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Webb telescopes previously orbited Uranus, an unknown moon

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Webb telescopes previously orbited Uranus, an unknown moon

According to NASA, astronomers using the powerful eyes of James Webb’s space telescope found a previously unknown moon that was circling around Uranus. This discovery increases the number of months known to orbit the ice giant to 29.

The moon was revealed through a series of 40-minute long exposure images taken by Webb’s near-infrared camera on February 2nd.

“It’s a small moon, but it’s a serious discovery. This is something we didn’t even see on NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft on a flyby nearly 40 years ago,” said Mary El Mutamide, the chief scientist in the Department of Solar System Science and Exploration in Boulder, Colorado.

El Moutamid is the lead researcher of the Webb program dedicated to analyzing the structure and dynamics of the hidden ring and the inner moon of Uranus.

The tiny-sized glow of the Uranus ring and the moon, about six miles (10 kilometers) in diameter, could have blurred it from the scenery of Voyager 2, the only mission to play the flybee of Uranus and Neptune, as well as the only mission to play a Hubble-like telescope that observed planets outside the solar system.

According to El Moutamid, some of the materials that make up the rings of the moon and Uranus may have a common origin.

The moon, temporarily named the S/2025 U1, can reveal how the Uranus ring is shaped, whether it be gravity or an ancient event, and provides a window into the structure, stability and history of the enigmatic ring, she said.

“This discovery raises questions about how it interacts with the ring with the small moon that remains hidden around Uranus,” Elmutamide said.

The discovery of the moon around planets in our solar system is not a very common event, but it occurs from time periods around giant planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

“There are many moons on these planets, some are so small and faint that we are still discovering,” Elmutamide said.

The newly discovered month is 14th In a small lunar system orbiting Uranus, all of which are closer to planets than the largest moons of Miranda, Ariel, Ambriel, Titania and Oberon.

“It is located about 35,000 miles (56,000 km) from the center of Uranus and orbits the planet’s equatorial plane between the orbit of Ophelia (just outside the Uranus’ main ring system) and Bianca,” Elmutamide said, referring to the two other small moons surrounding the planet. “Its almost circular trajectory suggests that it may have formed near its current location.”

Finding the moon was not easy, according to El Moutamid. The high resolution and sensitivity of Webb’s near-infrared cameras were perfectly suited to find faintly distant objects, she said.

Webb’s ability to capture infrared rays that are invisible to the human eye gave us a glimpse into the rings and moon, the atmosphere and weather of Uranus during previous observations.

“The detection highlights both the dynamic complexity of Uranus’ systems and the keen eye of modern astronomy.”

In this image of Voyager 2 on January 24, 1986, we see Uranus' ice moon Miranda.

So far, all of Uranus’ moons have been named after the characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

Previously unknown moons still lack a literary name. The International Astronomical Union, which assigns official names to objects in the heavenly world, must approve them.

“They’re the best,” said Scott Shepherd, an astronomer at the Carnegie Science Facility in Washington, DC. Shepherd was not involved in the new observations, but helped discover the Uranus moon in 2024.

“This new Uranus Moon is a very exciting discovery as it is very close to Uranus and is likely to be related to the inner ring system,” Shepherd said. “This discovery shows that the power of James Webbspace Telescopes can capture images more deeply than ever before.”

At the Seti Institute in Mountain View, California, Coprinpal investigator Matthew Tiscarreno, a senior research scientist at the solar system dynamics and planetary rings, said other planets have as many small inner membranes as Uranus. According to NASA, astronomers don’t know that they avoided crashing together with the tiny moons because they are so close to each other, but the satellite could act as a shepherd in Uranus’ narrow ring.

“The complex interaction with the ring, which suggests a chaotic history that blurs the line between the ring system and the lunar system, said in the statement. “And more, the new moon is smaller and far more surprising than the previously known inner moon, which could lead to more complexity being discovered.”

Before taking in the groundbreaking views of Voyager 2’s Raj in 1986, the first two, fifth discovered in 1787 and 1948, had been found orbiting the planet.

Voyager 2 found 10 months during a flyby, ranging from 16 to 96 miles (26 to 154 km) in diameter. According to NASA, Hubble and the ground telescopes discovered 13 more small moons. According to the space agency, the inner moon appears to be made of ice and rock, but the moon beyond Oberon may be captured in orbit around Uranus.

“Looking forward, this moon discovery highlights how modern astronomy continues to be built into the legacy of missions like Voyager 2, which passed Uranus on January 24, 1986, showing its first close-up in this mystical world,” Elmutamide said in a statement. “Now, almost 40 years from now, James Webb’s space telescope is pushing that frontier even further.”

Future Uranus exploration missions planned in the early 2030s could help astronomers understand the ice giants more than ever before, including orbiters and atmospheric probes.

Webb's near-infrared cameras took images of 13 of the new moons and 28 other known months.

Uranus is largely defined by the data collected during the flyby of Voyager 2, but another more detailed visit to the ice giant that spins its side is postponed to shed light on the planet’s atmospheric dynamics, complex magnetic fields, and what led to its extreme tilt and creation of the ring. A detailed observation can also reveal whether Uranus’ moon is an ice-covered ocean world.

A 10-year survey of the planet, written by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in 2022, recommended the first dedicated Uranus orbiter and probe as the next large NASA mission. It is unclear where the mission will fit into NASA’s future plans, especially as agents work on the White House’s proposal to cut NASA’s scientific budget by half.

Shepherd said there is certainly an undiscovered Uranus, only a few kilometres in size, but it’s more surprising than the newly detected moon and even harder to find.

“By taking very long images on JWST or future Uranus spacecraft missions, you’ll likely find a new moon,” Shepherd said.

Second, Elmtamid and her team want to reveal details about the orbital of the new moon, search for additional moons, and support planning for Uranus orbiter and probe missions.

“Discovering a new moon around Uranus helps scientists to better understand how that strange system is formed, shedding light on the ring and preparing for future missions like NASA’s Uranus Orbiter and Probe,” Elmutamide said.

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What happens if the US Supreme Court blocks the Voting Rights Act?

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What happens if the US Supreme Court blocks the Voting Rights Act?

You’re reading State Court Report Every other week newsletter. Subscribe to receive in your inbox.

The United States has just celebrated its 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. However, the law is not what it was before, and future Supreme Court term risks further weakening its protections.

State law and constitution could help the Supreme Court bridge the voting gap if it further erodes landmark law. But while these regulations may become even more important, the alternatives to strong federal standards are also poor. State courts have clearly complicated records in protecting voting rights. There is also the risk that courts could further limit the state’s ability to develop future race-conscious laws and remedies.

Shelby County vs Holder It notoriously obstructed Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and blocked the application of clauses that required jurisdiction from submitting proposed voting changes before enabling history with a history of discrimination. Other judgments further restricted the protection of the law.

The next Supreme Court term could be even more consequential. The judge will immediately decide whether to hear the appeal of the 8th Circuit ruling that found Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could be enforced only by the Department of Justice, not by individuals or organizations, and that it could be determined that decades of practice breaks and many voters are not protected. The Supreme Court has maintained its ruling for now in the 8th Circuit.

And Louisiana vs. Freythe court considers the constitutional challenge to parliamentary districts drawn to comply with the requirements of the law that election maps provide minority communities with equal opportunities to elect representatives of their choice. The court first heard the case the previous semester, but later ordered a reopening of the district’s constitutionality. This is a rare move that suggests that the judiciary can broadly reduce enforceability of the law or limit the use of race-conscious remedies to address violations.

What does the weakened voting rights law mean for the state? There are many state provisions that plaintiffs may resort to if the Supreme Court agrees to the Eighth Circuit, and that private plaintiffs cannot enforce the law. At least eight states have passed voting rights laws, providing greater protection against discriminatory voting laws, policies and practices than the federal versions. Additionally, some state constitutions may explicitly refer to the voting rights laws, require compliance with the law when drawing districts, and open the door to state law claims for violations of certain voting rights laws. More broadly, 49 state constitutions expressly grant a positive right to vote, and some state Supreme Courts interpret these provisions as providing more robust voter protection than the state constitution itself. Plaintiffs may aim for state law and constitutional provisions that also prohibit racism.

You may also see additional protections enacted in the law. Some legislatures considering state voting rights laws could face more pressure on action, and in 25 states with civic initiative processes, voters could organize to further strengthen their state’s constitutional and statutory protections.

But in the end, the outcome is a rights patchwork that still leaves many voters behind. States with the worst voting rights record are unlikely to step up with new protections. And there is no initiative process, especially in many of these states in the southern part. Furthermore, the state Supreme Court generally does not show leadership on the issue of voting.

Domination Charis It would also limit the protection of state voting rights by imposing additional federal constitutional hurdles on the protection of race-conscious voters. Recent Florida Supreme Court lawsuits; Black voter issues v. Byrdyou can get a glimpse into what this actually looks like. The state High Court therefore ruled that the federal equal protection clause banned the creation of majority administration voting districts under the state’s constitutional provisions that otherwise demand it. The court argued that compliance with state constitutional requirements did not establish compelling state interests justifying districts where racial considerations prevailed.

State law plays a key role in protecting voters, even as the Supreme Court further limits race-conscious protection or remedies. For example, racially neutral rezoning requirements under state law, such as the preservation of communities of interest, could assume greater importance in the assessment of state districts, as well as state bans on partisan gerrymandering. State rules governing the processes used to draw constituencies may also be even more important.

But just as important as state law, it doesn’t replace strong national standards that protect all voters.

