidity.
Riley showed that the complement of the figure-eight knot has a complete hyperbolic metric—in fact, a unique such metric. [“Hyperbolic” refers to a hyperbola, an open-ended curve.] This means that, for example, it makes sense to ask what its volume is given this unique metric. (It holds approximately 2.03 units of hyperbolic volume.) Soon after, mathematician William Thurston, then at Princeton University, vastly extended Riley's insight, showing that in a certain sense almost all knots have hyperbolic complements. Of the 352,152,252 prime knots with up to 19 crossings (classified by Benjamin A. Burton of the University of Queensland in Australia), only 395 are not hyperbolic.
What's a prime knot? Natural numbers are either composite or prime, depending on whether you can factor them into smaller pieces that then multiply together to give the number you started with. There is a similar situation with knots—instead of multiplication to combine two numbers to make a bigger number, an operation called connect sum combines two knots into a single, bigger knot. A knot is prime if it is not composite—that is, if it cannot be made by summing two smaller knots. People usually care only about prime knots because you can usually understand any composite knot by breaking it up into its prime knot factors first. —Henry Segerman, Oklahoma State University
Violet Frances
My favorite shape—and one I think about every day—is called the hyperbolic pair of pants. It is a surface with the shape of a pair of pants, meaning it has three boundary components (a waist and two ankles) and genus 0 (no handle, as opposed to your coffee mug). What makes this shape so special is that to every three lengths a, b and c, we can associate one and only one hyperbolic pair of pants of boundary lengths a, b and c. Thus, the same way that you know how to draw “the rectangle of edges 2 and 3.5,” it makes sense to talk about “the hyperbolic pair of pants of boundaries 1, 6 and 2.4.”
You can play and sew hyperbolic pairs of pants together. When you sew two pairs of jeans along their beltlines, an important decision is whether to line up their buttons and, if not, how much to twist. The amount of twisting is called the twist angle, represented by tau (τ). We can construct every hyperbolic surface by sewing together hyperbolic pairs of pants and describe all of them entirely in terms of the boundary lengths and twist angles in this decomposition. Therefore, hyperbolic pairs of pants are the perfect building blocks of hyperbolic geometry. — Laura Monk, University of Bristol, England
Violet Frances
The shapes I continue to return to in my research career are both commonplace and complex. They are commonplace because we learn about two-dimensional versions of these shapes as children: triangles, squares, dodecahedrons, and other convex polygons [a polygon is any flat shape made with straight lines; a convex polygon has internal angles that are all less than 180 degrees]. They become complex quickly as one considers higher-dimensional versions of them, called polytopes, and recognizes the myriad pure and applied mathematical connections they have. For example, if one has tried to optimize a bounded linear system (for example, to minimize the time required to return electric bikes to their rental stations), then one has encountered a polytope. If one is able to encode data from one mathematical setting as 0/1 coordinates, then the convex hull of those points [the smallest convex shape enclosing the points] describes a polytope. For example, the set of subsets of size 2 over three elements produces the three coordinate points (1,1,0), (1,0,1) and (0,1,1), whose convex hull is a triangle in three-dimensional space. This approach opens up a world of mathematical possibilities and deepens connections between mathematical areas. What may be hard to state in one area may suddenly be easier to state using polytopal language. It is these kinds of relationships between various mathematical areas, as well as the pursuit of exploring polytopes in their own right, that keep my attention on these simple yet complicated shapes. —Anastasia Chavez, Saint Mary's College of California
Violet Frances
One shape that I find really cool is known as the permutahedron (sometimes spelled permutohedron). This is a very symmetrical convex polytope that exhibits many special properties.
First, what does it mean for a shape to be convex? Think of it like this: if you pick any two points inside the shape and draw a straight line between them, that line will always stay inside the shape.
Second, what is a convex polytope? A convex polytope can be thought of as a shape with flat sides that may exist in any dimension: the zero-dimensional polytopes are points, the one-dimensional polytopes are line segments, and the two-dimensional polytopes are polygons. In three dimensions, we have polyhedra; in general, we have d-polytopes for any dimension d. For example, I like to think about convex polytopes in three dimensions as taking some points, throwing them in space and then sealing them in plastic wrap as tightly as you can. As a result, you will get a three-dimensional shape with flat sides. In two dimensions, we can think about points being represented by the heads of nails, wrapping a rubber band around the nails and letting the rubber band snap, creating a polygon.
Now, what is the permutahedron? The n-permutahedron is a geometric shape that comes from the mathematical concept of permutations. Say you have a set of numbers 1, 2 and 3. You can arrange those three numbers in different orders: (1,2,3), (1,3,2), (2,3,1), and so on. These different orders are called permutations. The n-permutahedron is a shape that captures all the possible ways to arrange the numbers 1 through n (for a positive integer n). We can define the n-permutahedron as the convex hull of all permutations of the vector (1,2,...,n).
When n = 3, we have six permutations of (1,2,3), which are the vertices of the 3-permutahedron. It is important to note that the 3-permutahedron is a two-dimensional figure “living” in 3-space. The reason behind this is that all the permutations (thought of as points in 3-space) live on the plane where x + y + z = 6, thus bringing down the dimension of the polytope.
See, for example, the 4-permutahedron. When n = 4, we have 4! = 24 permutations of (1,2,3,4), which are the vertices of the 4-permutahedron, a 3D polytope that lives in 4-space. This polytope is actually a truncated octahedron, a shape with 14 sides (six squares and eight regular hexagons). And truncated octahedra can create a space-filling tiling of 3-space. —Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez, Harvey Mudd College
You might have seen this beautifully symmetrical shape in your neighborhood playground; my chemist friend Juliana Velasquez Ochoa of the University of Bologna tells me it is the basic shape in a zeolite crystal. The San Francisco Exploratorium has a pile of identical bright-red permutahedra; when you play with them, you quickly notice that they stack perfectly, tiling [filling] space with no empty space between them.
How do we place 24 vertices in space to make the permutahedron Π4? My favorite way is to place them in four-dimensional space. The vertices of Π4 are the 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24 orderings (1,2,3,4), (2,1,3,4),..., (4,3,2,1) of the numbers 1,2,3,4. The volume of the permutahedron Π4 is 32 = 44–2√4; we know this because Π4 is a shadow of the 4(4 – 1)/2 = 6-dimensional cube, and this fact gives us a way to cut up the permutahedron Π4 into 16 = 44–2 identical boxes of volume √4.
The best part of this story is that it is true in any dimension. You can just substitute any value n instead of the number 4. (Why don't you try it for n = 3?) The vertices of the permutahedron Πn correspond to the possible orders of n objects. So as I alphabetize the stack of final projects of my 18 combinatorics students, I am taking a stroll around Π18 in 18-dimensional space.
I love the permutahedron because it is the site of a beautiful, productive dialogue among geometry, algebra and combinatorics [the study of counting, permutations and combinations]. —Federico Ardila-Mantilla, San Francisco State University
Violet Frances
As someone who studies surfaces for a living, I find it hard to pick a favorite. A common joke in my research area is that everyone's favorite surface is the genus 2 surface [a surface with two holes in it] because it's the lowest-genus (closed) hyperbolic surface and, as such, is often the default example drawn in lectures and talks. Although the genus 2 surface is quite special, I decided to share a little bit about a surface on the other end of the spectrum, an infinite-genus surface called the Loch Ness monster. The Loch Ness monster surface is arguably the “simplest” infinite-type surface, yet its group of topological symmetries known as the mapping class group contains every countable group as a subgroup.
Even stronger, there exists a complete hyperbolic metric on the Loch Ness monster surface whose isometry group (the group of geometric symmetries) is G if and only if G is a countable group. So even though the Loch Ness monster surface may appear quite simple in the wild world of infinite-type surfaces, it captures some pretty neat phenomena. These cool facts were proved by Tarik Aougab of Haverford College, Priyam Patel of the University of Utah and Nicholas G. Vlamis of Queens College in New York City in a 2021 paper entitled “Isometry Groups of Infinite-Genus Hyperbolic Surfaces.” —Marissa Kawehi Loving, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Violet Frances
I'm a topologist, so I'm enthusiastic about a lot of surfaces and shapes, but probably my favorite surface in the sense of a two-dimensional manifold [a surface that behaves like regular space at the local level] is ℝℙ2, or two-dimensional real projective space. In general, ℝℙn is the set of lines through the origin in ℝn+1. So for ℝℙ2, we're looking at all the lines through the origin in ℝ3; we can think of it like all the points on the unit sphere, except that any time two points are exactly opposite each other, we treat them as the same because they are on the same line through the origin. This surface can also be thought of in the following way: Take a Mobius band [essentially a strip of paper twisted once with its ends attached] and a disk. Both those things have a boundary, or edge: a circle. If we glue those two boundary circles together, we get two-dimensional real projective space.
This surface is the first step in an important construction in topology, which is to take the set of lines in all spaces ℝn, for any dimension n, at the same time. (Equivalently, you can take the set of lines in ℝ∞. This space, called ℝℙ∞, has deep connections to many features of topology I like, such as realizing fairly abstract algebraic invariants in terms of maps between spaces, studying vector fields on manifolds and studying the behavior of simple symmetries on spaces. —Kristen Hendricks, Rutgers University
Violet Frances
These shapes have amazing ramifications in classical topology. A topological image of a curve (shape) is a set of points in the plane that satisfies an equation and has a complicated topological structure.
The shapes shown here come from a 1930 paper by Polish mathematician Kazimierz Kuratowski. In it, he discusses peanian continua, which are, roughly speaking, simple closed curves in the plane or Euclidean 2-sphere. A simple closed curve is a continuous curve that doesn't intersect with itself and ends at the same point where it started. Some examples of simple closed curves are shapes represented by circles, ellipses, squares and regular polygons. Kuratowski proved that a peanian continuum containing only a finite number of simple closed curves is homeomorphic [topologically equivalent] to a subset of the plane if and only if it does not contain a topological image of either curve 1 or curve 2. Generally, a homeomorphism results from a continuous deformation of the object (shape) into a new shape, thus possessing similarity of form.
William W. S. Claytor was the third African American to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics. In his 1933 doctoral dissertation, Claytor describes a more general problem that built on Kuratowski's 1930 theorem. That problem is “the characterization of the peanian continua which are homeomorphic with a subset of the surface of a sphere.” His dissertation research moved from the case of the Euclidean plane to that of the Euclidean 2-sphere. The Euclidean 2-sphere is similar to a basketball in that it is hollow in the middle. Claytor began his problem by focusing on curves 1 and 2. Whereas Kuratowski had restricted the peanian continua to those containing only a finite number of simple closed curves, Claytor imposed no such restriction. —Asamoah Nkwanta, Morgan State University
Violet Frances
I find the three-dimensional representation of 4D objects called ribbon knots very cool. Here's how such a representation is constructed: Take a finite collection of disks, cut slits into them, then add bands between the boundaries of the disks that are allowed to pass through these slits. If the boundary of the resulting picture is a single piece of knotted string, the result is what's called a ribbon disk, and a knot in 3D that bounds such a disk is called a ribbon knot. In the 4D space, which we think of as surrounding the 3D space, there is enough room to undo the insertion and recover a disk (without the slits). Therefore, a ribbon knot is an example of the simplest possible type of knot in 4D, and the process of making a ribbon disk gives us a 3D way to construct it. The slice-ribbon conjecture, a major open problem in low-dimensional topology, says every such simple knot in 4D comes from a ribbon disk. I find the shape fascinating because it is a simple construction that underlies a difficult—and impossible to fully visualize—process in 4D space. Because there is more room than in 3D space, a set of points in 4D that itself constitutes a disk may occupy the space in intricate ways when we view its projection in 3D. —Christine Ruey Shan Lee, Texas State University
Violet Frances
The greatest mathematical ideas have three qualities: they are simple to define, they have beautiful and surprising properties, and they generalize in interesting ways. My favorite shape, the cycloid, has all of these.
It arises from a natural question: If you follow a point on the rim of a wheel as it rolls along a road, what shape is traced out? More mathematically, what is the path of a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls along a straight line? The resulting curve was named the cycloid by Galileo Galilei, and he is just one of the eminent mathematicians who have been fascinated by it (the list also includes Marin Mersenne, Pierre de Fermat, René Descartes, Blaise Pascal and Isaac Newton). Among the lovely properties of the cycloid is the fact that the area under its arch is exactly three times the area of the generating circle, and its length is exactly four times the diameter of that circle.
But the cycloid appears unexpectedly in a completely different context, the so-called tautochrone problem, which asks: Is there a curve such that a particle on the curve moving under gravity will reach the bottom in the same time no matter where on the curve it is released? The only curve that works is the cycloid. Bizarrely, it's also the solution to another problem about motion.
The brachistochrone problem asks: Given two points A and B, with A higher than B, what shape should a wire between them be so that a particle moving along the wire under gravity will travel from A to B in the shortest possible time? The cycloid is again the answer. And it meets my final criterion for a great mathematical idea: it generalizes in interesting ways. If we can roll a circle along a line, what happens when we roll a circle along a circle? If you roll a circle along the outside of a circle of the same radius, for example, you get the cardioid curve, which crops up all over the place, from the central region of the Mandelbrot set [a set of numbers that produces a famous fractal] to the sound profile of a microphone to that strange pattern of reflected light you see in your coffee cup in the morning.
And what if you roll a line along a circle or another curve? This process results in what's called the involute of the curve. Even here the cycloid has a fascinating property: the cycloid is the only curve that is its own involute. —Sarah Hart Birkbeck, University of London
Violet Frances
The catenoid is a fascinating geometric surface obtained when a catenary curve—that is, a curve resembling the shape of a hanging chain—revolves around an axis. This surface has intrigued mathematicians because of its elegant shape and structural properties. It was discovered in 1744 by Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, who proved that the catenoid is a minimal surface, meaning it has the least possible area for a given boundary. This property can be beautifully observed with a soap film, which naturally forms a catenoid when stretched between two circular rings. What makes the catenoid even more special is that besides the plane, it is the only minimal surface that can be obtained as a surface of revolution [a surface created by rotating a curve once around].
Since the 18th century, catenary curves have also been a great source of inspiration in architecture because they distribute forces in a way that makes them ideal for building arches. Catenary arches can be found in many churches and cathedrals, as well as in other architectural masterpieces such as La Pedrera in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí, a visionary architect, embraced the catenary's natural strength and beauty, incorporating the shape into his designs to create aesthetically stunning and structurally efficient structures. The catenoid and catenary continue to captivate mathematicians and architects with their combination of practicality and elegance. —Maria Soria Carro, Rutgers University
Violet Frances
My favorite shape is probably the Borromean rings because they embody many seemingly contradictory properties all at once. The three rings are inextricably linked, yet any two are unlinked. They possess a natural symmetry yet cannot be formed from perfect circles. They offer us beauty as well as utility.
The Borromean rings can also be viewed as a “closed” braid. In this context, they provide the simplest nontrivial example of a so-called Brunnian braid, which becomes “unbraided” as soon as one strand is pulled out. It is somewhat challenging (but always possible) to form braids with this property when using four or more strands, but in fact the most familiar of all braids is Brunnian—the standard hair braid gives rise to the Borromean rings. My own research focuses on symmetries of surfaces, and Brunnian braids play a fundamental role here, arising naturally in algebraic structures that model the motion of points on a plane. —Tara Brendle, University of Glasgow
Rachel Crowell is a Midwest-based writer covering science and mathematics. Follow Crowell on Twitter @writesRCrowell
Violet Frances began her illustration career at Scientific American in the mid-1990s. Her award-winning work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Wired and the Atlantic. Her work can be seen at violetfrances.com
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April 15, 2025
15 min read
Mathematicians' Favorite Shapes Hold the Key to Big Mathematical Mysteries
Mathematicians describe the most beautiful and beguiling forms and surfaces they know
By Rachel Crowell & Violet Frances edited by Clara Moskowitz & Jen Christiansen
Violet Frances
When most people think of shapes, they imagine a triangle, a rectangle, or maybe even a fancier- sounding rhombus or trapezoid. But to mathematicians, shapes encompass a vast universe of surprising forms, from one-dimensional loops to polytopes (geometric objects with flat sides that can exist in any desired dimension).
A related category, surfaces—collections of points that form boundaries in 3D space—includes an entire zoo of striking, strange mathematical objects. In this playground of structures and ideas, mathematicians explore, discover new insights and ponder open questions.
Some mathematicians love shapes that are deeply connected to the physical world, such as Borromean rings, which are related to regular hair braids, and the permutahedron, which is the basic shape of a zeolite crystal (a material widely used in industrial applications). Others favor more abstract options that represent higher-dimensional realms seemingly divorced from the world we live in.
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
We asked mathematicians to choose their favorite shapes and surfaces and tell us why they find them so exciting and intriguing. Here are their edited responses.
Violet Frances
My favorite shape is the loop, a circle with all geometric information stripped away, leaving only a free-form one-dimensional object. In fact, there's a sense in which it is the only one-dimensional object. The biggest questions in topology [the branch of math concerned with the properties of shapes that stay constant even when the forms are stretched and warped] concern classifications of closed manifolds, which are the abstract notion of what “shape” means to a topologist. Surprisingly, we have a good sense of what every possible closed manifold looks like, provided it is one-, two- or three-dimensional or five-or-more-dimensional, but we know little about how four-dimensional manifolds can look. In this framework, the only one-dimensional closed manifold is a loop.
The loop is also ubiquitous throughout different fields of topology, often in a very crucial way. For example, the most fruitful and important invariant in topology is arguably the fundamental group, an algebraic object that counts how many ways a loop can be squeezed inside a space. And knot theory is an entire field of math focusing on the question “What are all the ways a loop can be tangled in three-dimensional space?” There is still so much to be learned about loops. —Shintaro Fushida-Hardy, Stanford University
Violet Frances
The complement of a knot is everything in three-dimensional space that isn't the knot. It's a topological object—if you wiggle the knot around, then its complement also squishes around. In the late 1970s American mathematician Robert F. Riley realized the complement of the figure-eight knot—this flexible topological object—is secretly an impossibly hard geometric diamond.
This is all metaphor—by “geometric diamond,” I mean it isn't just topological; it has geometry to it, and “diamond” is supposed to make you think of a rigid gemstone. It is a gem, as in a singular, beautiful object, and it is rigid in the sense that you cannot change its geometry—the geometry is unique. “Impossibly hard” is also trying to express this rigidity.
Riley showed that the complement of the figure-eight knot has a complete hyperbolic metric—in fact, a unique such metric. [“Hyperbolic” refers to a hyperbola, an open-ended curve.] This means that, for example, it makes sense to ask what its volume is given this unique metric. (It holds approximately 2.03 units of hyperbolic volume.) Soon after, mathematician William Thurston, then at Princeton University, vastly extended Riley's insight, showing that in a certain sense almost all knots have hyperbolic complements. Of the 352,152,252 prime knots with up to 19 crossings (classified by Benjamin A. Burton of the University of Queensland in Australia), only 395 are not hyperbolic.
What's a prime knot? Natural numbers are either composite or prime, depending on whether you can factor them into smaller pieces that then multiply together to give the number you started with. There is a similar situation with knots—instead of multiplication to combine two numbers to make a bigger number, an operation called connect sum combines two knots into a single, bigger knot. A knot is prime if it is not composite—that is, if it cannot be made by summing two smaller knots. People usually care only about prime knots because you can usually understand any composite knot by breaking it up into its prime knot factors first. —Henry Segerman, Oklahoma State University
Violet Frances
My favorite shape—and one I think about every day—is called the hyperbolic pair of pants. It is a surface with the shape of a pair of pants, meaning it has three boundary components (a waist and two ankles) and genus 0 (no handle, as opposed to your coffee mug). What makes this shape so special is that to every three lengths a, b and c, we can associate one and only one hyperbolic pair of pants of boundary lengths a, b and c. Thus, the same way that you know how to draw “the rectangle of edges 2 and 3.5,” it makes sense to talk about “the hyperbolic pair of pants of boundaries 1, 6 and 2.4.”
You can play and sew hyperbolic pairs of pants together. When you sew two pairs of jeans along their beltlines, an important decision is whether to line up their buttons and, if not, how much to twist. The amount of twisting is called the twist angle, represented by tau (τ). We can construct every hyperbolic surface by sewing together hyperbolic pairs of pants and describe all of them entirely in terms of the boundary lengths and twist angles in this decomposition. Therefore, hyperbolic pairs of pants are the perfect building blocks of hyperbolic geometry. — Laura Monk, University of Bristol, England
Violet Frances
The shapes I continue to return to in my research career are both commonplace and complex. They are commonplace because we learn about two-dimensional versions of these shapes as children: triangles, squares, dodecahedrons, and other convex polygons [a polygon is any flat shape made with straight lines; a convex polygon has internal angles that are all less than 180 degrees]. They become complex quickly as one considers higher-dimensional versions of them, called polytopes, and recognizes the myriad pure and applied mathematical connections they have. For example, if one has tried to optimize a bounded linear system (for example, to minimize the time required to return electric bikes to their rental stations), then one has encountered a polytope. If one is able to encode data from one mathematical setting as 0/1 coordinates, then the convex hull of those points [the smallest convex shape enclosing the points] describes a polytope. For example, the set of subsets of size 2 over three elements produces the three coordinate points (1,1,0), (1,0,1) and (0,1,1), whose convex hull is a triangle in three-dimensional space. This approach opens up a world of mathematical possibilities and deepens connections between mathematical areas. What may be hard to state in one area may suddenly be easier to state using polytopal language. It is these kinds of relationships between various mathematical areas, as well as the pursuit of exploring polytopes in their own right, that keep my attention on these simple yet complicated shapes. —Anastasia Chavez, Saint Mary's College of California
Violet Frances
One shape that I find really cool is known as the permutahedron (sometimes spelled permutohedron). This is a very symmetrical convex polytope that exhibits many special properties.
First, what does it mean for a shape to be convex? Think of it like this: if you pick any two points inside the shape and draw a straight line between them, that line will always stay inside the shape.
Second, what is a convex polytope? A convex polytope can be thought of as a shape with flat sides that may exist in any dimension: the zero-dimensional polytopes are points, the one-dimensional polytopes are line segments, and the two-dimensional polytopes are polygons. In three dimensions, we have polyhedra; in general, we have d-polytopes for any dimension d. For example, I like to think about convex polytopes in three dimensions as taking some points, throwing them in space and then sealing them in plastic wrap as tightly as you can. As a result, you will get a three-dimensional shape with flat sides. In two dimensions, we can think about points being represented by the heads of nails, wrapping a rubber band around the nails and letting the rubber band snap, creating a polygon.
Now, what is the permutahedron? The n-permutahedron is a geometric shape that comes from the mathematical concept of permutations. Say you have a set of numbers 1, 2 and 3. You can arrange those three numbers in different orders: (1,2,3), (1,3,2), (2,3,1), and so on. These different orders are called permutations. The n-permutahedron is a shape that captures all the possible ways to arrange the numbers 1 through n (for a positive integer n). We can define the n-permutahedron as the convex hull of all permutations of the vector (1,2,...,n).
When n = 3, we have six permutations of (1,2,3), which are the vertices of the 3-permutahedron. It is important to note that the 3-permutahedron is a two-dimensional figure “living” in 3-space. The reason behind this is that all the permutations (thought of as points in 3-space) live on the plane where x + y + z = 6, thus bringing down the dimension of the polytope.
See, for example, the 4-permutahedron. When n = 4, we have 4! = 24 permutations of (1,2,3,4), which are the vertices of the 4-permutahedron, a 3D polytope that lives in 4-space. This polytope is actually a truncated octahedron, a shape with 14 sides (six squares and eight regular hexagons). And truncated octahedra can create a space-filling tiling of 3-space. —Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez, Harvey Mudd College
You might have seen this beautifully symmetrical shape in your neighborhood playground; my chemist friend Juliana Velasquez Ochoa of the University of Bologna tells me it is the basic shape in a zeolite crystal. The San Francisco Exploratorium has a pile of identical bright-red permutahedra; when you play with them, you quickly notice that they stack perfectly, tiling [filling] space with no empty space between them.
How do we place 24 vertices in space to make the permutahedron Π4? My favorite way is to place them in four-dimensional space. The vertices of Π4 are the 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24 orderings (1,2,3,4), (2,1,3,4),..., (4,3,2,1) of the numbers 1,2,3,4. The volume of the permutahedron Π4 is 32 = 44–2√4; we know this because Π4 is a shadow of the 4(4 – 1)/2 = 6-dimensional cube, and this fact gives us a way to cut up the permutahedron Π4 into 16 = 44–2 identical boxes of volume √4.
The best part of this story is that it is true in any dimension. You can just substitute any value n instead of the number 4. (Why don't you try it for n = 3?) The vertices of the permutahedron Πn correspond to the possible orders of n objects. So as I alphabetize the stack of final projects of my 18 combinatorics students, I am taking a stroll around Π18 in 18-dimensional space.
I love the permutahedron because it is the site of a beautiful, productive dialogue among geometry, algebra and combinatorics [the study of counting, permutations and combinations]. —Federico Ardila-Mantilla, San Francisco State University
Violet Frances
As someone who studies surfaces for a living, I find it hard to pick a favorite. A common joke in my research area is that everyone's favorite surface is the genus 2 surface [a surface with two holes in it] because it's the lowest-genus (closed) hyperbolic surface and, as such, is often the default example drawn in lectures and talks. Although the genus 2 surface is quite special, I decided to share a little bit about a surface on the other end of the spectrum, an infinite-genus surface called the Loch Ness monster. The Loch Ness monster surface is arguably the “simplest” infinite-type surface, yet its group of topological symmetries known as the mapping class group contains every countable group as a subgroup.
Even stronger, there exists a complete hyperbolic metric on the Loch Ness monster surface whose isometry group (the group of geometric symmetries) is G if and only if G is a countable group. So even though the Loch Ness monster surface may appear quite simple in the wild world of infinite-type surfaces, it captures some pretty neat phenomena. These cool facts were proved by Tarik Aougab of Haverford College, Priyam Patel of the University of Utah and Nicholas G. Vlamis of Queens College in New York City in a 2021 paper entitled “Isometry Groups of Infinite-Genus Hyperbolic Surfaces.” —Marissa Kawehi Loving, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Violet Frances
I'm a topologist, so I'm enthusiastic about a lot of surfaces and shapes, but probably my favorite surface in the sense of a two-dimensional manifold [a surface that behaves like regular space at the local level] is ℝℙ2, or two-dimensional real projective space. In general, ℝℙn is the set of lines through the origin in ℝn+1. So for ℝℙ2, we're looking at all the lines through the origin in ℝ3; we can think of it like all the points on the unit sphere, except that any time two points are exactly opposite each other, we treat them as the same because they are on the same line through the origin. This surface can also be thought of in the following way: Take a Mobius band [essentially a strip of paper twisted once with its ends attached] and a disk. Both those things have a boundary, or edge: a circle. If we glue those two boundary circles together, we get two-dimensional real projective space.
This surface is the first step in an important construction in topology, which is to take the set of lines in all spaces ℝn, for any dimension n, at the same time. (Equivalently, you can take the set of lines in ℝ∞. This space, called ℝℙ∞, has deep connections to many features of topology I like, such as realizing fairly abstract algebraic invariants in terms of maps between spaces, studying vector fields on manifolds and studying the behavior of simple symmetries on spaces. —Kristen Hendricks, Rutgers University
Violet Frances
These shapes have amazing ramifications in classical topology. A topological image of a curve (shape) is a set of points in the plane that satisfies an equation and has a complicated topological structure.
The shapes shown here come from a 1930 paper by Polish mathematician Kazimierz Kuratowski. In it, he discusses peanian continua, which are, roughly speaking, simple closed curves in the plane or Euclidean 2-sphere. A simple closed curve is a continuous curve that doesn't intersect with itself and ends at the same point where it started. Some examples of simple closed curves are shapes represented by circles, ellipses, squares and regular polygons. Kuratowski proved that a peanian continuum containing only a finite number of simple closed curves is homeomorphic [topologically equivalent] to a subset of the plane if and only if it does not contain a topological image of either curve 1 or curve 2. Generally, a homeomorphism results from a continuous deformation of the object (shape) into a new shape, thus possessing similarity of form.
William W. S. Claytor was the third African American to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics. In his 1933 doctoral dissertation, Claytor describes a more general problem that built on Kuratowski's 1930 theorem. That problem is “the characterization of the peanian continua which are homeomorphic with a subset of the surface of a sphere.” His dissertation research moved from the case of the Euclidean plane to that of the Euclidean 2-sphere. The Euclidean 2-sphere is similar to a basketball in that it is hollow in the middle. Claytor began his problem by focusing on curves 1 and 2. Whereas Kuratowski had restricted the peanian continua to those containing only a finite number of simple closed curves, Claytor imposed no such restriction. —Asamoah Nkwanta, Morgan State University
Violet Frances
I find the three-dimensional representation of 4D objects called ribbon knots very cool. Here's how such a representation is constructed: Take a finite collection of disks, cut slits into them, then add bands between the boundaries of the disks that are allowed to pass through these slits. If the boundary of the resulting picture is a single piece of knotted string, the result is what's called a ribbon disk, and a knot in 3D that bounds such a disk is called a ribbon knot. In the 4D space, which we think of as surrounding the 3D space, there is enough room to undo the insertion and recover a disk (without the slits). Therefore, a ribbon knot is an example of the simplest possible type of knot in 4D, and the process of making a ribbon disk gives us a 3D way to construct it. The slice-ribbon conjecture, a major open problem in low-dimensional topology, says every such simple knot in 4D comes from a ribbon disk. I find the shape fascinating because it is a simple construction that underlies a difficult—and impossible to fully visualize—process in 4D space. Because there is more room than in 3D space, a set of points in 4D that itself constitutes a disk may occupy the space in intricate ways when we view its projection in 3D. —Christine Ruey Shan Lee, Texas State University
Violet Frances
The greatest mathematical ideas have three qualities: they are simple to define, they have beautiful and surprising properties, and they generalize in interesting ways. My favorite shape, the cycloid, has all of these.
It arises from a natural question: If you follow a point on the rim of a wheel as it rolls along a road, what shape is traced out? More mathematically, what is the path of a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls along a straight line? The resulting curve was named the cycloid by Galileo Galilei, and he is just one of the eminent mathematicians who have been fascinated by it (the list also includes Marin Mersenne, Pierre de Fermat, René Descartes, Blaise Pascal and Isaac Newton). Among the lovely properties of the cycloid is the fact that the area under its arch is exactly three times the area of the generating circle, and its length is exactly four times the diameter of that circle.
But the cycloid appears unexpectedly in a completely different context, the so-called tautochrone problem, which asks: Is there a curve such that a particle on the curve moving under gravity will reach the bottom in the same time no matter where on the curve it is released? The only curve that works is the cycloid. Bizarrely, it's also the solution to another problem about motion.
The brachistochrone problem asks: Given two points A and B, with A higher than B, what shape should a wire between them be so that a particle moving along the wire under gravity will travel from A to B in the shortest possible time? The cycloid is again the answer. And it meets my final criterion for a great mathematical idea: it generalizes in interesting ways. If we can roll a circle along a line, what happens when we roll a circle along a circle? If you roll a circle along the outside of a circle of the same radius, for example, you get the cardioid curve, which crops up all over the place, from the central region of the Mandelbrot set [a set of numbers that produces a famous fractal] to the sound profile of a microphone to that strange pattern of reflected light you see in your coffee cup in the morning.
And what if you roll a line along a circle or another curve? This process results in what's called the involute of the curve. Even here the cycloid has a fascinating property: the cycloid is the only curve that is its own involute. —Sarah Hart Birkbeck, University of London
Violet Frances
The catenoid is a fascinating geometric surface obtained when a catenary curve—that is, a curve resembling the shape of a hanging chain—revolves around an axis. This surface has intrigued mathematicians because of its elegant shape and structural properties. It was discovered in 1744 by Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, who proved that the catenoid is a minimal surface, meaning it has the least possible area for a given boundary. This property can be beautifully observed with a soap film, which naturally forms a catenoid when stretched between two circular rings. What makes the catenoid even more special is that besides the plane, it is the only minimal surface that can be obtained as a surface of revolution [a surface created by rotating a curve once around].
Since the 18th century, catenary curves have also been a great source of inspiration in architecture because they distribute forces in a way that makes them ideal for building arches. Catenary arches can be found in many churches and cathedrals, as well as in other architectural masterpieces such as La Pedrera in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí, a visionary architect, embraced the catenary's natural strength and beauty, incorporating the shape into his designs to create aesthetically stunning and structurally efficient structures. The catenoid and catenary continue to captivate mathematicians and architects with their combination of practicality and elegance. —Maria Soria Carro, Rutgers University
Violet Frances
My favorite shape is probably the Borromean rings because they embody many seemingly contradictory properties all at once. The three rings are inextricably linked, yet any two are unlinked. They possess a natural symmetry yet cannot be formed from perfect circles. They offer us beauty as well as utility.
The Borromean rings can also be viewed as a “closed” braid. In this context, they provide the simplest nontrivial example of a so-called Brunnian braid, which becomes “unbraided” as soon as one strand is pulled out. It is somewhat challenging (but always possible) to form braids with this property when using four or more strands, but in fact the most familiar of all braids is Brunnian—the standard hair braid gives rise to the Borromean rings. My own research focuses on symmetries of surfaces, and Brunnian braids play a fundamental role here, arising naturally in algebraic structures that model the motion of points on a plane. —Tara Brendle, University of Glasgow
Rachel Crowell is a Midwest-based writer covering science and mathematics. Follow Crowell on Twitter @writesRCrowell
Violet Frances began her illustration career at Scientific American in the mid-1990s. Her award-winning work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Wired and the Atlantic. Her work can be seen at violetfrances.com
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You've always got to check inside the hidden chamber. Always.
A mapping expedition in the Tlayócoc cave in Mexico led a professional cave explorer to a hidden chamber containing shocking evidence of an extinct civilization.
Yekaterina Katiya Pavlova ventured to a community in the Sierra de Guerrero to further map the Tlayócoc cave. When Pavlova and local guide Adrián Beltrán Dimas reached the bottom of the cave, having already explored all that was mapped, they opted to head into an unknown passage through a submerged entrance. The effort paid off.
The passage led to a previously unseen room in which two engraved shell bracelets sat atop stalagmites, likely as an offering, according to a translated statement from the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
The explorers also found another bracelet, a giant snail shell, and pieces of black stone discs similar to pyrite mirrors—all of it dated to more than 500 years ago.
Archaeologists then descended on the cave, uncovering 14 total objects—three shell bracelets, a bracelet fragment, the giant snail shell, a piece of burnt wood, and pieces of eight stone discs (two of which were complete). Each of the bracelets were made from snail shells—likely a marine species—and were engraved with anthropomorphic symbols and figures.
The bracelets feature S-shaped symbols known as xonecuilli, zigzagging lines,a and circles to create human faces in profile. These designs could be meant to signify deities.
The archaeologista estimate that the items were left in the cave during the Postclassic period between 950 and 1521 A.D.—a time when the area was known to be populated by the now-extinct Tlacotepehaus ethnic group.
“This finding is of great relevance, since, with the study of the contextual relationship of the pieces of the cave, we can interpret symbolic notions, cultural aspects, manufacturing, and even trade,” Miguel Perez, INAH archaeologist, said in a statement, “to characterize the pre-Hispanic societies settled in the Sierra de Guerrero.”
The archaeologists determined that the stalagmites were manipulated in pre-Hispanic times to give them a more spherical finish, likely to better fit with ritual needs.
“Possibly the symbols and representations of characters on the bracelets are related to pre-Hispanic cosmogony regarding creation and fertility,” Cuauhtemoc Reyes Alvarez, INAH archaeologist, said in a statement. He added that the sealed context allows experts to understand how the ancient inhabitants may have conceived of these caves—as portals to the underworld, or as sacred spaces connected to the Earth and the divine.
The black stone discs resemble others from nearby archaeological regions, such as El Infiernillo, along with ones from distant cultures like Huasteca.
Historical reports say extreme cold forced people groups living in the Sierra de Guerrero (located over 7,850 feet above sea level and filled by dense pine and oak forests) to lower altitudes. Little is known about the Tlacotepheuas, other than 16th century historical mentions of their presence. The snail-shell bracelets could help tell their story.
Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.
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As the vessel itself is eroded by time, its “digital twin” still offers new insight.
This story is a collaboration with Biography.com.
It's the most famous sunken ship in history. The RMS Titanic—lost in 1912, along with the lives of roughly 1,500 of its passengers and crew—was rediscovered in 1985 by a Franco-American expedition team under the leadership of Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel. Finally, researchers and historians had more than eyewitness accounts to look to so that they might understand what had occurred on the night of April 14, 1912.
The analysis of that shipwreck over the decades has yielded invaluable information, much of which confirmed what those who survived the wreckage had relayed. This was vital, because at the time the wreckage was found, fewer than ten Titanic survivors were still alive. The last living survivor, Millvina Dean, passed away in 2009.
But, with the ravages that come from being submerged within the belly of the ocean, time can claim steel and wrought iron just as it can flesh and blood.
“The future of the wreck is going to continue to deteriorate over time, it's a natural process,” scientist Lori Johnson told IFLScience back in 2019. “These are natural types of bacteria, so the reason that the deterioration process ends up being quite a bit faster, is a group of bacteria, a community working symbiotically to eat, if you will, the iron and the sulfur.” Johnson was interviewed as part of a team working to produce 4K images of the wreckage before it deteriorated further.
The same article notes that the team also “performed photogrammetry imaging on the wreck, which will be used to assess the ship's state and make it possible to visualize the wreck using virtual reality technology.” Photogrammetry, a technique for determining 3D measurements from 2D images, was pioneered more than 50 years before the Titanic sank. And today, in combination with modern technology like LiDAR, it's allowing researchers to craft a 3D model of the famous shipwreck to study long after the wreckage itself has deteriorated.
The scan was the largest underwater 3D scan ever made, amounting to 16 terabytes of data, according to a new article from National Geographic. NatGeo, in tandem with Atlantic Productions, have debuted the digital twin of the RMS Titanic in a documentary chronicling the process titled Titanic: The Digital Resurrection.
The undertaking involved two remote-operated aquatic robots named Romeo and Juliet surveying the site and “taking some 715,000 photos and millions of laser measurements.” This data was then used to create a full-scale digital replica of the wreckage. “The model is so densely detailed,” National Geographic reports, “...a video rendering of it can be projected to life-size in a warehouse, where researchers can walk alongside it and zoom in and out on individual features, like a steam valve from the boiler room, which the scan revealed was left open, possibly to keep an emergency generator running as the ship sank.”
One person who found themselves struck by the powerful possibilities of this digitized Titanic was Parks Stephenson, a retired naval officer and Titanic historian. Stephenson had seen the wreckage in person twice, but found it limited from a research standpoint. “You can only see what's immediately in front of you,” he told National Geographic, with regards to seeing through a submersible's “roughly six-inch viewport and camera views.” He describes it as “...like being in a dark room and you have a flashlight that's not very powerful.”
And as Stephenson told the BBC, “...having a comprehensive view of the entirety of the wreck site is key to understanding what happened here.”
That's proven particularly true with regards to the study of the digital ship's large boiler rooms. The scans showed, per the BBC, “that some of the boilers are concave, which suggests they were still operating as they were plunged into the water.” This offers physical evidence to confirm reports from the time that detail a team of engineers (led by Joseph Bell) staying with the ship to shovel coal in order to ensure more people could safely escape.
“They kept the lights and the power working to the end, to give the crew time to launch the lifeboats safely with some light instead of in absolute darkness,” Stephenson summarized to the BBC. “They held the chaos at bay as long as possible, and all of that was kind of symbolized by this open steam valve just sitting there on the stern.”
With this digital scan, researchers and maritime historians can now not only dive deeper into the mechanics and dynamics of the wreckage itself, but also the stories of the many unheralded acts of heroism that prevented even further tragedy during the sinking.
Michale Natale is a News Editor for the Hearst Enthusiast Group. As a writer and researcher, he has produced written and audio-visual content for more than fifteen years, spanning historical periods from the dawn of early man to the Golden Age of Hollywood. His stories for the Enthusiast Group have involved coordinating with organizations like the National Parks Service and the Secret Service, and travelling to notable historical sites and archaeological digs, from excavations of America' earliest colonies to the former homes of Edgar Allan Poe.
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Molecular daisy chains are mechanically bonded materials with unique properties and compelling structures. Despite the exploration of numerous daisy chain structures, the synthesis of a crystalline mechanically interlocked polymer comprising daisy chain units remains elusive because flexible linkers typically yield amorphous gels, while rigid structures lack processability. Here we combine supramolecular crystallization preorganization with post-insertion of mechanical bonds to address this limitation. We use a C3-symmetric tritopic monomer with ammonium moieties and oligoether arms to generate a preorganized supramolecular honeycomb-like crystalline network via complementary non-covalent interactions, in an aqueous environment. Subsequently, single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation-directed thiol–ene click chemistry crosslinks terminal alkenes at the end of the oligoether arms using 1,2-ethanedithiol, covalently locking [c2]daisy chain linkages while preserving long-range order. This two-dimensional mechanically interlocked polymer can be exfoliated from its crystals to generate a multilayer counterpart exhibiting a 47-fold stiffness enhancement relative to its bulk parent. Moreover, the trilayer nanosheets preserve the structural integrity with the same hexagonal symmetry as the bulk parent. Our method enables the synthesis of a single-crystalline two-dimensional mechanically interlocked polymer from flexible monomers with precise synthetic control and unlocks the potential of developing mechanically interlocked materials.
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All data that support the findings of this study are available in the Article and Supplementary Information. Crystallographic data for the structures reported in this Article have been deposited at the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, under deposition numbers CCDC 2300835 for D1 and CCDC 2300836 for D2. Copies of the data can be obtained free of charge via https://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/structures/. Source data are provided with this paper.
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We are grateful for financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22171232 and 21971211), the ‘Spearhead' and ‘Leading Goose' Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2024SDXHDX0008), the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (2108085MB31), the University Synergy Innovation Program of Anhui Province (GXXT-2021-064), the Excellent Research and Innovation Team Project of Anhui Province (2022AH010001) and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory Construction Project. We extend our gratitude to Z. Chen and Z. Yang from the Instrumentation and Service Centers for Molecular Science and Physical Sciences, respectively at Westlake University for assistance with Raman and nanoindentation measurement as well as the data interpretation. The research was supported by Westlake University HPC Center. We also thank the staff at the SSRF BL17B1 beamline of the National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai (NFPS), Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, CAS, for providing technical support with X-ray diffraction data collection and analysis.
These authors contributed equally: Zheng-Bin Tang, Lifang Bian.
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Zheng-Bin Tang
Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, School of Engineering, Research Center for Industries of the Future, and Westlake Institute for Optoelectronics, Westlake University, and Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
Zheng-Bin Tang, Lifang Bian, Xiaohe Miao, Helei Gao, Lin Liu, Qike Jiang, Lijun Xu, Xiaorui Zheng & Zhichang Liu
Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China
Dengke Shen
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Andrew C.-H. Sue
International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
Zhichang Liu
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Z.L. conceived the idea. L.B., Z.-B.T. and Z.L. conducted experiments, analysed the results and prepared the Supplementary Information. X.M. and Z.-B.T. provided insightful discussions on X-ray diffraction measurement. Z.-B.T. and Z.L. wrote the manuscript. H.G. and L.X. carried out the HRESI-MS measurements. Z.-B.T. and H.G. performed the nanoindentation and Raman measurements. L.L. and X.Z. provided assistance with AFM measurements. Q.J. offered support with HRTEM measurement. D.S. and A.C.-H.S. discussed and revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to
Zhichang Liu.
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Supplementary Scheme 1, Figs. 1–34, Tables 1 and 2, Refs. 1–8, Experimental details and X-ray crystallographic details.
Crystal data for D1, CCDC 2300835.
Crystal data for D2, CCDC 2300836.
Height profiles and Young's modulus of exfoliated D2 films.
Height profiles of the exfoliated nanosheets of D2.
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Tang, ZB., Bian, L., Miao, X. et al. Synthesis of a crystalline two-dimensional [c2]daisy chain honeycomb network.
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In recent years, increased salt intrusion in surface waters has threatened freshwater availability in coastal regions worldwide. Yet, current future projections of salt intrusion are limited to local regions or changes to single forcing agents. Here, we quantify compounding contributions from changes in river discharge and relative sea level to changing future salt intrusion under a high-emission scenario (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway, SSP3-7.0) for 18 estuaries around the world. We find that the annual 90th percentile future salt intrusion is projected to increase between 1.3% and 18.2% (median 9.1%) in 89% of the studied estuaries worldwide. Our analysis also indicates that, on average, sea-level rise contributes approximately two times more to increasing future salt intrusion than reduced river discharge. We further show that the return levels of present-day 100-year salt intrusion events are projected to increase between 3.2% and 25.2% (median 10.2%) in 83% of the studied estuaries.
Estuaries are semi-enclosed bodies of water, where saline ocean and fresh river water meet and mix. Estuaries are considered as highly important socioeconomic areas due to their geological and ecological benefit. Approximately 69% of large cities in the world (22 out of the 32 largest cities) are situated on estuaries1. In recent years, there have been reports about severe salt intrusion events around the world. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) constructed an emergency sill to impede salt intrusion invading the Mississippi River, when New Orleans' municipal drinking water sources were predicted to be contaminated during the city's 132-year historical record drought over the summer and fall of 20232. Similarly, two severe drought events occurred in the Rhine-Meuse Estuary (the Netherlands) in 2018 and 2022, which caused prolonged salt intrusion impacting the freshwater intakes. In 2018, chloride concentration exceeded twice the drinking water norm for 75 consecutive days at the river mouth of the Hollandsche IJssel (the Netherlands) - a strategic river branch for fresh water intake. Except for the year 2018, such severe salt intrusion events only occured 52 days in the decade (2011–2020)3.
Many climate studies have demonstrated that, by the end of the 21st century, droughts are projected to increase in frequency, and their intensity is expected to be enhanced in many regions4,5,6. In addition, sea-level rise (SLR) in future climates is also projected to deepen estuaries7. Reduced river discharge decreases export of salt, while SLR enhances salt import by strengthening estuarine circulation and reducing river flow velocity8,9. Increasing water depth due to SLR can alter tidal amplitudes in coastal regions10, with varying effects on salinity depending on estuarine regimes11. In stratified estuaries (exchange flow dominant regime), larger tidal amplitudes weaken estuarine circulation, reducing salt intrusion. Conversely, in well-mixed estuaries (tidal dispersion dominant regime), higher tidal amplitudes enhance tidal dispersion, increasing salt intrusion. Increased ocean salinity imposes stronger baroclinic pressure and allow saline water to intrude further inland12. Enhanced ocean surface stress, driven by wind blowing from the sea toward land, can also amplify estuarine circulation and salt intrusion13. Among these modulations in estuarine dynamics, reduced river discharge and rising water depth due to SLR have been considered as two dominant processes responsible for increasing salt intrusion length in the future14. Here, salt intrusion length is defined as the distance from the mouth to a location where bottom salinity equals to 2 psu. The salt intrusion length is of great interest for multiple stakeholders since it limits water supplies15, and affects biodiversity16 and crop yields17.
The potential risk of enhanced salt intrusion under climate change has been quantified using numerical modeling studies7,14,18,19,20,21,22,23,24. However, most previous works mainly focused on changes in only one forcing agent: either river discharge18 or SLR7,19,20,21. This poses challenges in providing a comprehensive understanding of climate change effects on future salt intrusion and quantifying the contribution from each driver. Although studies exist that account for both future river discharge and SLR, these investigate only individual estuaries, and there is a lack of quantification on how climate change affects the statistical properties of future salt intrusion events14,22,23,24.
Here, we determine relative changes in future salt intrusion length statistics, as compared to the present day, in 18 estuaries worldwide. The estuaries are selected based on the availability of data that is crucial for the current analysis: estuary geometries, salinity field data at different longitudinal positions, observed multi-year daily river discharge data, and reliable river discharge from a climate model. The estuaries included in this study are from the continents as follows: five (North America), one (South America), six (Europe), three (Africa), two (Asia), and one (Oceania). These sites are representative mid-latitude estuaries, where freshwater availability is expected to become critical issues in the coming decades due to increased salt intrusion driven by more frequent droughts and rising sea-level. All ranges of vertical salinity structures from stratified to partially mixed and well-mixed conditions, are observed in the chosen estuaries. The first aim of our study is to quantify the changes in the statistics of two forcing agents: river discharge and SLR. In this study, SLR consists of absolute and relative contributions. The absolute SLR (ASRL) is caused by steric expansion and the increased ocean volume from ice melt. The regional variability of ASRL was computed by considering gravitational, rotational, and deformational (GRD) effects and changes in the dynamic sea level. The relative SLR (RSLR) considers vertical land motion (VLM), which enables to quantify effective changes of water depth in estuaries. The second goal is to analyze changes in the salt intrusion length statistics due to changes in both forcing agents and how these responses depend on the properties of the considered estuaries. To this end, we obtained daily river discharge for the selected estuaries up to the year 2100 under the high emission scenario (SSP3-7.0) using Community Earth System Model 2 large ensemble simulation results (CESM-LE2, Methods and Supplementary Table S1). We applied a bias correction for the modeled daily river discharge from CESM-LE2 using observed river discharge data using the Quantile Delta Mapping (QDM)25, see Supplementary Fig. S1 and Fig. S2. Next, we estimated projected regional ASLR due to increasing temperature by post-processing CESM-LE2 results following26 (Methods). The VLM was also quantified for the selected estuaries to compute the RSLR, using data presented in ref. 27 (Methods). Thereafter, a tidally and width averaged, single channel surface water salt intrusion model was calibrated using salinity field measurements at different longitudinal locations (Methods, Supplementary Note S1). Three consecutive 35-year time windows are defined over the 21st century: present (1996–2030), intermediate future (2031–2065), and long-term future (2066–2100). Smooth transitions in river discharge and RSLR are observed between the intermediate and long-term future in the preliminary analysis. To save computational time, the calibrated salt intrusion model simulations were carried out only for the present (1996–2030) and long-term future (2066–2100) periods under four different combinations among dominant forcing agents: river discharge, ASLR, and VLM (Methods). Hereafter, the future period refers to the long-term future.
We first investigate the spatial variability of projected river discharge at the end of the 21st century. Figure 1a illustrates the relative changes in the 35-year mean of low discharge projected for the future period (2066–2100) compared to the present period (1996–2030). Here, low discharge is defined as the annual 10th percentile of the daily river discharge Q10, which is a widely used drought index in hydrology28,29. The relative changes in low discharge correspond to \(\Delta {Q}_{10}^{*}=({Q}_{10}^{f}-{Q}_{10}^{p})/{Q}_{10}^{p}\), where \({Q}_{10}^{p}\) and \({Q}_{10}^{f}\) are the time-averaged Q10 over the present and future periods, respectively. As seen, CESM-LE2 projects decreasing low discharge magnitude (red in Fig. 1a) in the southern part of North America, northern and southern parts of South America, western and southern Europe, West and South Africa, and some coastal regions of South East Asia, and the western and eastern parts of Australia. Conversely, the magnitude of low discharge is projected to increase (blue in Fig. 1a) along the east and west coasts of a northern part of North America, the middle east of South America, northern Europe, central and eastern Africa, some coastal regions of South East Asia, and central Australia. The projected river discharge by CESM-LE2 is mostly aligned with previous multi-model ensemble mean streamflow projections under the high emission scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway, RCP 8.5)28,29. However, the river discharge projections by CESM-LE2 for the west coast of the USA show the opposite direction of changes (increase) as compared to the multi-model ensemble mean in earlier studies (decrease). This difference is attributed to the fact that CESM branches (CESM1-BGC and CCSM4) show positive biases in future trends of river discharge under RCP 8.5 for these regions30.
a The relative changes in the 35-year mean low discharge (Q10) for the future period (2066–2100) compared to present period (1996–2030), where the low discharge is defined as the annual 10th percentile of river discharge. The relative changes in Q10 correspond to \(\,\Delta {Q}_{10}^{*}=({Q}_{10}^{f}-{Q}_{10}^{p})/{Q}_{10}^{p}\), where \({Q}_{10}^{p}\) and \({Q}_{10}^{f}\) are the time-averaged Q10 over present (1996–2030) and future (2066–2100) periods. Blue and red areas show projected increase and decrease of Q10 in future, respectively. Grid cells containing \({Q}_{10}^{p} \, < \, 1\,{{{{\rm{m}}}}}^{3}{{{{\rm{s}}}}}^{-1}\) are masked. The basemap is from Natural Earth. b The relative changes in the 10th (orange), 50th (blue), and 90th (purple) percentile of the 35-year mean river discharge between future and present periods, expressed by different subscripts in Q. Here the vertical solid black lines show the ensemble standard deviation of the projected river discharge in CESM-LE2. In both panels, positive and negative ΔQ* are associated with projected decrease and increase of salt intrusion length in the future period.
For the selected estuaries, quantification of relative changes in river discharge statistics (the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, expressed by the different subscripts in ΔQ*) are given in Fig. 1b. The considered river discharge indices are projected to increase consistently for most of the selected estuaries in North and South America. In addition, the estuaries in southern Europe and Africa show decreasing future river discharge indices. Some estuaries in western Europe and southern Africa also show opposite sign changes in extreme river discharge indices (\(\Delta {Q}_{10}^{*} \, < \, 0\) and \(\Delta {Q}_{90}^{*} \, > \, 0\)), implying enhanced seasonality in a warming climate. The seasonally averaged 35-year mean river discharge are presented for the future and present periods in Supplementary Fig. S2, which supports the enhanced seasonality.
RSLR is determined from ASLR and VLM. The parameters δHA and δHVLM are defined as changes in water depth due to ASLR and VLM, respectively, and δHR = δHA − δHVLM. We first quantify future projections of regional δHA, including volume expansion of water column due to steric effects (Steric), ice melt (Glaciers, Greenland, and Antarctica), and changes in dynamic sea level (DSL) (Methods). A uniform increase of water level is assumed for the steric effect contribution. The GRD effects are considered for land ice melt (Supplementary Fig. S3). The GRD effects arise from the fact that ASLR is larger away from ice melting sources due to the reduced gravitational force that pulls the water surface. The contribution due to changes in DSL was also quantified, which was imposed by changes in regional wind stress and large-scale ocean circulation (Supplementary Fig. S4). Figure 2a shows the 35-year mean water surface elevation difference (δHA) between the future and present-day periods. A dipole pattern of δHA is found in the North Atlantic Ocean, which is associated with increased heat and fresh water fluxes, resulting in the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)31,32.
a Absolute changes of the 35-year mean of water surface elevation between future (2066–2100) and present (1996–2030), δHA. b Changes in water depth due to vertical land motion along global coastlines δHVLM. In a and b, the basemap is from Natural Earth. c Contributions of δHA and δHVLM to the changes in water depth due to relative sea-level rise for each estuary δHR. The horizontal gray solid and dashed lines show the global mean sea-level rise averaged in the future (2066–2100) and zero, respectively.
To estimate increases in effective water depth in estuaries, we also considered regional VLM. We employed projected global coastal region VLM data from ref. 27, which utilizes GPS, satellite altimetry, and tide gauges (Methods). The projected VLM accounts for Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA), subsidence due to acquifer withdrawal, and tectonic movements, among many others. Fig. 2b presents changes in water depth due to VLM, where positive values (blue) indicate land uplift (which decreases RSLR), while negative values (red) represent land sinking (which increases RSLR). The land uplift in Canada and northern Europe is attributed to GIA rebound, while the land subsidence in East coast of US and western Europe is mainly associated with the GIA forebulge collapse27,33. Fig. 2c shows the contributions of ASLR and VLM to changes in the 35-year mean of water surface elevation for the selected estuaries. The temporal evolution of RSLR processes to changing water depth for each estuary is provided in Supplementary Fig. S5 and S6. For all the studied estuaries, steric expansion is the dominant contributor to increasing water surface elevation. For most estuaries, contributions from Glaciers and Antarctica are the second and third largest, while contributions from Greenland is less significant. We find that VLM contributions to δHR are less than 15% except for the US coast and Thailand.
