Nature, Published online: 22 December 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-10058-2NAC controls nascent chain fate through tunnel sensing and chaperone action

Michigan interim coach Biff Poggi described the program as a "malfunctioning organization" after a series of high-profile scandals, one he hopes to "fix" if he becomes the team's permanent coach.

North Carolina is working toward hiring Bobby Petrino as the new offensive coordinator for Bill Belichick's staff, sources told ESPN

Accusations are up nearly 20 percent since 2014, according to a nonprofit, which warns that the infrastructure for enforcing our nations fair housing laws is being dismantled.

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President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-12-22T17:19:00Z WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump is gathering with top national security officials on Monday, a meeting that comes as the U.S. Coast Guard steps up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as part of the Republican administrations escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicols Maduros government.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan are scheduled to join Trump, who is vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort, for what the White House called a major announcement. Trump plans to discuss a shipbuilding initiative at the event, according to a White House official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.But Trumps gathering of key members of his national security team also comes at yet another inflection point in Trumps four-month pressure campaign on the Maduro government, which began with the stated purpose of stemming the flow of illegal drugs from the South American nation but has developed into something more amorphous. Russias Foreign Ministry has started evacuating the families of diplomats from Venezuela, according to a European intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. The official told The Associated Press the evacuations include women and children and began on Friday. The official said Russian Foreign Ministry officials are assessing the situation in Venezuela in very grim tones. The White House and Kremlin did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the Caribbean, the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday continued for the second day to chase a sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration describes as part of a dark fleet Venezuela is using to evade U.S. sanctions. The tanker, the official added, is flying under a false flag and is under a U.S. judicial seizure order. It is the third ship pursued by the Coast Guard, which on Saturday seized a Panama-flagged vessel called Centuries that U.S. officials said was part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet. The Coast Guard, with assistance from the Navy, seized a sanctioned tanker called Skipper on Dec. 10, also part of the shadow fleet of tankers that the U.S. says operates on the fringes of the law to move sanctioned cargo. That ship was registered in Panama.Trump, after that first seizure, said the U.S. would carry out a blockade of Venezuela. Trump has repeatedly said that Maduros days in power are numbered.Last week, Trump demanded that Venezuela return assets that it seized from U.S. oil companies years ago, justifying anew his announcement of a blockade against sanctioned oil tankers traveling to or from the South American country.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency oversees the Coast Guard, said in a Monday appearance on Fox & Friends that the targeting of tankers is intended to send a message around the world that the illegal activity that Maduro is participating in cannot stand, he needs to be gone, and that we will stand up for our people. Meanwhile, the Defense Department, under Trumps orders, continues its campaign of attacks on smaller vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean that it alleges are carrying drugs to the United States and beyond.At least 104 people have been killed in 28 known strikes since early September. The strikes have faced scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and human rights activists, who say the administration has offered scant evidence that its targets are indeed drug smugglers and that the fatal strikes amount to extrajudicial killings.___Burrows reported from London. AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto EMMA BURROWS Burrows covers security, defense and intelligence for The Associated Press in Europe. She is based in London. twitter

Marisa Kabas is the founder of The Handbasket, an independent newsletter and website that has been breaking stories left and right about government workers, the media business, and Trumps mass deportation campaign. Please go subscribe to The Handbasket here!In this episode of the podcast, Jason and Marisa share notes Marisa about doing journalism without a big newsroom, how the media business has changed over the last decade, and why sources often prefer to talk to journalists who dont work for mainstream media.Stories discussed: Truth, morality and independence in journalism under the second Trump regimeMy full remarks to students and faculty at Grinnell College.The HandbasketMarisa KabasBreaking: The Handbasket is first to report catastrophic OMB funding memoPosted on Bluesky earlier this evening, other major outlets have since confirmed.The HandbasketMarisa KabasMove fast and break peopleFor Elon Musks government, the psychological warfare is the point.The HandbasketMarisa KabasOr watch it here:

