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 […]
Trump says ‘good prospect’ of summit with Putin and Zelensky after envoy’s Russia visit
Donald Trump has said there is a “good chance” he could meet the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, following what he described as “very good talks” between his envoy and Vladimir Putin earlier in the day. Asked at the White House whether the two leaders had agreed to such a summit, the US president said there…
MRI Accidents Explained: What Causes Deaths and Injuries in Scanners
MRI Accidents Explained: What Causes Deaths and Injuries in Scanners When serious accidents happen in magnetic resonance imaging scanners, it’s usually because people ignore one very important rule By Michaela Maya-Mrschtik Last month a man on Long Island died after he was pulled into a magnetic resonance imaging scanner by a large metal chain he…
Assault on Sudan’s Zamzam refugee camp may have killed more than 1,500 civilians
Guardian investigation finds number killed in April attack by Rapid Support Forces far greater than current estimates More than 1,500 civilians may have been massacred during an attack on Sudan’s largest displacement camp in April, in what would be the second-biggest war crime of the country’s catastrophic conflict. A Guardian investigation into the 72-hour attack…
Kelly Clarkson Shares Ex Brandon Blackstock Is Sick, Postpones Shows
Kelly Clarkson postponed the remaining August dates of her Studio Sessions residency at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace after sharing that her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock is sick. Kelly Clarkson needs to be there for her family. The “Since U Been Gone” singer shared that she had to reschedule the remainder of her August Studio Sesson concerts…
US destruction of contraceptives denies 1.4m African women and girls lifesaving care, NGO says
Incineration of $9.7m of contraceptives to lead to 174,000 unintended pregnancies and 56,000 unsafe abortions, IPPF says A decision by the US government to incinerate more than $9.7m (£7.3m) of contraceptives is projected to result in 174,000 unintended pregnancies and 56,000 unsafe abortions in five African countries. More than three-quarters of the contraceptives (77%) were…
Proposed House Bill Would Weaken Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangering Whales, Dolphins and More
The Law That Saved the Whales Is Under Attack Proposed amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act would cut down protections to whales, dolphins, polar bears and other species By Ryan Green edited by Andrea Gawrylewski Aaron Doughty finishes securing a dead humpback whale that was hauled out of Portland Harbor on to his trailer…
A zoo in Denmark asked patrons to donate their pets. Not as attractions, but for food
By Alana Wise A European zoo stirred up intrigue and controversy after a social media post asking for surplus pets to be donated to feed captive animals went viral. In a post on Facebook, the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark asked people to donate unwanted pets that would be “gently euthanized” and fed to predators in…
The secret system Hamas uses to pay government salaries
After nearly two years of war, Hamas’s military capability is severely weakened and its political leadership under intense pressure. Yet, throughout the war Hamas has managed to continue to use a secret cash-based payment system to pay 30,000 civil servants’ salaries totalling $7m (£5.3m). The BBC has spoken to three civil servants who have confirmed…
Teyana Taylor Undergoing Emergency Vocal Chord Surgery
Teyana Taylor said she’ll be undergoing emergency surgery after doctors found a noncancerous growth on one of her vocal chords: “This moment hurts.” Teyana Taylor is focusing on her health. The “Gonna Love Me” singer shared on Aug. 6 that she’ll be undergoing emergency surgery on her vocal chords to remove a benign growth. “I’ve…
Raven-Symoné’s Ex Got Another Woman Pregnant—Asked Her to Be Godmother
Raven-Symoné recently shared that her last relationship with a man, which lasted for seven years, ended when he got another woman pregnant and then asked her to be the baby’s godmother. Raven-Symoné can gaze into her future, but she’d rather not revisit her past. The That’s So Raven alum recently shared that her last relationship…
Trump hits India with extra 25% tariff for buying Russian oil
US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order hitting India with an additional 25% tariff over its purchases of Russian oil. That will raise the total tariff on Indian imports to the United States to 50% – among the highest rates imposed by the US. The new rate will come into effect in 21…
NASA Budget Cuts Could Halt Space Missions, Climate Research, Experts Warn