With the quantified changes in future river discharge and RSLR, we computed salt intrusion length for the selected estuaries using a 2DV salt intrusion model (Methods)34. The salt intrusion model accounts for along-estuary varying width, and assumes a flat channel bed (Supplementary Fig. S7). Measured along-estuary salinity profiles were used to calibrate the salt intrusion model. The root mean square error of the calibrated model ranges from 0.56 to 3.63 psu (median = 1.22 psu, see Supplementary Fig. S8). The relative changes in the 35-year mean of annual salt intrusion length statistics are presented in Fig. 3a (the 90th percentile, \(\Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\)) and Fig. 3b (the 50th percentile, \(\Delta {X}_{50}^{*}\)) under four different combinations among dominant forcing agents. The relative changes in salt intrusion length are defined as \(\Delta {X}_{pct}^{*}=({X}_{pct}^{f}-{X}_{pct}^{p})/{X}_{pct}^{p}\), where the superscript p and f represent the present (1996–2030) and future (2066–2100) periods, and the subscript pct denotes the percentile. The four sets of simulations consider (1) only river discharge changes (δQ), (2) only ASLR (δHA), (3) only RSLR (δHR), and (4) both river discharge changes and RSLR (δQ & δHR). Fig. 3 shows that salt intrusion decreases (\(\Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\) and \(\Delta {X}_{50}^{*} \, < \, 0\)) due to increased river discharge in the selected estuaries in the North and South America, and East Africa. For the rest of the studied estuaries, salt intrusion increases (\(\Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\) and \(\Delta {X}_{50}^{*} \, > \, 0\)) because of the reduced river discharge. Ranges of the effects of future river discharge on the relative salt intrusion length are \(-0.41\,\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.10\) (median = −0.002) and \(-0.36\le \Delta {X}_{50}^{*}\le \,0.28\) (median = 0.01). We find that the magnitude of relative increases in salt intrusion length due to changes in river discharge in this study are smaller as compared to values reported in an earlier study18 for western and southern Europe. The differences originate from the fact that, here, we use a more advanced salt intrusion model that is capable of accounting for converging estuary width. The salt intrusion model is less sensitive to changes in river discharge when using converging estuary width in the along-estuary direction.
a Relative changes of the 35-year mean of annual 90th percentile salt intrusion length between the future (2066–2100) and present (1996–2030) periods. Four combinations among the considered forcing agents are investigated: (1) only river discharge changes (δQ), (2) only absolute sea-level rise is imposed (δHA), (3) only relative sea-level rise is imposed (δHR), and (4) both river discharge changes and relative sea-level rise are considered (δQ & δHR). The vertical black solid lines represent one ensemble standard deviation from different realizations of climate conditions in the Community Earth System Model 2 large ensemble simulations (CESM-LE2). b The same as a, but for relative changes of 35-year mean of annual 50th percentile salt intrusion length. In both panels, positive and negative ΔX* show projected increase and decrease of salt intrusion length in the future period.
The salt intrusion length consistently increases due to ASLR, as an increase in water depth enhances salt intrusion, ranging from \(0.017\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.25\) (median = 0.069) and \(0.019\,\le \Delta {X}_{50}^{*}\le 0.28\) (median = 0.076). By including the VLM, future salt intrusion increases range from \(0.021\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.26\) (median = 0.071) and \(0.024\le \Delta {X}_{50}^{*}\le 0.30\) (median = 0.076). The result indicates that the contribution of VLM to changes in future salt intrusion length is insignificant. We find that the effect of RSLR on future salt intrusion length exceeds that due to changes in river discharge. This holds when we consider only estuaries with increasing \(\Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\) due to the reduced magnitude of low discharge (estuaries: g–k, m, n, q, r). For those estuaries, changes in salt intrusion lengths are \(0.018\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.096\) (median = 0.035) and \(0.049\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.098\) (median = 0.066) when isolated δQ and δHR are considered, respectively. Our analysis of the decomposed contributions of future forcing highlights the importance of RSLR on increasing salt intrusion length at the end of the 21st century. Compound changes in river discharge and RSLR (δQ & δHR case) lead to \(-0.23\le \Delta {X}_{90}^{*}\le 0.18\) (median = 0.079) and \(-0.15\le \Delta {X}_{50}^{*}\le 0.35\) (median = 0.072).
We further computed changes in the return periods and levels of extreme salt intrusion events. We first calculated return periods and levels using the 35-year annual maximum timeseries \({X}_{max}^{A}\) for the present and future periods (the triangle and circle markers in Fig. 4a). Next, Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution functions were fitted to the return period curves for each period (gray dashed and orange solid lines for present and future). Here, 100-year events were considered as typical extreme events (blue vertical line). The extreme return levels were defined as extrapolated \({X}_{max}^{A}\) that corresponds to the 100-year return periods based on the fitted GEV distribution functions (i.e., \({X}_{max}^{A}\) where gray dashed and orange solid curves intersect with the vertical blue line). The extreme return levels for the present and future are denoted as \({X}_{p}^{yr100}\) and \({X}_{f}^{yr100}\), respectively (red horizontal dashed and solid lines, respectively). Pangani was taken as an example to visualize the changes in return period curves where we observed the largest relative increases in the future 100-year return level (Fig. 4a). The same plots for all the remaining estuaries are presented in Supplementary Fig. S9. The relative changes of the 100-year return levels are defined as \(\Delta {X}^{yr100*}=({X}_{f}^{yr100}-{X}_{p}^{yr100})/{X}_{p}^{yr100}\). The following results focus only on the future simulations in which all the changes in forcings are considered, including the river discharge and RSLR (δQ & δHR case). We find − 0.28 ≤ ΔXyr100* ≤ 0.25 (median 0.095) for all the studied estuaries and 0.032 ≤ Δ Xyr100* ≤ 0.25 (median 0.10) for the 83% of the estuaries (15 out of 18) showing increasing future 100-year return levels. The changed future return periods for the extreme events were computed by finding points where \({X}_{p}^{yr100}\) intersect with future return curves (i.e., the red horizontal dashed lines meet with the orange solid lines in Fig. 4a). It is found that such future return periods are projected to decrease to 3.2 years for 6 estuaries on average (a,b,d,n,p,r in Supplementary Fig. S9). For 9 estuaries (c,g–k,m,o,q in Supplementary Fig. S9), the salt intrusion length belonging to a future 2-year return level is larger than ones corresponding to the extreme event under present-day conditions, as is seen from the orange circles always being above the red horizontal dashed lines. For 3 estuaries (e,f,l in Supplementary Fig. S9), return levels in future are projected to be reduced because of increasing magnitude of low discharge. Our results show that events that are considered as extreme in the present-day would occur much more frequent under changes in river discharge and increasing water depth in the future climate.
a An example of return periods and levels computed from the 35-year annual maximum timeseries \({X}_{max}^{A}\) for Pangani (Tanzania) for present (1996–2030) and future (2066–2100). Here, gray triangles and orange circles show estimated return periods. The corresponding gray dashed and orange solid lines are the fitted curves using the generalized extreme value distribution function. The shaded areas present 95% confidence interval computed by the bootstrapping method. The blue vertical line demarks the 100-year return period, defined as an extreme event. The horizontal red dashed and solid lines represent return levels corresponding to the extreme events for the present (\({X}_{p}^{yr100}\)) and future (\({X}_{f}^{yr100}\)), respectively. The same plots for all the studied estuaries are presented in Supplementary Fig. S9. b The relative changes of the future extreme return levels, \(\Delta {X}^{yr100*}=({X}_{f}^{yr100}-{X}_{p}^{yr100})/{X}_{p}^{yr100}\). The vertical black solid lines show uncertainties associated with 95% confidence interval using the bootstrapping method.
Our analysis provides future projections of the global-scale salt intrusion length under the high emission scenario (SSP3-7.0) using CESM-LE2 with two dominant future forcing agents: river discharge and RSLR. We show that the 35-year mean annual 90th percentile salt intrusion length is projected to range from 1.3% to 18.2% (median 9.1%) in 89% of the studied estuaries (16 out of 18). We also quantify that return levels of 100-year events are intensified in the future by 3.2−25.2% (median 10.2%) in 83% of the studied estuaries (15 out of 18). A systematic decomposition of the effects of changes in river discharge and water depth on future salt intrusion length allows to investigate the relative importance of the two forcings. We find that increasing water depth due to RSLR and decreasing river discharge are responsible for increasing salt intrusion length from 4.9% to 9.6% (median 6.6%) and from 1.7% to 9.6% (median 3.5%), respectively. This indicates that increasing water depth due to RSLR contributes to increasing future salt intrusion length approximately twice as much than decreasing river discharge. We stress that the factor two greater contribution by RSLR is from averaged salt intrusion length simulation results among the studied estuaries, and the relative importance of each forcing can vary significantly.
To better understand why our simulation results show greater contributions from elevating water depth to increasing salt intrusion length, we examined this based on the reduced-complexity steady state tidally-averaged salt budget equation (Eq. S14)35,36,37,38. As shown in Supplementary Note S2, salt intrusion length scales as X ~ HmQn. Here, m = 2 and n = −1/3 for stratified estuaries (exchange flow dominant regime, Eq. S17), while m = 1 and n = −1 for well-mixed estuaries (tidal dispersion dominant regime, Eq. S19), respectively. These scaling relations highlight that X is six times more sensitive to changes in H as compared to changes in Q (∣m/n∣ = 6) for stratified estuaries. For well-mixed estuaries, X similarly responds to changes in H and Q (∣m/n∣ = 1). This implies that X is expected to respond 1-6 times more sensitively to changes in H as compared to changes in Q for partially-mixed estuaries. As seen in Fig. S10, most of the studied estuaries are classified as partially-mixed estuaries (Supplementary Note 3 and Fig. S10).
The increased mean and extreme surface water salt intrusion length are expected to pose significant socio-economic challenges in coastal regions in the coming decades. For instance, when saline ocean water intrudes more frequently farther upstream, freshwater intakes are more likely to be contaminated. Increases in salinity and an extended salt intrusion length can affect agricultural landscape, reducing crop yields or forcing farmers to grow salt-tolerant species17. In addition, a higher drinking water salinity has been shown to elevate the risks of cardiovascular and kidney health problems39. Failure to adapt to these new agricultural conditions in a timely manner can lead to substantial economic loss and food shortage17. Our findings imply that these surface water salinization problems are projected to worsen in many estuaries worldwide.
Although our study provided a global-scale view on how changing water depth and river discharge affect salt intrusion, further improvements can be made for future projections. Incorporating realistic bottom topography will be an important step forward in capturing local estuarine dynamics and salt intrusion processes. When the water depth is increased, inhomogeneous residual circulation patterns emerge depending on the bathymetric characteristics40. This modulated residual circulation can influence local salt transport and salt intrusion length. Furthermore, the rate of local sedimentation build-up and erosion due to future coastal and fluvial morphodynamics can be characterized41. With this additional contribution, we can better quantify the effective change of water depth in estuaries. In addition, anthropogenic water regulation (e.g., reservoir operation and water withdrawal) is a significant source of uncertainties for projections of river discharge and salt intrusion. Changing dynamics of tides10, winds13, and ocean salinity12 in estuaries can play a role in future salt intrusion by influencing mixing and stratification.
The proposed framework in this study can be applied to any other estuaries if essential observations for the analysis are available: estuary geometries, longitudinal salinity measurements, multi-year daily river discharge data from observation, and reliable modeled river discharge from a climate model. We acknowledge that our analysis focuses on relatively large mid-latitude estuaries, where all the necessary data are publicly accessible. To provide a more comprehensive view of future salt intrusion processes in other estuaries, collective efforts to make necessary salinity and hydrological data publicly available will be crucial. Such data-sharing efforts with additional modeling work can help better understand future salt intrusion processes that are not addressed in this study, such as those occurring in fjords.
CESM is a fully coupled global climate model simulating ocean, land, atmospheric, and sea-ice processes, and their feedbacks. In this study, we projected future river discharge and sea-level rise under the SSP3-7.0 based on the CESM2 large ensemble simulation results, CESM-LE2 (n = 69). Here n is the total number of ensemble members considered, where consistent data are publicly available for daily river discharge, monthly air surface temperature, and monthly precipitation. The SSP3-7.0 represents the medium to high end of emission scenario, proposed in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). Following priority protocols in CMIP6, CESM-LE2 focused on the SSP3-7.0 due to large computational costs. A nominal horizontal spatial resolution of 1° was used for periods 1850–2100 in all the simulations. The SSP3-7.0 forcing scenario was applied from the year 2015. More detailed descriptions of CESM-LE2 are documented at https://www.cesm.ucar.edu/community-projects/lens242.
The modeled daily river discharge consists of contributions from surface and groundwater, and ice melt runoff computed in the land surface model in CESM-LE2. The accumulated total runoff on the land surfaces is routed to river networks with spatially varying river flow velocities using Manning's equation, based on heterogeneous roughness, hydraulic radius, and water surface slopes in land grid cells43,44. The modeled river discharge is abstracted depending on irrigation demands in land grid cells, but flow regulations by reservoirs are not considered45. We adjusted systematic biases observed in the modeled river discharge using the Quantile Delta Mapping (QDM) method25. The QDM method that was used to correct the modeled river discharge is elaborated in detail in ref. 18 (Supplementary Note S1 therein). Comparisons between seasonally averaged river discharge from CESM-LE2 and observations (before and after the bias correction) are provided in Supplementary Fig. S1. Changes of the seasonally averaged river discharge in CESM-LE2 between present (1996–2030) and future (2066–2100) are also given in Supplementary Fig. S2. Locations and measurement periods of the observed river discharge are summarized in Supplementary Table S1.
Future sea-level rise (2066–2100) was projected by post-processing the modeled air surface and oceanic temperature, and snowfall results in CESM-LE2, following the methods outlined in ref. 26. In these methods, the global mean sea-level rise (GMSLR) consists of four major contributions: (1) steric expansion, and ice melt from the (2) Antarctica and (3) Greenland ice sheets as well as (4) glaciers. Here, the steric expansion was quantified by vertically integrating specific volume anomalies over the full depth of the water column46, which is associated with volume expansion of the water column due to changes in density by varying temperature, pressure, and salinity. The SLR due to the melting Antarctica ice sheet was calculated based on surface mass balance47 and basal melt48, using snowfall over the continent and oceanic temperatures adjacent to the continental shelves. The contribution by the Greenland ice sheet was computed based on a mass balance between snowfall and surface melt49. The contribution by the glaciers was calculated using power law relations between sea-level rise and global mean surface temperature anomalies47. Nineteen glacier regions in the Randolph Glacier Inventory were considered, excluding glaciers in the Antarctica and sub-Antarctica regions.
Because we projected future salt intrusion length for estuaries at the global scale, it was crucial to consider spatial variability in the sea-level rise projection. Two sources of spatial variability were quantified in our analysis. First, we computed Gravitational, Rotational, and Deformation (GRD) effects induced by decreasing ice mass50. The GRD effects are induced by reduced gravitational force due to decreased ice mass that pulls water surface, resulting in greater SLR away from ice melting sources (Supplementary Fig. S3). Second, we also characterized spatial patterns in changes of dynamic sea-level changes (DSL) that are associated with varying regional wind stresses and large-scale ocean circulations over the 21st century (Supplementary Fig. S4). Decadal changes of DSL are calculated based on a climate model output (variable name SSH) in CESM-LE2. Temporal evolution of different contributors to ASLR for each estuary is provided in Supplementary Fig. S5.
We assumed that SLR processes are relatively slow as compared to changes in daily river discharge. To create consistent temporal resolution of SLR as daily river discharge, we linearly interpolated annual ASLR due to steric expansion and ice melt with GRD as well as monthly DSL into daily changes.
To quantify relative sea-level changes, we employed projected VLM along global coastlines that is presented in ref. 27. Therein, VLM was reconstructed from 1995 to 2020 by combining direct VLM observation from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)51 and an indirect VLM predictions that are based on tide gauges52 and altimetry data. Potential nonlinear VLM processes (e.g. glacial isostatic adjustment, tectonic activity, surface mass loading changes, and local natural or anthropogenic effects) were considered in space and time in the reconstruction. The quantified statistical properties of VLM trends and uncertainties in the reconstruction were used to project VLM up to the year 215027. Changes in water depth due to VLM are presented along global coastlines in Fig. 2b. The temporal evolution of VLM up to the year 2100 is shown for each investigated estuary in Supplementary Fig. S6. Similar to ASLR, we linearly extrapolated the VLM trends into daily-scale changes.
In this study, we assumed uniform water depth, allowing along-estuary varying width from the mouth to inland. To construct the converging estuary width, we fitted an exponential function to directly measured data in field campaigns53 and Google Earth34. For estuaries, in which width data was unavailable from the literature, we employed remotely sensed data from satellite images (Global River Widths from Landsat, GRWL)54. We divided estuaries into segments, where the index i is an integer, numbering the segments. The index i = 0 is the estuary segment adjacent to the mouth and increasing i indicates segments away from the mouth to inland. The equation for the estuary width of each segment reads
Here, x is the along-estuary coordinate with the origin x = 0 at the estuary mouth and negative upstream. The constant coefficients Bs,i, Ls,i, and Lc,i represent the largest estuary width facing seaward, streamwise estuary length, and convergence length at each segment, respectively. The characteristics of estuary geometries used in our analysis are summarized in Supplementary Table S2. Comparisons between the observed estuary width and Eq. (1) are provided in Supplementary Fig. S7.
We computed two-dimensional salinity structures in the along-estuary and vertical coordinates (2DV) using a time-dependent, width and tidally averaged single channel salt intrusion model. The 2DV salt intrusion model solves the mass, momentum, and salt balances with parameterized horizontal and vertical eddy viscosity and diffusivity34,55. The salt balance describes the temporal changes in salinity due to seaward salt flux caused by advection by river flow and landward salt flux by density driven exchange flow and horizontal mixing induced by tidal disperson. The solution methods for the 2DV salt intrusion model are given in ref. 34 and Supplementary Note S1.
We ran spin-up simulations for 1 year for the present (the year 1995) and future (the year 2065). Next, we conducted simulations for 35 years in the periods 1996–2030 (present) and 2066–2100 (future) using time series of river discharge, SLR, and VLM. The effects of changes in river discharge and RSLR on salt intrusion length at the end of the 21st century were systematically investigated by switching on/off future forcings. When considering changes in river discharge alone (blue vertical bar, δQ in Fig. 3), we used river discharge time series from 1996–2030 and 2066–2100 for the present and future periods, while imposing ASLR time series from 1996–2030 for both periods. When examining the impact of ASLR only (red vertical bar, δHA in Fig. 3), we employed the ASLR time series from 1996–2030 and 2066–2100 for the present and future periods, while using river discharge time series from 1996–2030 for both periods. For VLM contributions, we added VLM to ASLR timeseries (yellow vertical bar, δHR in Fig. 3). To analyze the combined contributions of river discharge and RSLR to future salt intrusion length (cyan vertical bar, δQ & δHR in Fig. 3), we used river discharge and RSLR timeseries from 1996–2030 and 2066–2100 for the present and future periods, respectively.
Salinity measurements were available in different time scales, which were needed for the model calibration. First, we utilized one-day snapshots of salinity field s(x) collected during dry seasons. Second, we used salinity timeseries measured at multiple spatial locations s(x, t) with daily (or monthly) temporal resolutions (Supplementary Table S4). For consistent model calibration, if applicable, we used time-averaged longitudinal salinity profiles over the month when the seasonally averaged river discharge is the lowest, denoted as \({{s}}_{dry}(x)={\langle s(x,t)\rangle }_{dry}\). Here, 〈 ⋅ 〉 is a time-averaging operator, and subscript dry indicates a period of interest, which was the driest month. The period of interest (dry seasons) was aligned with the purpose of our analysis to project changes in the potentially largest salt intrusion length for the future. When the vertical locations of salinity measurements were inconsistent among the data sources, we assumed the data to represent the depth-averaged salinity fields. If salinity data were collected at one vertical location and the measurement depth was reported, we extracted salinity profiles from the 2DV salt intrusion model at the corresponding vertical locations for the calibration. If the information about the vertical measurement locations was inaccessible from the data sources, we assumed the salinity profiles were from surface measurements (1m below the water surface).
Two constants for horizontal eddy diffusivity ch and vertical eddy viscosity cv were used as primary calibrating parameters in the 2DV salt intrusion model. We generated 200 - 400 combinations of cv and ch using the stochastic gradient descent method56. These combinations of cv and ch allowed to obtain the minimum root mean square errors of longitudinal salinity profiles between observation and model results, while keeping the absolute difference between modeled and observed X minimal. It was ensured that values of the ensemble-averaged cv and ch were independent of the number of combinations. If the ocean boundary salinity socn, which is a forcing parameter of the model, is not directly measured in observations, socn was also determined together with cv and ch following the same procedure. The ensemble averaged cv and ch from the combinations were defined as the calibrated eddy viscosity and diffusivity parameters. The corresponding ensemble standard deviations were defined as uncertainties associated with 2DV salt intrusion model calibrations (Supplementary Table S3).
All the data sources are given in Supplementary Table S4. The raw and processed data used and generated in this study have been deposited in Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14837324). The basemap used in all figures in this paper is available at https://www.naturalearthdata.com/.
All the scripts and raw and processed data that reproduce the figures in this paper have been deposited in Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14837324).
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This work is financially supported by NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences (2022/TTW/01344701, Perspective Program SALTISolutions, H.A.D.) and Deltares's strategic research initiative -Liveable Deltas in a Changing World' (11209189-029, Salt Intrusion around the World under influence of Climate Change, W.K.). The authors appreciate Dutch National Supercomputer (Snellius) for the computational resources. The authors are also grateful to Dr. Tim Hermans for his valuable insight on the analysis of vertical land motion and Avelon Gerritsma for her exploratory activities in the inception phase of the project.
Department of Physics, Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jiyong Lee, Bouke Biemond, René M. van Westen, Huib E. de Swart & Henk A. Dijkstra
Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands
Daan van Keulen, Ymkje Huismans & Wouter M. Kranenburg
Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Daan van Keulen
Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
Ymkje Huismans & Wouter M. Kranenburg
Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
Henk A. Dijkstra
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J.L. designed the study, analyzed the main results, and led the writing of the paper. B.B. contributed to salt intrusion modeling analysis and reviewed the paper. D.v.K. contributed to creating estuary geometry data. Y.H. contributed to discussions and reviewed the paper. R.v.W. contributed to the sea-level rise projection analysis and reviewed the paper. H.de.S. designed the study and contributed to data analysis, and reviewed the paper. H.A.D. provided financial support and computational resources, designed the study, contributed to data analysis, and reviewed the paper. W.K. contributed to conceptualizing the study and reviewed the paper.
Correspondence to
Jiyong Lee.
The authors declare no competing interests.
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Lee, J., Biemond, B., van Keulen, D. et al. Global increases of salt intrusion in estuaries under future environmental conditions.
Nat Commun 16, 3444 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58783-6
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Dysregulated protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway can induce numerous disease phenotypes, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. While small molecule-based targeted protein degradation (TPD) and targeted protein stabilization (TPS) platforms can address this dysregulation, they rely on structured and stable binding pockets, which do not exist to classically “undruggable” targets. Here, we expand the TPS target space by engineering “deubiquibodies” (duAbs) via fusion of computationally-designed peptide binders to the catalytic domain of the potent OTUB1 deubiquitinase. In human cells, duAbs effectively stabilize exogenous and endogenous proteins in a DUB-dependent manner. Using protein language models to generate target-binding peptides, we engineer duAbs to conformationally diverse target proteins, including key tumor suppressor proteins p53 and WEE1, and heavily-disordered fusion oncoproteins, such as PAX3::FOXO1. We further encapsulate p53-targeting duAbs as mRNA in lipid nanoparticles and demonstrate effective intracellular delivery, p53 stabilization, and apoptosis activation, motivating further in vivo translation.
The ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway regulates critical processes, including protein folding, DNA repair, and cell differentiation, thus helping to maintain proteostasis1. Dysregulation of this pathway—such as improper degradation of tumor suppressors or mutant, misfolded proteins—can lead to severe pathogenic phenotypes, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes2,3,4,5. Therefore, there is a need for proteome editing tools that are capable of correcting this dysregulation by selectively removing ubiquitin from target proteins. While the controllable installation of ubiquitin has been extensively exploited in the form of targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies such as PROTACs and molecular glues1, only recently has the reverse process, targeted protein stabilization (TPS), gained attention6. The current state-of-the-art TPS modality, termed deubiquitinase-targeting chimeras or DUBTACs, is analogous to PROTACs: they recruit endogenous deubiquitinases (DUBs), but still rely on the arduous design of chemical linkers and existence of small-molecule warheads, which do not exist for classically “undruggable” proteins due to their conformational disorder and lack of putative or cryptic binding site accessibility6. Due to the labor-intensive and time-consuming process of designing de novo binders—whether small molecules or biologics—for target proteins7, achieving a truly programmable TPS system currently remains unrealized.
In recent years, our team has described a unique TPD strategy that involves genetically fusing target-specific short “guide” peptides, designed via sequence-based algorithms, to the ubiquitin conjugation domain of the human E3 ubiquitin ligase, CHIP8,9,10,11,12. Without the requirement of a stable target structure, this programmable design process results in chimeric proteins called “ubiquibodies” (uAbs) for TPD which can target a conformationally varied array of target proteins8,9,10,11,12. Here, we design the analogous platform for TPS, termed deubiquibodies (duAbs), by fusing computationally-designed peptide guides to the catalytic domain of the potent OTUB1 deubiquitinase. Utilizing pre-existing binders, our first-generation fusion duAb architecture effectively stabilizes exogenous and endogenous proteins in a DUB-dependent manner following ectopic expression in human cells. We showcase the inherent programmability of duAbs by swapping in target-binding peptides designed via recent generative protein language models (pLMs), SaLT&PepPr, PepPrCLIP, and PepMLM10,11,12. These peptide-guided duAbs stabilize their intended target substrates, including the transcription factors β-catenin and FOXP3, the tumor suppressors WEE1 and p53, and a disordered fusion oncoprotein PAX3::FOXO1. As a final step toward in vivo translation, we deliver p53-targeting duAbs as mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and demonstrate effective intracellular delivery, p53 stabilization, and apoptosis induction.
Recently, Kanner et al. fused the OTUD1 deubiquitinase domain to yellow fluorescent protein-targeting nanobodies (YFP Nbs) to create enDUBO1 constructs that stabilize target-YFP fusion proteins (Fig. 1A)13. We hypothesized that DUB domains exhibiting more potent deubiquitinase activity may improve TPS. To evaluate potential effectors for recruitment, Poirson et al., conducted a proteome-scale induced proximity screen to rank both ubiquitinating and deubiquitinating enzymes in terms of catalytic activity14. They isolated a subset of deubiquitinases, including OTUB1 and UCHL1, as well as a SUMOlase, UBC9, with potent stabilization activity (Supplementary Table 1)14. Of note, OTUB1 is the endogenous deubiquitinase recruited by DUBTACs (Fig. 1A)6.
A Building from prior work13, a YFP nanobody (YFP Nb) was linked to potent deubiquitinase catalytic domains using different linker candidates. Created in BioRender. Hong, L. (2025) https://BioRender.com/v65m595. B KCNQ1-YFP stabilization by YFP Nb-based stabilizers in HEK293T cells determined by flow cytometric analysis. Cells were co-transfected with a pcDNA3-Nedd4L vector in the presence or absence of 4 μM PR-619 DUB inhibitor as indicated. Data are the average of independent replicates (n = 3). L1 = GAPGSG, L2 = GSGSG. (C) KCNQ-YFP stabilization by YFP Nb-based stabilizers, specifically comparing the YFP Nb-L2-OTUB1 fusion with the OTUB1 C91S and OTUB1 D88A/C91S/H265A (ASA) mutants. Cells were co-transfected with a pcDNA3-Nedd4L vector. Data are the average of individual replicates (n = 3). For B, C, normalized cell fluorescence was calculated by dividing the percentage of YFP+ cells in a sample by that of (-) DUB with no DUB inhibitor for control cells. Statistical analysis was performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****, p ≤ 0.0001. Samples with p value representations above their respective bars reflect comparisons between the control and that sample; all other p value notations compare those specific samples. Please refer to source data for numeric p values.
Using known domain annotations of these proteins in UniProt15, we isolated the catalytic domains of each enzyme and fused them to the aforementioned YFP Nbs via either the GAPGSG linker (used for enDUBO1) termed L113 or the flexible GSGSG linker already used in the uAb architecture termed L2 (Supplementary Table 1 and 2). To evaluate these designs, we employed a reporter fusion between the potassium ion channel protein, KCNQ1, and YFP, which was co-transfected in HEK293T cells with KCNQ1's E3 ubiquitin ligase, Nedd4L13,16. Our results showed that the YFP Nb-L2-OTUB1 fusion significantly increased KCNQ1-YFP levels, which exceeded the stabilization measured for enDUBO1 (YFP Nb-L1-OTUD1), YFP Nb-L2-UCHL1, and YFP Nb-L2-UBC9. We also sought to determine whether our DUB fusions acted in a DUB-dependent manner by employing the pan-DUB inhibitor PR-61917. Importantly, we observed that addition of PR-619 at a standard concentration (4 μM) abrogated stabilization, confirming the DUB-dependent mechanism of these stabilizer constructs (Fig. 1B). To further establish this mechanism, we investigated whether direct OTUB1 catalytic activity affected KCNQ1-YFP stabilization by mutating the catalytic cysteine-91 (C91), as well as the complete OTUB1 catalytic triad with aspartic acid-88 (D88) and histidine-265 (H265)18,19..We demonstrate that our OTUB1 C91S and D88A/C91S/H265A (ASA) mutants18 did not yield changes to KCNQ1-YFP expression (Fig. 1C).
We next explored whether the OTUB1 catalytic domain could be guided to target proteins via short peptide binders (Fig. 2A). As first candidates, we chose the β-cat_SnP_7 and β-cat_SnP_8 peptides derived from our SaLT&PepPr algorithm, both of which exhibit nanomolar binding affinity to β-catenin10. Our hypothesis was that by fusing these peptides to OTUB1, we would induce stabilization of β-catenin in HEK293T cells, which possess an intact Wnt signaling pathway20. We demonstrate that, when fused to β-cat_SnP_7 via L2, the OTUB1 catalytic domain induces statistically significant stabilization of β-catenin-sfGFP proteins and outperformed other DUB fusions (Fig. 2B and Supplementary Fig. 2). We again show that employing the pan-DUB inhibitor PR-619 inhibits DUB-dependent stabilization of β-catenin-sfGFP, as expected. In a similar manner, we exhibit that linking β-cat_SnP_7 to OTUB1 C91S and ASA mutants impedes β-catenin-sfGFP stabilization (Fig. 2C). We additionally demonstrate potent duAb activity within 48–72 h post transfection by monitoring β-catenin-sfGFP expression (Fig. 2D and Supplementary Fig. 4). We corroborated these results by co-transfecting the β-cat_SnP_7-L2-DUB fusions into HEK293T cells alongside TOP-GFP, a fluorescent reporter that serves as a reliable readout of β-catenin–dependent transcriptional activity (Fig. 2E)21. Cells transfected with β-cat_SnP_7-L2-OTUB1 exhibited significantly higher Wnt signaling than either untransfected cells or cells transfected with our other DUB fusion candidates (Fig. 2F and Supplementary Fig. 3), and either OTUB1 mutants (Fig. 2G).
A Instead of using a YFP Nb, which is not a therapeutically relevant binder, target-specific peptides can instead be leveraged for a more programmable method of protein stabilization. Created in BioRender. Hong, L. (2025) https://BioRender.com/v65m595. B β-catenin-sfGFP stabilization in HEK293T cells comparing the four different DUB domain candidates linked to βcat_SnP_710 measured by flow cytometric analysis. Cells were transiently transfected in the presence or absence of 4 μM PR-619 DUB inhibitor. Data are the average of independent replicates (n = 3). C β-catenin-sfGFP stabilization by βcat_SnP_7-linked stabilizers, specifically comparing the βcat_SnP_7-L2-OTUB1 fusion with the OTUB1 C91S and OTUB1 ASA mutants. Data are the average of individual replicates (n = 3). D Time-course experiment demonstrates that potent duAb activity can be achieved within three days of treatment. Data was collected by extracting treated HEK293T cells at t = 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h post transfection. E TOP-GFP assay for quantifying Wnt signaling in HEK293T cells21. Stabilization of endogenous β-catenin results in higher levels of Wnt signaling and increased GFP levels, measured by flow cytometry. Data are the average of independent replicates (n = 3). Created in BioRender. Hong, L. (2025) https://BioRender.com/v65m595. F TOP-GFP signals in HEK293T cells measured by flow cytometric analysis. Cells were transiently transfected in the presence or absence of 4 μM PR-619 DUB inhibitor. Data are the average of independent replicates (n = 3). G TOP-GFP signals in HEK293T cells comparing the βcat_SnP_7-L2-OTUB1 fusion with the OTUB1 C91S and OTUB1 ASA mutants measured by flow cytometric analysis. Cells were transiently transfected, and data are the average of independent replicates (n = 3). For B, G, normalized cell fluorescence was calculated by dividing the percentage of sfGFP+ cells in a sample by that of (-) DUB with no DUB inhibitor for control cells. Statistical analysis was performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001. Samples with p value representations above their respective bars reflect comparisons between the control and that sample; all other p value notations compare those specific samples. H Nano LC-MS/MS analysis of total proteins collected from HEK293T cells co-transfected with plasmids encoding β-catenin-sfGFP and either βcat_SnP_7-L2-OTUB1 or polyG-L2-OTUB1. Data was log2-transformed, and a t-test was performed to generate a volcano plot of differentially abundant proteins. Most notably, both exogenous β-catenin-sfGFP (CTNNB1GFP) and endogenous β-catenin (CTNNB1) were among the few proteins that were abundantly present in the β-catenin-stabilizing duAb samples over the non-targeting duAb control. I Overexpressed β-catenin-sfGFP (CTNNB1GFP) abundances comparing non-targeting vs. β-catenin-stabilizing duAb treatment in HEK293T cells. J Endogenous β-catenin (CTNNB1) abundances comparing non-targeting vs. β-catenin-stabilizing duAb treatment in HEK293T cells. For I, J, statistical analysis was performed using the one-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001. Please refer to source data for numeric p values.
Finally, to assess the specificity of our peptide-guided OTUB1 system, we performed one-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (1D-LC-MS/MS) analysis on total proteins harvested from HEK293T cells overexpressing β-catenin-sfGFP, with treatment of either our non-targeting, polyG-L2-OTUB1 fusion or our β-cat_SnP_7-L2-OTUB1 fusion (Fig. 2H and Supplementary Fig. 5). Quantifying the abundances of approximately 9300 proteins, our analysis demonstrated increased levels of both β-catenin-sfGFP and endogenous β-catenin (Fig. 2I, J). In comparison, there were minimal changes in the abundance of other proteins. However, we posit that increased “off-target” protein abundance may likely be attributed to downstream functional changes as a result of β-catenin stabilization. For example, Axin 2 (ACTN2), a known regulator of Wnt signaling22, was upregulated, as was NEIL1, which initiates colorectal cancer phenotypes by destabilizing DNA damage23. Together, these results establish our peptide-guided OTUB1 system, which we henceforth refer to as deubiquibodies or “duAbs”, as a potent and accurate system for TPS.
Next, we sought to demonstrate duAb programmability by designing peptides to diverse target proteins. As many disease-related proteins are conformationally disordered, we decided to leverage protein language models trained to design peptide binders provided only input sequences, rather than 3D structures (Fig. 3A)10,11,12. We first focused our attention on FOXP3, a classically undruggable transcription factor that plays a central role in the development and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs)24. FOXP3 is naturally regulated by the CHIP E3 ubiquitin ligase, which is expressed in HEK293T cells25. We applied the SaLT&PepPr interface-prediction algorithm to isolate guide peptides from its well-known interacting partner, NFAT (Supplementary Table 2)25,26 and subsequently tested the corresponding peptide-guided duAbs in a FOXP3-mCherry HEK293T stable cell line. Our results demonstrate that SaLT&PepPr-derived duAbs induce statistically significant stabilization of FOXP3-mCherry in a DUB-dependent manner, outperforming a duAb composed of a previously-designed P60D2A FOXP3-targeting peptide (Fig. 3B)27.
A Programmable target stabilization via language model-derived peptides. Created in BioRender. Chatterjee, P. (2025) https://BioRender.com/h25h541. B FOXP3-mCherry stabilization in HEK293T cells. Cellular mCherry fluorescence was measured by flow cytometry in independent replicates (n = 3). Normalized cell fluorescence was calculated by dividing the percentage of mCherry+ cells in a sample by that of control cells expressing a duAb vector expressing a non-specific poly-glycine (polyG) control peptide sequence. C Stabilization of endogenous WEE1 in protein extracts of HepG2 cells analyzed by immunoblotting. Cells were transiently transfected with a pcDNA3 plasmid encoding a polyG-OTUB1 control or one of the peptide-guided OTUB1 constructs as indicated. Transient transfection with an empty pcDNA3 plasmid served as an additional control. Blots were probed with anti-WEE1 and anti-GAPDH antibodies and are representative of biological replicates (n = 3) and technical replicates (n = 2) with similar results. D Stabilization of endogenous PAX3::FOXO1 in protein extracts of RH4 cells analyzed by immunoblotting. RH4 cells were transiently transfected with a pcDNA3 plasmid encoding one of the candidate duAbs while transfection with a polyG peptide-guided duAb served as a control. Blots were probed with anti-FOXO1 and anti-GAPDH antibodies and are representative of biological replicates (n = 3). For all immunoblots in (C) and (D), an equivalent amount of protein was loaded in each lane. Molecular weight (MW) ladder is indicated at left. Intensity of target protein bands was calculated via densitometry and normalized to intensity of GAPDH loading control and then normalized to polyG-OTUB1 control. Data are the average of biological replicates and technical replicates (n = 3 for WEE1 and PAX3::FOXO1). Statistical analysis for this figure was performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001. The p values above each bar in the fold stabilization and densitometry analyses represent the comparison between the control (polyG-OTUB1, no DUB inhibitor) and the respective sample; all other p value notations compare the specified samples. Please refer to source data for numeric p values. All structures were predicted via the AlphaFold3 server, and the shading was done according to AlphaFold's confidence metric, plDDT, as follows: Very low (plDDT <50) = Orange, Low (70 > plDDT > 50) = Yellow, Confident (70 > plDDT > 90) = Light Blue, Very high (plDDT > 90) = Light Blue.
Encouraged by the stabilization of FOXP3, we next focused our attention on WEE1, an inhibitor of tumor growth in non-cancerous eukaryotic somatic cells. Specifically, WEE1 acts as a kinase to phosphorylate the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK1)–cyclin B1 complex28. This phosphorylation hinders cell cycle advancement in the S and G2 phases of mitosis28. WEE1 has been shown to be regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and that treatment with a proteasome inhibitor or DUBTAC leads to WEE1 stabilization in these cells6,29,30. To target WEE1 for duAb-mediated stabilization, we designed six WEE1-specific peptides via a de novo peptide design algorithm, PepPrCLIP (Supplementary Table 2)12. The resulting guide peptides were each fused to OTUB1 in our duAb plasmid and tested in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Immunoblot analysis with an anti-WEE1 antibody revealed that each of the peptide-guided duAbs induced statistically significant stabilization of endogenous WEE1 (Fig. 3C)6.
Fusion oncoproteins drive pediatric cancers, such as EWS::FLI1 for Ewing sarcoma, exhibit a “Goldilocks” phenomenon, where suppression of their ubiquitination can induce fusion oncoprotein overdose and cancer cell death31. However, pharmacologically stabilizing these proteins is highly difficult, as these proteins exhibit almost complete structural disorder with no discernable binding pockets (Fig. 3D)32. To overcome this structural disorder, we used the recently developed peptide generator, PepMLM, which only requires the target sequence as input and outperforms structure-based RFDiffusion11, to generate ten PAX3::FOXO1-targeting, the predominant driver of pediatric alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS)33. After transfecting plasmids encoding these peptide-guided duAbs into fusion-positive RH4 ARMS cells, we observed stable increases in the levels of PAX3::FOXO1 fusion oncoprotein for five of the duAb designs (Fig. 3D).
Finally, we sought to stabilize p53, a key tumor suppressor protein that regulates cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and DNA repair in response to cellular stress and DNA damage34. The ability to stabilize p53 with duAbs would ensure its availability to suppress tumor formation and growth by maintaining genomic integrity and inhibiting malignant cell proliferation (Fig. 4A)35. p53 is largely disordered (Fig. 4B), thus we designed eight peptides using PepMLM11. As p53 is destabilized via ubiquitination in human cervical carcinoma, amongst many other cancers, we transfected HeLa cells with plasmid DNA encoding eight different duAb designs36. Immunoblot analysis revealed that two duAbs, p53_pMLM_4 and p53_pMLM_5, exhibited potent duAb-dependent stabilization as evidenced by significant increases in endogenous p53 levels (Fig. 4B).
A Programmable design of p53-targeting duAbs, encapsulation and delivery via mRNA-encapsulated lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and downstream apoptosis activation. Created in BioRender. Wang, T. (2025) https://BioRender.com/x61p552. B Stabilization of endogenous p53 in protein extracts of HeLa cells analyzed by immunoblotting. HeLa cells were transiently transfected with a pcDNA3 plasmid encoding one of the candidate duAbs while transfection with a polyG peptide-guided duAb served as a control. An equivalent amount of protein was loaded in each lane. Blots were probed with anti-p53 and anti-GAPDH antibodies and are representative of biological replicates (n = 3). C Stabilization of endogenous p53 in protein extracts of HeLa cells after the best p53-stabilizing duAb (p53_pMLM_4-OTUB1) was delivered via LNPs analyzed by immunoblotting. HeLa cells were transiently transfected with LNPs encapsulating p53_pMLM_4-duAbs encoded as mRNA (loaded 1 μg and 2 μg, respectively) while transfection with luciferase-encoding mRNA-LNP served as a control. An equivalent amount of protein was loaded in each lane. Blots were probed with anti-p53 and anti-Vinculin antibodies and are representative of biological replicates (n = 3). D Increase in apoptosis hallmark cleaved-PARP-1 (Cl-PARP-1) in protein extracts of HeLa cells after the best p53-stabilizing duAb (p53_pMLM_4-OTUB1) was delivered via LNPs analyzed by immunoblotting. HeLa cells were transiently transfected with LNPs encapsulating p53_pMLM_4-duAbs encoded as mRNA (loaded 1 μg and 2 μg, respectively) while transfection with luciferase-encoding mRNA-LNP served as a control. An equivalent amount of protein was loaded in each lane. Blots were probed with anti-Cl-PARP-1 and anti-Vinculin antibodies and are representative of biological replicates (n = 3). For all immunoblots in (B–D), an equivalent amount of protein was loaded in each lane. Molecular weight (MW) ladder is indicated at left. Intensity of target protein bands was calculated via densitometry and normalized to intensity of GAPDH and Vinculin loading controls and then normalized to applicable controls (polyG-OTUB1 for (B) and luciferase LNP for (C) and (D)). Data are the average of biological replicates and technical replicates (n = 3 for p53 and Cl-PARP-1). Statistical analysis for this figure was performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001. The p values above each bar in the fold stabilization and densitometry analyses represent the comparison between the control (polyG-OTUB1, luciferase LNP) and the respective sample; all other p value notations compare the specified samples. Please refer to source data for numeric p values. The structure for p53 was predicted via the AlphaFold3 server, and the shading was done according to AlphaFold's confidence metric, plDDT, as follows: very low (plDDT <50) = orange, low (70 > plDDT > 50) = yellow, confident (70 > plDDT > 90) = light blue, very high (plDDT > 90) = light blue.
Previous studies have shown successful LNP-mediated delivery of genetically encodable TPD modalities as mRNA37,38,39,40,41. Thus, we encapsulated our top p53 stabilizer – p53_pMLM_4-duAb – in LNPs, delivered them in HeLa cells, and showed via immunoblot analysis that we can similarly stabilize endogenous p53 levels (Fig. 4C). We further evaluated downstream functional effects via PARP-1 cleavage, which has been shown to be a hallmark of apoptosis activation (Fig. 4A)42, and exhibited significant cleaved-PARP-1 expression upon treatment of our p53-stabilizing duAbs (Fig. 4D). In total, these results motivate further in vivo translation of the duAb platform for therapeutic applications.
In this work, we have demonstrated that our genetically encodable duAbs represent a modular platform for rescuing ubiquitinated proteins, particularly those that are otherwise “undruggable” by conventional small molecule-based strategies. While we see evidence of target stabilization via OTUD1 and OTUB1 domains, we did not observe this same effect for UBC9 and UCHL1. These results can be corroborated with studies that describe UBC9 as a SUMO-conjugating enzyme rather than a hydrolase43,44. In comparison, while UCHL1 is a potent deubiquitinase that is well expressed across different cell types, it primarily targets mono-ubiquitinated proteins and binds weakly to polyubiquitinated proteins due to the structure of its active site45,46. Additionally, while OTUD1's catalytic domain has been leveraged previously13, its performance was not as strong as the OTUB1 catalytic domain in our study; this may be attributed to its facilitation of K63-deubiquitination rather than K48-deubiquitination, which plays a role in autophagy and pathways other than ubiquitin-proteasome regulation47,48.
As duAbs are ~290 amino acids in length (Supplementary Table 1), their intracellular delivery, at first glance, poses a challenge for therapeutic application. However, with the rapid advancements of targeted LNP platforms49, duAbs can be readily encapsulated as mRNA and delivered to specific tissues of interest37,39, as opposed to DUBTACs, which like PROTACs, may home to any tissue, risking potential side effects and toxicity50. Here, we designed LNPs to deliver p53-targeting duAbs, which not only induced p53 stabilization but also activated downstream apoptosis. Interestingly, we noticed that increasing the level of mRNA payload did not increase p53 stabilization efficiency. This may be due to a hook effect, where increasing the amount of payload overdetermined thresholds may lead to lower levels of translated protein51. Nonetheless, with further optimization, duAbs delivered via LNPs could provide a targeted and tunable approach for TPS, minimizing off-target effects while maximizing therapeutic efficacy in disease-specific contexts.
Finally, as a genetically encoded tool, peptide-guided duAbs, alongside uAbs, could serve as a powerful platform for proteome-wide target modulation, enabling combinatorial screening of protein activation and inhibition, similar to CRISPRa and CRISPRi for genetic screening52. With advances in pLM architectures, our language model-generated peptides can be further optimized to selectively bind post-translational and mutant isoforms of target proteins53,54,55, and fused to diverse PTM domains, including kinases, phosphatases, acetylases, and deglycosylases7. In total, this study represents a next step towards this eventual goal of a fully programmable proteome editing system.
The β-cat_SnP_7 peptide10, β-cat_SnP_8 peptide10, P60D2A peptide27, and YFP nanobodies13 were described in previous works and obtained from respective manuscript metadata. Binding peptides designed in this study were either generated by the previously-described SaLT&PepPr algorithm10 (https://huggingface.co/ubiquitx/saltnpeppr) via input of an interacting partner sequence, by the de novo PepPrCLIP algorithm12 (https://huggingface.co/ubiquitx/pepprclip) via input of the target protein sequence, or by the target sequence-conditioned PepMLM algorithm11 (https://huggingface.co/ChatterjeeLab/PepMLM-650M)11. All binder sequences can be found in Supplementary Table 2.
All duAb plasmids were generated from the standard pcDNA3 vector, harboring a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. An Esp3I restriction site was introduced immediately upstream of the OTUB1 catalytic domain and flexible GSGSG linker via the KLD Enzyme Mix (NEB, Cat # M0554S) following PCR amplification with mutagenic primers (Azenta). For duAb assembly, oligos for candidate peptides were annealed and ligated via T4 DNA Ligase (NEB, Cat # M0202S) into the Esp3I-digested duAb backbone. Assembled constructs were transformed into 50 μL NEB Turbo Competent Escherichia coli cells (NEB, Cat # C2984H), and plated onto LB agar supplemented with the appropriate antibiotic for subsequent sequence verification of colonies and plasmid purification (Azenta).
The HEK293T and HeLa cell lines were maintained in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM, Gibco Cat # 11995073) supplemented with 100 units/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin (Gibco, Cat # 15140122), and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS, Gibco, Cat # A5670402). The hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2, was maintained in Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium (EMEM, Sigma Aldrich Cat # M2279-500ML) supplemented with 100 units/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin, and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cell line, RH4, was maintained in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin, and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The RH4 cell line was a generous gift from Dr. Corinne Linardic. For duAb screening in reporter cell lines, pcDNA-duAb (500 ng) plasmids were transfected into cells as triplicates (2 × 105/well in a 24-well plate) with Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, Cat # 11668027) in Opti-MEM (Gibco, Cat # 31985062). After 2 days post transfection, 4 μM PR-619 (DUB inhibitor, MedChemExpress, Cat # HY-13814) was added to applicable cells (with equivalent volume of media added to non-treated cells), and subsequently cells were harvested within 24 hours post-treatment and analyzed on a Attune NxT Flow Cytometer (ThermoFisher) for GFP fluorescence (488-nm laser excitation, 530/30 filter for detection) and mCherry fluorescence (561-nm laser excitation, 620/15 filter for detection). 10,000 events were gated for data analysis based on default FSC/SSC parameters for the analyzed cells. Cells expressing eGFP and mCherry were gated, and these were normalized to a sample transfected with a non-targeting duAb using the FlowJo software (https://flowjo.com/). Representative flow cytometry gating strategies are indicated in Supplementary Fig. 1. For endogenous target screening in cell lines, pcDNA-duAb (800 ng) plasmids were transfected into cells as duplicates (3 × 105/well in a 12-well plate) with Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen) in Opti-MEM (Gibco). Cells were harvested after 72 h for subsequent cell fractionation and immunoblotting.
For target-reporter packaging, HEK293T cells were seeded in a 6-well plate and transfected at ~50% confluency. For each well, 0.5 μg pMD2.G (Addgene #12259), 1.5 μg psPAX2 (Addgene #12260) and 0.5 μg of the target-mCherry reporter transfer vector were transfected with Lipofectamine 3000 (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's protocol. The medium was exchanged 8 hours post transfection, and the viral supernatant was harvested at 48 and 72 hours post transfection. The viral supernatant was concentrated to 100x in 1× DPBS using Lenti-X Concentrator (Clontech, Cat # 631232) according to the manufacturer's instructions, and stored at −80 °C for further use.
For target-reporter cell line generation, 1 × 105 HEK293T cells were mixed with 20 μL of the concentrated virus in a 6-well plate. Media was changed 24 h post transduction. Antibiotic selection was started 36 h post transduction by adding 2 μg/mL puromycin (Sigma, Cat # P8833). Cells were harvested for sorting at 5 days post antibiotic selection, and a single cell of mCherry positive was plated in a 96-well plate. Genomic PCR was performed after cell growth to validate the genotype of the monoclonal cell line.
HEK293T cells were maintained in DMEM supplemented with 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 mg/mL streptomycin, and 10% FBS. Target-sfGFP (1 μg) + pcDNA3-duAb (1 μg) plasmids were transfected into cells as triplicates (5 × 105/well in a 6-well plate) with Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen) in Opti-MEM (Gibco). After 72 h post transfection, cells were harvested and washed four times with 500 μL 1× cold PBS. The cell pellets were resuspended in 300 μL Pierce RIPA buffer (ThermoFisher, Cat # 89900) and incubated on ice for 30 min. The homogenates were treated with 20% (w/v) SDS in triethylammonium bicarbonate buffer, pH 8.5 (Sigma Aldrich, Cat # T7408), followed by probe sonication and heating at 80 °C for 5 min. The supernatants were collected after centrifugation and the concentrations were determined using detergent-compatible Bradford assay. From each sample, 20 μg was reduced and alkylated, and digested with trypsin using an S-trap micro device. Peptide eluents were lyophilized, and after reconstitution, equal volumes of each sample were mixed to make an SPQC pool. Approximately 1 μg of each sample, and three replicates of the SPQC pool were analyzed by 1D-LCMS/MS. Samples were analyzed using a M-Class UPLC system (Waters) coupled to an Exploris 480 high resolution accurate tandem mass spectrometer (ThermoFisher) via a Nanospray Flex Ion source and processed using Spectronaut 16. The p values were calculated by performing a Student's t-test on log2fc values. The log2fc values were calculated by the difference of average abundances of the proteins in the presence and absence of targeting duAbs.
For the TOP-GFP assay, 2 × 105 HEK293T cells/well were seeded on a 24-well plate 20–24 h prior to transfection. On the day of transfection, each well received the following plasmids: TOP-GFP plasmid (Addgene #35489) and a duAb plasmid. A total of 500 ng of plasmid DNA in a ratio of TOP-GFP:duAb plasmids = 1:1 was mixed with Lipofectamine 2000 reagent (Invitrogen) in serum-free Opti-MEM medium (Gibco) and added dropwise to each well after incubation at room temperature for 20 min. After 72 h of incubation, cells were harvested and analyzed similarly as mentioned for duAb screening. Viable, single cells were gated, and normalized EGFP cell fluorescence was calculated as compared to a sample transfected with a non-targeting duAb, using the FlowJo software (https://flowjo.com/).
mRNA with ARCA cap and poly(A) tail additions for p53_pMLM_4-OTUB1 was synthesized via in vitro transcription using the HiScribe T7 ARCA mRNA Kit (NEB, Cat # E2060S). The mRNA was then concentrated and cleaned of impurities using the RNEasy MinElute Cleanup Kit (Qiagen, Cat # 74204). CleanCap® FLuc mRNA (NEB, Cat # L7602-100) was used as a control. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were prepared by diluting DLIN-MC3-DMA (MedKoo Biosciences, Cat # 555308), DSPC (Avanti Polar Lipids, Cat # 850365P-500mg), Cholesterol (Sigma Aldrich, Cat # C3045), and DMG-PEG2000 (NOF American Corporation, Cat # GM-020) in ethanol using standard molar ratios 50:10:38.5:1.5, respectively. The prepared mRNA for p53_pMLM_4-OTUB1 and luciferase were diluted in 10 mM citrate buffer (ThermoFisher, Cat # J61249.AP) in a 2:1 volume ratio with the lipid mixture, and mRNA was loaded in a 1:20 mass ratio with the lipid, respectively, in a NanoAssemblr™ Spark™ nanoparticle formulation system (Cytiva, Cat # NIS0001). After LNP production, they were transfected into HeLa cells 48 h post-seeding and were extracted 72 h post transfection for immunoblot analysis.
On the day of harvest, cells were detached by addition of 0.05% trypsin-EDTA and cell pellets were washed twice with ice-cold 1× PBS. Cells were then lysed and subcellular fractions were isolated from lysates using a 1:100 dilution of protease inhibitor cocktail (Millipore Sigma, Cat # P8340) in Pierce RIPA buffer (ThermoFisher, Cat # 89900). Specifically, the protease inhibitor cocktail-RIPA buffer solution was added to the cell pellet, the mixture was placed at 4 °C for 30 min followed by centrifugation at 15,000 rpm for 10 min at 4 °C. The supernatant was collected immediately to pre-chilled PCR tubes and quantified using the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit (ThermoFisher, Cat # 23227). Twenty micrograms lysed protein was mixed with 4× Bolt™ LDS Sample Buffer (ThermoFisher, Cat # NP0007) with 5% β-mercaptoethanol (Millipore Sigma, Cat # M3148) in a 3:1 ratio and subsequently incubated at 95 °C for 10 min prior to immunoblotting, which was performed according to standard protocols. Briefly, samples were loaded at equal volumes into Bolt™ Bis-Tris Plus Mini Protein Gels (ThermoFisher, Cat # NW04125BOX) and separated by electrophoresis. iBlot™ 2 Transfer Stacks (Invitrogen) were used for membrane blot transfer, and following a 1 h room-temperature incubation in 5% milk-TBST, proteins were probed with rabbit anti-WEE1 antibody (Abcam, Cat # ab137377; diluted 1:1000), mouse anti-p53 antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Cat # sc-126; diluted 1:1000), rabbit anti-FOXO1 antibody (Cell Signaling Technology, Cat # 2880S; diluted 1:1000), rabbit anti-Cl-PARP-1 (Cell Signaling Technology, Cat # 5625 T, diluted 1:750), rabbit anti-Vinculin (Invitrogen, Cat # 700062; diluted 1:2000), or mouse anti-GAPDH (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Cat # sc-47724; diluted 1:10,000) for overnight incubation at 4 °C. The blots were washed three times with 1X TBST for 5 min each and then probed with a secondary antibody, donkey anti-rabbit IgG (H + L), horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (Abcam, Cat # ab7083, diluted 1:5000) or goat anti-mouse IgG (H + L) Poly-HRP (ThermoFisher, Cat # 32230, diluted 1:5000) for 1–2 h at room temperature. Following three washes with 1× TBST for 5 min each, blots were detected by chemiluminescence using a BioRad ChemiDoc™ Touch Imaging System (Biorad). Densitometry analysis of protein bands in immunoblots was performed using ImageJ software as described here: https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/docs/examples/dot-blot/. Briefly, bands in each lane were grouped as a row or a horizontal “lane” and quantified using FIJI's gel analysis function. Intensity data for the duAb bands was first normalized to band intensity of either GAPDH or Vinculin in each lane then to the average band intensity for empty duAb vector control cases across replicates.
