Supreme Court temporarily blocks full SNAP benefits even as they’d started to go out
Jennifer Ludden The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily granted the Trump administration’s request to block full SNAP food benefits during the government shutdown, even as residents in some states had already begun receiving them. The Trump administration is appealing a court order to fully restart the country’s largest anti-hunger program. The high court decision late Friday […]
Why Is the Milky Way Warped?
The UniverseFridays Our Milky Way’s Warped Disk Keeps Getting Weirder Observations show the disk of our galaxy is not flat but warped and waving. Astronomers are still working out the reasons why By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Observations from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission have revealed a giant wave rippling through the […]
After California’s vote to counter Trump, here’s where redistricting stands
Larry Kaplow Loading… California voters this week made the biggest Democratic move yet against President Trump’s effort to reshape voting maps in favor of Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. They overwhelmingly approved a map for congressional districts that could help Democrats win five more seats in the U.S. House. The ballot language itself referred […]
How Supermassive Black Holes Can Become Cosmic Nightmares
The UniverseFridays Do We Live in a Haunted Galaxy? Huge eruptions from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole in the distant past may have sterilized much of the inner galaxy By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait Galaxies are spooky […]
Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited
Jaclyn Diaz An ancient comet that entered our solar system this summer is offering a rare opportunity to learn more about distant planetary systems far beyond the reach of any spacecraft, researchers say. The comet is special both because it is interstellar — meaning it came from outside our solar system — and also because […]
Badenoch encourages Tory councils to challenge asylum hotels
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is encouraging Tory-controlled councils to consider launching legal challenges against the use of hotels to house asylum seekers in their areas. Badenoch said Epping Forest District Council had achieved “a victory for local people”, after a High Court ruling blocked a hotel from housing asylum seekers. In a letter to Conservative…
One civilian injured in crash with D.C. National Guard military vehicle
Luke Garrett A National Guard military vehicle crashed into a car in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning, injuring the driver. The incident comes after President Trump ordered hundreds of Guard troops to the District as a part of his D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle (MATV) — a military…
South African minister investigated for historical racial slurs on social media
South Africa’s sport, arts and culture minister, Gayton McKenzie, is under investigation by the country’s human rights commission for historical social media posts containing a highly offensive racial slur, reigniting a debate about racism, identity and the lingering effects of colonialism and apartheid. McKenzie, an anti-immigrant populist from the Coloured community with a history of…
Four Remarkable Stories from the History of Math Behind Bars
Math Breakthroughs from Behind Bars People in prisons and jails have contributed to some of the greatest ideas in mathematics By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas In 2014 Mura Yakerson, a college student at the time, decided to practice driving in a quiet area in the countryside near Saint Petersburg, Russia. Then something went…
Massacres in eastern Congo cast doubt on U.S. mediated peace deal
By Emmet Livingstone KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Rwandan backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed 141 villagers in July, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, despite hopes that President Trump-backed peace talks would end long-running violence in the troubled region. The rights organization found that the rebels committed massacres in at…
Uganda denies reports that it has struck deal with Trump to take in US deportees
Ugandan official said the east African country does not have the capability to take in undocumented immigrants Uganda said it has not reached any agreement with the US to take in undocumented immigrants, contradicting reports that the east African country had struck a deal with the Trump administration to do so. Henry Oryem Okello, Uganda’s…
Tiny Probes Can Surf Sunlight to Explore Earth’s Mesosphere and Mars
These Tiny Disks Will Sail on Sunlight into Earth’s Mysterious ‘Ignorosphere’ With no fuel or engines, tiny explorers will surf sun-warmed air alone to explore high in the skies of Earth and Mars By Payal Dhar edited by Lee Billings This artist’s impression shows multiple small devices soaring on sunlight at the edges of Earth’s…
Ex-priest found guilty of 17 indecent assaults
A former priest accused of abusing members of a church group he led has been found guilty of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. Chris Brain, 68, was head of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS), an influential evangelical movement based in Sheffield in the 1980s and 90s Brain, of Wilmslow, in Cheshire, was…
Swimmers are warned to avoid East Coast beaches as Hurricane Erin moves north
