Highly accurate protein structure prediction can generate accurate models of protein and protein–protein complexes in X-ray crystallography. However, the question of how to make more effective use of predicted models for completing structure analysis, and which strategies should be employed for the more challenging cases such as multi-helical structures, multimeric structures and extremely large structures, both in the model preparation and in the completion steps, remains open for discussion. In this paper, a new strategy is proposed based on the framework of direct methods and dual-space iteration, which can greatly simplify the pre-processing steps of predicted models both in normal and in challenging cases. Following this strategy, full-length models or the conservative structural domains could be used directly as the starting model, and the phase error and the model bias between the starting model and the real structure would be modified in the direct-methods-based dual-space iteration. Many challenging cases (from CASP14) have been tested for the general applicability of this constructive strategy, and almost complete models have been generated with reasonable statistics. The hybrid strategy therefore provides a meaningful scheme for X-ray structure determination using a predicted model as the starting point.

As an important characterization method, pair distribution function (PDF) has been extensively used in structural analysis of nanomaterials, providing key insights into the degree of crystallinity, atomic structure, local disorder etc. The collection of scattering signals with good statistics is necessary for a reliable structural analysis. However, current conventional electron diffraction experiments using PDF (ePDF) are limited in their ability to acquire continuous diffraction rings for large nanoparticles. Herein, a new method – tilt-ePDF – is proposed to improve the data quality and compatibility of ePDF by a combination of electron diffraction and specimen tilting. In the present work, a tilt-series of electron diffraction patterns was collected from gold nanoparticles with three different sizes and a standard sample polycrystalline aluminium film for ePDF analysis. The results show that tilt-ePDF can not only enhance the continuity of diffraction rings, but can also improve the signal-to-noise ratio in the high scattering angle range. As a result, compared with conventional ePDF data, tilt-ePDF data provide structure parameters with a better accuracy and lower residual factors in the refinement against the crystal structure. This method provides a new way of utilizing ePDF to obtain accurate local structure information from nanoparticles.

Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become an essential structural determination technique with recent hardware developments making it possible to reach atomic resolution, at which individual atoms, including hydrogen atoms, can be resolved. In this study, we used the enzyme involved in the penultimate step of riboflavin biosynthesis as a test specimen to benchmark a recently installed microscope and determine if other protein complexes could reach a resolution of 1.5 Å or better, which so far has only been achieved for the iron carrier ferritin. Using state-of-the-art microscope and detector hardware as well as the latest software techniques to overcome microscope and sample limitations, a 1.42 Å map of Aquifex aeolicus lumazine synthase (AaLS) was obtained from a 48 h microscope session. In addition to water molecules and ligands involved in the function of AaLS, we can observe positive density for ∼50% of the hydrogen atoms. A small improvement in the resolution was achieved by Ewald sphere correction which was expected to limit the resolution to ∼1.5 Å for a molecule of this diameter. Our study confirms that other protein complexes can be solved to near-atomic resolution. Future improvements in specimen preparation and protein complex stabilization may allow more flexible macromolecules to reach this level of resolution and should become a priority of study in the field.

The aberrant fibrillization of huntingtin exon 1 (Httex1) characterized by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tract is a defining feature of Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder. Recent investigations underscore the involvement of a small EDRK-rich factor 1a (SERF1a) in promoting Httex1 fibrillization through interactions with its N terminus. By establishing an integrated approach with size-exclusion-column-based small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SEC-SWAXS), NMR, and molecular simulations using Rosetta, the analysis here reveals a tight binding of two NT17 fragments of Httex1 (comprising the initial 17 amino acids at the N terminus) to the N-terminal region of SERF1a. In contrast, examination of the complex structure of SERF1a with a coiled NT17-polyQ peptide (33 amino acids in total) indicates sparse contacts of the NT17 and polyQ segments with the N-terminal side of SERF1a. Furthermore, the integrated SEC-SWAXS and molecular-simulation analysis suggests that the coiled NT17 segment can transform into a helical conformation when associated with a polyQ segment exhibiting high helical content. Intriguingly, NT17-polyQ peptides with enhanced secondary structures display diminished interactions with SERF1a. This insight into the conformation-dependent binding of NT17 provides clues to a catalytic association mechanism underlying SERF1a's facilitation of Httext1 fibrillization.

