Javier Hernandez

President Trump said that he was considering leaving NATO over allies’ failure to support his Iran offensive. He suggested that the U.S. war would end in two or three weeks and that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be a problem for others to solve.

The fighting on Monday morning followed President Trump’s threat to bomb power plants and bridges on Tuesday if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said it would respond “crushingly” if President Trump carried out his threats to strike power plants and bridges unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. An Israeli strike killed an Iranian intelligence chief overnight.

Global relief at the pause in fighting was tempered by uncertainty over what happens next. Israel declared its support for the two-week truce between the U.S. and Iran, but said it did not include its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Background/Objectives: Copper (Cu2+) is an essential trace element that participates as a cofactor in key metabolic enzymes such as cytochrome c oxidase and superoxide dismutase. However, excessive copper exposure can be toxic and disturbances in copper homeostasis have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Despite growing evidence linking copper to neuronal dysfunction, the cellular mechanisms by which Cu2+ affects neuronal excitability and neurotransmission remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute Cu2+ exposure on ionic currents involved in cellular excitability and neurotransmitter release in bovine chromaffin cells. Methods: Primary cultures of bovine chromaffin cells were used as a neuroendocrine model to study cellular excitability. Voltage-dependent ionic currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in voltage-clamp configuration. Catecholamine secretion was monitored by amperometry, and cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics were measured in fluo-4-loaded cells during depolarization induced by high K+ stimulation. Results: Acute Cu2+ exposure produced a concentration-dependent enhancement of depolarization-evoked catecholamine release. In parallel, Cu2+ inhibited voltage-dependent calcium (ICa), sodium (INa), potassium (IKv), and calcium/voltage-dependent potassium (IKCa-v) currents in a concentration-dependent and partially reversible manner. In addition, Cu2+ increased basal cytosolic Ca2+ levels while reducing the amplitude of depolarization-evoked Ca2+ transients. Conclusions: Acute Cu2+ exposure exerts a dual effect in bovine chromaffin cells, inhibiting the ionic currents that support cellular excitability while potentiating catecholamine secretion. This apparent paradox is consistent with a disruption of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, in which elevated basal cytosolic Ca2+ may facilitate exocytosis despite reduced depolarization-evoked Ca2+ entry. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms by which copper may alter neuronal signaling and contribute to neurotoxicity.

As policymakers reconsider the scope of birthright citizenship, Puerto Rico exemplifies how territorial ambiguity can obscure constitutional lines and complicate national policy.

Since 1898, Puerto Rico's status within the American constitutional system has been ambiguous — it is neither a state nor an independent country, but a territory under Congress's full authority.

Two foundation leaders urge peers to engage with the companies in which they invest to better align investment strategies with missions and long-term priorities.

JUST after sunrise on a cloudless spring day, Junichi Horiuchi, wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers cap and hot-pink gloves and carrying a walking stick, was on the hunt.

FOR 158 years, Tokyo has stood as Japan's glittering capital, a world-famous nexus of food, culture, business and government. But it might soon get an understudy.