Alicia Bannon is Editor-in-Chief State Court Report. She is also the director of the Brennan Judicial Center’s Judicial Program.

Suggested Quote: Alicia Bannon, The future of Scotus and the state’s voting rights protectionsᴛᴛᴇcᴏᴜʀᴛrᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ (August 19, 2025), https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/scotus-and-future-tate-voting-rights-protections

How roasted meat has been spinning all over the world

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How roasted meat has been spinning all over the world

Even on vacation, Raul Morales is discovered by fans. On a recent visit to Universal Studios Hollywood, Morales, owner of Taqueria Vista Hermosa in Los Angeles, was waiting in line as he heard the screams.

“People called out, ‘Rev. Chef al! Rev. Chef al!'” Morales said with a laugh. Born in Mexico City, Morales came by his nickname through decades of hard work.

He is the third generation of the family who makes Rev. Al’s tacos, filled with richly seasoned pork, shaved from spinning vertical spits.

“My recipes are very special and very old,” he said.

But Morales’ family recipes go back to generations, with centuries of spitting meat like shawarma and doughna, his tacos represent a kind of dish that is modern and international, as is ancient and traditional. Spinning the meat, spitting out and roasting, it won’t stay in one place for long.

Raul Morales has won the nickname

Food historian Ken Albara, a professor of history at Pacific University, says spitting and roasting sticks is likely among the oldest cooking techniques of humans.

Homer’s epic shows an east feast of spitting flesh Iliad and OdysseySusan Sheratt, professor emeritus of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, writes in the Journal Hesperia.

Iron saliva, which may have been used in roasting, has appeared in the Aegean Sea since the 10th century BC. Such spit is excavated in graves associated with male warriors, Sheratt writes, pointing out that roasted meat may be a practice related to male bonds and masculinity.

“I think the reason it’s associated with men is because of hunting and because of tools and weapons that recreate what they do in the war,” Albara said. “When you celebrate your victory, you go outside and sacrifice the animals to God. It’s basically going to be like a big BBQ.”

Roasting meat is not as simple as hanging a mass of meat over the flame. When roasted, the meat is not cooked directly on top of the heat source, says Albara, but it can produce richer flavours next to it.

“Where you have a pointy stick or sword, people get a very quick grasp. If you cook it on the side of the fire, it tastes much more interesting,” Albara said.

The Tacos Al pastor has roots dating back to what is now Lebanon.

These early roasts were probably characterized by whole animals or whole animals. But centuries ago, Ottoman chefs developed different, more specialized techniques, building densely tapered stacks that could be spit and spritted thin slices of raw meat.

A pair of miniature paintings from the 1620 manuscript commissioned by Ottoman politician Hafız Ahmed Paşa says Mary Ishun, author of “The Rich Empire: History of Ottoman Culinary.” Food is served with elegant outdoor dining. This suggests to Ishun that the meal may be featured on the Royal Picnic.

“In these miniatures, you know it’s from the upper class,” Ishun said.

The painting does not specify what the spitting flesh is called. However, Ishun discovered a 15th century Ottoman text explaining the spinning spitting flesh Turn the kebabor “I turned the kebab.” Ishun said the recipe could have spread throughout the Ottoman Empire, and at its height it ranges from Central Europe to North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

From Ottoman Sultan to Shawarma and Tacos

The term “chevirme” later entered as shawarma in both Arabic and English. Meanwhile, in the Ottoman Empire, the words Turning Covered by another Turkish term: rotary.

“Both refer to something that spins,” explained Mary Ishun. The word “Döner” was not printed in the novel by Hüsey in Rahmi Gürpinar until 1908, but Işın believes that the word has likely been widely used by then.

And the way it was eaten changed. Over the centuries, following early depictions of court picnics, sometimes spitting like breasts, and spitting meat, sometimes called breasts, became food for people. By the early 1800s it became a favorite among frequent tourists to the Istanbul Kebab House.

“Foreigners agree that this dish is the best in the country. I have the exact same opinion,” wrote François Pouvil, a French traveler who visited Istanbul in 1800.

A restaurant selling Dornar Kebap Line Street near Taksim Square in Istanbul.

And as immigrants crossed continents and seas, they took delicious meals, incorporated different meats into the process, served the results in different ways, and served them under different names. In Spanish, stacks are called a Deception – Top words on spinning for children, with similar vertical shapes of prepared meat.

In the late 19th century, immigrants from the Ottoman Empire – many from the region that later became Lebanon took Shawarma to Mexico, says Jeffrey M. Pilcher, professor of food history at the University of Toronto.

“You have someone to set up a restaurant with what they call them. Arab tacos (Arab tacos) In the 1930s, especially in Puebla, there is a large Lebanon community, but their origins were the Ottoman Empire., It appeared several decades later.

“It was the second generation of Mexican Lebanese immigrants and he identified himself as truly Mexican. Tacos from Mexico City districts like Condesa,” he said.

By then, they are corn tortillas filled with pork, and are more widely available meat than lamb traditionally used in the Middle East. The seasonings came from a Mexican-style marinade, using local ingredients such as pineapple, achiote and chile. “What we now consider as Pastor Tacos Al is a product of the 1960s,” he said.

Best Mexican Food: 23 Foods to Try

In the early 20th century, immigrants from Asia brought favourites Spit roasted meat dishes to Greece. The word “gyro” comes from the Greek verb “turn.” However, it was the Turkish name Döner- that stretched west from Türkiye in Europe.

A wave of Turkish guest workers, who arrived in Germany after World War II, brought them in and innovated a different style from those that were ultimately served in Turkey, writing Ayshe Charal, professor of social and cultural anthropology at the University of Vienna. Now it’s one of the country’s favorite meals.

Employees prepare customer orders at Mustafas Gemüse Kebap in Berlin, Germany. Döner Kebab was popular in Germany by Turkish guest workers.

“No other quotes are often quoted Donor Kebab She wrote. She wrote. Today, the city’s official tourism group Visitberlin estimates there are 1,000 donor kebab shops in Berlin alone, and estimates that for 350,000 euros per year, döner Kebab generally serves meat stuffed in bread or pita.

Some people want to respect the Turkish origins of the food. In 2022, the Turkish government applied to the European Parliament to secure the protected status of the dorna, the same designation that covers Italian mozzarella and Spanish. ham Serrano.

Even in Turkey, dhoners are constantly changing, said Vedat Basharan, chef owner at Istanbul’s Tershane restaurant, who has conducted extensive research into the Ottoman culinary heritage.

“Döner went from street food to restaurant food,” says Başaran, adding that as a child in the 1970s, Döner was not very popular in Istanbul.

Now, he says, the city’s largest Döner restaurant, like Bayramoglu Döner, serves thousands of customers every day, offering very thin slices of meat on plates along with thin rabash breads, fresh salads and onions sprinkled with urushi. “Döner has become a party food at all levels of society,” he said.

And in other small eateries around town, like the cafeteria at Sedev Buffet near the historic centre, the meat of the doner is thickly sliced ​​and stuffed into split pita bread.

Basharan believes sandwich-style döner suggests that the popularized version of Turkish immigrants in Germany have finally found their way home. “They’re doing a new kind of döner. For me, this kind of döner is mostly copied from the German variety,” he said.

Turkish Cuisine: 23 Delicious Foods

“Donner is definitely Turkish,” agreed Ishun. “But something great trip, is that so? You have this delicious food, and you’ll bring it with you.”

That’s how Ottoman-style spitting meat spreads across the Middle East and Europe, and the Atlantic Ocean arrives in Mexico.

Raul Morales tacos are built on a generation of tradition.

And that’s exactly what Raul Morales did too. Morales was seven years old when she began helping out with Michoacan’s uncle’s taco skirt. “My uncle was my mentor, he taught me everything,” Morales said.

In 2001, he moved to Los Angeles, where he opened Takelia in South La Food Hall Mercadra Paloma, where he marinated pork for Pastor Al in a 24-hour marinade using chile, cumin, garlic, thyme, pineapple juice, orange juice and grape juice.

In 2003, the Los Angeles Times named his Tacos Al the best name of the city, bringing a steady stream of clients to Taqueria Vista Hermosa.

Today, Morales’ family specialization, which he learned on his uncle’s side in Mexico, traveled to North America and around the world. You can purchase Pastor Al’s tacos in Australia, Australia or London. In Levi, Finland, the Lost Taco Taqueria serves the pastor to hungry clients who live above the Arctic.

Morales is not surprised. Pastor Al is delicious – a living heritage that transcends international borders.

“People really love these Rev. Al’s tacos,” he said.

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White House suspends tour for Trump’s ballroom construction

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White House suspends tour for Trump’s ballroom construction

The tour is popular and hundreds of thousands of people visit the historic buildings every year.

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  • The White House has suspended its public tour in anticipation of additional construction of Trump’s proposed ballroom.
  • Lawmakers lined up tours for constituents apologise for the inconvenience, but have accepted requests when the ballroom construction is complete.

WASHINGTON – The White House has suspended popular public tours of the historic building while President Donald Trump plans to build a new ballroom.

The White House has not announced how long the tour hiatus will last. However, lawmakers arranging tours for their constituents, subject to White House approval, warn that no one is expected in an indefinite future.

“The Trump administration has announced that as of September 1, 2025, the White House Ballroom will not be available for tours due to the construction of the White House Ballroom near the tour route at East Wing in the White House.” “We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Tours have been popular for years and are booked weeks or months in advance. The White House distributed 6,000 tickets per day during the Reagan administration and hosted 10,000 visitors a week in the Biden administration.