OaPAC is a recently discovered blue-light-using flavin adenosine dinucleotide (BLUF) photoactivated adenylate cyclase from the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria acuminata that uses adenosine triphosphate and translates the light signal into the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Here, we report crystal structures of the enzyme in the absence of its natural substrate determined from room-temperature serial crystallography data collected at both an X-ray free-electron laser and a synchrotron, and we compare these structures with cryo-macromolecular crystallography structures obtained at a synchrotron by us and others. These results reveal slight differences in the structure of the enzyme due to data collection at different temperatures and X-ray sources. We further investigate the effect of the Y6W mutation in the BLUF domain, a mutation which results in a rearrangement of the hydrogen-bond network around the flavin and a notable rotation of the side chain of the critical Gln48 residue. These studies pave the way for picosecond–millisecond time-resolved serial crystallography experiments at X-ray free-electron lasers and synchrotrons in order to determine the early structural intermediates and correlate them with the well studied pico­second–millisecond spectroscopic intermediates.

A significant part of the present and future of optoelectronic devices lies on thin multilayer heterostructures. Their optical properties depend strongly on strain, being essential to the knowledge of the stress level to optimize the growth process. Here the structural and microstructural characteristics of sub-micron a-ZnO epilayers (12 to 770 nm) grown on r-sapphire by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition are studied. Morphological and structural studies have been made using scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. Plastic unit-cell distortion and corresponding strain have been determined as a function of film thickness. A critical thickness has been observed as separating the non-elastic/elastic states with an experimental value of 150–200 nm. This behaviour has been confirmed from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements. An equation that gives the balance of strains is proposed as an interesting method to experimentally determine this critical thickness. It is concluded that in the thinnest films an elongation of the Zn—O bond takes place and that the plastic strained ZnO films relax through nucleation of misfit dislocations, which is a consequence of three-dimensional surface morphology.

The complex [Pt(C9H6NO)Cl(C2H4)], (I), was synthesized and structurally characterized by ESI mass spectrometry, IR, NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the deprotonated 8-hy­droxy­quinoline (C9H6NO) coordinates with the PtII atom via the N and O atoms while the ethyl­ene coordinates in the η2 manner and in the trans position compared to the coordinating N atom. The crystal packing is characterized by C—H⋯O, C—H⋯π, Cl⋯π and Pt⋯π inter­actions. Complex (I) showed high selective activity against Lu-1 and Hep-G2 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.8 and 0.4 µM, respectively, 54 and 33-fold more active than cisplatin. In particular, complex (I) is about 10 times less toxic to normal cells (HEK-293) than cancer cells Lu-1 and Hep-G2. Furthermore, the reaction of complex (I) with guanine at the N7 position was proposed and investigated using the DFT method. The results indicated that replacement of the ethyl­ene ligand with guanine is thermodynamically more favorable than the Cl ligand and that the reaction occurs via two consecutive steps, namely the replacement of ethyl­ene with H2O and the water with the guanine mol­ecule.

