Win for Trump, surprise on abortion: Takeaways from historic Supreme Court term

Win for Tru, surprise on abortion: Takeaways from historic Supreme Court termmp

Win for Trump, surprise on abortion: Takeaways from historic Supreme Court term, The Supreme Court ended its term last week granting broad immunity from criminal prosecution to presidents in an ideologically divided decision with major implications for this fall’s presidential contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

And that wasn’t the high court’s only monumental decision this year.

The conservative justices trash canned a 40-year doctrine that gave deference to federal regulators in legal disputes, a top goal of a long-standing campaign of conservatives to shrink the “administrative state.”

Other decisions either made it generally easier to challenge federal rules or weakened the enforcement ability of specific federal agencies.

Rulings on culture war issues were less consequential. But that’s in large part because the court unexpectedly punted on two potentially major abortion cases, as well as on attempts by conservatives to fight what they saw as censorship of their views on social media.

On the always contentious issue of gun rights, the court created a slightly larger window for firearm restrictions than it appeared to have set in a landmark 2022 decision about the 2nd Amendment. But it still left confusion about how that decision applies to bans on assault-style rifles, to bans on felons owning guns and to other restrictions being challenged in the lower courts.

In keeping, however, with its overall eagerness to block the executive branch from perceived overreaching, the majority struck down a Trump-era ruling that bump stocks meet the legal definition of a machine gun so can be banned.

There were other highlights and greatest hits of the term, with Amy Coney Barrett emerging as a distinctive voice and Sonia Sotomayor's impassioned dissents. Samuel Alito, with his flag drama, and Clarence Thomas, continuing to stake out positions some deem as extreme, were critical Supreme Court personalities as well.

Here are the top takeaways for the term.

A huge win for Trump − with deeper implications for an election year, and for the presidency

The justices were largely united in March when they said Colorado couldn’t use an anti-insurrectionist provision of the Constitution to kick Donald Trump off the ballot. The court’s three liberals did accuse the conservative majority of going further than necessary to protect Trump from additional challenges to holding office, even as they agreed he must remain on Colorado’s ballot.

But the court was bitterly divided along ideological lines when it put limits on how prosecutors can try Trump for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Presidents, the majority said, have absolute immunity for core presidential responsibilities − and they have a presumption of immunity for other official acts. Prosecutors can still go after actions Trump took in his capacity as a candidate, and they can make a case for why some of his actions as president should not be immune. But the extra hurdles make it basically inevitable Trump won’t face trial before the November election.

In their dissent, the court's liberal justices said the majority gave Trump “all the immunity he asked for and more.”

But Chief Justice John Roberts said the dissenters' "tone of chilling doom" discounts the fact that the majority ruled that only Trump's official discussions with his attorney general are absolutely immune from prosecution, and directed the lower courts to apply the new immunity rule to other aspects of the charges against Trump.

Conservative majority torpedoes regulatory agencies

The majority overturned the landmark 1984 decision Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, achieving a major conservative objective to dramatically shrink the regulatory power of the federal government.

Former White House counsel Don McGahn had been clear about using Trump's Supreme Court nominations to further that goal.

"There is a coherent plan here where actually the judicial selection and the deregulatory effort are really the flip side of the same coin," McGahn told a conservative gathering in 2018.

As a result of the 6-3 decision, courts will no longer have to accept agency expertise when corporations or others challenge regulations to protect the environment, consumers, workers, public safety and more.

“This decision shifts power from agencies to courts, which is troubling to some because agencies are very deliberative, made up of experts, and offer a democratic forum for policymaking," Josh Galperin, a Pace University law school professor and an expert in environmental law. “Sometimes Congress leaves ambiguity in statutes because Congress wants agencies to make policy decisions.”

The conservative majority said it’s the role of courts, not federal agencies, to interpret federal statutes if Congress hasn’t clearly enough told regulators how to do their job.

In a separate decision, the conservative majority also said regulations can be challenged long after they’ve gone into effect. And they said the Securities and Exchange Commission can’t use an in-house enforcement mechanism to protect investors against securities fraud. Instead, any penalties have to be decided through a jury trial, the court said in an opinion that could lead to similar challenges to other federal agencies.Punting on abortion access fights

The court avoided detonating an election-year bomb on abortion access by dismissing two cases without deciding the underlying issues.

The court said the anti-abortion doctors who challenged a widely used abortion drug had not shown they were sufficiently affected by the Food and Drug Administration’s loosening of restrictions on mifepristone. Anti-abortion groups are hoping another challenge being mounted by three states will have more success, or that a new administration could order changes if Republicans win the White House.

In the second case, the justices returned to the lower courts a fight over whether a federal law requires hospitals to provide emergency abortions. While the high court allowed doctors in Idaho to perform for now abortions needed to stabilize a woman’s health as the litigation continues, abortion rights advocates said doctors and their patients around the country needed clarity they didn’t get on what care can be provided in states with strict abortion bans.

Punting on social media

Despite hearing multiple cases this term that had the potential to rewrite how Americans interact online, the impact was minor. In one set of cases, the court said that public officials can sometimes be sued for blocking critics on social media if they use platforms to make official statements.

But because the court dismissed for procedural reasons a case about how far the government can go to pressure social media companies to remove or downgrade posts, the justices did not answer the underlying question. And they sent back to the lower courts for more review challenges to laws passed by Texas and Florida to limit the ability of platforms to moderate content.

Gun rules continue to evolve

After a series of rulings expanding gun rights under the 2nd Amendment in recent years, the court in June softened a 2022 decision that said gun prohibitions must be grounded in history.

Everyone except Thomas − who authored that 2022 decision − said a regulation doesn’t have to have a “historical twin” to be constitutional. That allowed the court to uphold a ban intended to keep domestic abusers from having firearms.  But it left a lot of questions about the constitutionality of many other gun restrictions under the 2022 test.

And in a gun case that didn’t involve the 2nd Amendment, the court said the federal government went too far in 2018 when declaring a bump stock met the legal definition of a machine gun so could be banned.  That case was based on whether the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms had correctly applied the law’s technical definition of a machine gun to a bump stock.

Conservative rift over `originalism'

Some of the cases exposed a rift among the majority about the proper way to use history under “originalism,” the dominant judicial philosophy of the conservative legal movement.

Originalists try to interpret the words of the Constitution as they would have been understood by the framers at the time of the nation’s founding.

But Barrett warned against the pitfalls of relying too narrowly on history and tradition to determine the original meaning.

That can lead to missing the forest for the trees, she wrote in a case about a trademark dispute.

The conflict was most apparent in the Second Amendment dispute about banning guns from domestic abusers.

The court’s three liberals said the majority’s 2022 decision that gun regulations must be grounded in history was creating chaos in the courts.

Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh defended using “text, history and tradition” to decide cases.

“History is far less subjective than policy,” Kavanaugh wrote. “And reliance on history is more consistent with the properly neutral judicial role than an approach where judges subtly (or not so subtly) impose their own policy views on the American people.”

But Barrett said that there are “serious problems” with demanding “overly specific analogues.” Those problems include forcing 21st-century regulations to follow late-18th-century policy choices, she wrote.

Liberals: `I dissent'

There are days, Sotomayor said in May, when she’s so upset by the decision in a case that she closes her office door and cries.

“You have to shed the tears, and then you have to wipe them and get up and fight some more,” the most senior of the justices appointed by a Democratic president said during an event at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

She fought back on the the majority’s ruling to throw out a ban on bump stocks with a fiery dissent delivered from the bench, a rare move used to emphasis disagreement. That decision, she said, will have deadly consequences.