The White House decides who will get the ticket, but lawmakers will collect tour requests that include background information about applicants for security checks. Lawmakers warn that demand is heavy and requests should be made at least a week, preferably a few months in advance.

Sharon Nichols, a spokesman for D-DC representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, said the White House has not cancelled its lawmakers’ tours, but it has not only temporarily “suspended.” Norton’s office received 18 requests for the tour last month, and the office has admitted it is waiting for more information about when the tour will resume, Nichols said.

R-Maine’s Senator Susan Collins’ office said the tour was suspended in September “for on-site construction,” but “the tour may be required at a later date, subject to availability and guidance from the White House.”

R-Florida’s office of Rep. Aaron Bean said “scheduled construction temporarily suspends bookings for White House tours.” However, he proposes a tour of The People’s House Exhibit, provided by the White House Historic Association across from the historic building.

Rep. Brittany Pettersen of D-Colorado said he would accept the October request, but it was not clear when the tour would resume.

Trump announced the Ballroom Project in July, providing more space for events than the East Room, which can accommodate around 200 people. Construction is scheduled to begin in September.

The $200 million project, funded by private donations, aims to add 90,000 square feet of space to accommodate 650 people. The expansion is important for the current 55,000 square feet of state floors, first floors and building residences, and does not count the east or west wings.

The project is one of several Trumps pursued in the White House. He also paved the rose garden, which remains surrounded by iconic bushes, and added gold decorations to the oval office.

On the tour, visitors were leading the visitors, including East Wing public rooms, libraries, Chinese rooms, blue rooms, red rooms, green rooms and state dining rooms. The guide provides an explanation of the history, art and furniture for each room.

For example, according to the White House Historical Society, you can get views of the memorials of Washington and Jefferson. Vermeil’s room features a collection of golden silver bequeathed by Margaret Thompson Biddle during the Eisenhower administration in 1956.

Apart from federal holidays, tours are generally open from 7:30am to 11:30am on Tuesdays through Thursdays and from 7:30am to 1:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays

Hurricane Erin unleashes its power along the East Coast: Live Update

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Hurricane Erin unleashes its power along the East Coast: Live Update

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfsolqy9zgk

Hurricane Erin reached the approach closest to the US East Coast, and was only beginning to move away from North Carolina on August 21, but still unleashed strong waves and rifts, threatening beachfront homes and flood roads as authorities urged people to stay away from the water.

Still a big Category 2 hurricane, Erin makes a turn northeast and is expected to speed up if pulled away from the coast later that day. According to the forecaster, by August 23rd, it should gradually become vulnerable to post-tropical cyclones.

The National Hurricane Center warns that roads on lowland barrier islands will become impassable and strong waves of 15 to 20 feet will crash into land. By the evening of August 20th, the North Carolina Department of Transport had closed parts of Highway 12, a key artery in the outer bank due to flooding.

Massive flooding was predicted at more than half a dozen tidal locations along the Mid-Atlantic coast, including Duck, North Carolina, the Chesapeake Bay entrance, and Lewis, Delaware. The National Weather Service said flooding in some of these locations poses a “significant threat” to property and livelihoods and requires evacuation.

In Chesapeake Bay, at Bay Bridge Tunnel, the tide is expected to reach six feet tall, which could cause extensive flooding and serious flooding to property and life, weather services records show. Serious flooding will extend inland, blowing out flood waterfront and coastline homes and businesses, and some areas will need to be evacuated.

The 8.7-foot tide forecast in Oyster, Virginia, will send water levels two to three feet above dry ground, showing severe flooding that will extend inland, flooding and businesses will cause flooding and evacuation of several roads passing under several feet of water.

Along the North Carolina coastline, tropical storms and storm warnings were in place. Coastal floods were expected to peak at high tide on August 21.

New Jersey has banned swimming and other water activities on the beach, with current warnings of waves and lips up to August 22 in effect, the Weather Service said.

Where is Hurricane Erin heading? See the roads predicted to leave the coast of North Carolina

Development:

Erin was a Category 2 hurricane as of 11am on August 21, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and higher gusts. It was located about 260 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and traveled at 18 mph northeast.

The national National Hurricane Center said it is monitoring two other areas for tropical development in the Atlantic. According to the Hurricane Center, “There’s a 70% chance of the next seven days and the other 40% chance of it.”

Earlier in the week, Dare and Hyde coastal counties located in North Carolina’s Outer Banks area ordered residents and tourists to evacuate the vulnerable Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, which have seen populations during the summer months.

Erin has the closest approach to the North Carolina coast and will move further offshore, a hurricane forecaster said on the morning of August 21. Erin’s timeline for passing the US East Coast is expected to accelerate somewhat and slowly weaken until it reaches a post-tropical cyclone state.

At 9am on August 21, buoys, about 12 miles east of Buxton, Outer Banks, reported that a third of the waves that occur there averaged 15.1 feet. Previously, about 170 miles east of Cape Hatteras and just west of Erin’s estimated central location, the buoy reported an average wave height of 32 feet, according to the National Marine and Atmospheric Administration.

These large waves, combined with the storm surge, are causing “severe floods” along the outer banks and highway 12, the main arteries passing through the island.

The Atlantic began washing the highways on August 20th, pushing up the dunes through established sand piles to protect the highways and cutting off the sand piles.

On the other side of the island from the sea, there are “minor to moderate” floods on the sound side of the island. The National Weather Service said the floods are expected to last until this evening, but rough waves could continue for several days.

The report of sustained winds from the outside bank on the morning of August 21 was between 25 mph and 40 mph, with gusts at various weather stations along the barrier island chains reaching 54 mph, according to weather services.

Coastal flooding from Hurricane Erin is expected on most of New York City’s waterfront and could affect homes, streets and businesses from Aug. 21 to Aug. 22, city officials warned.

Recommendations are in place across five boroughs, with up to 2/2 feet of flooding expected in some tides by the evening of August 21st, city emergency management said in X. The flood continues with Friday’s storm surge.

Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island are expected to see 1-2 feet of flooding from the evening of August 21st to August 22nd.

Officials advised people near the coastal area to move cars up to the high ground before the tide to protect the basement.

– – Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today

play

Aerial hits North Carolina Hurricane Erin Elintidal Storm Surge

Aviation footage shows floods in Buxton, North Carolina, as evacuation and swimming bans are issued.

Weather Services and state officials provide the following information:

new york: Extensive dune erosion and beach flooding continue to be high tides through the morning of August 22, with waves up to 15 feet or more, higher than normal. Gusts of winds up to 40 mph are possible, and the best winds are expected along the eastern island.

State officials advised residents to prepare for possible hazardous situations along beaches and coastal communities. New York Mayor Eric Adams led the closure of all beaches on August 20th and August 21st for swimming.

New Jersey/Delaware: On August 21, gusts of tropical storms will be possible along the coast, allowing waves of 7-11 feet to be broken.

Maryland: Tide tides can lead to coastal flooding. A coastal flood advisory has been issued, including an Annapolis flood warning, where flooding is expected in low-lying historic communities.

Virginia: Minor or isolated coastal flooding is expected through the weekend.

This predicted track shows the most likely path in the center of the storm. The full width of the storm or its impact is not shown, and the storm center can move out of the cone for up to 33% of the time.

Contribution: Reuters

Amy Betro: Our woman was jailed for 30 years for a failed assassination plot

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Amy Betro: Our woman was jailed for 30 years for a failed assassination plot

A US woman was sentenced to 30 years in a British prison after attempting to kill a man in Birmingham, England.

Amy Betro, 45, from Wisconsin, flew to the UK in August 2019 and spent more than two weeks before attempting to shoot a man outside her home, West Midlands police said in a statement Thursday.

Betro is recruited by father and sons Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Nazir to kill the man. He is the son of a man the pair gets caught up in a feud. Aslam and Nazir are jailed for their roles in the plot.

The intended victim survived an attempted short-range assassination due to a choked-up of Vetro’s gun. She later returned, fired a shot at his house before returning to the US.

A photo of a police handout from Betro checking in to a hotel in Birmingham, England.

The shooting caught up with major international law enforcement operations, allowing Betro to avoid it for five years before being tracked down in Armenia last summer.

In January she was returned to the UK, where she was charged with murder and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Police say Betro was also charged with a crime related to importing ammunition into the UK after sending illegal goods from the US to another Nazir rival.

Police say Betro and Nazir have now got to know each other online.

CCTV images of Betro after filming.

CCTV footage shows Betro purchased a Burner phone, which was used to plot the attack.

She also sent a threatening message to the father of the victim, whose intended shooting was.

“Stop playing Hide n Seek. You’re lucky that it’s stuffed. Who is it? Is it your family or choose you,” police said.

In another statement, the Crown Prosecutor’s Office (CPS) revealed that Betro “wrapped in a nikab to hide her identity when he tried to shoot the victim.”

The CPS also said Nazir is a “long-distance enthusiast” for Betro.

Betro was convicted earlier this month after a two-week trial and was sentenced to 30 years in Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.

Another CCTV image that is said to show Betro after filming.

Detective Director Alastair Orenkas, West Midlands Police’s Major Crime Division, said solving the case “involves a huge amount of work.”

“We are fortunate that her attempt to kill her target has failed due to her gun clog,” Orenkas said in the statement.

“While she was overtaking herself as a tourist, while she was here, posting photos and videos of landmarks such as the London Eye, her real purpose was to commit murder,” he added.

Hannah Sidaway, a specialist prosecutor at CPS, said Betro “has no mercy in her bid to escape justice,” but investigators chased her “good luck.”