The state of Massachusetts has eliminated an LGBTQ+ inclusive policy requiring that foster parents commit to affirming the gender identities and sexual orientations of the children in their care. The change came about after the right-wing hate group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sued on behalf of two religious foster families who refused to commit to providing affirming homes. Related Christian couple loses foster license after refusing to provide affirming home for LGBTQ+ youth The original policy took effect in 2022 and asked foster parents to commit to creating environments that are safe, affirming, and free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying for all children, youth, and families regardless of sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.Language regarding sexual and gender identity has now been removed. Instead, the policy reportedly requires parents to support a childs individual identity and needs. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Massachusetts has told us that this new regulation will no longer exclude Christian and other religious families from foster care because of their commonly held beliefs that boys are boys and girls are girls, said ADF senior counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse in a statement. Our clients loving, caring foster families who have welcomed vulnerable children into their homes as well as many other families affected by this policy, are eager to reapply for their licenses. This amendment is a step in the right direction, and we commend Massachusetts officials for changing course. But this case will not end until we are positive that Massachusetts is committed to respecting religious persons and ideological diversity among foster parents. ADF argued that the policy violated the families First Amendment rights. The group was bolstered by the current administration, which sent a letter to the states Department of Children and Families (DCF) in support of the lawsuit. Andrew Gradison, acting assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, told the agency that the nondiscrimination policy is deeply troubling, clearly contrary to the purpose of child welfare programs, and in direct violation of First Amendment protections. In the wake of the change, DCF Commissioner Staverne Miller told Fox News Digital(which referred to the original policy as a controversial gender ideology mandate), The Department of Children and Families top priority is providing a safe and supportive home for all children in foster care. We are also committed to ensuring that no one is prevented from applying or reapplying to be a foster parent because of their religious beliefs. Alex J. Adams, assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families at HHS, told Fox News Digital that the states policy update is a good first step but warned there will be diligent follow-up to ensure the red carpet is rolled out to all foster families. Polly Crozier, director of family advocacy at LGBTQ+ civil rights organization GLAD Law, which is based in Boston, told GBH she has been troubled all along by the litigation and by what I see as really a deflection away of our state resources, of our focus on where they should be, which is on children and families.Nothing about the change distracts from the fact that the state remains responsible for the safety and well being of every child in this care and that includes LGBTQ children, she emphasized. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented in the foster care system. A 2019studyfrom the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 30.4% of foster youth identify as LGBTQ+ and 5% identify as trans, compared to 11.2% and 1.17%, respectively, of non-foster youth.The organization Childrens Rights cites several other studies regarding the increased challenges LGBTQ+ youth face in the foster system, including the fact that 44% have either been removed, thrown out, or run away from their home as a result of their identities. These youth are also at higher risk of abuse, institutionalization, and discrimination, and are less likely to find a permanent home before aging out.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Diplo is giving all of his naughty fans a gift for the holidays!The handsome DJ loves to post a cheeky photo that shows off his sexy physique, so his latest thirst trap is no exception.In his new steamy pic, the star is posing shirtless in a pair of tight black shorts on vacation and fans naturally went berserk online. Check out the reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Aaron Glenn is asking frustrated Jets fans for patience, telling them "we have a plan" and not to "let go of the rope."

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he will take over calling offensive plays in the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff opener on New Year's Eve against Miami.

UConn routed Iowa in the Women's Champions Classic on Saturday and remains atop the AP Top 25 women's basketball poll, while Texas Tech enters the poll for the first time since 2012 after beating then-No. 15 Baylor on Sunday.

Notre Dame and BYU have agreed to a home-and-home series beginning next season, marking a halt in the Fighting Irish's longtime annual series with rival USC.