All structures were predicted via the AlphaFold3 server (https://alphafoldserver.com/), and the shading was done according to AlphaFold's confidence metric, plDDT, as follows: Very low (plDDT <50) = Orange, Low (70 > plDDT > 50) = Yellow, Confident (70 > plDDT > 90) = Light Blue, Very high (plDDT > 90) = Light Blue.
Sample sizes were not predetermined based on statistical methods but were chosen according to the standards of the field (three independent biological replicates for each condition), which gave sufficient statistics for the effect sizes of interest. All data were reported as average values with error bars representing standard deviation (SD). Statistical analysis was performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test using GraphPad Prism 10 software, with calculated p values are represented as follows: *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001. The p value representations above each bar in the fold stabilization and densitometry analyses are indicative of comparisons between the control and the respective sample; all other p value notations are between the specified samples. No data were excluded from the analyses. The experiments were not randomized. The investigators were not blinded to allocation during experiments and outcome assessment.
Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.
All data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the paper are present in the paper and supplementary tables. Raw and processed data underlying graphical figures (including raw immunoblots) are provided as Source Data, which can be found in our Zenodo depository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15121468. The duAb cloning vector (#232089) has been deposited to Addgene: https://www.addgene.org/232089/. Source data are provided with this paper.
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We thank the Colecraft Lab at Columbia University for providing enDUBO1 and KCNQ1-YFP constructs. We also thank Dr. Matthew Foster and Marlene Violette at the Duke Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility for assistance with proteomics experiments and analysis. We further thank Dr. Qianben Wang and Dr. Zhifen Cui at Duke University for allowing usage of the NanoAssemblr Spark for lipid nanoparticle formulation and providing technical expertise. The research was supported by institutional startup funds to the lab of P.C. from Duke University, as well as the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, The Hartwell Foundation, and NIH grants 3U54CA231630-01A1S4 and 1R21CA278468-01. The SaLT&PepPr and PepPrCLIP algorithms were provided and developed in conjunction with UbiquiTx, Inc.
These authors contributed equally: Lauren Hong, Tianzheng Ye, Tian Z. Wang.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
Lauren Hong, Tian Z. Wang, Divya Srijay, Howard Liu, Lin Zhao, Rio Watson, Sophia Vincoff, Tianlai Chen, Kseniia Kholina, Shrey Goel & Pranam Chatterjee
Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Tianzheng Ye & Matthew P. DeLisa
Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Matthew P. DeLisa
Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Matthew P. DeLisa
Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
Pranam Chatterjee
Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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L.H. built constructs, conducted transfections, carried out Western blotting and flow cytometry experiments, and performed data analyses, with assistance from T.Z.W., D.S., and R.W. T.Y. conducted WEE1 experiments. T.Z.W. conducted p53 LNP experiments with assistance from H.L. L.Z. developed fluorescent reporter cell lines. S.V. and T.C. designed guide peptides, with assistance from K.K. and S.G. P.C. and L.H. wrote the manuscript. All authors reviewed and edited the paper. M.P.D supervised WEE1 experiments. P.C. conceived, designed, directed, and supervised the study.
Correspondence to
Pranam Chatterjee.
P.C., L.H., and M.P.D. are listed as inventors on US Patent Application 63/541,921: “Peptide-Guided Protein Stabilizers and Uses Thereof”. P.C. and M.P.D. are co-founders of UbiquiTx, Inc., which commercializes genetically encoded proteome editing technologies, and are co-inventors of duAb patents. P.C.'s interests are reviewed and managed by Duke University in accordance with their conflict-of-interest policies. M.P.D.'s interests are reviewed and managed by Cornell University in accordance with their conflict-of-interest policies.
Nature Communications thanks Marc Güell, Matylda Izert-Nowakowska and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available.
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4chan has apparently fallen. The notorious image board that has been the origin of some of the best and absolute worst things that the internet has to offer allegedly fell victim to a hack that has left the site inaccessible since late Monday night through Tuesday morning, according to data from DownDetector. Shortly after reports of the site being down started circulating, a user on a rival image board, soyjack.party, claimed credit for the hack.
According to the Soyjack user, who is trying very hard to have a Machiavelli-meets-shitposter thing going, a hacker managed to get into 4chan's system over a year ago and laid low to carry out the attack. Through their alleged access, the hacker apparently reopened /qa/, a board that had been shut down for being a unique brand of awful, as well as exposed personal information of 4chan staff and leaked code from the image board.
“Tonight has been a very special night for many of us at the soyjak party. Today, April 14, 2025, a hacker, who has been in 4cuck's system for over a year, executed the true operation soyclipse,” the soyjack.party user who was allegedly aware of the hack said over on the competing imageboard.
Through the thread about the hack on Soyjack Party, users shared screenshots that purport to show admin access on 4chan, conversations that took place on private message boards that were only available to moderators, and internal tools that moderators had access to that show the location, host, and IP address of 4chan users. Allegedly, 4chan moderators took the site's servers offline to try to regain control. The Daily Dot reported that it was able to access a list of supposed contact information of 218 4chan moderators, managers, and janitors. Though Gizmodo has seen the list that's circulating online, there's no way to verify its authenticity.
Soyjack posters also claimed that there was a “flood of refugees” from 4chan joining Soyjack Party after the hack, but they are “not adjusting well to the culture.”
That last bit might be the key to the “why” of the hack. Soyjack Party is a 4chan spinoff that is built in large part around the wojack meme, which is frankly a bit old hat at this point. The site was launched in 2020, announced in the 4chan /qa/ board that was ostensibly a “Questions and Answers” forum but was hijacked by users posting wojack and soyjack memes. The /qa/ board was banned by 4chan, in part because it was a board that became a battleground for different factions that used the site. Soyjack Party users seemed to find 4chan's moderation tactics to be too oppressive and the site to have gone soft, just to give you a sense of what kind of content you might come across on the splinter site.
Soyjack Party users seem to have a history of raiding 4chan-related forums, as Reddit users in the 4chan ecosystem have noted Soyjack Party users flooding different subreddits and forcing them to go private. But the alleged hack seems to be the coup de grâce for the group.
4chan mods, understandably, seem a bit worried about their information getting leaked. Over on a Discord server where parts of the 4chan staff allegedly chat, there are a lot of concerns about the alleged hack and users encouraging each other to take precautions to secure their accounts. Hyperfixed host and longtime tech journalist Alex Goldman pointed out that there is seemingly unconfirmed buzz that some mod emails had .gov domains, which fits into the narrative that 4chan is a honeypot for federal law enforcement—a meme that is popular among Soyjack users.
For what it's worth, there are lots of people claiming that moderators and janitors have .gov emails, or claiming that most of their IP addresses are in the Washington, D.C. area, but very little that would amount to proof of that. People are happily posting screenshots of the hack, but when it comes to the claims that there are government agents on the site, for whatever reason, no one seems interested in posting evidence. In fact, there are multiple people who claim to have actually parsed through the leaked data and did not find any .gov emails. Also, why would feds trying to operate a secret honeypot use their real email addresses? Anyway, just keep that in mind when you see claims about what the hack “reveals.”
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PlugX got its plug pulled.
#Bananagate is upon us.
The leaked document, an internal profile of JD Vance, is painfully boring.
Don't give it your Google credentials! Try these troubleshooting tips instead.
Plus, a glimpse at the iPhone 16's five new colorways.
The Rabbit had an outside firm perform a security audit on Rabbit's AI device and “large action model,” though the hacking group says the report misses the point.
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Virtual Reality headsets are making leaps into the mainstream with these lower prices on entry-level headsets
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If you're getting tired of all the bad news on TV from around the globe and fancy a little escapism, virtual reality is one of those hobbies that can transport you to other worlds and bombard your visual senses with an experience that can disconnect you from your environment. Traditionally, jumping on board with VR tech has been an expensive initial outlay, but thanks to today's deal, and this discount on the Meta Quest 3S headset, you can now jump into VR with the lowest-ever price listed for this headset on Amazon.
To see today's deal, head to this link for the Meta Quest 3S VR headset at only $269. This is an all-time low price for this VR headset according to the Camelizer (Amazon price checking tool) where you'll be saving $40 off the usual list price of $299, that's a little chunk of change that you can put towards a game or other media content for the headset. Speaking of games, this Meta Quest 3S deal also comes with a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and a 3-Month Trial of Meta Quest+. Now's your chance to don a mask and be Batman.
The Meta Quest 3S in this deal comes with 128GB of onboard memory and uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor with 8GB of RAM. This is what enables you to play games such as Batman. The headset is completely wireless and weighs a mere 2.2 pounds, you can use the split-back head strap and lens adjustment to achieve a comfortable fit and get the in-headset image in focus. The Meta Quest 3S has a sharp 1832x1920 pixels per-eye resolution, which is low compared to top-end headsets, but more than adequate for a great viewing experience.
Meta Quest 3S VR Headset: now $269 at Amazon (was $299)With 1832x1920 pixels per-eye resolution, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, and 128GB of onboard memory, the Meta Quest 3S is the perfect entry-level VR headset to get you into the virtual reality experience, whether it's pretending to be Batman, or watching the latest movies from Netflix in Theatre-mode.
Also, there's great news for glasses wearers, you can wear glasses with the Meta Quest 3S using the glasses spacer that's included in the box, and if you want to ditch your glasses completely, there's the option to purchase custom prescription Meta Quest 3S lenses, these are sold separately and are an extra cost.
You do not need an active Facebook account to make use of the Meta Quest 3S, but you will need to set up a Meta account to use.
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The company recommends switching update channels as a band-aid solution.
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Microsoft has confirmed a bug in Outlook Classic, where users are experiencing CPU usage spikes, as high as 50%, when simply typing in the application. Notably, reports of this incident can be traced back to November last year, and even now, users have been asked to switch to the Microsoft 365 Apps update channel as a temporary workaround.
After around six months since the first sighting, Microsoft is finally addressing an issue in Outlook (Classic), which led to increased CPU usage, visible slowdowns, and even freezes whenever you'd sit down to compose an email or type a message. Microsoft quotes a figure ranging from a 30-50% hit to the CPU utilization, and that's sure to be noticeable, especially on aging hardware.
The developer team was able to reproduce this bug on updating to Microsoft 365 Apps Version 2406 Build 17726.20126+, which was released in June 2024, on the Current, Monthly Enterprise, and Insider Channels. As of writing, a concrete solution is not available, so users have been recommended to move to the Semi-Annual Channel release, where this issue has not been observed.
If you're running an organization with several devices, Microsoft offers a detailed guide for migrating your update channel with options like Group Policies, the Office Deployment Tool, Microsoft Configuration Manager, and Intune, just to name a few. For home users, a simpler way to achieve the same result is by just tweaking the registry as follows:
Affected users went through several troubleshooting hoops, like turning off graphics acceleration, disabling the spell-check utility, along with add-ins, but to no avail. It got so bad that a user with a beefy i9-14900HX reported CPU temperatures breaching 95 degrees Celsius just by having the 'New Message' window open, which is used to compose emails.
As the problem is still under investigation by the Outlook team, this is no more than a stopgap solution. The nature of this bug seems to be tied to how the software handles text fields, but it's quite puzzling how such an obvious issue slipped past the developers in the first place.
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None of this should be surprising, but to belabor the point: DOGE has everything. It is well past time to stop nickel-and-diming the story.
There is a new lengthy investigation out from NPR today detailing how Elon Musk's waste and government efficiency initiative has barreled into the National Labor Relations Department and exfiltrated mass amounts of sensitive data, taking great lengths to cover its tracks, and threatening employees who speak out. Experts in cybersecurity likened the actions taken to those of a state-sponsored hacking group, questioning why a mandate to save money in government would require such cloak-and-dagger behavior—DOGE staffers demanded activity logging be disabled, and wiped their anonymous user accounts on the way out.
The most salacious detail in the story regards Daniel Berulis, an IT employee who pieced together breadcrumbs left behind by DOGE. His concerns triggered a formal investigation of what appeared to be a serious, ongoing breach or potentially illegal removal of sensitive data:
In the days after Berulis and his colleagues prepared a request for CISA's help investigating the breach, Berulis found a printed letter in an envelope taped to his door, which included threatening language, sensitive personal information and overhead pictures of him walking his dog, according to the cover letter attached to his official disclosure. It's unclear who sent it, but the letter made specific reference to his decision to report the breach. Law enforcement is investigating the letter.
After DOGE left the building, Berulis began looking around to piece together what they had done and found very little. Upwards of 10 gigabytes of data was taken out, data which could include information on unions and ongoing legal cases, a particular concern since Musk's empire of companies has repeatedly been the subject of labor lawsuits that he has deemed unconstitutional. But “logs that were used to monitor outbound traffic from the system were absent” and “some actions taken on the network, including data exfiltration, had no attribution — except to a ‘deleted account'.”
It was discovered through NPR's investigation that a DOGE engineer, Jordan Wick, had a repository on his GitHub called “NxGenBdoorExtract,” whose name suggests it could be a backdoor system to extract files from NxGen, the NLRB's internal case management system. One of DOGE's other workers, who goes by the name “Big Balls,” has previously worked for a cyberhacking group, providing cloud hosting services to a gang that trafficked in stolen data.
What is more, unknown users had granted themselves high-level keys to access NLRB storage, and there was no way to access what they did with the permission. PowerShell downloads were visible on the systems, which allow engineers to run automated commands, and several code libraries “appeared to be designed to automate and mask data exfiltration.” There was even a tool to generate endless numbers of IP addresses, another way to mask where data was going. Controls were disabled that would prevent unauthorized devices, like smartphones, from logging onto the system without permission, and two-factor authentication was also turned off.
Musk has said that would recuse himself of any work involving his companies. “I'm getting a sort of a daily proctology exam here,” he said in an interview with Fox News. “You know, it's not like I'll be getting away [with] something in the dead of night.” But Musk has also used data obtained from agencies including the Social Security Administration to spread unfounded claims of fraud, and relentlessly attacked the former Biden administration in retaliation over Tesla not being invited to a White House EV summit.
It has been speculated that Musk may have an interest in learning about investigations into Tesla or X—or using data to train models for xAI.
But again, that is a more innocuous possibility. The more concerning potential is for Musk, who has for years been hell-bent on dismantling unions, could exploit newfound access to information on testimony, union leaders, and legal strategies. Maybe he will not use it, but the point is that there is no good reason for DOGE to be covertly exfiltrating data from the department with little to no accountability.
This new reporting should not be surprising, earlier this month, the IRS reportedly held a hackathon to build a “mega API” that would give DOGE easier access to taxpayer data, potentially through a partnership with Palantir. And Musk famously rifled through Twitter's internal communications following his purchase of the company, firing anyone who spoke negatively about him. It is not unheard of that he might be tempted to snuff out Tesla or SpaceX whistleblowers and fire them under false pretenses.
Despite assertions by Musk and others that unions harm innovation, recent surveys have found that Americans overwhelmingly support them. Union members on average make 10-20% more than nonunion workers.
People get fired all the time for the lawful act of trying to form a union—including at Tesla—and the public should understand that many NLRB protections are fairly toothless against big-pocketed. DOGE gaining access to sensitive information alone may be the point: Go to the authorities with your concerns and we will find you.
In unrelated news, Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos' financé Lauren Sanchez went up to space on a Blue Origin rocket this week—a stunt that was looked at with some disdain as the rest of the world back down on Earth crumbles. At least some people understand that what happens here really is more pressing.
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The project has been described as similar to rival Elon Musk's social media site, X.
Meta wants your posts for AI training. Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey, too.
In one snippet, a crosswalk hacked to sound like Mark Zuckerberg told individuals there was nothing they could do to stop progress of AI.
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OpenAI is building its own X-like social media network, according to a new report from The Verge. The project is still in the early stages, but there's an internal prototype focused on ChatGPT's image generation that contains a social feed.
The report states that it's unknown if OpenAI plans to launch the social network as a standalone app or if it plans to integrate it within the ChatGPT app.
With this new social network, OpenAI would be taking on Elon Musk's X and Meta's social platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The new app would also allow OpenAI to access real-time data to train its AI models, something that both X and Meta already have.
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg once considered deleting everyone's Facebook friends in an effort to boost the social network's cultural relevance. This “potentially crazy idea,” as the exec called it at the time, was revealed on Monday as a part of the evidence introduced during the first day of the U.S. government's antitrust trial against Meta.
In one message to Meta employees in 2022, Zuckerberg proposed the strategy of “wiping everyone's graphs and having them start again” as a possible solution to Facebook's declining significance in the social networking space. The idea was that forcing everyone to re-create their friend graphs could encourage users to reconnect with the social network as they rebuild their social connections.
Others at Meta, including the head of Facebook, Tom Alison, pushed back on the plan, and ultimately, the strategy was never implemented.
However, the evidence presented in the trial revealed that Zuckerberg had considered other strategies to maintain his company's relevance, including shifting Facebook from a friends-based model to a follower-based model. That also never came to be.
In recent weeks, Facebook has focused again on connecting friends, having revamped its Friends tab in an effort to return to an “OG Facebook.” The new tab centralizes friend requests and only friends' content, including their posts, reels, stories, and birthdays.
“I think there are a lot of opportunities to make [Facebook] way more culturally influential than it is today,” Zuckberg told investors during Meta's Q4 2024 earnings call about his key goals for the year ahead. “I think some of this will kind of get back to how Facebook was originally used back in the day.”
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But I don't think that's the point anyway, the point is to trash everything that operates interdependently in government, and enable the administration to become the one gateway to solve anything and then capture that income via corruption and etc.You want cancer research? You want weather data? You gotta pay the toll... otherwise they don't care. Everything they trash is potential income.
You want cancer research? You want weather data? You gotta pay the toll... otherwise they don't care. Everything they trash is potential income.
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“They're just spinning their wheels, citing in many cases overstated or fake savings,” said Romina Boccia, the director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute. “What's most frustrating is that we agree with their goals. But we're watching them flail at achieving them.”To your point, people have taken musk/doge at face value, with 'efficiency' being the goal. That's not been the goal. But... pointing that out seems to make you some sort of conspiracy theorist."Just give them time! It takes time!"We did have some meaningful government cutbacks in the 90s. It took months of bipartisan collaboration and dealmaking, and we ended up with a balanced budget and a bit of a surplus. The process was a lot more open, experts were consulted, hearings and studies were done, and we did make some short-lived progress there.None of that process was even entertained. We had a charlatan foisted on us in the role of "chief slasher of anything woke", and a third of our country cheered it on, until they got cut. Those not cut/affected still seem to support this circus.
To your point, people have taken musk/doge at face value, with 'efficiency' being the goal. That's not been the goal. But... pointing that out seems to make you some sort of conspiracy theorist."Just give them time! It takes time!"We did have some meaningful government cutbacks in the 90s. It took months of bipartisan collaboration and dealmaking, and we ended up with a balanced budget and a bit of a surplus. The process was a lot more open, experts were consulted, hearings and studies were done, and we did make some short-lived progress there.None of that process was even entertained. We had a charlatan foisted on us in the role of "chief slasher of anything woke", and a third of our country cheered it on, until they got cut. Those not cut/affected still seem to support this circus.
"Just give them time! It takes time!"We did have some meaningful government cutbacks in the 90s. It took months of bipartisan collaboration and dealmaking, and we ended up with a balanced budget and a bit of a surplus. The process was a lot more open, experts were consulted, hearings and studies were done, and we did make some short-lived progress there.None of that process was even entertained. We had a charlatan foisted on us in the role of "chief slasher of anything woke", and a third of our country cheered it on, until they got cut. Those not cut/affected still seem to support this circus.
We did have some meaningful government cutbacks in the 90s. It took months of bipartisan collaboration and dealmaking, and we ended up with a balanced budget and a bit of a surplus. The process was a lot more open, experts were consulted, hearings and studies were done, and we did make some short-lived progress there.None of that process was even entertained. We had a charlatan foisted on us in the role of "chief slasher of anything woke", and a third of our country cheered it on, until they got cut. Those not cut/affected still seem to support this circus.
None of that process was even entertained. We had a charlatan foisted on us in the role of "chief slasher of anything woke", and a third of our country cheered it on, until they got cut. Those not cut/affected still seem to support this circus.
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Except it's exactly Doge and the admin at large who keeps saying how fast they're going to go and how easy it all is to fix, etc.
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The 90s were the era of Gingrich and the "Contract With America" and the rise of figures like Rush Limbaugh. If you weren't around it was pretty bad back then too. Witness the enduring "the Clintons are LITERALLY an evil crime family" meme from then that persists to this day.
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There is currently a Republican Congress and Republican President.Congress could & should enact these cuts immediately instead of having the Executive do whatever it is that DOGE is doing. The Constitutional mechanism still works, and would be much more effective.
Congress could & should enact these cuts immediately instead of having the Executive do whatever it is that DOGE is doing. The Constitutional mechanism still works, and would be much more effective.
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They don't want to work. They don't want the visibility. They don't want the accountability/blowback.We've already embarrassed ourselves by electing these clowns twice. We'll really have failed if every responsible person and accomplice isn't voted out at the first possible opportunity.
We've already embarrassed ourselves by electing these clowns twice. We'll really have failed if every responsible person and accomplice isn't voted out at the first possible opportunity.
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Unfortunately the GOP is just a Trump fan club / hangers on party now and they control congress.
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The whole point is there are no cuts. USAID was easy. DOE just moved jobs around. After that, there isn't anything actually being cut. Just stupidity and chaos. (And possibly grift.)
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Look, I am not a fan of DOGE. They are far more theater than effective. But on this one small point, your argument doesn't work.
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I thought the purported benefit of having skilled programmers/coders running DOGE would be that at least whatever they did would be done in a...programmatic way? But these sound like errors when doing manual data entry.
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It was never about saving money, ever. Stop sane washing this whole scam.It was about punishing people, organizations, and regulators who annoyed Elon and Trump.Once you understand that, the whole thing makes sense.
It was about punishing people, organizations, and regulators who annoyed Elon and Trump.Once you understand that, the whole thing makes sense.
Once you understand that, the whole thing makes sense.
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https://www.inc.com/chris-morris/why-elon-musk-doge-savings-...It was originally $2 trillion.EDIT: Missed this earlier. Still think you should lead with the original claim to highlight the disparity!> When he was Mr. Trump's most prominent supporter on the campaign trail, he said he could cut $2 trillion from a federal budget of about $7 trillion. After Mr. Trump was elected and Mr. Musk's group began its work, Mr. Musk lowered that goal to $1 trillion.
It was originally $2 trillion.EDIT: Missed this earlier. Still think you should lead with the original claim to highlight the disparity!> When he was Mr. Trump's most prominent supporter on the campaign trail, he said he could cut $2 trillion from a federal budget of about $7 trillion. After Mr. Trump was elected and Mr. Musk's group began its work, Mr. Musk lowered that goal to $1 trillion.
EDIT: Missed this earlier. Still think you should lead with the original claim to highlight the disparity!> When he was Mr. Trump's most prominent supporter on the campaign trail, he said he could cut $2 trillion from a federal budget of about $7 trillion. After Mr. Trump was elected and Mr. Musk's group began its work, Mr. Musk lowered that goal to $1 trillion.
> When he was Mr. Trump's most prominent supporter on the campaign trail, he said he could cut $2 trillion from a federal budget of about $7 trillion. After Mr. Trump was elected and Mr. Musk's group began its work, Mr. Musk lowered that goal to $1 trillion.
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So it's better to make it less efficient and more expensive? I know two people who were DOGE'd and asked to come back. Both are getting 4x what they earned before as contractors.Cutting USAID was probably the only coldly efficient thing DOGE has done. Everything else has just been stupid and ineffective.
Cutting USAID was probably the only coldly efficient thing DOGE has done. Everything else has just been stupid and ineffective.
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He is bad. There's no way around it anymore.
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Is it possible there could be "objective" facts about these mistakes that make Elon and Orange man look bad, even when reported fairly?Is it possible the New York Times could be reporting on these facts?Is that even possible? Are there any worlds you could conceive of where this is the case?
Is it possible the New York Times could be reporting on these facts?Is that even possible? Are there any worlds you could conceive of where this is the case?
Is that even possible? Are there any worlds you could conceive of where this is the case?
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This is where you will run into problems in convincing people because reporting is never fair.
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Step into your own private concert hall with Sony's WH-1000XM4, the headphones that consistently top “best-of” lists and make music lovers weak in the knees. These aren't just headphones; they're your personal sanctuary, armed with industry-leading noise cancellation that transforms noisy commutes into peaceful listening sessions and advanced AI that upscales your music to near-studio quality. When audiophiles dream, they dream of these.
Amazon has slashed the price of the Sony WH-1000XM4 from $348 to just $248, offering a substantial $100 savings. At 29% off, this is one of the best prices we've seen for these premium headphones.
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The noise cancellation technology sets these headphones apart. Using Dual Noise Sensor microphones and advanced processing, they create an immersive bubble of silence that makes other noise-canceling headphones sound primitive in comparison.
Battery life impresses at up to 30 hours with noise canceling enabled. A quick 10-minute charge provides 5 hours of playback, perfect for those times you forget to charge overnight. The USB-C charging ensures compatibility with modern devices.
Smart features abound. Speak-to-Chat automatically pauses your music when you start talking, while wear detection stops playback when you remove the headphones. Multipoint connection lets you pair with two devices simultaneously, seamlessly switching between your phone and laptop.
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Touch controls are intuitive and responsive. Swipe and tap gestures handle volume, track control, and calls, while voice assistant integration puts Alexa or Google Assistant just a touch away. The precise voice pickup, utilizing five microphones, ensures crystal-clear calls even in noisy environments.
Comfort received special attention in the design. The lightweight frame and pressure-relieving ear cups make these comfortable for all-day wear, while the premium materials speak to their luxury status.
Sound quality is where these headphones truly shine. The DSEE Extreme engine, developed with Sony Music Studios Tokyo, uses AI to restore high-range sounds lost in compressed digital music. This means your streaming music sounds closer to the original studio recording. And that kind of authenticity is usually very important.
At $248, these represent exceptional value for premium wireless headphones. While there are cheaper options available, none match the XM4's combination of noise cancellation, sound quality, and smart features. For anyone serious about audio quality or seeking peace in noisy environments, this deal offers a rare opportunity to own what many consider the gold standard in wireless headphones. You'll love them whether you're listening to voices, music, or anything else in your head.
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A new Linux kernel patch brings hardware enablement for Intel's Bartlett Lake-S family of processors. In the same patch, an Intel engineer has seemingly confirmed the existence of a P-core-only counterpart to Bartlett Lake, via Phoronix. This update enables the kernel to properly identify these processors at boot, assigning them a CPUID for recognition in software. Likewise, these CPUIDs also allow the compiler to execute hardware-specific code path optimizations using the Intel CPU dispatcher mechanism.
At CES, Intel formally introduced the Bartlett Lake-S platform, which includes three CPUs configured with hybrid cores intended for NEX (Network and Edge) applications. Since last year, rumors have alleged the existence of a performance-core-only analog, wielding up to 12P cores and 24 threads. Bartlett Lake targets the LGA 1700 platform, so these CPUs should be drop-in replacements for existing 600-series and 700-series motherboards, after updating the BIOS, of course.
The Intel engineer added an identification entry for Bartlett Lake CPUs in the Linux kernel, assigning them to CPU Family 6, Model 215 (0xD7). These codenames allow the software to determine the processor family and whether it supports certain hardware instructions or not. The engineer additionally noted, "Bartlett Lake has a P-core only product with Raptor Cove", which effectively corroborates all previous leaks.
The Raptor Cove micro-architecture is an enhanced version of Golden Cove and powers the performance cores of Intel's 13th and 14th Generation processors. Pertinently, Bartlett Lake-S (P-core only) is reported to utilize a new die, as all Raptor Lake silicon is limited to just eight performance cores. The same leaker suggests these processors will debut in 125W/65W/45W configurations, catering to a wide variety of customers.
The elephant in the room is availability. Existing Bartlett Lake options are limited to embedded packages like COM-HPCs. Monolithic core configurations can clear up scheduling headaches and open a door for Intel to re-enable AVX-512 instruction support, which has been fused off silicon since later Alder Lake batches.
Bartlett Lake could be a double-edged sword; you'd likely see improved gaming performance, but at the cost of efficiency versus Arrow Lake. This might be a compromise gamers are willing to make, though, whether these chips can hold their own against AMD's Ryzen 9000 series remains to be seen. The rumor mill suggests a Q3 25 (July-September) release window for these processors, so we might be in for an announcement at Computex, next month.
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Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he's not working, you'll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.
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Vibrant color 5mm-deep textured images can be printed onto wood, acrylic, leather, metal etc.
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Anker Innovations has just kicked off pre-orders for what is claimed to be the "first 3D-texture UV Printer designed for personal use." This style of printer enables detailed color textured printing onto a vast range of surfaces, which will likely appeal to a wide range of hobbyist makers and small-scale upcyclers.
Released under the firm's eufyMake creative tool brand, the new UV Printer E1 can print vibrant color 3D texture designs "on nearly any surface imaginable," says the PR blurb. The device print bed is 330 x 420mm, with an optional rotation unit (for mugs, bottles, and similar), and the printed texture can be up to 5mm thick. This depth of print texture allows for many interesting and impactful effects. Early bird pricing starts at $1,499 for printer and starter ink bundle.
The main message from Eufy with regard to its new UV Printer E1 is that it democratizes this printing technology, and does so at an approachable price. "We want the E1 to shift the UV printing experience away from factory walls, and into homes, studios, small businesses and art markets around the world," said Frank Zhu, General Manager of Eufy. "The E1 is designed to print full-color textures on a vast variety of surfaces, shapes and sizes. The compact design, wide assortment of printing accessories and simple user experience makes our first product from eufyMake equally accessible to professional designers, small business owners, first-time UV printer users, creative 'makers' and everyone in between."
Eufy has a page dedicated to its upcoming Kickstarter campaign (runs from April 29 to June 8, 2025). This shows some great output samples, with 3D textures, embossing, artwork with 'brushstrokes' and more. It also asserts that its vibrant output is color-fast for several years, with output onto canvas, wood, and metal looking good on samples said to be 3-years old. For more example prints, the firm's YouTube channel has a trio of shorts showing a quite deeply textured Meow Magnet, some printing on a phone case, and an NFC tag with a colorful textured chameleon printed on it.
A few specs were shared in the intro, but let's look more closely now. The print bed is pretty big, allowing for objects as big as 330 x 420mm. However, these objects can't be more than 60mm thick, and these 'flat bed' style print surfaces need to vary no greater than 20mm in height (thickness).
For those who wish to print on cylinders, there's an optional Rotary Printing Attachment, which will also work on cone-shaped items. Another option is for a UV DTF Laminating Machine accessory to enable the production of custom stickers.
Apps are provided for smartphones, Mac, and Windows devices. The software includes 20,000 editable design templates and elements to be reused – and there is AI image generation built-in. Using this software, you will also be able to convert 2D art into 3D creations.
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With a starter pack bundle of UV Printer E1 printer and inks you will get CMYK ink, plus white and gray, and a 380ml cleaning cartridge. Eufy's JetClean system is said to auto-prevent clogging these types of inks can be prone to.
We mentioned the upcoming Kickstarter campaign previously. The purported savings that can be had from joining this seem quite significant (up to $800). However, please remember to balance the possibility of big savings against crowdfunding product delays and even no-shows. Eufy is asking a modest $50 deposit to lock in on the early bird pricing, though.
Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.
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Steam lets you see how much total funds you've poured into your account over the years, and many users are shocked to find out how much of their net worth they've poured into their accounts. It all started when Reddit user u/HappyMcflappyy shared their Steam Points balance of 3,566,945. Given that you earn 100 points for every dollar spent on the platform, that means they had sunk over $35,000 into games and other apps. But another Redditor replied, saying that the fastest and best way to see how much you've allocated throughout the existence of your account is to go to Help > Steam Support > My Account > Data Related to Your Steam Account > External Funds Used.
When you go here, the app will ask you to sign in again, as if to confirm if you're ready to see how invested you are. Once done, you'll see five categories: ‘TotalSpend', which is the total amount you've put into your Steam account, ‘OldSpend', which is how much you've expended on Steam before April 17, 2015, ‘PWSpend', which tells you how much you've spent on the Perfect World platforms for CS:GO or Dota 2, ‘ChinaSpend', which is how much you've spent in Steam China, and ‘PackageOnlySpend', which is the total amount for non-transferable purchases — i.e., game purchases for your own library using external funds.
I've asked around the Tom's Hardware team about their Steam spending habits, and most of us spent between a little over $100 to nearly $3,500 on the platform. Personally, I'm on the low side, having only put a little less than $400 into my Steam account. This might seem low, but many of us have also purchased Steam keys from Humble Bundle, GOG, and other platforms. I'm also subscribed to Xbox PC Game Pass, which costs a little over $3 a month in my region. One of my colleagues said that if you bought three AAA games for $70 per year, and you've had your Steam account since its inception in 2003, then you would've spent $4,620 on it. This is quite a reasonable amount, especially since it's spread over 22 years.
However, a few other Redditors are a bit more hardcore than we are. We went through the original Reddit thread and saw some real high rollers there. One user replied with ‘19k, yikes', while another one said, ‘I'm just shy of 15k myself…'. These numbers might seem like massive amounts, but if you buy a $4.50 latte at Starbucks every other day for 22 years, then you've spent $17,820 on coffee alone. This might make accounts that are worth $10,000 to $20,000 feel less extravagant.
Unfortunately, Steam accounts cannot be turned into assets, as selling them would violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement. Furthermore, you do not own the games you buy on Steam — you just get a license to play them. And while your Steam account might not account for your net worth, you can instead consider it an entertainment expense that counts as an investment in your mental health and well-being.
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Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He's been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he's been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.
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Trump has long espoused a love of coal. “I call it beautiful, clean coal—I tell my people to never use the word ‘coal' unless you put ‘beautiful, clean' before it,” the president recently said during a press event involving a backdrop of men dressed in coal miner outfits. The former reality TV star has also called the coal industry “just about the best,” and recently passed an executive order that seeks to “Reinvigorate America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.”
Whether the current president actually loves the chemical compound that is coal or not, his administration doesn't seem to give much of a shit about the health and safety of the workers who dig it out of the ground. The new government continues to attack and dismantle worker protections that provide health and economic benefits to a whole array of workers, including those who toil in subterranean mines. Now, two unions representing miners have sued the White House over its recent threat to their welfare.
In These Times writes that the United Miner Workers of America (UMWA) and the AFL-CIO's United Steelworkers have filed litigation against the Mine Safety and Health Administration which, under Trump, has paused a long-pursued regulation that would have limited miners' exposure to a toxic chemical commonly found in mines. The rule, called “Lowering Miners' Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection,” would have—just as it says—enforced new regulations that drastically reduced miners' exposure to crystalline silica, which is a toxic mineral that can cause serious respiratory problems when inhaled. The outlet writes:
The rule would have cut the allowable exposure level of deadly silica dust—20 times more toxic than coal dust and a major cause of black lung disease among coal miners — in half. The rule was planned to take effect on April 14 after decades of lobbying from coal miners, public health experts and worker advocates. When it was published in 2024, the Department of Labor estimated the new rule would result in more than 1,000 fewer deaths and 3,746 fewer cases of silica-related illnesses.
…[the] lawsuit starkly outlines the stakes of delaying the rule, emphasizing that the “loss of the protections of the silica rule will mean debilitating respiratory illness, including silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis, as well as premature deaths and lifelong disability.”
Gizmodo reached out to the Trump administration and the UMWA for comment.
In These Times also notes that, under the rubric of Elon Musk's DOGE, the government has sought to downsize and reorganize several worker protection agencies that maintain health and safety standards for coal miners. Those agencies include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), both of which are responsible for establishing safety rules for America's workforce.
Trump and his political movement have long engaged in a political strategy that involves flattering and paying lip service to certain kinds of workers while simultaneously passing laws and policies that threaten to harm (economically or otherwise) those very same workers. It stands to reason that things wouldn't be any different even when it comes to “beautiful, clean” coal.
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London Has Fallen… in price. The Lego Architecture London Skyline Collection makes for a wonderful addition to your shelf. For a limited time, you can get the set for 36% off. It's normally priced at $40, but after the $14 discount, you only pay $26.
Lego sets really do make for the perfect gift. You're not just giving your friend or family member a cool display, but also the experience of putting the set together themselves. And because of the wide range of media Lego covers from Star Wars to Marvel to Harry Potter and more, you can always find the perfect match for your loved one based on their particular interests and fandoms they follow. However, they're not all about IP. This set is for the travel enthusiast out there. Or I supposed anyone who's a big fan of Love, Actually.
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Surround it with photos from your trip to London even. This building set model kit features a ton of iconic landmarks including the National Gallery, Nelson's Column, London Eye, Big Ben and Tower Bridge. The Thames River is cleverly represented by a layer of transparent baseplate tiles along the bottom. And in case anyone inspecting your final build doesn't recognize any of these globally famous bits of architecture, the front plate is labeled “London.”
The set contains 468 pieces and is designed for both adults and kids ages 12 and up. This can make for a fun afternoon with the family, assembling this snapshot of London together. Or you can bring it to your desk at work and start slowly putting it together while procrastinating the work you're supposed to be doing.
The full set once build measure in at just over five inches high, 11 inches wide, and three inches deep, so it can really fit just about anywhere once you have it assembled.
And as a Lego set, it is endlessly compatible with pretty much any other Lego set. Combine it with a number of other Lego architecture collections so you can be some kind of Lego super villain, assembling all the world's most famous monuments together in one place. Stack the Statue of Liberty atop the Eiffel Tower atop the Big Ben atop the Burj Khalifa just because you can.
Lego has something for everyone. That's part of what makes it so special for generations. They inspire and develop creativity for kids, providing them with an opportunity to learn while they play.
You can score yourself or a loved one the Lego Architecture London Skyline Collection for just $26 for a limited time.
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The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday that it charged Jamison R. Wagner, a 40-year-old from Albuquerque, New Mexico, with arson for allegedly setting fires at a Tesla showroom in the city as well as the local Republican Party headquarters. The charges come as Tesla CEO Elon Musk remains the focus of widespread public anger over his unlawful destruction of the U.S. government and his far-right extremist views about race and immigration.
The U.S. government alleges Wagner damaged two Tesla vehicles at the Tesla Showroom in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the early morning hours of Feb. 9, 2025. One of the vehicles appears to have significant damage, according to a photo released by DOJ, but another vehicle appears to simply have a window smashed.
The DOJ alleges that an “intact glass container” was found in the second vehicle “containing an improvised napalm material.”
The building of the Tesla Showroom and six other vehicles on the property were hit with graffiti reading “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi,” as well as swastikas. Musk, who's still operating the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), infamously made two Nazi-style salutes on the day President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025.
Musk has denied he was trying to invoke the Nazis, but anyone with eyes to see can understand why reasonable people would assume the billionaire was welcoming the second Trump era with an explicit embrace of Nazism. The oligarch has embraced far-right ideology and expressed some extremely antisemitic and racist ideas over recent years.
DOJ published photos it said were taken from surveillance footage appearing to show a person in a black hooded sweatshirt. It's not clear whether that person is actually Wagner, though the government insists it is.
“Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement posted online. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent. The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: we are coming for you, you can't hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.”
The FBI issued a statement in late March noting that there have been attacks on Tesla-related property in at least nine states. And while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has tried to insist that attacks on Tesla facilities, along with peaceful demonstrations, are all being paid for by some shadowy figures, there's no evidence that this is the case.
DOJ also alleges Wagner attacked the Republican Party New Mexico (RPNM) office in the early morning hours of March 30, 2025. Two or three glass containers with flammable liquids were allegedly used to damage the door of the building, while the words ICE=KKK were spray-painted outside. Wagner was arrested on April 12, 2025, by agents from the FBI and ATF, according to the DOJ press release.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
Wagner has been charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives and faces 5-20 years for each of the two counts, according to DOJ.
TESLAVandalism
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Collecting material from 130 of these small batteries provides enough recyclable material for one EV battery, according to Redwood.
If the White House has an authoritarian toolkit to use on civil protesters, you can thank Biden for it.
Tesla's factory in Shanghai only produces the carmaker's more affordable models, with the Model S and X imported from the U.S.
A senior official describes the billionaire as an awkward and obnoxious asshole.
Tesla's presentation last year for a Cybercab gave sci-fi dystopia vibes that drew concern from Alcon Entertainment.
Navarro said Musk wasn't a manufacturer of cars, just an "assembler."
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Usually when a tech device is a huge hit, it's harder to find at a great sale price, because people are so willing to pay full-freight for it. But the Meta Quest 3S, which is Amazon's #1 best-seller in standalone virtual reality headsets, is defying that rule and going on sale for its lowest price ever, just $269.
Actually it's a whole bundle that's on sale right now at Amazon for just $269 — the Meta Quest 3S VR headset, a download of the awesome Batman: Arkham Shadow game, the Touch Plus controllers you'll need for games and workouts, and a free 3-month trial of Meta Quest+. The free add-ons of Batman: Arkham Shadows and the 3-month Meta Quest+ trial add up to $70 worth of free bonus content.
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The Meta Quest 3S shares the same super-powerful processor as the more-expensive Quest 3 — the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2. Factor in this Amazon sale price and you're getting the same processing power, same full-color passthrough technology for seamless transitions between VR and real-world settings, and many of the same other features you would get from the Quest 3 for a considerably lower price.
It's also a standalone device — the Meta Quest 3S doesn't require a PC or gaming console for you to use. You just need a Meta account and a mobile device that you'll use only for the inital setup. From there, the wireless VR headset and Touch Plus hand controllers are all you need to go along with your Meta account.
Released this past October, the Meta Quest 3S is still selling like hotcakes at Amazon — over 10,000 more sold in just the past month. When you compare the Quest 3S to the previous-gen Quest 2 and see all of the upgrades and improvements, it's easy to see why. The Meta Quest 3S has twice the graphics power of the Quest 2, and its advanced mixed-reality features are more interactive than ever. It's also far easier to access social media accounts like WhatsApp and Instagram with the Meta Quest 3S.
The Meta Quest 3S is great for social-media interaction and friend meet-ups, watching movies in the new and incredibly immersive Theater Mode, workouts, and even meditation sessions. But it's a really amazing gaming platform, and this bundle comes with a free 3-month trial of Meta Quest+, which gives you access to a huge library of VR games, 2 new titles every month, and other great deals.
The game that's already built into the bundle, Batman: Arkham Shadow has been one of the biggest hit titles of the gaming world since it dropped last October. Arkham Shadow is the second VR Batman: Arkham game, and the amazingly detailed VR version of Gotham is every bit as grim and dangerous (and outrageously fun) as you would imagine it to be. Except this time you're not seeing it on a flat screen — you feel like you're actually in it, with the Meta Quest 3S headset and TruTouch haptics from the Touch Plus hand controllers giving you a powerful dose of reality.
The Meta Quest 3S bundle with Batman: Arkham Shadow and free 3-month Meta Quest+ access is the perfect entrée into the ever-expanding world of VR interaction, especially now that it's at its lowest price ever — just $269 at Amazon.
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Tech could lower manufacturing costs by simplifying one of the most complex steps in chip production and 3D chip integration.
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Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have introduced a novel method for aligning layers in chips using lasers and metalenses. The new technique is claimed to achieve accuracy down to the atomic scale, reports SciTechDaily. This advancement could be critical for next generation process technologies as well as integration of multi-chiplet 3D designs.
Overlay accuracy — precise alignment of one layer of a chip with the underlying layer — is one of the most critical capabilities of today's chipmaking tools as each wafer with logic chips requires over 4,000 manufacturing steps performed by different machines. Contemporary chipmaking tools perform overlay operations primarily using advanced optical metrology, alignment marks, and closed-loop control systems integrated into photolithography systems.
However, existing methods face limitations such as the inability to simultaneously focus on widely spaced layers and a resolution limit of about 2 – 2.5nm. These issues introduce potential inaccuracies during refocusing and positioning, which could be problematic for both for next-gen production nodes and vertically stacked multi-chiplet designs in the future.
The method proposed by the UMass Amherst team involves placing specially designed concentric metalenses on chip surfaces. When illuminated with a laser, these lenses generate holographic interference patterns. By analyzing these patterns, researchers can determine how much two chip layers are misaligned, including the direction and precise amount of displacement across all three spatial axes.
Their technique can detect lateral misalignments as small as 0.017nm and vertical deviations down to 0.134nm. This surpasses their original goal of 100nm precision and exceeds what optical microscopes can resolve. Furthermore, they believe that the method could lower manufacturing costs by simplifying one of the most complex steps in chip production and 3D chip integration. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether the setup can be integrated with existing lithography tools, bonding tools, and though silicon vias formation tools. If not, the technology will hardly gain grounds in the semiconductor industry.
This laser hologram technology has implications beyond chip manufacturing. A similar setup — a basic laser source and a camera — can be adapted to measure physical movements. For instance, a shift in a surface due to pressure or vibration can be translated into an optical signal. This opens opportunities in applications like environmental sensing, industrial monitoring, and biomedical diagnostics.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom's Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
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In the wake of criticism over the underwhelming performance of its AI products, especially in areas like notification summaries, Apple on Monday detailed how it is trying to improve its AI models by analyzing user data privately with the aid of synthetic data.
Using an approach called “differential privacy,” the company said it would first generate synthetic data and then poll users' devices (provided they've opted-in to share device analytics with Apple) with snippets of the generated synthetic data to compare how accurate its models are, and subsequently improve them.
“Synthetic data are created to mimic the format and important properties of user data, but do not contain any actual user generated content,” the company wrote in the blog post. “To curate a representative set of synthetic emails, we start by creating a large set of synthetic messages on a variety of topics […] We then derive a representation, called an embedding, of each synthetic message that captures some of the key dimensions of the message like language, topic, and length.”
The company said these embeddings are then sent to a small number of user devices that have opted in to Device Analytics, and the devices then compare them with a sample of emails to tell Apple which embeddings are most accurate.
The company said it is using this approach to improve its Genmoji models, and would in the future use synthetic data for Image Playground, Image Wand, Memories Creation, and Writing Tools, as well as Visual Intelligence. Apple said it would also poll users who opt in to share device analytics with synthetic data to improve email summaries.
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Tech companies aren't holding back when it comes to stuffing artificial intelligence capabilities into every app and piece of hardware they can, and even the most basic software tools are getting their own AI upgrades—such as the long-serving Windows utilities Paint and Notepad.
These two programs cover the two main bases of the generative AI revolution: image generation and text generation. If you need some AI-powered assistance in these venerable Windows apps, here's how you can access it.
Copilot will imagine anything you want in Paint.
Windows Paint has traditionally stuck to the basics when it comes to image creation and image editing, but if you load up the application in Windows now, you'll see a Copilot button that leads you to three AI options: Image Creator (for generating new images), Generative Erase (for erasing parts of an image), and Remove Background (for taking away the background behind the main subject in an image).
Choose Image Creator from the list, and you get a text prompt box you can use to describe what you want to see: anything from a giraffe on a beach to a spaceship in the shape of a pineapple. The more detail you include in your prompt, the better the match is likely to be. When your prompt is done, pick an image style from the drop-down menu, and click Create—then choose one of the AI generated thumbnails to apply it to the current image.
Pick Generative Erase from the Copilot menu, and you can wipe objects and people out of your picture—maybe a pole that's ruining a view, for example. Select the + (plus) button to add to the selection, and the - (minus) button to take away from it, and use the slider on the left to change the size of your selection brush. When the selection is complete, click Apply—Paint will try to remove the selection using the surrounding pixels as clues for what the background should look like.
Finally, there's the Remove Background option from the Copilot menu. This simply turns everything white, besides the main subject of your image—there are no tools or settings to play around with in this case. As you would expect, it works better for images where the main subject is more obvious, but the results can be impressive—and can save you a lot of manual image editing time.
Note that while Generative Erase and Remove Background can be used for free, Image Creator uses up AI credits associated with your Microsoft account. You can't buy these separately, they come as part of a subscription to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscriptions, so use them wisely. You can read more about AI credits and how they work here.
Get some Copilot help with your compositions in Notepad.
Notepad is perhaps better known as a code editor than a word processor, but in recent years Microsoft has added more features in the way of formatting and auto-save. If you open it in Windows, you'll see these features as well as a Copilot button in the top-right corner of the interface.
You can't use Copilot inside Notepad to generate new text, as you can in Copilot on the web or in other tools like ChatGPT. Instead, the feature lets you rewrite and tweak what you've already written—so before you click on the Copilot button, you need to put some text into Notepad and then select it.
With the selection made, click the Copilot button, and you get a range of options: Make shorter and Make longer can obviously be used to change the length of the selected text, and you've also got a Change tone option if you want to make the text more inspirational, formal, casual, or humorous. There's also Change format, which lets you put the selected text into a different structure: A list, marketing speak, or poetry, for example.
You can also choose Rewrite from this menu for a more comprehensive set of options—and to see previews of the rewritten text before it's applied. A new pop-up window appears, giving you more options for changing the length, tone, and format. You also get different variations to choose between in each case. When you find something you like, click Replace to swap it out for the existing text.
At the time of writing, it seems Notepad is giving everyone a few AI-powered rewrites for free—but as with Image Creator in Paint, you're going to need some AI credits with a Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscription to use this extensively.
Of course, if you'd rather not use these AI tools and don't want to see the Copilot button hanging around, you can turn it off altogether: Click the gear icon (top right), then turn off the Copilot toggle switch.
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Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the man of death. Although this does not sound like a good moniker, it is: Ramakrishnan is one of the world's most eminent scientists in the fields of structural biology and cellular processes related to aging and death. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for his discovery of the structure of the ribosome, a crucial cellular machine responsible for gene expression.
In addition to being a leading researcher, Ramakrishnan is also a prolific author. After the enormous success of The Gene Machine, a memoir in which he recounts his human and scientific journey, he published the mighty Why We Die, a book—as its name suggests—dedicated precisely to illustrating the dynamics that regulate aging and which, progressively and inexorably, lead to death.
Ramakrishnan was recently in Italy, in Milan, where he gave a lecture at the second edition of the Milan Longevity Summit, the most important Italian event dedicated to longevity and psycho-physical well-being, organized by BrainCircle Italia. It was an opportunity to meet him and ask him a few questions. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
WIRED: Professor Ramakrishnan, the crucial question in your book is why we die. But exactly what is death?
Venki Ramakrishnan: By death, we mean the irreversible loss of the ability to function as a coherent individual. It is the result of the failure of a critical system or apparatus, for example, heart, brain, lung, or kidney failure. In this sense there is an apparent paradox: When our organism, as a whole, is alive, millions of cells within us are constantly dying, and we do not even realize it. On the other hand, at the time of death, most of the cells in our bodies are still alive, and entire organs are still functioning and can be donated to people in need of transplantation. But at that point the body has lost the ability to function as a whole. In this sense, it is therefore important to distinguish between cell death and death of the individual.
Speaking of death and aging, you say in your most recent book that you “wanted to offer an objective look at our current understanding of the two phenomena.” What was the biggest surprise or most deeply held belief that you had to reconsider while writing and researching this work?
There have been several surprises, actually. One is that death, contrary to what one might think, is not programmed by our genes. Evolution does not care how long we live, but merely selects the ability to pass on our genes, a process known as “fitness” in evolutionary biology. Thus, the traits that are selected are those that help us survive childhood and reproduce. And it is these traits, later in life, that cause aging and decline.
Another curious finding was the fact that aging is not simply due to wear and tear on cells. Wear and tear happens constantly in all living things, yet different species have very different lifespans. Instead, lifespan is the result of a balance between the expenditure of resources needed to keep the organism functioning and repairing it and those needed to make it grow, mature, and keep it healthy until it reproduces and nurtures offspring.
Do you think there is an aspect of the biology of aging that is still deeply misunderstood by the general public?
Certainly the indefinite extension of life. Although in principle there are no laws or constraints that prevent us from living much longer than we do currently, great longevity or “eternal youth” are still far off, and very significant obstacles to increasing our maximum life expectancy remain.
We must also beware of the pseudoscience—and business—around the concepts of “anti-aging” or the “reversal of aging.” These are often baseless concepts, unsupported by hard evidence, even though they may use language that sounds scientific. Unfortunately, we are all afraid of growing old and dying, so we are very sensitive to any claim that promises to help us avoid it.
A famous scene in the movie Frankenstein Junior shows a student asking Professor Frankenstein about some experiments with worms, and the lecturer replies that “a worm, with very few exceptions, is not a human being.” Yet a whole chapter of Why We Die is called “Lessons from a Humble Worm.” What do we have to learn from worms?
Science has always studied fundamental processes by using model organisms, including worms, fruit flies, and even yeast and bacteria. Of course, the closer these species are to us, the better, which is why drug trials are first conducted on mice and even monkeys and chimpanzees. But we can learn a lot from organisms like the worm. Many things discovered in worms have counterparts in humans. However, we cannot directly extrapolate every result. For example, humans with some of the same mutations that cause the longevity of worms turn out to have serious problems, such as growth defects.
What do you think are the social and ethical implications of our desire to live longer?
Ever since we became aware of our mortality, we have desired to defeat aging and death. However, our individual desires may conflict with what is best for society. A society in which fertility rates are very low and lifespans are very high will be a stagnant society, with very slow generational turnover, and probably much less dynamic and creative. The Nobel Prize-winning South American novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, who recently passed away, expressed it best: “Old age on the one hand terrifies us, but when we feel anxious, it is important to remember how terrible it would be to live forever. If eternity were guaranteed, all the incentives and illusions of life would vanish. This thought can help us live old age in a better way.”
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.
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The point addressed was the visuals, not how fun something is or is not.
In typical Nintendo Zelda fashion, it will probably get released on next-gen hardware in the future and run a lot better.It's OK to say it is below expectations for the price point, publisher, developer, and competing product. It's just a performance spec.
It's OK to say it is below expectations for the price point, publisher, developer, and competing product. It's just a performance spec.
The immune system must be able to quickly attack invaders like viruses, while also ignoring harmless stimuli, or allergies can result. Immune cells are known to ignore or "tolerate" molecules found on the body's own healthy cells, for instance, as well as nonthreatening substances from outside the body like food. How the system achieves the latter has been unclear.
Now, a new study led by researchers at NYU Langone Health has revealed that a special group of cells in the intestines tamp down the immune responses caused by exposure to food proteins. Called "tolerogenic dendritic cells," these cells enable food to pass through the body without triggering an immune reaction, unless they malfunction to cause allergies.
The cells were also found to require the proteins Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptor-gamma-t (RORγt) and PR domain-containing 16 (Prdm16) to effectively protect tolerated proteins from the inrush of immune cells and proteins meant to destroy foreign cells (inflammation). Without properly functioning tolerogenic dendritic cells, mice in the study were more prone to develop food allergies and asthma.
Previous work by the team had revealed that these same cells control immune tolerance to friendly gut bacteria, which help humans to digest food and to control functions of multiple organ systems. But at the time, the researchers knew little about their identity or whether these cells controlled tolerance to anything else.
Our study shows that RORγt-expressing dendritic cells are key components in the immune regulatory response that prevents food allergies."
