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Goldman Sachs and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expect a stablecoin gold rush, driven by new regulations and massive potential for payment market expansion. Stablecoins, which must be backed by U.S. dollars or Treasuries, could boost demand for government bonds, though some argue this mostly redistributes money, rather than increasing the net demand for debt. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent believes stablecoins will buoy the market for U.S. Treasuries, and the government will sell more short-term debt to meet that demand, according to the Financial Times. “Bessent has signaled to Wall Street that he expects stablecoins, digital tokens that are backed by high-quality securities such as Treasuries, to become an important source of demand for U.S. government bonds,” the FT reported. The FT’s sources asked for anonymity, but there was no need for them to be coy: Bessent said in a press statement back in July that he expected demand for cryptocurrencies—backed 1 to 1 with U.S. dollar instruments—to support the price of bonds: “This groundbreaking technology will buttress the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency, expand access to the dollar economy for billions across the globe, and lead to a surge in demand for U.S. Treasuries, which back stablecoins. The GENIUS Act provides the fast-growing stablecoin market with the regulatory clarity it needs to grow into a multitrillion-dollar industry,” he said at the time. The GENIUS Act, announced last month, “aligns State and Federal stablecoin frameworks, ensuring fair and consistent regulation throughout the country,” the White House said at the time. So how big a deal will this be? Goldman Sachs thinks we’re at the beginning of a stablecoin gold rush, according to a research paper published today by the bank’s Will Nance and others. “Stablecoins are a $271bn global market, and we believe USDC [the stablecoin issued by Circle] benefits from market share gains on and off of partner Binance’s platform, as ongoing stablecoin legislation legitimizes the ecosystem, and the crypto ecosystem expands, also potentially catalyzed by legislation. Based on current trends and announced initiatives, we see $77bn of growth in USDC, or a 40% CAGR, from 2024-27E,” they wrote. The potential total market for stablecoins is in the trillions, Goldman says. “Visa sizes the addressable market for payments at ~$240 trillion in annual payment volume, with consumer payments representing ~$40 trillion of annual spending. B2B payments comprise roughly ~$60bn while P2P payments and disbursements comprise the remainder. “As such, payments are the most obvious source of (total accessible market) expansion for stablecoins over the longer term. This opportunity is largely untapped so far, with the majority of stablecoin activity being driven by crypto trading activity and demand for dollar exposure outside of the U.S.” Because stablecoins in the U.S. must be backed 1 to 1 with dollars or U.S. bonds, each stablecoin issued increases the demand for the bonds that back them. Some people think this will alter the bond market, especially for short-dated bonds with low interest yields. A research paper by the Bank for International Settlements (an international organization that fosters cooperation among central banks), says it will. “A 2-standard deviation inflow into stablecoins lowers 3-month Treasury yields by 2-2.5 basis points within 10 days,” the BIS paper estimated. But the effect is “asymmetric”: “Stablecoin outflows raise yields by two to three times as much as inflows lower them,” the paper said. UBS’s Paul Donovan is more skeptical: “U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent is reportedly getting excited that stablecoins might increase demand for short-dated U.S. Treasuries, helping finance the unsustainable U.S. fiscal position. However, stablecoins are more about redistributing money supply. Someone selling Treasury bills to buy stablecoins, which invest the money in Treasury bills, does not change demand for U.S. debt instruments,” he told clients this morning. Here’s a snapshot of the markets prior to the opening bell in New York: S&P 500 futures were flat this morning, premarket, after the index closed down 0.59% yesterday. STOXX Europe 600 was up 0.13% in early trading. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was up 0.23% in early trading. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was down 1.51%. China’s CSI 300 was up 1.14%. The South Korea KOSPI was down 0.68%. India’s Nifty 50 was up 0.28% before the end of the session. Bitcoin fell to $113.9K. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”A new study suggests that there’s a link between how well you move cholesterol to the neurons in your brain and Alzheimer’s disease.This factor is connected to the APOE4 genetic variant, which significantly increases your risk of developing the disease.Here’s what to know and what this means for Alzheimer’s research. Alzheimer’s disease sparks a cascade of changes throughout the body that lead to a slew of debilitating symptoms. But there’s one surprising biological change that researchers are just starting to uncover, thanks to a new study.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe study, which was published in the Journal of Lipid Research, found that people with Alzheimer’s disease experience a breakdown in the ability to shuttle cholesterol to the neurons in their brain, and that this symptom is linked to a certain genetic variant called APOE4, which carries a known risk for Alzheimer’s.This biological discovery could potentially pave the way for a better understanding of the disease and even future disease prevention methods. Here’s what you need to know about the science so far, with input from a neurologist.Meet the expert: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.What did the researchers find?For the study, researchers analyzed the cerebrospinal fluid (the biological liquid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spinal cord) from 10 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and compared it to the cerebrospinal fluid of 10 people who did not have the condition.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey discovered that lipoproteins (round particles made of fat and protein) in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer’s patients were less effective at delivering cholesterol to neurons, or nerve cells, which are responsible for transmitting information from the brain throughout the body.What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is an essential, waxy, fat-like molecule that your body needs for good health, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Cholesterol is carried around your body by two types of lipoproteins: low-density lipoproteins (a.k.a. LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and high-density lipoproteins (a.k.a. HDL or “good” cholesterol).High levels of LDL cholesterol can cause a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque in your arteries, raising the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health complications, per the NHLBI. But high levels of good HDL cholesterol may lower the risk for certain health issues.Why is it important for brain function?While it has a bad rap in the health world, cholesterol is actually really important for your proper brain function. Your brain is the most cholesterol-rich organ in your body. Specifically, cholesterol helps make up cell membranes, including those in nerve cells, and plays a crucial role in your neurons’ ability to “talk” to each other and transmit information. When cholesterol levels are out of balance, it can impact that transmission of essential information between nerve cells, leading to cognitive issues that are seen with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Cholesterol is also a building block for steroid hormones, which support brain function.