“The prosecution lawsuit included CCTV footage from the crime scene, digital forensics, mobile phone data, and evidence that was matched from the cooperation and cooperation of multiple countries and criminal justice agencies. West Midlands Police, Derbyshire Constabrary and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were all directed at one king.

“Only Betro knows that she was really motivated and that it meant that she would travel hundreds of miles from Wisconsin to Birmingham and carry out an assault on a man she didn’t know,” she added.

Cracker Barrel’s new logo will confuse some customers and conservatives

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Cracker Barrel’s new logo will confuse some customers and conservatives

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The new Cracker Barrel logo has not received a stamp of approval from some customers.

Known for its comfortable food and nostalgic atmosphere, restaurant chains and country stores across the country launched their fall menu campaign on August 19th to unveil a new simplified logo.

In a press release for a campaign called “All The More,” Cracker Barrel boasted a “refresh restaurant modification” and a “enhanced brand look and feel.”

“The updated visuals will appear throughout the menu and marketing collateral, including the fifth evolution of the brand’s logo. This is now further rooted in the iconic barrel shape and wordmark that started it all,” the company said in the release.

It is unclear whether the new logo will replace existing restaurant signs. USA Today has contacted Cracker Barrel for more details.

Cracker Barrel Remodels Restaurant Some fans share their disgust: “Thank you, I hate it.”

What will the new cracker barrel logo look like?

While still featuring the company’s classic gold and brown palette, the new cracker barrel logo offers a simplified version without the man sitting next to the wooden barrel.

The new logo includes the restaurant’s name with brown lettering against the golden yellow border.

The rebranding will be coming to the restaurant to offer a more modern facelift as cracker barrels continue to undergo renovations in several locations around the country.

“I like what we’re doing,” Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Fels Masino said in an interview on “Good Morning America” on August 19th, despite recent online renovations.

“The cracker barrel needs to feel like a cracker barrel for today and tomorrow. What you love is still there,” she said. “We need people to choose us and we want people to choose us.”

Some cracker barrel customers are not happy with the new logo: “Cold and filthy”

Some longtime cracker barrel fans have joined social media to express their disappointment at the company’s new logo.

“The new brand has taken away the senses,” one person wrote on Cracker Barrel’s Instagram. “It’s cold and barren.”

Another said, “I feel like this new logo is ruining my life.”

Some conservatives opposed the brand of the brand, suggesting that the new logo was political.

“Wtf is wrong @crackerbarrel ??!?” Donald Trump Jr. responded to X’s post, saying the logo could be motivated by diversity, fairness and inclusive efforts.

Others are embracing social media changes.

“Cheers to our new logo!!! We love you!” said one Instagram commenter.

Who is the guy with the old cracker barrel logo?

According to Cracker Barrel’s website, the man with that old logo is not a particular person, but a representation of the brand.

“There is an image of a man relaxing in a barrel of crackers, representing the experience of an old country store where people come together and share stories,” the website says. “Our logos reflect our roots and the warm and welcoming atmosphere that we have always strived to create.”

Additionally, the old logo features the name of the cracker barrel, contrary to the shape of the Pinto Bean nodded to one of the original sides of the restaurant.

Dan Evins, founder of Cracker Barrel, created the logo with the help of Nashville-based designer Bill Holly. According to the company, Holly sketched the first draft of the cracker barrel logo on the napkin.”

This story has been updated to add new information.

Melina Kahn is a national trending reporter for USA Today. She can be contacted at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

Trump’s 2028 successor, “Jumpball,” says Republican Sen. Tom Tillis

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Trump’s 2028 successor, “Jumpball,” says Republican Sen. Tom Tillis

Vice President J.D. Vice President Vance should not be considered the heir to Donald Trump’s automatic magician, Sen. Tom Tillis said.

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WASHINGTON — The race to succeed President Donald Trump’s Republicans as the party’s 2028 candidate is widespread and Vice President JD Vance should not be considered an heir to an automatic magician, Sen. Tom Tillis said.

The North Carolina Senator, who chose to be re-election in 2026, said that in 2028, “natural heirs” was a “jump ball” when asked on CBS News on August 20 when Trump had a “natural heir.”

“Absolutely a jump ball,” Tillis said. “I think we’ll probably see one of the most diverse areas of Republican primary that we’ve seen in our modern day.

more: The next leader in Magazine? Trump says Vance is most likely to lead in 2028

Trump on August 5 said Vance was “probably” in the next line to win the 2028 Republican nomination, with the vice president saying “it will likely be supported at this point.”

However, Tillis questioned whether that was true given Vance’s short career in politics. “The Vice President was a Senator for two years. He was VP for seven months. So he has limited political exposure, political history. I mean, he’s a good guy. JD-I like it.”

“People hate how sudden I am, but I’m an analysis guy,” Tillis said. “He’s one of a few people who have to prove they have a chop,” Tillis said, adding that Vance is “smart, capable, clear” and “a good dad and a good guy.”

Trump is forbidden by the Constitution from running to third term, but he wants to run again, and publicly says he wants to “want” toys on the idea of running in 2028.

Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, infuriated Trump and the White House this year, and raised concerns about Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” Medicaid cuts before voting against the law in July. Tillis, one of three Republican senators, voted against Megaville.

more: Trump shows European leaders a “four more years” hat after White House meeting

The race to replace Tillis is expected to be one of the most enthusiastically contested mid-term Senate elections, offering Democrats the best chance of picking up in the Senate.

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is an overwhelming favourite to secure the Senate Democrat nomination. On August 1, North Carolina Republican Chairman Michael Whatley announced that he would seek a Republican nomination after the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, passed a potential bid.

Reach Joey Garrison with X @joeygarrison.

Can you trust AI money advice? The weight of a financial expert.

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Can you trust AI money advice? The weight of a financial expert.

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Jennifer Allen, who helps you create a website to promote your job as a real estate agent from your grocery list, says she uses ChatGpt for everything.

Unexpected hospital bills and hours away from work after giving birth were known to her when she began relying on credit cards. However, she was scared to tally the total amount and rarely looked at her bank account. Until one day she was wondering if it would help her as she called ChatGpt, or “chat.”

She gave the chatbot the information she needed, which told her she had accumulated $23,000 in debt. Surprised by the number, she wondered how she could pay it back. Allen said he wasn’t even considering talking to a financial planner. But she asked chatgpt.

“Even if the financial planner says something to me, I’ll still go chat to get them to do it,” Allen told USA Today.

She urged the chatbot to give her what she can do every day to pay off her debts and documented the Tiktok process. By the end of the two 30-day assignments, she followed the advice of the bot and came up with $13,078, earning additional money from the Tiktok Creator Rewards program. She said she currently has less than $5,000 in debt.

Not everyone follows ChatGpt’s daily advice, but chatbots are experiencing rapid growth. According to Openai’s Nick Turley, it reaches approximately 700 million users each week.

CHATGPT is not the only artificial intelligence model where people rely on information. In the morning consulting survey, more than half of US adults refer to a summary of AI generation when searching online, with one in ten saying they don’t consult other sources. A survey from the Southeast of Oklahoma State University found that one in three Americans use AI tools to determine their careers.

Some believe that technology will change the field of financial planning. Others warn against seeking money advice and relying on it. And while some people may be selfish when they say they do a better job than AI, even the companies behind popular chatbots recommend attention. Large-scale language models like Gemini, according to Google, can “hastisfies” and present virtually inaccurate information.

USA Today asked five popular chatbots common personal finance questions. Here’s what they said and what financial experts thought about their reaction:

AI advice on retirement savings

USA Today asked three personal financial questions in the same order: ChatGpt, Claude, Copilot, Gemini and Grok.

Their answers were similar, but not identical. In a few seconds, the chatbot generates a slightly longer response, usually formatted in bullet points, providing examples and general advice with warnings.

Grok is the only model that provides a specific number in the final answer, about $1 million. But it asked us to provide more information to our users alongside ChatGpt and Copilot. Gemini recommended using a retirement calculator, and Claude proposed a meeting with a financial planner.

Everyone pointed out the 4% rule. This is a withdrawal strategy that allows retirees to safely lower their savings in the year they retire, and adjust for inflation each year after that. However, the rule is over 30 years old, and its creator said it was outdated in 2022.

“Everyone has one number. If a chatbot tries to answer this question without asking for information, it’s useless,” said Anamaria Rusaldi, who leads Stanford’s initiative for financial decisions. “The 4% rule of thumb is completely outdated… If you follow it, you have a very high probability.”

more: The right financial advisors can help you navigate a volatile economy. We rank top farms.

AI advice on credit scores

The chatbot’s response to the question “How can I improve my credit score?” was almost identical. They proposed states that pay bills on time, keep credit usage low and maintain healthy credit combinations.

“This is a much easier question for ChatGpt to answer correctly, as all this information is available on the FICO Score website, for example,” says Lusardi. “If you compare these two questions, this is really the type of situation where you can have rules for everyone.”

Greg Clement is the CEO and founder of Freedomology, a technology and coaching company that launched its own chatbot to help people with finances, health and relationships. He has been working as a financial planner for eight years and thinks the popular AI model is useful when people are asking financial questions, but their answers are still “very vague and general.”

“It’s as if you’re talking to 100 financial planners, asking 100 people the same question and trying to combine all the answers into one summary,” Clement said.

Between the documented bias of AI and fraudulent behavior to understand things on a human level, Tori Dunlap, a money expert who founded the first 100K, is skeptical of people who rely on technology.