NASA Faces Deep Budget Cuts—Every Living Former Science Chief of the Agency Is Sounding the Alarm NASA faces historic budget cuts that could shutter missions and stall vital research, prompting a bipartisan outcry from all of the agency’s living former science chiefs. By Rachel Feltman, Lee Billings, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel…
The quest to create gene-edited babies gets a reboot
Rob Stein A Chinese scientist horrified the world in 2018 when he revealed he had secretly engineered the birth of the world’s first gene-edited babies. China imprisoned the scientist, He Jiankui, for three years for violating medical regulations. Fast forward to today: Mainstream scientific organizations are encouraging very careful basic research to explore gene-editing and…
US hunter reportedly killed by buffalo during expedition in South Africa
Asher Watkins, 52, of Texas died while tracking 1.3-ton Cape buffalo on a hunting trip in the country’s Limpopo province An American game hunter was killed by a buffalo he was stalking during a hunting expedition in South Africa over the weekend, according to multiple reports. Asher Watkins, 52, of Texas, died on 3 August…
It’s 2025, the year we decided we need a widespread slur for robots
Vanessa Romo Debate over the song of the summer rages on, but if there were a contest for a word of the summer, one front runner would surely be the onomatopoeiac, clanker. In recent weeks clanker has risen to viral levels on TikTok and Instagram. One popular video from July shows a delivery robot on…
Teens Are Flocking to AI Chatbots. Is this Healthy?
The Science of ParentingMondays Teens Are Flocking to AI Chatbots. Is this Healthy? Kids crave approval from their peers. Chatbots offer an alternative to IRL relationships, but they can come at a price By Elizabeth Englander edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting Relationships are messy,…
Unpacking Why the JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Has Never Been Solved
Netflix’s Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey explored whether early suspicion directed at the 6-year-old’s parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, irreparably muddied the investigation. John Ramsey was shaving on the morning of Dec. 26, 1996, when he heard his wife scream. Patsy Ramsey was headed to the kitchen to put the coffee on, but instead found…
Ireland calls on Haiti to secure release of group kidnapped from local orphanage
An Irish missionary and three-year-old child are among eight people taken by gunmen who stormed the place Ireland’s foreign ministry has called on Haitian authorities to ensure “everything is done” to secure the release of a group of people, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child, taken by gunmen who stormed a local orphanage.…
Reeves warned taxes must rise to cover £41bn spending gap
Taxes must rise in the autumn if Chancellor Rachel Reeves is to meet her self-imposed borrowing rules, according to an economic think tank. The government was on track to miss the target it has set itself by £41.2bn, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr). It recommended “a moderate but sustained…
RFK Jr cancels $500m in mRNA vaccine development in the US
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to cancel $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccines being developed to counter viruses like the flu and Covid-19. The move will impact 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, HHS said.…
Francis Ford Coppola Shares Update After Being Hospitalized in Italy
Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola shared a health update after Italian news outlets reported that he had visited a local hospital: “I am well!” Francis Ford Coppola is doing well after a brief trip to an Italian hospital. Hours after local news outlets in Rome reported that the five-time Oscar winner, 86, was taken to…
Prince Harry among those criticised in report on dispute at Sentebale charity
Watchdog says all parties, including trustees, patrons and chair Sophie Chandauka, should not have had row in public The Charity Commission has criticised Prince Harry for allowing a row with the chair of his African charity to “play out publicly”, as the watchdog cleared him of racism. The prince was engaged in a public war…
RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine contracts
By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. Kennedy’s decision to terminate the projects is the latest in a string of decisions that have put the longtime vaccine…
NASA Boosts Plans for Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
NASA’s Plan for a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon Could Be a Lunar Land Grab Spurred by competition from China and Russia, the Trump administration is pushing for nuclear power on the moon by 2030 By Lee Billings edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy testifies during a congressional hearing on July…
Titan implosion that killed all five on board was ‘preventable’, says report