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, that doesn’t mean more cholesterol is always good for your brain. High levels of LDL cholesterol are usually considered a modifiable risk factor for ischemic stroke, or “clogged pipes” in the brain, explains Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.“There is less research and understanding on the possible benefits of cholesterol found in spinal fluid including HDL, which we classically identify as the ‘good cholesterol,’” Dr. Segil says. “We know high levels of certain types of cholesterol cause strokes and we are less clear in the year 2025 about the benefits of cholesterol in brain function.”How does this link back to Alzheimer’s?This particular study noted that cholesterol found in lipoproteins were different in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, but Dr. Segil says that there is a “complicated” relationship between lipids and protein in the brain. “Some researchers continue to assign memory loss symptoms in patients with Alzheimer’s due to abnormal brain protein levels and this paper noted lipid brain levels may also be abnormal,” he says.Dr. Segil points out that neurologists commonly prescribe medications called statins to lower levels of cholesterol and the risk of stroke. Lowering levels of LDL cholesterol can decrease the risk of developing certain type of dementia, including vascular dementia, he says. But it’s not clear if it may do more.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Further research will determine if lowering your cholesterol will result in lower chances of getting Alzheimer’s dementia,” he says.You Might Also Like

A former Michigan State University graduate student is suing the school for $100 million, claiming she was diagnosed with cancer after her work exposed her to hazardous chemicals.Ling Long Wei, an international student from China, worked as a research assistant at Michigan State from 2008 to 2011 while earning a master’s degree from the school’s horticulture program. Wei filed a lawsuit this month claiming she developed thyroid cancer after her work exposed her to pesticides and herbicides without proper training or safety equipment.Michigan State University spokesperson Amber McCann declined to comment toThe Independent, citing pending litigation. However, she said the school “prioritizes the health and safety of our entire campus community.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Appropriate and required training and necessary personal protective equipment is provided in compliance with applicable university policies and state and federal laws,” McCann said.It was Wei’s “dream” to study at Michigan State, a leading agricultural science school, her attorney Maya Greene said at a Monday press conference. When she first arrived, Wei was required to work as a student research assistant, and perform field research as part of her horticulture coursework, the lawsuit states.Ling Long Wei, a former Michigan State University graduate student, is suing the school for $100 million. Wei alleges her work for the school exposed her to hazardous chemicals that later resulted in a cancer diagnosis (WWMT)As part of that field research, Wei’s supervisors told her to travel to off-campus fields to spray herbicides and pesticides, the lawsuit states. Wei says that work could last up to eight hours a day.Wei alleges she was not given proper training ahead of time. She also did not have “proper mask, gloves or coveralls” to wear while handling the chemicals, the lawsuit says.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“While spraying these toxic chemicals, the wind would often blow the chemicals into Ms. Wei’s face,” the lawsuit reads. “Ms. Wei was exposed to hazardous pesticides for over 7,000 hours, unprotected and untrained.”Wei says she started to experience shortness of breath in 2010 but the school’s health center told her it was due to anxiety. Her supervisors then assured her the chemicals were “safe,” the lawsuit says.“Ms. Wei relied on the assurance from the program superiors and continued to spray the hazardous pesticides and herbicides without [personal protective equipment],” the lawsuit says. “Ms. Wei continued to experience symptoms but feared speaking up for herself due to intimidation and hostile treatment from superiors in the program.”A view of Spartan Stadium on Michigan State University’s campus. Wei alleges the school did not provide her with protective equipment or training while she sprayed pesticides (Getty Images)Handling these pesticides without proper training or equipment caused Wei to develop papillary thyroid carcinoma, the lawsuit claims. Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common form of thyroid cancer, making up about 80 percent of cases, according to Columbia University Thyroid Center.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWei was diagnosed in 2024 and underwent “a series of medical procedures and surgeries to treat her cancer,” the lawsuit says. Wei said the cancer left her with hormone imbalances that cause her fatigue and will make it difficult to have children. Her cancer could also come back.“My recovery journey has been very challenging,” Wei said at the press conference. “After undergoing my thyroid cancer surgery, I did have to adjust to taking medication every day to regulate my hormone levels.”“I will need to take thyroid pills every day for the rest of my life,” she added. “I will live with my permanent scar, and I will have to always struggle against depression because of hormone imbalances.”The Independent has contacted Wei’s attorney for comment.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCancer researchers are still studying the exact link between pesticides and cancer.Some pesticides are carcinogens and have been linked to cancer cases, according to the National Pesticide Information Center, a joint initiative by Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to a pesticide that is a carcinogen does not mean a cancer diagnosis is certain but means more risk than if a person isn’t exposed, the center says.It’s difficult for doctors to determine what exactly causes a patient’s cancer, according to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a leading research and treatment center.“It’s almost impossible to pin an individual case of cancer on a particular culprit with 100 percent certainty,” the center’s website reads.