“It’s there as your digital robot personal assistant. It’s not intended to help you challenge, push you back or think differently. That’s what coaches and experts can do,” Dunlap said. “But if you don’t have financial advice, if you’re going to go to ChatGpt, I’ll take ChatGpt every time.”

What happens when you provide AI-specific numbers?

Using median household income and down payments in Illinois, USA Today asked the chatbot what home prices couples can buy in the state.

Before giving the numbers, most people asked users to consider factors like debt-to-income ratio, private mortgage insurance, property taxes and more. However, without asking for more details, each gave a different range.

ChatGpt and Gemini are the most optimistic, suggesting between $300,000 and $320,000 and between $275,000 and $325,000 and $325,000 respectively. Claude said $245,000 to $270,000, while Copilot said $225,000 to $250,000. Grok gave it a minimum range of $200,000 to $240,000.

“Personal funds are about our lives. I don’t know that I leave it to artificial intelligence without carefully checking and realizing that different things will have different outcomes for me,” Rusardi said. “Some of these suggestions are very simple and potentially less useful.”

Dunlap said the various answers for chatbots are the results of not being informed. If anyone asked this question, she said she would follow up by asking about their credit score, ideal mortgage payments, and interest rates.

“But before you do that, my question is: Do you actually want to be a homeowner or do you feel it’s necessary to succeed?” she said. “By definition, you’re talking to a robot. You’re not talking to someone who understands true, complicated human emotions.”

After all, when someone asks the AI this question, they’re talking to a chatbot who has never experienced homeownership.

“If young couples in the liberal studies community ask the same question, they’ll probably get answers from people who own the home for 10 or 20 years,” Clement said. “How do you replace it? I don’t think we can.”

What do AI companies recommend?

In chatting with the USA Today AI model, some disclaimers include the disclaimer that they are not financial advisors, and AI companies have some safeguards to actually check their answers.

Google’s double check feature highlights conflicting information online. The company’s help center points out that people shouldn’t rely on Gemini for financial advice.

The company behind Claude, a human spokesman, said people using the model are encouraged to view topics like compound interest and credit scores as easy-to-understand financial literacy tools. But they said Claude could help people get more information, while not replacing licensed experts with personalized financial decisions.

They recommend using Claude to learn and prepare smarter questions, but relying on certified professionals who can provide personalized advice when it comes to actual investment decisions and retirement strategies.

“The most successful approach we’re seeing is using Claude to level up financial literacy and incorporate that knowledge into real-world decisions,” a human spokesman said in a statement to USA Today. “They understand the terminology, recognize better opportunities, and feel more confident whether they are negotiating car loans, choosing jobs, or preparing for a retirement planning meeting.

In another statement to USA Today, a Microsoft spokesman said Copilot’s deep search mode allows people to be well informed in areas where careful evaluations are required, including financial decisions.

“With our eyes ahead, we’re focusing on making Copilot a better AI companion. It’s more personal and it feels natural to be used in everyday life,” the spokesman said. “AI can still make mistakes, so I always recommend checking people for sources and contacting their financial advisors when necessary.”

Allen said that she doesn’t take everything the AI is saying at face value, but she believes it as the reason why she ended up paying off a large portion of it because she doesn’t know how much debt she had.

“That’s what’s been different about this whole process,” Allen said. “I’m not afraid. I have a chat gupto by my side.”

Openai and Xai did not respond to USA Today’s request for comment.

Contact Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com and follow her at x @rachelbarber_

Gen AI makes no economic difference in 95% of cases

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Gen AI makes no economic difference in 95% of cases

Stocks in the US AI technology company fell in value at the end of yesterday’s trading, with the NASDAQ Composite Index down 1.4%. Some who lost their value fell 9.4%, while ARM Holdings fell 5%. According to Financial Times (Paywall), on Tuesday, saw the largest day drop in the market since the beginning of August.

Some traders fell over by a report (PDF) released by AI company Nanda. This focused on the high failure rates of many generation AI projects in commercial organizations. Project Nanda, which is published at the Massachusetts Technology Media Lab, describes it as an organization that builds the “agent web.” This paper has been located behind the research wall since its publication, but can be downloaded from this site.

The research authors state that only 5% of Gen AI Pilots reach production, creating measurable monetary value, with the majority of the projects having little impact on profit and loss indicators. The study conducted by Nanda consisted of content from 52 structured interviews with enterprise decision makers, an analysis of researchers of over 300 public AI initiatives and presentations, and a research questionnaire completed by 153 company leaders. After the Gen AI project left pilot status, it measured return on investment over six months.

While many organizations deploy AI in front office or customer-facing business capabilities, successful projects tend to be found in back office workflows, the paper says. It is mainly in the back office mundane tasks where savings occur, mainly due to the low needs of third-party institutions and BPOs. The survey found that AI projects had little impact on the overall internal staff level.

Although 90% of staff said they personally benefit from using commonly available AI, these subjective benefits are not translated at the institutional level, usually in the form of large-scale language models like ChatGPT. Approximately 40% of the companies surveyed paid for a subscription to LLMS.

Many owners of failed projects cited the lack of contextual awareness demonstrated by generative AI models, namely adapting to the situation, changing over time, and reminiscing of previous enquiries. Nanda says that providing such a system and forming partnerships with organizations that allow them to adapt to the specific circumstances of the organization is a key component of success. The paper highlights some quotes “derived from interviews” including 60%-70%, including “(AI system) not learning from feedback”, “(AI system) not learning”, and “many manual contexts needed each time”.

The most positively impacted verticals of Gen AI were Media & Telecom, followed by professional services, Healthcare & Pharma, Consumer & Retail and Financial Services. The launch rates for generative AI projects in the Energy & Materials sector are currently negligible, the paper states. From a business unit perspective, sales and marketing are, or are, at, or are, at, based, where most projects are based. Finance and procurement are the least popular places where AI projects can be launched.

The typical organizational area where generation AI is most deployed is in sales and marketing, while finance and sourcing are the least popular sites. Additionally, complex tasks are the least likely to be expected to be completed by AI. Managers assign projects such as client management to AI, but tasks like summarizing reports and writing emails are sent to humans in 70% of cases.

The lack of language and academic rigor of published reports suggests that their source and purpose are more similar to marketing than intellectual and technical discussions. The authors of the paper seek to develop strategic partnerships with knowledgeable vendors to increase the chances of success in generating AI projects. “There is an unprecedented opportunity for vendors who can provide a deeply integrated learning-ready AI system,” the paper concludes.

The Nanda Report headlines are read calmly among decision makers responsible for implementing generative AI, but the underlying message of the paper is undermined by the intent behind the publication. While stock prices this week could be influenced by partisan investigations from authors with obvious skins in the game, Nanda’s publications seem likely to simply reflect trading floor concerns regarding the practical effectiveness of generation AI as a business tool.

(Image Source: “Arthur Daly” by Tim Dennell is licensed under CC by-nc-nd 2.0.))

When trans rights and religious freedom clash

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When trans rights and religious freedom clash

good morning! It’s Daniel de Vis with your daily money.

Jocelyn Boden, 47, managed the Bath & Body Works store in Utah for three and a half years.

In March, she hired a transgender man as a retail associate. During her first shift together, Borden said she twice introduced the employee as “her” and, in line with her faith as a member of the Latter-day Saints’ Church of Jesus Christ, teaches that gender is an unchanging feature of a person’s “eternal identity.”

Shortly afterwards, Borden was fired. She is at the forefront of non-binary rights in the workplace as the conflict between religious freedom and transgender is growing.

What does Chair Powell say at Jackson Hole?

A year ago, when Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell gave a keynote speech at the Central Bank’s annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, his message was simple and market-friendly. Inflation has eased, employment growth has slowed, and unemployment has traditionally risen at a recessional pace.

Powell’s next Jackson Hole speech will be set for Friday. What will he say this time?

Inside all women’s “hacker house”

Ava Poole is awake for nearly 24 hours a day. It’s 4am and she’s working non-stop to a presentation about the startup.

As a member of Foundher House, an all-woman “hackerhouse,” Pool was awake with fellow residents in preparation for demonstration day. Over 400 investors, other founders and network members had heard eight women aim to get feedback and funding from AI, fintech, healthcare, climate, real estate and social media technology companies.

It’s a new take on the old concept of male dominated Silicon Valley.

📰 More Stories You Shouldn’t Overlook 📰

About daily money

Every day, Daily Money will provide you with the best consumer and financial news from USA Today, breaking complex events, providing you with the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from the Fed rate to bankruptcy will affect you.

Daniel de Vice covers USA Today’s personal finances.

James Dobson, who focused on the founder of the family, has passed away

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James Dobson, who focused on the founder of the family, has passed away

Dobson’s legacy is defined by his long-standing commitment to educating evangelicals about traditional family values, putting him straight in the middle of discussions about abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

James Dobson, a media mogul who turned Christian family psychologist, began his career in the public ministry that focused on family and influenced the highest levels of American politics. He was 89 years old.

Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, based in Colorado Springs, is one of several evangelical Christian Parachurch groups Dobson has found and led over the past 50 years, and announced that its founder on August 21st.

“Dr. Dobson was a pioneer, a man of deep belief that shaped his voice how generations see faith, family and culture,” Gary Bauer, senior vice president of public policy at the James Dobson family research institute, said in a news release. “His bold leadership, integrity and compassion helped him equip countless families to thrive in a world of value and value. He was a leader, counselor and a stable voice of truth during turbulent times.”