The US Coast Guard has determined the implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible that killed all five people on board was “preventable”, citing the company’s “critically flawed” safety practices. A damning 335-page report from Coast Guard investigators states that OceanGate, the company that owned and operated the Titan, failed to follow maintenance and inspection protocols for…
Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in New York City Linked to Cooling Towers
What Is the Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak That Has Killed Two People in New York City? Fifty-eight people have been infected—and two have died—in a New York City outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease—a severe type of pneumonia caused by a bacterium commonly associated with air-conditioning systems and cooling towers By Meghan Bartels edited by Lauren J. Young…
MGK Jokes About One Thing Megan Fox Won’t Let Him Do With Baby Saga
Machine Gun Kelly quipped that Megan Fox and Pete Davidson’s pregnant girlfriend Elsie Hewitt don’t have high hopes about their babysitting skills. Machine Gun Kelly‘s fatherhood journey isn’t quite the lonely road anymore. The “Cliché” singer—who welcomed daughter named Saga with Megan Fox earlier this year—is looking forward to raising his baby girl alongside best…
Rwanda agrees to take up to 250 migrants from the US
Deal follows deportations to South Sudan and Eswatini despite concerns about international law breaches The Rwandan government has said it would accept up to 250 migrants from the US under a deal agreed with Washington but gave no details on who could be included. The Trump administration’s deportation drive has included negotiating arrangements to send…
Violent Channel-smuggling gang’s French and UK network exposed by undercover BBC investigation
A BBC investigation has exposed the French and UK operations of a powerful and violent smuggling gang taking people across the English Channel in small boats. A reporter, posing as a migrant wanting to cross, helped us gain unprecedented access to the smugglers’ notorious forest hideout in northern France – an area plagued by armed…
Bretman Rock and Justice Fester Break Up After One Year Together
Bretman Rock confirmed that he and boyfriend Justice Fester have broken up, emphasizing, “If we’re really meant for each other, then we will find each other again.” Bretman Rock is focusing on himself. The beauty influencer shared that he and his boyfriend Justice Fester have broken up one year after debuting their relationship on social…
US steps up efforts to help Bolsonaro avoid jail over alleged coup plot
State department condemns judge’s decision to place former Brazil president under house arrest as trial proceeds The US has intensified its campaign to help Jair Bolsonaro avoid punishment for allegedly masterminding a failed coup, with the state department denouncing the decision to place Brazil’s former president under house arrest. “Let Bolsonaro speak!” the department’s bureau…
Your call to a local Social Security office may be picked up by someone who can’t help
Ashley Lopez Phone calls to local Social Security offices are currently being rerouted to other field offices — often to staff who don’t have jurisdiction over the caller’s case, employees say. Disability advocates and experts warn this is making it harder for people to get help. The latest change is part of the Social Security…
Terracotta Is a 3,000-Year-Old Solution to Fighting Extreme Heat
Terracotta Is a 3,000-Year-Old Solution to Fighting Extreme Heat Companies are adapting this humble clay-based ceramic to keep people cool—without electricity By Jyoti Thakur edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Cooling facade built from terracotta Join Our Community of Science Lovers! A little over 20 percent of India’s households own an air conditioner or cooler, and…
This Tuscan startup sold all its olive oil in the U.S. Then came Trump’s tariffs
By Maria Aspan SEGGIANO, Italy — On the steep hills of southern Tuscany, Romain Piro has spent the past two decades harvesting fruit from his silvery olive trees and turning it into olive oil. In 2019, he convinced his sister, Marie-Charlotte Piro, to go into business with him. The siblings started shipping their small-batch bottles…
Scientists identify bacterium behind devastating wasting disease in starfish
After 90% loss of global sunflower sea star population in 10 years, researchers hope decline can now be tackled A decade after the onset of a sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epidemic considered the largest ever documented in the wild, researchers have identified the microbial culprit responsible: a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida. In…
How Teen Mathematician Hannah Cairo Disproved a Major Conjecture in Harmonic Analysis