When the majority said homeless people could be fined or jailed for sleeping in public, Sotomayor called that unconscionable and unconstitutional.

And when the majority granted presidents broad immunity for their official acts, it was in part what Sotomayor didn’t say that drew attention.

In their separately written dissents, both Sotomayor and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson removed the usual word “respectfully” before ending their opinions, “I dissent.”

Ethics issues continue to swirl

Responding to a litany of controversies involving private jet travel and posh vacations accepted by Thomas and other justices that polls suggested had undermined public faith in the institution, the Supreme Court announced in November it will honor a code of conduct for the first time in its 234-year history.

But that did not quell the ethical concerns. Critics pointed out that the code has no enforcement mechanism.

They raised that complaint again after Alito rejected calls that he recuse himself from deciding cases involving Trump because of flags flown at his homes that have been adopted by Trump supporters. Alito said the the flags were flown by his wife and were not meant to support the “Stop the Steal” movement.

Roberts reiterated to congressional Democrats that recusal decisions are left to the individual justices. And he declined their request that he meet with the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss ethics questions swirling around the court.

Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?

Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?'

Is killing 'zombie' cells the key to healthier aging?, Did you know you have “zombie” cells inside you? Senescent cells were given the nickname “zombie” cells because they’re not quite dead, but they also don’t act like living cells — and they can wreak havoc on your tissues. Scientists think that these cells may be behind the damage our lungs, bones and even brains incur as we age. That has made some wonder: Could getting rid of these zombie cells help us stay healthier for longer?

In a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine, a treatment aimed at killing off these zombie cells showed promise for helping older women’s bodies create new bone, potentially staving off bone loss, a common issue in post-menopausal aging.

Here’s what to know about the latest frontier in the fight against aging.

What are ‘zombie cells’?

More formally called “senescent” by scientists, these are cells that are dying, but are not quite dead. They accumulate more and more as we age, triggering inflammation and damage to otherwise healthy cells.

The same team of Mayo Clinic researchers behind the latest paper “were the leaders in the field [who] demonstrated that senescent cells aren’t just a consequence of aging, but can be considered as driving aging,” Paul Robbins, director of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Biology of Aging and Metabolism, tells Yahoo Life.

Zombie cells are thought to build up in all manner of tissues, but they don’t seem to necessarily behave the same way in one part of the body that they do in another. But research — primarily done in mice — suggests that clearing the zombies out could extend health span by slowing damage that leads to age-related health problems, including bone density loss, lung scarring and Alzheimer’s disease, Robbins says.

What did the new study find?

Based on previous research in mice and petri dishes, scientists hypothesized that senescent cells contribute to osteoporosis or low bone mass — forms of age-related bone loss that affect about 13% of Americans over 50, including nearly 20% of women, according to the latest national estimates from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Mayo Clinic team tested a combination of a commonly used cancer drug, dasatinib, and a compound found in some foods and sold as a supplement, quercetin — which had shown promise in killing off senescent cells — in half of a group of 60 otherwise healthy postmenopausal women (the other half did not get the treatment, and served as the control group). Biomarker testing suggested that the treatment — known as D+Q — helped women grow 16% more new bone than those in the control group. But there were caveats.

The benefit was only present two weeks and four weeks after the trial started; the groups evened out by the trial’s end. And the zombie cell-killing drugs didn’t seem to slow bone loss; it just improved bone creation rates.

Perhaps most important, the treatment worked best on women who had high volumes of senescent cells. The research suggests that “only about 30% of all women over age 60 might have a high enough burden of senescent cells to respond to this particular drug combination,” study co-author and Mayo Clinic bone loss researcher Dr. Sundeep Khosla tells Yahoo Life. He adds that that burden, or density of zombie cells, tends to go up noticeably after age 70, so treatments might be most beneficial starting then.

What does it mean for anti-aging and longevity?

It’s a good first step, Khosla and Robbins say. This research was the clinical trial to test a zombie cell-killer treatment in humans. And the fact that it worked at all is promising, Robbins says.

The science of how and why we age is (pardon the expression) still young, and our attempts to slow or stop it are even newer. Scientists have discovered a number of biomarkers, or signals, for biological age — namely, DNA changes — but the challenge is figuring out what might be “a druggable target,” Robbins says. And that’s why he and Khosla have focused on zombie cells.

Based on research in animals, they are among the scientists who believe that “reducing the number of senescent cells will contribute to extending health spans,” he says, but adds that “there are other targets, too.”

D+Q is one possible “geroprotector” — a treatment that may be protective against the harmful processes of aging — but there’s still a lot to learn about how best to use it. The new study, for example, shows that this particular treatment isn’t likely to work very well unless someone already has a lot of zombie cells, which isn’t easy to measure, at least for slowing bone loss, says Khosla. But figuring that out helps scientists know when the treatment could be useful, and working out the correct timing and dosing could make it more effective. And D+Q isn’t the only drug that could potentially fight cellular senescence.

If quercetin helps fight aging, should I take it?

You might be tempted to take quercetin, since it’s being studied for anti-aging properties and can be found on health food and supplement store shelves. But many experts advise holding off, since quercetin is a flavonoid, an antioxidant compound that gives some fruits and vegetables — including citrus fruits, blueberries, apples, onions and parsley — their color, according to Mount Sinai. Robbins warns that “I’m not sure if the doses people take daily is sufficient to kill senescent cells.” But the study suggests that quercetin or another flavonoid, fisetin, in combination with other drugs, might be. However, Robbins and his partner did start taking fisetin once every two weeks after he published a paper showing that quercetin might reduce the risk of severe COVID.

The biggest risk with these supplements is that you simply don’t know what you’re getting because they’re not regulated, and companies often make exaggerated or false health claims. “So if you buy something at [a vitamin shop], you can’t tell if it’s pure,” Robbins says.

But even if you bought the purest form of quercetin, “on its own, it's not a very effective senolytic,” or zombie-cell killer, Robbins says. And even if it were, the latest research underscores a very important point, he says: “Taking drugs to slow aging at age 20 may have no benefit, and may in fact be harmful.”

Cut back on bacon, wear bug spray and 5 other wellness tips to know this week

Cut back on bacon, wear bug spray and 5 other wellness tips to know this week

Cut back on bacon, wear bug spray and 5 other wellness tips to know this week, Hello, health news readers! My name is Kaitlin, and I’m here to share the best wellness tips from around the web. The holiday weekend may be coming to a close, but summer is in full swing — and so is the scorching weather. Stay cool and use the summer sun as an excuse to eat lots of watermelon and gazpacho!

Of course, before you venture outdoors, check the local weather forecast — and, if you’re a fan, your horoscope. Then read up on the tips below to see how you can improve your health and overall well-being this week.

🥓 Skip the bacon

Cutting back on processed meat — such as bacon, cold cuts and hot dogs — by just 30% may help prevent diabetes, colorectal cancer and even heart disease, a new study finds. Need a healthier swap for your BLT? Try a hummus and veggie wrap instead for an extra fiber boost, which most Americans really need.

👫 Build up your social circle

Chronic loneliness is an American epidemic, per the surgeon general — but now, new research says that it can also increase the risk of stroke by as much as 56%. Struggling to find social connections? Try volunteering in the community, chatting with neighbors or attending local events like art exhibits or educational workshops.

🦞 Eat lobster, live long?

Living into the triple digits is a rare feat — which is why 104-year-old lobster fisherwoman Virginia Oliver is sharing her tips on how to thrive. That includes abstaining from smoking and alcohol, enjoying time in nature and, of course, consuming lots of lobster — which happens to be a great source of zinc, selenium and vitamin B12.