Bis(2-methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C6H7N)2][AuBr2], (1), crystallizes in space group C2/c with Z = 4. Both gold atoms lie on twofold axes and are connected by an aurophilic contact. A second aurophilic contact leads to infinite chains of alternating cations and anions parallel to the b axis, and the residues are further connected by a short H⋯Au contact and a borderline Br⋯Br contact. Bis(3-methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C6H7N)2][AuBr2], (2), crystallizes in space group C2/m with Z = 2. Both gold atoms lie on special positions with symmetry 2/m and are connected by an aurophilic contact; all other atoms except for one methyl hydrogen lie in mirror planes. The extended structure is closely analogous to that of 1, although the structures are formally not isotypic. Bis(3,5-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­chlor­ido­aurate(I), [Au(C7H9N)2][AuCl2], (3) crystallizes in space group Poverline{1} with Z = 2. The cation lies on a general position, and there are two independent anions in which the gold atoms lie on inversion centres. The cation and one anion associate via three short H⋯Cl contacts to form a ribbon structure parallel to the b axis; aurophilic contacts link adjacent ribbons. Bis(3,5-di­methyl­pyridine)­gold(I) di­bromido­aurate(I), [Au(C7H9N)2][AuBr2], (4) is isotypic to 3. Attempts to make similar compounds involving 2-bromo­pyridine led instead to 2-bromopyridinium di­bromido­aurate(I)–2-bromo­pyridine (1/1), (C5H5BrN)[AuBr2]·C5H4BrN, (5), which crystallizes in space group Poverline{1} with Z = 2; all atoms lie on general positions. The 2-bromo­pyridinium cation is linked to the 2-bromo­pyridine mol­ecule by an N—H⋯N hydrogen bond. Two formula units aggregate to form inversion-symmetric dimers involving Br⋯Br, Au⋯Br and H⋯Br contacts.

This work describes the X-ray structure of orange–red crystals of 2-meth­oxy-5-nitro­aniline, C7H8N2O3. The compound displays concentration-dependent UV-Vis spectra, which is attributed to dipole-induced aggregation, and light absorption arising from an inter­molecular charge-transfer process that decreases in energy as the degree of aggregation increases. The crystals display π-stacking where the dipole moments align anti­parallel. Stacked mol­ecules inter­act with the next stack via hydrogen bonds, which is a state of maximum aggregation. Light absorption by charge transfer can be compared to colored inorganic semiconductors such as orange–red CdS, with a band gap of 2.0–2.5 eV.

Two new zinc(II) complexes, tri­ethyl­ammonium di­chlorido­[2-(4-nitro­phen­yl)-4-phenyl­quinolin-8-olato]zinc(II), (C6H16N){Zn(C21H13N2O3)Cl2] (ZnOQ), and bis­(tri­ethyl­ammonium) {2,2'-[1,4-phenyl­enebis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato}bis­[di­chlorido­zinc(II)], (C6H16N)2[Zn2(C20H14N2O2)Cl4] (ZnBS), were synthesized and their structures were determined using ESI–MS spectrometry, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the ligands 2-(4-nitro­phen­yl)-4-phenyl­quinolin-8-ol (HOQ) and N,N'-bis­(2-hy­droxy­benzyl­idene)benzene-1,4-di­amine (H2BS) were deprotonated by tri­ethyl-amine, forming the counter-ion Et3NH+, which inter­acts via an N—H⋯O hydrogen bond with the ligand. The ZnII atoms have a distorted trigonal–pyramidal (ZnOQ) and distorted tetra­hedral (ZnBS) geometries with a coord­ination number of four, coordinating with the ligands via N and O atoms. The N atoms coordinating with ZnII correspond to the heterocyclic nitro­gen for the HOQ ligand, while for the H2BS ligand, it is the nitro­gen of the imine (CH=N). The crystal packing of ZnOQ is characterized by C—H⋯π inter­actions, while that of ZnBS by C—H⋯Cl inter­actions. The emission spectra showed that ZnBS complex exhibits green fluorescence in the solid state with a small band-gap energy, and the ZnOQ complex does exhibit non-fluorescence.