How Teen Mathematician Hannah Cairo Disproved a Major Mathematical Wave Conjecture When she was just 17 years old, Hannah Cairo disproved the Mizohata-Takeuchi conjecture, breaking a four-decade-old mathematical assumption By Emma R. Hasson edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier When Hannah Cairo was 17 years old, she disproved the Mizohata-Takeuchi conjecture, a long-standing guess in the…
Putin and Trump’s relationship has soured – but behind the posturing, a Ukraine deal is still possible
Listen to Steve read this article Has the relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin gone off the rails? A popular Russian newspaper thinks so. It turned to trains to illustrate the current state of US-Russian ties. “A head-on collision seems unavoidable,” declared tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets recently. “The Trump locomotive and the Putin locomotive are…
Welcome to These Surprising Facts About The O.C., Bitch
When iconic teen soap The O.C. premiered on Aug. 5, 2003 it quickly became a pop culture phenomenon turning Adam Brody, Mischa Barton and more into huge stars. Relive the magic with these big secrets. Nostalgia, here we come! More than two decades ago, a little show called The O.C. premiered on Aug. 3, 2003 in…
Carrie Underwood Unveils Natural Hair Color for First Time in 30 Years
Carrie Underwood debuted a new look featuring brownish blonde tresses, saying that she was seeing her natural hair color for the first time in 30 years: “It might be time to give it a second chance.” Carrie Underwood is going back to her roots—literally. The American Idol judge traded in her signature golden locks for…
US condemns Brazil supreme court judge for ordering house arrest of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro
US claims judge attempting ‘to silence opposition’ as Bolsonaro accused of breaching ban imposed amid fears he may abscond ahead of trial In a move immediately condemned by the US, a Brazilian supreme court judge has ordered the house arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro for breaching “preventative measures” that were imposed ahead of his…
How to Watch the Fall Bird Migration Happening Now
The Great Fall Bird Migration Has Already Begun—Here’s How to See It Birds are starting to make their way south for the winter, and you’ve got a front-row seat to the show By Kate Wong We’re only halfway through summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but for our feathered friends, fall migration is underway. The birds…
UK-French small boats pilot plan comes into force
The UK-French “one-in, one-out” pilot scheme, aimed at reducing the number of small boats crossing the Channel, has come into force with detentions of illegal migrants due to start within days. The deal will see some of those arriving in the UK in small boats detained and returned to France. In exchange the UK will…
State Department may require visa applicants to post bond of up to $15,000 for entry
By The Associated Press The State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable for many. In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department said it…
Texas Democrats block GOP redistricting plan by fleeing the state
By Liz Baker , Andrew Schneider The Texas House of Representatives is at a standstill after Democrats fled the state over the weekend to prevent a vote on a bill to redraw Texas’s congressional maps. The bill heavily favors Republicans with five new GOP-leaning districts, something President Trump has openly advocated for. Republicans control the…
Chase Stokes Subtly Shuts Down Kelsea Ballerini Breakup Rumors
Chase Stokes helped shut down rumors that he and girlfriend of two years Kelsea Ballerini have ended their relationship by sharing a photo of her beloved dog Dibs. Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini still have this feeling about one another. The Outer Banks star subtly proved that he and the “Baggage” singer’s love is still…
What higher tariffs mean for the U.S. economy. And, Israel’s plan for hostage release
By Brittney Melton here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. A new set of higher tariffs, which the Trump administration believes will help usher in an economic boom, is expected to take effect this week. Recent economic data casts…
India snatch victory to draw dramatic Test series against England
This video can not be played India win dramatic final Test by six runs to clinch series draw Fifth Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day five of five) India 224 (Nair 57, Atkinson 5-33, Tongue 3-57) & 396 (Jaiswal 118; Tongue 5-125) England 247 (Crawley 64; Krishna 4-62, Siraj 4-86) & 367 (Brook 111, Root…
New Zealand to charge foreign tourists to visit most famous sites
Visitors to pay up to NZ$40 to access certain attractions in coming years amid overhaul of conservation laws The government plans to start charging foreign visitors NZ$20-40 ($12-24) per person to access some sites. Initially, those would probably include Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Track and Aoraki Mount Cook. The fees are likely to…
What if Infinity Didn’t Exist?