🦟 Wear bug spray

Bummer bug news: Mosquito-borne illness is on the rise, with officials confirming some of these bugs have tested positive for West Nile. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also warned people about the increase in dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitoes and endemic in places like Puerto Rico. Fight back by wearing bug spray and avoiding puddles of standing water, which can breed these annoying bloodsuckers.

⏳ Practice patience

Do you get frustrated easily? You’re not alone. While some people are lucky enough to be born patient, there’s good news if you’re not one of them: You can work on it. Oprah Daily has tips to become more patient — and yes, that includes limiting screen time. (Sorry!)

🍦 Hit up the ice-cream truck

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream — which might actually be a better-for-you summertime treat than you thought, according to dietitians. They say it can be a better choice for blood sugar management than some other desserts on the menu.

😊 Lean into happiness

An Ivy League education in happiness? Yahoo Creator Sean Kernan enrolled in Yale University’s free eight-week happiness course, called The Science of Well-Being, and is sharing the top four things he learned — like savoring, which is deliberately thinking about an activity you just enjoyed and taking a moment to appreciate it.

Tired, angry, frustrated: 62% of Americans say their mood is affected by the heat, new Yahoo News/YouGov poll reveals

Tired, angry, frustrated: 62% of Americans say their mood is affected by the heat, new Yahoo News/YouGov poll reveals

Tired, angry, frustrated: 62% of Americans say their mood is affected by the heat, new Yahoo News/YouGov poll reveals, Do you get a little cranky when the temperatures hit the 90s? If the extreme heat is having a negative impact on your mood, you're not alone.

In a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll of 1,754 American adults conducted between June 28 and July 1, 62% of people surveyed said “yes” when asked if extreme heat affected their mood, with 30% saying “no” and 8% saying they were “not sure.”

Most people surveyed (72%) said that extreme heat made them feel “tired,” followed by “frustrated” (40%). Others described their mood during extreme heat as “angry” (24%), “anxious” (20%), “confused” (10%) and “sad” (10%).Dr. Jose Mayorga, executive director of the UCI Health Family Health Centers, tells Yahoo Life he’s not surprised by the results because, from a “medical standpoint and a mental and physical standpoint, it makes sense.”

Mayorga says that while most people think of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as something that only happens during the winter months, when it’s “gray, gloomy, and there’s less sunlight,” the summertime also affects mood because many people find the heat extremely uncomfortable.

Why extreme heat can erode your mental health

There’s a physiological reason why heat can undermine your mood. For one thing, when we’re tired, we’re less likely to be happy and heat can make us feel sluggish.

The reason people feel tired when it’s hot out, Mayorga says, is due to the body’s inner workings. As your body temperature rises, your body finds ways to cool itself through processes like sweating. This uses up energy, which can make you feel more lethargic. “When you're indoors, your body is in a certain state of balance,” he explains. “But the minute you expose yourself to an extreme, such as heat, your body tries to put yourself into a comfortable state, physically and mentally.”

Heat throws us off our body’s natural equilibrium. When we are tired and physically uncomfortable (like, say, when we’re sweating through our clothes on a hot day) we’re more likely to have a lower threshold for things that annoy us, says Mayorga, causing us to feel frustrated, anxious and irritable. Basically, “your body isn’t regulating fast enough to cool you off.”

We may lash out more easily than we would have if we were, say, inside with the air conditioner running. (Though it’s worth noting that people who stay inside in order to avoid the heat may feel cooped up, which can have its own mental health effects.)

Mayorga says that some people may be more affected than others. Certain medications can have an impact on one’s ability to regulate their temperature. This includes things like antihistamines (typically taken for seasonal allergies), as well as certain medications for mental health conditions. “You should take a close look at the medicines you are taking and see if it can influence your overall body's temperature regulation,” he says. “If so, be more cautious of that — make sure to stay indoors in a cool space and make sure you're staying hydrated.”

In general, Mayorga says it’s important to avoid the physical risks of spending time in heat, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. You shouldn’t chalk up symptoms like a headache or extreme fatigue to the mental effects of the sun, and should seek medical attention if you believe you are suffering from a heat-related illness. In order to avoid this in the first place, remember to stay hydrated and find shade and other cool spaces as often as you can.

Mayorga adds that alcohol should be avoided. “Everyone likes to reach for a frozen drink or cold alcoholic beverage when it’s hot,” he says, “but we don’t want to get dehydrated in the heat. Be mindful of what you are drinking.”

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s

Eating better in your 40s can make you healthier in your 70s, Want to age well? Your diet is a major factor. The good news is, even if you’re currently in midlife, it’s not too late to start healthier habits.

A new study presented at the Nutrition 2024 conference found that people who followed a healthy diet from their 40s onward were 43 to 84% more likely to thrive physically and cognitively in their 70s, as well as live independently, when compared with people who ate a poor diet.

According to the study’s author Anne-Julie Tessier, postdoctoral fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the healthy diet included lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy, and limited amounts of trans fats, sodium and processed meats. This matches closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Tessier tells Yahoo Life that the researchers were “surprised by the strength of the association between healthy eating patterns in midlife and a healthy later life,” especially when considering factors like physical activity and smoking, which are also known to impact health.

One new finding, she says, is the association between healthy aging and the sustainable “planetary health diet,” which focuses on whole foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes, and allows for small amounts of dairy and meat. “This is particularly interesting and important as it suggests that we can eat a diet that benefits both human health and environmental sustainability,” Tessier notes.

What do experts say about this study?

Dr. Janese S. Laster, a physician certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine and nutrition, tells Yahoo Life that this study emphasizes the fact that it’s “never too late” to make a dietary change that impacts health. That, she says, is because changes to the microbiome in your gut occur within one week of shifting your diet, which is when people may start to feel the effects of improved eating patterns.

“We also start to see a reversal of diet related diseases such as high cholesterol, fatty liver, hypertension, diabetes and joint pain,” Laster says, noting that patients also have “improved energy and cognition” when they eat a nutrient-rich diet.

“We see this in Blue Zone populations with patients living into old age being able to continue activities of daily living on their own,” Laster explains. “I see this daily in clinical practice when patients are ecstatic they have gotten their lives back. In less than a month, one of my patients is no longer using her cane for joint pain with just dietary changes.”

Dietitian Courtney Pelitera calls this study “exciting,” as it “gives us some encouragement for people who want to make major changes in midlife,” she says. “We now know these changes will have a positive impact on long term health.”

Why it's important to find a diet you can stick to

One thing that Pelitera points out is that the study focused on how well someone was able to adhere to a healthy diet, which can be a challenge for some individuals. That’s why, as a dietitian, she likes to work with patients on finding a diet pattern that they can “stick to consistently.”

“For example, if someone does not have a variety of vegetables that they really enjoy, they are going to have a hard time sticking to a vegan diet,” Pelitera says. “We all know that fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein sources are needed for optimal health. The hardest part is figuring out how to make that work for you.” This is where working with a registered dietitian can be helpful.

Pelitera believes that all foods can fit into a healthy diet plan, and notes that there isn’t a single “food or food group that is going to magically cure all health ailments, just as there is no one food or meal that is going to completely ruin your health.”

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms, France is voting in one of its most significant elections in years, with the far right hoping for a historic victory, but with political stalemate the more likely result.

This is the first time the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella has had a realistic chance of running the government and taking outright control of the National Assembly.

But after the RN’s first-round victory in snap parliamentary elections last Sunday, hundreds of rival candidates dropped out to give others a better chance of defeating the far right.