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia arrives at the United States District Court District of Maryland, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Greenbelt, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2025-12-22T05:05:13Z GREENBELT, Md. (AP) A federal judge on Monday will decide whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia should be returned to immigration custody after being free for just over a week. This is an extremely irregular and extraordinary situation, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, of Maryland, told attorneys.The Monday hearing was a glimpse into the complexity of immigration proceedings as Xinis tried to get information on the status of Abrego Garcias case. I am trying to get to the bottom of whether there are going to be any removal proceedings, she said as she questioned the governments lawyer. You havent told me what youre going to do next.Abrego Garcia, his wife and legal team were welcomed to the federal court building in Maryland by a boisterous reception that included a choir, bullhorn and drum as scores of supporters cheered. His mistaken deportation to El Salvador has become a lightning rod for both sides of the immigration debate. Inside the courtroom Abrego Garcia sat with at least half a dozen defense team members while a lone government attorney sat across from them. Abrego Garcia had been in immigration detention since August before his Dec. 11 release. In that time, the government has said it planned to deport him to Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and, most recently, Liberia. However, officials have made no effort to deport him to the one country he has agreed to go to Costa Rica. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, in Maryland, has even accused the government of misleading her by falsely claiming that Costa Rica was unwilling to take him. The governments persistent refusal to acknowledge Costa Rica as a viable removal option, their threats to send Abrego Garcia to African countries that never agreed to take him, and their misrepresentation to the Court that Liberia is now the only country available to Abrego Garcia, all reflect that whatever purpose was behind his detention, it was not for the basic purpose of timely third-country removal, she wrote. In court on Monday, Abrego Garcias reiterated that he is prepared to go to Costa Rica today. Xinis Dec. 11 order that Abrego Garcia be released from immigration custody also concluded that the immigration judge who heard his case in 2019 had failed to issue an order of removal from the U.S., and he cannot be deported anywhere without a removal order.Abrego Garcia has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally from El Salvador as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from being deported back to his home country, finding he faced danger there from a gang that had targeted his family. In March, he was mistakenly deported there anyway. U.S. officials resisted calls to bring him back until the Supreme Court weighed in. However, officials have said he cannot stay in the U.S. and have vowed to deport him to a third country.In filings last week, government attorneys argued that, with or without a final order of removal, they are still working to deport Abrego Garcia, so they can legally detain him during the process. If there is no final order of removal, immigration proceedings are ongoing, and Petitioner is subject to pre-final order detention, they wrote.For their part, Abrego Garcias attorneys cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that because immigration proceedings are civil, not criminal detention must be nonpunitive. They argued that in Abrego Garcias case, detention is punitive because the government wants to be allowed to hold him indefinitely without a viable plan to deport him. If immigration detention does not serve the legitimate purpose of effectuating reasonably foreseeable removal, it is punitive, potentially indefinite, and unconstitutional, they wrote. In addition to the Maryland case, Abrego Garcia is fighting human smuggling charges in a Tennessee court. His attorneys in that case on Friday asked the judge for sanctions after Border Patrols Gregory Bovino made disparaging comments about their client on national news. The judge previously ordered Justice Department and Homeland Security officials to cease making comments that could prejudice Abrego Garcias right to a fair trial. ___Loller reported from Nashville, Tenn. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