A deep-learning algorithm is proposed for the inpainting of Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) patterns affected by detector gaps. These regions of missing intensity can compromise the accuracy of reconstruction algorithms, inducing artefacts in the final result. It is thus desirable to restore the intensity in these regions in order to ensure more reliable reconstructions. The key aspect of the method lies in the choice of training the neural network with cropped sections of diffraction data and subsequently patching the predictions generated by the model along the gap, thus completing the full diffraction peak. This approach enables access to a greater amount of experimental data for training and offers the ability to average overlapping sections during patching. As a result, it produces robust and dependable predictions for experimental data arrays of any size. It is shown that the method is able to remove gap-induced artefacts on the reconstructed objects for both simulated and experimental data, which becomes essential in the case of high-resolution BCDI experiments.

High-repetition-rate free-electron lasers impose stringent requirements on the thermal deformation of beamline optics. The Shanghai HIgh-repetition-rate XFEL aNd Extreme light facility (SHINE) experiences high average thermal power and demands wavefront preservation. To deeply study the thermal field of the first reflection mirror M1 at the FEL-II beamline of SHINE, thermal analysis under a photon energy of 400 eV was executed by fluid and solid heat transfer method. According to the thermal analysis results and the reference cooling water temperature of 30 °C, the temperature of the cooling water at the flow outlet is raised by 0.15 °C, and the wall temperature of the cooling tube increases by a maximum of 0.5 °C. The maximum temperature position of the footprint centerline in the meridian direction deviates away from the central position, and this asymmetrical temperature distribution will directly affect the thermal deformation of the mirror and indirectly affect the focus spot of the beam at the sample.

Still from "Godzilla vs. Kong"; Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe and Emily Blunt return in “A Quiet Place, Part II.”; Credit: Paramount Pictures

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The original cast of The Cosby Show. ; Credit: Frank Carroll/Associated Press

Thirty years ago, on September 20,"The Cosby Show" debuted on NBC and went on to dominate our screens for almost a decade.

The award-winning sitcom introduced us to the Huxtables, an upper-middle class black family  made up of Heathcliff, Clair and their five children. Plus a cast of ugly sweaters.

"The Cosby Show" covered familiar territory; from children getting body piercings, bad boyfriends and maintaining a long term relationship as parents with professional lives.

Speaking to Take Two's Alex Cohen, Mark Anthony Neal, professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University said "The Cosby Show" broke down racial stereotypes.

"It  really was the first program to present not just a middle class, or upper-middle class black family, but a professional family. Clair and Heathcliff Huxtable were educated, they had advanced degrees. It was an image we hadn't seen before."

From 1985 to 1990, "The Cosby Show" held the number one spot in the TV ratings war, appealing to audiences across color lines. Black viewers in particular welcomed a broader representation of African American life on screen, building on the success of shows such as "The Jeffersons", "Sanford and Son" and "Good Times". 

"Bill Cosby was very honest about the fact that when he conceived the character of Heathcliff Huxtable, he was looking for images that countered, say, Fred Sanford who was a junk dealer, or James Evans, Jr. in 'Good Times' who was always struggling to find a job. Bill Cosby wanted to bring a different view of the black family into the mix."

Despite its popularity, some people took issue with how "The Cosby Show" tackled race issues.

"It's not that black Americans didn't enjoy the show, but there were criticisms because it didn't explore the broader world of African Americans." says Professor Neal. "The Huxtable family became a stand in for the successes of the civil rights movement. It became the rationale that if the Huxtables can do it, why can't other African Americans do it?"

Today's media landscape is very different to the one "The Cosby Show" existed in. For this reason, says Professor Neal, its success has been difficult to replicate.

"Right after it went off the air, cable TV takes hold and we get this niche programming.  Many African American programs ended up on Fox, UPN and the WB, so there was no incentive for the major networks to do any Cosby-like programming with a black family at the center."

With the debut of ABC's "Blackish" on September 24, it's hoped this will go some way to fill the Cosby-shaped void. In the meantime there's always YouTube and re-runs. Just be thankful Heathcliff's ugly sweaters are a thing of the past.

; Credit: John Rabe/KPCC

Off-Ramp fan, KPCC member (!), and Tom Petty and Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench III joined John in his old Mercedes with his large, but portable Casio.