Voting began in mainland France at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) and the first exit polls will be released 12 hours later.

The far right is close to power in France. Will the rest of Europe follow?

Whatever the result, it is difficult to see President Emmanuel Macron coming out of this well.

Four weeks ago, he said it was the responsible solution to call a snap vote in response to the RN’s victory in European elections, minutes after the party’s 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella challenged him to do so.

The two-round election came as a shock to a country gearing up for the start of the Paris Olympics on 26 July. Security was already tight and now 30,000 police have been deployed for a period of heightened political tension.

There are fears of violence in Paris and other French cities, whatever the outcome of the vote, and a planned protest outside the National Assembly on Sunday evening has been banned.

In Dreux, a historic old town on the road to Normandy, Sunday’s vote falls on the day the Olympic flame is passing through. “For us it’s a massive thing, bigger than the election,” says Pauline in the tourist office.

The flame has been travelling around France for almost two months, and Dreux has planned a weekend of festivities to mark its arrival.

“Macron should have waited until after the Olympics,” Dreux resident Antoine told the BBC.

Veteran commentator Nicolas Baverez believes the president has not just blown up his term in office and opened the gates of power wide for the far right. “He’s compromised the running of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which could deliver a final blow to France’s credit and its image,” he wrote in Le Point on the eve of the vote.

The constituency that includes Dreux is one of the races to watch in the second round of this election.

Candidates such as Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella have already won their seats, by winning more than half the vote. But another 500 contests are being decided in run-offs, mostly involving either two or three candidates.

Former conservative cabinet minister Olivier Marleix was beaten in the first round by far-right candidate Olivier Dubois. They both qualified for the run-off, along with a candidate from the left-wing New Popular Front, which is in second place nationally.    

Younger women are practicing radical pay transparency on TikTok

Younger women are practicing radical pay transparency on TikTok

Younger women are practicing radical pay transparency on TikTok, Jessica Rosales, 29, has always been interested in pay transparency. In daily life, talking about what you make is “so taboo, it’s almost like a secret,” she explained. But such secrecy isn’t for her - or her followers on TikTok.

A cleaner in a medical facility in Michigan, Rosales posts videos documenting many aspects of her life, including how she handles her money. Followers love her “realistic paycheck breakdowns,” where she talks about what she’s paid and how she allocates it - credit cards, groceries, mortgage, utilities - breaking it all down for the camera on a cute budgeting worksheet she designed.

Rosales is among a growing contingent of workers on TikTok - largely younger women - shattering the code of silence around pay, which advocates have criticized for worsening U.S. income inequality. Their style is accessible and granular: posting videos of their “payday routines,” baring the details of their net worth and breaking down their weekly budgets line by line.

While older workers may consider talking openly about money verboten, many younger workers are accustomed to seeing people online share everything about work, from daily commutes to their experiences with layoffs. For them, being candid about money seems natural and necessary, said Kristy Nguyen, 23.

“A lot of that shift has to do with the fact that we, as a younger generation, are more open on social media,” said Nguyen, who makes videos about personal finance on TikTok. “We feel like if we’re more open and vulnerable about it, it can make a difference for other people.”

This is also part of a broader shift as pay transparency laws proliferate, requiring companies to provide expected pay ranges in job postings. At least nine states, including New York and California, and several municipalities have adopted such measures, and more are scheduled to take effect next year in Minnesota and Vermont, according to Payscale, a firm that aggregates and analyzes salary data.

Meanwhile, job sites like ZipRecruiter, Indeed and LinkedIn report higher shares of postings with salary ranges, as more companies opt to be clear about salaries whether it’s required of them or not. Advocates say access to pay information empowers workers to negotiate for fairer compensation, although some companies have sought to sidestep regulations by posting jobs with unhelpfully wide salary ranges.

Elliptical machine vs. treadmill: Which cardio equipment is better for you? Pros, cons and use cases.

Elliptical machine vs. treadmill: Which cardio equipment is better for you? Pros, cons and use cases.

Elliptical machine vs. treadmill: Which cardio equipment is better for you? Pros, cons and use cases., Walk into any gym across the world and you'll be met by a sea of elliptical machines and treadmills. If you happen to become a regular at any of those said gyms, you're bound to start noticing the same people on the same machines, day in and day out, knocking out their 30 or so minutes of cardio, either

 on a treadmill or an elliptical but rarely switching between the two.

So how did these people decide which piece of cardio equipment is better? It really is a personal choice. If you're prepping to make a purchase, the decision between buying elliptical machines versus treadmills is a big one. Not only is home cardio equipment expensive and bulky, but it can function as a cornerstone of your personal health. Buying a piece of equipment that ends up sitting unused in a corner is an expensive mistake to make. "I have worked with many patients who now call their treadmill their 'most expensive clothes hanger,' as they no longer use it to exercise and just use it to lay out clothes to dry," quips physical therapist Jonathan Kirsch, PT, DPT, CMPT at ATI Physical Therapy in Oregon. So before laying out hundreds or thousands of dollars in cash, take your time, think about your needs and do your research. If you're trying to decide whether to buy (or simply use) an elliptical machine or a treadmill, here's what you should know.

Elliptical machines vs. treadmills: What to know

While elliptical machines and treadmills are both considered "running machines," there are actually quite a few differences. Treadmills allow you to walk, jog or run in a fixed (and typically weather-controlled) space in a way that allows you to control your biomechanics. In other words, you continue to move naturally — your stride length, foot strike, the internal or external rotation or movement of your joints, torso angle and lateral step or body movement is under your control. While it's not exactly the same as walking or jogging outside, it's a very close substitute.

An elliptical machine, on the other hand, limits a significant amount of the natural movement of your body. The foot pedals track along a fixed or almost-fixed course, and your feet remain steady on the pedals as the machine guides you along the path that's been created for you. The result is a lower impact, more controlled workout (which has its advantages), but a movement pattern that's quite a bit different from walking or jogging outside. "The drawback is it doesn't translate well to other aerobic activities patients may wish to engage in for fitness or competition, such as running or bicycling," emphasizes Dr. William B. Workman, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert at DISC Sports & Spine Center in California.

In addition to the biomechanical differences (which ultimately affect the exercise outcomes), there are also the differences between machine size and space requirements. While there are exceptions to the rule, elliptical machines tend to be a little more compact (although they sometimes require more vertical space), which can make them a better option for a home workout environment.

Ultimately, though, the machine you choose to use should come down to your personal needs and health or fitness goals, so consider the following benefits and drawbacks carefully.

Benefits of elliptical machines

Easier on the joints

The entire reason the elliptical machine was invented in the 1990s was to provide a lower-impact full-body workout that mimicked running. Low-impact workouts (those that aren't jarring or pounding, like cycling, rowing or swimming) are easier on the joints, making them a good choice for individuals who have pain or injuries, particularly at their ankles, knees or hips. "The moment where our foot contacts the ground in walking or running, we see an increase in force that goes through our tissues and joints. Since the platform on the elliptical moves with the foot, this is eliminated when using this equipment. This can be ideal for people who have joint issues, like osteoarthritis, or if they are at a higher weight," explains Kirsch. "Research shows that 1 pound of body weight can equate to 4 pounds of pressure in the knees during walking. This can be greatly reduced by utilizing an elliptical."

The low-impact nature of an elliptical machine also makes it a good cross-training option for individuals who do a lot of running. Overuse injuries are a common problem for those who spend a lot of time training for races or events, so adding a few elliptical training workouts to the weekly schedule can help reduce the incidence of injuries.