Dan Littman, MD, PhD, study senior author, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology in the Department of Pathology, and professor in the Department of Cell Biology, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine
"This discovery adds evidence to our earlier work showing that these cells also keep the peace with the vast microbiome, the mix of microbes that inhabits our body, and may be important for preventing autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease," said Littman, who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.
By analyzing the genes and proteins these cells express and comparing them to well-understood cell types, the researchers concluded that they are a type of immune cell called a dendritic cell. Typically, dendritic cells present tiny fragments of biological material (known as antigens) for notice by other immune cells called T cells. This programs the T cell to launch an immune attack the next time it encounters the antigen.
But the researchers showed that when the tolerogenic dendritic cells present antigens from food or friendly microbes to T cells, the T cells become anti-inflammatory, or "regulatory." This means that the next time that the T cell encounters the antigen, instead of attacking, it will suppress nearby inflammation.
Publishing in the journal Nature online April 14, the study showed that in mice without tolerogenic dendritic cells, there were fewer regulatory T cells ready to prevent inflammation caused by food or microbial antigens. Those mice also had more inflammatory T cells that caused allergies and inflammation when exposed to those antigens.
Another key finding from the paper was that by analyzing human intestinal tissue and public sequencing datasets, the researchers found the human equivalents of tolerogenic dendritic cells. Littman says it is not yet clear how abundant these cells are inside the human body or whether they are involved in other forms of immune tolerance outside the intestines. But those questions should be easier to answer because of how comprehensively the researchers identified the cells in the new study.
"If further experiments prove successful, our findings could lead to innovative ways to treat food allergies," said Littman. "For example, if someone has a peanut allergy, perhaps we can use tolerogenic dendritic cells to help create more regulatory T cells to suppress an allergic response to peanut molecules."
Moving forward, Littman said the researchers also want to more deeply understand how and where tolerogenic dendritic cells develop in the body and what kinds of signals they need to receive to perform their function.
Funding support for this study was provided by National Institutes of Health grants P30CA016087, R01AI158687, T32AL100853, F32AI181496, and K08CA283272.
In addition to Littman, other NYU Langone researchers involved in this study include co-first authors Liuhui Fu, Rabi Upadhyay, Maria Pokrovskii; and co-authors Francis Chen, Gabriela Romero-Meza, Adam Griesemer.
Littman is a co-founder of Vendanta Biosciences and ImmunAI, and serves on the advisory boards of IMIDomics, Sonoma Biotherapeutics, NILO Therapeutics, and Evommune, and on the board of directors of Pfizer Inc.
None of these groups were involved in the current study. The terms and conditions of these relationships are being managed in accordance with the policies and procedures of NYU Langone Health.
NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Fu, L., et al. (2025). Prdm16-dependent antigen-presenting cells induce tolerance to gut antigens. Nature. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08982-4
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Radiation from imaging could lead to lung, breast and other future cancers, with 10-fold increased risk for babies.
CT scans may account for 5% of all cancers annually, according to a new study out of UC San Francisco that cautions against overusing and overdosing CTs.
The danger is greatest for infants, followed by children and adolescents. But adults also are at risk, since they are the most likely to get scans.
Nearly 103,000 cancers are predicted to result from the 93 million CTs that were performed in 2023 alone. This is 3 to 4 times more than previous assessments, the authors said.
The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, appears April 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
"CT can save lives, but its potential harms are often overlooked," said first author Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD, a UCSF radiologist and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics and obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences.
"Given the large volume of CT use in the United States, many cancers could occur in the future if current practices don't change," said Smith-Bindman, who is also a member of the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and directs the Radiology Outcomes Research Lab.
"Our estimates put CT on par with other significant risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and excess body weight," she said. "Reducing the number of scans and reducing doses per scan would save lives."
Computed tomography (CT) is both indispensable and widely used to detect tumors and diagnose many illnesses. Since 2007, the number of annual CT exams has surged by 30% in the U.S.
But CTs expose patients to ionizing radiation – a carcinogen – and it's long been known that the technology carries a higher risk of cancer.
To assess the public health impact of current CT use, Smith-Bindman's study estimates the total number of lifetime cancers associated with radiation exposure in relation to the number and type of CT scans performed in 2023.
Researchers analyzed 93 million exams from 61.5 million patients in the U.S. The number of scans increased with age, peaking in adults between 60 to 69 years old. Children accounted for 4.2% of the scans. The researchers excluded tests in the patient's last year of life because it was unlikely to lead to cancer.
Adults 50 to 59 had the highest number of projected cancers: 10,400 cases to women, 9,300 to men.
The most common adult cancers were lung, colon, leukemia, bladder and breast. The most frequently projected cancers in children were thyroid, lung and breast.
The largest number of cancers in adults would come from CTs of the abdomen and pelvis, while in children they came from CTs of the head. Projected cancer risks were highest among those who underwent CT when they were under 1 year old. They were 10 times more likely to get cancer compared to others in the study.
The researchers said some CT scans are unlikely to help patients and are overused, such as those for upper respiratory infections or for headaches without concerning signs or symptoms. They said patients could lower their risk by getting fewer of these scans, or by getting lower dose scans.
"There is currently unacceptable variation in the doses used for CT, with some patients receiving excessive doses," Smith-Bindman said.
Co-author Malini Mahendra, MD, a UCSF assistant professor of Pediatric Critical Care, said it was important that families understand the risk of developing cancer from pediatric scans.
Few patients and their families are counseled about the risk associated with CT examinations. We hope our study's findings will help clinicians better quantify and communicate these cancer risks, allowing for more informed conversations when weighing the benefits and risks of CT exams."
Malini Mahendra, MD, UCSF assistant professor of Pediatric Critical Care
University of California - San Francisco
Smith-Bindman, R., et al. (2025). Projected Lifetime Cancer Risks From Current Computed Tomography Imaging. JAMA Internal Medicine. doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0505.
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A new multicenter study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute-funded Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) and colleagues around the world, has discovered that the genes we are born with-known as germline genetic variants-play a powerful, underappreciated role in how cancer develops and behaves.
Published in the April 14 online issue of Cell [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.026], the study is the first to detail how millions of inherited genetic differences influence the activity of thousands of proteins within tumors. Drawing on data from more than 1,000 patients across 10 different cancer types, the research illustrates how a person's unique genetic makeup can shape the biology of their cancer.
The findings could have major implications for how doctors treat cancer in the future. While current treatments are largely guided by the genetic makeup of a patient's tumor, this research suggests that looking at a patient's inherited DNA could further refine diagnosis, risk prediction, and therapy selection.
Every person carries a unique combination of genetic variants from birth, and these inherited differences quietly shape how our cells function throughout life. What we've shown is that these variants don't just sit in the background-they can play an active role in how tumors form, how they evolve, and even how they respond to treatment. This opens new possibilities for tailoring cancer care based not only on the tumor itself, but also on the patient's underlying genetic makeup."
Zeynep H. Gümüş, PhD, co-corresponding study author, Associate Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai
Until now, most cancer research has focused on somatic mutations-changes that occur in cells over a person's lifetime. But inherited germline variants outnumber somatic mutations by a wide margin, and their impact on cancer has remained poorly understood, say the investigators.
To conduct the study, the researchers used an advanced technique known as precision peptidomics, which enabled them to examine how specific inherited mutations modulate the structure, stability, and function of proteins in cancer cells. By mapping more than 330,000 protein-coding germline variants, the team uncovered how these inherited differences can alter protein activity, impact gene expression, and even drive how tumors interact with the immune system.
"Our study flips the script by showing that inherited DNA changes can influence how genes are expressed and how proteins-key drivers of cancer behavior-are produced and modified in tumors. In doing so, these variants help explain some of the wide variation doctors see in how cancer appears, progresses, and responds to therapies from one patient to another," says Dr. Gümüş.
The research adds to growing evidence that personalized cancer care should take into account not just the tumor's mutations, but the genetic background of the person, too. However, the investigators caution that the study's findings are based on data from a primarily European-ancestry cohort, and further research is needed to ensure these insights apply across multi-ancestry populations.
"This is a major step toward precision medicine that considers the whole individual-not just the cancer," says Myvizhi Esai Selvan, PhD, co-first author of the study, who is an Instructor of Genetics and Genomics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "In the evolution of cancer, the inherited genome sets the stage. It helps determine which mutations matter, how aggressive a tumor might become, and how the body's immune system will respond."
The team is now working on applying these insights in two major areas:
The study is titled "Precision Proteogenomics Reveals Pan-Cancer Impact of Germline Variants."
Mount Sinai Health System
Martins Rodrigues, F., et al. (2025). Precision proteogenomics reveals pan-cancer impact of germline variants. Cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.026.
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A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows how a small antibody fragment can block fertilization by targeting a key protein on the surface of the egg. This discovery brings a non-hormonal contraceptive one step closer to reality. The study has been published in the journal PNAS.
Scientists have taken an important step towards the development of a new type of non-hormonal contraceptive method. In the new study, the researchers describe how a modified antibody fragment can block fertilization by targeting the protein ZP2 on the surface of the egg.
Our study shows how a small antibody fragment can block fertilization by targeting ZP2, a key protein in the outer layer of the egg that is involved in both sperm binding and blocking polyspermy."
Luca Jovine, Professor of Structural Biology, Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH)
The researchers have used X-ray crystallography to map the interaction between the antibody IE-3, which is known to prevent fertilization in mice, and ZP2 at the atomic level. A modified, smaller version of the antibody (scFV) was found to be equally effective, blocking fertilization in 100 percent of IVF tests with mouse eggs. Because it lacks the immune-triggering Fc region of the full antibody, scFV minimises potential side effects.
"Despite its small size, the fragment remained effective, reducing potential side effects," explains Luca Jovine. These findings provide a basis for a targeted, reversible contraceptive method that avoids hormone-related risks.
The findings pave the way for a new type of female non-hormonal contraceptive method. Current methods rely on hormones, which can cause side effects such as mood changes, headaches or increased risk of blood clots. Blocking fertilization on the surface of the egg has been proposed as an alternative, but antibodies were deemed unsuitable due to possible immune responses triggered by their Fc region.
The next step in the research is to develop a similar antibody that targets human ZP2 and test whether its scFV fragment can block fertilization in human IVF. If this is successful in IVF experiments, the next phase will focus on assessing safety, stability and potential delivery methods, bringing researchers closer to a non-hormonal contraceptive method for human use.
The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, the European Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
Karolinska Institutet
Dioguardi, E., et al., (2025). Structural basis of ZP2-targeted female nonhormonal contraception. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426057122.
Posted in: Molecular & Structural Biology | Medical Science News | Medical Research News
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London Lab Live 2025 will make its debut on 14–15 May 2025 at ExCeL London, offering a major new platform for professionals across the laboratory sector. From pharmaceuticals and biotech to food and beverage, chemicals, and academia, the event is set to become the UK's central meeting point for scientific innovation and cross-industry collaboration.
Expected to draw more than 3,000 attendees, 100+ expert speakers, and 150+ exhibitors, London Lab Live 2025 will spotlight the latest breakthroughs while encouraging new partnerships across disciplines. As the UK government moves forward with a £20 billion investment in the lab sector, the event arrives at a key moment to explore fresh opportunities and address shared challenges.
As part of the internationally recognized Future Labs Live series—which has already brought together thousands of lab professionals across Europe—London Lab Live will highlight the UK's growing role in science and technology. The event will gather experts from leading research institutions, startups, established laboratories, and universities to exchange ideas, build networks, and explore how their work is evolving.
London Lab Live 2025 will feature a dynamic mix of keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions covering pressing topics shaping the future of laboratories. The agenda will spotlight the UK's leadership in scientific research and delve into advancements in AI, machine learning, and quantum computing. Sustainability will also be a core focus, with sessions dedicated to balancing operational performance and environmental responsibility.
Confirmed speakers include:
On the exhibition floor, attendees will explore cutting-edge solutions from across the lab value chain, with exhibitors showcasing new tools and technologies built to meet evolving industry needs—and to inspire collaboration beyond traditional boundaries.
London Lab Live is designed for professionals across all lab-related sectors, offering practical insights into boosting efficiency, adopting sustainable practices, and integrating next-gen technologies. The event promotes peer-to-peer learning and encourages idea-sharing across disciplines—breaking down silos to drive smarter science.
“I'm excited to be a part of London Lab Live – the 2025 conference themes are amazing, and I'm looking forward to learning more and connecting with industry experts.”
Susan Weatherby, Senior Programme Manager at the Royal Society of Chemistry and member of the London Lab Live advisory board
Interested in attending or exhibiting? Visit https://www.terrapinn.com/LLL/NewsMedical2025 for details and registration.
To book a stand, please contact Emma Hayre at [email protected].
Part of the Future Labs Live series, London Lab Live builds on a legacy of connecting over 3,000 lab professionals annually across Europe. As the UK's newest addition to the series, it's set to become a vital space for lab leaders to share knowledge, spark progress, and strengthen the scientific community.
Terrapinn has been curating innovation-focused events for more than 30 years, creating spaces where industries connect and ideas grow. With London Lab Live, Terrapinn invites the global lab community to help shape the future—together.
Want to stay ahead of what's next in lab science? Explore related events and topics in the Future Labs Live series, and discover how your lab can lead in the era of rapid scientific progress.
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Could a 45-minute weekly digital coach be the key to reversing diabetes? New study of 130k+ adults shows dramatic risk reduction and remission rates, without pills or extreme diets.
Study: Lifestyle Modification in Prediabetes and Diabetes: A Large Population Analysis. Image Credit: RSplaneta / Shutterstock
In a recent article published in the journal Nutrients, researchers in the United States assessed a large population of prediabetic, diabetic, and healthy individuals to test the effectiveness of a digital lifestyle modification program in reducing cardiovascular and diabetes risk and improving metabolic markers.
Their findings indicate that the lifestyle intervention significantly reduced 10-year diabetes risk among prediabetics by nearly 46% and increased the diabetes remission rate, highlighting the importance of lifestyle changes.
However, the study was not a randomized trial, and participation in the lifestyle intervention was voluntary, which may introduce selection bias.
Diabetes mellitus is diagnosed based on elevated fasting glucose or HbA1c levels and is a significant risk factor for neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Prediabetes affects about one-third of middle-aged and older adults in the United States, and various factors such as inactivity, family history, and obesity increase the risk of progressing to diabetes.
Behavioral lifestyle interventions that target 7% weight loss and increased physical activity can halve diabetes risk, but traditional programs require frequent in-person sessions and are not widely adopted. Risk prediction models have been developed to identify high-risk individuals, using factors like glucose, body mass index (BMI), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides.
The authors previously developed a 10-year diabetes risk model based on glycated serum albumin (not glycated serum protein), fasting glucose, adiponectin, and triglycerides, which achieved high predictive accuracy using prospective data from the Framingham Offspring Study. Given the importance of lifestyle changes in diabetes and ASCVD prevention, easily implementable interventions targeting high-risk individuals need to be tested.
The study evaluated 133,764 adults, categorizing them as diabetic (7.5%), prediabetic (36.2%), and healthy (56.3%), based on fasting glucose and HbA1c levels.
Participants underwent fasting blood tests measuring adiponectin, insulin, glucose, HbA1c, glycated serum protein, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, myeloperoxidase, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2), direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), small dense LDL-C, and standard lipids, using automated and standardized assays.
After 6 to 12 months, follow-up blood sampling was conducted for slightly over 20% of prediabetics and 22% of diabetics. Among those with follow-up data, 12.2% of prediabetic and 9.7% of diabetic participants agreed to participate in a digital, voluntary, dietitian-guided lifestyle program focused on dietary and behavioral changes.
The program's impact was assessed using a biochemical 10-year diabetes risk model previously developed by the authors using data from the Framingham Offspring Study. The model incorporated fasting glucose, glycated serum albumin, adiponectin, and triglyceride levels.
Changes in diabetes risk, metabolic markers, weight loss, and remission rates were analyzed to determine the program's effectiveness compared to participants who did not engage in the intervention.
Diabetic and prediabetic groups had fewer women than the group of healthy subjects and were significantly older and heavier, with higher BMI and body weight.
Blood glucose control worsened across groups: HbA1c, fasting glucose, glycated serum protein, fasting insulin, and C-peptide levels were all significantly higher in prediabetic and diabetic men and women than in the population of healthy individuals.
Insulin resistance showed the most striking increase, greater by 75% and 260% in prediabetic and diabetic men, and 112% and 306% in women, respectively. Insulin production was notably lower only in diabetic subjects. Many diabetics showed both insulin resistance and reduced insulin production.
Insulin production and insulin sensitivity in healthy, prediabetic, and diabetic subjects. In this figure, we plotted data for the entire population of 133,764 subjects (56.3% healthy, 36.2% prediabetic, and 7.5% diabetic). Homeostasis assessment model assessment of insulin production, or HOMAβ, was calculated as equal to [360 × fasting insulin (µU/mL)]/[fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL) − 63] as previously described and plotted on the horizontal axis (22). The homeostasis model of insulin resistance, or HOMAIR, was calculated as equal to [fasting insulin (µU/mL)] × [fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)]/405 as previously described. We then plotted the reciprocal of this value multiplied by 100, or as [(1/HOMAIR) × 100], for the same subjects as a measure of insulin sensitivity (HOMAS). What can be clearly seen on the graph is that diabetic subjects not infrequently have HOMAβ of <60 (the 25th percentile value in healthy subjects), as well as decreased insulin sensitivity as compared to healthy and prediabetic subjects, with clear lines of demarcation between diabetic, prediabetic, and healthy subjects.
Inflammation markers were elevated, especially hs-CRP (by 90% for men and 200% for women in diabetics). Smaller changes were seen for adiponectin, fibrinogen, myeloperoxidase, and LpPLA2. The 10-year risk of diabetes was substantially higher in prediabetics (7% for men, 4.2% for women) compared to healthy subjects (0.6% for men, 0.3% for women).
Regarding lipids, only modest changes were seen for LDL-C and apolipoproteins. However, prediabetic and diabetic subjects had significantly higher fasting triglycerides and small dense LDL-C, and lower HDL-C levels, highlighting a distinctly more atherogenic lipid profile. For example, small dense LDL-C increased by up to 35% in diabetic women, while HDL-C decreased by 23%, and triglycerides rose by 70%.
Lifestyle modification in prediabetic individuals significantly reduced diabetes risk, triglycerides, LDL-C, and insulin resistance while increasing adiponectin levels compared to controls. The analysis found that prediabetic subjects experienced a 45.6% relative reduction in predicted diabetes risk, compared to only a 1.6% reduction in the control group.
Among diabetics, the lifestyle group achieved a 2.4-fold increase in remission rate (8.2% vs. 3.4%), along with greater weight loss and improvements in glycemic and inflammatory markers.
The study showed that prediabetic and diabetic individuals already display significant metabolic and inflammatory changes compared to healthy people. Insulin resistance, more than impaired insulin production, appears to drive early abnormalities.
However, in established diabetes, both insulin resistance and reduced insulin secretion are evident. Increased hs-CRP levels suggest an important role in inflammation, while changes in other markers were more modest.
Although lipid abnormalities were relatively mild for LDL-C and apolipoproteins, greater differences in triglycerides, HDL-C, and small dense LDL-C suggest an increased cardiovascular risk even before overt diabetes develops.
The results emphasize that metabolic deterioration starts well before clinical diabetes is diagnosed, underlining the importance of early identification and intervention in high-risk individuals.
While this digital lifestyle program was effective in improving markers of risk, the authors note that broader evidence suggests fully digital interventions may have more modest impacts than blended or face-to-face approaches. Meta-analyses cited by the authors show that combined in-person and digital interventions result in greater conversion to normoglycemia than digital-only programs.
Future studies should further explore how inflammation and lipid abnormalities contribute to diabetes progression and cardiovascular disease risk.
Posted in: Men's Health News | Device / Technology News | Medical Science News | Medical Research News | Medical Condition News | Women's Health News
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Priyanjana Pramanik is a writer based in Kolkata, India, with an academic background in Wildlife Biology and economics. She has experience in teaching, science writing, and mangrove ecology. Priyanjana holds Masters in Wildlife Biology and Conservation (National Centre of Biological Sciences, 2022) and Economics (Tufts University, 2018). In between master's degrees, she was a researcher in the field of public health policy, focusing on improving maternal and child health outcomes in South Asia. She is passionate about science communication and enabling biodiversity to thrive alongside people. The fieldwork for her second master's was in the mangrove forests of Eastern India, where she studied the complex relationships between humans, mangrove fauna, and seedling growth.
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Pramanik, Priyanjana. (2025, April 14). Digital lifestyle program cuts diabetes risk by 46% in prediabetics, study of 130k+ adults reveals. News-Medical. Retrieved on April 15, 2025 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250414/Digital-lifestyle-program-cuts-diabetes-risk-by-4625-in-prediabetics-study-of-130k2b-adults-reveals.aspx.
MLA
Pramanik, Priyanjana. "Digital lifestyle program cuts diabetes risk by 46% in prediabetics, study of 130k+ adults reveals". News-Medical. 15 April 2025.
Can lithium's effect on daily activity patterns reveal who will benefit from treatment? A six-week trial finds circadian shifts emerge early, before mood improves, hinting at a biological clue to lithium response in bipolar disorder.
Study: Effect of lithium on circadian activity level and flexibility in patients with bipolar disorder: results from the Oxford Lithium Trial. Image Credit: AtlasStudio / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal eBioMedicine, researchers investigated the effects of lithium on circadian rest-activity in bipolar disorder (BD) patients. BD is a class of chronic mental disorders characterized by severe episodic mood changes and disturbed activity levels. Besides, disruptions in circadian rest-activity (the 24-hour cycle of motor activity dictated by the internal clock of the body) have been observed in BD. Individuals with BD often have less stable circadian rest-activity patterns, which are linked to more manic symptoms, delayed circadian phase, and higher mood variability.
Lithium remains the gold-standard BD treatment, albeit the mechanisms of action are less clear. Evidence from animals, pharmacogenomics, and cell lines suggests that lithium could influence circadian rhythms, but evidence from BD patients is still limited. Besides, lithium use has been associated with greater morningness in BD patients, although the predominance of cross-sectional studies precludes causal inferences.
In the present study, researchers examined the early effects of lithium on circadian rest-activity in BD patients. Participants aged ≥ 18 years were recruited from community mental health teams and primary care at Oxford if they were diagnosed with BD, with complaints of significant mood instability and clinical uncertainty about the benefits of lithium therapy. Individuals with contraindications to lithium, substance abuse, risk of self-harm or suicide, pregnancy, lactation, or current use of psychotropic medications were excluded. Psychiatrists assessed the intensity and frequency of participants' mood changes before randomization. Subsequently, participants were randomized to the lithium or placebo group. The lithium group received prolonged-release tablets of lithium carbonate.
The treatment group started with 400 mg/day of lithium, with a target serum level of 0.7 mmol/L. Lithium dose was adjusted to maintain serum levels within the therapeutic range. During the six-week intervention, participants completed four assessment visits, during which serum lithium levels, treatment adherence, and adverse events were examined. Subjects completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Circadian rest-activity was measured daily using actigraphs.
Circadian rest-activity patterns were characterized using a non-parametric analysis. This analysis generated two variables, L5 and M10, corresponding to the total activity in the least active five-hour period and the most active ten-hour period, respectively. L5 and M10 onset times were also derived. A computational model (Bayesian filter) was used to differentiate between two types of variability: volatility (persistent shifts) and noise (transient fluctuations). Besides, intradaily variability (IV) and interdaily stability (IS) were calculated. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the impact of lithium on activity levels, onset times, and their variability.
Between August 2015 and January 2018, 41 individuals were screened. Of these, 35 were randomized; 19 received lithium, and 16 received a placebo. None of them experienced acute episodes warranting exclusion. L5 and M10 levels did not correlate with each other within-individual or cross-sectionally. However, the onset times of L5 and M10 were positively correlated.
M10 levels were associated with positive but not negative affect; moreover, M10 onset time was not associated with positive or negative affect. Linear mixed models showed that lithium treatment significantly reduced M10 by 18.8% in week 1, 18.1% in week 2, 27.2% in week 3, and 30.9% in week 4 compared to placebo at baseline. Notably, lithium increased the volatility (flexibility) of M10 activity levels and onset times across all weeks (Cohen's d = 0.10–0.13, p < 0.002–0.001), suggesting a temporary adaptive destabilization that may facilitate transition to healthier patterns. The treatment also significantly increased interdaily stability (IS) by week 4 but had no effect on intradaily variability (IV) or relative amplitude.
The lithium group had a 1.5—and 1.6-hour earlier onset of M10 than the placebo group in weeks 3 and 4, respectively, but not in weeks 1 or 2; volatility in M10 onset time was also significantly higher in the treatment group at these time points. Notably, the reduction in M10 levels from baseline to week 4 did not correlate with the increase in M10 volatility. Likewise, the advancement of M10 onset time was not associated with volatility in M10 onset time.
Results of the mixed linear model, for M10 level (top panel) and M10 onset time (middle panel) respectively (N = 34). (a) Daytime activity level as a function of week and group assignment. (b) Daytime activity volatility as a function of time and group assignment. (c) Daytime activity onset time as a function of week and group assignment. (d) Daytime activity onset time volatility as a function of week and group assignment. (e) The change in M10 level from pre-randomisation baseline to week 4 was not associated with the change in the change in the volatility of M10 level. (f) The change in volatility of M10 level from pre-randomisation baseline to week 4 was marginally significantly associated with the change in volatility of the M10 onset time (p = 0.06, linear mixed model). Panel F has more data points than panel E because the Bayesian filter still renders variability estimates when missing data is present. (g, h) Representative actigraphy data from a participant with higher versus low volatility (g) and high versus low noise (h). Note. The error bars in a–d indicate the 95% confidence interval; importantly, the overlap of the 95% CI of the two groups does not necessarily imply non-significance. The asterisks indicate significance level: n.s., non-significant; ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001.
In sum, lithium treatment reduced daytime activity, advanced its onset time, and increased its volatility (interpreted as flexibility) and onset time variability. The impact of lithium remained significant until four weeks after controlling for daily affect. The authors propose that increased volatility reflects a beneficial perturbation, enabling patients to shift toward stabilized circadian rhythms.
Overall, these findings support a potential causal role between lithium and circadian rest-activity alterations in BD patients, indicating lithium's role in enhancing circadian flexibility and advancing the daytime activity phase. The study highlights that circadian changes may precede and serve as a hypothesized mechanism mediating lithium's mood-stabilizing effects, though larger samples and longer-term follow-up are needed to confirm this.
Posted in: Medical Science News | Medical Research News | Medical Condition News
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Tarun is a writer based in Hyderabad, India. He has a Master's degree in Biotechnology from the University of Hyderabad and is enthusiastic about scientific research. He enjoys reading research papers and literature reviews and is passionate about writing.
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Sai Lomte, Tarun. (2025, April 14). Lithium shifts circadian rhythms early in bipolar disorder and may offer clues to treatment response. News-Medical. Retrieved on April 15, 2025 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250414/Lithium-shifts-circadian-rhythms-early-in-bipolar-disorder-and-may-offer-clues-to-treatment-response.aspx.
MLA
Sai Lomte, Tarun. "Lithium shifts circadian rhythms early in bipolar disorder and may offer clues to treatment response". News-Medical. 15 April 2025.
U.S. Men's National Team legends Tim Howard and Landon Donovan have weighed in on the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup draw ahead of this summer's tournament.
Looking to brush aside their recent Nations League Finals disaster, during which they lost to both Panama and Canada in a failed attempt to defend their title, Mauricio Pochettino's side will begin their Gold Cup quest in Group D alongside Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and guest participants Saudi Arabia. The tournament, which will be held across the U.S., will represent the USMNT's final competitive games before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
However, while the group presents some intriguing matchups for the USMNT, former Premier League goalkeeper Howard admitted on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast that his initial response to the draw was simply, “I don't care.” Meanwhile, USMNT captain Christian Pulisic may soon have a new head coach, with AC Milan seemingly set to part ways with Sergio Conceicao.
“I don't care about this draw, because I am not judging this U.S. team based on this first round. Do me a favor,” Howard told Donovan. “I am judging this team on the semi-final and the final if they get there. Thats it. They've given me no reason to get excited about Haiti, or Saudi Arabia, or Trinidad and Tobago, it's just not…2026 is going to be here before we know it and that competition is scary, it's frightening.
“The games that I want to judge this U.S. team on are the tough ones, not the layups, the tough ones because they have not proven yet that they can band together and give a sustained effort consistently, over the course of five, six games.”
Donovan's response was largely the same, echoing Howard's sentiment about his desire for the USMNT to show more passion and energy come game day than they did during the recent Nations League. “I'm asking this U.S. group as a fan, give us something to get excited about ahead of next summer. Give us a real performance in the Gold Cup, get us excited,” he said.
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Donovan went on to add, “They need to give us something to get excited as we head into next summer about because the last few games were really demoralizing.”
This is far from the first time either Howard or Donovan have been critical of the USMNT for their recent performances, with the ex-Everton midfielder having been particularly outspoken following their 2-1 loss to Canada in the Nations League third-place playoff.
“I'm so sick of hearing how “talented” this group of players is and all the amazing clubs they play for,” he tweeted. “If you aren't going to show up and actually give a s--- about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.”
As for Howard, in their subsequent podcast, he called for the USMNT to show more aggression, even in a loss, commenting, “If we're going to get beat, you're going to walk off the field limping. That's the exchange. We don't get beat and you cruise ain't how it works. If we're going to get beat, you're going to earn it. And you're actually going to be desperate to get off the field.”
The USMNT will kick off their Gold Cup campaign on June 15 when they take on Trinidad and Tobago at PayPal Park, with an eye on reaching the final at NRG Stadium on July 6.
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Updated on April 15, 2025
By Martina Alcheva
The anticipation for the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup—set to take place in the United States this summer—is already building, but controversy looms as FIFA scrambles to fill the final vacant slot following the disqualification of Mexican side Club Leon. As global soccer's governing body deliberates on the next steps, whispers of a potential replacement have already sent ripples through the soccer world.
Initially qualified through their 2023 CONCACAF Champions League triumph, Club Leon saw their invitation rescinded due to multi-club ownership rules. The team is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns fellow Mexican participant Pachuca, prompting FIFA to act over concerns of a conflict of interest.
Although Club Leon has lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), a decision is not expected until May. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has already signaled that contingency plans are in place should the CAS uphold the original ruling.
“In a couple of weeks, we will have the final and definitive decision, we will respect any decision,”Infantino stated. “If CAS confirms the decision of the Appeals Committee, FIFA's intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the final of the CONCACAF Champions League, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is Club America.”
This solution seemed straightforward until fresh reports from Mexico added a twist—the possible inclusion of Barcelona, one of world soccer's biggest names.
Barcelona had missed out on qualification for the Club World Cup due to a run of underwhelming European performances between 2021 and 2024. Devastating defeats—such as 5-2 and 6-4 losses to Paris Saint-Germain—badly affected their UEFA coefficient, allowing Atletico Madrid to snatch Spain's second spot behind Real Madrid.
This exclusion was more than just sporting disappointment—it was a significant financial blow. Participation alone in the newly expanded Club World Cup brings lucrative benefits, money that Barcelona desperately needs amid their ongoing financial recovery efforts.
However, according to Mexican journalist David Faitelson, there are active conversations in FIFA's Zurich headquarters about inviting Barcelona to fill the 32nd spot. “Barcelona are being considered as a candidate to replace Mexico's Club Leon,” he claimed in a report. “Their inclusion would certainly provide both sporting and financial appeal.”
Magnífica idea la que ronda ahora por Zurich…
Ni León…
Ni el América…
Ni LAFC…
Ni Alajuelense…
!!!Qué vaya el Barcelona al Mundial de Clubes!!
Indeed, this development could be transformative for the Catalan club. If FIFA extends an invitation, the Catalans may shelve their planned pre-season tour of Asia, choosing instead to pursue the greater financial reward of competing in the United States.
While nothing has been confirmed, The Blaugrana's group placement—should they be invited—has been earmarked as Group D. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will participate in Group A, setting up a tantalizing narrative for the later stages.
Yes, that's right—Lionel Messi could face his former club, Barcelona, but only in the knockout phase, as group assignments would keep the two teams apart in the early rounds.
Barcelona's inclusion would not only add a significant commercial and media buzz to the tournament but would also restore a sense of elite prestige. The 32-team lineup already includes European giants such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter, and Juventus. Adding Barcelona would undoubtedly bolster the spectacle.
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Borussia Dortmund face Barcelona in the second leg of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Check here for kickoff times and details on how to watch the match live on TV or stream it online in the USA.
Barcelona's 4-0 victory in the first leg has put them in a commanding position to advance to the Champions League semifinals. The team will be looking to defend their lead and avoid any surprises in the second leg.
With Marc-André ter Stegen entering his last moments of rehabilitation, Wojciech Szczesny has heated the goalkeeper debate at FC Barcelona stating who is the best out of the two.
Aston Villa will receive PSG in the second leg of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Check here for kickoff times and details on how to watch the match live on TV or stream it online in the USA.
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Earlier in the day, it was reported that FIFA is considering inviting Barcelona to the inaugural edition of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup this summer, following Club Leon's suspension from the tournament.
The Mexican outfit has been suspended due to a violation of FIFA's multi-club ownership rules, as Leon's parent company, Grupo Pachuca, also owns fellow participant CF Pachuca.
Club Leon's absence has led FIFA to potentially consider inviting Barça, who had missed out on qualifying for the tournament due to their poor performances in European competition between 2021 and 2024.
However, a recent report from AS has suggested that Barcelona won't ask for an invitation to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Although the club would have liked to participate in the competition, especially given the financial rewards at play, the club won't push for an envelope from FIFA.
This is primarily because of the fact that Barcelona are aware of the regulations that govern the Club World Cup, with 12 European spots.
Barcelona acknowledge that they have not qualified for the tournament on sporting merit, and since no European team has been disqualified, they won't push for inclusion in the tournament.
Instead, Barça are focusing on their pre-season trip to South Korea and Japan, which is slated to begin sometime in June.
In South Korea, Barça will take on FC Seoul in the first friendly and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors or Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the second friendly.
The report suggests the pre-season tour is expected to bring in an inflow of at least €15 million, which Barça plan on maximising to €25 million.
Although Barcelona rue missing out on the FIFA Club World Cup, they are looking at the bright side of it.
The club, after all, have the possibility of playing in the UEFA Super Cup if they can win the Champions League. And as mentioned earlier, they can also have a normal pre-season, which often becomes important from a team-building perspective.
The Bavarians go into Wednesday's showdown at San Siro without several key players, placing even more pressure than usual on their talisman
With just over 15 minutes to go at the Allianz Arena last week and Bayern Munich trailing 1-0 to Inter, coach Vincent Kompany decided it was Thomas Muller time. The veteran forward had announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, after 25 years on the Bavarians' books, meaning the stage was set for a dramatic final act.
Unsurprisingly, Muller played the role of super-sub to perfection by turning home Konrad Laimer's cross to draw Bayern level with just five minutes remaining. However, Inter almost immediately flipped the script with a brilliant breakaway goal that earned Simone Inzaghi's side a most valuable victory. Muller was understandably frustrated, but far from downbeat, reacting to the fact that he'd been upstaged by Davide Frattesi with characteristic good humour.
"It was unfortunate that the last counterattack made it 2-1; otherwise, the Muller story would have played out..." he told Amazon Prime Video. "I'll have to complain to Inter!"
Muller knew full well that Bayern only had themselves to blame for their first home defeat in the Champions League for four years.
"The chances converted were the key," he pointed out. "Ultimately, it's about goals in football and we didn't take our big chance to make it 1-0."
To put it more precisely, Harry Kane didn't take Bayern's big chance to make it 1-0 - and, as is so often the case, the Englishman's form is a topic of much debate going into Wednesday's decisive second leg at San Siro...
Bayern are looking to turn around a 2-1 deficit in their quarter-final with the Serie A giants, but Karl-Heinz Rummenigge isn't confident.
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LOS ANGELES — Michele Kang is used to people not seeing her vision. She doesn't mind their initial reactions either, the way they might think she has overstepped or gotten it wrong. She tries not to pay much attention, though she doesn't always have a choice.
Sometimes, friends will send her the best posts they've spotted on social media after she has made a move with one of her teams. She takes a spin through fan reactions on rare occasions, but generally, the owner of three women's soccer clubs around the world relies on her staff. She talks to players for their input, too. She has built a thick skin over the years from her time as a CEO and founder in her pre-soccer life.
But Kang focuses mostly on what she is trying to accomplish, which these days is a lot in the women's soccer world.
“If you believe in it, and if you're trying to do something for the first time, it's not necessarily people thinking you're wrong or bad or whatever, but people haven't seen it,” she told on Saturday before the U.S. women's national team's 2-0 win over Brazil. “It's only natural that they're skeptical.”
People were doubtful when she took over the Washington Spirit in 2022 after a contentious battle with previous ownership in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), bidding $35 million for a team at a time when most clubs ranged from $3 million to $5 million in expansion fees and valuations.
“I'm not the first one who did this,” Kang said, pointing to various start-up investments across Silicon Valley. “It's not any different. If we think the NWSL is a valuable product and we don't value it, who's going to value it for us?”
The average NWSL team is valued at $104 million, with the Spirit valued at $95 million (fifth overall across the league), per Sportico's rankings as of September 2024.
People were again skeptical when Kang took over Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, finalized in February last year (the purchase was completed last August). She turned the perennial French powerhouse into a standalone club separate from the men's side. “Everyone was like, ‘She's crazy; that shouldn't be allowed. This is against European culture,'” she said. “Now teams are copying because they saw the benefit.”
Chelsea followed suit a few months later, announcing the women's team would be “repositioned” alongside the men's team, with the women getting their own standalone business. However, the sale to a sister company is still being assessed by the Premier League from a fair market value standpoint.
Lyon was the third team Kang added to her ownership portfolio, having acquired the London City Lionesses in England in 2023. That team is leading the FA Women's Championship, 2 points ahead in the race for promotion to the top-tier Women's Super League (WSL). Kang folded all three teams under her Kynisca Sports International, a multi-team global women's soccer organization. It's something that has not been done on the women's side but has been widely criticized among men's clubs.
While widening her sphere of influence beyond professional clubs in the U.S. and Europe, she has found a significant partner in U.S. Soccer.
Last November, Kang became one of the federation's largest donors, with $30 million earmarked over five years for women's youth national team camps, talent identification and scouting, and female coach and referee education and mentorship. Friday, she doubled down with another $25 million investment as U.S. Soccer integrates Kang's Kynisca Innovation Hub into its Soccer Forward Foundation. The sides will work together to perform much-needed research on the health of athletes and establish best practices across the women's soccer landscape for performance and player health.
“Our objective was not just, ‘We'll do some research and publish and say here's a standard,'” Kang told on Saturday. She launched the innovation hub alongside the multi-club umbrella organization last year. “I'd really rather make it a living and breathing document and get teams to implement it. When you start thinking about that, there were some limitations as a private foundation and private effort.”
She found out U.S. Soccer had plans of its own along the same lines, and the federation had much greater reach when it came to conducting research and implementing quality across teams.
“This partnership is key in accelerating our in-service to soccer strategy,” U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson said in the partnership announcement. “Kynisca Innovation Hub and Soccer Forward share a mission to advance women's soccer, and by combining efforts, we're creating an unmatched platform for research, innovation and long-term impact.”
When Kang made her donation to U.S. Soccer last year, she set clear terms with U.S. Soccer. It wasn't created for U.S. Soccer to avoid spending its own money. It would allocate its budget, and her donation would provide the boost.
“Over time, I saw their vision and how they're executing against their vision,” she said.
She shared a lot of the skepticism that was already around the federation, based on its track record with the women's national team, but she saw potential — especially after she started talking with Batson. “They're getting things done,” she said. “Look at the coaches they brought in for both the men and women, the training center, the Soccer Forward Foundation.”
Though she immediately found something of a kindred spirit in Batson — their first meeting at the Paris Olympics was scheduled for 45 minutes, but instead they “geeked out for a few hours” discussing the big-picture needs of the women's game — the addition of USWNT head coach Emma Hayes helped tremendously.
Kang and Hayes spent some time together in London and the United States.
“She's not just a head coach focused on winning; she has a bigger vision. She wants to make an impact, really move the needle,” Kang said. “U.S. Soccer creating the Soccer Forward Foundation, Emma coming in and having that vision, me separately having that vision, we're all coming together. Why wouldn't we work together? This was sort of like love at first sight.”
As exciting as the partnership is for Kang, there's still a lot on her mind.
“For something like women's soccer to move forward, where your vision, my vision and 5,000 other visions come to fruition, there are so many elements that need to move together,” she said.
It's not just building a training center and hiring the right technical staff; it's the referees, it's the youth development, it's coaching education. She's thinking about how the whole landscape becomes sustainable.
And she knows she can't do everything, nor should she. Kang has picked her key areas to keep the whole thing moving. After her donation last November, she has already seen some results: more under-23 camps for the USWNT, and people are talking about referees and women's health.
“It's a very, very critical moment for all of us, and we need to work together to make sure that everything is moving in the same direction and everyone can be successful,” Kang said.
For her, it has never been a zero-sum game. However, she's worried that sometimes the best efforts get undermined without better coordination.
In her eyes, this is actually a good problem, especially when comparing where the NWSL was when she first took over the Spirit to now.
Kang has repeated one line over the past couple of years as she makes waves across the sport: She wants a critical mass, for more people to come in.
“No one can do this by himself or herself,” she said. “If I can bring attention and show how this could work, and more people join in, the tipping point happens. I'd be very grateful if I could see that in my lifetime.” She paused, then laughed before adding, “In my soccer lifetime.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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Geno Auriemma was definitely crying this time when UConn won its 12th national championship — welcome to Full Time!
Trin's back 📈 and Trin's back 😬
It took five minutes on Saturday for Trinity Rodman to remind us of last summer's gold medal run, the last time she wore the U.S. crest. The 22-year-old scored in the opening minutes of the USWNT's 2-0 win over Brazil in front of 32,303 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Her fluorescent pick braids streamed behind her like cotton candy, as they did last summer, when she ran in behind Brazil's defense. Angel City forward and Los Angeles native Alyssa Thompson provided the assist, deking past her defender and slotting the ball to Rodman as she darted in from the right wing.
Despite Brazil building into the match and maintaining control, the U.S. was able to hold them off thanks in part to goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce — who earned her first cap for the U.S. that night at age 28 — and a penalty kick from Lindsey Heaps. It was quite the way to usher in the venue's first women's sports event since it opened in 2020.
Something else missing from the U.S. in Rodman's absence? Her iconic celebrations, which she continued over the weekend to the chagrin of the USWNT's medical staff. First, the background:
Rodman has had multiple back issues that have sidelined her, including from the national team.
She told reporters last week that she doesn't think her back will ever be 100% again.
You can understand why those on the sideline weren't immediately laughing at her ouch-my-back-just-kidding celebration:
Head coach Emma Hayes has made it clear that she wants “Trin to be Trin,” but she looked amused when she said she'd “have a word” with Rodman after the game.
Rodman's response: “I should have told them beforehand for sure. But you know, you gotta keep people on their toes.”
🎧 Tamerra Griffin was at SoFi and joined Jillian Sakovits to talk about the key moments. Listen to today's “Full Time Review” for more.
Thompson is having a moment
Thompson burst onto the scene for Angel City FC and the USWNT in 2023. The first pick in that year's NWSL draft, she skipped college to go professional — a move that helped her become the youngest player on the USWNT's World Cup roster.
The year started high but ended with the low of limited playing time at the World Cup, and the USWNT's round of 16 exit. Thompson spent the next year rebuilding herself with ACFC, waiting patiently for her USWNT return, but ultimately watched the Paris Olympics from home.
Hayes brought the 20-year-old back into the mix last October, and she quickly shined with her first goal for the team against Iceland that month.
On Saturday, it was Thompson who helped create the most dangerous chances. As Tamerra writes, being at home in L.A. for the first time with the national team unlocked another level for the rising talent.
Part 2 on Tuesday
The U.S. and Brazil face off again tomorrow at 10:30 p.m. ET on TBS, TruTV and Universo. Tamerra will be at PayPal Park in San Jose.
*Putting my best local news impression on* “Over to you, Tamerra”:
The U.S. has always had a clear goalkeeping succession plan — until now. Jeff Rueter wrote about Hayes' search for a new No. 1 after Alyssa Naeher's retirement announcement last year.
On Saturday, we saw the first glimpse of Manchester United goalkeeper Tullis-Joyce, who made a case for that starting spot in the 2-0 win over Brazil.
We don't usually see debuts come against top teams, but Tullis-Joyce got hers against Brazil and kept the team in the game at a few different points. There were shaky moments, too, like her passing out of the back, especially early. That was a little heart-stopping, and was one of the things that Hayes talked about after the match.
Hayes said Manchester United doesn't really play the same way that she would like to see Tullis-Joyce develop in terms of building out of the back, so it will be a challenge for her in terms of adding dimensions to her game.
However, one clear thing has changed in Tullis-Joyce. I had seen her in mixed zones before when she was in NWSL and was quieter, but in L.A., she was loose and conversational. Maybe getting her debut helped unlock that.
U.S. to host 2031 World Cup
The U.S. will (most likely) host the 2031 World Cup, and the UK will (most likely) host in 2035. We have to include the disclaimer because technically there's a process to follow, even if FIFA president Gianni Infantino doesn't go by the book.
Last Thursday at a UEFA Congress in Serbia, Infantino said that the U.S. and the UK were the sole respective bidders for the Women's World Cups that follow Brazil's hosting duties in 2027.
Should the countries submit compliant bids by the end of 2025, they will follow due process all the way to the vote at the FIFA Congress in 2026. This will (would) be the United States' first time hosting since 2023 and the first time ever for the UK.
U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Soccer Federation withdrew their joint bid for the 2027 World Cup to focus on 2031 last year. Infantino did not mention Mexico on Thursday but said “potentially some other Concacaf members” could be involved.
The lack of dry ink hasn't stopped key members in American soccer from weighing in on the growth potential from hosting not just a World Cup, but a proposed expanded 48-team tournament in the country.
💬 U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson, who mentioned the federation is a “passionate” supporter of expanding the format, said: “Your ability to use the World Cup as a catalyst is before, not after.”
💬 NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, who has left the door open for the possibility of a domestic league with as many teams as the NFL, said: “I'm very confident that our expansion will continue between now and then, so this will certainly give us even more reason to be bullish on our expansion plan.”
💬 Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang, who has basically become a patron saint of the women's game and who recently invested $25 million more in U.S. Soccer, said: “I'm trying to convince our area that the World Cup is coming and Washington, D.C. could be the center of women's football, not just government and political power.”
💬 English U.S. women's national team head coach Emma Hayes called the potential “dreamland.”
Are U o K?
For England, the good news came with some bad. Within days of (potentially) being awarded the 2035 World Cup with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the current pack of Lionesses got hit with an injury bug that meant three crucial goal scorers exited camp early.
First, Chloe Kelly withdrew with a foot injury ahead of England's 5-0 Nations League victory over Belgium and headed back to Arsenal.
Then, Chelsea forward Lauren James left camp. The 23-year-old was taken off at halftime of Friday's match with what was described as a hamstring problem.
And now, Kelly's Arsenal teammate Alessia Russo has headed home for further assessment on an injury picked up during camp.
It wasn't a great window for England in terms of injuries, but they still sit top of the Nations League League A Group 3 ahead of tomorrow's rematch with Belgium away. However, manager Sarina Wiegman is going to have to do something she seldom does: change things up.
Staying put: Four NWSL-based Zambia players did not travel with their country this break due to “additional travel measures introduced by the new administration” in the United States. The Football Association of Zambia announced the changes, which affected Orlando Pride goal scorer Barbra Banda, Bay FC's record-breaking transfer Racheal Kundananji, Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda, last week.
Laughter with the pain: U.S. defender Tierna Davidson pulled out of national team camp last week after scans confirmed the 26-year-old tore her ACL during Gotham's match against Houston. Davidson was able to find humor in the pain, posting on Instagram, “In: Matching scars / Out: my left ACL,” before getting more serious in her caption.
Pour a cup: Bayern Munich currently sits at the top of the Frauen Bundesliga, six points clear of Eintracht Frankfurt. However, off the pitch, something else is brewing. Bayern striker Jovana Damnjanović has turned a caffeine passion into a café in Munich. The full story is unique and sentimental.
📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with Also, check out our other newsletters.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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Trinity Rodman is back with the U.S. women's team for the first time since last summer's Paris Olympics.
Rodman had been nursing a back injury and was left out of both the U.S. team's January camp and the recent SheBelieves Cup tournament. She made her return to her club team, the Washington Spirit, last weekend in an National Women's Soccer League match.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes added her to a 24-player roster announced Tuesday in advance of a pair of friendly matches against Brazil next month.
Rodman was part of the U.S. team's “Triple Espresso” front line with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson that helped lead the team to its fifth Olympic gold medal in Paris.
Neither Swanson nor Wilson were on the latest squad. Swanson has been taking time off for personal reasons and did not start the season with the Chicago Stars. Wilson, formerly known by her maiden name Smith, is on maternity leave.
Hayes said she'd be cautious with Rodman's return.
“You can go from a position of a managed return to play to too much. So, I have to try and find the sweet spot in camp to reintegrate her back in the team but also to manage her, because she has a long season ahead,” Hayes said.
The roster includes 19 of the players that were included for the SheBelieves Cup. Hayes said she is still evaluating players with an eye on Women's World Cup qualification next year.
The matches against Brazil are set for April 5 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and April 8 at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. The United States defeated Brazil 1-0 on Swanson's goal for the gold medal in Paris.
Mia Fishel, who tore her ACL last year but recently returned to play for Chelsea, will be included in camp as a training player, along with Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.
Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson earned her first call-up to the team.
Naomi Girma, who was injured in her first game with Chelsea after a record-breaking transfer from the San Diego Wave, remained unavailable. Midfielder Rose Lavelle remains sidelined by offseason ankle surgery.
The roster with club affiliation:
Goalkeepers: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United).
Defenders: Alana Cook (Kansas City Current), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC).
Midfielders: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (Olympique Lyon), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina Courage), Lily Yohannes (Ajax).
Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City).
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Trinity Rodman is back with the U.S. women's team for the first time since last summer's Paris Olympics.
Rodman had been nursing a back injury and was left out of both the U.S. team's January camp and the recent SheBelieves Cup tournament. She made her return to her club team, the Washington Spirit, last weekend in an National Women's Soccer League match.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes added her to a 24-player roster announced Tuesday in advance of a pair of friendly matches against Brazil next month.
Rodman was part of the U.S. team's “Triple Espresso” front line with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson that helped lead the team to its fifth Olympic gold medal in Paris.
Neither Swanson nor Wilson were on the latest squad. Swanson has been taking time off for personal reasons and did not start the season with the Chicago Stars. Wilson, formerly known by her maiden name Smith, is on maternity leave.
Hayes said she'd be cautious with Rodman's return.
“You can go from a position of a managed return to play to too much. So, I have to try and find the sweet spot in camp to reintegrate her back in the team but also to manage her, because she has a long season ahead,” Hayes said.
The roster includes 19 of the players that were included for the SheBelieves Cup. Hayes said she is still evaluating players with an eye on Women's World Cup qualification next year.
The matches against Brazil are set for April 5 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and April 8 at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. The United States defeated Brazil 1-0 on Swanson's goal for the gold medal in Paris.
Mia Fishel, who tore her ACL last year but recently returned to play for Chelsea, will be included in camp as a training player, along with Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.
Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson earned her first call-up to the team.
Naomi Girma, who was injured in her first game with Chelsea after a record-breaking transfer from the San Diego Wave, remained unavailable. Midfielder Rose Lavelle remains sidelined by offseason ankle surgery.
The roster with club affiliation:
Goalkeepers: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United).
Defenders: Alana Cook (Kansas City Current), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC).
Midfielders: Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (Olympique Lyon), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina Courage), Lily Yohannes (Ajax).
Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City).
___
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One of Lionel Messi's former Argentina managers is reportedly in talks to coach Neymar at Santos after Pedro Caixinha's dismissal.
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The defender doesn't score many goals, but she's busted the sport wide open.
Naomi Girma says it's cold in London. Not that she really seems to mind. “I've loved it so far,” she says of her recent arrival in the UK. “There was a lot of buildup and anticipation, so just getting to be in training, around the team—I've loved every part of it. Minus the cold!”
She's laughing, and absolutely beaming through a computer screen on a Zoom call. It's evening on her side of the Atlantic, and she appears laid-back and easygoing at the end of a training day, her long hair fanning out behind her in a cascade of braids, framing a great, big smile.
Among her priorities at the moment: “I've only been here like three weeks—I'm looking for an apartment!”
Girma has taken time out to talk with us and reflect on this remarkable moment, for her and for fans of American soccer. “When I found out the transfer was going through, it felt unreal that it all came together,” she says. She's referring to her record-breaking move in January from the San Diego Wave of the National Women's Soccer League to storied Chelsea of England. The $1.1 million transfer fee paid is the highest ever in women's soccer, making Naomi Girma its first million-dollar player.
It's a watershed moment for a sport that's growing by every measure, with U. S. and European leagues setting attendance and viewership records year after year. Chelsea won a bidding war with French club Lyon for Girma's services, and her transfer may well be a harbinger of the kind of headline-grabbing international market for players that signals a whole new level of development and interest.
But what's perhaps most surprising about the signing is that the player who broke the barrier isn't a striker or an attacking midfielder, the kind of star who usually attracts the limelight, particularly in the States. Think of Mia Hamm, or Alex Morgan, or current scoring idol Trinity Rodman, players who electrify the game with goals and one-one-one theatrics. Naomi Girma, in contrast, is a rock-steady, no-nonsense center back, an anchor position that might not look flashy but that championship teams are built on. And in breaking out as she has, Girma just might be illuminating the way toward Americans' deeper understanding of the richness and complexity of the world's most popular sport.
“Defenders can go under the radar,” Girma says, “but it's such an important part of any team. We've seen a trend toward defenders getting more recognition, the center backs and outside backs—their names just getting bigger. Hopefully it can be an exciting thing for young players to want to be a defender too—to be the ones who stop goals and not just the ones who score them.”
In key ways, Girma's soccer origin story is quintessentially American. A century ago, long before it became the signature kids sport of the suburbs, soccer was nursed in the deeply ethnic enclaves of the cities. Girma first learned to play in a modern version of that setting. Her father, an Ethiopian immigrant, “started this organization for Ethiopian families” in San Jose, California, where she grew up, she explains. “The kids would get together and play soccer, and the dads would coach us. A lot of the kids were dragged in by their parents, but I just always loved it.”
Girma's first experiences in the game shaped her, and she retains a strong connection to her Ethiopian community and identity. She was also very good. Girma begged her parents to put her on competitive clubs in the Bay Area, where she flourished. She went on to play for Stanford and captain the team to an NCAA championship in 2019.
Now twenty-four, Girma was the NWSL's number-one draft pick in 2022. She was named the league's Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year her first season with San Diego. Her playing style is that of an aggressive ball winner, a tough tackler who at the same time exudes calm and poise from the back. She's particularly good at turning play around, patiently building out of her own half, and, at the right moment, lofting gorgeous balls to the strikers up front.
Girma truly emerged as among the very best in the world during last summer's Paris Olympics, where she helped lead the U.S. Women's National Team to a gold medal. She played every minute of every game, and her performance in a white-knuckle semifinal against Germany prompted USWNT coach Emma Hayes to call her “the best defender I've ever seen.” Through the rounds, the U.S. defense allowed only two goals in six games, recording four clean sheets against the best teams on the planet.
So just what is it about defense? Girma likes the mental focus, she says, “like when you read what the attacker's gonna do before it happens, and you're just there.” But also: “I love when someone scores and I can sprint up the field cheering. That is one of my favorite things to happen.”
Mental focus is as crucial as foot speed or endurance to an athlete, and for Girma, it translates to other parts of her life as well. At Stanford, she majored in something called symbolic systems, which she explains as a blend of “computer science, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. So it was interdisciplinary,” she says. “Once I started it, I loved it.”
Fair enough, though that hardly accounts for why she hasn't stopped taking classes. While launching a pro career and distinguishing herself as one of the top women's soccer players in the world, Girma has also been continuing her Stanford education on the side, pursuing a master's in management science and engineering—essentially the university's business degree.