Tench has lived in the hills of Tarzana for decades, in a perfectly good house, but in the 100-degree heat, John outfitted his car with condenser mikes to record a farewell ode to Off-Ramp, Tench's "Like the Sun."

The full band version of Benmont Tench III's "Like the Sun"

"Like the Sun" helped Tench get back in the songwriting groove a decade ago after he burnt out on being professional songwriter in Nashville. He based the lyrics on tours of Los Angeles given to him by a friend, and takes the listener (with his Southern accent) from a restaurant called Michoacan to a hill top tent city. Tench also told John how he and his wife Alice explore Los Angeles.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Pix by Proximity has been introduced by the Central bank of Brazil,...

Saudi Arabia-based fintech infrastructure platform Lean Technologies has raised USD 67.5 million in a Series B funding round to scale its Pay-by-Bank and Open Banking offerings.

Metro Bank has been fined nearly GBP 17 million by the UK’s financial watchdog FCA for failings in its money-laundering controls over four years.

Bill Cosby exits the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Saturday, June 17, 2017. ; Credit: Matt Rourke/AP

Pennsylvania’s highest court overturned. Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction Wednesday after finding an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged in the case.

Cosby has served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. He had vowed to serve all 10 years rather than acknowledge any remorse over the 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand.

We dive into how this all happened, through the lens of law, celebrity and the MeToo movement. 

With files from the Associated Press

Guests: 

Ambrosio Rodriguez, former prosecutor; he is currently a criminal defense attorney at The Rodriguez Law Group in Los Angeles; he led the sex crimes team and was in the homicide unit in the Riverside D.A.’s office; he tweets at @aer_attorney

Laurie L. Levenson, professor of criminal law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and former federal prosecutor

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Detail of boxes with the U.S. donated Johnson & Johnson vaccine against Covid-19 at Universidad de Baja California on June 17, 2021 in Tijuana, Baja California. ; Credit: Francisco Vega/Getty Images

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Annabelle De St. Maurice from University of California Los Angeles/Mattel Children’s hospital.

Topics today include:

• J&J says its vaccine is effective against Delta variant

  • J&J vaccine lasts at least 8 months

• WHO says all vaccines it authorized should be recognized by reopening countries

• White House says it will miss July 4 vaccination goal

• Postpartum depression on the rise during the pandemic

• Experts believe Novavax may play a role in combating vaccine hesitancy

• Delta variant is not driving a surge in hospitalization rates in England

Guest: 

Annabelle De St. Maurice, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases and the co-chief infection prevention officer at University of California Los Angeles/Mattel Children’s hospital; she tweets @destmauricemd

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Still of Emily Blunt and Noah Jupe in the film “A Quiet Place Part II.”; Credit: Paramount Pictures

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Lael Loewenstein, Christy Lemire and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.

• "A Quiet Place Part II," in wide release

• "Cruella," in wide release & Disney+

• "Dog Gone Trouble," on Netflix

• "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie," on Netflix June 3

• "Moby Doc," In Select Theaters (check your local listings); VOD (including FandangoNow, iTunes, Vudu); Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema June 4

• "Changing The Game," on Hulu June 1

• "Port Authority," Cinelounge Sunset Hollywood; Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema; Digital/VOD (including Vudu, Google Play, FandangoNow) June 1

• "Plan B," on Hulu

• "Borat Supplemental Reportings," on Amazon Prime Video

• "Dead Pigs," on Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema

Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.

Guests:

Christy Lemire, film critic for KPCC, RogerEbert.com and co-host of the ‘Breakfast All Day’ podcast; she tweets @christylemire

Lael Loewenstein, film critic for KPCC and film columnist for the Santa Monica Daily Press; she tweets @LAELLO

Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine

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Shot from the film “The Boss Baby: Family Business”; Credit: Dreamworks

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Lael Loewenstein, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.