In this photo taken on Saturday Dec. 20, 2025 and provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier walks through the ruins of the town of Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP)2025-12-22T15:11:26Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Initial drafts of U.S. proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kyivs demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, although he suggested that neither side in the almost four-year war is likely to get everything it wants in talks on reaching a settlement. Overall, it looks quite solid at this stage, the Ukrainian leader said of recent talks with U.S. officials who are trying to steer the neighboring countries toward compromises.There are some things we are probably not ready for, and Im sure there are things the Russians are not ready for either, Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv.U.S. President Donald Trump has for months been pushing for a peace agreement. However, the negotiations have run into sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv. But U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday he held productive and constructive talks in Florida with Ukrainian and European representatives. Zelenskyy said that nearly 90% of Ukraines demands have been incorporated into the draft agreements.The backbone of the proposed deal is a 20-point plan, he said. There is also a framework document on security guarantees between Ukraine, European countries, and the United States, as well as a separate document on bilateral security guarantees granted to Ukraine by the U.S. Zelenskyy mentioned several key points, such as the Ukrainian army remaining at a peacetime level of 800,000; membership in the European Union; and European forces, under the leadership of France and the U.K. and with a backstop from Washington, ensuring Ukraines security in the air, on land, and at sea. Some key countries will provide presence in these domains; others will contribute to energy security, finance, bomb shelters, and so on, the Ukrainian president said.Ukraine is arguing that the bilateral document with U.S. should be reviewed by the U.S. Congress, with some details and annexes kept classified, Zelenskyy said.The U.S. team is now in talks with Russian envoys, and Washington has asked that no details be released, he added. Ukraine strikes deep inside RussiaZelenskyy said Monday he met with his military commanders who reported that defensive lines are holding firm against the Russian onslaught.In (recent) weeks, the Russian army has significantly increased the intensity of attacks, and the number of Russian losses has increased accordingly, he said in a post on Telegram.Ukrainian forces hit an oil terminal, a pipeline, two parked jet fighters and two ships in a series of strikes on Russian soil, officials said Monday.The attacks are part of an ongoing campaign to disrupt the Russian war effort and sow fear behind the front line, where outnumbered Ukrainian troops are straining to hold back Russias bigger army.The strikes also seek to undermine President Vladimir Putins attempt to portray Russia as negotiating from a position of military strength in U.S.-led peace efforts, which have yet to make a breakthrough on key points.The killing of a top Russian general by a car bomb in Moscow on Monday, with investigators suspecting Ukraine was behind it, could be another instance of Kyiv picking surprise targets. Ukrainian partisans burn Russian fighter jetsUkrainian forces struck the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal, an ammunition depot and a launch site for attack drones inside Russian territory and Russian-held Ukrainian territory, Ukraines General Staff said in a statement Monday.A pipeline, two docks and two ships were damaged in the southern Krasnodar region, and a large blaze broke out, the statement said, without specifying what kind of weapons were used in the attack.It added that a Ukrainian-made missile also hit a temporary base for Russias 92nd River Boat Brigade in Olenivka, in the occupied Crimean Peninsula.A separate strike targeted an ammunition depot in a Russian-controlled portion of the Donetsk region, aiming to slow the Russian advance there, the General Staff said. A Russian launch site for attack drones was also hit.Ukrainian partisans set fire to two Russian jet fighters in an operation on Sunday evening at a base near Lipetsk, a city in western Russia, according to Ukraines military intelligence.Russias Ministry of Defense said only that its forces shot down 41 Ukrainian drones overnight, three of them over the Krasnodar region. Russia targets the power grid againMeanwhile, Russian forces kept up their targeting of Ukraines energy sector, aiming to deprive civilians of heat and running water during the frigid winter. Russia has tried to knock out power in Ukraine throughout the war, in a tactic that Ukraine refers to as weaponizing winter.Energy infrastructure across five regions were attacked during the night, Ukraines Ministry of Energy said.Russia struck Ukraine with 86 drones of different types overnight, Ukraines air force said. Ukrainian forces stopped 58 of them, it said.___Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine SAMYA KULLAB Kullab is an Associated Press reporter covering Ukraine since June 2023. Before that, she covered Iraq and the wider Middle East from her base in Baghdad since joining the AP in 2019. twitter instagram mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A psychologist is speaking out about what it means that the president keeps taking cognitive tests, explaining that Donald Trumps doctors are likely past the point of trying to figure out whether he is suffering from dementia and are now just monitoring his decline.Former Johns Hopkins University Medical School professor of psychology, Dr. John Gartner,spoke withThe Daily Beastabout the three Montreal Cognitive Assessments (MoCA) Trump has undergone this year and said they could be a sign of just how quickly Trumps cognitive state is deteriorating. Related Trumps lesbian niece explains presidents mental decline in just 4 words You know, he kind of gave the game away, as he often does, Gartner said, referring to Trump bragging about taking the test repeatedly.You could maybe justify giving someone the MoCA once, just on their age, just as part of a physical. If youre giving it to him three times, that means youre not assessing dementia. That means youre monitoring dementia. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Gartner also brought up the MRI Trump recently underwent in October. Trump claimed that he didnt even know what body part the MRI scanned a bizarre claim considering how long MRIs take, how noisy they are, how obvious it is which body part is getting scanned, and how doctors dont order such tests without explaining their reasoning to patients. Because if you keep feeling like, no, hes still got the symptoms, weve got to see how bad hes doing now, weve got to check again, see how bad hes doing now I think theyre giving him cognitive tests and MRIs every six months to monitor the progress of his dementia, and/or strokes, Gartner said. We have to judge people against their own baseline, and if somebody doubles their rate of speed, thats a mental status change of some kind, he continued. Trump bragged about the cognitive tests as recently as this past Friday during a rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he stressed that his most recent cognitive test was not easy.Nobody on that stand could answer, probably, and I got em, I aced em, he added, pointing to a section of the audience.The first question is like, What is this? And they show a lion, a giraffe, a fish, and a hippopotamus. And they say, Which is the giraffe?' he recounted. It then gets harder! Trump: I took cognitive tests. By the way, not easy. The first question is like what is this and they show a lion, giraffe, fish and a hippopotamus. And they say which is the giraffe. pic.twitter.com/IQhU9pdnMj Acyn (@Acyn) December 20, 2025The White House later claimed that Trumps October MRI was to monitor his heart and abdomen and was preventative in nature. The White House denies that there is anything wrong with Trumps health.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Heated Rivalry is all anyone can talk about these days, even your favorite celebrities! The entire internet has become obsessed with the gay hockey show, as its affectionately being called. There have been countless fan edits, endless social media reactions, and even Omega fan fiction written about it.But were not alone in having every waking moment being taken over by thoughts of Heated Rivalry; celebrities are huge fans too. From celebrities pleasantly surprised by how horny the show is to stars who love the queer representation to a star athlete who has admitted the show mirrors his own life, there is no shortage of Heated Rivalry lovers in Hollywood.1. Pedro Pascal (@) Pedro Pascal seems like hes just as big a fan boy as the rest of us because he cant stop liking posts about Heated Rivalry and posting about it on his Instagram Stories. 2. Orville Peck (@) Singer Orville Peck said hes watching the show and reminded everyone to be jealous of him because Scott Hunter actor Franois Arnaud starred alongside Peck in a bisexual love triangle for his music video How Far Will We Take It? 3. Katya (@) After the first two episodes of the show dropped, Drag Race royalty Katya talked about it during a performance where she humped the wall and said, The way I have already jerked it and downloaded every single sex scene.Katya again (@) Katya got her mind out of the gutter to talk about episode 5, where she praised Ilya Rozanov actor Connor Storries Russian accent and about the need for a hot gay fantasy that doesnt end in assault, murder, or AIDS. Amen!4. Kevin McHale (@) Former Glee star Kevin McHale has been posting about the show every week on X, and after seeing episode 5 its clear hes just as excited to get the to the cottage as every other fan. 5. Ayo Edebiri (@) The Bear star Ayo Edebiri posted a photo of a Boston Bruins hat to her Instagram Story with the caption, Wearing this but in the sense that Im deeply invested in Heated Rivalry. The show is apparently making hockey fans out of us all!6. Hannah Einbinder (@) Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder posted a photo of her TV playing episode 5 with the caption, boutta start a fan account, because sometimes celebrities are just like the rest of us.7. Johnny Sibilly@johnnysibillyWhen queer media thrives so do weJohnny Sibilly made a TikTok video talking about Heated Rivalry after the criticism leveled against the show by actor Jordan Firstman. Sibilly reminded fans that a show like this is important even if it doesnt perfectly reflect your own queer experience because for someone not living in a gay metropolis, it has the power to make them feel less alone, feel more empowered, feel more seen because it exists.8. Isaac Humphries@isaachumphries7Seems familiar #heatedrivalryAnd for anyone claiming the plot is unrealistic, openly gay Australian basketball player Isaac Humphries made a TikTok video saying that, although he plays a different sport, episode 5 made him realize that this is my literal life being played out on screen.9. Bretman Rock (@) Influencer Bretman Rock admitted hed been watching the show when a fan asked him, and insisted they don't spoil the plot because he hadnt seen every episode yet. 10. Christopher Rice (@) Interview with The Vampire author Anne Rices son Christopher Rice, who is an author of gay romance himself, admitted that the second episode had him panting on all fours like a hell beast while licking the edge of my TV like it was an empty dog bowl. Same, Christopher. Same.