Dobson’s legacy is defined by his long-standing commitment to educating evangelicals about traditional family values, putting him straight in the middle of discussions about abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

His prominent name as an author and radio host positioned him for higher political interests. He played special roles for Republican presidents, including Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and Donald Trump.

In Dobson’s famous anecdote about accessing elite circles in conservative politics, Dobson learned information about the religious views of President George W. Bush’s candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court, Harriet E. Myers.

Bush acknowledged at an October 2005 press conference that his administration member, Carl Roeb, had personally shared with Dobson’s information about Miers, which is deemed normal for public sharing during the Supreme Court judge nomination phase. Myers’ pick eventually fell apart.

Your child is using AI for his homework this year. What now?

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Your child is using AI for his homework this year. What now?

Kara Alaimo is an associate professor of communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her book, Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic to Women and Girls, and How to Recover It, was published in 2024 by Alcove Press.

When your child returns to school, they plan to use artificial intelligence to accomplish their studies.

Twenty-six percent of teenagers aged 13-17 said they used ChatGpt for their studies in a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Since then, AI chatbots have become more common, so the number may be increasing.

As a professor, I have the words to say when students ask a chatbot to write a paper. It is called fraud. Most importantly, it tricks them from the opportunity to learn them. Unfortunately, it’s easy for kids to do this because the tools to detect AI-generated content are unreliable. Therefore, when educators grade a paper, they cannot always tell whether it was used or not.

That’s why it’s very important for parents to talk when their children need to use AI this year and shouldn’t.

“Make sure you use AI as a learning tool instead of shortcuts,” said Robbie Torney, senior director of the AI Program, a nonprofit that advocates healthy media options for children.

This is how to do that.

Use AI to brainstorm and tutor rather than think or write

It is important for children to learn to fact-check information obtained from artificial intelligence.

First, they talk to their kids about why their goal is to “learn and grow,” Tornie said. If AI does their job for them, it “takes away that opportunity.”

However, AI helps them learn. Torney suggested using it as a tutor. “It’s great for explaining difficult concepts and helping them to stagnate, but the original thinking and work must belong to them,” he said.

AI can also help brainstorm ideas, Torney said, but students should do their own thoughts and writing.

It is important to explain why these rules are important. “Our brains are like muscles,” Tornie said. “Children don’t learn skills unless they practice them.”

According to Torney, it would be ideal for children to agree to these boundaries before using AI, but they would “check in” regularly to ensure that AI tools do not replace learning.

Don’t believe everything AI says to you – and understand it together

Chatbots tell users that it’s not true. It is called hallucination and happens all the time.

Also, chatbots are missing things. For example, my student recently submitted a paper on AI (what else?). Many of them are terrible similar and always ring an alarm bell in my head that AI was able to generate them. In this case, multiple students have no federal laws to help victims of nude deep fakes.

Therefore, it is important to teach children how to fact-check information they receive, rather than accepting AI answers at face value. One way to do that is to photograph materials obtained at school (for example, the subject of photosynthesis) and compare the facts that the chatbot conveys.

It’s great to experiment with this together. And parents should not be threatened about doing this because they don’t fully understand how AI works. Most people don’t.

“You don’t need to be an AI expert to help your child use AI wisely, and being involved in asking questions and exploring together can teach them the skills they need in the future,” Torney said.

Because chatbots will probably stay here, whether it is important or not. “Accessing information via AI interfaces will become increasingly common for children,” Torney said.

It is also important to teach your children that they should not take personal advice from chatbots or share personal information.

According to Torney, it’s easy for kids to forget that AI chatbots are technology. “We know that younger children can’t convey the difference between fantasy and reality and are more likely to think of AI as real people or friends,” he said.

One concern is that chatbots trained to have romantic conversations may be engaged in sexual conversations with children. It can also give them bad advice, encourage harmful thoughts, or even lead to replacing relationships with others.

So it’s a good idea to remind children that AI is not human. If you give the chatbot an answer that can make it seem like it isn’t, Tornie realizes that her parents said, “AI said, ‘Do I like your ideas?” “I said. It’s just programming.

Torney also allows children to accidentally disclose personal information through chatbots. He said that if your child uploads a photo of your home and the system uses it as part of the training set, it could be shown to other users. Therefore, it is important to talk about why you never share your personal information with AI tools.

Finally, we will set up clear family rules when chatbots are used. Consider making chatbots available to children in places like family rooms, according to Torney. And establishing time without tech, such as during meals or before bedtime, he suggested.

Your child will probably try to use AI to support his studies. Chatbots are so ubiquitous that understanding how to use them is a life skill for our kids.

That’s why we need to teach our children to use AI to help them learn. One way to teach this is to use chatbots together.

Also, children need to know that they should not rely on AI platforms for advice. Even if they sound human, they are not real, but the consequences of making AI in the way of learning are certainly true.

Xi Jinping rarely visits Tibet to showcase control when Dalai Lama’s inheritance is looming

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Xi Jinping rarely visits Tibet to showcase control when Dalai Lama’s inheritance is looming

Chinese leader Xi Jinping took a rare trip to Tibet and welcomed the crushing of “separatism” in the once reeling region.

Communist Party officials waving Chinese flags, soldiers from the people’s liberation army marched with rifles, while Tibetans performed traditional dances at a ceremony that marks the 60 years since the establishment of Tibet’s autonomous region.

From the stage in front of Lhasa’s towering Potala Palace, Xi saw a meticulously choreographed celebration of Beijing’s solid control over a remote, resource-rich region with a long history of resistance to Chinese rule.

Potala Palace once served as a winter residence for the consecutive Dalai Lamas, which ruled Tibet as a spiritual and political head for centuries after the failed upheaval of Chinese rule in 1959, before the present Dalai Lama’s defection.

On Thursday, the square in front of the palace was packed with a parade attended by a large audience, including school children who clapped in unison during their official speeches, and thousands of people. The crowd is surrounded by two huge portraits of XI, the other with his predecessor.

Xi’s attendance at the event marked a break with precedent. In the past, Beijing has sent senior Communist Party leaders to Lhasa for every decade of regional government celebration, but never the top leader himself.

At age 72, XI is China’s oldest leader visiting Lhasa, the capital of the Himalayas region, 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) above sea level. He last visited the city in 2021, documenting 70 years that Beijing called Tibet’s “peaceful liberation.” Tibetan exiles see it as a brutal invasion and occupation by foreign forces.

“The first thing to do to govern, stabilize and develop Tibet is to maintain political stability, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony,” Xi told a senior Tibetan official at a meeting after its landing in Lhasa on Wednesday. He didn’t speak at the ceremony Thursday.

The trips of top leaders are because Tibet is prepared for pivotal moments in the future.

The current Dalai Lama, who spent more than 60 years in exile in India and is deeply respected by many in Tibet, is preparing for a showdown with Beijing about who will control his reincarnation.

Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the power of compassion and prayer.

In a memoir released in March, the Dalai Lama stated that his successor was born in a “free world” outside of China and urges his followers to reject the candidates chosen by Beijing.

And a few days before his 90th birthday in July, the Dalai Lama announced that he would have a successor after his death, and that his office had the sole authority to identify his reincarnation.

The declaration sets him on a Chinese officially conflict course with the atheist Communist Party.

That could lead to the emergence of two rivals, the Dalai Lama. One was chosen by his predecessor and the other by the Communist Party of China.

During his trip to Tibet, Xi did not name the Dalai Lama in comments reported by state media. However, he made a veiled mention to spiritual leaders at a meeting with Tibetan officials on Wednesday.

According to state media, Xi has promoted the regional government’s efforts to “enforce a thorough struggle with separatism” over the past 60 years.

Beijing brands the Dalai Lama as a dangerous “separatist” and denounces him for inciting Tibetan protests, anxiety and self-imagining against the Communist Party’s rule.

The Dalai Lama rejected those accusations, claiming that he wanted true autonomy in Tibet, not complete independence.

The Chinese Communist Party has launched a decades-long campaign to trust the current Dalai Lama and erase his presence from Tibetan life.

Since taking power, XI has strengthened security and surveillance in China’s frontier regions, strengthened efforts to assimilate ethnic minorities, launched a nationwide campaign to “sinicize” religion, and ensured it was consistent with the leadership and values of the Communist Party.

At Wednesday’s meeting, XI called for more effort to systematically promote “religious sin”, improve governance on religious issues, and “lead Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to a socialist society.”

Top leaders also called on local officials to advance Tibet’s major infrastructure projects. This includes plans to build the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant downstream of the Tsangpo River in Ito.

“Major projects such as the Yarlung Tsangpo Hydropower Project and the Sichuan-Tibet Railway must be carried out powerfully, systematically and effectively,” Xi was quoted as saying.

Americans worry about democracy amid gerrymander fights, polls found

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Americans worry about democracy amid gerrymander fights, polls found

James Lange and James Oliphant
|Reuters

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Reuters) – Most Americans believe that efforts to maximize partisan interests to redraw US Congressional districts are bad for democracy, as are ongoing in Texas and California.

More than half (57%) of respondents feared that American democracy itself was at risk, and feared the view that President Donald Trump’s Republican Party holds eight in 10 and four in 10.

A six-day survey of 4,446 US adults, closed Monday, showed an increase and deep anxiety in Washington’s political sector, where Republicans control both Congressional rooms and the state’s capital.

Polls found that 55% of respondents, including 71% of Democrats and 46% of Republicans, agreed that the ongoing constituency change plans were “bad for democracy,” including plans hatched by the governors of Texas and California in a process known as gerrymandering.