• "The Forever Purge," in wide release

• "The Boss Baby: Family Business," in wide release & on Peacock

• "Long Story Short," at Laemmle’s Glendale; & on VOD/Digital (including Vudu, FandangoNow & Google Play)

• "The Tomorrow War," on Amazon Prime Video

• "The One And Only Dick Gregory," premieres on Showtime July 4 at 9 pm PT, available on demand on Showtime following that

• "No Sudden Move," on HBO Max

• "The Ladykillers (Originally released in 1955)," at Laemmle Theaters (Royal, Town Center 5, Playhouse 7)

• "America: The Motion Picture," on Netflix

Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.

Guests:

Lael Loewenstein, film critic for KPCC; she tweets @LAELLO

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and CineGods.com

Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

From left, jazz musician Louis Armstrong in Rome in 1968, Janet Jackson at the Essence Festival in New Orleans in 2018, and Nas at the Essence Festival in 2019. Works by each of these musicians are among 25 recordings being inducted to the National Recording Registry.; Credit: /AP

What do Janet Jackson, Ira Glass, Kermit the Frog, Nas and Louis Armstrong have in common?

These musicians, interviewers, and frogs are behind songs and other recordings to be inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry on Wednesday.

The Library of Congress announced the 25 titles picked this year are considered "audio treasures worthy of preservation" based on their cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance to the nation's heritage.

Janet Jackson's album "Rhythm Nation 1814;" Louis Armstrong's performance of "When the Saints Go Marching In;" Patti Labelle's song "Lady Marmalade;" Nas' record "Illmatic," Kool & the Gang's "Celebration;" and Kermit the Frog's "The Rainbow Connection" are now part of the collection of more than 550 other titles.

"The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years," Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement Wednesday.

The recordings, stretching from 1878 to 2008, were chosen out of 900 nominations from the public, Hayden said.

"This American Life" is the first podcast to join the registry. The 2008 episode co-produced with NPR News telling the story of the subprime mortgage crisis will be added to the collection.

"When we put this out as a podcast, turning a radio show into a podcast, we did literally nothing to accommodate it," host Ira Glass said in a statement shared by the Library of Congress. "And my theory is that podcasting is most powerful for the same reason that radio is the most powerful. That is, when you have a medium where you're not seeing people, there's just an intimacy to hearing somebody's voice."

The inclusion of Kermit the Frog's "The Rainbow Connection" deeply touched the Muppet.

"Well, gee, it's an amazing feeling to officially become part of our nation's history," Kermit said in a statement. "It's a great honor. And I am thrilled — I am thrilled! — to be the first frog on the list!"

The song was included in the 1979 "The Muppet Movie" performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, and written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher.

Williams said the song is about the "immense power of faith."

"We don't know how it works, but we believe that it does," Williams said. "Sometimes the questions are more beautiful than the answers."

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian of Congress selects 25 titles each year that are at least 10 years old.

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Silicon Metals Corp. (SI:CSE) has expanded its Ptarmigan Silica Project by acquiring 919 hectares of contiguous claims, increasing its land position by 40% in British Columbia's Rocky Mountain Trench. Read more to find out how this expansion supports their vision for high-grade silica production.

A fracking site in Kern County, Calif. Fracking — short for hydraulic fracturing — is the process of extracting oil deep underground using a high-pressure water mixture to break up rock.; Credit: Citizens of the Planet/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to ban hydraulic fracturing by 2024 as part of a longer-term aim to end all oil extraction in the state.

The governor has ordered the state's top oil regulator to implement regulation to stop issuing new fracking permits by 2024. He has also directed the state's air resources agency to look at ways to phase out oil extraction completely by 2045.

"The climate crisis is real, and we continue to see the signs every day," Newsom said in a Friday press release. "As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children, I've made it clear I don't see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that California needs to move beyond oil."

The plan aligns with the state's broader goal to reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2045.