Jorge Polanco's experience playing first base is all of one pitch, but it figures to be his primary position after signing a $40 million, two-year deal with the Mets.

No. 2 Michigan is closing the gap on Arizona, which remains No. 1 on the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll for the third straight week.

Arizona retains the top spot. Duke falls three positions. USC and Iowa replace St. John's and Auburn.

The seventh in-season women's AP Top 25 poll is out. Here's what's next for every team in the standings.

Some things changed in the first half of LaLiga's 2025-26 season (Espanyol a contender?) and some things, like Lamine Yamal's brilliance, have stayed the same. Here's what Graham Hunter made of things before we hit 2026.

The Mandy and Copacabana singer said he would undergo surgery to remove a cancerous spot on his left lung, and he postponed several concert dates.

President Javier Milei is eliminating barriers to what had been a closed-off economy, moving in the opposite direction of his main political ally, President Trump.

People arrive for a funeral service for Brown University shooting victim Ella Cook, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)2025-12-22T19:16:23Z BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) A Brown University sophomore who was killed in an attack at the Rhode Island university was remembered Monday as smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave, at a funeral in her home state of Alabama.Hundreds gathered at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham to remember Ella Cook, 19. She and freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, were killed Dec. 13 when a gunman entered a study session in a Brown academic building and opened fire on students. Nine other students were wounded.Authorities believe the attack was carried out by Claudio Neves Valente, 48, who had been a graduate student at Brown studying physics during the 2000-01 school year. Neves Valente then fatally shot Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at Loureiros Boston-area home two days later, officials said. Neves Valente, who had attended school with Loureiro in Portugal in the 1990s, was found dead days later in a New Hampshire storage facility, killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. An autopsy determined that Neves Valente died Dec. 16, the same day Loureiro died in a hospital.On Monday, Cooks family invited attendees to wear Easter colors, underscoring Cooks Christian faith, at an Episcopal funeral service that also nodded to the Christmas season. AP AUDIO: Hundreds mourn Brown University sophomore Ella Cook, killed in campus shooting A memorial service was held in honor of one of the shooting victims at Brown University Ella Cook, just days before Christmas. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The Rev. Paul F.M. Zahl, who formerly led the church, read from several letters written by members of the Brown community to Cooks parents, Anna Bishop Cook and Richard Cook, who raised Ella and her two younger siblings in the affluent Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook. Ella was smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave. She had a big impact on campus in only three semesters, wrote Brown professor of political economy David Skarbek. I used to tell Ella, We need an Alabama to Brown pipeline. In fact, her nickname on campus was Ellabama. Zahl told the congregation that the funeral was a kind of bigger stage, a kind of more amplified mic for Cook to spread her Christian faith. Zahl said he dreamed last week that he was skiing behind Cook and her family. Ella turned around and shouted confidently, self-assuredly, Come on, will you? he said, saying he believed God had shown himself through the dream.I pray now that everyone who has loved Ella so much in this life would be given a vivid, individual feeling of Ellas love, still present with us, Zahl said. Because Ellas love is eternal and entirely altruistic.Cook was an accomplished pianist who was studying French, math and economics at Brown, where she also served as vice president of the college Republicans. Her political activity brought a wave of reaction from national and Alabama Republicans. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey ordered flags to be flown at half-staff statewide in Cooks memory. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, in Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)2025-12-22T15:34:24Z Dictionaries define things. Its their job. So when dictionary.com pronounced 6-7 as their 2025 word of the year, youd think they would have, well, defined it.But no. Were all still trying to figure out exactly what it means, they told us of this years linguistic time capsule.But thats just how pop culture works, isnt it? Whos to explain why parents alone in their cars were suddenly singing up up up from that KPop Demon Hunters? song? Or why, in the Venn diagram of pop culture and zoology, it was the capybara that emerged victorious and beloved? Goodbye, Moo Deng. Youre adorable, but so 2024.Despite our new obsessions, though, some things remained constant by which we mean Taylor Swift and Beyonc, of course. It seems like every year gets bigger for Swift. But in 2025, she put a bow or ring on it with Travis Kelce, announcing your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married. As for Beyonc, the musical goddess finally won that best album Grammy she long deserved and, on tour, introduced a new force: her daughter, Blue Ivy.So from the inexplicable to the familiar, heres our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane: JANUARYThey may not be TAYVIS, but theyre a delightful couple just the same: ZENDAYA and TOM HOLLAND are engaged. Lets hear it also for DEMI MOORE, who wins a GOLDEN GLOBE for her wild performance in The Substance. At the bookstore, fans go wild for ONYX STORM, the third installment of REBECCA YARROS romantasy series. A NIRVANA reunion highlights FireAid, a fundraiser for relief efforts following the Los Angeles wildfires. At the Australian Open, U.S. tennis star COCO GAUFF mourns the temporary loss of TikToks app back home, drawing a broken heart on a TV lens. FEBRUARYSalutations! says SAMUEL L. JACKSON, introducing KENDRICK LAMAR, the first solo hip-hop artist and Pulitzer winner to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. (P.S. Is that SERENA WILLIAMS?) At the GRAMMYS, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department present BEYONC with her best album trophy for COWBOY CARTER the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammy history becomes the first Black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century. In the age of