“I'm doing it part-time remote, so when a quarter lines up with when I can do it, I'll take one or two classes—so it's been a slow journey,” she says, laughing. “Like during this time, there's a lot going on. I'm not going to take a class. But when I'm settled, it's really nice to train in the morning, and then when I leave I have something else that I can put my mind and attention toward. I like having that balance.”
For right now, Girma is focused on making an impact with Chelsea in its bid to retain the title in England. She's excited for the opportunity to play in Europe's Champions League—where top European teams fight it out for best club on the continent—and she looks forward to the chance to win trophies with the USWNT. And there's that apartment to find.
But is all this sinking in? Has there been a freeze-frame second when the momentum of both her career and women's soccer coalesced? Girma pauses, gives another glowing smile on the screen, and mentions Wembley Stadium, a friendly against England late last year. “There were eighty thousand people there! That was a moment for me, like, Whoa, this is ... very cool. It was a lot. And they were not cheering for us!”
But, of course, maybe that's about to change.
Opening image: Blazer, shirt, and skirt by McQueen; shoes by Camper; socks by Falke; earring and ring by Poché; trio ring by Ritique.
Photographs by Frederike Helwig Styling by Crystalle Cox Hair and makeup by Ruth Warrior Production by Fuse, London VP of Video: Jason Ikeler Directors of Video: Amanda Kabbabe, Kathryn Rice Senior Director of Social Video: Mia Lardiere Cinematographer: Ciaron Craig Editor: Sam Miller
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John McDougall
A European giant could be in line to take the final spot at this summer's FIFA Club World Cup after Mexican side Club Leon were removed from the competition last month.
Both Manchester City and Chelsea will be competing in the 32-club competition held in the US across June and July after the regular European season has come to a close.
Pep Guardiola's City qualified through winning the Champions League in 2023, while Chelsea will be competing after claiming the trophy in 2021 with a 1-0 win over City.
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Several other top European sides are taking part including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Red Bull Salzburg.
Last month, it was confirmed that Mexican side Club Leon had lost their place in the competition over multi-club ownership rules, as parent company Grupo Pachuca also owns fellow participants Pachuca.
An appeal against the decision has been lodged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which will be heard in May.
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Since then, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested a solution to fill the currently vacant 32nd spot in the tournament.
He has proposed a play-off match taking place between MLS outfit Los Angeles FC and Mexican side Club America, with the victor taking the spot which Club Leon previously held.
Infantino confirmed this play-off match will be held if CAS upholds FIFA's original ruling and Club Leon's removal remains.
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Infantino said: "In a couple of weeks we will have the final and definitive decision, we will respect any decision.
"What we are looking at is that, if CAS confirms the decision of the Appeals Committee, FIFA's intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the final of the CONCACAF Champions League, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is America."
However, since then, the prospect of Barcelona being invited as a replacement for Club Leon has emerged in reports from Mexico.
Barca missed out on becoming Spain's second representative at the competition owing to poor European performances in recent seasons, with Atletico joining current Champions League holders Real.
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However, it appears Barca could be handed a lifeline to take part in the newly expanded tournament as conversations continue to take place at FIFA's Zurich headquarters.
Topics: FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, FC Barcelona
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Newcastle have reportedly pulled off a major transfer coup by winning the race for one of Spanish football's brightest young talents.
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FC Barcelona's exclusion from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was a significant blow, especially from a financial perspective.
The expanded 32-team competition, after all, had offered substantial financial rewards, simply for participating in the tournament.
The Catalan club missed qualification due to inconsistent UEFA Champions League performances between 2021 and 2024.
Heavy defeats, including 2-5 and 4-6 losses to Paris Saint-Germain, eroded Barcelona's UEFA coefficient, allowing Atletico Madrid to claim Spain's second berth alongside Real Madrid.
The absence from the tournament represented a missed opportunity for Barcelona, who have been struggling financially for quite some time now.
However, a recent report from journalist David Faitelson suggests that there are conversations going around in FIFA's headquarters in Zurich regarding the possibility of inviting Barcelona to the Club World Cup.
Indeed, the Catalans have emerged as a candidate to replace Mexico's Club Leon, which has been suspended from the competition.
The suspension stems from a violation of FIFA's multi-club ownership rules, as Leon's parent company, Grupo Pachuca, also owns fellow participant CF Pachuca.
While no final decision has been announced, Barcelona's inclusion would provide a critical financial boost.
Nothing should be taken for granted as of now, as Barça's potential inclusion in the tournament would also require several procedures and legal steps.
But as mentioned earlier, the inclusion will alleviate most of Barcelona's financial woes, especially with the club also expecting additional revenue from this season's Champions League and the pre-season tour in Asia.
All of this should ultimately help the club move closer to returning to the 1:1 rule in the summer.
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Luis Enrique's band of attacking stars are showing that excitement comes with letting fleet-footed forwards actually take on defenders
English football can't always be fun to watch. Not every match has to be a 'great advert for the Premier League'. Some Sundays just aren't that 'Super' - and that's okay. However, there was something about last week's dreadfully dull Manchester derby that really upset Gary Neville - and it wasn't just the fact that his former club had failed to get one over on their city rivals.
His disappointment ran much deeper than a vested interest in silencing noisy neighbours. As far as Neville was concerned, the dour nature of the draw at Old Trafford was indicative of a more general malaise afflicting the world's most popular championship.
"It really was quite depressing for me because I think we're seeing a lot of these types of games," the former right-back said after making his way from the gantry to the Sky Sports studio. "The Premier League is about thrill, it's about excitement, it's about risk - but there was nothing like that today. It was really disappointing. I apologise even for my commentary; I think it let it get to me. I was boring on there too...
"But this robotic nature of not leaving our positions, of basically being micro-managed to within an inch of our lives, of not having any freedom to take any risks to try to win a football match... It's becoming an illness in the game, it's becoming a disease in the game."
Perhaps Paris Saint-Germain, though, have already discovered the antidote...
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INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After Thursday's stunning loss to Panama, the U.S. men's national team promised a response. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino assured fuming fans that a sleepy CONCACAF Nations League semifinal “didn't describe, or doesn't describe, how we are.” Players said they'd “look in the mirror” and “raise the bar.” And yet, in Sunday's third-place match against Canada, they did none of that.
They lost 2-1 to their northern neighbors, and deserved every last ounce of the defeat.
They managed one solitary shot on goal over the game's first 84 minutes.
In the face of criticism and doubts, they talked about how, “if we want to be praised, we have to give people something to praise us about,” as midfielder Tyler Adams said Saturday. Instead, they regressed, and further disillusioned their supporters, and inflamed doubts about their readiness for a World Cup on home soil next summer.
All involved promised that, after the 1-0 loss to Panama, Sunday's performance would be better. This Nations League consolation match would “be an important game to see how we react,” Pochettino said Saturday.
“Mentality obviously needs to change,” Adams said hours later.
“We're gonna come out with that fighting spirit,” Tim Weah added.
In the interim, they had one-on-one talks and a “beautiful meeting,” Weah said, in which Pochettino pleaded for “killer mentality” and more. The message, Weah said: “We have to want it. We have to want to be here 100%. We have to fight.”
But on Sunday, they floundered. For most of the first half, they didn't take the risks nor show the “aggression” they said they would. In a stadium that was once again nine-tenths empty at kickoff, they played dull soccer, and conceded a 27th-minute goal before they'd even taken a shot of their own.
Soon thereafter, Diego Luna tried to inject life into the USMNT, and into another snoozefest. Playing in his first competitive match for the national team, he started an attacking move from the right side of midfield, and, with a driving off-ball run, propelled it into the penalty box. It was the exact type of initiative that the U.S. lacked Thursday — and has often lacked under multiple managers.
"The desire and the hunger that he showed is what we want," Pochettino said postgame.
At the end of his run, Luna received a pass in stride. He poked a clever square ball to Patrick Agyemang, who equalized with a firm finish.
The two Major League Soccer attackers, two of five changes to the U.S. starting lineup, seemed to lift a lagging team back into the game.
Neither, though, could erase the mediocrity around them. Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, the team's two Italy-based stars, were quiet. Adams and Weah looked nothing like their typically active selves. The USMNT was once against stagnant. Why?
"I think we need to have every single person buy into exactly what we're doing and what we're trying to do," Adams said postgame. "It's just the little things ... duels, tackles, leaving your mark on the field, not being naive in certain moments, being a little bit more clever — all the details of the game that, I feel like, when I watch people play with their clubs, we do. And then when we come here, sometimes I think we forget a little bit what the games are gonna give us."
Not long after halftime, they receded again. They nearly conceded two penalties. (Canada head coach Jesse Marsch was red carded for protesting one of the no-calls.) Then, in the 59th minute, they conceded again. Jonathan David put Canada up 2-1.
And that's how it ended, just as a friendly between these two teams ended in September, with the U.S. beaten — and with all sorts of questions swirling about the talent, passion, ceiling and capabilities of these U.S. players.
It ended with Pochettino "disappointed," again, and reaching for reasons that the medium-term future, in 2026, could still be bright.
"I want to send the message to the fans: Don't be pessimistic," Pochettino said.
But he couldn't offer clear rationale for why they shouldn't be, other than: "In football, anything can happen."
And as he rose to depart his postgame press conference, he apologized to everyone present, saying that he felt "shame" after the two losses, and promising, again, that "next time" would be different.
Later, as Pochettino slumped in his shotgun seat on the team bus, Adams was asked whether he, like fans, is concerned one year out from the World Cup.
"I'm never concerned, man. It's football," he said. "You gotta show up in big moments, when the moments matter. We didn't show up in this window here. We've showed up in the past, in moments when we needed to."
The No. 2 seed also points to "learning a lot" on clay that differs to the surface back home.ByEmma StoreyPublished Apr 15, 2025 copy_link
Published Apr 15, 2025
MUNICH—Ben Shelton made a winning start to his BMW Open debut in Munich on Monday—but it's not just his tennis that he's enjoying in the city. The American made like a local at the weekend, heading to the Allianz Arena for his first-ever German Bundesliga experience.Soccer games don't get much bigger than what's known as "Der Klassiker": Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund. Shelton's verdict?“It was my first professional football game in Europe, and the atmosphere was crazy! I was upset that it ended in a tie when Bayern was up 2-1. But I was happy to just be there, feel the energy,” he enthused when asked by Tennis Channel DE.“I think that those guys are so skilled, and I was really impressed with what I saw throughout the whole game. And I love the fan energy around football in Europe.One of the guys with Bayern said that since 2005, there hasn't been a single game where they didn't sell out. And I think that just speaks to how big this sport is globally, but especially here in Germany.
Soccer games don't get much bigger than what's known as "Der Klassiker": Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund. Shelton's verdict?“It was my first professional football game in Europe, and the atmosphere was crazy! I was upset that it ended in a tie when Bayern was up 2-1. But I was happy to just be there, feel the energy,” he enthused when asked by Tennis Channel DE.“I think that those guys are so skilled, and I was really impressed with what I saw throughout the whole game. And I love the fan energy around football in Europe.One of the guys with Bayern said that since 2005, there hasn't been a single game where they didn't sell out. And I think that just speaks to how big this sport is globally, but especially here in Germany.
“It was my first professional football game in Europe, and the atmosphere was crazy! I was upset that it ended in a tie when Bayern was up 2-1. But I was happy to just be there, feel the energy,” he enthused when asked by Tennis Channel DE.“I think that those guys are so skilled, and I was really impressed with what I saw throughout the whole game. And I love the fan energy around football in Europe.One of the guys with Bayern said that since 2005, there hasn't been a single game where they didn't sell out. And I think that just speaks to how big this sport is globally, but especially here in Germany.
“I think that those guys are so skilled, and I was really impressed with what I saw throughout the whole game. And I love the fan energy around football in Europe.One of the guys with Bayern said that since 2005, there hasn't been a single game where they didn't sell out. And I think that just speaks to how big this sport is globally, but especially here in Germany.
One of the guys with Bayern said that since 2005, there hasn't been a single game where they didn't sell out. And I think that just speaks to how big this sport is globally, but especially here in Germany.
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Given that he referred to the game as “football” and not “soccer” throughout, it's clear to see he's already fully in the swing of German culture. At the Laver Cup in Berlin last September, Shelton revealed a love of döner kebab, even bringing the local speciality to his teammates on court. But has he had a chance to embrace the distinctive Bavarian cuisine yet?“No actually, but I'd love some recommendations! Our PR guy sent me a few schnitzel places to go to. I haven't been leaving my hotel room much, but maybe later this week I'll get out. Going to the Bayern game was more than enough stimulation for me for the week!” he smiled.
“No actually, but I'd love some recommendations! Our PR guy sent me a few schnitzel places to go to. I haven't been leaving my hotel room much, but maybe later this week I'll get out. Going to the Bayern game was more than enough stimulation for me for the week!” he smiled.
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Shelton's is not the only debut in Munich this week. The tournament itself is being staged as an ATP 500 event for the first time and the American has been impressed by what he's seen.“I think they've done a great job. I never would have known that this was a 250 before this year. I think it's amazing what they've done selling out the stadium, packed crowd. The grounds are full every time walking through,” he said.“There's a lot of hype around this tournament, and it's one of the things that I love playing in Europe, especially Germany, how much they care about tennis, how much they love coming out to the tennis.“Obviously, it was Kids Day today, and I love playing in front of kids. That's who I want to be watching me. That's who I play for. Having the chance to inspire kids is really, really cool. I saw a lot of kids in the crowd today, a lot of kids on the ground, so it was pretty special,” he added.
“I think they've done a great job. I never would have known that this was a 250 before this year. I think it's amazing what they've done selling out the stadium, packed crowd. The grounds are full every time walking through,” he said.“There's a lot of hype around this tournament, and it's one of the things that I love playing in Europe, especially Germany, how much they care about tennis, how much they love coming out to the tennis.“Obviously, it was Kids Day today, and I love playing in front of kids. That's who I want to be watching me. That's who I play for. Having the chance to inspire kids is really, really cool. I saw a lot of kids in the crowd today, a lot of kids on the ground, so it was pretty special,” he added.
“There's a lot of hype around this tournament, and it's one of the things that I love playing in Europe, especially Germany, how much they care about tennis, how much they love coming out to the tennis.“Obviously, it was Kids Day today, and I love playing in front of kids. That's who I want to be watching me. That's who I play for. Having the chance to inspire kids is really, really cool. I saw a lot of kids in the crowd today, a lot of kids on the ground, so it was pretty special,” he added.
“Obviously, it was Kids Day today, and I love playing in front of kids. That's who I want to be watching me. That's who I play for. Having the chance to inspire kids is really, really cool. I saw a lot of kids in the crowd today, a lot of kids on the ground, so it was pretty special,” he added.
Hundreds of young fans waited for a chance to see Shelton after his first round win. © 2025 Getty Images
© 2025 Getty Images
"I'm enjoying it. I feel that I'm learning a lot. And the clay is very different. When it's hot in the United States, I live in Florida or you're playing in Texas, the clay gets really dry. It's fast. The balls are fast. You get really high bounces. If it's windy, the clay just blows off the court,” he explained.“Here you have cooler conditions. The water doesn't evaporate as fast, so the play is a little bit heavier, a little slower. I don't mind it. It's different for sure. Even not just the way the ball goes through the air, but the way it react off the court when it is a little damp and heavier and more compact versus in the US, it feels like you're using rocket launchers,” he added.
“Here you have cooler conditions. The water doesn't evaporate as fast, so the play is a little bit heavier, a little slower. I don't mind it. It's different for sure. Even not just the way the ball goes through the air, but the way it react off the court when it is a little damp and heavier and more compact versus in the US, it feels like you're using rocket launchers,” he added.
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Someone else helping with that adaptation is Shelton's surprise new doubles partner, Rohan Bopanna. In 2024, the Indian doubles specialist became the oldest first-time world number one at the age of 43 when he won his first Grand Slam title with Matthew Ebden at the Australian Open.“Obviously, he's a legend of the game,” said Shelton.“There's a lot of things to learn from someone like that who's had so much success and been on tour so long. For me, it's just cool to be able to be around him, see his perspective on tennis and life, and we're good friends,”“He's much closer to my dad's age as he is mine, but he's still playing at a very high level. When I'm 45 years old, I won't be on the tennis court. I can promise you that. But it's impressive to see what he does, and we get along really well.”
“Obviously, he's a legend of the game,” said Shelton.“There's a lot of things to learn from someone like that who's had so much success and been on tour so long. For me, it's just cool to be able to be around him, see his perspective on tennis and life, and we're good friends,”“He's much closer to my dad's age as he is mine, but he's still playing at a very high level. When I'm 45 years old, I won't be on the tennis court. I can promise you that. But it's impressive to see what he does, and we get along really well.”
“There's a lot of things to learn from someone like that who's had so much success and been on tour so long. For me, it's just cool to be able to be around him, see his perspective on tennis and life, and we're good friends,”“He's much closer to my dad's age as he is mine, but he's still playing at a very high level. When I'm 45 years old, I won't be on the tennis court. I can promise you that. But it's impressive to see what he does, and we get along really well.”
“He's much closer to my dad's age as he is mine, but he's still playing at a very high level. When I'm 45 years old, I won't be on the tennis court. I can promise you that. But it's impressive to see what he does, and we get along really well.”
Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 11, 2025 Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his quarter final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Former French Open champion launches scathing attack on Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek tennis sensation, has found himself under fire from former French Open winner Adriano Panatta. The 26-year-old rising star has been criticized for his inconsistent performances on the court, failing to meet the high expectations set for him.
Tsitsipas suffered a disappointing early exit at the Australian Open, falling to America's Alex Michelsen in the first round. More recently, at the Monte-Carlo Masters, he faced another setback, losing to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals. Panatta did not mince his words when assessing Tsitsipas, labeling him as “not an intelligent player” who solely relies on hitting the ball hard without considering strategic gameplay.
Despite the criticism, Tsitsipas continues to compete, currently participating in the Barcelona Open. He secured a spot in the second round after defeating Reilly Opelka and is set to face Sebastian Korda next. The upcoming match will mark the third encounter between the two players, with both having claimed victory in their previous meetings.
As Tsitsipas strives to prove his detractors wrong and make his mark on the tennis world, all eyes will be on his performance in the upcoming matches. Will he rise to the occasion and silence his critics, or will his inconsistency continue to haunt him on the court? The tennis world eagerly awaits the answer.
Donna Vekic's Heartbreaking Defeat and Emotional Breakdown in Stuttgart In a stunning turn of events at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, World No. 20 Donna Vekic...
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev are currently locked in a fierce battle for the coveted No 2 spot in the ATP Rankings, with the French Open looming large...
Iga Swiatek: The Undisputed Queen of Clay Courts The tennis world is abuzz as the clay-court season kicks off, shining the spotlight on one phenomenal player dominating the...
Alexander Zverev Dominates ATP Munich Opener German tennis star Alexander Zverev kicked off his ATP Munich campaign in style, aiming to clinch his first Munich title since 2018....
In a masterful performance at the ATP Barcelona Open, Alex De Minaur overcame Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, showcasing his superior service game and tactical...
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Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 13, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev are currently locked in a fierce battle for the coveted No 2 spot in the ATP Rankings, with the French Open looming large on the horizon.
Fresh off his triumph at the Monte Carlo Masters, Alcaraz has surged back to the second position, leaving Zverev trailing closely behind. The competition between the two tennis titans is far from over, as they gear up for the upcoming ATP 500 events.
Both players find themselves in a fortunate position with no points to defend from 2024, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown in the rankings. Alcaraz, who missed defending his Barcelona Open title last year due to injury, holds a slight lead over Zverev, who's also in a strong position after a notable performance at the BMW Open.
The intensity of their rivalry is further fueled by the exclusion of points from certain non-countable events, adding an extra layer of complexity to their battle for supremacy. While Zverev has the opportunity to amass significant points by excelling in the German event, Alcaraz remains a formidable contender with the chance to extend his lead at the Barcelona Open.
The race for the No 2 spot is expected to remain fiercely contested in the coming weeks, with the Madrid Open poised to be a decisive battleground ahead of the French Open. As the defending champion in Rome, Zverev faces immense pressure to secure a buffer in the rankings, while Alcaraz aims to capitalize on his previous success.
With the specter of world No 1 Jannik Sinner looming large, the stakes are higher than ever for Alcaraz and Zverev. The battle for the second seed at Roland Garros carries significant implications, including the crucial advantage of avoiding Sinner in the semi-finals.
As the tennis world eagerly anticipates the outcome of this gripping rivalry, all eyes are on Alcaraz and Zverev as they vie for glory and the prestigious No 2 spot in the ATP Rankings.
Donna Vekic's Heartbreaking Defeat and Emotional Breakdown in Stuttgart In a stunning turn of events at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, World No. 20 Donna Vekic...
Former French Open champion launches scathing attack on Stefanos Tsitsipas Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek tennis sensation, has found himself under fire from former French Open winner Adriano Panatta....
Iga Swiatek: The Undisputed Queen of Clay Courts The tennis world is abuzz as the clay-court season kicks off, shining the spotlight on one phenomenal player dominating the...
Alexander Zverev Dominates ATP Munich Opener German tennis star Alexander Zverev kicked off his ATP Munich campaign in style, aiming to clinch his first Munich title since 2018....
In a masterful performance at the ATP Barcelona Open, Alex De Minaur overcame Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, showcasing his superior service game and tactical...
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Greg Garber
She recently won two WTA 1000 events, Dubai and Indian Wells -- and scored back-to-back victories over the World Nos. 1 and 2 -- in the span of one month. So it's understandable that Mirra Andreeva might be getting a little ahead of herself at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
The winner gets 500 PIF WTA Ranking points and over 142,000 Euros -- and a sleek, shiny Porsche Macan Turbo car, which is displayed on the court in Stuttgart.
Stuttgart: Draws | Scores | Order of play | Tournament info
“The view on the center court is super nice,” World No. 7 Andreeva said Monday as action got underway. “I already thought about which cars I would like to get. But we're not there yet. I'm just looking around.
“I still don't have my driver's license.”
At 17, Andreeva is the youngest of three teenagers in the Hologic WTA Tour Top 100 (and the highest-ranked by far). She turns 18 in late April in Madrid, where she burst into prominence two years ago. Andreeva's one of six Top 10 players in this elite field, so she's got some work ahead of her.
And there could be some heavy lifting as soon as Wednesday's first-round match, against an opponent she's never beaten: her sister Erika.
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In an unlikely chain of events, Erika was placed in the main draw opposite her sister after losing her second qualifying match in straight sets to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She became a lucky loser when Marta Kostyuk withdrew with an abdominal injury. Previously, Kostyuk had gotten direct entry into the main draw when Paula Badosa withdrew with a lingering back injury.
Erika, aged 20 and ranked No. 97, is three years older than Mirra.
When Mirra met the media on Monday, the matchup had not yet been confirmed.
“I know that there is a chance that I might play my sister again,” she said. “But we're going to take it professionally because we don't have any other choice. If it's going to be like this, then we're just going to go on court and play as any other match.
“We're going to face each other, and if it happens, probably it's going to be a great and entertaining match.”
Mirra Andreeva and coach Conchita Martinez practice in Stuttgart ahead of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Jimmie48/WTA
The Andreeva sisters have played only once before at the WTA Tour level: Erika was a 6-3, 6-1 winner last fall in the second round at Wuhan. Mirra led 3-1 in the first set, then lost nine straight games, and 11 of the last 12.
It was reminiscent of the early matches between Venus and Serena Williams, with both sisters clearly conflicted.
“It was tough for both of us,” Erika said afterward. “First experience, and both of us were happy it happened at a big tournament. But I'm not sure we enjoyed it.”
Although they hadn't even played a practice match in more than five years, Erika was exceedingly familiar with her sister's all-court game.
"It's true, because we played each other in childhood a lot,” Erika said. “I know where she will most possibly go, and she as well. Sometimes during the rally I was like, `Normally I go there, but I know that she knows that I go there,' and I changed my decision.”
Also a lucky loser that week in Wuhan, Erika eventually lost to Jasmine Paolini in the Round of 16.
Erika Andreeva during qualifying action last weekend at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Jimmie48/WTA
At the 2024 US Open, the two sisters talked about their sibling rivalry. Growing up, not surprisingly, Erika always had the upper hand.
“But, honestly, Mirra was so small,” Erika explained in Flushing Meadows last year. “The time that we played was very long ago. Also, when you are that young, the age difference matters more.”
So, Mirra was asked, when did she start beating her older sister?
“I actually haven't,” Mirra said, laughing. “We practiced a lot when we were younger and of course she would always beat me like 6-1 or 6-2. Maybe only 6-3 if I played good or she had a bad day.”
Mirra is now a Top 10 player, and Erika is Top 100, starting to make her own headlines. This is the first time for both of them in Stuttgart.
On Monday, Mirra said her recent success is due to a new-found balance.
“I just try to go on court and enjoy every moment, to kind of have fun, but at the same time take it seriously,” she said. “I think that lately I found that balance to not really be depressed or to worry too much on the court, but also sometimes take it easy and let it go. I think me finding that balance helped me a lot these couple of months.”
Mirra -- and Erika -- will have to find that balance when sisters become opponents on Wednesday.
After less-than-ideal starts to their clay swings in Monte Carlo, it's an important week for the defending champion and finalist.ByTENNIS.comPublished Apr 15, 2025 copy_link
Published Apr 15, 2025
© Getty Images
Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas faced off in last year's Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell final a week after the Greek took their championship clash in Monte Carlo.Things are a little different 12 months later, with both coming in off the back of less-than-ideal starts to their clay season.
Things are a little different 12 months later, with both coming in off the back of less-than-ideal starts to their clay season.
In Monte Carlo, Ruud missed two match points during his round-of-16 loss to Alexei Popyrin and Tsitsipas suffered his first defeat in six meetings with Lorenzo Musetti following a quarterfinal exit. The two now seek strong showings in Barcelona ahead of the upcoming pair of ATP Masters 1000 events to ensure their rankings don't continue trending in the wrong direction ahead of the all-important French Open seeding.On Tuesday, each opened their campaigns in positive fashion. Defending champion Ruud defeated qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, 6-4, 6-3, as the No. 2 seed did not face a break point throughout the contest.
On Tuesday, each opened their campaigns in positive fashion. Defending champion Ruud defeated qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, 6-4, 6-3, as the No. 2 seed did not face a break point throughout the contest.
The Norwegian is down to No. 10 in the latest rankings and an early departure this week could see him drop outside of the Top 15 depending on the results of his peers in Spain and at Munich's BMW Open. A meeting with Hamad Medjedovic stands as Ruud's next challenge.As for Tsitsipas, he fell eight spots to No. 16 and began the week at No. 19 in the live rankings. The 26-year-old blew past Reilly Opelka, 6-2, 6-2, to confidently launch his campaign. Another American opponent, Sebastian Korda, awaits with a quarterfinal spot at stake.Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
As for Tsitsipas, he fell eight spots to No. 16 and began the week at No. 19 in the live rankings. The 26-year-old blew past Reilly Opelka, 6-2, 6-2, to confidently launch his campaign. Another American opponent, Sebastian Korda, awaits with a quarterfinal spot at stake.Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
After less-than-ideal starts to their clay swings in Monte Carlo, it's an important week for the defending champion and finalist.ByTENNIS.comPublished Apr 15, 2025 copy_link
Published Apr 15, 2025
© Getty Images
Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas faced off in last year's Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell final a week after the Greek took their championship clash in Monte Carlo.Things are a little different 12 months later, with both coming in off the back of less-than-ideal starts to their clay season.
Things are a little different 12 months later, with both coming in off the back of less-than-ideal starts to their clay season.
In Monte Carlo, Ruud missed two match points during his round-of-16 loss to Alexei Popyrin and Tsitsipas suffered his first defeat in six meetings with Lorenzo Musetti following a quarterfinal exit. The two now seek strong showings in Barcelona ahead of the upcoming pair of ATP Masters 1000 events to ensure their rankings don't continue trending in the wrong direction ahead of the all-important French Open seeding.On Tuesday, each opened their campaigns in positive fashion. Defending champion Ruud defeated qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, 6-4, 6-3, as the No. 2 seed did not face a break point throughout the contest.
On Tuesday, each opened their campaigns in positive fashion. Defending champion Ruud defeated qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, 6-4, 6-3, as the No. 2 seed did not face a break point throughout the contest.
The Norwegian is down to No. 10 in the latest rankings and an early departure this week could see him drop outside of the Top 15 depending on the results of his peers in Spain and at Munich's BMW Open. A meeting with Hamad Medjedovic stands as Ruud's next challenge.As for Tsitsipas, he fell eight spots to No. 16 and began the week at No. 19 in the live rankings. The 26-year-old blew past Reilly Opelka, 6-2, 6-2, to confidently launch his campaign. Another American opponent, Sebastian Korda, awaits with a quarterfinal spot at stake.Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
As for Tsitsipas, he fell eight spots to No. 16 and began the week at No. 19 in the live rankings. The 26-year-old blew past Reilly Opelka, 6-2, 6-2, to confidently launch his campaign. Another American opponent, Sebastian Korda, awaits with a quarterfinal spot at stake.Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
Ruud is in the same quarter of the draw as sixth-seeded Holger Rune, while Tsitsipas is projected to meet seventh seed Arthur Fils in the last eight.
On Tuesday 20 April 2021, Carlos Alcaraz lost his opener in the main draw of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell against Frances Tiafoe. Back then, as one of the future promises of the ATP Tour, a wild card allowed him to play on the Catalan clay as the No. 119 in the PIF ATP Rankings. He has not lost at the ATP 500 event since that day.
Alcaraz is on a 10-match winning streak in Barcelona, having won back-to-back titles in 2022-23. Last year an injury prevented him from playing, but this time around he is ready to return to competition in Barcelona and he will arrive as the recently crowned champion of Monte-Carlo.
“It's a privilege for me to return to Barcelona, which I feel was and is my home,” admitted the Spaniard on Monday as he arrived at Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899. “I'm very happy to be able to come here, with the Monte Carlo title, feeling confident and above all feeling fit. I'm ready to compete and to feel the warmth of my people. Playing in Barcelona, in Spain, again is an incredible feeling.”
However, Alcaraz was quick to play down any ideas that he is the favourite, despite his unbeaten run and his success on Sunday in Monte-Carlo, where he claimed his second trophy of the season (also in Rotterdam).
“I gained a lot of confidence in Monte-Carlo,” confessed the Murcia native. “I wasn't expecting to win, just to get some time on clay and ending up winning the title gives me a lot of confidence for what is to come. But that's not the same as seeing myself as the favourite on the clay swing... nowadays there's a long list of players who can make a splash at every tournament.”
In Barcelona, for example, there are a number of serious contenders. Besides Alcaraz, there are plenty of hopefuls such as defending champion Casper Ruud, four-time finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and the ever-dangerous Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur and Holger Rune.
The Spaniard continued: “You go to tournaments without knowing who might win, there are always six or seven players who could do it. I don't know, I wouldn't say I'm favourite for the clay swing. I just arrive with expectations as low as possible. The important thing for me is to enjoy myself and, above all, leave the court happy.”
At 21 years of age, the World No. 2 is one of the youngest members of the Tour's elite. However, there are already a number of names coming up behind him, such as Jakub Mensik, who won the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Miami this year, Joao Fonseca, who claimed his first tour-level title in Buenos Aires in February, and Arthur Fils, who was close to defeating Alcaraz in Monte-Carlo. All of them are still teenagers.
“I think we're in a very good moment, in the sense that there are a lot of young players capable of winning big titles, fighting for big things,” said Alcaraz of the future of the ATP Tour.
“We've seen it with Mensik, who's a player who is going to keep growing but is already established. Joao Fonseca is a player I love watching, I think he has unique charisma on court at his age. I played Arthur Fils in Monte Carlo and I came off court amazed at his power, physique and the level he could reach,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Spaniard will start his campaign in Barcelona against American qualifier Ethan Quinn as he bids to win three titles from one tournament for the first time. “Even though I want to win every tournament I go to, I think this is a little more special and of course I'm hoping to go deep,” he said.
Alcaraz is playing at home, a fact that will be reflected in the atmosphere. He is the biggest star of the week at a tournament where a lot of home fans will be trying to get their hands on a ticket and catch a glimpse of him. “There are people who maybe can't travel outside of Spain, this is the tournament they can come to and of course I want to go as far as possible.” We will find out if he is successful from 15 to 20 April.
Editor's note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es
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Carlos Alcaraz has returned to No 2 in the ATP Rankings, but his battle with Alexander Zverev to be the second seed at the French Open is not over.
On the back of winning his maiden Monte Carlo Masters title over the weekend, Alcaraz overtook the German as he returned to second place for the first time since last October.
The Spaniard has a very small lead ahead of this week's ATP 500 events, but there is good news for both as they don't have any points to defend from 2024.
Alcaraz didn't defend his Barcelona Open title last year due to injury while Zverev's run to the quarter-finals at the BMW Open is considered one of his “non-countable” events.
Players who participate in more tournaments than the required 19 (or 20 if you feature at the ATP Finals) will have their results from the “extra” (or non-countable) events excluded from the rankings calculations.
The BMW Open is one such event for Zverev so he won't drop any points this week and he has already made up some ground after winning his opening match on home soil.
1. Jannik Sinner – 9,930
2. Carlos Alcaraz – 7,720
3. Alexander Zverev – 7,595
Zverev can accumulate a maximum of 8,045 points if he wins the German event, but Alcaraz can maintain his slender lead as he will move to 8,210 points if he wins the Barcelona Open.
They will most likely still be neck-and-neck after this week's tournaments, but the Madrid Open is likely to decide who will be No 2 ahead of the French Open.
Alcaraz will drop 200 points from his quarter-final run last year while Zverev will only drop 100, but the pressure is on the latter as he needs to get a buffer ahead of the Italian Open.
Nothing short of a deep run will help the Zverev cause as he is the defending champion in Rome so will drop 1,000 points while the Spaniard didn't compete last year.
Carlos Alcaraz takes top prize, as Stefanos Tsitsipas is on the slide – Tennis365 Heroes and Villains
Novak Djokovic vs Taylor Fritz: Battle for French Open top-4 seeding intensifies
As things stand (excluding results from the remainder of the Barcelona Open/BWM Open), Alcaraz will be on 7,520 points (current total minus 200 from Madrid).
Zverev will be on 6,495 (current total minus 100 from Madrid and 1,000 from Rome) when the points from the next three events are dropped.
But both will be able to add to their tallies in the next month as they can earn a maximum of 2,500 points (500 at Barcelona/Munich, 1,000 at Madrid and 1,000 at Rome).
Zverev's ceiling is 8,995 points if he wins all three events, but then he needs to hope Alcaraz exits early.
The battle to be the second seed at Roland Garros is crucial as it means they will avoid world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-final as the Italian is already assured of being the top seed.
But the pressure will certainly be transferred to Alcaraz at the clay-court Grand Slam as he is the defending champion after beating Zverev in last year's final.
Alcaraz saw off a stern test against Ethan Quinn to begin his Barcelona Open quest with a win.
"We are four months into the year and I have learned many things, now I give importance to what truly matters."
"With a bit of luck, he will be the king of tennis."
Carlos Alcaraz was asked about the future of tennis and named three youngsters who have impressed him.
© Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved
Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he has felt the weight of expectation on his shoulders since his great rival Jannik Sinner was banned from tennis for three months due to a drug violation and that may explain why he has taken longer than expected to claim top spot in the ATP Race rankings.
Alcaraz's impressive win at the Monte Carlo Masters saw him climb back to No 2 in the ATP Rankings and also allowed him to leap ahead of Sinner in the points totals for 2025.
While the official ATP Ranking is evaluated over a rolling 52-week period, the ATP Race charts the progress of players in a calendar year and remarkably, Sinner held on to the top spot in that list until last Sunday.
That is despite the fact he has played just one tournament this year, with his Australian Open title in Melbourne giving him all of his points so far this season.
Sinner's 2,000 points from his win in Melbourne gave him a commanding lead in the ATP Race rankings, which are used to calculate the eight players who qualify for the end-of-season ATP Finals.
What Carlos Alcaraz had to say about Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca and Arthur Fils
Carlos Alcaraz takes top prize, as Stefanos Tsitsipas is on the slide – Tennis365 Heroes and Villains
Now Alcaraz has finally moved ahead of Sinner after his win in Monte Carlo, as he had 2,410 points for this year after his first win in the Principality.
Alcaraz will have another chance to eat into Sinner's lead in the ATP Rankings when he plays in front of his home fans at the ATP 500 Barcelona Open this week and he has been honest in admitting the battle with his great rival is on his mind even when the Italian is not allowed to play.
“Since Jannik hasn't been able to play tournaments, a lot of people have asked me about it and talked about it, about how important a time it is for me to reach No 1 again or to win tournaments,” said Alcaraz.
“Probably, in a way, I've been thinking about it too much instead of playing good tennis and enjoying myself on the court and in the matches. After Miami, I realized the path I have to follow and the things I have to do. I don't have to think about the results or anything else, I just have to have fun.
“That's the most important thing for me, and not paying attention to expectations or what people say about you. That's what I'm trying to do, and I think it's going well for me so far. Today was the best match I've played so far in this tournament. I didn't let him get in, dominate, and come back. I showed my good tennis throughout the match.
“I'm happy to have reached this level, but I think I can do better. At the beginning of the week, with the first clay-court tournament, you focus on adapting to the conditions. The ball comes to you differently, the game on clay is different. Once I've reached this level, I have to keep improving and, if possible, raise it.”
Germany's Alexander Zverev sits in third place in the ATP Race, with most of his ranking points from 2025 coming from his run to the Australian Open final.
Indian Wells Masters champion Jack Draper is in fourth place, with Novak Djokovic in fifth.
Alacarz's success in knocking Sinner off the top in the ATP Race is unlikely to be replicated by the official ATP Ranking any time soon, with Sinner still more than 2,000 points ahead of his Spanish rival.
As he missed last year's Rome Masters due to injury, he will have a chase to chase fresh ranking points in his comeback tournament next month, which could allow him to extend his lead at the top.
ATP RACE STANDINGS AFTER THE MONTE CARLO MASTERS
1. Carlos Alcaraz – 2,410
2. Jannik Sinner – 2,000
3. Alexander Zverev – 1,725
4. Jack Draper – 1,640
5. Novak Djokovic – 1,520
6. Alex de Minaur – 1,485
7. Jakub Mensik – 1,330
8. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – 1,210
9. Felix Auger-Aliassime – 1,205
10. Ben Shelton – 1,170
READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal react to Carlos Alcaraz's Monte Carlo Masters title win
Alcaraz saw off a stern test against Ethan Quinn to begin his Barcelona Open quest with a win.
Jannik Sinner is set to return to training ahead of his comeback and he will have a familiar face to work with.
"We are four months into the year and I have learned many things, now I give importance to what truly matters."
"With a bit of luck, he will be the king of tennis."
© Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved
Carlos Alcaraz has already established himself as one of the top players on the ATP Tour at 21-years-old.
Alcaraz won the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time last week, which was his first title at ATP 1000 level in over a year.
The Spaniard had received some questions over his recent results, but Andy Roddick has defended Alcaraz after he beat Lorenzo Musetti in the final.
Not only was the Monte Carlo Masters the biggest title of his 2025 season so far, but it also means Alcaraz overtakes Alexander Zverev in the ATP rankings.
However, Alcaraz did not have it all his own way in Monte Carlo and was really put to the test by one young ATP star in particular.
In his quarter-final match at the Monte Carlo Masters, Alcaraz fought back to beat Arthur Fils in three sets.
Fils had three break points to give himself the opportunity to serve for the match, but he was unable to convert them and Alcaraz managed to take advantage.
Despite managing to overcome the Frenchman, Alcaraz has praised Fils' game and believes that he will be competing for the biggest titles in sport.
The Spaniard also named Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik and Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca as two exciting up-and-coming players on the ATP Tour when speaking in his pre-tournament press conference at the Barcelona Open.
“Right now, tennis is in a great place,” said Alcaraz. “There are many young players capable of fighting for big things and competing for major titles. We've already seen it with Mensik, a player who will continue to grow but is already established.
“Joao Fonseca is another one I love to watch—he's got a lot of charisma on court, and his tennis is incredible.
“I played against Arthur Fils for the first time in Monte Carlo and was amazed by his power and level. We're at a point where there's a wide range of young players competing and showing our strengths, and that's something really special for our sport.”
🇪🇸🎙️ Carlos Alcaraz in his Barcelona press conference on the rising generation of young stars:“Right now, tennis is in a great place. There are many young players capable of fighting for big things and competing for major titles. We've already seen it with Mensik, a player who… pic.twitter.com/GOEMQHVmsl
Alcaraz has never played Fonseca or Mensik before, but fans are guaranteed to be engaged when those matches do eventually fall into place.
Although Alcaraz has been talking about the next generation of ATP players, he is still only 21-years-old himself.
The Murcian has won four Grand Slam titles already, and is the only player aged 21 and under currently ranked in the top 10.
Holger Rune, who recently suffered food poisoning, has previously been as high as world number four and has recently shown some signs of that form after reaching the Indian Wells final.
Some of the other rising stars that Alcaraz did not mention who are in the top 100 of the ATP rankings include big serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, American Alex Michelsen, Juncheng Shang, Learner Tien and Hamad Medjedovic.
What is noticeable is that three of these players, Alcaraz, Medjedovic and Fonseca, have all won the ATP Next Gen Finals tournament.
Alcaraz will actually play his first match at the Barcelona Open against another 21-year-old in American Ethan Quinn, who has risen over 200 places in the ATP rankings since the start of 2024 after transitioning from college tennis.
The ATP BMW Open in Munich brings together clay-court specialists and out-of-form contenders looking to reset their seasons. Wednesday's matchups promise a mix of intrigue, momentum shifts, and surface battles with bigger tests looming. As always we bring you predictions for all the matches on offer but who will progress?
Head-to-Head: Darderi 1-0 Lehecka
Jiri Lehecka and Luciano Darderi will cross paths for the second time; Darderi enters with strong momentum, having recently secured the Grand Prix Hassan II title in Marrakech and winning nine of his last ten matches. Lehecka, while ranked higher, has experienced a dip in form, with only one win in his last six matches. Their previous encounter on clay saw Darderi triumph in a tight three-set match. Considering current form and surface preference, Darderi appears poised to extend his winning streak.
Prediction: Darderi in 2
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Francisco Cerundolo enters with strong clay-court form, boasting a 25–11 record on the surface over the past year, including a tournament win. Jan-Lennard Struff, the defending champion in Munich, has struggled recently with a 3–10 record this season, but his history of strong performances on clay and home-court advantage make him a potential threat. This will be their first meeting, and while Cerundolo's current form makes him the favorite, Struff's experience at this venue could make for a tightly contested match.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Head-to-Head: Humbert 2-0 Jarry
Ugo Humbert leads their head-to-head 2–0, though both wins came on hard courts, and this will be their first meeting on clay. Neither player has found much rhythm lately–Humbert has cooled off after a strong start to the season, while Nicolas Jarry hasn't made it past the second round at any event this year. Despite Jarry's natural game being well-suited to clay, his current form casts doubt on his chances. If Humbert can adapt to the surface, he may be better positioned to advance.
Prediction: Humbert in 3
Main Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
ATP 500 Munich 1/8-Finals Darderi – Kecmanovic: 16.04.2025 11:00 CEST H2H: 0-1 Luciano Darderi has won nine of his last ten matches. The young Italian
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The party in Catalonia enters the second day with ten mouth-watering encounters, including that between three-time runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and big-serving Reilly Opelka. Several other
Late Sunday Ethan Quinn was receiving a massage after qualifying for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell with a comeback three-set victory against former World No. 12 Borna Coric. The 21-year-old American texted his coach, Brian Garber, asking who he would play in the first round.
The answer was Carlos Alcaraz, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings who lifted his sixth ATP Masters 1000 trophy on Sunday in Monte-Carlo.
“I said that, and he said, ‘No, but seriously, who do I play?'” Garber recalled. “And I said, ‘Yeah, no, you play Carlos'.”
For some players, drawing a four-time major champion who is in top form would cause an immediate groan. There are easier opponents to face than Alcaraz, but Quinn was undeterred.
“It was funny because two days ago we said, ‘If you qualify, when the draw comes out, we know you're going to play Carlos', so we almost manifested it happening,” Garber said. “I don't think it was an overwhelmed feeling at all, man. I actually think he's pretty pumped about it. And I mean, what a way to test yourself and see where you really are on the surface and where you really are with your game in general?”
Quinn is enjoying a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour, but it did not always come easily for the 21-year-old. The 2023 NCAA singles champion, who captured the title as a freshman at the University of Georgia, took time to adjust to professional tennis. Hitting a big serve and forehand would often end points in college. That has not been the case as a pro, leading to more difficult points and tougher matches.
Having grown up in Fresno, California under the tutelage of Brad Stine, Tommy Paul's longtime coach, Quinn turned pro in June 2023. After a good preseason leading into 2024, Quinn lost three of his first four matches, including a defeat to the World No. 774 at an ITF World Tennis Tour $25K event.
“Everybody's timeline is different, and I think that he got in that [tough] situation of what Ben Shelton did the year before, and Ethan hasn't had a tonne of experience at the top level of tennis,” Garber said. “In juniors, he was a late bloomer, and came into it that way. He won NCAAs, and it was a pretty crazy run to do it down match points and all that stuff, where it could have gone the other way at any time.
“I think that as much as we tried to protect him from it, those expectations of what Ben had done the year before start to weigh on you. The other side of that too is, I think right away he had some success, where he finaled [the] Cleveland [Challenger] and qualified into Indian Wells. And I think that everybody kind of thought it was going to happen fast. But inside of our camp, we kind of knew that it wasn't.”
After reaching his first ATP Challenger Tour final in February 2024 in Cleveland, he did not move past the quarter-finals at any level until his last tournament of the season. In November, Quinn claimed his first Challenger trophy without losing a set in Champaign.
“Each time that we got over a miniature hump, there was another one to come,” Garber said. “And it's learning how to manage successes and failures. It's not really something that a kid who won NCAAs as a freshman ever really had to deal with before.”
A big turning point came in August at the Lincoln Challenger, where Quinn won just four games against Coleman Wong in “one of his worst performances of the year” according to Garber. That turned the team's focus to the mental side of the game, leading to the introduction of a mental coach.
“He's done a phenomenal job. Ethan's bought into that, and we just bare down on his routines and his self talk and honestly having solutions for the problems that will arise on court,” Garber said. “Expecting everything to be perfect is setting you up for failure. So now he's much more prepared for what challenges come.”
An example is quantifying a number where Quinn — in his mental and physical energy, and pacing between points — feels at his best. The former Georgia Bulldog chose seven, so everyone helps push Quinn to consistently play every point at a seven.
Now the 21-year-old is No. 118 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and consistently stringing together match wins. Just this weekend in Barcelona the American earned back-to-back three-set victories against Corentin Moutet and former Borna Coric. The former World No. 12 led their clash 6-2, 4-2, but the rising star showed the leaps he has made with an abundance of resilience.
“He is a very dangerous player. We fixed his serve last year. He's serving big now. The forehand is one of the biggest forehands in the world, you'll see,” Garber said. “But he's a pretty high IQ player. He understands how to play the game, and it's nice. Very good coming forward. We're trying to build an all-around tennis player that can win on every surface.”
Watch Highlights: Quinn's Houston win vs. Thompson
Garber, who began coaching Quinn after the 2023 US Open, worked with Aleksandar Kovacevic when the American faced Novak Djokovic earlier that year at Roland Garros. From that experience, Garber learned the importance of focusing on his charge's own game for matches like Quinn will tackle Tuesday, and that “his good is good enough”.
During practice Monday, Quinn was working on something he does well and commented, “Ooh, I don't know if I can do that tomorrow”. Garber quickly responded: “Yes, you can”.
Quinn is excited for what his coach called an “earned opportunity” against Alcaraz. Win or lose, it is another chance to learn for a player Garber says is “incredibly coachable” with a “super-bubbly personality”.
“Each guy's timeline is different, and Ethan's game style made him have to suffer a little longer,” Garber said. “Believe me, there will still be suffering ahead, but he's kind of coming into his own now, and I think it's kind of the appropriate timeline. I don't think it's taken too long.”
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Podcast
Bortoleto keen to move on from ‘challenging' weekend in Bahrain as Hulkenberg reflects on ‘pretty dreadful' race incident
Stroll calls Bahrain a ‘tough weekend' for Aston Martin as Alonso admits he 'didn't have the pace'
‘I could have done better' – Tsunoda reflects on scoring maiden points for second Red Bull car in 2025 after P9 in Bahrain
Vasseur urges Ferrari to ‘stay calm' after mixed fortunes in Bahrain as he explains why Hamilton's frustration was ‘appreciated'
POWER RANKINGS: Who made all the right moves under the lights at the Bahrain GP?
Bahrain played host to a thrilling spectacle for the second stop of a triple header sequence, with Oscar Piastri sealing a commanding win while Lando Norris recovered from sixth to third on a mixed weekend for the Briton.
The F1 Nation crew are here to discuss Piastri's impressive performance, along with a host of other topics from a weekend that saw the Australian close the gap to championship leader team mate Lando Norris down to just three points.
READ MORE: McLaren bosses hail ‘perfect weekend' from Bahrain winner Piastri – but warn that it's ‘a matter of time' before ‘epic battle' with Norris
Podcast host Tom Clarkson is joined in the paddock by 2012 GP2 champion Davide Valsecchi and ESPN's Albert Fabrega to discuss all of the big questions after Sakhir.
The crew compare very contrasting weekends for the McLaren drivers – why did Piastri dominate, and why did Norris make so many mistakes?
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Piastri's manager and nine-time Grand Prix winner Mark Webber also joins the pod to share his thoughts on where his charge has made a step this year.
Also on the agenda: is George Russell underrated? Have Ferrari taken a step forward? What went wrong for Red Bull? And how does the midfield battle look after big results for Alpine and Haas?
POWER RANKINGS: Who made all the right moves under the lights at the Bahrain GP?
To hear the latest on all the biggest talking points from the race weekend, hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen to the latest episode on your preferred podcasting platform.
Fancy getting your question answered by the F1 Nation team on a future episode? Simply record it as a voice note and email it to F1Nation@F1.com.
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5 Winners and 5 Losers from Bahrain – Who excelled in the heat of the Sakhir desert?
MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: How Russell held onto a brilliant P2 in Bahrain – despite car failures, tyre woes and a charging Norris on his tail
Piastri storms to controlled victory in Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Russell and Norris
HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up on Piastri's stellar run to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix
‘I could have done better' – Tsunoda reflects on scoring maiden points for second Red Bull car in 2025 after P9 in Bahrain
Wolff hails Russell's ‘unbelievable drive' amid numerous car issues in Bahrain as he assesses whether Mercedes can catch McLaren
McLaren bosses hail ‘perfect weekend' from Bahrain winner Piastri – but warn that it's ‘a matter of time' before ‘epic battle' with Norris
POWER RANKINGS: Who made all the right moves under the lights at the Bahrain GP?
HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up on Piastri's stellar run to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix
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News
Bortoleto keen to move on from ‘challenging' weekend in Bahrain as Hulkenberg reflects on ‘pretty dreadful' race incident
Stroll calls Bahrain a ‘tough weekend' for Aston Martin as Alonso admits he 'didn't have the pace'
F1 NATION: ‘A champion is cooking' and why Norris vs Piastri is ‘fire and ice' – it's our Bahrain GP review with Mark Webber
‘I could have done better' – Tsunoda reflects on scoring maiden points for second Red Bull car in 2025 after P9 in Bahrain
POWER RANKINGS: Who made all the right moves under the lights at the Bahrain GP?
Fred Vasseur has suggested that Ferrari need to “stay calm” over their performance levels after mixed fortunes during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, with the Frenchman also admitting that he “appreciated” Lewis Hamilton's frustration with himself after Saturday's Qualifying.
After starting from the front row of the grid, Charles Leclerc eventually crossed the line in fourth, having lost out on a potential first podium of the season when Lando Norris won in a late-race battle for third.
READ MORE: 5 Winners and 5 Losers from Bahrain – Who excelled in the heat of the Sakhir desert?
Hamilton, meanwhile, went from P9 to a final finishing position of P5 and stated that he had “learned a lot” in the process, having been self-critical of his Qualifying performance one day earlier.
Asked firstly to give his take on Hamilton's weekend, Vasseur responded: “I understand the frustration [on Saturday] evening because if you have a look from FP1, FP2, FP3, Q1, Q2, he was into the two-tenths plus or minus with Charles.
“And then you arrive to Q3, the first lap is deleted and the second one he made a mistake, and then you pay the price because the grid is made not on the average but on the last lap. And for sure that is a bit of frustration, frustration for him but for us also.
Leclerc missed out on a maiden podium of the season in Bahrain, crossing the line in fourth
“He had a very strong recovery today, a solid race that he came back P5. I think the race time compared to the top two, top three is almost similar. For me it was okay. Today he was very strong, consistent. Now with the field that we have, if you miss two or three-tenths in Quali because you do a mistake, you lose six or seven positions.”
Reflecting further on Hamilton's disappointment after Qualifying, the Team Principal continued: “The fact that he was a bit down [on Saturday] evening, I like it. Because if the guy is coming back in P10 and he says it's a shame, for sure he was disappointed because he was much better all the weekend so far.
POWER RANKINGS: Who made all the right moves under the lights at the Bahrain GP?
“Now we know that it's happened like this in F1 today, that it was not the case three, four years ago, that if you had five-tenths between the team because you do a mistake, you lose one position, one row. Today you lose five-tenths, you can lose six or seven positions.
“I think Charles was on the first row but, if it was three or four-hundredths slower, he would have been P6. It's always relative that we have to stay calm in terms of judgment of the performance, because sometimes for almost nothing, you can change a good weekend into a [very bad one].
“I appreciated the reaction of Lewis [after Qualifying]. I did my best to push him a little bit. Today he was in a very good shape and a very strong shape, but let's start from there next week and hope to do [our] best.”
Hamilton expressed frustration with his own performance after Saturday's Qualifying in Sakhir
When quizzed on the idea that Hamilton was being judged too early into his tenure with Ferrari, Vasseur spoke of the importance for the team of maintaining consistency, something that he believes they have done well over the past two years.
“In terms of management, I think we have to take it a bit easy, to calm down,” the Frenchman explained. “We have ups and downs as everybody [does]. The issue is that the ups for us are a bit higher and the downs are a bit lower.
FACTS AND STATS: McLaren's first Bahrain win and Red Bull's first double score of 2025
“It means that if we want to keep a consistent approach, and we did it very well the last two years, we have to stay calm, to try to improve hundredths of seconds. But I'm convinced that we'll do the same job as we did the last two years.”
In terms of where specifically the performance is lacking, Vasseur conceded: “I think that the picture is that, from session to session, it's a bit different. You can have some stints when we are fighting with the McLaren, that Sprint race in China or the second stint in Bahrain today.
“But overall if you have a look on the average of the season, I think we are missing two, three, four-tenths. I don't know, but we are missing something.”
Don't miss your chance to experience the fastest street circuit in Formula 1...
5 Winners and 5 Losers from Bahrain – Who excelled in the heat of the Sakhir desert?
MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: How Russell held onto a brilliant P2 in Bahrain – despite car failures, tyre woes and a charging Norris on his tail
Piastri storms to controlled victory in Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Russell and Norris
HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up on Piastri's stellar run to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix
Bortoleto keen to move on from ‘challenging' weekend in Bahrain as Hulkenberg reflects on ‘pretty dreadful' race incident
Piastri storms to controlled victory in Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Russell and Norris
Gasly ‘very happy' to score Alpine's first points of the season with P7 in Bahrain after ‘competitive' weekend
McLaren bosses hail ‘perfect weekend' from Bahrain winner Piastri – but warn that it's ‘a matter of time' before ‘epic battle' with Norris
5 Winners and 5 Losers from Bahrain – Who excelled in the heat of the Sakhir desert?
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“Pride & Prejudice” director Joe Wright is finally revealing how that now-iconic hand flex came to be. The beloved 2005 Jane Austen adaptation stars Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The yearning between the duo is captured most exquisitely by Darcy (Macfadyen) twitching his hand as though reaching toward Elizabeth during the second half of the film.