May engage more muscle groups

While your legs, glutes and core are getting the bulk of the exercise when using a treadmill, many elliptical models stand out for a clear reason: the moveable arms. Pushing and pulling the handlebars engages your arms, shoulders and back, turning the elliptical machine into a full-body workout. This is further emphasized when you change the resistance level of the machine, requiring more muscle engagement to actively move the handlebars.

In addition to targeting more muscle groups, you may also enjoy a relative cardiovascular benefit. "The increased use of the arms is a great part about most ellipticals. The body has a more significant cardiovascular response with training of the arms relative to the legs. In other words, your heart rate and other cardiovascular measures increase more when performing upper body exercises," says Kirsch.

Options for variable resistance and backward pedaling

Specific features may vary between elliptical brands and models, but almost all versions allow you to adjust the resistance of the movement. By ramping up the resistance level you can work your muscles harder, ultimately building more strength with time and use.

In addition to variable resistance, some elliptical machines allow you to change your stride length or direction, giving you the chance to pedal backward. This backward pedaling motion actually works different muscles and can give you a more well-rounded exercise routine. There's even some evidence that a backward pedaling motion may reduce knee joint impact at lower incline levels, making it beneficial for those who have knee pain, injuries or osteoarthritis.

Drawbacks of elliptical machines

Low-impact exercise doesn't support bone health

While low-impact exercise is an excellent choice for those with joint pain or injuries, there's one element it lacks: the ability to help support and develop strong bones. While walking, jogging, running and jumping rope all cause the "pounding" that helps promote bone-building cellular activity, the fluid nature of elliptical movements removes this impact. For individuals at risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis, it's important to include higher-impact exercise to help prevent bone loss over time. Sticking solely to elliptical exercise may not be the best choice, long-term.

May be challenging for those who struggle with balance

Another factor to consider when using an elliptical machine is the loss of control you experience by allowing the machine to control your movement pattern. If you struggle with balance or coordination, or you've experienced falls in the past, the moving pedals may prove to be a challenge to step up onto and to follow. If you choose to use an elliptical machine, you may want to hold on to fixed handles (rather than moveable ones) to help you maintain your balance as you grow accustomed to the exercise.

Elliptical training also won't help you develop balance and coordination in the same way a treadmill or outdoor walking or jogging would. "The supported nature fails to engage stabilizer muscles through the core and hips," says Dr. Farhan Malik, a board-certified family medicine and sports medicine doctor practicing in Atlanta and a consulting physician for the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.

Not a perfect crossover if training for a running or walking event (or for daily life)

The elliptical machine is a great option for cross-training if you're a runner, but it shouldn't be used as a primary tool for training for a race. This is because the elliptical movement pattern isn't exactly the same as a running motion, so the muscles being worked are slightly different.

When training for a race, it's important to make sure you're training in the most accurate and efficient manner possible — this means you should prioritize running as your main activity. This can include treadmill running but should also include outdoor running in the same type of environment and conditions you expect on race day.

To that end, elliptical training doesn't cross over to daily life either. "It's a great tool to build cardiovascular endurance, as well as some muscle endurance, but it doesn't have a direct functional crossover into your daily activities," explains physical therapist Palak Shah, the co-founder and head of clinical services at Luna. "The motions you're practicing on an elliptical aren't exact to any 'daily life' movements."

Benefits of treadmills

Weight-bearing exercise can improve bone health

Performing weight-bearing exercise is one of the best ways to preserve or build bone density. Walking, jogging and running, whether on a treadmill or outside, are all proven methods for engaging in exercise that preserves or enhances bone health. "A treadmill allows you to walk and run, which includes the entirety of your body weight striking the [treadmill belt]. As your body strikes the treadmill, the treadmill 'strikes back,' and there are forces that travel through all of your bones, joints, tendons and muscles. When done properly, you can use these forces over time to help your body increase bone density and improve the strength and endurance of your muscles," Shah says.

Controlled environment for training for races

Anyone training for a walking or running event knows that sometimes Mother Nature doesn't comply with training plans. If high temperatures or heavy precipitation make an outdoor run untenable, having a treadmill at-the-ready allows you to stay on track.

Likewise, training on a treadmill makes it easy to manage your pace, distance and progress toward your race-day goals. You can manage your speed to make sure you're not slacking off when fatigue sets in.

Lots of room for workout variability

With a range of speed and incline settings (and in some cases, decline settings), treadmill workouts are almost infinitely adjustable. You can work on sprints, hills or follow preset intervals. You can even set the pace to allow for backward walking, side slides or walking lunges. Treadmills work just as efficiently for beginners starting a new walking routine as they do for seasoned athletes setting their next race personal record. Treadmills can be an excellent choice for a household that needs a single cardio machine to meet the needs of multiple users.

Good for building leg strength

If one of your primary goals is to build leg strength and endurance, treadmills are hard to beat. This is especially true if you plan to use the incline settings or add sprint intervals to your workouts, as the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves are all highly engaged when walking hills or running at higher speeds.

Drawbacks of treadmills

Can be harder on the joints

Walking or jogging on a treadmill is considered weight bearing exercise, which means your muscles, bones and joints are responsible for carrying the weight of your body as you move. This is accentuated when you perform higher-impact exercise like jogging or running. While weight-bearing exercise is fantastic for your bones, it can be hard on the joints, especially if you have a history of lower body injuries. "Treadmills can exacerbate impact-related injuries, especially in the knees and hips, due to the constant pounding motion of running," says Malik. "The lack of variation in movement can also lead to overuse injuries over time."

Can be less safe

While treadmill walking and jogging are readily accessible and generally safe for most individuals, if you do take a fall, you may be more likely to suffer an injury. This is especially true if you fall off the treadmill when moving at a fast pace or if you fall onto the moving belt, which can cause a serious burn. In fact, according to a 2018 study, head injuries related to treadmills increased more than 1,000% over the course of the 18-year study period, with women and those over 50 more likely to experience an injury. It's important to always use emergency clips when exercising on a treadmill to ensure that the treadmill can be automatically shut off.

It's worth noting, too, that treadmills are one of the leading causes of significant hand burns in children. If you have children or grandchildren in your house, you may want to consider whether a treadmill is the right choice for you. If you do go with a treadmill, it's important to take precautions to prevent young children from accessing it, especially when it's in use.

Less opportunity to work the upper body

While treadmills are fantastic for building muscular strength and endurance in the lower body, they won't do much for building strength and endurance in the upper body. If you use a treadmill regularly, it's important to balance your workout with an upper body strength-building routine.

Space considerations

Treadmills are often larger and bulkier than elliptical machines. If you're short on space and you don't have a preference between ellipticals or treadmills, you may be better off selecting an elliptical to help save on space. That said, many treadmills are designed to be folded up after use, so do your research on space-saving options.

You may fall prey to boredom

"If you don't have a plan or a coach to guide you, going nowhere fast can be boring for many people," says Melissa Kendter, a certified personal trainer and running coach. "Also, running is hard, power walking is hard — it takes a lot of work to push yourself forward on the treadmill which can be discouraging to some people." If you know you find at-home cardio workouts tough to stick with, it may be worth shelling out the extra cash for a machine that allows for coach-led workout routines to help keep you engaged and on track.

How to choose between an elliptical machine and a treadmill

Choosing between an elliptical machine and a treadmill is highly personal. It's important to consider your past or current injuries, your health status, whether you're training for a race or an event, what other forms of exercise you're doing regularly and, of course, your personal preference. That last factor is arguably the most important factor of all — the best piece of cardio equipment to buy is always going to be the piece of cardio equipment you'll actually use.