Newsom's order follows a more aggressive plan to ban oil and gas production that died in the state Senate last week.

Following the bill's failure, Rock Zierman, CEO of the California Independent Petroleum Association, told The Desert Sun that it would have killed tens of thousands of jobs "in parts of the state that are struggling in this post-pandemic economy."

"We will continue to oppose bills that only increase our reliance on foreign oil which drives up gas prices, contributes to pollution in our crowded ports, and is produced without California's environmental protections or humanitarian values," he said.

Under Newson's plan, the state's Air Resources Board will assess the economic, environmental and health benefits and effects of ending oil extraction.

In September, Newsom said that fracking accounts for less than 2% of the state's oil production, but that the plan to end the practice is a "symbolic" step. However, some industry groups put that figure at closer to 20%.

The governor has previously said that he lacks the executive authority to ban fracking and has looked to legislators to approve limits.

Now, Newsom is leveraging his authority to take on the state's powerful oil and gas giants during a year in which he will likely face a recall election.

California would be the largest oil-producing state to ban fracking. Environmentalist groups — who argue that fracking drains water levels, harms public health and contributes to global warming — say the 2024 and 2045 deadlines are too late.

"While precedent setting, both timelines are not aggressive enough," California's Sierra Club said in a statement. "They fail to meet the urgency of the climate crisis we face and protect frontline communities facing the brunt of fossil fuel pollution that still need immediate health and safety protections."

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Bill Cosby gestures outside his home in Elkins Park, Pa., on June 30, 2021, after being released from prison when the Pennsylvania's supreme court overturned his sexual assault conviction. Cosby expressed support for former TV co-star Phylicia Rashad's freedom of speech after she defended him in a tweet.; Credit: Matt Rourke/AP

Bill Cosby called on Howard University to support former co-star Phylicia Rashad's freedom of speech after she expressed support for him when his sexual assault conviction was overturned.

In a statement, Cosby also lashed out at the media, comparing journalists to the rioters who stormed the Capitol in January.

"Howard University you must support ones Freedom of Speech (Ms. Rashad), which is taught or suppose to be taught everyday at that renowned law school, which resides on your campus," Cosby said in a statement provided to NPR by his spokesman Andrew Wyatt.

"This mainstream media has become the Insurrectionists, who stormed the Capitol," Cosby continued in his statement. "Those same Media Insurrectionists are trying to demolish the Constitution of these United State of America on this Independence Day."

Cosby concluded by saying, "WE THE PEOPLE STAND IN SUPPORT OF MS. PHYLICIA RASHAD" in all caps.

Cosby's support of Rashad comes after the actress, who played his TV wife in The Cosby Show, defended the comedian in a tweet. Cosby was released from prison last week when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated his sexual assault conviction on the grounds that his due process rights were violated.

"FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" Rashad said last week.

The tweet has since been removed and Rashad later backpedaled, writing that she "fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward." She also sent a letter of apology to Howard students

Many Howard alumni had expressed disappointment at the remarks. Howard University responded with its own tweet, stating that Dean Rashad's "initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault."

Rashad was recently named Dean of Howard University's Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts.

Rashad, an acclaimed stage and screen artist, graduated from Howard magna cum laude in 1970 with a bachelor's in fine arts. She returned as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty member.

In a statement announcing her appointment in May, Provost Anthony K. Wutoh said Rashad's "passion for the arts and student success makes her a perfect fit for this role."

One of the students Rashad mentored at Howard was the late actor Chadwick Boseman, for whom the school's College of Fine Arts is named.

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Help shape the future of greenways and trails in Catawba County! Catawba County and the Carolina Thread Trail planners ask citizens to help with planning for the trail by taking an online survey.

Commissioner Barger was recognized as �a leader with insight and determination� and a person of �trust, integrity, responsibility, and concern for fellow citizens� in a Distinguished Public Service Award presented to him during the meeting.

