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Iran and the United States prepared for a fifth round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program Friday in Rome, with enrichment emerging as the key issue.U.S. officials up to President Donald Trump insist Iran cannot continue to enrich uranium at all in any deal that could see sanctions lifted on Tehran’s struggling economy. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Friday insisted online that no enrichment would mean “we do NOT have a deal.” “Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science,” Araghchi wrote on the social platform X. “Time to decide.”The U.S. will be again represented in the talks by Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Michael Anton, the State Department’s policy planning director. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi is mediating the negotiations as the sultanate on the Arabian Peninsula has been a trusted interlocutor by both Tehran and Washington in the talks.A car carrying Araghchi arrived at the Omani Embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighborhood around 12:30 p.m. Witkoff had yet to be seen, but the embassy previously served as the site of another round of talks. Enrichment remains key in negotiations The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic, closing in on half a century of enmity.Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.“Iran almost certainly is not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so,” a new report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said. “These actions reduce the time required to produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a first nuclear device to probably less than one week.”However, it likely still would take Iran months to make a working bomb, experts say.Enrichment remains the key point of contention. Witkoff at one point suggested Iran could enrich uranium at 3.67%, then later began saying all Iranian enrichment must stop. That position on the American side has hardened over time.Asked about the negotiations, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said “we believe that we are going to succeed” in the talks and on Washington’s push for no enrichment.“The Iranians are at that table, so they also understand what our position is, and they continue to go,” Bruce said Thursday.One idea floated so far that might allow Iran to stop enrichment in the Islamic Republic but maintain a supply of uranium could be a consortium in the Mideast backed by regional countries and the U.S. There also are multiple countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency offering low-enriched uranium that can be used for peaceful purposes by countries.However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has maintained enrichment must continue within the country’s borders and a similar fuel-swap proposal failed to gain traction in negotiations in 2010.Meanwhile, Israel has threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities on their own if it feels threatened, further complicating tensions in the Mideast already spiked by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.Araghchi warned Thursday that Iran would take “special measures” to defend its nuclear facilities if Israel continues to threaten them, while also warning the U.S. it would view it as being complicit in any Israeli attack. Authorities allowed a group of Iranian students to form a human chain Thursday at its underground enrichment site at Fordo, an area with incredibly tight security built into a mountain to defend against possible airstrikes. Talks come as U.S. pressure on Iran increases Yet despite the tough talk from Iran, the Islamic Republic needs a deal. Its internal politics are inflamed over the mandatory hijab, or headscarf, with women still ignoring the law on the streets of Tehran. Rumors also persist over the government potentially increasing the cost of subsidized gasoline in the country, which has sparked nationwide protests in the past.Iran’s rial currency plunged to over one million to a U.S. dollar in April. The currency has improved with the talks, however, something Tehran hopes will continue as a further collapse in the rial could spark further economic unrest.Meanwhile, its self-described “Axis of Resistance” sits in tatters after Iran’s regional allies in the region have faced repeated attacks by Israel during its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government during a rebel advance in December also stripped Iran of a key ally.The Trump administration also has continued to levy new sanctions on Iran, including this week, which saw the U.S. specifically target any sale of sodium perchlorate to the Islamic Republic. Iran reportedly received that chemical in shipments from China at its Shahid Rajaei port near Bandar Abbas. A major, unexplained explosion there killed dozens and wounded over 1,000 others in April during one round of the talks. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. Jon Gambrell and Giada Zampano, Associated Press
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Theres a quiet transformation underway in how we eat. Its not being led by chefs, influencers, or climate activists. Its being driven by a new class of pharmaceuticals that are changing the way millions of people relate to food itself. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy work by altering hunger signals in the brain. These medications dont just help people feel full sooner. They are reshaping consumption patterns across the board. When hunger changes, everything from portion sizes to snacking habits and flavor preferences follows. This is fueling a broader redefinition of how we think about protein. What used to be a food category mostly associated with muscle-building or dieting is now at the center of a cultural and metabolic shift. Were entering a new phase where people are eating less but expecting more from what they do eat. Thats why protein is showing up in unexpected placespasta sauces, pancake mixes, condiments, even mustard. Yes, protein mustard. Some of this feels like marketing gone rogue. (How much seasoning do I need to eat before it impacts my protein intake?) But the underlying trend is real. People want smaller portions with higher impact. This shift disrupts the conventional thinking that indulgent foods (hamburgers, ice cream, chocolate) must inherently lack nutritional value, while healthier options (kale salads or plain tofu) can’t offer true enjoyment. GLP-1 breaks down this barrier, emphasizing the need for indulgence and nutrition to coexist. This shift is especially visible in the snack aisle. A recent Wall Street Journal article spotlighted how protein-rich snacks are rising in popularity as consumers seek satiety and nutrition in smaller formats. This isnt about indulgence anymore. Its about optimization. At the same time, the definition of protein itself is evolving. New formats are emerging, from refined plant-based offerings to fermentation-derived and cultivated proteins. At Aleph Farms, the cultivated meat company I lead, we designed a product that is right-sized for the GLP market. Our first Aleph Cut is called a “Petit Steak,” which is smaller and thinner. These arent just replacements for conventional meat. They are recalibrations, designed for consumers who want fewer bites, but better ones. Even pharmaceutical companies are taking notice. Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, recently funded research into less-processed plant proteins at the University of Copenhagen. Its a strong signal that food innovation is starting to orbit around a new gravitational center: changed appetites. For the food industry, this isnt just about cutting portion sizes or slapping high protein on a label. Its about rethinking what protein can mean when hunger looks different. Can it be lighter and still satisfying? Can it be more sustainable without losing its emotional resonance? Can it become something people seek out, not for fullness, but for fulfillment? In the GLP-1 era, people arent eating to feel full. Theyre eating to feel nourished, energized, and in control. So the real question isnt how much protein does this product contain? Its how does this protein earn its place?
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Blue-check verification is nothing new in the world of social media, but Bluesky is only now making it available to any notable accounts. The social media company has launched an application that allows users to apply for this authentication and receive a blue check. Bluesky first launched a form of verification in 2023 that required users to put a domain as their handle. For example, a brand or magazine could show its validity by using its official website as an identifier. Meanwhile, individuals who worked for the company could then make their usernames @name.wesbite.com. According to Bluesky, over 270,000 accounts took part in this option over its first two years. [Image: Bluesky] It wasnt until this April that Bluesky hopped on the train of its competitors and started offering blue checksand very selectively. Most notably, it introduced a process allowing approved organizations to become Trusted Verifiers and give their employees a blue check. These users receive a scalloped blue check indicating their trusted status. That brings us to the present day, when Blueskys safety account announced, Were expanding our roll-out. Notable and authentic accounts can apply for verification or to become a Trusted Verifier via the form linked in our blog. How can I apply for Bluesky verification? The application is available here and includes questions about what category the account falls under (such as a public figure or elected official) and what proof is available regarding its status. [Image: Bluesky] Accounts not selected for verification won’t receive a response from the company, however, they can still pursue the domain option. [Image: Bluesky] Blueskys usership exploded following a mass exodus from X after the presidential electiontripling in size since its pre-November numbers to over 36 million users at the time of publication. Xs owner, Elon Musk, had already begun offering paid verification, removing the validity of such designations on the site by not making it clear whos legit and who shelled out. His financial and vocal support of now President Trump pushed more users to delete their accounts and migrate to Bluesky.
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