When to consider cross-training

Whether you choose to purchase or use an elliptical machine or treadmill, cross-training with the opposite equipment is often a good idea. This is because the two types of machines offer benefits and drawbacks that complement the other. For instance, if you're primarily running on a treadmill, you may want to schedule one or two elliptical sessions each week to give your joints a break from the extra pounding. Conversely, if you're primarily using an elliptical machine, you may want to add a few weekly treadmill walking or jogging sessions to help support bone health.

Also, simply mixing up your routine on a regular basis can keep your muscles guessing and your mind engaged, both of which can help prevent boredom and burnout over time.

What to consider when buying a cardio machine for your home

"Personal preference plays a crucial role when choosing between an elliptical and a treadmill," says Malik. "From a scientific standpoint, both machines offer excellent cardiovascular benefits, but their biomechanics differ significantly. Ultimately, the decision should be guided by factors such as personal fitness objectives, injury history, and individual comfort levels with each machine's motion patterns."

Once you've considered which machine is better suited for your needs, you also need to consider the cost, size, and specific features of the product you're purchasing.

Cost

You can pay practically anything for anything, and cardio machines are no different. It's possible to find low-end treadmills or ellipticals for sale for under $500, but as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." On the other end of the spectrum, some high-end ellipticals and treadmills can cost as much as $10,000. Most people don't have the need (or the money) to purchase such a high-end option, but allocating a reasonable budget (between $750 to $4,000) is a good idea. The vast majority of high-quality cardio machines fall within this range, and you're bound to find one that offers the features you hope to use. Machines in this range usually have a decent warranty and are at lower risk for mechanical problems.

Size

Cardio machines aren't small. If you're making a purchase for home use, you need to know where you plan to put the machine and how much space you can allocate. Most treadmills and ellipticals provide details on the space needed for the product, including vertical space and space that falls outside the specific dimensions of the equipment. For instance, an elliptical machine with moving handles or pedals that swing past the frame will need more space than the dimensions of the machine itself.

Make sure you carefully measure the area you have to put a cardio machine (again, including vertical space!) and compare the measurements to any equipment you're considering. If space is a concern, you may want to choose a piece of equipment that can fold up or be stored away. Just be aware that sometimes space-saving features limit some of the other features of a product. For instance, if you want a treadmill that can lie flat and be stored under a bed, you may have to sacrifice a more substantial deck or incline features.

Specific features

Treadmills and ellipticals have a wide range of features that can enhance usability and overall enjoyment. For instance, treadmills often have incline and decline settings while ellipticals typically have a range of resistance levels to choose between. Both machines tend to have pre-programmed workouts available to use. Other features may include:

Built-in heart rate monitoring

A variety of fixed or moveable handles

Quick adjustments for speed or incline

A treadmill deck featuring extra cushioning or spring

The ability to fold up or put away the machine between uses

Built-in fans or water bottle holders

The length or width of the treadmill belt or the length of the elliptical stride (longer belts or strides may be better for taller individuals or those with a wider stride)

Weight capacity

Length and coverage of warranty

Maximum speed, incline or resistance settings

Pay attention to the specific features of the treadmill or elliptical you're considering to make sure it will meet your needs.

Interactive technology

In addition to a cardio machine's standard features, modern machines may also offer innovative interactive technology. This may include large, built-in HD touchscreens, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology, built-in speakers and integrated apps to stream live or on-demand workouts. Some machines even include auto-adjust features to automatically change speed and incline or resistance to follow along with an instructor's routine.

Interactive technology can make sticking with a home cardio program more engaging, but these added features come at a premium. You can expect to pay upwards of $2,000 for some of the more advanced technological options.

FAQs

Is an elliptical machine better for weight loss than a treadmill?

The best cardio machine for weight loss is always going to be the cardio machine you feel comfortable and excited to keep using over the course of weeks, months and years. Healthy, sustained weight loss requires time and consistency, and elliptical machines and treadmills can help support weight loss goals. Likewise, in terms of calorie burn, both types of machines result in similar levels of calories burned when users exert themselves in a similar manner between machines. In other words, if you feel like you're working at a level 7 of exertion on a scale of 1 to 10, the calories burned on an elliptical or a treadmill will be similar.

Is an elliptical machine safer to use than a treadmill?

An elliptical machine may be more challenging to use for individuals with balance or coordination problems, which could result in injuries. That said, injuries resulting from tripping on or falling off a treadmill can be much more severe. If safety is a primary concern, consult your doctor before starting a routine.

Also, always be sure to use the safety features, like the emergency shut-off clip, provided on cardio machines. Kirsch suggests that, if you have the room, leave at least five feet of open space behind a treadmill. "In the instance you were to go off the back of the treadmill, you want to ensure there's sufficient clearance to reduce the risk of injury," he says.

Which is better for fitness, an elliptical machine or a treadmill?

As with weight loss, the best cardio machine for improving fitness is the cardio machine you'll use consistently. Fitness gains take place over time, so the only way to experience gains is to continue using a machine on a regular basis and to maintain a workout program that's challenging and engaging. Ellipticals and treadmills have slightly different benefits — they work different muscle groups and offer different features. For instance, using the elliptical machine's handles can work your upper body, leading to greater strength through your shoulders, back and arms. On the other hand, using the incline to run hills on a treadmill can significantly challenge your quads, glutes and calves. Both machines, when used at an intensity level that's challenging, can improve cardiovascular fitness. When deciding which machine to use for your personal fitness goals, you need to consider what you want to achieve, and which machine is better aligned to help you meet your goals.

Which machine is more expensive, an elliptical machine or a treadmill?

Generally speaking, a high-quality treadmill costs more than an elliptical machine, That said, prices vary widely by brand, features and technology. In either case, it's important to allocate a budget that allows you to purchase a sturdy, well-made cardio machine that can support your fitness goals now and in the future. While it's possible to find versions under $500, you're better off purchasing a slightly more expensive model (or possibly a much more expensive model, depending on what features you plan to use) that will last a long time without the need for extensive repairs or replacement.

Prepare yourself for the AI smartphone wars

Prepare yourself for the AI smartphone wars

Prepare yourself for the AI smartphone wars, Smartphone innovation has largely slowed to a crawl over the last few years. We’re long past the days when each successive generation of phones offered up features that drove waves of excitement among consumers, who would then wait outside the Apple Store.

But that might be about to change thanks to artificial intelligence. At least, that’s what smartphone makers hope.Yes, we’re about to enter a new phase of smartphone sales spin. Prepare yourselves for the great AI smartphone war.

To be fair, smartphone makers have been adding AI and machine learning capabilities to their devices for years — for everything from improving photo quality to intelligent notifications. But generative AI technologies promise a whole new host of innovations ranging from fresh photo-editing tools and content summarization to live translation and transcription features. And, of course, smarter digital assistants.

Google (GOOG, GOOGL) kicked things off last year, including AI features with its Pixel 8 line of smartphones. Samsung (005930.KS) followed suit earlier this year with its Galaxy AI platform. And now, Apple (AAPL) is preparing to enter the ring with Apple Intelligence, which is set to launch later this fall.

Not to be outdone, Samsung and Google are also preparing their own major product events in the coming weeks that are expected to include even more AI news.

Samsung will host a Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris, France, on July 10, where it’s expected to show off the next generation of its foldable phone lines: the Galaxy Flip and Galaxy Fold. Google will hold its Made by Google keynote in Mountain View, Calif., on Aug. 13, during which it’s likely to show off its latest Pixel phones.