Wright told THR in honor of the film's 20-year re-release that the scene was included to show how Darcy and Elizabeth's “bodies” already realized their inevitable romance before either of them consciously did.
“The hand scene was really a kind of articulation for me of this idea that sometimes our bodies know best,” Wright said, “that our minds might be a little slow to catch up, and that both Darcy and Elizabeth's bodies, their hands, their whole nervous system, is aware of the importance of that person in their lives and in their futures. She certainly isn't, but he has a growing awareness at this point. And when he flexes his hand as he walks away, it's a kind of almost a shaking off of that feeling of that reality.”
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Wright also spoke to how important the casting was for the film. The director wanted to have younger actors in the lead roles to more accurately represent the ages of the characters in the novel.
“It's a story about very young people falling in love for the first time and written by a very young person discovering her talent for the first time, so it was really important that the film had that energy,” Wright said. “Previous iterations of ‘Pride & Prejudice' or other period movies had often cast actors, male and female in their kind of twenties, late twenties, even once they've become slightly more established. But that seemed wrong to me.”
And Wright even had his two leads film two very different endings for the film, based on international audiences.
“The original film has actually two endings: One version that was for America and one version that was for everyone else,” he said. “I didn't have final cut on the movie at the time, and after much debate, it was a kind of compromise solution. The American version had a final scene of Darcy and Elizabeth on their wedding night, speaking posies to each other, and I felt it was a little too sweet and sentimental. I much preferred the ending that ended on Mr. Bennett and his joy at his daughter's betrothal. So there are two endings out there.”
“Pride & Prejudice” is now receiving a Netflix adaptation led by Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden, and Olivia Colman.
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By Ted Johnson
Political Editor
UPDATE: The FTC presented a document in the Meta antitrust trial showing that CEO Mark Zuckerberg floated the idea of spinning off Instagram in 2018.
In a memo to top Meta executives in May of that year, Zuckerberg wrote that he was worried “we are approaching our family strategy incorrectly — especially around Instagram. While we believe our current trajectory will yield strong business growth over the next five years, I worry it will also undermine our global network effect, erode our corporate brand, impose an increasingly large strategy tax on all our work, and then over time we may face antitrust regulation requiring us to spin our our other apps anyway.”
The FTC is trying to show that Meta is a monopoly that bought out competitors Instagram and WhatsApp to maintain a dominant position. The memo is significant as a potential remedy, if the FTC wins the case, is the breakup of the two apps from Meta.
Watch on Deadline
At the time of the memo, which Zuckerberg said should not be shared beyond the group of top executives, there was increasing concern among lawmakers in Washington, D.C. over the power of big tech.
In the memo, Zuckerberg was concerned of “cannibalization and network collapse,” and that as engagement increased on Instagram, it was hurting engagement in Facebook.
He wrote that there was “a real chance we may be causing network collapse of the more engaging and profitable product to replace it with one that is less engaging and profitable.”
Zuckerberg wrote, “I'm beginning to wonder whether spinning Instagram out is the only structure that will accomplish a number of important goals 1) focus each team on building the best app to reduce the strategy tax. 2) immediately stop artificially growing Instagram, in a way that undermines the Facebook network. 3) retain Kevin [Systrom, co-founder of Instagram] to make sure Instagram can do its best work.”
He added, On the flip side, while most companies resist break ups, the corporate history is that most companies actually perform better after they've been split up. The synergies are usually less than people think and the strategy is usually greater than people think.”
Zuckerberg also wrote of the “political direction over time.” He wrote that “we should keep in mind that there's a real chance that all our work to build a family off apps may be something we don't get to keep.”
On the stand, Zuckerberg said that he wanted to make sure that the company “adjusted for the state that we” were in, and that Meta accounted for the “forces in play.”
Meta held on to Instagram, as it has concentrated to a greater degree on influencer and creator content and short-form video.
In testimony later in the afternoon, Zuckerberg emphasized how much the business has changed in recent years, pointing to the influence of AI in driving user engagement.
PREVIOUSLY: Mark Zuckerberg today was confronted with what government attorneys characterized as a “smoking gun” in their antitrust case against Meta: an email exchange in which he discussed the company's rationale for purchasing other companies as a way to “neutralize a potential competitor.”
At the time, Meta had its eyes on fast-growing Instagram, and Zuckerberg and the company's then-CFO David Ebersman were having an exchange over the potential benefits of an acquisition.
“One way of looking at this is that what we're really buying is time,” Zuckerberg wrote in the email, while also prioritizing another reason for the purchase, to integrate their products with Facebook's in order to improve their service. In the email, he also wrote that “even if some new competitor springs up … those new products won't get much traction.”
On the stand, Zuckerberg went back and forth a few times with lead FTC attorney Daniel Matheson over the emails.
Zuckerberg said that what he and Ebersman were doing a “build first and buy analysis,” weighing “whether we should buy companies in order to accelerate the development of our work.” He said that the idea was to leave those companies running and to improve them as they became part of Meta's offerings.
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At the time, Facebook was building out an Instagram rival, Facebook Camera, but that was phased out after the company bought Instagram in April 2012.
“I am sure we could have built our own app,” Zuckerberg said. “Whether it would have succeeded or not is a matter of speculation.”
The Meta CEO acknowledged that he was concerned about the scale that Instagram and other mobile apps were achieving but that there were other factors.
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Most of Zuckerberg's morning testimony was taken up by Matheson showing him his internal emails and other messages and asking the Meta CEO about them. Zuckerberg at times meandered a bit in explaining them, trying to point out that they lacked context to what is happening today or to how things eventually transpired with the company's acquisitions. Rather than shut down Instagram, he pointed out, Meta improved it and greatly expanded its user base. But Matheson pointed out that there was a lack of documentary evidence that that was the rationale for the purchase.
The FTC sued Meta in 2020, claiming that its purchase of Instagram and of WhatsApp in 2014 were made out of a desire to eliminate competition and maintain its dominance in friends-and-family social networking. Meta has argued that the government has greatly narrowed the competitive landscape and ignored the rivalry from other social media giants like TikTok.
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The flurry of emails throughout the morning included one that Sheryl Sandberg sent to Zuckerberg in November 2012.
“I want to learn Settlers of Catan too so we can play,” she wrote.
“I can definitely tach you Settlers of Catan. It's very easy to learn,” Zuckerberg wrote.
In the media room at the courthouse, the email generated laughter, even if Matheson didn't refer to that part of the exchange in his questioning of Zuckerberg. Instead, Matheson referred to another part, where Zuckerberg expressed concerns that Facebook Messenger was not “beating” WhatsApp. He wrote, “Instagram was growing so much faster than us that we had to buy them for $1 billion,” while lamenting the slower progress of his company's offerings Groups and Place.
“I don't think it is accurate that the only reason we were interested in this was the scale or growth rate,” Zuckerberg told the court.
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By Matt Grobar
Senior Film Reporter
EXCLUSIVE: Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You) and Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu) are set to star in Mosquito Bowl, the first new film falling under Peter Berg‘s recently renewed deal with Netflix, on which we were first to report, sources tell Deadline.
Details as to the roles to be played by the two are under wraps. Based on Buzz Bissinger's New York Times bestseller The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II, the film is set after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when four of America's top college football stars set their fame aside to enlist in the Marines. As they prepare for the brutal invasion of Okinawa, they play in a legendary game featuring some of the greatest players in history – a game that, for many, will be the last they ever play.
Berg penned the adaptation with Mark L. Smith. Producers on the project include Berg for Film 44, Brian Grazer for Imagine Entertainment, and Alex Gayner. Ezra Emanuel is serving as exec producer.
Watch on Deadline
Film 44 came to renew its live-action creative partnership with Netflix following the success of Berg's limited series American Primeval, which spent four weeks in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (English) and racked up 35.1 million views following its debut in January. Previously, Film 44's Netflix limited series Painkiller, directed by Berg, spent five weeks in the Global Top 10 TV List (English), garnering 29.1M views.
Also noteworthy is Mosquito Bowl‘s reteam of Berg and Imagine's Grazer, who worked on the hit football pic Friday Night Lights and the series take that followed and are currently hatching a reboot.
Since his star-making run with projects including Purple Hearts, The Idea of You opposite Anne Hathaway and Mary & George opposite Julianne Moore, Galitzine has been tapped to lead Amazon's new take on Masters of the Universe, also signing on to the studio's Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie, and the starry indie 100 Nights of Hero. Upcoming, he'll also be heard lending his voice to animated feature Wings of Freedom. He's repped by the UK's Curtis Brown Group, WME, Anonymous Content, Gang, Tyre, Ramer, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Known for his transformational turns, Skarsgård most recently put his abilities on display in Robert Eggers' Oscar-nominated Nosferatu, which came in as Focus Features' second highest-grossing film ever at the domestic box office, upon its Christmas Day debut. Currently, the actor can be seen starring opposite Anthony Hopkins in Locked, the new thriller from director David Yarovesky. Upcoming, he has Dead Man's Wire from Gus Van Sant, Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood opposite Hugh Jackman, and IT: Welcome to Derry, where he reprises his breakout role as Pennywise the Clown. He is represented by WME, Magnolia Entertainment, Agentfirman Planthaber/Kildén/Mandic in Sweden, and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum.
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“And Just Like That” is missing a certain je n'ais Che quoi.
The third season of the “Sex and the City” revival series is also the first installment sans “controversial character” (in the words of series staple Cynthia Nixon) Che Diaz, who was played by Sara Ramirez. Che was a stand-up comedian who became the love interest of Miranda (Nixon) and kickstarted her coming out story.
And Season 3 of “And Just Like That” also picks up after Samantha Jones' (Kim Cattrall) shocking cameo and Carrie's (Sarah Jessica Parker) third split with Aidan (John Corbett). But don't worry, Corbett is set to reprise his role for Season 3, along with series leads Parker, Nixon, and Kristin Davis. And he seems to be back with Carrie too…
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The core group is rounded out by Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Christopher Jackson, Niall Cunningham, Cathy Ang, Sebastiano Pigazzi, Dolly Wells, and Alexa Swinton, who are all also returning.
Season 3 will welcome new cast members Patti LuPone, Mehcad Brooks (“Law & Order”), Jonathan Cake (“The Affair,” “Desperate Housewives”), Logan Marshall-Green (“Upgrade”), and Rosie O'Donnell in recurring in roles. The logline reads: “From executive producer Michael Patrick King, ‘And Just Like That…' follows Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Seema, and LTW navigating the complicated reality of life, love, sex, and friendship in their 50s in New York City.”
Parker said during the 2024 Red Sea Film Festival that there are “big swings” in Season 3.
“There are so many interesting stories with additional characters that rightfully find a real home,” Parker teased. “There is growth with new faces. Carrie has a wonderful storyline. The story takes some big swings and we fold some big ideas into those big swings. Some of the male characters are back, and there are some new men.”
Michael Patrick King is the showrunner and executive producer for the revival series. Actresses Parker, Davis, and Nixon all executive produce. John Melfi, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, and Susan Fales-Hill also executive produce. The original “Sex and the City” series was created by Darren Star and based on the book of the same name by Candace Bushnell.
“And Just Like That” Season 3 premieres May 29 on Max. Check out the trailer below.
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The disgraced hip-hop mogul has been in a New York jail for eight months as he awaits his racketeering and sex trafficking trial next month.
By
Gil Kaufman
It has been nearly eight months since disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested and sent to New York's notorious Metropolitan Detention Center to await trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. And while the formerly high-flying Bad Boy Records CEO and billionaire entrepreneur was used to the finest things in his former life, according to the New York Times, his life in the communal, dorm-style unit segregated from the rest of the inmates is a study in contrasts from his previous life.
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For starters, the typically dapper MCs hair and beard have gone grey, since hair dye is not allowed in the Brooklyn jail that has long been the source of complaints over its decrepit state, including reports of mold and vermin, extended lockdowns and understaffing. As part of his daily routine, Combs, 55, is woken up for breakfast at 7 a.m. and afterwords has time to exercise in a room with yoga mats and a small basketball hoop, or to hang in a communal space with a ping-pong table and a TV.
Combs' lawyers have tried, and failed, three times to get their client released on bail on the charges that, if he's found guilty of, could land Diddy in prison for the rest of his life. While Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges he awaits opening statements in the trail slated to begin on May 5 over allegations that the rap impresario oversaw a violent criminal conspiracy that allegedly included kidnapping, arson and drug crimes in service of his alleged sexual abuse of multiple men and women to satisfy his need for “sexual gratification.”
For now, Combs is in an area of the jail called 4 North, a fourth floor space where around 20 men are housed. Fellow high-profile inmates on the unit included, until recently, crypto boss Sam Bankman-Fried, along with government informants, including former gang members who have been segregated for their safety from the general jail population; accused United Health Care CEO murderer Luigi Mangione who shares a lawyer with Combs, is housed in the same jail, but in a different unit.
While Combs' lawyers at first thought their A-list client would be housed in the restrictive Special Housing Unit where inmates spend 23 hours a day inside their cell, he was instead sent to the less harsh 4 North Unit.
A former Mafia informant, Gene Borrello, told the paper that compared to other units in the jail “you have nothing to worry about” on 4 North. As described by the Times, inmates in Combs' unit are free to move around the space decked out with rows of bunk beds, TVs and a microwave where they are subject to repeated mandatory check-ins of their bunks by correction officers every day.
Inmates, who are issued brown jail clothes, are able to eat their meals in a common area and use a bathroom that has stalls, as well as listen to music or watch movies on a tablet for sale at the commissary, though they do not have any internet or wi-fi access. Diddy meets often with his team of lawyers in a conference room off the common area and has a non-wi-fi enabled laptop to pore over evidence in the case that he can use between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day in one of the unit's visiting rooms.
While Diddy dined on the finest meals provided by private chefs in his former life, the menu in lock-up is decidedly less glamorous, with a rotating menu that includes lasagna or “pasta fazool” for vegetarians on the second Friday of each month. There are also Snickers bars and bags of Cheez-Its for sale in the commissary, along with toiletries, radios and watches. Inmates can spend up to $180 at the commissary every two weeks from funds provided by friends and family, with one crucial item, $1 packets of mackerel (“macks”) serving as a key bartering tool among the incarcerated.
Combs is allowed to have visitors on Tuesdays and while he can make phone calls — such as a recent one to rapper Ye — the conversations are capped at 15 minutes and they are subject to monitoring by authorities. The story noted that during a pre-planned sweep of the jail in search of contraband last year, prosecutors claim an investigator took photos of some of Combs' personal notes. The pictures allegedly included birthday reminders, as well as notes the government claims were evidence that Diddy was trying to obstruct the prosecution, including one in which he allegedly directed a staffer to find “dirt” on two of his alleged victims.
The rapper's lawyers claimed that was proof the government was trying to “spy” on their client and eavesdrop on confidential communications with counsel. Prosecutors denied that claim and said none of the notes would be used in their case and a judge agreed that Combs' rights had not been violated.
But according to the Times, the incident revealed that Combs had engaged in the widespread practice of buying other inmates' phone time by having his team put money in their commissary accounts, with prosecutors claiming that on some of the calls he talked about using public statements to help influence the jury pool's perception of him. He also allegedly used three-way calling to try and contact potential witnesses to avoid blocks on calling people outside of his approved contact list.
While the current accommodations are, as expected, spare and somewhat harsh, they likely pale in comparison to the federal prison Combs could be sent to convicted on the charges in the eight-week trial. Even as he awaits his upcoming trial, Combs was hit with an updated indictment earlier this month that added new charges to the sweeping case against him. The superseding indictment added a new sex trafficking count, accusing Combs of using force, fraud or coercion to compel a woman to engage in commercial sex acts as recently as last year. It also added a new count of transporting that victim and others to engage in prostitution. The updated charges increased the total counts against Diddy from three to five.
Combs is also facing dozens of civil lawsuits from a number of men and women who claim the rap impresario allegedly sexually abused, sex trafficked and threatened them with violence.
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As a new tally shows plummeting shoot days in Los Angeles, organizers gathered to strategize on ways to get postproduction and music incentives included in California's bill to boost the industry.
By Borys Kit, Katie Kilkenny
April 15, 2025 8:41am
The specter of Los Angeles becoming another Detroit, a city built on a specific industry that became a shell of its former self when that business moved out, loomed over a compelling film and TV industry town hall that tackled not only the calamitous drop in production in Hollywood and California, but also the fight to get the state to increase its entertainment production tax incentive.
The event on Monday night drilled down into a later stage of the entertainment production pipeline that is also currently in crisis: scoring and postproduction.
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“This is not hyperbole to say that if we don't act, the California film and TV industry will become the next Detroit auto,” said Noelle Stehman, a member of the “Stay in LA” campaign who spoke at the event.
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The push for a proposed increase in tax incentives is hitting a critical phase in the legislative process, and California State Senator Ben Allen and State Assemblyman Rick Zbur were on hand to make an effort to get the necessary votes in. One major hurdle is politicians who see the incentives as a corporate giveaway to movie studios and media companies. That is poppycock to Allen.
“The studios don't care where they do the work. They'll do it anywhere,” he told the standing room-only crowd that packed Evergreen Studios, a recording and scoring studio in Burbank that was once a movie theater. “They're still producing shows. What a lot of our colleagues simply don't understand is that this is a middle-class problem. The studio heads are going to bed in Bel-Air no matter what.”
“This is not a tax giveaway,” Zbur concurred. “This is a job program that is keeping people in their homes, keeping people off the unemployment rolls. If we don't do this, it's going to cost a lot, lot more than these tax credits are costing us.”
He continued, “I say this to my colleagues: Why do you think all these other governments are putting these really rich tax programs in place? It's because they pay for themselves, and because these jobs are jobs that people want. And why are we standing by and letting people cherry pick off the jobs that we have grown here?”
The event drew a wide swath of members from the production, postproduction, and scoring and music community. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., California Film Commission executive director Colleen Bell and Philip Sokoloski of Los Angeles County's film office, FilmLA, were among those on hand to address the accelerated flight of postproduction and screen music work from the L.A. area with impacts on businesses and workers alike.
The event occurred just hours after FilmLA released its latest on-location production data showing that shoot days in the first quarter of 2025 had declined 22 percent compared with the same period the year prior.
“These jobs haven't vanished, they've moved,” intoned ProdPro CEO Alex LoVerde, pointing out that the United States has seen a decrease in production of 26 percent since 2022. One beneficiary has been Australia, which has seen a gain of 14 percent.
The panels on postproduction and music underscored the loss those artistic communities have been undergoing. ADR supervisor Bobbi Banks recounted how she has only worked three months in the past 18 months and was even shadowed by a mentee from out-of-state for part of it. “What do I say to them?” she threw to the crowd when talking about how that person wanted to move to L.A. to pursue a career here. Visual effects artist Efram Potelle revealed having painful conversations with his family about finances.
The music and scoring panel was even more sobering. Music contractors and producers Peter Rotter and Jasper Randall, whose Encompass Music Partners hosted the event, pointed out how booked recording days for scoring stages in L.A. have collapsed, from a high during Peak TV in 2022 with 127 days to only a bleak 11 this year so far. They also explained that scoring work costs two-thirds less in Vienna, Austria, and 90 percent less in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Supervising sound editor Karen Baker Landers was among those pushing for a carveout in the incentive for postproduction. She said other states such as New York and Louisiana have carveouts, as do countries such as Australia and Spain, making them powerful draws for production.
“Even if movies shot somewhere else, they always came back to California to post; that has not been the case anymore for some time,” said the two-time Oscar winner. “Visual effects, sound, picture, music, have been migrating out of California, chasing these tax incentives. This has cost the state thousands of jobs, not only in the entertainment industry, but in businesses all around that support us.”
State policymakers have acknowledged the dire situation, with Gov. Gavin Newsom proposing to more than double the cap placed on the state's film and television incentives program and lawmakers proposing two bills to expand and augment the existing framework. If passed, the latter legislation could increase the state's incentive to 35 percent and render short TV shows, animated projects and specific unscripted titles eligible for the credit.
Those proposals could be part of a solution, according to the coalition that organized Monday's event, but they aren't the full remedy. “We know that it will take more work beyond the tax incentives to sustainably revitalize L.A.'s entertainment economy,” the mission statement for the group says.
The event came amid a multipronged campaign to bring more production work back to L.A. On April 6, hundreds rallied around the cause of production staying local at the “Stay in L.A.” rally in Burbank. That was followed by Rep. Laura Friedman and industry unions penning a letter to industry lobbying group the Motion Picture Association, calling on studios and streamers to produce more in Hollywood.
But the industry also needs to look to its own members for solutions. During the town hall, Sen. Allen encouraged unions and the creative community to engage in dialogue, saying “tough conversations must be had at the labor table.” Music union AFM president Stephanie O'Keefe stood up in the crowd, acknowledged that need, and said her organization was willing to engage.
“I do believe that the world is watching what California does with these incentives,” said Landers. “They know that if we get it right, it's game on again for California.”
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Winner of the Toronto Film Festival's 2024 People's Choice Award, “The Life of Chuck” has unveiled its first full trailer. Mike Flanagan‘s third Stephen King adaptation, the film is led by Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Mark Hamill, who narrates the trailer as the eponymous Chuck's grandfather, Albie Krantz.
The film charts the ordinary, yet extraordinary life story of Charles “Chuck” Krantz, played by Hiddleston, as well as younger actors Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak, and Flanagan's own son, Cody. Watch the new trailer below.
The official synopsis for “The Life of Chuck” reads: “This unforgettable, genre-bending tale celebrates the life of Charles ‘Chuck' Krantz as he experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.”
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In IndieWire's review out of TIFF, critic Katie Rife wrote of the film, “Structured around a verse from Walt Whitman's ‘Song of Myself' — ‘Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes' — ‘The Life of Chuck' is told in reverse order from the end of a man's life to the beginning. It does so in a way that's surprising enough that it's best not to discuss it in too much detail; suffice to say that it takes a cosmic approach to the idea of inner worlds. (‘Every man and every woman is a star,' to quote Whitman's fellow literary eccentric Aleister Crowley.) The entire movie isn't sad, although it does land on a note of genuine pathos. But sentimentality suits Flanagan, whose florid writing style is well matched by the high-concept ideas explored here.”
In addition to the cast listed, Nick Offerman also serves as the film's narrator, with co-stars Annalise Basso, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Harvey Guillén, and Flanagan's wife and frequent collaborator Kate Siegel all featured as well.
Unlike most King narratives, “The Life of Chuck” is more about joy than scares, though it does wade heavily into the waters of death and mortality.
Neon will release the film in theaters on Friday, June 6. Watch the trailer for “The Life of Chuck” below.
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By Nellie Andreeva
Co-Editor-in-Chief, TV
Four-time Emmy Award winner Laura Linney (Ozark) has been tapped as the female lead opposite Kevin Kline and Jon Tenney in American Classic, MGM+‘s upcoming half-hour comedy series from co-creators Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin and Fifth Season, with Mar-Key Pictures, Likely Story and Anonymous Content producing.
American Classic centers on Broadway star and notorious narcissist Richard Bean (Kline), who suffers a spectacular public meltdown and returns to his hometown and the family-run theater where he first became aware of his own brilliance. When he arrives, he is shocked to discover that his father, the former artistic director, has lost a step and that the once-respected theater, now run by his brother Jon (Tenney) and his wife Kristen (Linney) has become, by necessity, a low-rent dinner theater serving roast beef and murder mysteries. He decides to save the town, the theater, and the world by presenting a great American classic on the dinner theater stage, directed by and starring, of course, Richard Bean.
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Linney's Kristen Forrest Bean grew up acting in the Millersburg Festival Theater founded and run by the Bean family. She fell in love with Richard Bean at age 19 and ran off with him to try to make it in NY. Once there, Richard's egotism served him better than Kristen's quiet intensity and it was his career that took off. Kristen became increasingly frustrated and finally packed up and went home to Millersburg – where she eventually married Richard's younger brother, Jon, and had their daughter Miranda. As the recently appointed Mayor of Millersburg, Kristen directs her passion as well as her strong practical side toward helping to keep the family theater alive.
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Production on the eight-episode American Classic begins in New Jersey this summer.
Linney recently starred in and executive produced the hit Netflix drama series Ozark, which earned her three acting Emmy nominations in addition to the Outstanding Drama Series one she shared in, and in the streamer's Tales of the City revival. She won Emmys for The Big C, John Adams, Frasier and Wild Iris. In features, the three-time Oscar nominee most recently starred in the 2024 Suncoast, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Linney is repped by CAA, Lighthouse Management & Media, and Kevin Yorn.
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When “Rock the Block” returns for its sixth season on April 14, 2025, longtime HGTV star Alison Victoria will be trying not to fangirl too much over one of her competitors, fellow HGTV star and New Kids on the Block member Jonathan Knight.
“I was in love with New Kids on the Block,” she told “Entertainment Tonight” while wearing a Jonathan Knight t-shirt before the show's premiere. “Obviously. I was nine years old, I had a pillow of Jonathan and a poster. Several posters.”
Filming “Rock the Block” wasn't the first time Victoria and Knight have met. They've now known each other for years via HGTV. But she admitted to “ET” that when they did first meet, she was hopeful for a love connection before learning he was already “taken.”
A post shared by Jonathan Knight-Rodriguez (@jonathanrknight)
While Victoria talked to “ET” about appearing on “Rock the Block” with Knight, the “Windy City Rehab” star admitted that when they first met several years ago, she thought it might be the start of an amazing romance.
“When I got to meet him, he asked me, ‘Can you go get a beer?' and I was like, ‘Oh god, this is it. I'm gonna marry him,'” she gushed. “And then we sit there and we're talking and he's like, ‘I love your show. It's the only one I watch.' And I'm like, ‘Oh my god!'”
“He goes, ‘Can I have your phone number?'” Victoria continued. “Nine-year-old me is dying inside and I'm thinking we're about to be together. And then he said ‘my husband' and I go, ‘Okay. Off the table. He's taken!'”
Knight and his husband, personal trainer Harley Rodriguez, have been together since 2008 and officially tied the knot in 2022, per People. Though Victoria's childhood dreams may have been crushed by Knight's relationship status, she is now in her own serious relationship with film director Brandt Andersen.
Victoria is still proud of her New Kids fandom, though. In the summer of 2024, she and several fellow HGTV stars attended one of the boy band's Florida concerts and had a blast backstage with Knight. Meanwhile, hours before the “Rock the Block” premiere, Victoria shared a hilarious video outtake in her Instagram Stories of Knight lifting her up — wearing a western wedding dress provided by host Tyler Pennington — and spinning her around in a wide open field.
A post shared by HGTV (@hgtv)
Victoria and Knight are part of the “veteran” teams on the new season of “Rock the Block,” which pits HGTV stars who've competed on the hit show before against “rookies” who have been there before.
Victoria, who competed on the first two seasons of “Rock the Block,” is paired up with season 4 winner Michel Smith Boyd. Knight, who competed on season 4 with his “Farmhouse Fixer” designer Kristina Crestin, is paired up this time with his brother and fellow “Blockhead” Jordan Knight, a staple on the 2024 spinoff “Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp.”
The “rookies” are couple Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama of “Renovation Aloha” and another married couple, “Down Home Fab” stars Chelsea and Cole DeBoer. Both duos told “ET” that it was impossible not to toss out New Kids puns or dance moves during filming.
“It's so hard, like, the songs just, like, come in your head,” Chelsea said.
“We may or may not have done some dance moves with them,” Kamohai admitted.
Boyd, meanwhile, said that Jordan was much funnier than he expected, noting, “I'm not a Blockhead, but I grew up with them … Legitimately, I love those guys and Jordan is funny. Low-key funny! He's got these snide comments that no one else hears, but I'm standing next to him so I do. It's hilarious.”
The six-week, sixth season of “Rock the Block” premieres on April 14 at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
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Jimmy Kimmel thinks there's a connection between policing comedy and Donald Trump being reelected. According to the late night host, the same “liberals” who have been “viciously attacking comedians” and the freedom of speech in comedy are the ones to blame for Trump's return to power.
Kimmel told Rolling Stone that there is a “manufactured” emphasis from the left on what comedy should or shouldn't be about. “I think a lot of the outrage is completely manufactured, and it's like, a lot of these people who are angry aren't really angry,” Kimmel said. “I think these liberals who've done such a good job of viciously attacking comedians are a big part of the reason why Trump is the president right now.”
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Kimmel added of cancel culture in comedy as a whole, “There's no black and white when it comes to comedy. There is no line. The line is different for every person. Dave Chappelle can say things that somebody else might not be able to. I don't think anybody should be canceled. I really don't. I'm not the kind of person who will cut someone out of my life just because we don't believe the same thing.”
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Hasan Minhaj, Rowan Atkinson, Jerrod Carmichael, and Jerry Seinfeld have all also pushed back on the “extreme left” that have seemingly mandated that comedy should be politically correct. Kimmel is now adding his perspective that the liberal emphasis on PC-ness has had drastic repercussions that led all the way to the White House.
“I think most comedians have a strong sense of justice, and he [Trump] violates that so frequently,” Kimmel said. “I know we should be hardened to it by now, but I'm not. It is shocking to me; it seems like a comic-book villain. He seems like the kind of character that would flame out after a few years, but the fact that he's still with us is remarkable.”
Minhaj previously told IndieWire that cancel culture is about “freedom of speech being conflated with acceptable speech,” saying in 2022, “What's happening right now is there is the idea that is your First Amendment right to freedom of speech: ‘Am I allowed to say this?' versus ‘Is it socially acceptable to say this?' And those two ideas are being conflated.”
Minhaj continued, “Everybody has the right to say whatever they want, politically, culturally, they can scream out racial epithets, if they so please. Is it in good taste to do those things? There is just a cultural conversation happening around the Overton window of what is socially acceptable to say, in which places. That's really it. We're just having a conversation of, ‘Hey, you can talk like that. Is it cool to talk like that on stage at the Oscars, in a basement at the Comedy Cellar, at Radio City Music Hall, on Facebook where your mom can also see it?' We're just having a conversation about decorum and where it's appropriate to say those things. And I think that's OK, and I think we'll hopefully figure it out.”
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Her brother, who also passed away from a drug addiction, was in his kettle.
By
Tony Maglio
Maggie Wheeler, a successful character-actress best known as Janice on Friends, still feels a connection with her on-again, off-again onscreen boyfriend Matthew Perry, who passed away in October 2023 following a drug overdose.
“It hit everybody. People all over the world who loved him as Chandler, who benefitted from the joy that he spread by being a brilliant actor and by being so incredibly funny. The ripple — the wave was felt by so many,” Wheeler said on Monday's episode of the Still Here Hollywood Podcast with Steve Kmetko. “For me, I felt just heartbroken and sad that he couldn't make it out of this incredibly dark tunnel that he was in for so long.”
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Wheeler also lost her brother to drug addiction, and she believes the two have found each other up in the heavens — or at least, in the sky.
“There was an incredible moment — I haven't talked about this anywhere, but if you believe in these kinds of things. Lots of people talk about spirit showing up as birds… and after Matthew died, I was in a neighbor's pool. And I was alone and there was nobody else was around and I was on my back and I was thinking about my brother, and I said, ‘Look out for him.' And two hawks flew over my head and flew past me. One circled around and came and got the other one and it flew past me,” Wheeler said. “So, that was a beautiful moment — if you go for that kind of stuff.”
Though she'll always be beloved as Janice, Wheeler has had a very impressive career in sitcoms. Her credits include guest spots on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother and Will & Grace, as well as recurring jobs on Ellen and Everybody Loves Raymond (in addition to Friends).
Wheeler was such a hit on Friends that the writers kept going back to the well. It got to the point, Wheeler said, where the show kept her hidden from the studio audience to get that Kramer-esque (Michael Richards on Seinfeld) pop each time Janice appeared.
“It was a sort of important characteristic of my entrances, my first entrances,” Wheeler said. “So, they would keep me hidden — I wasn't even really allowed to wander around craft services.”
“And then they would put up a black scrim to block my entrance, to block the doorway so the audience wouldn't see me until the door opened, until I walked in,” she continued. “They did that in many different ways depending on whether I was walking into the apartment or the coffee shop or wherever it might have been.”
“It's a little bit of a rockstar feeling,” Wheeler acknowledged.
Watch Wheeler's podcast appearance below:
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Brittany Spanos
Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte lead Netflix‘s new series about three couples on a series of seasonal vacations. The Four Seasons will premiere on May 1st.
Based on the 1981 film of the same name, The Four Seasons was created by Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield. The three couples at the core of the show (Fey and Forte; Carell and Reno 911‘s Kerri Kenney-Silver; Domingo and Italian playwright/actor Marco Calvani) are lifelong friends. But as one of their marriages falls apart, their friend group — and seasonal vacations — are upended by the news. As the cozy and funny new trailer showcases, the group's relationships will be seen evolving over its eight-episode run.
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The original 1981 film starred Carol Burnett, Alan Alda, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Jack Weston, and Rita Moreno. Alda also wrote and directed it. It was one of the highest-grossing films of that year and received four Golden Globe nominations. Fey's take on the film is actually the second series adaptation of Alda's script; CBS ran its own series in 1984 based on the film. The only actor from the cast to return as a lead was Weston. It ran for only 13 episodes.
The Four Seasons is Fey's latest series for Netflix. She currently executive produces the animated series Mulligan, where she is also part of the voice cast. She previously co-created Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and executive produced Girls 5eva, which originally premiered on Peacock before moving over to Netflix.
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President Donald Trump's administration used his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to shutter the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which investigated allegations of abuse against migrants in the department's custody.
Now, Trump's administration is raiding the DHS civil rights office's coffers to fund the president's $200 million propaganda campaign. The ads feature Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem repeatedly thanking Trump and warning immigrants to leave now or avoid coming to America.
According to a report from ProPublica last week, DHS' Civil Rights and Civil Liberties office was shuttered last month and most of its staff was fired as part of Elon Musk's DOGE cuts. The office closure resulted in the effective suspension of over 600 complaints against DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“All the oversight in DHS was eliminated today,” one worker wrote in a text, ProPublica reported. The civil rights and civil liberties office was formally shuttered just days after the Trump administration shipped hundreds of migrants, without due process, to a notorious torture prison in El Salvador, as part of a financial arrangement with the Central American nation's president, who calls himself the “world's coolest dictator.”
Since February, DHS has been leading an exceedingly expensive domestic and international ad campaign focused on thanking the president for his immigration crackdown and “for closing the border.” Speaking at a Conservative Political Action Conference dinner in February, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that President Trump directed her to tape these taxpayer-funded ads — and asked that she thank him in them.
“I want you to do [ads] for the border, and I want you to do those everywhere, not just in the United States, but I want them around the world. I want you to tell people not to come to this country if they're going to come here illegally,” Noem recalled Trump saying. “I want you in the ads, and I want your face in the ads … but I want the first ad, I want you to thank me. I want you to thank me for closing the border.”
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The Trump administration selected two Republican-linked consulting firms to work on the ad campaign, without a traditional competitive bidding process — asserting there was “an unusual and compelling urgency” requiring them to move fast. The administration also exempted the ad campaign from DOGE's review of discretionary spending through federal contracts and grants.
As it turns out, these ads are now being paid for using the budget of the now-defunct DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
According to federal procurement documents reviewed by Rolling Stone, in March, the funding office for the contract listed the DHS Office of Public Affairs as its funding source. In a separate document produced in April, the funding office was changed to Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The latest document, again, exempts the ad spending from DOGE's review.
The DHS oversight office appears to have been turned into a petty cash fund for Trump's anti-immigrant propaganda, at a time when civil rights protections for migrants in the United States are desperately needed.
The first months of the Trump administration have seen green card holders be stripped of their residency and black-bagged into DHS custody in retaliation for criticism of Israel's abuses in Gaza.
Hundreds of Venezuelan and Salvadoran migrants were essentially renditioned to a gulag known for torture and human rights abuses in El Salvador without any sort of due process or criminal conviction. In a Monday meeting with Salvadoran president Nayib Bukle, Trump affirmed that his administration is exploring ways to deport U.S. citizens. On top of it all, the Trump administration is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that they're allowed to continue flouting established civil and human rights laws in their immigration crackdown.
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While the Trump administration's defiance of the Supreme Court is front-page material, the gutting of enforcement and oversight departments within executive agencies is part of the administration's behind-the-scenes demolition derby.
And now you just might see the results on your TV — in ads where Noem proclaims: “Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for securing our border, for deporting criminal illegal immigrants, and for putting America first.”
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Tina Fey is finding the funny in divorce with Netflix series “The Four Seasons.” Fey co-creates, co-showruns, writes, executive produces, and stars in the upcoming series which is based on the 1981 Alan Alda feature film of the same name.
“The Four Seasons” reunites Fey with her “30 Rock” collaborators Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, who also co-create, co-showrun, write, and EP the show (Fisher additionally directs). “The Four Seasons” is additionally executive produced by David Miner, Jeff Richmond, and Eric Gurian.
The official synopsis reads: “Six old friends head for a relaxing weekend away only to learn that one couple in the group is about to split up. The three couples, Kate (Fey) and Jack (Will Forte), Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude (Marco Calvani), are completely upended by the news. Over the course of a year, we follow the friends on four vacations, and watch how this shake-up affects everyone's dynamic — sending old issues and new bubbling to the surface.”
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Erika Henningsen, Julia Lester, Ashlyn Maddox, Jacob Buckenmyer, Taylor Ortega, Simone Recasner, Toby Edward Huss, Tommy Do, Chloe Troast, Jack Gore, and Cole Tristan Murphy also star. Netflix won a bidding war for the Universal TV series, and gave a straight-to-series order in January 2024.
The show is a reunion for Fey, who is joined by her former “SNL” cast-mate Will Forte and “Date Night” co-star Steve Carell. The original “The Four Seasons” film was written and directed by Alan Alda, who guest starred on Fey's “30 Rock” as well. The original film was produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett as a couple who vacation with their friends and get entangled in a comedy of errors. Alda and Marissa Bregman, the daughter of the film's producer Martin Bregman, now produce Fey's adaptation.
“The Four Seasons” also is one of the many Netflix projects Domingo has been a part of: The actor/producer starred in series “The Madness,” and led Netflix's “Rustin” which earned him an Oscar nomination. And Domingo's co-star Carell is additionally leading another buzzy project on the TV side: “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong's HBO film “Mountainhead.”
“The Four Seasons” premieres May 1 on Netflix. Check out the trailer below.
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Asher White, the New York–via–Providence singer-songwriter, has signed to Joyful Noise Recordings. To ring in the big news, she's shared the new song “Kratom Headache Girls Night,” which showcases her skills as a musician, arranger, and producer alike. Give it a listen below.
Although her new single is about hanging with friends, White shared a statement explaining how the backstory goes deeper: “Recently there's a dark cloud of end times that hangs out with us, of course, and there's a new psychic puzzle of trying to have fun despite this. This song toys a little with the membrane between losing-yourself-in-rapturous-experience-of-friend-love and panic-about-the-immediate-future-on-an-urgent-material-level; sometimes a feeling of doom can even facilitate a moment of heightened presentness. So there's some real Perks of Being a Wallflower–style images that result from me discovering I have the group of friends and lovers I'd wanted my entire childhood.”
In 2024, White released Home Constellation Study, the 15th album of the 25-year-old's career. She also worked on a collaborative single with Caroline Rose and Eli Winter for Transa, the huge benefit compilation spearheaded by Red Hot Organization to represent a “spiritual journey celebrating trans people.”
Next month, White will perform at Liberation Weekend Festival, in Washington, D.C. The trans rights music festival takes place at the Black Cat on May 30 and May 31, and all proceeds go to Gender Liberation Movement to help fund future rallies, demonstrations, and direct actions in protest of anti-trans policymaking. Also slated to perform are Ekko Astral—the festival's organizers—Ted Leo, Speedy Ortiz, L'Rain, Home Is Where, and many more.
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The set will debut May 1, just in time for May the 4th, the unofficial Star Wars holiday, but those attending Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo will be able to check it later this week.
By
Borys Kit
Senior Film Writer
Jackson Hughes got his first Lego set, the Adventurer's Scorpion Tracker, as a gift from his best friend when he was a child. But no good deed goes unpunished, especially in the reckless days of childhood, and a few years later, when he was roughhousing at the best friend's home, the Lego version of a starship flown by Star Wars character Jango Fett came crashing off the top of a bookshelf. It was reduced to a pile of bricks, and the friend was devastated.
Hughes grew up to be a designer for Lego, but the “infamous event,” as he calls it, stuck in his memory. Now more than twenty years later, the brick builder got a chance at redemption when he led the team that designed a new, massive building set for Jango Fett's starship.
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Lego, once again heading to everyone's favorite far, far away galaxy, is revealing the set Tuesday as part of the company's offerings for May the 4th celebration, the yearly flood of a Star Wars merchandise. The reveal also comes just days before Star Wars Celebration kicks off in Tokyo and runs from April 18 to April 20.
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Part of the more adult-skewing Ultimate Collector Series, The Lego Star Wars Jango Fett's FiresprayClass Starship set is a 2,970-piece set that features an authentic interior, a movable main entrance, adjustable blasters and seismic charges. The set can be displayed in landing position or upright flight position and features a sleek display stand.
The set will hit stores May 1 with a retail price of $299.99. Once built, the set is 7.5in./19 cm high, 17.5 in./44 cm long, and 15.5 in./39 cm wide. Those who are part of the Lego Insider program will receive a Lego Star Wars Jango Fett Starship Keychain as a bonus if buying the set within the first five days.
The ship first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the movie that also introduced Jango “I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe” Fett, the bounty hunter played by Temuera Morrison. The character became the basis of a clone trooper army and raised Boba Fett, his own clone as his son.
Hughes and his team spent six months working on the model. During the design phase, he relied on renders of the digital 3D model used in Attack of the Clones, as well as images of physical props and film sets, which were especially helpful for the complex cockpit interior. Adding to the difficulty was the curved shaping of the ship.
Lego has done several versions of the ship under the umbrella of the Boba Fett character, which is slightly modified and features a different color palette. This is its first new attempt isnce 2002.
The new version of the set has four new pieces, including the canopy, Fett's helmet rangefinder, and two different size bows. The model also features the first-ever Lego brick-built seismic charge, a big deal for the Fett fans.
“Building at the Ultimate Collector Series scale allowed us to bring a high level of detail and accuracy to the design,” Hughes said. “For example, the cockpit accurately includes two decks and five seats, which has not been possible in any previous Lego version of this ship.”
Lego will have a sizable presence at Star Wars Celebration, with a 2,368 sq ft booth filled with unique experiences, including a display of the new sets ahead of hitting shelves globally. The booth will bring iconic scenes from the big screen to fans in brick form, with photo opportunities, exclusive giveaways, and special announcements. There will also be a Lego pop-up store. Members of the Lego Star Wars design team, including Hughes, will be on hand to take part of Q&A sessions with attendees.
His old best friend remains on his mind. “I'm planning to give him the Jango Fett's Starship UCS as a two-decades-late restitution,” he says.
Check out a first-look of the set below.
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By Matt Grobar
Senior Film Reporter
A24 has boarded Jesse Eisenberg‘s next film behind the camera — the untitled musical comedy, starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, on which we were first to report in November. Sources said this was a worldwide negative pickup, in the vein of the studio's deal for Heretic, the horror hit from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
The film follows a shy woman (Moore) who is unexpectedly cast in a community theater musical production, going to extremes as she loses herself in the role. Production kicked off this month, with Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid), Havana Rose Liu (Lurker), and Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle) among the newcomers to the cast.
Fruit Tree's Emma Stone, Dave McCary and Ali Herting will produce, with Topic Studios serving as executive producers. Eldar Isgandarov, Bonnie Milligan, Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper, and Maulik Pancholy round out the cast.
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The project continues Eisenberg's partnership with Fruit Tree and A24, following his directorial debut When You Finish Saving the World, starring Moore and Finn Wolfhard, as well as Fruit Tree and A24's previous collaborations on I Saw the TV Glow and The Curse. Eisenberg recently worked with both Fruit Tree and Topic Studios on Searchlight's A Real Pain, which earned Kieran Culkin an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Eisenberg a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
In addition to writing and directing, Eisenberg wrote the original music and lyrics for the new film's musical, with music supervisor Steven Gizicki (A Complete Unknown) and executive music producer Bill Sherman (In The Heights), choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), and cinematography by Drew Daniels (Anora).
Known for starring in The Little Mermaid and The Color Purple, Bailey also recently signed on to star opposite Regé-Jean Page in Universal's Italianna. She is repped by CAA.
Liu was seen this year at Sundance in Cooper Raiff's indie series Hal & Harper and the thriller Lurker, which notched one of the few deals of the festival. Her upcoming slate includes Michael Showalter's Oh. What. Fun. at Amazon MGM, John Carney's musical comedy Power Ballad at Lionsgate, and crime thriller Tuner opposite Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman. She is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content, and Schreck Rose Dapello.
A Golden Globe winner and multiple Emmy nominee, Peter's recent projects have included Netflix's tick, tick… BOOM!, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on NBC and the Zoey's film that followed it, High Desert at Apple, and Amazon's award winner Mozart in the Jungle. Upcoming, she also has the Western Last Train to Fortune with Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell. She is repped by WME.
Isgandarov is repped by Elevate Enertainment; Milligan by CESD, Untitled, and Schreck Rose Dapello; Ryan by Gersh and TFC Management; Cooper by Artists & Representatives and Ivy Rock Management; and Pancholy by Artists & Representatives and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. CAA Media Finance, WME Independent, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole and Felker Toczek Suddleson negotiated the deal.
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By Jesse Whittock
International TV Co-Editor
EXCLUSIVE: Doug Hawley‘s indie horror flick Sweetest Day has unveiled its cast, as shooting wrapped in Ohio and L.A.
Dorée Seay (Pens and Pencils), Alex MacNicoll (Brilliant Minds), Chris Labadie (If It Bleeds), Nate Boyer (The Terminal List), Deborah S. Craig (Meet Cute) and Morgana Shaw (Hit Man) are starring in the film, which marks Hawley's debut as writer-director. He wrote it alongside Boyer.
Pic follows ‘survivor girl' Mindy (Seay) as she prepares for the battle of her life against the undead confederate soldier that nearly killed her once before.
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Also cast are Andy Davoli (Stiletto), Russell Todd (Chopping Mall), Kelli Maroney (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier).
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Chris Gierowski (McCurdy Point), Clive Hawkins, Matthew Hersh (If It Bleeds) produced alongside Labadie and Boyer. J.W. Crane and Seay are executive producers with Logan Fulton as director of photography. The film shot in Hawley's hometown of Warren, Ohio, and in California.
“We want to evoke the vibes of holiday-themed slashers of the late 70s/early 80s like The Town At Dreaded Sundown, Halloween, My Bloody Valentine, Black Christmas and so forth, while simultaneously bringing something new to the genre,” said Hawley.
Seay is repped by Good Fear Content; MacNicoll by Gersh and Joanna Horowitz Management; Labadie by Mavrick Artists and AFA Prime Talent Media; Boyer by WME and Luber Roklin; Craig by Bohemia Group; Shaw by Feral Talent and Altamero Management; and Corcoran by Luber Roklin.
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Production has begun on the next feature film from “A Real Pain” director Jesse Eisenberg, and A24 has already acquired the rights to distribute it.
Eisenberg's film, which he wrote and will direct as his third feature, is still untitled but is an original comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, with Eisenberg also taking on a role in the film. Additionally, joining the cast are Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Bernadette Peters, Eldar Isgandarov, Bonnie Milligan, Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper, and Maulik Pancholy.
The film follows a shy woman who is unexpectedly cast in a community theater musical production, going to extremes as she loses herself in the role.
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In addition to starring in the film, Eisenberg wrote the original music and lyrics for the film's musical alongside music supervisor Steven Gizicki (“A Complete Unknown,” “La La Land”) and executive music producer Bill Sherman (“In The Heights”), with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (“Hamilton”) and cinematography by Drew Daniels (“Anora”).
Fruit Tree's Emma Stone, Dave McCary, and Ali Herting will produce the untitled feature, with Topic Studios, which produced “A Real Pain,” serving as executive producers.
This project reunites Eisenberg with A24, which distributed his first feature “When You Finish Saving the World.” A24 has also partnered with Stone's Fruit Tree on “I Saw the TV Glow” and “The Curse.” Topic Studios is also co-financing with A24 David Lowery's next film “Mother Mary” starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and “Peaked” starring and directed by Molly Gordon.
Eisenberg's “A Real Pain” was released by Searchlight Pictures last year and won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Kieran Culkin while also netting Eisenberg a Best Original Screenplay nomination.
CAA Media Finance, WME Independent, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole and Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP negotiated the deal.
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By Denise Petski
Senior Managing Editor
We're getting a first look at Smoke (fka Firebug), Apple's upcoming crime drama series from creator Dennis Lehane, starring and executive produced by Taron Egerton. The nine-episode series premieres globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 27 with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode every Friday through August 8. You can see some of the first images above and below.
Inspired by true events, Smoke follows troubled detective Michell Calderon (Emmy-nominated Jurnee Smollett) and enigmatic arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Egerton) as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.
Cast also includes Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Emmy-nominated Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Oscar and Emmy-nominated Greg Kinnear and Emmy winner John Leguizamo. The fictional series is inspired by truth.media's acclaimed Firebug podcast, which was hosted by the Oscar and Emmy-winning Kary Antholis, who executive produces for Crime Story Media, LLC. Emmy winner Marc Smerling serves as executive producer for Truth Podcasting Corp. Series directors include Skogland, Chappelle, and Jim McKay.
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“The Rehearsal,” from Nathan Fielder, was also for Nathan Fielder. The creator of HBO‘s extraordinary comedy series designed the first season, ostensibly, as a service to others. He set out to help people rehearse for tricky or intimidating situations, hoping that by experiencing intricately detailed (if not always realistic) practice sessions, they'd be able to better ensure their desired outcome. Kor, a teacher who loves bar trivia, wanted to come clean to his trivia team about not having a master's degree, without losing his beloved weekly trivia game in the process. Angela wanted to find out if motherhood was right for her. Patrick wanted to have a sensitive conversation with his brother about their grandfather's will.
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But for every extreme method Fielder employed to help participants achieve their goals — from building a fully-operational, life-size replica of the bar that hosts Kor's trivia games to becoming an all-too-real father-figure for an eight-year-old “actor” — “The Rehearsal” also pushed Nathan toward meaningful individual discoveries. Nathan, from the onset, wanted to learn how to socialize without making anyone “uncomfortable” — a worry cited in the first episode that remains central to the show's core purpose. So it only makes sense for more of his anxieties to emerge as the show forges ahead, be it the value of acting and performance (his career) to a life half-lived because you're too afraid to step out from behind your screen (his personal life).
As a TV show, this is common. Whoever has creative control tends to communicate their own opinions and ideas through a story constructed to hold viewers' interest. But that's just it: Most shows, whether they're a scripted big-budget fantasy series or an “unscripted” low-budget reality show, are constructed. Viewers make the choice to suspend disbelief and go along with what's onscreen. That's entertainment. It's made to entertain.
What makes “The Rehearsal” unique is that its artifice and reality are as impossible to distinguish as they are demanding to be distinguished. Each episode is presented like a documentary while constantly calling attention to the man in a laptop harness pulling the strings. In Season 1, the mystery of what's real and what's not drove people mad. Is that a normal person or an actor acting like a normal person? Did that scene actually play out that way, or was it cut together to create the desired effect? Is Nathan, the character, the same as Nathan Fielder, the writer/director? (For the purposes of this review, I'll use “Nathan” when discussing the man onscreen, and “Fielder” to refer to his creative/behind-the-scenes role.)
These questions led to broader queries about the show's greater function. Is he helping people, or is he helping himself? Are the rehearsals honest and altruistic, or are they deceitful and selfish? Is Nathan Fielder actually trying to do something here, or is he just fucking around?
Season 2 tackles these quandaries with admirable clarity — clarity in construction and, even better, clarity of purpose. Having established The Fielder Method in Season 1, the phenomenal follow-up applies its unique process to a single problem: plane crashes and what causes them.
While researching commercial aviation disasters (as a “hobby”), Fielder notices a “disturbing pattern”: The communication between co-pilots is often very, very poor. Sometimes, the captain doesn't listen to their first officer. Other times, the first officer doesn't speak up when they notice a mistake. Some captains are too flippant, and others are too intimidating, while many first officers lack the basic assertiveness or systemic support needed to override their captain's decisions, even if they should, even if it means preventing a crash.
Nathan takes his concerns to John Goglia, a former board member of the National Transportation Safety Board, to confirm what's he's noticed is a real problem and to figure out next steps. “When you're trying to involve a serious man in your comedy series, it's best to take things slow,” Nathan says via voiceover. “Stick to the facts. No jokes. The goal is to earn his trust. Because for what you have planned, you'll need this man to take you seriously.”
Their sit-down goes well — really! it does! — but despite its success, Nathan is still plagued with doubts. He told Goglia that he has money to put toward helping these pilots, but he didn't tell him the money was given to him by HBO to make a comedy series. And “so far, I was failing,” Nathan says. “We were over 10 minutes into this episode with zero laughs.”
That's not entirely true — or it is true, but perhaps not for everyone. “The Rehearsal” Season 2 introduces its edgy overlord (or edgelord) as he stands between a flight simulator and the screen showing the pilots' view from the cockpit. When the simulated flight crashes, the screen turns into a wall of fire, and there's Nathan. He's surrounded by flames, but he may as well be considering what to order at Wendy's. He's just standing there, staring at the actors pretending to be dead, seemingly lost in thought. The contrast between everything else on screen — which recreates a real-life plane crash using transcripts from the pilots' recorded conversations — and Nathan is… funny. Is it darkly funny? Sure, but it's still funny.
More important than if it's funny or not (or both), the sequence speaks to Nathan's overarching concerns. “When you lead a life dedicated to making others laugh,” Nathan says later in the episode, “in those rare moments when you want to be taken seriously, it can be difficult to overcome the deficit of credibility you've created for yourself.” So when he was standing in front of the simulated flames, was he trying to be funny? Or did we laugh because we know Nathan, and when we see him, we expect to laugh?
“I was both the best and worst person to solve this problem,” he says. And he's right. As Nathan goes about trying to come up with a fix for pilot miscommunication — through familiar and bizarre tactics best left unspoiled — he's vexed by the belief that even if he does come up with a solution, no one will listen to him. He's just a comedian. What he's working on would have to be vetted and approved by Congress. Delving into the realms of self-doubt allows Season 2 to get unabashedly personal. Nathan's identity — as a comic, as a performer, as a Jewish person — all help to elucidate the broader flaws of sorting people into neat little boxes rather than respecting their capacity to be more than one thing.
Once again, he's rehearsing to solve two problems: one for the pilots (as well as everyone onboard), and another for himself (as well as anyone who struggles to be heard). Only this time, Fielder isn't leaving as much room for interpretation. While I still questioned the veracity of certain scenes as they were presented, the most critical segments leave little, if any, uncertainty. Even if they do for others, the inclination toward a more rigorous examination isn't as nagging as it was before. In Season 2, Fielder urges us to look past the basic question of “Is it real?” and take what he's working on seriously. Whether that means admiring the craft of another astounding production, both meticulous and massive, or laughing along at the brilliant inventiveness of a tightly edited, totally engaging comedy, or investing wholeheartedly in Nathan's dual missions, “The Rehearsal” earns your devotion to its many goals.
Finding the universal in the specific is a particular talent of Fielder's, and Season 2 manages to successfully present all its contentions at once. There's an episode that made me laugh harder than anything I've seen this year, and it's followed up by an episode that builds to a climax even funnier than that. There's an episode where I caught myself holding my breath and another that brought tears to my eyes. There's an episode that will be talked about for the rest of the year, and it's not even the best episode of the season. (Yes, critics were given the full season for review.)
Personally, I will always feel a gleeful delight watching Fielder burn through HBO's sizable budgets to enact his wildest fantasies. Whether they're in service of a greater good or his own egomaniacal interests doesn't matter as much as how convincing they are as a good story, well told. That Season 2 convinced me it's an earnest effort to improve people's lives and a sidesplitting comedy and a moving emotional odyssey for Nathan — as a character or a real human being, take your pick! — well, that's what makes “The Rehearsal” Season 2 a cut above the vast majority of television, as well as a shrewd improvement on Season 1. And I said Season 1 was the best show of 2022, so…
Buckle up, fuckleheads, and enjoy the flight.
