HIV Breakthrough, Karen Read, & Stumpy the Lemur

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
June 19, 2025

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The FDA approved a highly effective HIV prevention drug that’s administered twice yearly.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Yeztugo, a new HIV prevention medication that requires injections only every six months instead of daily pills. The drug solves the problem of remembering to take medication and could accelerate efforts to reduce HIV transmission.
Clinical trials showed remarkable effectiveness. Gay and bisexual men receiving Yeztugo had an 89% lower HIV infection rate compared to those taking daily Truvada pills and a 96% lower rate than those receiving no prevention medication. In a separate trial among women in sub-Saharan Africa, no participants who received the drug contracted HIV.
The breakthrough faces cost barriers at $14,109 per injection. Two annual shots would total over $28,000 compared to generic daily pills costing about $360 per year. Insurers may impose higher copays or decline coverage in favor of cheaper options, potentially limiting access despite the drug's superior effectiveness.

The UK parliament voted to protect women from abortion prosecution.

MPs voted 379-137 to protect women from prosecution for abortion while keeping the current legal framework that allows the procedure up to 24 weeks and beyond in certain circumstances. Medical professionals can still face penalties for assisting with procedures outside current rules.
The amendment addresses cases where women have faced criminal prosecution for ending pregnancies outside the legal timeframe, often in desperate circumstances. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, who proposed the change, argued that outdated Victorian-era laws were being used against vulnerable women who “need care and support, not criminalization.”
The abortion prosecution protection amendment must still pass through both chambers of Parliament before becoming law. A separate Conservative amendment requiring in-person consultations before prescribing abortion pills was defeated 379-117.

A dangerous heat wave will hit the Northeast after severe storms threaten millions of Americans.

Intense storms that swept through the Midwest are now threatening East Coast cities like Washington D.C. and New York today, bringing damaging winds, tornadoes, and flash flooding. The storms will affect over 120 million people in total, with the highest impact from Michigan to Missouri, including Indianapolis and Louisville.
Extreme heat will follow in a west-to-east progression, with temperatures reaching 115 degrees in Phoenix and Las Vegas today and Friday. The heat wave will spread to the Midwest and Southeast on Sunday before hitting the Northeast on Monday, bringing record-breaking temperatures in the mid-90s to low-100s.
Heat is the leading weather-related killer, and this event will be particularly dangerous because nighttime temperatures will only drop to the 70s, providing no relief for people without air conditioning. The weather in the Northeast won't cool until late next week.

A jury acquitted Karen Read of murder and manslaughter charges Wednesday in her Boston police officer boyfriend's 2022 death but found her guilty of drunken driving. (More)

The US will require foreign students to unlock social media profiles for diplomatic review before receiving educational visas. Officials will screen for hostility toward America or terrorist support. (More)

Seven Los Angeles-area men were charged in connection with what federal prosecutors called the largest jewelry heist in US history. The accused stole $100 million from an armored car in July 2022. (More)

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed never to surrender as the country launched hypersonic missiles against Israel on the sixth day of war. He also warned the US against intervention. (More)

Three Czech family members who learned dentistry online were charged with operating an illegal dental practice that treated dozens of patients, earning £138,000 without proper qualifications or licenses. (More)

Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened to a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds on Wednesday and is expected to reach Category 3 before making landfall on Mexico’s west coast today. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday (S&P -0.03%, Nasdaq +0.13%, Dow -0.10%). Stocks dropped slightly after the Fed held rates steady, with Powell citing Trump tariff uncertainty. (More)

The NikeSKIMS activewear line featuring Kim Kardashian has been delayed from its planned spring launch until later this year due to internal production issues. No new launch date is set. (More)

US 30-year mortgage rates fell for the third consecutive week to 6.81% from 6.84%. A year ago, the rate was at 6.87% (More)

The Buss family agreed to sell the majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion, a record valuation for US sports franchises. (More) | The Tampa Bay Rays entered discussions to sell to an investment group for $1.25 billion. (More)

Actor Derek Dixon filed a $260 million lawsuit against Tyler Perry, alleging the TV producer sexually assaulted and harassed him while working on "The Oval" series. Perry’s attorney denied the accusations. (More)

Coastal Carolina eliminated Louisville, and LSU rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Arkansas 6-5 in the ninth inning Wednesday, setting up the Men’s College World Series final between the Chanticleers and Tigers. (More)

A study of wild baboons in Kenya found that female baboons with stronger father relationships during their first four years lived two to four years longer as adults. (More)

An international team discovered evidence of the first observed "ghost plume" beneath Oman, a column of hot rock that doesn't reach the surface but may influence regional plate tectonics. (More)

Astronomers discovered a rare gas giant exoplanet named AT2021uey b that orbits a small, distant star located 3,200 light-years away near the Milky Way's edge. (More)

Americans are moving the the Southeast the most in 2025.

Some of these forgotten summer activities deserve a comeback.

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