By Joe Hernandez Federal forecasters are warning people to avoid beaches along the East Coast as Hurricane Erin moves north and slams much of the shoreline with dangerous waves and other severe weather. Though the massive storm was roughly 365 miles from Cape Hatteras, N.C., as of 11 a.m. ET, the effects of Erin will…
Todd and Julie Chrisley Break Silence on Nic Kerdiles’ Death
Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley spoke out for the first time following the death of their daughter Savannah Chrisley’s ex-fiancé Nic Kerdiles in 2023 following a motorcycle accident. Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley’s family will never be the same. Almost two years after the death of their daughter Savannah Chrisley’s ex-fiancé Nic Kerdiles, the Chrisley Knows…
Air fares and food prices push up inflation in July
Prices in the UK rose by 3.8% in the year to July, driven mainly by a jump in the price of air fares and food. That means inflation is at its highest level since January 2024 and still far above the Bank of England’s target of 2%. The cost of eating out, as well as…
Trump’s return to ‘law and order’ highlights a sore spot for Democrats: crime policy
Elena Moore When President Trump launched an effort to address crime in Washington, D.C., he argued that the source of the city’s problems was clear. “This dire public safety crisis stems directly from the abject failures of the city’s local leadership,” Trump said from the White House last week. “The Democrats are weak on crime.…
U.S. Cuts Antarctica’s Only Research Icebreaker Ship under Trump Budget Squeeze
U.S. Cuts Antarctica’s Only Research Icebreaker Ship under Trump Budget Squeeze The National Science Foundation will stop operating the Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker and slash polar science funding by 70 percent, devastating Antarctic research By Douglas Fox edited by Mark Fischetti Bow shot of National Science Foundation research icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer during sea ice…
Conservative leader wins Canada byelection, regaining parliament seat
Pierre Poilievre returns to House of Commons after shock April loss and narrower margin in Tory stronghold Canada’s Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, has won a closely watched byelection in the province of Alberta, giving him a chance to return to parliament after suffering a shock defeat in April’s federal election. Poilievre finished with 80.4% of…
Brazil issues last-ditch plea for countries to submit climate plans ahead of Cop30
Only 28 countries have submitted carbon-cutting proposals to the UN, with some of the biggest emitters yet to produce plans Brazil has issued an urgent call for all countries to come forward with strengthened national plans on the climate, in a last-ditch attempt to meet a key September deadline. Only 28 countries have so far…
Councils consider legal action over asylum hotels
Councils across England are poised to take legal action to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas. It follows the High Court granting a district council a temporary injunction blocking asylum seekers from lodging at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. All 10 councils controlled by Reform UK will “do everything in their power…
Why Hurricanes like Erin Trigger Rip Currents Hundreds of Miles Away
Why Hurricanes like Erin Trigger Rip Currents Hundreds of Miles Away From Miami to Maine, the East Coast is under moderate or high rip current risk advisories because of Hurricane Erin By Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson On August 19 Hurricane Erin is crawling past the Bahamas as a strong Category 2 storm and…
A growing number of 20-somethings are getting what’s known as ‘baby Botox’
By Sarah Boden A growing number of 20-somethings are trying to stop wrinkles from forming on their face with a preventative treatment known as “baby Botox,” which freezes facial muscles to limit movement. MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: A growing number of 20-somethings are getting a treatment known as baby Botox. It is designed to prevent…
The Still Bizarre Case of Amanda Knox’s Wrongful Murder Conviction
Amanda Knox, who spent four years in an Italian prison before eventually being cleared of the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, is still unpacking her own story. Italian authorities thought they knew who killed Meredith Kercher in November 2007. So they arrested Amanda Knox, a 20-year-old American college student who had been sharing a flat…
Diphtheria cases spiralling in Somalia, health officials warn
MSF says low vaccination coverage and poor living conditions driving spread of deadly bacterial disease Diphtheria cases are rapidly increasing across Somalia, officials and humanitarians warn, with children accounting for more than 97% of the cases. Diphtheria, a highly contagious and deadly bacterial disease that mainly affects children, is preventable by a vaccine. While Somalia…
Too much to pack, not enough hugs: A Kenyan man’s last 48 hours in America
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán LANSING, Mich. — Five suitcases are scattered around Samuel Kangethe’s living room in his home in West Lansing, a neighborhood lined with tall trees and big front yards in Michigan’s capital. Clothes mixed with finance and accounting books, and somewhere in the chaos are his Air Jordan sneakers. “I just want to take…