“The Rehearsal” Season 2 premieres Sunday, April 20 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.
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By Jake Kanter
International Investigations Editor
Chris Columbus has said he has a Donald Trump-shaped albatros around his neck.
The American director admitted that his decision to include the U.S. president in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is akin to a curse on the much-loved franchise.
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbus said he would like to cut the seven-second cameo from the 1992 movie, but worries he will be deported by the Trump administration.
“It's become this curse. It's become this thing that I wish it was not there,” he said, later adding: “It's become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”
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“I can't cut it,” said Columbus, who has Italian ancestry. “If I cut it, I'll probably be sent out of the country. I'll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I'll have to go back to Italy or something.”
It is not the first time Columbus has lamented Trump's cameo. He told Business Insider in 2020 that Trump allowed him to film in The Plaza Hotel in exchange for an appearance in the movie.
The scene made the final cut, with Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McCallister asking Trump for directions to the lobby. “Down the hall and to the left,” Trump responds.
“When we screened it for the first time, the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It's a moment for the audience.'”
He added that Trump “did bully his way into the movie,” a suggestion that the president bristled at in 2023. Trump said he was begged to appear in the film: “That cameo helped make the movie a success. But if they felt bullied, or didn't want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there for over 30 years?”
Columbus told the San Francisco Chronicle: “He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there's no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was released two years after the original. The sequel follows McCallister as he finds himself lost in the Big Apple while his family travels to Florida. McCallister is sought once again by the Wet Bandits after their escape from prison.
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The singer spent a few minutes in weightlessness on Monday (April 14) during her ride of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket.
By
Gil Kaufman
Katy Perry brought a few earthbound things with her during her 10-minute trip to outer space. After blasting off in a Blue Origin rocket on Monday morning (April 14) as part of an all-female crew that briefly achieved weightlessness at approximately 62 miles above Earth, Perry posted a video from her space adventure on Tuesday morning (April 15).
The clip shot inside the nose cone of the flight from Amazon owner Jeff Bezos' rocket company showed the singer and her fellow space voyagers — CBS Morning co-host Gayle King, pilot and Bezos fiancée Lauren Sánchez, bioastronautics research scientist and astronaut Amanda Nguyen, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn — gathering in the middle of the ship as they floated around in their body-hugging custom blue space suits.
The women, their hair floating freely behind them, give the camera a loud “whooo!” before approaching the lens to show off the special tokens they brought with them on the journey. Perry, 40, showed of a single daisy, which she brought along to honor her four-year-old daughter with fiancé actor Orlando Bloom, Daisy Dove. The couple have kept Daisy out of the spotlight to date, but the preschooler who showed up in her own silver space suit to the launch was beaming in footage of the rocket ride as she said, “My mama!”
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Right after the crew marveled at their view of the moon, Perry floated by once again with a butterfly-shaped piece of paper that featured what she said is the setlist for her upcoming Lifetimes world tour. Though the print was a bit too small to read, Katy Cat sleuths pulled out their magnifying glasses and sussed out a few titles, including: “Chained to the Rhythm,” “Teary Eyes,” “Dark Horse,” “Harleys in Hawaii,” “OK,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Has a Heart,” “Last Friday Night,” “Teenage Dream” and others. The video was cued to the the song “Wonder” from Perry' 2024 143 album; the global Lifetimes tour will kick off in Mexico City on April 23.
In the caption to the video, Perry wrote, “One day when you're older, will YOU still look up in wonder? Still processing this incredible journey ✨ Thank you @blueorigin and to my space sisters, taking up space AND making room in space for all – 143. See you on tour (when I come down, figuratively).”
According to King, Perry sang a bit of the Louis Armstrong classic “What a Wonderful World” as the space tourists strapped back into their seats for the descent, with the singer trying to sum up the wonder of the moment afterwards. “I feel super connected to love,” she said after kissing the ground following touchdown. “So connected to love. I think this experience has show me you never know how much love is inside you, how much love you have to give, and how loved you are until the day you launch.”
Describing the launch and return, Perry said it was “the highest high. It is surrender to the unknown, trust. This whole journey is not about just going to space. It's the training, the team, it's the whole thing. I couldn't recommend this experience more.” Asked to rate it, she gave the trip a “10 out of 10,” saying it was second only to becoming a mom.
Check out the video below.
A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)
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Adrianne Lenker has announced a new live album. The extensive, 43-track Live at Revolution Hall was recorded over three nights during the Big Thief singer's tour in support of her 2024 solo album, Bright Future, and includes live renditions of five previously unreleased songs: “Happiness,” “Oldest,” “Ripples,” “I Do Love You,” and “No Limits.” One of those, “Happiness,” is out today. Listen to it below.
Live at Revolution Hall is out April 24 via 4AD. The record was engineered by frequent Big Thief collaborator Andrew Sarlo, with contributions from pianist Nick Hakim and violinist Josefin Runsteen. “We put friendship at the focal point making this a loving memento from one friend to another,” Sarlo said in a statement. “Consider closing your eyes, getting cozy, and listening as if you are watching a film!”
Read about Adrianne Lenker's “Anything” in “The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far.”
Live at Revolution Hall:
01 Hello, I Love You & Blue Lightning02 - Door & How Are You? -03 Little Things (Live)04 Happiness (Live)05 Cut My Hair (Live)06 Time Escaping & Wild Whistling (Live)08 Cattails & Soundcheck08 Ruined (Check)09 - Nick & Josefin -10 Symbol (Live)11 Real House (Live)12 Indiana & Sneezing (Live)13 - Now Westlin Winds -14 I Do Love You (Live)15 - Brief Message for Adrianne -16 Heavy Focus (Live)17 Vampire Empire (Live)18 - Lady Midnight, I'll Tape You Back Together - (Live)19 Born for Loving You (Live)20 I Will Always Love You (Live)21 - Noah -22 Spud Infinity (Live)23 - Oso -24 Promise Is a Pendulum (Live)25 - Backwards Intermission -26 Evol (Kcehc)27 Fangs28 Oldest (Live)29 Sadness as a Gift (Live)30 - Drawing a Star -31 Orange (Live)32 Two Reverse (Live)33 Free Treasure & Fire Trucks34 Ripples & Happy Birthday Alice35 Fool (Live)36 Not a Lot, Just Forever (Live)37 - NALJF & Crowd -38 No Limit (Live)39 Donut Seam (Live)40 Zombie Girl (Live)41 - Happy Birthday Everyone -42 Anything (Live)43 Wake Me Up to Drive (Outside) (Live)
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Three years after their debut album, London-based post-rock band Caroline are back with news of their long-awaited sophomore album: Caroline 2 arrives May 30 via Rough Trade. Leading the eight-piece's return is the lead single “Tell Me I Never Knew That,” which boasts a feature from Caroline Polachek, the American pop star, for a meeting of the Caroline minds. Give it a listen below.
If you're wondering how they crossed paths with the Desire, I Want to Turn Into You musician, Caroline explained: “We wrote the opening top line together and straight away we thought ‘This sounds like a melody that Caroline Polachek might sing' in its hooky-ness. We sort of joked that we'd ask her to sing it but didn't think it'd actually be on the cards, until about a year later when we sent her the half-finished song and she was up for it!”
The band continued: “Caroline was amazing. She wrote a load of extra parts that gave the whole thing such a lift, and then spent a few hours tracking a load of more improvised parts. We were still recording at about 1:30 a.m. when we decided to call it, but there was no indication that Caroline was the slightest bit tired or that she had lost any momentum in her ability to sing, even though she'd been singing for about 6 hours. It was an inspiring thing to witness!”
The follow-up to 2022's Caroline opens with the group's recent comeback track, “Total Euphoria.” Caroline's Jasper Llewellyn, Casper Hughes, and Mike O'Malley produced Caroline 2, which was engineered by Syd Kemp, mixed by Jason Agel, and mastered by Heba Kadry.
Revisit the interview “For Post-Rock Octet Caroline, Everything Is Up for Debate.”
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Caroline 2:
01 Total Euphoria02 Song Two03 Tell Me I Never Knew That04 When I Get Home05 U R Ur Only Aching06 Coldplay Cover07 Two Riders Down08 Beautiful Ending
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The "Into Infinity" star, who came right off 'The Penguin' to film the Netflix space epic, explains how creator Charlie Brooker "dialed up the dementedness," which keeps the saga open for a possible trilogy.
By
Jackie Strause
Managing Editor, East Coast
[This story contains spoilers from Black Mirror season seven sequel “USS Callister: Into Infinity.”]
Cristin Milioti had just finished playing Sofia Falcone in The Penguin when she teleported back to the USS Callister spaceship for the Black Mirror sequel, “USS Callister: Into Infinity.”
The new season seven episode — which runs 90 minutes — was conceived by Netflix series creator-writer Charlie Brooker years ago. After first taking format as a spinoff series, the follow-up eventually became the film that is now streaming when plans changed amid the Hollywood strikes in 2023. Director Toby Haynes and nearly all of the cast returned for the sequel, which follows Milioti's character, Nanette Cole, both in real life and inside Infinity, the immersive video game where she and her crew were unknowingly digitally cloned by the first episode's villain Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons), the CEO of Infinity.
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Of course, the world of her Batman super-villain and her USS Callister hero are quite different. But when she put back on Captain Cole's space suit (she's now leading the ship in the sequel), she was once again playing a traumatized character. After escaping Daly, and killing him, in the first saga, Captain Cole and her ship are now trapped in the real game, where they must kill other players for their credits so they can stay alive. If they get killed in the game, they cease to exist, period.
“It is the same soul and consciousness. That clone has all of her memories and experiences baked in there,” says Milioti of why the sequel packs such a punch as it follows in-game Nanette's plight to save real Nanette after the latter gets hit by a car and put in a coma. When Nanette finally regains consciousness in the outside world — after a thrilling faceoff with a clone of Daly's (bringing back Plemons) — her digital copy is given life, but the rest of her ship is now trapped inside Nanette's head. That ending is open for interpretation about where it falls on the bleak Black Mirror scale, but one thing everyone seems to agree on is that it charts course for more “Callister.”
Milioti says Brooker originally wrote a more upbeat ending. “I think he turned the dial up on the dementedness of it, of having them all trapped in her head, which I love,” she says, “because that's twisted and crazy and so weird.” Below, she talks to The Hollywood Reporter about her jolt from Penguin to Black Mirror, the chaos of acting opposite herself in the “Callister” sequel, and she shares her interpretation of that ending and her hope for a trilogy: “How rare is it that you get to reunite with people seven years later and revisit a thing?”
***
I spoke with your “USS Callister: Into Infinity” director Toby Haynes and he said you filmed this sequel pretty quickly after finishing The Penguin. How quickly?
Like two weeks later. So I was in like a little bit of a fugue state when I got there. (Laughs)
I imagine it might take longer than that to cleanse yourself from playing Sofia Falcone?
I don't know how people do that regularly, and go from shoot to shoot to shoot. I don't know what that says about me, but I need a little bit of time. But when you're working on stuff you really love, of course you're going to be like, “Great, I'll be there.” But yeah, two weeks was a quick turnaround! We also shot [Black Mirror] in London, so I was also relocating for a while.
Just to get this out of the way, are there any conversations about you revisiting Sofia and The Penguin world, any rumblings about the very desired second season?
I get asked a lot and my answer is always the same — but it is the most genuine answer, which is that I would love nothing more. No conversations as of yet, but I would love it. I had the time of my life, so my answer would be yes.
I feel like I saw a flinch of Sofia at the very end of “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” when you are looking at yourself in the mirror in the hospital.
(Laughs)
So you've just come out of that very dark world and you come back to the world of “USS Callister,” all these years later, and both versions of your character — the real Nanette Cole and her digital copy in the Infinity game — are pretty traumatized.
Yep, they are.
I understand that you filmed this sequel by going back and forth between the versions of your character, and not in any sort of block filming with one of your versions. What was that like?
It was nuts. (Laughs) I can't speak for everyone, but I think people would identify with how making anything is crazy. It's a miracle that anything gets made or comes together, and you do all kind of enter this fever state. The days are so long and they're always so crazy, and you never have enough days for what you actually want to shoot.
Making this felt like that feeling on steroids, where it was running back and forth between different costumes. I don't know if Toby told you this, but we shot a lot of it with a very specialized camera where you had to move exactly the same way from what you had done that morning, even though you were a completely different character. You had to remember every eyeline and movement. It was so fascinating and challenging. But it certainly added to the chaos of it all. Sometimes maybe that helps, that it's in the fabric of the thing you're making. But it was head-spinning!
Who were you acting opposite from when you were acting with yourself?
Sometimes I had a stand in. I had a double, who was so lovely, and then sometimes I couldn't do it with her because of this camera. So I'd have that for some of the time, to get the physicality, and then sometimes it was just me alone in a space looking at different dots all over set and trying to remember the exact cadence of, “Ok, I think we” — “we” being myself and I (laughs) — “took a beat here.” It was really wild. It was mind-blowing. [Off camera], those scenes were a lot of me standing in a spacesuit being like, “Sorry!” for three days (laughs).
When you finished the first “USS Callister,” which aired back in 2017, Toby (who directed both sagas) said he started pitching Charlie Brooker immediately on ideas to spinoff that episode. He told me in our conversation about the sequel that this was going to very seriously be a series at one point. Are you happy that it was a film instead of a series? Do you think it works better this way?
It's hard to know because I know all of Charlie [Brooker]'s ideas over the years. They were completely different each time and all of them were so good. I do think I like the efficiency of one. Of course it's so great to get to explore all that [in a series], but I like that they all match. The first one was an hour and a half. This one is an hour and a half. It feels like a revisitation also in form, which I really like.
Toby did describe this sequel saying he's hoping for a trilogy. When I spoke to Charlie, he also expressed interest in writing for these characters again. Did you go into this thinking “Into Infinity” is the middle of the story?
No, I didn't. I know the ending is a little ambiguous as to what could happen, but I treated it, especially for Nanette, that she's out. She got out. I know this is dark and demented, but when she gets hit by that car [in the real world], that was so much fun to film. We had such an incredible stunt coordinator and stunt team, and filming that, we could watch it back each time to see if it worked properly — it was a very complicated camera move. We just got to do so much cool stuff on this one, so maybe a third one [would be great].
I shrieked when you [Nanette outside version] got hit by the car, it was so violent.
With the camera crew, hair and makeup, and the stunt team, we all watched playback, because we were trying to figure out if it worked. Every time we played it back, everyone would be like, “Oooohhhhh!” We were all giggling, too.
Jesse Plemons returns for the sequel; his casting was kept secret. Toby called your scenes with Jesse a masterclass in acting. He also brought up how much you each have done as actors in the years between the “Callister” episodes. Now, you return in a flipped narrative, where Nanette goes into the scene knowing more than Daly, yet he still has all the power. What took the most work for you two to land both the fear and heart in those scenes?
It was so wonderful to be back with Jesse. I love acting with him. This is our third time acting together [also in Fargo season two], and he's so wonderful to work with. We didn't discuss much, we kind of just dove in. But I can speak for myself that the thing I tried to keep an eye on the most was calibrating how held Nanette has to be; she wants to unleash and she can't. She has to play it so smart and she's also terrified because she's face to face with the person who has ruined her life, and she has to put on this facade — and also get out of the situation with the information she needs. That's so fun and rich to play with as an actor, but I wanted to make sure that I calibrated that correctly. It felt like doing a play, because it was just us in that little garage for days. That garage was as claustrophobic as it looks.
You also make interesting choices in the end. Your space crew is now stuck inside of your head, but Nanette seems like she's not in a rush to figure out how to get them out. Can you talk about that?
That was all in Charlie's script, but I maybe pushed the gas on it a little bit. Because I was like, “I wonder how ready she is to let go of her position as captain?” Especially being grateful that she's returned to her life — but still having to return to her life. Something I found in this sequel is that it's a little bit of: wherever you go, there you are. She enters this world as a captain and was doing so well, and now is failing. And she's failing in the real world, too. Obviously her circumstances affect her, but I wonder if she's willing to give up what power she's now accrued.
Charlie spoke with me about reclaiming the Black Mirror narrative after people last season were calling it the “bad technology show.” He's like: No, it's the bad humanity show — humans make the bad choices.
(Laughs) Yes, it is.
Here, Nanette makes the right choice when Daly asks her about saving herself or saving her ship, but it's her clone that makes that choice. So does that count as a win for humanity in Black Mirror universe?
I don't know. I mean, it's so head-spinning. I think so, because essentially it is the same soul and consciousness. That clone has all of her memories and experiences baked in there. But I think she's also been through war for the last couple months. Shooting people and getting almost killed, and seeing a fellow crew member [which explained the absence of original star Michaela Coel] getting killed. So it's not just going to be like, “And now I'm working in the office and back to hanging out.” It's going to be tough [in the real world]. And she has a spaceship in her head!
Toby said you had a lot of conversations about that ending, and that Charlie initially wrote it more straight-forward. Then he rewrote it to be more ambiguous.
Yes, there were discussions. I think originally it had a happier ending.
I thought this was happy for Black Mirror!
I know. I think he turned the dial up on the dementedness of it, of having them all trapped in her head, which I love, because that's twisted and crazy and so weird. I think before it had been more cut and dry.
It sounds like you all are on board to do more. So… a trilogy?
It really was very special to all get to see each other again. I don't want to speak for everyone, but from our discussions about it, it was such a golden experience for everyone. How rare is it that you get to reunite with people seven years later and revisit a thing? It's just very cool.
Would you hope there would be less time before the next one?
Yeah, I don't want to wait seven years for anything. Also, we're all going to start to look very different! It might be hard to keep going, “A week later…” if all of us look older.
What would delight you most about exploring life for Nanette with a spaceship in her head?
I don't know why this is coming to mind, but that they're [her crew] controlling different parts of her body. That would be fun to have someone control my arm against my will so I can do some ridiculous slapstick routine at work. I don't know how feasible that is! But it could turn into an action sequence where all of your limbs are doing different things. (Laughs)
***
Black Mirror season seven is now streaming all episodes on Netflix. Read THR's season seven interviews with Charlie Brooker and Jessica Rhoades, Rosy McEwen, Toby Haynes and check out our series ranking of all the episodes.
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The two-time Oscar winner next stars in Jim Jarmusch's 'Father, Mother, Sister, Brother' with Adam Driver, set for a 2025 release.
By
Lily Ford
Cate Blanchett, a two-time Oscar winner, has told the British press she is retiring from acting in the near future.
The actor-producer said in an interview with Radio Times this week that she wasn't sure calling herself an “actress” was quite accurate: “It's because I'm giving up… My family roll their eyes every time I say it, but I mean it. I am serious about giving up acting. [There are] a lot of things I want to do with my life.”
The Australian star spoke ahead of BBC's Radio 4 airing an adaptation of Wallace Shawn's The Fever, Blanchett's first radio play. It follows a woman from a privileged background who visits an impoverished foreign country and suddenly becomes ill. She becomes emotionally unsettled and contemplates the little impact she's had on the world.
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Only recently, Blanchett's acting credits include Alfonso Cuarón's Apple TV+ series Disclaimer and Steven Soderbergh's Black Bag, released in March, in which she stars with Michael Fassbender.
The acting legend, known for outings in The Lord of the Rings, The Aviator, Blue Jasmine, Tár and more, has also just finished a five-week theater run at the Barbican in London, starring in Chekhov's The Seagull. She has wrapped on Jim Jarmusch's Father, Mother, Sister, Brother set for a 2025 release with Adam Driver, and is also filming Alpha Gang with David and Nathan Zellner.
Blanchett also said in the interview that being a celebrity isn't something she's taken to: “When you go on a talk show, or even here now, and then you see soundbites of things you've said, pulled out and italicized, they sound really loud. I'm not that person,” Blanchett said. “I make more sense in motion – it's been a long time to remotely get comfortable with the idea of being photographed.”
And the star shared: “I've always felt like I'm on the periphery of things, so I'm always surprised when I belong anywhere. I go with curiosity into whatever environment that I'm in, not expecting to be accepted or welcomed. I've spent a lifetime getting comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable.”
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By
Charisma Madarang
President Donald Trump‘s refusal to return a Maryland man illegally deported to El Salvador, desire to deport U.S. citizens, and attack of free speech at universities and media outlets prompted Jon Stewart to compare Trump to his authoritarian counterparts.
In a game called “How Authoritarian Is We?,” Stewart dedicated Monday night's Daily Show monologue to assessing how Trump's garish decor at the Oval Office, sycophantic cabinet, and dubious physical exam add up alongside the likes of “your Putins, your Xis, your Anna Wintours.”
While Stewart has criticized Democrats for being too eager to call Trump a “fascist,” it seems that the late-night host has had a change of heart following Trump's escalating attacks on the free press, judges, lawyers, and other perceived threats to his regime. After rolling a news clip of a journalist asking the president if he would be “open” to deporting U.S citizens, Trump replies: “If it's a homegrown criminal, I have no problem…I'm talking about really bad people. Really bad people.”
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“He's gonna do that to U.S. citizens. I think the hosts of The View are about to get administratively error'd,” quipped Stewart. “I did not think we would get this authoritarian this fast,” he continued. “I really didn't. I'm sorry. Who could've known? Maybe if somebody out there had yelled at me on Bluesky about this, I would have known. But no one did, except every day, in all caps.”
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Elsewhere, the host played clips of Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and more of the president's employees showering him with praises. Still, Stewart noted that “any run of the mill authoritarian can get the praises from those that fear him.” “The OGS, the real autocrats extract something much, much weirder and humiliating, the forced uncomfortable laughter,” said Stewart, before rolling a video of Trump's cabinet awkwardly chuckling to the president's attempt at a joke.
Before wrapping his monologue, Stewart concluded, “So Trump's got it all, authoritarian-wise: the looks, the attitude, the relentless dissent-crushing — All the ingredients to be a top-tier authoritarian.” However, a reel of Trump's tariff blunders and stock market chaos, worsening measles outbreak, and DOGE's haphazard dismantling of the government, prompted Stewart to declare that the president has yet to “bring it home with his ruthless competence.”
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It also opens at No. 1 on Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums.
By
Keith Caulfield
Elton John and Brandi Carlile's first collaborative album, Who Believes in Angels?, debuts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart dated April 19, marking the 22nd top 10 for John and fourth for Carlile.
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John earned his first Billboard 200 top 10 more than 54 years ago, with his self-titled album on the Jan. 30, 1971-dated chart. A living soloist last logged a longer top 10 span on the Oct. 16, 2021-dated survey, when Tony Bennett's Love for Sale, with Lady Gaga, debuted at No. 8. It gave the then-95-year-old Bennett a 59-year top 10 stretch, dating to I Left My Heart in San Francisco in October 1962.
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As for Carlile, she notched her first top 10 on the Billboard 200 in 2012 with Bear Creek, which debuted and peaked at No. 10 on the June 23, 2012-dated list.
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Who Believes in Angels? earned 40,000 equivalent album units in the United States in its opening week (April 4-10), according to Luminate. The album's sales (36,500) were bolstered by its availability across seven vinyl and five CD variants, including signed versions.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new April 19, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on April 15.
The new album also takes a bow atop both the Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts, while also opening in the top 10 on Top Album Sales (No. 2), Indie Store Album Sales (No. 2) and Vinyl Albums (No. 3).
John and Carlile ushered in the release of the album with a flurry of media appearances, including CBS News Sunday Morning (CBS, March 30), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (April 3), Saturday Night Live (NBC, April 5) and the concert special An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile (CBS and Paramount+, April 6), along with interviews with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, NPR and SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show, among other outlets.
Meanwhile, the album's title track extended John's record for the most top 10s (43) in the history of the Adult Contemporary chart, where it rises to a new No. 9 high on the chart dated April 19.
“Nobody wants another Elton John album like the other 35 [I've made],” John recently told Billboard. “This one had to have energy, and it had to have a statement saying: ‘Listen, I'm nearly 78 and I'm gonna be really sounding powerful.'” Said Carlile, “I don't think it'll ever really catch up to how incredibly life-affirming this has been for me.”
54 Years of Top 10 Albums: John earned his first Billboard 200 top 10 a little over 54 years ago, when his self-titled album climbed 11-7 on the Jan. 30, 1971-dated chart; it peaked at No. 4 a week later (Feb. 6, 1971). Breaking down John's 22 top 10s by decade: 13 in the 1970s, two in the 1990s, one in the 2000s, four in the 2010s and two in the 2020s. Who Believes in Angels? is John's second album with shared artist billing to reach the top 10, following The Union, with Leon Russell, which reached No. 3 in 2010.
John continues to be among elite company of acts with at least 20 top 10-charting albums on the Billboard 200, from March 24, 1956, when the list began publishing on a regular, weekly basis, through the new, April 19, 2025-dated chart. Here's an updated leaderboard:
Most Billboard 200 Top 10s:38, The Rolling Stones34, Barbra Streisand33, Frank Sinatra32, The Beatles27, Elvis Presley23, Bob Dylan23, Madonna22, Elton John22, Bruce Springsteen21, Paul McCartney/Wings21, George Strait20, Prince
Notably, the Kidz Bop Kids music brand has collected 24 top 10s, in 2005-16, with its series of kid-friendly covers of hit singles. The franchise's early albums were performed mostly by anonymous studio singers, although later releases focused on branding named talent.
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Prior to the all-women space flight on the Blue Origin aircraft, which launched on April 14, the crew, including Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, excitedly rang a silver bell before boarding.
When it was Gayle King's turn, however, she looked unhappy and quickly rang the bell before looking downward, Access Hollywood shared.
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In a clip shared by CBS after the crew safely descended, King explained, “I was so afraid, I just wanted to get into my seat because I just wanted to let the training kick in.
She continued, “I just wanted to get inside the capsule and sit down, so the process of walking up there was a little daunting for me.”
Despite her initial fear, King said in the press conference, “I know I will never forget it. I walked out of there thinking, ‘Gosh, I can do anything.' I'm so proud of us, I really am proud of me because I never in a gazillion years thought I could do this.”
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Gayle King made history as one of the women aboard a Blue Origin space shuttle, but fans couldn't stop talking about her terrified face.
“I'm howling. Poor Gayle King — she really doesn't wanna go to space — how tight is that contract??” an X user posted before the launch.
Another posted screenshots of King looking scared and joked, “If I send you this, just know that I am STRESSED!”
One tweeted, “#GayleKing has just created a perfect meme, re-thinking life decisions. But I'm glad they all made [it] back safe!!”
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When King arrived at the Blue Origin launch site in Van Horn, Texas, on the morning of April 14, she was spotted crying, the Daily Mail reported.
Oprah, who was present, explained, “I've never been more proud. This is bigger than just going to space for [Gayle]. Any time we're on a flight, she's in someone's lap if there's the slightest bit of turbulence.”
The former daytime talk show host added, “She has real, real, real anxiety flying. This is overcoming a wall of fear, a barrier, I think it's gonna be cathartic for her.”
Oprah later praised her friend in an Instagram post, saying, “It is the true definition of courage. You can't have courage without having some fear, some hesitation, some reluctance.”
“This girl was terrified. I know how terrified she's been because I've been hearing it since October,” Oprah continued.
Following the short journey into space, King said she felt “bonded” with the other Blue Origin crew. “You can't go through what we went through, to look out for each other, to help each other, and not be changed by that,” she told CBS Mornings.
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A group of high schoolers start a feminism club during the height of #MeToo in Kimberly Belflower's play, helmed by Danya Taymor and starring the 'Stranger Things' actress.
By
Lovia Gyarkye
Arts & Culture Critic
It's a testament to the subtle brilliance of Kimberly Belflower's writing and Danya Tamor's direction that you can hardly feel the 105-minute, no-intermission runtime of John Proctor Is the Villain.
The play, now on Broadway, follows a group of junior girls at Helen County High, a small school in northeast Georgia, who start a feminist club at the height of the #MeToo movement. At first, their plans are almost thwarted by anonymously concerned community members who worry the group will alienate boys. The girls insist that their male peers can, and in fact should, become members. “If we were able to foster a meaningful dialogue with them, we could find common ground,” intones Beth (an impressive Fina Strazza), the high-strung but well-meaning one of the crew. “That's like, the whole purpose of this club, that's why it's so important.”
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Lucky for these teens, their beloved English teacher, Mr. Smith (Gabriel Ebert), stumbles upon the heated confrontation and cuts a deal with guidance counselor Miss Gallagher (Molly Griggs): If he signs on as faculty advisor and the girls tie their class reading — Arthur Miller's The Crucible — into their agenda, then the organization proposal will be approved. The girls enthusiastically agree to these terms. They don't even care that Mason (a winning Nihar Duvvuri), a junior boy failing English class, has to join the club for extra credit. It's 2018, and the onslaught of news about accused men and their survivors have left the teens seeking a safe space to tackle big questions and confusing feelings.
But the girls have no idea just how important the feminist club will become over the course of the spring semester, as a series of distressing events threaten to upend their lives. The drama starts with the return of Shelby Holcomb (Sadie Sink), a member of this friend group who abruptly left school for three months after sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend. No one knows where she went, but the rumor mill whirs as soon as she steps foot on campus. Raelynn (an excellent Amalia Yoo), the reserved daughter of a preacher, isn't sure how to process her former friend coming back to school; she's still angry with Shelby for having sex with Lee (an appropriately slimy Hagan Oliveras).
Meanwhile, Ivy Watkins (Maggie Kuntz), another friend in the group, wrestles with news that her father has been accused of sexual harassment by one of his employees. The case grips and divides residents of this one-stoplight town, including members of the feminist club.
In the background of this interpersonal drama, the girls, whose friend group includes recent transfer Nell (Morgan Scott, with sharp comedic timing), read The Crucible and prepare for their final projects, in which they must put two characters who never share a scene in conversation with one another. As the girls read more of Miller's play, they begin to question why John Proctor, a reputation-obsessed man who arguably ruined not only his wife Elizabeth's life but Abigail's as well, is so revered. Their re-examination of the play about the Salem witch trials becomes a means through which they can better understand their own realities.
A familiarity with Miller's work, which the playwright wrote as a response to McCarthyism, is not a requirement for John Proctor Is the Villain. In organizing her play around an English class, Belflower incorporates any necessary plot points into Mr. Smith's lessons and discussions between the students.
John Proctor Is the Villain was first produced at Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., where Marti Lyons directed, but Taymor, who won a Tony last year for directing The Outsiders, assumes the reins of this version. Her direction is nimble without losing sight of the play's striking emotional core. She works with Amp, with whom she collaborated on The Outsiders, and Teresa L. Williams to reinforce the play's intimacy through a vivid and detailed set. All the action in John Proctor Is the Villain takes place in Mr. Smith's classroom, which is decorated with Georgia Bulldogs ephemera, a couch for students to sit on and stare out the window, and motivational posters. One wall boasts a list of the state's most famous authors in addition to helpful tips for good writing. The metal desks, plastic chairs and linoleum tiles resemble those in public schools across the country.
The conversations between the girls are a sprightly dance of topics, from school gossip and local affairs to pop culture and private fears. They speak at the speed of an internet scroll, yet that swiftness doesn't subtract from the profundity. Instead, it makes room for revelations — about their discomforts, their preferences and their desires. An endearing intimacy is fostered and the stakes of these relationships are heightened.
Many theatergoers will be drawn to John Proctor Is the Villain by Sink, who made her breakthrough in Stranger Things and most recently starred in Searchlight's musical drama O'Dessa. While the actress holds her own, channeling her character's mix of teen angst and deeper emotional woundedness, her performance is buoyed by those of the women around her.
When Shelby awkwardly bursts into Mr. Smith's classroom on her first day back at school, the audience has already been prepared for her arrival. After the charged encounter with Miss Gallagher, Ivy, Nell, Beth and Raelynn start planning their first feminist club meeting. A discussion of Twilight (which Raelynn loves) and Taylor Swift (whom Beth is obsessed with) devolves into a gossip session where the other girls catch Nell up on the drama. Raelynn's shy deflections become sharper as the questions about where she stands with Lee turn into ones about her relationship with Shelby. In these early moments, Yoo brings her character's fragility to the surface with doleful expressions and a withering physicality, which makes the confident transformation she eventually undergoes all the more satisfying to watch.
And that's true for all the girls in John Proctor Is the Villain, for at its core Belflower has constructed a poignant story of girlhood and empowering friendships. As Shelby adjusts to the new semester, she reconnects with her friends, especially Raelynn, and shares more information about the real reason why she left school. There are some moments that slacken here, especially as Belflower works her way to the twist, but with no intermission, the play's frenzied pace continues uninterrupted and helps the inevitable revelation land with a real shock. (The audience audibly gasped when I saw the show.)
It's fitting that John Proctor Is the Villain is running at the same time as All Nighter (off-Broadway) and shortly after Nina (off off-Broadway), two shows that concern the interior lives and intimate conversations of young women. Similarly to those plays, John Proctor Is the Villain takes the concerns of its characters seriously. The girls dissect Taylor Swift and Lorde's lyrics (the two musicians are crucial in this production) with the same intensity and attention to detail as they bring to The Crucible. It's thanks to these pop culture icons, whose music so squarely centers the emotional textures of growing up, that these teenagers search for the women in Miller's text and can even begin to question why anyone ever thought John Proctor was a hero.
Venue: Booth Theatre, New YorkCast: Sadie Sink, Nihar Duvvuri, Gabriel Ebert, Molly Griggs, Maggie Juntz, Hagan Oliveras, Morgan Scott, Fina Strazza, Amalia YooDirector: Danya TaymorPlaywrights: Kimberly BelflowerSet designer: Amp ft. Teresa L. WilliamsCostume designer: Sarah LauxLighting designer: Natasha KatzSound designer: Palmer HeffernanProjection designer: Hannah WasileskiMovement: Tilly Evans-KruegerPresented by Sue Wagner, John Johnson, John Mara Jr., Runyonland, Eric Falkstein, Jillian Robbins, Jen Hoguet, Rialto Productions, Corets Gough Kench Cohen, The Shubert Organization, James L. Nederlander, John Gore Organization, Patty Baker, Cue to Cue Productions, Echo Lake Entertainment, Harris Rubin Productions, Klausner & Zell, Jennifer Kroman, Mickey Liddell & Pete Shilaimon, Mahnster Productions, Nathan Winoto, The Cohn Sisters & Stifelman-Burkhardt, Astro Lab Productions, Creative Partners Productions, Sarah Daniels, Joan Rechnitz, Melissa Chamberlain & Michael McCartney, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Steven Della Pietra, Newport & Smerigan, Jamie deRoy, Jaime Gleicher, Wes Grantom, Meena Harris & Jessica Foung, LAMF, Corey Steinfast, Turchin Clements, Louis Hobson, Annaleise Loxton
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Being in one of the world's biggest girl groups has its fair share of haters, but both BLACKPINK divas came ready to show the world what they could do in the desert.
By
Jeff Benjamin
For some artists, playing Coachella is an undeniable career peak. But it isn't merely about booking the stage; you have to be prepared to seize the moment and define the narrative of your career.
After performing dazzling sets twice with BLACKPINK in 2019 and 2023, LISA and JENNIE both booked Coachella 2025 as soloists, ready to use the iconic desert festival to prove themselves equally as powerful on their own and what they've learned after nearly a decade on the scene. While being part of a K-pop girl group — no matter how acclaimed — inevitably invites skeptics, the powerhouse performers flipped any expectations and took command to turn past critiques into commendation.
LISA hit Coachella's Sahara stage the evening of the first day of the festival, Friday, to give her biggest and most expansive set since releasing her Alter Ego solo album, which landed in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and earned three hit singles on the Hot 100. LISA showcased herself as a multi-dimensional performer with her show divided into five acts that gave further insight into how the “alter ego” theme played into her music.
Meanwhile, JENNIE hit the Outdoor Theatre on the final day of Coachella 2025, Sunday, to show she could evolve from the intimate concert she created with The Ruby Experience concert and now command an entire festival audience. The starlet used her time in the desert to display her singing, dancing and rapping talents and even had a special guest, Kali Uchis, join her halfway through the set.
In the first weekend of Coachella, LISA and JENNIE defined themselves further as artists, leaving critics to marvel at innovative, empowering sets and ultimately reaffirming BLACKPINK's undeniable status in the ever-evolving world of global pop music.
Check out six of the most special moments from this weekend below.
While Alter Ego earned LISA a top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and three new hits on the Billboard Hot 100, some reviews called the concept “neutered” by letting guest stars overtake LISA's spotlight. For her Coachella debut, each of the five sides of Ms. Lalisa introduced for the LP got a special moment to shine in the set's five distinct acts with specific songs and moods set in each section.
After Coachella, fans have a more precise and visual understanding of each alter ego: the supervillain Vixi (represented by powerful opening songs like “Thunder” and “Fxck Up the World”), the curious Kiki (represented by her collabs with Rosalía and Tyla), hopeless romantic Sunni (“Moonlit Floor,” ” Dream”), confident and content Speedi (“Money,” “Born Again”) and, finally, the global superstar in Roxi (who closed the set with “Lifestyle” and “Rockstar”).
Other reviews for Alter Ego pointed to the record not sharing enough about LISA's identity, but the entire Coachella production gave us insight into her growth.
In the opening visuals for her set, LISA is seen across video screens hoisted and held by humongous chains, arriving onstage secured atop a podium with chains, and her backup dancers move with chain links around their necks. The stage blacked out halfway through the opening number of “Thunder,” with all the chains removed from the stage so LISA and the crew could close the show unshackled.
After her chains were removed, each section displayed key words to give insight into where we were in this journey. “REDISCOVER” flashed across the screen when Act 2 began, before we moved into LISA discovering “THE DREAM” in the third act, getting “SUPERCHARGED” and “Testing the Limits” in Act 2, and finally finding herself as “THE ROCKSTAR” in the show's final act.
While we didn't get a biography's worth of information, the show's staging and visuals give more insight into her music career than most proper interviews. The full-package Coachella performance sets the stage for LISA the artist.
For too long, LISA downplayed her vocal abilities and kept the focus on her performance prowess. But Coachella included the live debuts of Alter Ego‘s softer tracks “Dream” and “Chill,” with the star slowing things down in her own performance to meet the moment. For this section, viewers were treated to a genuinely new side of LISA when she sat on the stage to deliver Alter Ego‘s moving closing track, “Dream,” live.
Despite the thousands in attendance, LISA bringing “Dream” to life felt like being inside an intimate diary entry as she punched through each poignant lyric: “Whenever I close my eyes, it's taking me back in time/ Been drowning in dreams lately, like it's 2019, baby.”
The undeniable emotion showed here felt like a breakthrough in seeing LISA as an even more all-rounder performer, but even more so as a vocalist. Technically speaking, anyone can sing a song, but it takes a true singer to make someone believe and connect with the words they sing.
According to this reporter's count, JENNIE was rocking with around 20 dancers throughout her Sunday set. While the local Coachella newspaper, the Desert Sun, noted how the starlet has been “accused of dancing lazily” in past performances, the precision and intensity seen as she led the crew through songs like opener “Filter,” “with the IE (way up)” the various remixed dance sections in between songs, or her signature hit “like JENNIE” speak to a truly energized and bold performer who not only leads her dance crew, but manages to stand out as the undeniable leader.
Even Desert Sun later noted how “if you need evidence to sway someone in support of JENNIE's talent and energy, it's worth looking to her performances of ‘Mantra,' ‘ExtraL' and ‘like JENNIE' during Weekend 1.”
When JENNIE celebrated her album with a select few concerts called The Ruby Experience, the showcase mostly went from the high-energy cuts to ending with the LP's closing acoustic ballad “twin” while sitting in a cozy red chair. But with Coachella, the show's energy and tempo greatly varied, spotlighting more of JENNIE's vocal range.
While the 29-year-old may be more recognized for her intense rap style, since BLACKPINK's 2016 debut with the double singles “BOOMBAYAH” and “Whistle,” the latter single allowed JENNIE several moments to show off her rich and impassioned singing style. JENNIE put “F.T.S.” right in the middle of her set and delivered emotional ad libs and harmonies throughout the cut, bringing real heart to the center of the performance.
The final two songs of the set probably best encapsulate the mix JENNIE displayed: the high-impact rap anthem “like JENNIE” was followed by the dreamy dance cut “Starlight,” where our diva began singing only accompanied by her keyboard player, before telling everyone to get ready to jump once the beat dropped before unleashing several growls and belts.
Both JENNIE and LISA got some flak for the large amount of features across their solo albums, with detractors ignoring the possibility of genuine artistic admiration and instead claiming they needed to lean on their collaborators. But if Kali Uchis' heartfelt introduction for JENNIE at Billboard's Women in Music event earlier this year didn't convince you, we got to see the duo take their friendship to the stage at Coachella to perform Ruby's album cut “Damn Right.”
Once Kali hit the stage for her verse, both women continuously served and swerved along to the song's sensual atmosphere with playful hip sways together, shooting several smiles at one another. JENNIE gave a shout-out to her special guest multiple times throughout the set, and it looked like she couldn't wait to give Uchis a huge hug when the song ended, shouting, “I love you so much, Kali, thank you!”
It's no small feat to ask another musician to come join you in Indio, California, for a guest spot during your set, but getting to see the love JENNIE and Kali Uchis have for one another on the stage certainly will make haters think twice before saying collabs were nothing but industry-conjured connections.
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Fans of “Harry Potter” be prepared to have your hearts hit by the wingardium leviosa spell because the teaching staff at Hogwarts have been set for the rebooted TV series based on the books.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced in a press release that six adult actors will make up the adults of the HBO series.
Previously, the cast was announced in piecemeal but now we have confirmation for the Hogwarts staff viewers will be seeing throughout the life of the show.
The cast will include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
The final character announcements are Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
The press release also notes that each actor has any combination of awards and nominations from the Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, BAFTAs, and Olivier awards.
Executive producer and showrunner Francesca Gardiner and fellow executive producer director Mark Mylod are as excited as fans for the new “Harry Potter” series.
“We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch,” they said in a statement.
“We're delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can't wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”
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While the children playing the main and recurring characters have yet to be cast, WBD is holding open auditions for a diverse set of stars. What's more is that 32,000 children have been seen so far. The producers previously indicated they would like to stick with correct ages for all characters, meaning that the children will be 11 to start and grow throughout the life of the show.
“We haven't made any final choices, but we're workshopping with a shortlist in January. And there are some crackers,” Mylod told The Hollywood Reporter regarding casting the children.
Filming is set to begin in the U.K. in 2025-2026.
The new “Harry Potter” series will cover the books of the same name. It's been in development since 2021. Each book is expected to make up one season, totaling for a seven season series.
As for when the show will premiere, CEO David Zaslav expects the show to be delivered sometime in 2026.
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Congressman Eric Burlison rejoins the show with Stephen Diener to discuss the newest member of his transparency team, David Grusch, and how the famous whistleblower is helping open up new doors in their investigations into the UFO phenomenon. Plus, new details on future hearings, SCIF's, and getting into the “biologics” room. All of this and much more during this exclusive one on one…
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Scientists on an icebreaker ship have captured a number of weird and wacky animals from Antarctica's ocean floor, including a bizarre pig-shaped creature.
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Strange creatures straight out of a science-fiction movie have been captured by scientists off the coast of Antarctica.
Pink and bulbous "sea pigs", hand-sized sea spiders and delicate sea butterflies are among the bizarre animals hauled up from the ocean floor by a team of Australian researchers aboard the icebreaker ship RSV Nuyina, which is on a 60-day voyage across the Southern Ocean to the Denman Glacier.
Some of the weird wildlife may even be previously undiscovered.
"[We've collected] a really large diversity of a broad suite of marine life, and likely some new species to science," Jan Strugnell, a professor of marine biology at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, told ABC News.
The RSV Nuyina was launched for the Denman Marine Voyage to investigate the effects of warming sea temperatures on the Denman Glacier, which is located about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometres) south of Australia and has already retreated 3.1 miles (5 km) between 1996 and 2017/2018. It is considered the fastest-melting glacier in East Antarctica.
Along the way, the ship's researchers have been trawling the sea floor to bring up a huge variety of unusual organisms from the deep.
One of the strangest creatures was a sea pig. These bizarre animals are a type of sea cucumber and measure around 1.5 to 6 inches (4 to 15 centimeters) long. They get their name from their squishy, bloated bodies and stubby little legs, which make them vaguely resemble pigs. Sea pigs live on the sea floor, between 3,300 to 19,500 feet (1 to 6 km) below the ocean's surface, and feed on the organic material that falls from the upper ocean layers, sometimes called "marine snow."
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The scientists also fished out sea spiders "as big as your hand" and sea stars "that grow to the size of a dinner plate," according to Strugnell.
Sea spiders are not true spiders, but instead belong to a separate group of arthropods, more closely related to crabs than the arachnids that live on land. They have eight long, thin legs and tiny bodies, with some species having a leg span of up to 20 inches (51 cm).
There are over 1,300 species of sea spider, which are found on the sea floor in a wide range of environments, including depths of up to 13,100 feet (4 km). Their bodies are so small that some of their organs — including parts of the gut and reproductive systems — are stuffed into their legs.
The researchers on the ship were able to capture the most minuscule and fragile creatures thanks to a special "wet well," which is a tank that holds seawater and is used to keep marine organisms alive and in good condition after they are collected from the ocean.
One organism that they were able to study was a sea butterfly, a type of sea snail that looks like it flies through the water. The sea butterfly specimen — nicknamed "Clio" by the scientists — laid eggs in one of the aquariums on the ship, allowing the researchers to study how these eggs developed for the very first time.
"The team is super excited about having the little creature and observing it and looking after it, so that it tells all the secrets that have been hidden until now," Laura Herraiz Borreguero, an oceanographer at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP), told ABC News.
—Watch enormous deep-sea spiders crawl around sub-Antarctic seafloor
—Leaf sheep: The adorable solar-powered sea slug that looks like Shaun the Sheep
—32 truly bizarre deep-sea creatures
Along with collecting creatures from the deep, the researchers have also been taking samples of seawater near the edge of the glacier to analyze temperature, salinity, oxygen and the level of metals present at different depths.
"For us to really understand how much heat enters the ice shelf, we need to be as close as possible to understand these processes and properties of the ocean," Herraiz Borreguero said.
"The system is changing. And it is really important that we observe the change so that we keep on challenging those climate models we rely on for our mitigation and adaptation strategies."
Jess Thomson is a freelance journalist. She previously worked as a science reporter for Newsweek, and has also written for publications including VICE, The Guardian, The Cut, and Inverse. Jess holds a Biological Sciences degree from the University of Oxford, where she specialised in animal behavior and ecology.
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Trove of dinosaur footprints reveal Jurassic secrets on Isle of Skye where would-be Scottish king Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped
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Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.
Dear Atlas is Atlas Obscura's travel advice column, answering the questions you won't find in traditional guidebooks. Have a question for our experts? Submit it here.
* * *
Dear Atlas,
My wife and I are obsessed with ghost stories, so for our anniversary we want to stay someplace that's purportedly haunted. Are there any cool hotels or vacation rentals where one might have a paranormal encounter?
It seems every hotel and vacation rental today wants to boast a haunting—perhaps there's no such thing as cursed press. If you're interested in overnighting inside a ghost story, it can be a bit daunting to hunt through the hundreds of claims floating around. And while many visitors are entertained by staying at well-known spooky lodgings like the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, ever famous for its creepy atmosphere that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, for this request we're going beyond fame based on fictions or feelings based on appearances.
Rather than be so easily enticed by vague promises of unexplained sounds, smells, or misplaced items, we've searched for accommodations with deeper backstories and stronger archival “evidence,” if you will, for hosting centuries-old guests. We've located hotels around the world where ghostly claims are backed by chronicled histories and testimonies of past deaths. That means whether or not you succeed in finding your own paranormal encounter, you'll know you're sleeping in a setting connected to the afterlife. The choice then becomes a question of what flavor of ghost you prefer, from soldiers to murder victims and cowboys to child spirits.
Many fatalities have been documented at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Not only did two people fall to their death on the premises, several people also died at the hands of a fraud doctor who experimented on patients and pocketed their money. You can hear about the grim history on the hotel's ghost tours or participate in a nighttime ghost hunt, both of which include visits to the old basement morgue.
Quite a few stays seem plagued by the spirits of children. Sickness claimed many young guests, such as seven-year-old Mary Masters who died of cholera in 1846 at The Shelbourne in Dublin, a young girl who succumbed to polio on the eighth floor of the Hotel Alex Johnson in South Dakota, and a child named Rosalia Fihn who passed from typhoid fever in 1908 at The Manor in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Their misplaced items and laughter have supposedly lingered around rooms still rentable today.
Another girl is said to have drowned at The Drovers Inn in Scotland, though perhaps more strange are the cattle herders who regularly fought to the death while battling over cows in the 18th century and allegedly cause all kinds of mischief today. Murder played a never-ending role at both the Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts, where you can stay and see where the infamous woman killed her parents with an axe, and the Villisca Axe Murder House, a farmhouse in Iowa where guests can attempt to sleep through the night after hearing about the six children and two adults bludgeoned to death on the property.
A more medieval murder can be found at Lumley Castle, built in 1389 in England, where the wife of the original owner was killed and thrown down a well by Catholic monks, so they could pretend she'd converted to Catholicism on her deathbed while her husband was away in Scotland. Stories of Lily Lumley are told on the “Night With the Spirits” tour of the castle, and you can even peer down the well of her doom.
At the Biltmore Hotel in Florida, the story begins with the mob murder of Thomas “Fatty” Walsh in 1929, but develops more morbid layers after being turned into a World War II hospital, which was abandoned in 1968 and reopened for bookings in 1987. Several other properties saw the mass death of soldiers, such as the Concord's Colonial Inn in Massachusetts that functioned during the Revolutionary War and The Marshall House, which was once a Civil War hospital in Savannah, Georgia.
A prisoner of war met his end at Parador de Jaén in Spain, where some guests have had disturbances in hallways and in room 22. And Dragsholm Castle in Hørve, Denmark is said to be haunted by James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell, who died while imprisoned in the dungeon in 1578. Today, he's just one of many ghosts said to roam the old palace-turned-prison-turned-hotel.
Some hotels today have been cursed by fatal accidents. A 1930s cruise ship called The Queen Mary, which was used during WWII to transport troops, is now a floating hotel in California—despite the girl who drowned in the on-deck swimming pool and a crew member who was crushed to death in the engine room. In Thailand, a fire claimed the lives of 13 people at First Hotel Bangkok in 1988, where guests say they're still disturbed by the victims. Another deadly accident led to the haunting of the 17th-century Ballygally Castle in Ireland by Lady Isobel Shaw, after she fell from a tower window.
Finally, you might hear the faint click of cowboy boots at a few hotels in America's Wild West, where many disputes were settled by gunfights. Some 26 victims were fatally shot at the St. James Hotel in New Mexico, a barman was shot dead at the Black Monarch in Colorado, and Chief Justice John P. Slough lost a draw in 1867 at La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In each case, the hotels transport guests back in time with historic architecture, period decor, a touch of macabre, and maybe some unexpected nightly visitors.
* * *
Danielle Hallock is a former senior editor at Atlas Obscura, Thrillist, and Culture Trip, as well as a writer for National Geographic, Well+Good, and Time Out. She's been working in travel since 2018, after four years as a managing editor at Penguin Random House. As a Chilean-American, crossing cultures and mountains is in her nature, and she continues to grow her collection of books, bagged summits, and passport stamps. Though she has a hard time sitting still, Brooklyn has become her base camp.
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Quantum superposition is a phenomenon in which a tiny particle can be in two states at the same time — but only if it is not being directly observed.
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Quantum physics is the branch of science that deals with the tiniest particles in the universe, such as atoms, electrons, photons (light particles), and other subatomic particles like quarks.
In the everyday world, at the scale that we can see, things tend to follow the laws of classical physics. However, when you zoom all the way in to the smallest particles, classical physics stops working quite as well, and the rules of quantum mechanics come into play.
Some of the key concepts of quantum physics are that particles like electrons can behave as waves, and vice versa (known as wave-particle duality); two particles can be linked in such a way that if you measure one, you instantly know something about the other (quantum entanglement); and a quantum particle can be in multiple states at once until it's observed (quantum superposition).
In everyday life, something can only be in one state at a time: a light switch is either on or off, a cat is either dead or alive. In the quantum world, things don't work quite the same way. Quantum superposition describes how a quantum particle, like an electron, a photon, or even an atom, can exist in multiple different states at the same time — until it's measured. Before it's observed, it's not halfway between states, but is instead a "superposition" of the two at once.
In quantum physics, the state of a particle is described by a wave equation, which tells us the probabilities of where a particle might be or what its properties might be. This probability wave can exist in a blend of multiple states.
Schrödinger's Cat is a famous thought experiment that illustrates how superposition works. Imagine a cat in a box with a mechanism that has a 50/50 chance of killing it, depending on whether or not a quantum particle decays radioactively, spontaneously changing into a different type of atom and releasing radioactive particles like electrons.
Until someone opens the box and observes it, the cat is considered to be in a superposition of both alive and dead. When you measure or observe the system — or in the case of Schrödinger's Cat look inside the box — the superposition settles into one definite state, and the cat's fate is discovered.
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Related: Physicists create hottest Schrödinger's cat ever in quantum technology breakthrough
Quantum superposition has been experimentally observed by scientists on multiple occasions. One famous example is the double-slit experiment, where photons are fired at a barrier with two slits, behind which is a a screen that records where the particles land. If you send particles through one slit, you get a single band on the screen, but if you open both, you get a wave-like interference pattern with multiple bands on the screen, which also proves that particles and waves can act like each other. Sending one particle at a time, you would expect each one to go through one slit or the other. However, the interference pattern still builds up, as if each single particle is interfering with itself. This means that each single particle is somehow going through both slits at once, and therefore is in a superposition of both possibilities
If you try to measure which slit the particle goes through, the superposition collapses: the particle does appear to have passed through a single slit, and the interference pattern disappears, leaving only two bands on the screen.
Additionally, ions and larger molecules have been experimentally trapped in a superposed state, and chlorophyll in the leaves of plants has been discovered to use quantum superposition to more efficiently harvest light from the sun.
Quantum superposition is also used as a tool in quantum computing and is the main reason quantum computers can be so powerful.
A classical binary bit can only be in one state at a time: 0 or 1. These bits are encoded on transistors, usually made from silicon, germanium or other semiconductors. With three bits present, they can have a potential of 8 different states: 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110, and 111. To process all possibilities, a classical computer has to check them one at a time.
—Qubits inspired by 'Schrödinger's cat' thought experiment could usher in powerful quantum computers by 2030
—Schrödinger's Cat breakthrough could usher in the 'Holy Grail' of quantum computing, making them error-proof
—AWS launches 'Ocelot' quantum processor — a chip inspired by Schrödinger's cat that corrects errors exponentially with scale
In quantum computers, particles such as electrons or photons act as a qubit (quantum bit), which can be in a superposition of both 0 and 1. Three qubits can be in a superposition of all 8 possible states at once, meaning that quantum computers can process a much larger number of calculations simultaneously. With three qubits present, a quantum computer could process all eight states listed above at once.
This much greater processing power than traditional computers could mean that quantum computers could one day be used to perform complex simulations in pharmaceuticals, climate modeling, and manufacturing. In theory, a quantum computer powerful enough can perform calculations in seconds that would have taken the most powerful supercomputers millions of years to complete.
World Quantum Day, an international celebration held to promote public understanding of quantum science, is held annually on April 14.
The date, 4/14, was chosen because 4.14 represents the first three digits of Planck's constant (4.135667696 x 10-15 electron volts per hertz, rounded to 4.14 x 10-15) — an important number in quantum physics.
Jess Thomson is a freelance journalist. She previously worked as a science reporter for Newsweek, and has also written for publications including VICE, The Guardian, The Cut, and Inverse. Jess holds a Biological Sciences degree from the University of Oxford, where she specialised in animal behavior and ecology.
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The ghost that tried to pay rent is a real one. 🤭
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A wendigo is a cannibalistic monster from North American Algonquian folklore. Fun!