TikTok, you never know whats going to catch fire like those hand-penned party invitations from 87-year old DOUG TURNER to his Pennsylvania neighbors, with the priceless line: 4 p.m. until the cops arrive. MARCHIts OSCAR month! All hail to SEAN BAKERS victorious, Brooklyn-set ANORA and its star, MIKEY MADISON. Also scoring an acting prize is ADRIEN BRODY for THE BRUTALIST who probably should have found another place to put his chewing gum. WICKED, an audience favorite, misses out on big prizes, but its stars, CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE, perform a rousing opening number. Meanwhile, the once-promising Netflix contender EMILIA PREZ wins two prizes but sees best picture chances evaporate in the wake of an uproar over past tweets from star KARLA SOFA GASCN. APRILThe blender! The poisonous fruit! The lizard! And SAM ROCKWELL! The Thailand-set third season of THE WHITE LOTUS is certainly a talker. KATY PERRY may be wishing shed headed to Thailand rather than outer space: her Earth-kissing return from an 11-minute trip on a JEFF BEZOS Blue Origin rocket is widely mocked even by Wendys, which writes on X: Can we send her back. On BEYONCS Cowboy Carter tour, a star has emerged 13-year old BLUE IVY. In a megadeal, HAILEY BIEBER sells her Rhode skincare and makeup brand for a cool $1 billion. MAYA crisis, at CANNES! The film fest bans nudity on the carpet do they think this will halt the naked dress phenomenon? Bonne chance. Also at Cannes, TOM CRUISE again shows hell risk life and limb to entertain, this time atop a classic biplane in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING. Across the ocean, the MET GALA turns its focus to menswear and Black style over the centuries. It took a minute, says an approving SPIKE LEE. You belong with me, SWIFT sings, buying back the rights to her first six albums. Finally, cue the Chicago Pope memes in honor of the first American pope, LEO XIV. Later this year, hell reveal his WORDLE strategy. JUNEThe world will know you as pop stars but you will be much more than that. Like, perhaps, the surprise, multigenerational hit of the summer? KPOP DEMON HUNTERS starts streaming this month, and in August will give Netflix a big box office win with its singalong screenings. On TV, its a new season of love LOVE ISLAND USA, that is, chronicling the goings-on at a luxury villa in Fiji. Its the album cover that launched a thousand conversations: Some are offended when SABRINA CARPENTER illustrates her MANS BEST FRIEND album with a photo of her on all fours, with a man holding her hair. Is it offensive, a purposeful joke, or nothing at all? Meanwhile politics finds its way into the GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL in Britain, as rap-punk duo BOB VYLAN spark a police probe after leading a chant calling for death to the Israeli military. JULYOASIS begins a reunion tour, and the GALLAGHER brothers are still getting along! SYDNEY SWEENEY has great jeans, goes the much-discussed advertisement, and American Eagle insists its about the denim. CBS says it will end STEPHEN COLBERTS show in May 2026 a move that will remove from air one of President DONALD TRUMPS most outspoken critics. We cannot leave July behind although at least two people would have loved to without mentioning the saga of the COLDPLAY KISSCAM. Finally, within six days, the world loses three 80s icons: mustachioed wrestling icon HULK HOGAN, heavy metal godfather OZZY OSBOURNE, and beloved Cosby Show actor MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER.AUGUSTLets just give this whole entry to pop cultures biggest LOVE STORY because, baby, she said yes! TAYLOR-TRAVIS skeptics eat their words when the couple announces their happy news, in whats destined to become one of the most liked posts in Instagram history. Its the fairytale culmination of a courtship that began during the Eras Tour and for two years captivated millions around the world but especially Swifties, the pop stars loving and fiercely protective fan base.SEPTEMBERProving once again that Hollywood loves stories about itself, the EMMYS heap awards on SETH ROGENS movie-biz satire THE STUDIO. Also triumphing is THE PITT, the edgy medical drama starring beloved ER veteran NOAH WYLE that beats out the mighty SEVERANCE. Perhaps the biggest Cinderella story of all: 15-year-old OWEN COOPER, the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years for the searing ADOLESCENCE. Also this month, JIMMY KIMMEL is temporarily suspended by ABC bosses for comments that angered supporters of the slain CHARLIE KIRK. The world says goodbye to ROBERT REDFORD, Hollywoods golden screen idol turned influential activist. OCTOBERSo, how was your October? Oh, 6-7. Thats apparently how one should use the new viral term accompanied by that palms-up gesture. You know who has better moves than that? BAD BUNNY, who hosts the season premiere of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. In SWIFT updates, her new album THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRLsets sales records. The shocking LOUVRE HEIST captures the worlds attention, not least for the impossibly dapper stranger who walks into an AP photographers frame. Another sad loss: DIANE KEATON, famous for her fedoras, vests and especially La di da, La di da.NOVEMBERAre we at the end of the yellow brick road? The WICKED press tour, which reached all ends of the universe actual and fictional, wraps with the release of JON M. CHUS second installment, WICKED: FOR GOOD. The reviews are much less, er, enthusiastical this time, but the movie defies gravity at the box office. Thats not enough for JONATHAN BAILEY, aka FIYERO, who is named Peoples Sexiest Man Alive. Another fan favorite, ROBERT IRWIN, is also having a very good month: a decade after his sister, BINDI, did the same, the son of late conservationist STEVE IRWIN is crowned winner of DANCING WITH THE STARS.DECEMBEROne award after another! Excuse the rather obvious pun, but its the perfect one to describe momentum in the OSCARS race. While some films see their fortunes fade on GOLDEN GLOBE nominations day, the emerging favorite is ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, director PAUL THOMAS ANDERSONS father-daughter saga of political resistance starring LEONARDO DiCAPRIO and newcomer CHASE INFINITI. Its success also lends a victory to WARNER BROS. in the middle of its NETFLIX acquisition deal which, at years end, is in a holding pattern, facing antitrust challenges and a hostile takeover effort from PARAMOUNT, and sowing one fear after another that the very nature of entertainment will change. JOCELYN NOVECK Noveck is an Associated Press national writer specializing in culture and gender, and a film critic. twitter mailto