Practical and political pain for Home Office after hotel ruling
The High Court judgment granting a temporary court injunction to prevent asylum seekers from being housed at a hotel in Epping will be a political and practical headache for the government. Practically, the Home Office has less than a month to find alternative accommodation for the asylum seekers housed at Epping’s Bell Hotel. The hope…
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Discovers New Moon of Uranus
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Discovers New Moon of Uranus Using the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have spotted a moon nestled near Uranus’s rings that’s so small you could walk around it By Andrea Tamayo edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier An image of Uranus taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared…
Bryan Kohberger Murders: Victims’ Families Sue Over Crime Scene Photos
The families of Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin—two of the four college students murdered by Bryan Kohberger in 2022—are suing the city of Moscow, Idaho, over the release of crime scene photos. The families of Bryan Kohberger‘s murder victims are taking legal action. One week after the Moscow Police Department released nearly 200 pictures from…
WWE Star Naomi Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Husband Jimmy Uso
WWE star Naomi confirmed during Monday Night Raw Aug. 18 that she and fellow wrestler Jimmy Uso are expecting their first baby together after over 10 years of marriage. There is a new WWE star in the making. Quite literally, as World Wrestling Entertainment’s Naomi (real name Trinity Fatu) and husband and fellow wrestling star…
Air Canada says flights will resume Tuesday night after flight attendants strike ends
By The Associated Press TORONTO — Air Canada said Tuesday it will gradually restart operations after reaching an agreement with the union for 10,000 flight attendants to end a strike that disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of travelers. The union first announced the agreement early Tuesday after Air Canada and the union…
180 Years of Standing Up for Science
180 Years of Standing Up for Science Our anniversary celebration begins with an outstanding collection of stories about times that science itself has made a full about-face By David M. Ewalt We’re celebrating 180 years of Scientific American. Explore our legacy of discovery and look ahead to the future. Join Our Community of Science Lovers!…
Air Canada flight attendants reach ‘tentative’ deal with airline to end strike
Strike over wages and ground work has cancelled travel for 500,000 people worldwide Air Canada flight attendants say they have reached a “tentative” deal with the airline to end a strike over wages and ground work that has cancelled travel for half a million people worldwide. Roughly 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job after…
Asylum seekers to be removed from Epping hotel after council wins High Court injunction
Asylum seekers are due to be removed from an Essex hotel after a council was granted a temporary High Court injunction blocking them from being housed there. The injunction was sought by Epping Forest District Council to stop migrants being placed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, which is owned by Somani Hotels Limited. Thousands…
Weather tracker: southern Arabian peninsula braced for storms
Elongated area of low pressure likely to bring higher-than-usual levels of rainfall to normally arid region Unusual levels of rainfall are due to hit the southern Arabian peninsula this week, as a tropical wave – an elongated area of low pressure – progresses across the region, triggering a marked increase in convective activity across western…
Businesses face ‘chaos’ as EPA aims to repeal its authority over climate pollution
By Michael Copley The Trump administration’s plan to undo a landmark finding that climate pollution threatens public health and welfare poses lots of risks for corporate America. The Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding has served as the legal basis for federal climate regulations under the Clean Air Act since 2009. The finding concludes that the…
These 40-Year-Old Virgin Secrets Are Much Perkier Than Bags of Sand
The 40-Year-Old Virgin, directed by Judd Apatow and starring Steve Carell as a socially insecure super-nice guy, came out 20 years ago and seeded a whole raunchy cinematic universe. Judd Apatow‘s first time didn’t happen until he was 37. That is, the prolific producer—who now has a whole film-and-TV universe to his name—didn’t direct a…
More Teens Are Getting Vaccines
More Teens Are Getting Vaccines Bucking national trends in childhood vaccination rates, more teens are getting recommended shots, including for measles and whooping cough By Megha Satyanarayana edited by Josh Fischman A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the MMR vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by the Lubbock Public Health Department on March…
Hamas source says group agrees to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
Hamas has agreed to the latest proposal from regional mediators for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with Israel, a source in the Palestinian armed group has told the BBC. The proposal from Egypt and Qatar is said to be based on a framework put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff in June. It…
How Are AI Chatbots Affecting Teen Development?