In a urge from Trump, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called for a special state legislative meeting to redraw the map of the state legislative as early as the 2026 medium-term elections, aiming to help Republicans protect the majority of 219-212 US House.

The incumbent president’s parties usually lose their mid-term home seats, which could block their legislative agenda, leading to two perch probes in Trump’s first term.

In 2028, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, the White House, threatened to redraw the state’s district map accordingly, adding five Democratic seats to offset the expected interests of Republicans.

This practice is not new, but it is attracting attention as it takes place along the way rather than following the census. That means that most house races are not competitive in general elections. Over the past few decades, about two-thirds of them have won more than 20% points.

As president, Trump fled with democratic norms, including directing the US Department of Justice to pursue his political opponents, pressure the independent Federal Reserve to lower fees, and seizing control of police in Washington, D.C.

In the interview, Texan Republicans who participated in the polls were primarily supportive of the state’s potential constituency, which Democrats described as “fraud,” but supported the idea that Democrats would try to respond in kind.

The polls found that there was about 2% point error in explaining the views of all Americans, and about 3 points for views of Republicans and Democrats.

“Suspicious business”

Dallas insurance fraud investigator Amanda Kelly, 51, was a rare Republican who criticized Texas’ efforts.

“When either side tries to do that, I don’t like it. I think it’s a shady business,” Kelly said. “The optics of it happen when you finish when you draw the district lines, which leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.”

Dallas lawyer Paul Waleman, 57, also opposed the fact that he was an independent voter.

“It’s unfair and sets a bad precedent,” Waleman said. “Everything’s wrong, but I think it’s fair that Democrats try to offset what Republicans are doing,” Partizan Gerrimandering said.

“They need to stop bringing knives to the shootout.”

Americans in both parties have long disliked elected leaders of rival parties, but Reuters/Ipsos polls found that ordinary people alongside the opposition also have distrust.

About 55% of Democrats agreed to a statement that “people who are Republicans should not be trusted,” but 32% disagreed. Republicans are split, with 43% agreeing that Democrats can’t be trusted, and 44% say they disagree.

Polls also show politics that place more emphasis on people’s daily lives than they have in the past few years, especially among Democrats. About 27% of Democrats said last year’s presidential election had a negative impact on their friendship.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll in April 2017 reported that early Trump’s first term was a small percentage of Democrats (18%), fighting for friendships for elections. This month, only 10% of Republicans said politics, which has been largely unchanged since 2017, put emphasis on friendship.

Jeffrey Larson, a 64-year-old toxicologist and Republican voter from Seabrook, Texas, said he and his wife, Democrat, agreed not to discuss politics.

“I may not agree with what Democrats are doing, but I don’t think they’re trying to specifically destroy my life or destroy America,” Larson said.

Nearly half of Democrats (46%) said the party has lost their way, compared to 19% of Republicans who said the same thing as the party.

Sandiogden, 71, a high-tech executive and self-proclaimed Democrat from Sunnyvale, California, said she denounced the party’s leader.

“I think Democrats are united in what we believe in, but leaders have no effect in increasing the opposition to work,” Ogden said.

Analysts said the greater distrust of ordinary Democrats with Republicans and friction with friends suggests they are unwilling to engage with Republicans who could harm the party’s chances of regaining their political status.

“Democracy includes the willingness to allow people with different views to express those views,” said Whit Ayers, a veteran Republican poller.

Longtime democratic operative Michael Ceraso found poll results frustrating.

“The majority of Democrats believe our democracy is failing and almost half of them don’t want to talk to the opposition,” Ceraso said. “We need to get better.”

(Reporting by Jason Lange, Nolan D. McCaskill, James Oliphant, Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman)

Reading for pleasure has decreased by 40%. Find your genre and friends to get it back, experts say

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Reading for pleasure has decreased by 40%. Find your genre and friends to get it back, experts say

Sarah J. Mars, Freida McFadden, Emily Henry – can these popular writers join forces to save a day against dangerous decline for fun?

Reading for daily reading has plummeted 40% over the past 20 years, according to a new study published Wednesday in the Journal Iscience.

The report, which surveyed US people on reading habits between 2003 and 2023, showed that decline of about 3% per year is maintained.

Research shows that African Americans, people at low-income or education levels, and rural people experienced the most sharp declines.

Reading for fun is important for many reasons, including critical thinking and developing empathy, but not everything is lost. Experts say they have the tools in place to make a comeback for reading – and romance, fantasy and mystery lead.

The overall trend of reading for pleasure may be declining, but the wild popularity of conversations about series, book clubs and social media has been successful.

Genre books – especially romance, fantasy, mystery – are gaining popularity. This tends to highlight two important strategies for more reading. I used to work On CNN, I currently manage the editor for Goodreads, a website where readers track readings and share recommendations with others.

Maybe you like cozy romance novels, thick history books, business readings, or high literature.

Teresa Kremin, professor of education and community member at the Centre for Literacy and Social Justice at the UK Open University, said reading in many ways is “training for the brain.”

Reading requires deep critical and creative thinking, as well as developing cognitive patience or sustained concentration, she added. Engaging in alternative worlds, history, cultures and experiences through fictional characters, she added, could help develop compassion and empathy.

Leisure readings can be cognitively reinforced, but they also help with relaxation and stress reduction, said Jill Sonke, PhD, a study co-author who serves as a senior fellow in American Cultural Policy at Stanford University. She is a partner of Epiarts Lab, the National Fund for the Arts Laboratory at the University of Florida, a partnership at the University of Florida University of London.

This advantage is particularly important in the digital age – People are under a lot of stress, but they have less leisure time, Sonke added. He is also a research initiative and research professor at UF Arts for Arts Medicine.

“The low fruits around relaxation today are really important,” Sonke said.

Book accessibility makes it a convenient way to engage in art and culture. Library, bookstores and online resources are more available than galleries and theatres, she added.

“It gives you the opportunity to relax and immerse yourself,” Kremin said.

Reading with your child can help families connect.

According to Kremin, a useful step to fostering readers is to be your own reader.

“When adults position themselves as fellow readers, my own research shows that they model the values and satisfaction they find in their literal lives and lead young people to such joy,” she said.

Luckily, the study showed no sharp decline in reading for children – but families haven’t read enough together yet, Sonke said.

Of the over 236,000 people in the study, 20% said they had children in homes under the age of nine, but only 2% read with their children.

“We know that for children, reading is linked to reading preparation, early education preparation, and later to achieving reading,” Sonke said. “Of course, these educational meanings are really important and I think they’ll become even more important as we enter this age of AI.”

However, learning is not the only reason why reading is important for children.

“My motivation for reading my children was certainly about educational reach and preparation, but it was a truly important bonding time for our family. I also know that bonding with our children is really important to their well-being,” she added.

Children who enjoy reading are essential to addressing social inequality, Kremin said. A new study found that African Americans read 49% less daily than white people.

While it is important for education systems to increase access to reading in schools through libraries and other structural changes, it can sometimes be implemented by families at home, Kremin said.

If it’s more accessible, get audiobooks and e-books so that family and friends can come together and read aloud, she said.

If you haven’t found a genre yet, try looking at a movie, a show, or other cultural elements you enjoy and find a book that suits those interests, Wallace said.

Whatever you enjoy, you may find a community around it. This is essential for building reading habits. Whether you gather with a group of friends, interact with other readers on social media pages, or follow the podcast, find people you can connect with through the book, Wallace added.

“Reading itself is very lonely. You’ve been sitting alone for hours in a book,” she said. “But I think the process of finding books, sharing books, talking about books is really another aspect of that.”

Inspired by the weekly roundups on living well, which have become simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, but a better newsletter about information and tools designed to improve your happiness.

North Korea has a secret missile base that poses a “potential nuclear threat” to the US, according to a new report.

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North Korea has a secret missile base that poses a “potential nuclear threat” to the US, according to a new report.

North Korea has a secret missile base near the north border with China, with previously unreported missile bases near the north border with China, according to a new report released Wednesday.

The Singpandong missile base is located just 27 km (approximately 17 miles) from the Chinese border. A report from the Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Research (CSIS), said it is believed to store up to nine nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and their mobile launchers.

The site is one of an estimated 15-20 ballistic missile bases and warhead storage facilities that North Korea has never declared, reports drawn from satellite image analysis, interviews with North Korean refugees and officials, confidential documents and open source data state.

“These missiles pose a potential nuclear threat to East Asia and the US,” the report warned.

Satellite images provided by Planet Labs show the operating base of North Korea's Sinpung Dong missile on August 12th.

Over the past few years, North Korea has increased its arms programme under national leader Kim Jong, rapidly modernising its troops, developing new weapons, and testing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach almost anywhere in the United States.

These actions violate UN sanctions that strictly restrict access to North Korea’s materials and weapons. However, the isolated country has since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, sending its troops to strengthen cooperation with Russia and fight the troops on the frontline.

The foundation of this secret is part of North Korea’s efforts to strengthen its nuclear program, the report said.

The base is located in a narrow mountain valley, cut in half by a stream and measures 22 square kilometers (approximately 5,436 acres). This is bigger than John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Experts say locations near the border lend geographical benefits. Countries like the US may be wary of targeting fallout as it could affect neighboring China.

“By building a base that is very close to China, North Korea can also try to exploit the political risks and uncertainties of Beijing’s reaction to stop the attack,” said Raife Eric Easley, a professor at EWHA University in Seoul.

“While US and South Korean policymakers already recognize that they do not want to exchange these capabilities in disarmament diplomacy, public knowledge of such a foundation may encourage more Chinese observers to resent North Korea’s attempts of strategic entanglement,” he added.