For many queer millennials, the 2000 live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas wasnt just a holiday movie. It was a formative experience. And no, it wasnt Jim Carreys green furball sparking feelings. It was Martha May Whovier, the glamorous, sequined, feathered, and oh-so-saucy socialite of Whoville, played to perfection by Christine Baranski.Martha May sashayed onto the screen with a sense of style that made the Whos look like they raided the clearance bin at Macys. While everyone else wore frumpy Christmas sweaters, she strutted in form-fitting gowns, red velvet bustiers, and enough glitter to make Liberace jealous. Her sculpted hourglass figure, coy grin, and sultry drawl felt like they belonged more on the runway than in a family Christmas flick. For many, that combination of camp and couture was enlightening.For queer folk, Martha Mays self-assured glamour made her an early pin-up. She wasnt just beautiful, she owned her beauty, teasing and commanding attention with every toss of her platinum updo. Theres something magnetic about a woman who knows exactly how to stop a snowball fight with just a smirk.For gay boys and queer men, she was a feast of high camp. Her outfits were practically drag in their exaggerated silhouettes and unapologetic sparkle. Her delivery of every line dripped with melodrama and innuendo, yet she remained endearingly wholesome. Martha May walked the line between holiday hostess and diva extraordinaire, giving young viewers a template for camp sensibilities before they even knew what camp was.And then theres the narrative. Martha May is the romantic interest torn between the safe, conventional choice, Whovilles bumbling mayor, and the misunderstood, dramatic outsider, the Grinch. Sound familiar? To LGBTQ+ audiences, that dynamic felt almost allegorical. She longed for the one who didnt fit in, who challenged Whovilles status quo, who lived on the fringes in a cave full of DIY couture. Who among us hasnt been that Grinch at one point or another?Even 20-plus years later, Martha May remains a holiday icon. Social media still lights up every December with memes and fan edits to her over-the-top wardrobe. Drag queens have recreated her looks. LGBTQ+ film lovers analyze her as a camp archetype. And for a generation, she remains proof that holiday movies can be a little bit naughty, even when theyre trying to be nice.So this season, as you rewatch How the Grinch Stole Christmas, keep an eye on Martha May Whovier. She wasnt just decorating her house with a cannon that shot Christmas lights, she was decorating our imaginations, planting little seeds of gay awakening that still sparkle today.Source

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