The Science of ParentingMondays How Are AI Chatbots Affecting Teen Development? More and more kids are turning to artificial intelligence chatbots for social interaction. We are scrambling to understand the pros and cons of their use By Jacqueline Nesi edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting…
Trump wants to stop states from voting by mail and using voting machines
Ashley Lopez President Trump announced Monday on his social media site, Truth Social, that he plans to “lead a movement” to get rid of mail-in ballots and voting machines in the country ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Part of his plan includes signing an executive order that bars states from using mail ballots and…
Flight attendant union leaders ‘ready to go to jail’ as Air Canada strike outlawed
Arbitrator orders 10,000 striking staff back to work after government intervenes – unconstitutionally, union says Union leaders representing 10,000 striking flight attendants have said they would be willing to go to jail rather than comply with an order to return to work, as Canada’s federal government seeks to end a bitter contract dispute that has…
How Sasha Pieterse Navigated 70-Pound Weight Gain, Epilepsy Diagnosis
Pretty Little Liars alum Sasha Pieterse detailed her decade-long journey to receiving a PCOS diagnosis while simultaneously suffering from epilepsy and playing the “it girl” on the ABC hit series. When it comes to her health journey, Sasha Pieterse isn’t keeping any secrets. Because while the Pretty Little Liars alum spent her teenage years…
Zelensky leaves White House unscathed as he buys more time
The optics could not have been more different this time. Unlike the shockingly ill-tempered previous meeting in February, US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky seemed determined not to look confrontational – despite their remaining differences. Zelensky wore a collared suit (although not of the classical variety), and Trump complimented his attire. The…
Can a Generative AI Agent Accurately Mimic My Personality?
I Gave My Personality to an AI agent. Here’s What Happened Next A large language model interviewed me about my life and gave the information to an AI agent built to portray my personality. Could it convince me it was me? By Webb Wright edited by Mark Fischetti On a gray Sunday morning in March,…
Ex-Israel military intelligence chief said 50,000 Gaza deaths ‘necessary’
By Itay Stern TEL AVIV, Israel — Leaked audio recordings broadcast Friday reveal remarks by Israel’s former chief of military intelligence about the price he believed Palestinians should pay for Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The tape recordings, aired by Israel’s Channel 12 TV, captured former Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva saying in Hebrew, “The fact…
Zambian president’s feud with late rival continues over funeral plans
Family of Edgar Lungu trying to prevent repatriation of his body for state funeral presided over by his successor A furious row is raging over whether the Zambian president, Hakainde Hichilema, will preside over the funeral of his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, as the former president’s family wage a legal battle in South Africa to try…
Key takeaways so far from Ukraine talks in Washington
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump for fresh talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Several European leaders also upended their plans to attend the meeting, days after Trump met Russia’s President Putin in Alaska for a summit that failed to yield a…
Newsmax pays $67 million to settle defamation case linked to 2020 election coverage
By Maddy Lauria Newsmax will pay $67 million to settle one of the last outstanding defamation lawsuits against a news organization for airing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Newsmax announced the settlement in an Aug. 15 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. According to the document, the network paid $27…
Sabrina Carpenter, Ricky Martin & More to Perform at MTV VMAs 2025
Sabrina Carpenter, Ricky Martin and Alex Warren are officially among the list of performers hitting the stage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 7. Find out who else has joined the lineup. The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are staying in our good graces. Because stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Ricky Martin, Alex…
‘No-one was expecting this’: European leaders rush to US to help Ukraine avoid ‘capitulation’
European leaders may have rushed to Washington ostensibly to throw a protective arm around President Zelensky and head off any repeat of February’s Oval Office bust-up. But their real aim is to stop US President Donald Trump threatening long-term European security after his abrupt change of course over how best to end the war in…
Can Cosmic Rays Help Alien Life Thrive?