The thrust behind all of these moves is that AI will provide exciting new functions for your smartphone that were never before possible. It also means you’ll need to cough up some extra cash to get your hands on those features if your phone can’t take advantage of those AI capabilities.

A battle for your attention and wallet

Google and Samsung kick-started the AI smartphone fight, but Apple's impressive response managed to make generative AI look like a far more approachable and consumer-friendly technology.

The iPhone maker laid out its plans for Apple Intelligence during its June WWDC event, giving developers and fans alike a glimpse at how the software will work across its Photos, Messages, and Mail apps, as well as with its Siri assistant. The company says you’ll be able to do things like ask Siri to pull up specific pictures from the Photos app. So if you want to see a picture of that time you and your friend Susan went to New York, you can ask Siri to show pictures of Susan in New York, and it will surface them for you.

What’s more, Apple says it’s integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its products, giving users access to the chatbot. The company says you’ll also need to give ChatGPT permission to search the web each time you use it, ensuring you know when you’re using Siri and when you’re using ChatGPT.

Apple also spent a significant chunk of its time going over how it intends to preserve its users' privacy while using Apple Intelligence’s online functionality. It says it won’t share data with OpenAI — and won’t save any private data from users’ interactions with Apple Intelligence.

Samsung is up next with its Unpacked event where, according to its latest advertising blitz, it will show off all-new generative AI options for its phones. So far, the company has mostly shown that its Galaxy AI can pull off some fancy photo-editing tricks and translation services, so it’ll be interesting to see what it has to rival Apple’s announcements. Especially as Samsung's mobile business is expected to post a drop in profit in its second-quarter results, according to analysts.

Google, which provides some of its AI know-how to Samsung, is in a similar position. The company let fly its generative AI-powered smartphones well before Apple did, with options to edit photos and videos, but the software felt more scattered than the kind of comprehensive services Apple plans to provide.

Now the company is gearing up for its next Pixel phone launch and specifically pointing to AI as a key aspect of the phones’ functionality. Google uses its Pixel line more as a blueprint for how its Android phone partners can innovate using its various software services. And part of that means proving to customers that its generative AI features can take on Apple Intelligence.

You can expect all three companies to start making major advertising pushes for their generative AI platforms throughout the fall and holiday shopping season as each tries to prove it’s the better choice for what they’re banking on as the next major paradigm shift in smartphones.

A choice that, ultimately, you and I will get to make.

Torrid heat bakes millions of people in large swaths of US, setting records and fanning wildfires

Torrid heat bakes millions of people in large swaths of US, setting records and fanning wildfires

Torrid heat bakes millions of people in large swaths of US, setting records and fanning wildfires, Roughly 130 million people were under threat over the weekend and into next week from a long-running heat wave that broke or tied records with dangerously high temperatures and is expected to shatter more from East Coast to West Coast, forecasters said.

Ukiah, north of San Francisco, hit 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, breaking the city's record for the date and tying its all-time high. Livermore, east of San Francisco, hit 111 F (43.8 C), breaking the daily maximum temperature record of 109 F (42.7 C) set more than a century ago in 1905.

Las Vegas tied the record of 115 F (46 C), last reached in 2007, and Phoenix topped out at 114 F (45.5 C), just shy of the record of 116 F (46.7 C) dating to 1942.

The National Weather Service said it was extending the excessive heat warning for much of the Southwest through Friday.

“A dangerous and historic heatwave is just getting started across the area, with temperatures expected to peak during the Sunday-Wednesday timeframe,” the National Weather Service in Las Vegas said in an updated forecast.

In Las Vegas, where the mercury hit 100 F (37.7 C) by 10:30 a.m., Marko Boscovich said the best way to beat the heat is in a seat at a slot machine with a cold beer inside an air-conditioned casino.

“But you know, after it hits triple digits it’s about all the same to me,” said Boscovich, who was visiting from Sparks, Nevada to see a Dead & Company concert Saturday night at the Sphere. “Maybe they’ll play one of my favorites — ‘Cold Rain and Snow.’”

In more humid parts of the country, temperatures could spike above 100 F (about 38 C) in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, said Jacob Asherman, a weather service meteorologist.

Heat records shattered across the Southwest

Meteorologists predicted that temperatures would be near daily records in the region through most, if not all, of the coming week, with lower desert highs reaching 115 to 120 degrees F (46.1 to 48.8 C).

Rare heat advisories were extended even into higher elevations including around Lake Tahoe, on the border of California and Nevada, with the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, warning of “major heat risk impacts, even in the mountains.”

“How hot are we talking? Well, high temperatures across (western Nevada and northeastern California) won't get below 100 degrees (37.8 C) until next weekend,” the service posted online. “And unfortunately, there won't be much relief overnight either."

Indeed, Reno hit a high of 104 F (40 C) on Saturday, smashing the old record of 101 F (38.3 C).

More extreme highs are in the near forecast, including 129 F (53.8 C) for Sunday at Furnace Creek, California, in Death Valley National Park, and then around 130 F (54.4 C) through Wednesday.

The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 F (56.67 C) in July 1913 in Death Valley, eastern California, though some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 F (54.4 C), recorded there in July 2021.

The worst is yet to come across the West and mid-Atlantic

Triple-digit temperatures are likely in the West, between 15 and 30 F (8 and 16 C) higher than average into next week, the National Weather Service said.

The Eastern U.S. also was bracing for more hot temperatures. Baltimore and others parts of Maryland were under an excessive heat warning as heat index values could climb to 110 F (43 C), forecasters said.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," read a National Weather Service advisory for the Baltimore area. “Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”

Deaths are starting to mount

In Arizona’s Maricopa County, which encompasses Phoenix, there have been at least 13 confirmed heat-related deaths this year, along with more than 160 other deaths suspected of being related to heat that are still under investigation, according to a recent report.

That does not include the death of a 10-year-old boy last week in Phoenix who suffered a “heat-related medical event” while hiking with family at South Mountain Park and Preserve, according to police.

California wildfires fanned by low humidity, high temperatures

Firefighters dispatched aircraft and helicopters to drop water or retardant on a series of wildfires in California.

In Santa Barbara County, northwest of Los Angeles, the Lake Fire has scorched more than 19 square miles (49 square kilometers) of grass, brush and timber. Firefighters said the blaze was displaying “extreme fire behavior” and had the “potential for large growth” with high temperatures and low humidity.

Festival revelers meet the heat with cold water and shade

At the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, music fans coped by drinking cold water, seeking shade or freshening up under water misters. Organizers of the weekend revelries also advertised free access to air conditioning in a nearby hotel.

Angelica Quiroz, 31, kept her scarf and hat wet and applied sunscreen.

“Definitely a difference between the shade and the sun,” Quiroz said Friday. “But when you’re in the sun, it feels like you’re cooking.”

In a previous version of this story, the name Angelica Quiroz was incorrectly spelled Angela Quiroz.Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Sonner reported from Reno, Nevada. Associated Press journalists Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, John Antczak in Los Angeles, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated.

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated.

It's hot. You're hungry. Eat these foods to stay cool and hydrated., When sunny days turn into scorchers, consider making tweaks to your diet to keep your body functioning at its best. The foods you choose during these hotter months can help you avoid the dangerous effects of dehydration and keep you more comfortable. The good news? A lot of these foods are ones you may gravitate toward in the summer anyway.

🍦 Do cold foods actually keep us cool?

While you may feel temporary relief eating ice cream or slurping a slushy on a hot day, your body isn’t actually cooling down, registered dietitian ​​Christopher Mohr tells Yahoo Life.