Some Mathematicians Don’t Believe in Infinity Can “finitism” possibly describe the real world? By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas One question has preoccupied humankind for thousands of years: Do infinities exist? More than 2,300 years ago Aristotle distinguished between two types of infinity: potential and actual. The former deals with abstract scenarios that would…
Cardi B Reveals Her Massive Jewelry Purchases From Cartier
Cardi B showed off her jaw-dropping Cartier collection following a recent shopping spree in Paris—which also included a sweet gift from boyfriend Stefon Diggs. Bartier Cardi’s in full effect. Cardi B put her extensive Cartier jewelry collection on display while detailing her recent haul from her shopping spree in Paris, including a Patek Philippe watch gifted to…
U.S. Nuclear Energy Policy Could Accelerate Weapons Proliferation
Opinion U.S. Nuclear Energy Plans Could Proliferate Weapons By Alan J. Kuperman Recent events in Iran demonstrate that dropping “bunker buster” bombs on nuclear plants is not an ideal, or even necessarily effective, way to prevent proliferation. It is far preferable to prevent the spread of nuclear-weapon-usable technologies in the first place. A simplistic way…
Mandy Moore Calls Out Driver After Hit & Run
Mandy Moore confronted a driver on social media after they “rear ended” her family and drove off: “What kind of human does that?” Mandy Moore is not running away from confrontation. Following a frightening hit-and-run incident, the This Is Us actress—who shares kids August “Gus,“ 4, Oscar “Ozzie,” 2, and Louise, 10 months, with husband Taylor Goldsmith—took to social media to call…
I regret taking my 11-year-old to a riot following Southport attack, says stepmum
“I have no answer for it other than I’m an idiot, stupid, got caught up in the moment,” says Amy Hodgkinson-Hedgecox. She is trying to explain how she – a mother to two children who lives in Tamworth, Staffordshire – attended a riot with her son, then aged 11. Hodgkinson-Hedgecox is one of thousands of…
Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose
Rebecca Hersher The Trump administration has asked NASA employees to draw up plans to end at least two major satellite missions, according to current and former NASA staffers. If the plans are carried out, one of the missions would be permanently terminated, because the satellite would burn up in the atmosphere. The data the two…
BP makes major oil and gas discovery off Brazil coast
Company renews focus on fossil fuels and believes Santos basin could be its largest find since 1999 Business live – latest updates BP has made its largest oil and gas discovery of the past 25 years off the coast of Brazil as it continues to shift its focus back to fossil fuels. The Santos basin…
Brooklyn Beckham & Nicola Peltz Beckham Renew Vows Amid Family Rift
Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicole Peltz Beckham, who tied the knot in 2022, renewed their vows in a romantic ceremony amid the photographer’s ongoing feud with his family. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham are declaring their love for each other. Three years after the couple tied the knot at Nicola’s family’s multi-million dollar…
Why Earth Is Rotating Extra Fast This Summer, Shortening Days by Milliseconds
A Few Days This Summer Really Will Go by Faster Than Usual. Here’s Why As Earth spins through space, its rate of rotation changes. Here’s why By Meghan Bartels edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier If you haven’t accomplished as much this summer as you had hoped to, you can blame forces far beyond your control:…
Storm Floris expected to bring strong winds and disrupt travel
Storm Floris is expected to bring travel disruption to the UK on Monday, with an amber weather warning set to come into force. Some train and ferry services have already been cancelled with more likely to be impacted, including air and road transport. High winds could pose a “danger to life”, with most of Scotland…
Loni Anderson, star of hit TV series ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ dies at 79
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday. Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan. “We are heartbroken to…
More than 140 migrants believed dead as boat capsizes off Yemen
Shipwreck in Gulf of Aden with 154 Ethiopians onboard leaves only 12 survivors, with the rest missing and presumed dead, says UN agency A boat has capsized off Yemen’s coast leaving 68 African migrants dead and 74 others missing, the UN’s migration agency said. It was the latest in a series of shipwrecks off Yemen…