Can Cosmic Rays Help Alien Life Thrive? Beneath the surfaces of distant planets, microbes might subsist on harsh radiation rather than starlight, a new study suggests By Emma R. Hasson edited by Lee Billings Cosmic radiation could be a boon for subsurface life on worlds such as Europa (left), Mars (center) and Enceladus (right), according…
Conservative leader runs for safe seat in parliament after Canada election defeat
Pierre Poilievre has chance of winning House of Commons seat after losing riding he had held for more than 20 years Canada’s federal conservative leader will have a second chance of winning a seat in parliament when residents of a rural Alberta district cast their ballots in a closely watched byelection on Monday. Pierre Poilievre’s…
Whirlwind day of White House talks could reshape Ukraine’s future
It is quite possible that Monday’s meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine – and for all of Europe’s security – than last Friday’s US-Russia summit in Alaska. On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation. There was no ceasefire, no sanctions,…
Nick Viall’s Wife Natalie Joy Shares Update After 3rd Miscarriage
Nick Viall’s wife Natalie Joy shared an update on her recovery, three days after she and the Bachelorette alum experienced their third miscarriage in the past year. Natalie Joy is opening up about her recent miscarriage. Days after Nick Viall shared that his wife suffered a miscarriage nearly five months after her second pregnancy loss,…
New Zealand woman and six-year-old son released from US detention
Sarah Shaw was detained by Ice owing to a problem with her ‘combo card’ visa as she tried to re-enter the US from Canada New Zealand woman and son detained by Ice enduring ‘terrifying’ ordeal A New Zealand woman and her six-year-old son, who were held for more than three weeks at a US immigration…
Rogue Worlds May Not Be So Lonely After All, NASA’s Europa Mission Advances, and RFK, Jr., Pulls mRNA Vaccine Funds
Rogue Worlds May Not Be So Lonely After All, Europa Clipper Completes Key Test, and RFK, Jr., Pulls $500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Funding From planets roaming space to major shifts in health funding, catch up with this week’s news roundup. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday,…
What’s behind the Trump administration’s immigration memes?
By Jude Joffe-Block , Shannon Bond Last month, the White House X account posted an illustration of President Trump looking determined, framed by eagles, fireworks, the American flag and a cloud of cash. “Six months in. All gas. No brakes. The winning will continue. The deportations will continue. The memes will continue,” the post read.…
Air Canada suspends restart plans after union defies return to work order
By The Associated Press TORONTO — Air Canada said it suspended plans to restart operations on Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants said it will defy a return to work order. The strike was already affecting about 130,000 travelers around the world per day during the peak summer travel season. The Canada Industrial…
Pessimistic Dogs Are Better at Smelling Cancer—And Other Keys to Disease-Sniffing Success
Pessimistic Dogs Are Better at Smelling Cancer—And Other Keys to Disease-Sniffing Success New research is revealing how disease-smelling dogs can excel By Rohini Subrahmanyam edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Individual dogs’ personalities, and how we interpret their behaviors, may be key to disease sniffing at scale. Billy, a floppy-eared little beagle, darts around a platform…
Bolivia presidential election: preliminary results put two rightwing candidates in run-off vote
First-round result marks the end of nearly 20 years of dominance by the leftist Movimiento al Socialismo as economic crisis grips the country Bolivia’s presidential election will go to a run-off for the first time, with two rightwing candidates competing for the presidency – marking the end of nearly 20 years of dominance by the…
‘No going into Nato by Ukraine,’ says Trump as Zelensky prepares for White House talks
Donald Trump has said the Ukrainian president can end Russia’s war “if he wants to”, but there would be “no going into Nato by Ukraine” as part of a peace deal. Hours before he was due to host Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Trump also said there would be “no getting back” of the…
Barbara Palvin Shares Endometriosis Diagnosis After Undergoing Surgery
Barbara Palvin shared that she’s been diagnosed with endometriosis and is recovering from surgery after “dealing with the difficulties that can come with my periods” for the past few years. Barbara Palvin is opening up about her private health battle. Indeed, the Hungarian model—who married Dylan Sprouse in 2023—shared that she received surgery three months…
National Guard says members patrolling D.C. ‘may be armed’
By Joe Hernandez , Luke Garrett , Brian Mann D.C. National Guard members patrolling Washington as part of the Trump administration’s plan to ramp up policing may soon be carrying weapons, a Guard spokesperson said Sunday. The Army had said last week that Guard members would not be carrying weapons and would not be making…
‘Pray for rain’: wildfires in Canada are now burning where they never used to
Canada’s response to the extreme weather threat is being upended as the traditional epicentre of the blazes shifts as the climate warms Road closures, evacuations, travel chaos and stern warnings from officials have become fixtures of Canada’s wildfire season. But as the country goes through its second-worst burn on record, the blazes come with a…