“Eating cold foods can make you feel cooler for a bit by lowering the temperature in your mouth and throat,” Mohr explains. “It's a nice quick fix on a hot day, but it doesn't change your overall body temperature much.”

The reason for this is because your body fights to maintain its internal temperature, a process known as homeostasis. That’s why your body causes you to sweat when you are warm (in order to cool your body down) and shivers when it’s cold (to generate heat).

Most of the time, a hot day is unlikely to raise your body temperature, which typically happens when you are fighting off an illness or infection. However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures, intense physical activity or dehydration can cause our body’s cooling system to become overloaded, altering our internal temperature. This is what causes heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Ice cream, or any food, is not the cure — and you should seek out medical attention ASAP if you are suffering from symptoms of heat illness.

🍉 What foods are good for hot days?

Cold foods might seem like the way to go, but the reality is that the temperature of your food is a lot less important than what’s in it — specifically, water.

According to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the daily recommendation for water consumption is nine 8-ounce glasses (2.2 liters) for women and thirteen 8-ounce glasses (3 liters) for men.

This recommendation, however, increases when it’s hot outside, as you need to replenish your fluids. Nicholas Rush, registered dietitian at Fay, tells Yahoo Life that while water is essential, “certain foods can give your hydration a serious boost.” Rush says nutrient-dense foods that also contain a lot of water include:

Watermelon

Cucumbers

Celery

Strawberries

Spinach

Kiwi

Oranges

Grapefruit

Gazpacho

Grapes

While they’re not quite so nutrient rich, you can also snack on a snow cone or an ice pop due to their high water contents. And, if you want an extra-chilly version of the above, consider snacking on the frozen version of some of these treats — frozen grapes, for example, are basically bite-size popsicles.

🚰 What else to consider in your diet when it’s hot outside

There aren’t many foods you should avoid in the heat. However, alcoholic beverages are not ideal for when it’s hot, as alcohol is a diuretic, which can lead to more water loss.

You may have heard that it’s not enough to just drink water in order to stay hydrated. Electrolytes are also important — and typically, we get them throughout the day from our diets. It’s only when we really need extra hydration (such as doing intense physical exercise or spending a lot of time outside in the heat) that supplementing with electrolytes would be necessary.

Certain foods are naturally rich in electrolytes — and if you need a hydration boost, Rush says, they’re a good idea to chow down on. That includes:

Bananas, which are packed with potassium

Avocado, which offers potassium and magnesium

Spinach, which has magnesium and calcium

Dairy products, which include calcium and potassium (yes, ice cream and fro-yo count!)

🥗 What should I eat when it’s too hot to cook?

Maybe you’re inside and staying as cool as possible, but the idea of turning on your oven is a hard pass. Brandy Zachary, a functional medicine practitioner, tells Yahoo Life you can opt for “light and refreshing meals that require minimal preparation” — and, of course, sweat. That includes:

Salads: A variety of salads with water-rich vegetables, lean proteins like grilled chicken or tofu and healthy fats such as avocado can be satisfying and hydrating

Sandwiches: Cold sandwiches with lean meats, cheese and plenty of fresh vegetables are easy and nutritious

Wraps: Whole-grain wraps filled with hummus, veggies and a protein source make for a quick and healthy meal

Fruit bowls: A mix of hydrating fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe and berries can be a refreshing and easy-to-prepare meal

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength, Beryl was hurtling across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with Texas, forecast to pick up strength and regain hurricane status before nearing the coast Sunday and making landfall the following day with heavy rains, howling winds and dangerous storm surge.

A hurricane warning was declared for a large stretch of the coast from Baffin Bay, south of Corpus Christi, to Sargent, south of Houston, and storm surge warnings were also in effect. Other parts were under tropical storm warnings.

“We’re expecting the storm to make landfall somewhere on the Texas coast sometime Monday, if the current forecast is correct,” said Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. “Should that happen, it’ll most likely be a Category 1 hurricane.”

As of Saturday night, Beryl was about 330 miles (535 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi and had top sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).

The earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, Beryl caused at least 11 deaths as it passed through the Caribbean earlier in the week. It then battered Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, toppling trees but causing no injuries or deaths before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the Yucatan Peninsula.

Texas officials warned people along the entire coastline to prepare for possible flooding, heavy rain and wind.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is traveling in Taiwan, issued a preemptive disaster declaration for 121 counties.

“Beryl is a determined storm, and incoming winds and potential flooding will pose a serious threat to Texans who are in Beryl’s path at landfall and as it makes its way across the state for the following 24 hours,” Patrick said Saturday in a statement.

Some coastal cities called for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding, banned beach camping and urged tourists traveling on the Fourth of July holiday weekend to move recreational vehicles from coastal parks.

Mitch Thames, a spokesman for Matagorda County, said officials issued a voluntary evacuation request for the coastal areas of the county about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Houston.

“Our No. 1 goal is the health and safety of all our visitors and of course our residents. I’m not so much worried about our residents. Those folks that live down there, they’re used to this, they get it,” Thames said.

In Corpus Christi, officials asked visitors to cut their trips short and return home early if possible. Residents were advised to secure homes by boarding up windows if necessary and using sandbags to guard against possible flooding.

Traffic has been nonstop for the past three days at an Ace Hardware in the city as customers buy tarps, rope, duct tape, sandbags and generators, employee Elizabeth Landry said Saturday.

“They’re just worried about the wind, the rain,” she said. “They’re wanting to prepare just in case.”

Ben Koutsoumbaris, general manager of Island Market on Corpus Christi’s Padre Island, said there has been “definitely a lot of buzz about the incoming storm,” with customers stocking up on food and drinks, particularly meat and beer.

In Refugio County, north of Corpus Christi, officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for its 6,700 residents.

Before hitting Mexico, Beryl wrought destruction in Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados. Three people were reported dead in Grenada, three in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, three in Venezuela and two in Jamaica.

Caitlin Clark becomes first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double as Fever surge back to beat Liberty

Caitlin Clark becomes first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double as Fever surge back to beat Liberty

Caitlin Clark becomes first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double as Fever surge back to beat Liberty, Caitlin Clark put up a historic stat line as the Indiana Fever earn a big win against the New York Liberty on Saturday. The Fever overcame a large second-half deficit to take a 83-78 victory in front of an electric crowd at home.

After the Fever started the game with a dominant run, the Liberty bounced back, outscoring Indiana in the second and third quarters. New York led by as many as 11 points early in the fourth quarter. However, the Fever pushed back, outscoring the Liberty 28-16 in the final frame to take the comeback win.

Indiana's comeback win was fueled in part by Clark's historic performance: The rookie guard put up 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double. Clark's stat line also makes her the first Indiana Fever player to record a triple-double. Her total rebounds and assists also ties her career high.

Caitlin Clark records the first triple-double by a rookie in WNBA History and the first triple-double in Indiana Fever history!

Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu led both teams with 22 points, while teammate Betnijah Laney-Hamilton tied her career high with 20 points. On the Fever side, however, four of the starters put up double digits, with Aliyah Boston scoring 18, Kelsey Mitchell scoring 14 and NaLyssa Smith chipping in 12 behind Clark's 19.

Clark spoke about the milestone in a postgame press conference, sharing the credit for the game with her team.

"I'm just happy we won. I take a lot of pride in being able to do a lot of different things for this team," Clark said. "Obviously 13 assists, that means my teammates made 13 shots off my passes, so that goes to them."

The response prompted Boston to joke about her teammate's modesty. "She's so humble, isn't she?" Boston quipped. "That's very cool, Caitlin. Great job, sister."