According to satellite imagery, the base began construction in 2004 and has been in operation since 2014, the report found. Since then, the base has been “well maintained” and has continued to be actively developed. It said it could reflect on ongoing progress in North Korea’s missile testing.

It is not yet clear which models of ballistic missiles are stored at the base, but CSIS researchers believe they are equipped with North Korea’s nuclear-sensitive Hwasong-15 or Hwasong-18 ICBMs, or a different type of ICBM that has not yet been revealed.

Reports show that the base is carrying a transporter launcher or a mobile launcher. This states that you can shoot quickly and move to a new position.

“During times of crisis or war, these launchers and missiles will leave the base, fill special warhead storage/transport units, and carry out launch operations from dispersed, pre-served sites,” the report said.

The report also includes satellite images pointing to many of the base’s facilities, including admission checkpoints, headquarters buildings, warehouses, missile support facilities and small residential buildings.

Some of these are intentionally covered with trees and bushes, hiding the entrance. Except in winter when “when vegetation is sparse,” it is becoming more difficult to find on satellite images.

The secret base is part of North Korea’s “missile belts” at several other bases, some of which have been published by CSIS separately. This constitutes a key component of Pyongyang’s “evolving ballistic missile strategy and its expanding strategic level of nuclear suppression and strike capabilities,” the report said.

North Korea owns between 40 and 50 nuclear warheads and is believed to own nuclear warheads throughout the region and potentially to the US mainland. Kim has also in recent years pledged to increase rhetoric, build a country’s nuclear program, and has threatened to use it to destroy South Korea if attacked.

This story has been updated with additional information.

When will the new love bus come out? Blindbox for pre-orders on August 21st

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When will the new love bus come out? Blindbox for pre-orders on August 21st

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Pop Mart will make pre-orders available again with The Monsters Big Into Energy Series.

Originally released in April 2025, the series is one of the latest Labubu blind boxes to come out. Blindboxes may hide the exact content of the package until the customer opens, revealing items that are particularly rare in the series.

According to the Pop Mart website, the “Monsters Big Inter Energy Series” vinyl plush pendant blind boxes can be pre-ordered on Thursday, August 21st at 9:30pm (East US). Purchases can only be made using the Pop Mart app. PopMart apps can be downloaded on your phone from the Google Play Store or App Store.

Before you try to buy Labubu, make sure your app is updated and functioning properly.

Which Lovebu/Monster Blind Boxes are available for order?

The next “Monster” blind box can be pre-ordered on the evening of Thursday, August 21st.

“I can’t even disrupt my love”: This doll has become the latest trend

How much does a Love Bus cost?

According to the website, the “Big Inter Energy Series” blind box is $27.99 and does not include taxes, delivery or handling.

However, those who want to buy the entire set, including six different blind boxes, will have to pay $167.94.

Purchases over $29 on the Pop Mart app and website receive free shipping.

Labubus will be sold out soon

When USA Today tried to reserve a Labubu blind box on Tuesday, August 21st, they sold out within a minute.

An error code appears, stating that the item you were trying to buy is “too popular.” After updating the app, all Lovebu Blind Boxes that you can order previously are sold out.

What is Lovebu?

Labubu is a monster-based doll created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, featuring large heads, sharp teeth and prominent eyes. The Labubu keychain, obsessed by almost everyone, is furry and comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

“In spite of the mischievous expression, Lovebu is kind and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieve the opposite,” Popmart said on its website.

Pop Mart sells small love baths, carrying shrimp tempura-shaped items, cola products, and dressing up as pumpkins.

Some may say that the doll looks a little scary, but others find it really adorable.

Labubu was introduced to the world in 2015 when he created three picture books based on the myth of the lungs.

But today, Lovebus is sold worldwide by Beijing-based toy maker Pop Mart as part of the “Monster” line.

What is a blind box?

The blindbox includes toys and figurines for a variety of properties, ranging from famous characters such as Hello Kitty and Winnie The Pooh and his friends to popular cartoon characters like Monkey D. Luffy from “One Piece.”

Some of the content in the blindbox may be rarer than others. This will increase the value and collectors will be happy to pay if they are resold online.

The Labubu blind box is currently being sold worldwide by Pop Mart as part of the “Monster” line.

Beware of “lafufus”

The launch, scheduled for the evening of August 20th, will only be available on the official Pop Mart app, but beware of people selling counterfeit products online.

Labubu dolls are extremely popular and are attracting attention from resellers and counterfeiters.

To purchase real Labubu or “The Monsters” products, buy dolls directly from Pop Mart, Tiktok account, Amazon store, or other major retailers.

The following could be a sign of a fake lovebu, commonly known as “roughfass,” according to consumer safety alerts.

  • Labubus sold online with a sudden discount
  • The package does not have holographic Pop Mart stickers or scannable QR codes linking to the official Pop Mart site
  • Preview cards are not included in Labubu
  • Lovebu has the wrong number of teeth. A real love bath has nine teeth.
  • The new version of the doll doesn’t have a “subtle UV stamp on one leg.”
  • If the toy has small parts, the safety label may not be included in the package.

Another indication that the doll could be roughhoo, according to a USA Today investigation, is that it is not torn apart, but in a resealable plastic bag. Customers will also not be able to select the Labubu color they receive unless they purchase the Labubu package from a reseller that is already open.

Julia is a trend reporter for USA Today. Connect with her LinkedIn,x, Instagramand TiktokPlease email: @juliamariegz or jgomez @gannett.com

Sydney Sweeney calls double standard in bath water soap controversy

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Sydney Sweeney calls double standard in bath water soap controversy

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As a businessman, Sidney Sweeney is not afraid to push an envelope, even if the fan emails don’t always shine.

The Emmy-nominated actress, who has been involved in controversy with her provocative campaign ads, was opened in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on August 20th about the backlash she received for the bath water scented soap.

Sweeney, who teamed up with a male hygiene brand in 2024 to suggest a body wash commercial, continued her collaboration with Sydney Bathwater Bliss in May.

“When fans start asking for a bath, they can either ignore it or turn it into a Dr. Squatchthorpe bar,” Sweeney said in a press release at the time. “It’s odd in the best way and we love that we’ve created something that’s not only unforgettable, but something that actually smells incredible.”

SOAP’s sensual marketing theme sparked a mixed reaction on social media, with some users calling it a “gimmick” and questioning the cleanliness of the items.

“It was mainly a girl commenting on it, and I thought it was really funny,” Sweeney recalled in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “They all loved Jacob Elordi’s bathwater idea.”

Sweeney’s “Euphoria” co-star Jacobu Elordi, who also appeared in the 2023 dark comedy Saltburn, achieved quirky sex symbol status after a scene from the film was drinking a bath filled with Eurordi’s bodied fluids.

The actors were not involved in the production or sale of the products, but the risqué sequences also influenced the creation of eroludibas water-scented candles.

Sydney Sweeney is everywhere: From soap to jeans, check out her viral ad campaign.

Why Sydney Sweeney pays attention to controversial campaigns

Sweeney’s bath water soap isn’t just her business move with her eyebrows raised.

In July, the “Anything You” star became the face of Denim Retailer American Eagle’s latest campaign, featuring biology-inspired wordplay that praises Sweeney’s “Great Jeans.”

The campaign quickly ignited a cultural firestorm, as it accused Sweeney and the American Eagle of subtle gracefully endorsed. Even President Donald Trump defended the actress’s “hot” ads and placed emphasis on service scandals.

Sydney Sweeney and the American Eagle: Actress causes controversy with jeans ads

Sweeney has not commented on the backlash yet, but American Eagle defended the campaign in an August 1 statement. “Sydney Sweeney has some amazing jeans.”

Sweeney doesn’t have any controversy in her mind, but she told the Wall Street Journal that she keeps a tab at the brand’s public reception.

“I think it’s important to put your fingers in the pulsation of what people are saying,” Sweeney said. “It’s all about conversations with the audience.”

Contributions: Melina Kahn, Nicole Foraart, Joey Garrison, Jay Stahl, Anna Kaufman, USA Today

The FDA warns against eating certain shrimp sold at Walmart amid radioactive contamination investigations

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The FDA warns against eating certain shrimp sold at Walmart amid radioactive contamination investigations

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged the public not to eat certain bags of frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart, citing concerns about unsanitary and unsanitary conditions. Radioactive contamination seen in shipments from the same supplier.

The FDA said the radioisotope Cesium 137 was detected in a sample of breaded shrimp detained at US ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah and Miami from an Indonesian supplier named BMS Foods.

These contaminated shipments never reached the US market. However, since Walmart’s raw frozen shrimp came from the same supplier, the agency said “it appears to be prepared, packed or held under unsanitary conditions that could have been contaminated with CS-137,” authorities advised consumers to avoid eating.

The detected levels of cesium (approximately 68 becks per kilogram) were well below the FDA’s intervention level of 1,200 BQ/kg. Still, regulators have issued caution from recommendations, citing long-term low-dose exposure at supplier facilities and potential risks of cancer from issues.

Advisory applies to 2 pounds great value bags of white vannami shrimp carrying the best date March 15th, 2027. They were distributed to Walmart stores in at least 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia.

The agency advises consumers to dump shrimp or return them to buy them, saying the investigation is ongoing in collaboration with Indonesia’s seafood regulator.

Walmart confirmed with CNN that it “quickly reminded me of the product from the affected stores.” CNN also contacted the supplier for comment.

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