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Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
volume 12, Article number: 535 (2025)
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This study investigates expert figures' roles in alien-related UFO conspiracy theories, focusing on their impact on public perception through social media analysis. Utilizing a blend of content and trend analysis, we examine the invocation of scientific authority in UFO conspiracy narratives, identifying a reliance on expert endorsement to legitimize claims about extraterrestrial activity and government secrecy. Findings highlight a common use of expert figures, often without empirical backing, to bolster conspiracy theories.The research reveals the challenge of distinguishing credible information from conspiracy in a landscape where expert authority is easily co-opted. This underscores the importance of scientific literacy and critical thinking in combating disinformation. The study's implications extend to educational and policy measures aimed at fostering a skeptical and informed public debate on controversial topics. By exploring the dynamics between authority, belief, and disinformation, this work contributes to understanding the mechanisms behind the spread of conspiracy theories and the complex role of expertise in shaping public discourse in the digital age.
The pervasive belief that covert forces are orchestrating global political and social events is not merely a product of digital folklore, but a reflection of a deeper, conspiratorial mindset that seeks simplistic explanations for the complex machinations of the world. This inclination to attribute intricate scientific phenomena and significant historical events to the machinations of an elusive group finds expression in various theories, ranging from the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic (Kelly 2023) to the motivations behind the 9/11 attacks (Swami et al. 2010). The allure of conspiracy theories is not just in their simplicity (Harambam and Aupers 2015). Despite their often implausible premises, they garner a growing number of followers, driven by an evolutionary predisposition towards such beliefs as a survival mechanism, suggesting a deep-rootedness in human psychology (van Prooijen and van Vugt 2018). The nexus between conspiracy theories and the propagation of misinformation and disinformation is undeniable, primarily due to the lack of verifiable evidence supporting the clandestine occurrences these theories purport (Rubin 2019).
The multifaceted nature of conspiracy theory belief is underscored by a constellation of psychological, cognitive, social, and political factors (Douglas et al. 2017; Dyrendal et al. 2021; Goertzel 1994; Schuster et al. 2023; van Prooijen and van Vugt, 2018). Notably, the quest for uniqueness is identified as a significant motivator behind the embrace of conspiracy theories, offering adherents a distinct perspective on the workings of the world (Bowes et al. 2023). The psychological profile of individuals predisposed to conspiracy beliefs often includes feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, social alienation, insecurity in social and employment spheres, skepticism towards authoritative entities, and a sense of disenfranchisement (Abalakina-Paap et al. 1999). This susceptibility is further fueled by epistemic motivations, such as the quest for certainty and control, with conspiracy theories offering seemingly simple explanations for complex occurrences (Douglas and Sutton 2011). Additionally, heightened levels of paranoia and antagonism towards others have been correlated with an increased propensity for conspiratorial thinking.
The role of predispositions in shaping responses to conspiracy-laden information is significant, with Uscinski et al. (2014), noting that individuals devoid of strong partisan biases or pre-existing beliefs about conspiracy theories are particularly influenced by media suggestions of conspiracy. Moreover, conspiracy theories can fulfill social needs by engendering a sense of belonging within groups or communities. This has the potential to unite disparate social factions (Madisson and Ventsel 2020) and facilitate the rapid dissemination of manipulative narratives, as evidenced by the online activities of far-right movements (Marwick et al. 2022). Vulnerabilities to conspiratorial beliefs also intersect with various predispositions, including partisanship (Uscinski and Parent 2014), economic instability (Adam-Troian et al. 2023), and schizotypal personalities (Dyrendal et al. 2021), alongside correlations with paranormal belief and challenges in reality testing (Drinkwater et al. 2012).
This study conceptualizes conspiracy theories as frameworks of alternative knowledge that challenge established scientific discourse (Marii-Liis Madisson et al. 2021). Illuminating the dangers posed by the scientific community's inadvertent legitimization of such theories. The case of Nikolaas Tinbergen, a Nobel laureate who ventured beyond his expertise to advocate for unfounded autism therapy, exemplifies the peril of scientists lending credibility to unsubstantiated theories (Weigmann 2018). This erosion of trust in scientific authority is further exemplified by the persistence of UFO-related conspiracy theories, a domain marked by the engagement of both scientists and lay investigators. The historical account of James Everell's 1639 sighting and the 1938 radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds,” which incited public hysteria (Anton and Vugrin 2022), underscores the enduring capacity of UFO narratives to instigate widespread panic (Whinthrop 2009).
This refined articulation emphasizes the complexity and diversity of factors contributing to the allure of conspiracy theories, highlighting the intricate interplay between psychological predispositions, societal factors, and the influence of disinformation. It also critically examines the role of the scientific community in inadvertently validating conspiratorial narratives, thus contributing to the broader discourse on the impact of such beliefs on public understanding and trust in scientific institutions. We follow the understanding of conspiracy theories described by Douglas and Sutton (2011), who define them as interpretations of major events or situations that suggest they result from secretive, coordinated actions by two or more individuals.
A report published by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in February 2024 (AARO 02.2024), reviewing the record of the United States Government (USG) on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), has proven that there is no evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence or alien spacecraft hidden by the government. Moreover, the investigators found out that most of the reports confirming UFOs are a result of misidentification and misinterpretation.
AARO found no evidence that any USG investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology. All investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification (AARO 02.2024).
Moreover, even though the American government investigated many cases of UFOs, there has not been found any evidence of extraterrestrial technology, but there have been some unexplained UAP sightings. A thorough discussion of UAPs should therefore acknowledge two key realities: the absence of definitive evidence and the lack of clear explanations. This balanced perspective helps clarify why these phenomena continue to intrigue both the public and the academic community.
So far, alien conspiracy theories have been studied through the prism of change in UFO discourse (Anton and Vugrin 2022), pop culture and media phenomena, and distrust of authorities in the USA (Ellwood and Dean 1999), interpreting UFO as a contemporary religion (Pasulka 2019) or a myth (Wojcik 2021) and many more. Nevertheless, there is a research gap in the field of online UAP discourses and the role of experts in authenticating aliens' existence.
In this paper, we address UFO-related online narratives in the context of rhetorical structures. We aimed to study the role of experts, interpreted as scientists, self-researchers, and UFO witnesses in creating and justifying the UAP-related conspiracy and disinformation. Moreover, this study was used to examine, how false narratives can be empowered by the invocation of authority.
To achieve this research goal, we stated the following research questions:
RQ1: What is the expert figure in conspiracy theory regarding UFOs?
RQ2: What is the role of experts in authenticating conspiracy theories about aliens?
Although fields of conspiracy theories and online disinformation have been getting more attention recently, in the sphere of rhetoric and narratology exist research gaps regarding how senders build their misleading messages referring to science. Conspiracy rhetoric has been described as a struggle to define the grounding of discourse (Goodnight and Poulakos 1981), which can be interpreted as a constant war to win public opinion with manipulative, anti-scientific, and disinforming content.
Nevertheless, van Prooijen and van Vugt (2018) suggest that psychological studies can bring many advantages to the studies about conspiracy theories. The authors also mention, that conspiracy-believing is not necessarily a pathological behavior, but can be present among ordinary citizens. For instance, Bowes et al. (2023) provides a comprehensive meta-analysis of the psychological and motivational factors associated with conspiratorial ideation. It must be stated that, in order to fully understand the characteristic of conspiracy theories, we should address both individual and societal-level factors in mitigating the spread of them, such as, intuitive thinking, weak reasoning skills or perceptions of existential threats.
On the other hand, there have been found significant relationships between conspiracy theories and paranoia and trust (Bowes et al. 2023). Moreover, Biddlestone et al. (2025) found out conspiracy beliefs are associated with cognitive styles that rely on intuition, poor reasoning ability, existential threats (particularly from the world around us and in society), alongside efforts to defend the self-image and the image of the ingroup (Biddlestone et al. 2025, p.21).
Whereas, UFO-related content is a catalyst of postmodern anxieties, especially in the USA (Ellwood and Dean 1999). Moreover, the spread of abduction stories is linked with the feeling of insecurity and is a continuation of the thought that government is unable to protect the citizens from danger.
On the other hand, UFO conspiracy theories can be interpreted as a form of myth, expressing the need to explain the complexity of the universe. According to Wojcik (Wojcik 2021), UFO cosmologies are etiological knowledge systems that clarify the meaning of human existence. The reason for following such a theory is being overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe.
Conspiracy theories usually rely on rhetorical tactics to persuade their audience with blurred photos and witnesses' testimonies. In light of the strong presence of the alien theme in pop culture, not much has to be made to convince the public that UFOs exist and are not imaginary visions invented by directors and writers. Cognitive errors are significant for conspiracy-believing. Due to heuristics (Kahneman 2011) such as confirmation bias, mere exposure effect, and manipulative messages, people are eager to believe in mystical creatures from the universe. Another cognitive error connected with conspirational thinking is my side bias (Weigmann 2018), which, similarly to confirmation bias, is a concept based on favoring arguments that confirm existing beliefs and disregarding anything that raises uncertainty.
Furthermore, Goodnight and Poulakos pointed out that in the first stage of conspiracy-believing individuals share a concern or puzzle, not a clear conclusion (Goodnight and Poulakos 1981). Those suspicions may be empowered by other believers spreading fake news about mystical events. Even if the government provides official testimonies providing rational explanations, suspicions may be continued.
In COMPACT's report, there are distinguished two rhetorical strategies used in conspiracy theories (COMPACT Education Group 2022). The first one is based on providing evidence for ridiculous and misleading events while ignoring all the evidence. The second tactics discredit the officials' explanation of events by finding errors in their messages. It is called the rhetoric of just asking questions (COMPACT Education Group 2022). In the UFO discourse, both of these strategies have been used.
However, our main interest in this article is how the figure of authority is used in the message to enhance the conspirational narrative. Citing experts and following their judgments are linked to the halo effect. It is a cognitive error that Kahneman (Kahneman 2011) described as the tendency to like (or dislike) everything about a person—including things you have not observed. Due to the halo effect, people tend to believe that scientists as authorities provide insightful and research-based views, even if they share opinions outside their research field.
Moreover, experts expressing their opinions from an ex-cathedra create a vision of authority. They are self-confident in citing research and examples, so that public opinion may perceive all of their insights are valuable and well-thought. However, as Weigmann (Weigmann 2018) points out, scientists are also prone to confirmation bias, but they are more persuasive, because of the ability of logical reasoning.
Moreover, conspiracy theorists refer to science authorities and their expertise, to build the audience's trust Marii-Liis Madisson et al. 2021. This was also observed in the context of one of the most prominent conspirational theorists, Alex Jones, who invited a “security expert” to provide arguments for the hoax of the Sandy Hook case, in his broadcast.
In the previous discursive analysis, of COVID-19, researchers implemented Diatextual Analysis and Discursive Action Model with a focus on classical Aristotle's rhetoric division of logos, ethos, and pathos (Scardigno et al. 2023). Such an approach is useful to examine the rhetorical structure of analyzed communication (Fig. 1).
Aristotle's rhetorical pyramid.
Nowadays, we are facing a new challenges related to fake news and disinformation generated with the use of AI, so scientists justifying hoaxes and conspiracy theories are even more dangerous for public debate. Such utilization of the authority figure in fake news may persuade parents not to vaccinate their children because they believe that there is a link between vaccination and autism spectrum disorder. The discourse started after the publication of a fraudulent research paper titled “Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children” (Wakefield et al. 1998). The authors claimed to present a link between the MMR vaccine (a trivalent vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella) and the onset of non-specific colitis, subsequently leading to autism. The study described 12 cases of children with developmental disorders. It also suggested an alleged link, which the parents of 8 of these children believed to exist, between the MMR vaccination and the observed developmental disorders. The study and its results were retracted by The Lancelet and the scientific consensus regarding the relationship between vaccinations and autism is unequivocal and remains unchanged—there is no link between vaccinations and autism (DeStefano et al. 2013; Gabis et al. 2022; Hviid et al. 2019). However, the anti-vaccination arguments are still used to rationalize the prevalence of children's autism spectrum disorder by their parents (Pivetti et al. 2020). Moreover, the discourse was also visible during the COVID-19 pandemic with tweets containing the hashtag #AstraZeneca, revealing that the most widely shared tweets were those containing negative information about the British-Swedish vaccine (Jemielniak and Krempovych, 2021).
To better understand the public discourse surrounding UFOs on social media, this study employs a hybrid methodological approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative analyses of X platform (formerly Twitter) posts. The adoption of computational methods, alongside traditional content analysis, facilitates an exhaustive examination of the voluminous data derived from social media platforms, enabling researchers to distill complex patterns and narratives from the digital chatter (Ducheneaut et al. 2010; Ganczewski and Jemielniak 2022). This dual-pronged strategy aligns with the principles of the Thick Big Data method, which advocates for a depth-oriented approach to the analysis of large-scale digital data sets, ensuring a robust methodological foundation for the study (Jemielniak 2020).
The integration of this methodological framework underscores the study's commitment to harnessing the comprehensive insights that big data analytics can provide, bridging the gap between quantitative breadth and qualitative depth.
To further enrich the research design, the study incorporates an analysis of contemporary media narratives on UFOs, juxtaposed with trend analysis via Google Trends. Google Trends is a tool renowned for its capacity to reflect public interest and attention across various topics (Jun et al. 2018). This component of the study leverages the unprecedented access to public sentiment afforded by digital platforms, echoing the growing recognition of online data sources as invaluable resources for understanding shifts in societal interests and concerns (Nuti et al. 2014). By meticulously tracking search trends related to UFOs and associated phenomena, the research taps into a real-time barometer of public curiosity and engagement, offering a dynamic view of how such interests evolve. This approach is grounded in the methodological rigor suggested by Mellon (2013), who emphasizes the importance of contextual validation in digital data analysis to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the insights gleaned. Specifically, the study scrutinizes search trends for keywords including “UFO,” “alien,” “NASA,” “reptilian,” and “extraterrestrial,” distinguishing between global and national contexts and correlating these trends with media reports over a specified period (30 October 2022 to 30 October 2023).
This strategic analysis framework is designed to capture the multifaceted nature of public engagement with UFO-related content, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the digital landscape surrounding this phenomenon.
Our research design consisted of the following elements:
Google Trends analysis.
Data scraping & Thick Big Data Method.
Content analysis.
By methodologically combining content analysis, computational techniques, and trend analysis, the study sets a comprehensive stage for the in-depth examination of UFO discourse on social media. This methodological amalgamation not only underscores the study's innovative approach to digital data analysis but also establishes a solid foundation for the subsequent exploration of public conversations and narratives about UFOs on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The meticulous integration of diverse data sources and analytical techniques reflects a commitment to capturing the complexity and dynamism of digital public spheres, positioning the study at the forefront of contemporary research into social media discourse and public interest phenomena.
In the next step, we used Thick Big Data Method, employing our own Python script and scraped posts from the X platform (formerly Twitter) to study the patterns and narrations that occur in communication about UFOs. For scrapping, we have chosen hashtags directly connected with the subject of the analysis: #UFO (117 k of Tweets), #UFOsightings (21 k), #Aliens (79 k), and #UAP (66 k). The collected data were set in the timeframe of March 2022 to November 2023. From each hashtag, we extracted samples of the 25 most liked, English-language Tweets (100 in total) including the keywords: expert(s), and scientist(s).
Thereafter, each Tweet was analyzed in terms of popularity, including content such as pictures, videos, memes, URL links, rhetorical means, main subjects, pro-UFO arguments, main emotions linked to the content, type of expert—UFO-witness, scientist, self-explorer, other, presentation of experts with the visual elements. Each section contained questions and categories, which were later used for a thorough narrative and rhetorical analysis.
In our content analysis—focusing on rhetoric, we followed Aristotle's division of speech (Rapp 2022): logos (arguments in narration), ethos (credibility—subjectivity vs objectivity), and pathos (emotional sphere). This method allows us to closely examine the construction of UFO-related messages. This research method is also followed by the discursive strategies distinguished to develop and construct conspiracy theories (Kou et al. 2017).
Aristotle's works have also been utilized in the analysis of modern political rhetoric (Wróbel 2015). Further, Aristotle's triad serves as a traditional framework for analyzing and crafting persuasive communication, making it highly applicable in rhetorical and narrative analysis. In our study, we have created a coding key, including information about: the type of expert (1. Scientist, 2. UFO-enthusiast, 3. UFO-witness, 4. other), the main subject of the message, emotions, main pro-UFO arguments, rhetorical means used by experts, emotions and visual elements of each tweet, as well as appearance of expert. The category of the main subject was created as a part of inductive coding, thus after the analysis of half of the sample we distinguished six options: 1. media news about aliens, 2. interview with expert / expert's quotation, 3. witnessing UFO, 4. pop culture, 5. discovery in Mexico, 6. other.
Furthermore, we were able to map the narrator's role in creating the UFO-related conspiracy theories. We follow the understanding of Jannidis (Jannidis, 2003), who claims that the narrator is the source of the discourse, one of the meaningful structures of a narrative. Thus, experts sharing their views on UAP, either explaining and debunking alien-related conspiracy or justifying them, are sources of this discourse.
The evaluation of data gathered from 100 posts from X provides insightful trends and patterns regarding the studied discourse. A key aspect of this study involved categorizing the content types and subjects to understand the nature of these UFO-related conspiracy theories. Out of the 100 posts analyzed, 83 included pro-UFO arguments with “evidence”, which is assosiated with logos, based on pictures or videos/articles with comments from scientists believing in the UFO phenomena.
Our primary topic of interest was expert figures in the UFO discourse. According to the analysis, almost half of the posts (n = 48) included a figure of reputable scientists sharing pro-UFO arguments. In some cases, scientists were linked with organizations such as NASA where they are hired or used to be hired as space researchers. Some of the scientists were affiliated with the natural science of matter—Physics—or with research of everything in the universe beyond the Earth—Astronomy. However, few of the scientists mentioned were linked with disciplines such as IT, Management, Law, Medicine, etc.
A significant number of the posts incorporated multimedia elements. Out of the 100 posts analyzed, 35 featured videos, and 40 showcased pictures, indicating a strong preference for visual content in the dissemination of UFO-related information. This trend underscores the importance of visual aids in enhancing the persuasiveness and appeal of conspiracy theories.
More remarkably, 72 of these posts included testimonials or statements attributed to scientists confirming the existence of UFOs. This high number highlights the tendency of conspiracy theories to leverage the perceived authority of scientific figures to gain credibility. However, it is critical to note the difference between mere claims of scientific validation and actual scientific consensus. However, it has to be stated that individual testimonies of individual scientists, do not reflect common, scientific findings.
The content of the posts predominantly revolved around six main subjects. The most frequent subject was media news about aliens, accounting for 31 of the posts. This finding suggests that mainstream media plays a significant role in shaping public perception and discourse regarding alien-related conspiracy theories. Interviews with experts or quotations from them were the focus of 39 posts. The prominence of expert figures in these discussions reinforces the notion that authority figures are instrumental in influencing the beliefs and opinions in the realm of UFO conspiracy theories. Only 6 posts were accounts of witnessing UFOs, and another 6 were related to pop culture references. The relatively low frequency of personal encounter stories may imply a reliance on second-hand information and the influence of cultural narratives over direct experiences. Interestingly, only a single post specifically discussed UFOs in Mexico, indicating geographical biases or particular local interests within the conspiracy community. Lastly, 16 posts fell into the “other” category, indicating a diverse range of topics that did not fit neatly into the predefined subjects. This diversity reflects the complex and multifaceted nature of alien-related UFO conspiracy theories.
Surprisingly, in the sample we have found 26 polarized posts, negatively referring to: debunkers or skeptics (basing their judgments on old knowledge), the US government (described as: bad, afraid, lying, hiding secrets), police, other scientists. The implication is that the researched discourse promotes distrust of authorities—both traditional scientists and governmental bodies.
There were also found several examples of speech for each category of the pyramid (Table 1). We have noticed that the category of ethos was in the majority used to cite experts' opinions or testimonies on the UFO case. Meanwhile, logos appeared in posts citing data and simple explanations and evidence of the aliens' existence.
Overall, this analysis sheds light on how expert figures and media are leveraged in UFO conspiracy theories. The reliance on visual content and the invocation of scientific authority are particularly noteworthy, suggesting strategies employed by proponents of these theories to validate and disseminate their beliefs.
The exploration of UFO-related discourse on the X platform unveiled nuanced dynamics in how information, authority, and belief intermingle, painting a multifaceted picture of the engagement with unidentified flying objects within digital spaces. Initially, an overarching preference for emotional persuasion (pathos) over logical argumentation (logos) emerged starkly from the data. The discourse frequently leveraged the authority of scientists or experts without grounding claims in concrete evidence or referencing specific scientific publications. This rhetorical strategy emphasizes emotional engagement over critical scrutiny, with mentions of “research” by cited scientists often lacking transparency or detail, reducing the invocation of “scientist” to a mere appeal to ethos devoid of substantial proof (Walton 2010; Toulmin 2003). Thus, it is clear that essential part of the UFO-related conspiracy theories are utilizing the experts' authority, scientific language, as well as emotional content and questionable evidences of aliens. It should be emphasized that also the strategy of “just asking questions”, which often discredit scientific institutions, can be used to spread skepticism but also erodes public confidence in mainstream science. This strategy can bolster in-group cohesion and lead to confirmation bias by framing believers in UFO theories as part of a “truth-seeking” collective. Previous research has highlighted that learning about the strategies of spreading conspiracy theories and their features can result in campaigns and interventions improving the abilities of spotting untrue and unreliable online content (Basol et al. 2020).
Moreover, the investigation revealed active scientific interest in UFO phenomena, with some scholars acknowledging their existence or expressing a desire to study them further. This engagement has been co-opted by UFO proponents to lend credibility to claims of UFO sightings, often buttressed by visual evidence or self-identified researchers within the community. However, the analysis identified a tendency to exaggerate or misrepresent scientific statements, transforming general observations into unfounded confirmations of UFO existence (Barkun 2013; West and Sanders 2003)
A notable rhetorical tactic within the UFO discourse is the employment of a “just asking questions” strategy, designed to erode trust in established scientific principles without overtly espousing conspiracy theories. This method creates a veneer of skepticism while sowing doubt and distrust, effectively challenging the veracity of scientific knowledge under the guise of inquiry (Uscinski and Parent 2014).
The categorization of “experts” in the UFO discourse extends beyond the scientific community to encompass UFO witnesses and journalists, whose testimonies are often treated with a degree of credibility akin to scientific evidence. This expanded notion of expertise encompasses a diverse array of experiences, from civilian encounters to reports by military personnel, each contributing to the narrative's authenticity and depth (Dean 1998; Peebles 1991).
Additionally, an analysis of the portrayal of experts cited by the UFO community revealed a predominant representation of white males aged between 30 and 60, typically depicted in professional attire or lab coats, suggesting a stereotypical image of authority and expertise. Conversely, female representation was minimal and often relegated to the role of UFO witness, except in rare instances of caricatured or demeaning portrayals. This gendered depiction underscores entrenched stereotypes of scientific authority and professionalism (Flicker 2003).
In sum, the findings illuminate a sophisticated interplay of rhetoric, authority, and belief within the discourse on UFOs, underpinning a complex web of narratives that, despite often lacking convincing empirical backing, wield significant influence within certain segments of the community (Table 2). This intricate relationship between knowledge, belief, and persuasion highlights the pivotal role of rhetoric in shaping public perception and discourse in the digital era, reflecting broader themes of trust, credibility, and the construction of scientific authority (Jasanoff 2011; Latour 1987).
The exploration of expert figures within UFO-related conspiracy theories highlights a nuanced intersection between authority, credibility, and the propagation of speculative narratives. The pervasive invocation of scientific authority observed in our analysis echoes findings from Douglas et al. (2017), who noted the profound influence of perceived expertise on the endorsement and spread of conspiracy theories. This dynamic underscores a societal tendency to conflate expertise with credibility, a phenomenon starkly visible in the realm of UFO conspiracy theories, where speculative claims frequently gain legitimacy through the association with scientific credentials (Harambam and Aupers 2015; Barkun 2013; West and Sanders 2003). Such practices not only muddy the waters of scientific discourse, but also elevate unfounded narratives to the level of credible theories, posing challenges to public understanding of science. Our research expands the context of conspiracy theories research with the factor of experts' role in authorizing such content. Further, we must highlight that there is a need for further exploration of utilizing scientific language, discoveries and authority of science for the propagation and authentication of conspiracy theories in social media.
As Wojcik suggests, UFO-related conspiracy theories can provide answers to questions related with various societal crises and provide a vision of an extraterrestrial experience (Wojcik 2021). Such mythologies are related to the sphere of pathos - emotional aspects contained in the posts. The answer to existential fears may be contained in conspiracy theories that fuel fear or anger at official institutions hiding the truth about the world. This study's insights into the portrayal and utilization of expert figures in UFO discourse underscore significant challenges in distinguishing legitimate scientific discussion from speculative or misleading narratives, particularly in the digital media landscape. The rapid dissemination of information, irrespective of its accuracy, amplifies the challenge of combating disinformation, which poses significant risks to public health and safety, notably in areas like vaccination and climate change denial (Lewandowsky et al. 2017; Rubin 2019; Neff et al. 2021). It is also significant, that scientific expertise can be used to amplify the existing beliefs and lead to confirmation bias. In the era of a rapid development of AI and deep-fake technologies, we should be aware that it is much easier to create a photo or short video of UFO landing or aliens visit. Such multimedia can be used to lend credibility to the conspiracy theories being spread on social media. The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced scientific literacy and critical thinking among the public, necessitating concerted efforts from educational institutions and policymakers.
Our methodological approach, marrying content and trend analysis, offers a comprehensive lens through which the influence of expert figures on UFO conspiracy narratives can be understood. This dual-pronged strategy reveals the complex mechanisms through which expertise is wielded to bolster speculative claims, serving as a potential model for future investigations into disinformation across various contexts, and using diverse methods (Ducheneaut et al. 2010; Nuti et al. 2014). However, the study's focus on a singular social media platform limits the generalizability of our findings. Future research could expand this scope by incorporating a diverse range of digital and traditional media sources, providing a more holistic view of how expertise shapes public discourse around contentious scientific issues (Pamuk 2021; Okruszek et al. 2022). It should be also noted that our observations align with previous studies connected with exploration of authorization of conspiracy theories (Weigmann 2018). Thus, it is another example of reconstructing the figure of experts and institutional distrust in favor of conspiracy theories.
Given the pivotal role of expert figures in conferring legitimacy to UFO conspiracy theories, developing strategies to represent scientific consensus and expertise in public discourse accurately is paramount. Initiatives aimed at debunking disinformation and enhancing public engagement with science, such as science communication training for researchers and digital literacy programs, could mitigate the influence of unfounded conspiracy theories. Moreover, examining the psychological and social drivers behind the endorsement of conspiracy theories could inform interventions designed to build resilience against disinformation (Swami et al. 2010; van Prooijen and van Vugt 2018). This multifaceted approach not only addresses the immediate challenges posed by UFO conspiracy theories but also contributes to a broader strategy for fostering a well-informed and skeptical public discourse.
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the nature of social media data containing potentially sensitive information. Data has been collected through Twitter API's.
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This research was funded by a grant from National Science Centre Scholarship in the research project “Nonsense and propaganda online: internet communities and bots propagating misinformation” (no. 2020/38/A/HS6/00066).
Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland
Maria Lipińska, Nina Kotula & Dariusz Jemielniak
Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Lipińska, M., Kotula, N. & Jemielniak, D. Exploring expert figures in alien-related UFO conspiracy theories.
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This study investigates expert figures' roles in alien-related UFO conspiracy theories, focusing on their impact on public perception through social media analysis. Utilizing a blend of content and trend analysis, we examine the invocation of scientific authority in UFO conspiracy narratives, identifying a reliance on expert endorsement to legitimize claims about extraterrestrial activity and government secrecy. Findings highlight a common use of expert figures, often without empirical backing, to bolster conspiracy theories.The research reveals the challenge of distinguishing credible information from conspiracy in a landscape where expert authority is easily co-opted. This underscores the importance of scientific literacy and critical thinking in combating disinformation. The study's implications extend to educational and policy measures aimed at fostering a skeptical and informed public debate on controversial topics. By exploring the dynamics between authority, belief, and disinformation, this work contributes to understanding the mechanisms behind the spread of conspiracy theories and the complex role of expertise in shaping public discourse in the digital age.
The pervasive belief that covert forces are orchestrating global political and social events is not merely a product of digital folklore, but a reflection of a deeper, conspiratorial mindset that seeks simplistic explanations for the complex machinations of the world. This inclination to attribute intricate scientific phenomena and significant historical events to the machinations of an elusive group finds expression in various theories, ranging from the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic (Kelly 2023) to the motivations behind the 9/11 attacks (Swami et al. 2010). The allure of conspiracy theories is not just in their simplicity (Harambam and Aupers 2015). Despite their often implausible premises, they garner a growing number of followers, driven by an evolutionary predisposition towards such beliefs as a survival mechanism, suggesting a deep-rootedness in human psychology (van Prooijen and van Vugt 2018). The nexus between conspiracy theories and the propagation of misinformation and disinformation is undeniable, primarily due to the lack of verifiable evidence supporting the clandestine occurrences these theories purport (Rubin 2019).
The multifaceted nature of conspiracy theory belief is underscored by a constellation of psychological, cognitive, social, and political factors (Douglas et al. 2017; Dyrendal et al. 2021; Goertzel 1994; Schuster et al. 2023; van Prooijen and van Vugt, 2018). Notably, the quest for uniqueness is identified as a significant motivator behind the embrace of conspiracy theories, offering adherents a distinct perspective on the workings of the world (Bowes et al. 2023). The psychological profile of individuals predisposed to conspiracy beliefs often includes feelings of powerlessness, low self-esteem, social alienation, insecurity in social and employment spheres, skepticism towards authoritative entities, and a sense of disenfranchisement (Abalakina-Paap et al. 1999). This susceptibility is further fueled by epistemic motivations, such as the quest for certainty and control, with conspiracy theories offering seemingly simple explanations for complex occurrences (Douglas and Sutton 2011). Additionally, heightened levels of paranoia and antagonism towards others have been correlated with an increased propensity for conspiratorial thinking.
The role of predispositions in shaping responses to conspiracy-laden information is significant, with Uscinski et al. (2014), noting that individuals devoid of strong partisan biases or pre-existing beliefs about conspiracy theories are particularly influenced by media suggestions of conspiracy. Moreover, conspiracy theories can fulfill social needs by engendering a sense of belonging within groups or communities. This has the potential to unite disparate social factions (Madisson and Ventsel 2020) and facilitate the rapid dissemination of manipulative narratives, as evidenced by the online activities of far-right movements (Marwick et al. 2022). Vulnerabilities to conspiratorial beliefs also intersect with various predispositions, including partisanship (Uscinski and Parent 2014), economic instability (Adam-Troian et al. 2023), and schizotypal personalities (Dyrendal et al. 2021), alongside correlations with paranormal belief and challenges in reality testing (Drinkwater et al. 2012).
This study conceptualizes conspiracy theories as frameworks of alternative knowledge that challenge established scientific discourse (Marii-Liis Madisson et al. 2021). Illuminating the dangers posed by the scientific community's inadvertent legitimization of such theories. The case of Nikolaas Tinbergen, a Nobel laureate who ventured beyond his expertise to advocate for unfounded autism therapy, exemplifies the peril of scientists lending credibility to unsubstantiated theories (Weigmann 2018). This erosion of trust in scientific authority is further exemplified by the persistence of UFO-related conspiracy theories, a domain marked by the engagement of both scientists and lay investigators. The historical account of James Everell's 1639 sighting and the 1938 radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds,” which incited public hysteria (Anton and Vugrin 2022), underscores the enduring capacity of UFO narratives to instigate widespread panic (Whinthrop 2009).
This refined articulation emphasizes the complexity and diversity of factors contributing to the allure of conspiracy theories, highlighting the intricate interplay between psychological predispositions, societal factors, and the influence of disinformation. It also critically examines the role of the scientific community in inadvertently validating conspiratorial narratives, thus contributing to the broader discourse on the impact of such beliefs on public understanding and trust in scientific institutions. We follow the understanding of conspiracy theories described by Douglas and Sutton (2011), who define them as interpretations of major events or situations that suggest they result from secretive, coordinated actions by two or more individuals.
A report published by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in February 2024 (AARO 02.2024), reviewing the record of the United States Government (USG) on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), has proven that there is no evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence or alien spacecraft hidden by the government. Moreover, the investigators found out that most of the reports confirming UFOs are a result of misidentification and misinterpretation.
AARO found no evidence that any USG investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology. All investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification (AARO 02.2024).
Moreover, even though the American government investigated many cases of UFOs, there has not been found any evidence of extraterrestrial technology, but there have been some unexplained UAP sightings. A thorough discussion of UAPs should therefore acknowledge two key realities: the absence of definitive evidence and the lack of clear explanations. This balanced perspective helps clarify why these phenomena continue to intrigue both the public and the academic community.
So far, alien conspiracy theories have been studied through the prism of change in UFO discourse (Anton and Vugrin 2022), pop culture and media phenomena, and distrust of authorities in the USA (Ellwood and Dean 1999), interpreting UFO as a contemporary religion (Pasulka 2019) or a myth (Wojcik 2021) and many more. Nevertheless, there is a research gap in the field of online UAP discourses and the role of experts in authenticating aliens' existence.
In this paper, we address UFO-related online narratives in the context of rhetorical structures. We aimed to study the role of experts, interpreted as scientists, self-researchers, and UFO witnesses in creating and justifying the UAP-related conspiracy and disinformation. Moreover, this study was used to examine, how false narratives can be empowered by the invocation of authority.
To achieve this research goal, we stated the following research questions:
RQ1: What is the expert figure in conspiracy theory regarding UFOs?
RQ2: What is the role of experts in authenticating conspiracy theories about aliens?
Although fields of conspiracy theories and online disinformation have been getting more attention recently, in the sphere of rhetoric and narratology exist research gaps regarding how senders build their misleading messages referring to science. Conspiracy rhetoric has been described as a struggle to define the grounding of discourse (Goodnight and Poulakos 1981), which can be interpreted as a constant war to win public opinion with manipulative, anti-scientific, and disinforming content.
Nevertheless, van Prooijen and van Vugt (2018) suggest that psychological studies can bring many advantages to the studies about conspiracy theories. The authors also mention, that conspiracy-believing is not necessarily a pathological behavior, but can be present among ordinary citizens. For instance, Bowes et al. (2023) provides a comprehensive meta-analysis of the psychological and motivational factors associated with conspiratorial ideation. It must be stated that, in order to fully understand the characteristic of conspiracy theories, we should address both individual and societal-level factors in mitigating the spread of them, such as, intuitive thinking, weak reasoning skills or perceptions of existential threats.
On the other hand, there have been found significant relationships between conspiracy theories and paranoia and trust (Bowes et al. 2023). Moreover, Biddlestone et al. (2025) found out conspiracy beliefs are associated with cognitive styles that rely on intuition, poor reasoning ability, existential threats (particularly from the world around us and in society), alongside efforts to defend the self-image and the image of the ingroup (Biddlestone et al. 2025, p.21).
Whereas, UFO-related content is a catalyst of postmodern anxieties, especially in the USA (Ellwood and Dean 1999). Moreover, the spread of abduction stories is linked with the feeling of insecurity and is a continuation of the thought that government is unable to protect the citizens from danger.
On the other hand, UFO conspiracy theories can be interpreted as a form of myth, expressing the need to explain the complexity of the universe. According to Wojcik (Wojcik 2021), UFO cosmologies are etiological knowledge systems that clarify the meaning of human existence. The reason for following such a theory is being overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe.
Conspiracy theories usually rely on rhetorical tactics to persuade their audience with blurred photos and witnesses' testimonies. In light of the strong presence of the alien theme in pop culture, not much has to be made to convince the public that UFOs exist and are not imaginary visions invented by directors and writers. Cognitive errors are significant for conspiracy-believing. Due to heuristics (Kahneman 2011) such as confirmation bias, mere exposure effect, and manipulative messages, people are eager to believe in mystical creatures from the universe. Another cognitive error connected with conspirational thinking is my side bias (Weigmann 2018), which, similarly to confirmation bias, is a concept based on favoring arguments that confirm existing beliefs and disregarding anything that raises uncertainty.
Furthermore, Goodnight and Poulakos pointed out that in the first stage of conspiracy-believing individuals share a concern or puzzle, not a clear conclusion (Goodnight and Poulakos 1981). Those suspicions may be empowered by other believers spreading fake news about mystical events. Even if the government provides official testimonies providing rational explanations, suspicions may be continued.
In COMPACT's report, there are distinguished two rhetorical strategies used in conspiracy theories (COMPACT Education Group 2022). The first one is based on providing evidence for ridiculous and misleading events while ignoring all the evidence. The second tactics discredit the officials' explanation of events by finding errors in their messages. It is called the rhetoric of just asking questions (COMPACT Education Group 2022). In the UFO discourse, both of these strategies have been used.
However, our main interest in this article is how the figure of authority is used in the message to enhance the conspirational narrative. Citing experts and following their judgments are linked to the halo effect. It is a cognitive error that Kahneman (Kahneman 2011) described as the tendency to like (or dislike) everything about a person—including things you have not observed. Due to the halo effect, people tend to believe that scientists as authorities provide insightful and research-based views, even if they share opinions outside their research field.
Moreover, experts expressing their opinions from an ex-cathedra create a vision of authority. They are self-confident in citing research and examples, so that public opinion may perceive all of their insights are valuable and well-thought. However, as Weigmann (Weigmann 2018) points out, scientists are also prone to confirmation bias, but they are more persuasive, because of the ability of logical reasoning.
Moreover, conspiracy theorists refer to science authorities and their expertise, to build the audience's trust Marii-Liis Madisson et al. 2021. This was also observed in the context of one of the most prominent conspirational theorists, Alex Jones, who invited a “security expert” to provide arguments for the hoax of the Sandy Hook case, in his broadcast.
In the previous discursive analysis, of COVID-19, researchers implemented Diatextual Analysis and Discursive Action Model with a focus on classical Aristotle's rhetoric division of logos, ethos, and pathos (Scardigno et al. 2023). Such an approach is useful to examine the rhetorical structure of analyzed communication (Fig. 1).
Aristotle's rhetorical pyramid.
Nowadays, we are facing a new challenges related to fake news and disinformation generated with the use of AI, so scientists justifying hoaxes and conspiracy theories are even more dangerous for public debate. Such utilization of the authority figure in fake news may persuade parents not to vaccinate their children because they believe that there is a link between vaccination and autism spectrum disorder. The discourse started after the publication of a fraudulent research paper titled “Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children” (Wakefield et al. 1998). The authors claimed to present a link between the MMR vaccine (a trivalent vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella) and the onset of non-specific colitis, subsequently leading to autism. The study described 12 cases of children with developmental disorders. It also suggested an alleged link, which the parents of 8 of these children believed to exist, between the MMR vaccination and the observed developmental disorders. The study and its results were retracted by The Lancelet and the scientific consensus regarding the relationship between vaccinations and autism is unequivocal and remains unchanged—there is no link between vaccinations and autism (DeStefano et al. 2013; Gabis et al. 2022; Hviid et al. 2019). However, the anti-vaccination arguments are still used to rationalize the prevalence of children's autism spectrum disorder by their parents (Pivetti et al. 2020). Moreover, the discourse was also visible during the COVID-19 pandemic with tweets containing the hashtag #AstraZeneca, revealing that the most widely shared tweets were those containing negative information about the British-Swedish vaccine (Jemielniak and Krempovych, 2021).
To better understand the public discourse surrounding UFOs on social media, this study employs a hybrid methodological approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative analyses of X platform (formerly Twitter) posts. The adoption of computational methods, alongside traditional content analysis, facilitates an exhaustive examination of the voluminous data derived from social media platforms, enabling researchers to distill complex patterns and narratives from the digital chatter (Ducheneaut et al. 2010; Ganczewski and Jemielniak 2022). This dual-pronged strategy aligns with the principles of the Thick Big Data method, which advocates for a depth-oriented approach to the analysis of large-scale digital data sets, ensuring a robust methodological foundation for the study (Jemielniak 2020).
The integration of this methodological framework underscores the study's commitment to harnessing the comprehensive insights that big data analytics can provide, bridging the gap between quantitative breadth and qualitative depth.
To further enrich the research design, the study incorporates an analysis of contemporary media narratives on UFOs, juxtaposed with trend analysis via Google Trends. Google Trends is a tool renowned for its capacity to reflect public interest and attention across various topics (Jun et al. 2018). This component of the study leverages the unprecedented access to public sentiment afforded by digital platforms, echoing the growing recognition of online data sources as invaluable resources for understanding shifts in societal interests and concerns (Nuti et al. 2014). By meticulously tracking search trends related to UFOs and associated phenomena, the research taps into a real-time barometer of public curiosity and engagement, offering a dynamic view of how such interests evolve. This approach is grounded in the methodological rigor suggested by Mellon (2013), who emphasizes the importance of contextual validation in digital data analysis to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the insights gleaned. Specifically, the study scrutinizes search trends for keywords including “UFO,” “alien,” “NASA,” “reptilian,” and “extraterrestrial,” distinguishing between global and national contexts and correlating these trends with media reports over a specified period (30 October 2022 to 30 October 2023).
This strategic analysis framework is designed to capture the multifaceted nature of public engagement with UFO-related content, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the digital landscape surrounding this phenomenon.
Our research design consisted of the following elements:
Google Trends analysis.
Data scraping & Thick Big Data Method.
Content analysis.
By methodologically combining content analysis, computational techniques, and trend analysis, the study sets a comprehensive stage for the in-depth examination of UFO discourse on social media. This methodological amalgamation not only underscores the study's innovative approach to digital data analysis but also establishes a solid foundation for the subsequent exploration of public conversations and narratives about UFOs on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The meticulous integration of diverse data sources and analytical techniques reflects a commitment to capturing the complexity and dynamism of digital public spheres, positioning the study at the forefront of contemporary research into social media discourse and public interest phenomena.
In the next step, we used Thick Big Data Method, employing our own Python script and scraped posts from the X platform (formerly Twitter) to study the patterns and narrations that occur in communication about UFOs. For scrapping, we have chosen hashtags directly connected with the subject of the analysis: #UFO (117 k of Tweets), #UFOsightings (21 k), #Aliens (79 k), and #UAP (66 k). The collected data were set in the timeframe of March 2022 to November 2023. From each hashtag, we extracted samples of the 25 most liked, English-language Tweets (100 in total) including the keywords: expert(s), and scientist(s).
Thereafter, each Tweet was analyzed in terms of popularity, including content such as pictures, videos, memes, URL links, rhetorical means, main subjects, pro-UFO arguments, main emotions linked to the content, type of expert—UFO-witness, scientist, self-explorer, other, presentation of experts with the visual elements. Each section contained questions and categories, which were later used for a thorough narrative and rhetorical analysis.
In our content analysis—focusing on rhetoric, we followed Aristotle's division of speech (Rapp 2022): logos (arguments in narration), ethos (credibility—subjectivity vs objectivity), and pathos (emotional sphere). This method allows us to closely examine the construction of UFO-related messages. This research method is also followed by the discursive strategies distinguished to develop and construct conspiracy theories (Kou et al. 2017).
Aristotle's works have also been utilized in the analysis of modern political rhetoric (Wróbel 2015). Further, Aristotle's triad serves as a traditional framework for analyzing and crafting persuasive communication, making it highly applicable in rhetorical and narrative analysis. In our study, we have created a coding key, including information about: the type of expert (1. Scientist, 2. UFO-enthusiast, 3. UFO-witness, 4. other), the main subject of the message, emotions, main pro-UFO arguments, rhetorical means used by experts, emotions and visual elements of each tweet, as well as appearance of expert. The category of the main subject was created as a part of inductive coding, thus after the analysis of half of the sample we distinguished six options: 1. media news about aliens, 2. interview with expert / expert's quotation, 3. witnessing UFO, 4. pop culture, 5. discovery in Mexico, 6. other.
Furthermore, we were able to map the narrator's role in creating the UFO-related conspiracy theories. We follow the understanding of Jannidis (Jannidis, 2003), who claims that the narrator is the source of the discourse, one of the meaningful structures of a narrative. Thus, experts sharing their views on UAP, either explaining and debunking alien-related conspiracy or justifying them, are sources of this discourse.
The evaluation of data gathered from 100 posts from X provides insightful trends and patterns regarding the studied discourse. A key aspect of this study involved categorizing the content types and subjects to understand the nature of these UFO-related conspiracy theories. Out of the 100 posts analyzed, 83 included pro-UFO arguments with “evidence”, which is assosiated with logos, based on pictures or videos/articles with comments from scientists believing in the UFO phenomena.
Our primary topic of interest was expert figures in the UFO discourse. According to the analysis, almost half of the posts (n = 48) included a figure of reputable scientists sharing pro-UFO arguments. In some cases, scientists were linked with organizations such as NASA where they are hired or used to be hired as space researchers. Some of the scientists were affiliated with the natural science of matter—Physics—or with research of everything in the universe beyond the Earth—Astronomy. However, few of the scientists mentioned were linked with disciplines such as IT, Management, Law, Medicine, etc.
A significant number of the posts incorporated multimedia elements. Out of the 100 posts analyzed, 35 featured videos, and 40 showcased pictures, indicating a strong preference for visual content in the dissemination of UFO-related information. This trend underscores the importance of visual aids in enhancing the persuasiveness and appeal of conspiracy theories.
More remarkably, 72 of these posts included testimonials or statements attributed to scientists confirming the existence of UFOs. This high number highlights the tendency of conspiracy theories to leverage the perceived authority of scientific figures to gain credibility. However, it is critical to note the difference between mere claims of scientific validation and actual scientific consensus. However, it has to be stated that individual testimonies of individual scientists, do not reflect common, scientific findings.
The content of the posts predominantly revolved around six main subjects. The most frequent subject was media news about aliens, accounting for 31 of the posts. This finding suggests that mainstream media plays a significant role in shaping public perception and discourse regarding alien-related conspiracy theories. Interviews with experts or quotations from them were the focus of 39 posts. The prominence of expert figures in these discussions reinforces the notion that authority figures are instrumental in influencing the beliefs and opinions in the realm of UFO conspiracy theories. Only 6 posts were accounts of witnessing UFOs, and another 6 were related to pop culture references. The relatively low frequency of personal encounter stories may imply a reliance on second-hand information and the influence of cultural narratives over direct experiences. Interestingly, only a single post specifically discussed UFOs in Mexico, indicating geographical biases or particular local interests within the conspiracy community. Lastly, 16 posts fell into the “other” category, indicating a diverse range of topics that did not fit neatly into the predefined subjects. This diversity reflects the complex and multifaceted nature of alien-related UFO conspiracy theories.
Surprisingly, in the sample we have found 26 polarized posts, negatively referring to: debunkers or skeptics (basing their judgments on old knowledge), the US government (described as: bad, afraid, lying, hiding secrets), police, other scientists. The implication is that the researched discourse promotes distrust of authorities—both traditional scientists and governmental bodies.
There were also found several examples of speech for each category of the pyramid (Table 1). We have noticed that the category of ethos was in the majority used to cite experts' opinions or testimonies on the UFO case. Meanwhile, logos appeared in posts citing data and simple explanations and evidence of the aliens' existence.
Overall, this analysis sheds light on how expert figures and media are leveraged in UFO conspiracy theories. The reliance on visual content and the invocation of scientific authority are particularly noteworthy, suggesting strategies employed by proponents of these theories to validate and disseminate their beliefs.
The exploration of UFO-related discourse on the X platform unveiled nuanced dynamics in how information, authority, and belief intermingle, painting a multifaceted picture of the engagement with unidentified flying objects within digital spaces. Initially, an overarching preference for emotional persuasion (pathos) over logical argumentation (logos) emerged starkly from the data. The discourse frequently leveraged the authority of scientists or experts without grounding claims in concrete evidence or referencing specific scientific publications. This rhetorical strategy emphasizes emotional engagement over critical scrutiny, with mentions of “research” by cited scientists often lacking transparency or detail, reducing the invocation of “scientist” to a mere appeal to ethos devoid of substantial proof (Walton 2010; Toulmin 2003). Thus, it is clear that essential part of the UFO-related conspiracy theories are utilizing the experts' authority, scientific language, as well as emotional content and questionable evidences of aliens. It should be emphasized that also the strategy of “just asking questions”, which often discredit scientific institutions, can be used to spread skepticism but also erodes public confidence in mainstream science. This strategy can bolster in-group cohesion and lead to confirmation bias by framing believers in UFO theories as part of a “truth-seeking” collective. Previous research has highlighted that learning about the strategies of spreading conspiracy theories and their features can result in campaigns and interventions improving the abilities of spotting untrue and unreliable online content (Basol et al. 2020).
Moreover, the investigation revealed active scientific interest in UFO phenomena, with some scholars acknowledging their existence or expressing a desire to study them further. This engagement has been co-opted by UFO proponents to lend credibility to claims of UFO sightings, often buttressed by visual evidence or self-identified researchers within the community. However, the analysis identified a tendency to exaggerate or misrepresent scientific statements, transforming general observations into unfounded confirmations of UFO existence (Barkun 2013; West and Sanders 2003)
A notable rhetorical tactic within the UFO discourse is the employment of a “just asking questions” strategy, designed to erode trust in established scientific principles without overtly espousing conspiracy theories. This method creates a veneer of skepticism while sowing doubt and distrust, effectively challenging the veracity of scientific knowledge under the guise of inquiry (Uscinski and Parent 2014).
The categorization of “experts” in the UFO discourse extends beyond the scientific community to encompass UFO witnesses and journalists, whose testimonies are often treated with a degree of credibility akin to scientific evidence. This expanded notion of expertise encompasses a diverse array of experiences, from civilian encounters to reports by military personnel, each contributing to the narrative's authenticity and depth (Dean 1998; Peebles 1991).
Additionally, an analysis of the portrayal of experts cited by the UFO community revealed a predominant representation of white males aged between 30 and 60, typically depicted in professional attire or lab coats, suggesting a stereotypical image of authority and expertise. Conversely, female representation was minimal and often relegated to the role of UFO witness, except in rare instances of caricatured or demeaning portrayals. This gendered depiction underscores entrenched stereotypes of scientific authority and professionalism (Flicker 2003).
In sum, the findings illuminate a sophisticated interplay of rhetoric, authority, and belief within the discourse on UFOs, underpinning a complex web of narratives that, despite often lacking convincing empirical backing, wield significant influence within certain segments of the community (Table 2). This intricate relationship between knowledge, belief, and persuasion highlights the pivotal role of rhetoric in shaping public perception and discourse in the digital era, reflecting broader themes of trust, credibility, and the construction of scientific authority (Jasanoff 2011; Latour 1987).
The exploration of expert figures within UFO-related conspiracy theories highlights a nuanced intersection between authority, credibility, and the propagation of speculative narratives. The pervasive invocation of scientific authority observed in our analysis echoes findings from Douglas et al. (2017), who noted the profound influence of perceived expertise on the endorsement and spread of conspiracy theories. This dynamic underscores a societal tendency to conflate expertise with credibility, a phenomenon starkly visible in the realm of UFO conspiracy theories, where speculative claims frequently gain legitimacy through the association with scientific credentials (Harambam and Aupers 2015; Barkun 2013; West and Sanders 2003). Such practices not only muddy the waters of scientific discourse, but also elevate unfounded narratives to the level of credible theories, posing challenges to public understanding of science. Our research expands the context of conspiracy theories research with the factor of experts' role in authorizing such content. Further, we must highlight that there is a need for further exploration of utilizing scientific language, discoveries and authority of science for the propagation and authentication of conspiracy theories in social media.
As Wojcik suggests, UFO-related conspiracy theories can provide answers to questions related with various societal crises and provide a vision of an extraterrestrial experience (Wojcik 2021). Such mythologies are related to the sphere of pathos - emotional aspects contained in the posts. The answer to existential fears may be contained in conspiracy theories that fuel fear or anger at official institutions hiding the truth about the world. This study's insights into the portrayal and utilization of expert figures in UFO discourse underscore significant challenges in distinguishing legitimate scientific discussion from speculative or misleading narratives, particularly in the digital media landscape. The rapid dissemination of information, irrespective of its accuracy, amplifies the challenge of combating disinformation, which poses significant risks to public health and safety, notably in areas like vaccination and climate change denial (Lewandowsky et al. 2017; Rubin 2019; Neff et al. 2021). It is also significant, that scientific expertise can be used to amplify the existing beliefs and lead to confirmation bias. In the era of a rapid development of AI and deep-fake technologies, we should be aware that it is much easier to create a photo or short video of UFO landing or aliens visit. Such multimedia can be used to lend credibility to the conspiracy theories being spread on social media. The findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced scientific literacy and critical thinking among the public, necessitating concerted efforts from educational institutions and policymakers.
Our methodological approach, marrying content and trend analysis, offers a comprehensive lens through which the influence of expert figures on UFO conspiracy narratives can be understood. This dual-pronged strategy reveals the complex mechanisms through which expertise is wielded to bolster speculative claims, serving as a potential model for future investigations into disinformation across various contexts, and using diverse methods (Ducheneaut et al. 2010; Nuti et al. 2014). However, the study's focus on a singular social media platform limits the generalizability of our findings. Future research could expand this scope by incorporating a diverse range of digital and traditional media sources, providing a more holistic view of how expertise shapes public discourse around contentious scientific issues (Pamuk 2021; Okruszek et al. 2022). It should be also noted that our observations align with previous studies connected with exploration of authorization of conspiracy theories (Weigmann 2018). Thus, it is another example of reconstructing the figure of experts and institutional distrust in favor of conspiracy theories.
Given the pivotal role of expert figures in conferring legitimacy to UFO conspiracy theories, developing strategies to represent scientific consensus and expertise in public discourse accurately is paramount. Initiatives aimed at debunking disinformation and enhancing public engagement with science, such as science communication training for researchers and digital literacy programs, could mitigate the influence of unfounded conspiracy theories. Moreover, examining the psychological and social drivers behind the endorsement of conspiracy theories could inform interventions designed to build resilience against disinformation (Swami et al. 2010; van Prooijen and van Vugt 2018). This multifaceted approach not only addresses the immediate challenges posed by UFO conspiracy theories but also contributes to a broader strategy for fostering a well-informed and skeptical public discourse.
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the nature of social media data containing potentially sensitive information. Data has been collected through Twitter API's.
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This research was funded by a grant from National Science Centre Scholarship in the research project “Nonsense and propaganda online: internet communities and bots propagating misinformation” (no. 2020/38/A/HS6/00066).
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Maria Lipińska, Nina Kotula & Dariusz Jemielniak
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Lipińska, M., Kotula, N. & Jemielniak, D. Exploring expert figures in alien-related UFO conspiracy theories.
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Dalek is an infrared camera designed to scrutinize the sky in search of possible traces of extraterrestrial space vehicles (UAP).
In recent years, the interest in unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP, Uncentified Aerial Phenomenon) has grown significantly, pushing institutions and researchers to look for new tools to study them. In 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (Odni) published a report with declassified information on the UAPs, followed by annual reports of the Department of Defense through the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (Aaro). Despite these steps forward, the scientific data available to the public remain limited. To fill this gap, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CFA) and the Galileo project have developed an innovative observatory: Dalekan infrared camera designed to scrutinize the sky in search of possible traces of extraterrestrial space vehicles. The project, led by Laura Domine of the University of Harvard is part of the Galileo project, and was presented to the Lunar and planetary science conference 2025 (LPSC 2025)with the details published in the magazine Sense.
An electronic eye. Dalek, whose name is inspired by the iconic antagonists of the series Doctor Whois based on NASA's recommendations in one of his 2023 study. This document underlines the importance of highly reactive sensors, capable of collecting data on Uap in milliseconds, registering movement, shape, color and even sound. The Observatory is the first of an expanding network, with two other plants under construction in Pennsylvania and Nevada. These tools operate on multiple gangs of the spectrum, including infrared, optics, radio and audio, allowing multisensory monitoring of objects in the sky.
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Looking for advanced technologies. The final purpose of the project is to isolate any tests of technologies that go beyond those known by man, the so -called technophyme. Loeb says that too One anomalous object on a million could represent a revolutionary discoverysuggesting the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations with advanced scientific knowledge.
If the Dalek initiative manages to bring to light inexplicable phenomena, it could change the way we understand the cosmos and our position inside.
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