Brian Drum, one of the supervisors of the Catawba County 911 Communications Center, who has been called upon to increase his supervising duties over the past year and has a record of dedication to 911 dispatch that spans more than ten years, has been recognized by his peers in the North Carolina Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (NC NENA) as Supervisor of the Year.

Beginning July 1, 2011, computer equipment and televisions will be banned from disposal in North Carolina landfills, under a law passed last year by the General Assembly. Catawba County will provide four one-day electronics recycling collection events in fiscal year 2011-2012, free of charge. All residents of Catawba County will have access to these electronics recycling events, including those who live in the cities and towns in the county.

County programs which developed QR (Quick Response) codes for building permits; reach families affected by economic distress, and serve as an ongoing, immediate source of food for students during weekends and extended breaks from school; and promote healthy, sustainable policies that improve physical activity and nutrition in schools were honored.

"Catawba County Facts and Figures" web page, the gateway for hundreds of pieces of data on dozens of topics related to the County government, demographics and quality of life, has been named winner of a 2013 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award.

Article by Catawba County Public Health School Nurse Margaret Sides on vision screenings for students is published nationally.

Adult Services Social Worker Chandra Henson with Catawba County Social Services has been honored by the North Carolina Adult Foster Care Association.

Dental care was recently provided for hundreds of children by Catawba County Public Health.

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with students on Wednesday, ruling that a former cheerleader's online F-bombs about her school is protected speech under the First Amendment.

By an 8-1 vote, the court declared that school administrators do have the power to punish student speech that occurs online or off campus if it genuinely disrupts classroom study. But the justices concluded that a few swear words posted online from off campus, as in this case, did not rise to the definition of disruptive.

"While public schools may have a special interest in regulating some off-campus student speech, the special interests offered by the school are not sufficient to overcome B. L.'s interest in free expression in this case," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court's majority.

At issue in the case was a series of F-bombs issued in 2017 on Snapchat by Brandi Levy, then a 14-year-old high school cheerleader who failed to win a promotion from the junior varsity to the varsity cheerleading term at her Pennsylvania school.

"I was really upset and frustrated at everything," she said in an interview with NPR in April. So she posted a photo of herself and a friend flipping the bird to the camera, along with a message that said, "F*** the school ... F*** cheer, F*** everything."

Suspended from the team for what was considered disruptive behavior, Brandi and her parents went to court. They argued that the school had no right to punish her for off-campus speech, whether it was posted online while away from school, as in this case, or spoken out loud at a Starbucks across the street from school.

A federal appeals court agreed with her, declaring that school officials have no authority to punish students for speech that occurs in places unconnected to the campus.

The decision marked the first time that an appeals court issued such a broad interpretation of the Supreme Court's landmark student speech decision more then a half century ago. Back then, in a case involving students suspended for wearing black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War, the court ruled that students do have free speech rights under the Constitution, as long as the speech is not disruptive to the school.

Although Brandi Levy is now in college, the school board in Mahanoy, Pa., appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that disruption can come from outside the campus but still have serious effects on campus. It pointed to laws in 47 states that require schools to enforce anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies.

The high court, however, focused on the facts in Levy's case, concluding that while her posts were less than admirable, they did not meet the test of being disruptive.

"We do not believe the special characteristics that give schools additional license to regulate student speech always disappear when a school regulates speech that takes place off campus," Breyer wrote. "The school's regulatory interests remain significant in some off-campus circumstances."

In a concurring opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote: "If today's decision teaches any lesson, it must be that the regulation of many types of off-premises student speech raises serious First Amendment concerns, and school officials should proceed cautiously before venturing into this territory."

In a dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the school was right to suspend Levy because students like her "who are active in extracurricular programs have a greater potential, by virtue of their participation, to harm those programs."

"For example, a profanity-laced screed delivered on social media or at the mall has a much different effect on a football program when done by a regular student than when done by the captain of the football team," Thomas wrote. "So, too, here."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

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