As an avid Criminal Minds-watcher, I’ve always wondered what it was actually like to work as an FBI agent. CBSA while back, Reddit user mr_squirell asked, “FBI/CIA agents of Reddit, what’s something that you can tell us without killing us?” Here’s what they said:Note: Obviously we can’t confirm all of these stories, but these people are supposedly speaking from their own experiences as alleged government employees.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement1.”I worked with a woman who was a former NSA. We would always beg her to tell us stuff, but she never did. The one thing she did say, though, was that during training, they show them a video of a bunch of things they’ve found out about and stopped. She said she hardly slept for two weeks after watching that.”—jseego2.”My dad worked for GCHQ in the ’80s doing voice recognition, and he can’t say anything more for another decade. The technology used that lets Siri and Alexa recognize you today was also being used in the ’80s… Just a bit slower…”—arabidopsisRelated: 17 Signs From The Past Week That Made Me Laugh So Hard, I Spit Out The Water I Just So Happened To Be Drinking Domoyega / Getty Images3.”I was an analyst, not an agent/officer. 85% of all classified material is classified because of how it was collected, not because it is juicy/useful. Yes, your boss and co-workers said that stuff about you.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—ben704.”We are all told never to use sites like Reddit. Social media in general is pretty much a no-go.”—Throwaway93ee90299 Michelle Brittain / Getty Images5.”An ex-Company man once told me that the movie Get Smart was more accurate than James Bond.”—spiff22686.”I talked with some CIA recruiters towards the end of college and almost applied earnestly after a large group Q&A and then a much smaller one. The thing that stuck out to me was that the guys said most CIA agents are out of shape and have limited combat training with guns or hand-to-hand. They made it clear that it’s the military that uses force. If confronted, they were trained to immediately surrender or to drop their bags and run if possible.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—dring157 Andrii Lysenko / Getty ImagesRelated: 20 Of The Greatest, Most Wholesome Posts From The Internet This Week That You’ve Gotta Read Right Now If You’re In Need Of A Mood-Booster7.”If you go through the FBI interview process, it takes a while. Chances are, you’re going to have to spend some time working on crimes against children, which is really tough, and most people don’t want to do it.”—thermobollocks8.”My dad worked for the government, and he told me that any time he had a meaningful interaction with someone who wasn’t American (i.e. going over to my friend’s house for Lunar New Year or going on vacation to Canada), he had to report it all, and if he saw anything suspicious.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—AudiKitty”Yep. I went through a clearance upgrade and got asked about a couple of people that I know through friends who I didn’t include on my paperwork and if I knew their background.”—derpyfox Ablokhin / Getty Images9.”I worked with the Australian Federal police with the spider squad doing ‘computer stuff’ for them in regards to pedophiles and finding trafficking victims. It was the most heartbreaking work, but when you got the pedophiles, the office looked like NASA after a Mars landing.”—dr_m_a_dman”I don’t know if I’m allowed to say, but a mentor who definitely wasn’t supposed to tell me used to be a white hat for the FBI. Apparently, all he did was search for pedophiles by tracking child sexual abuse images. He said he didn’t stay for very long because it was messing with his mental health.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—mastershow0510.”My spouse is an FBI agent. One of the things they had to do at the FBI Academy was go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. The lesson was what can happen if you blindly follow orders without ever questioning the morality/intent behind them. I found that pretty compelling, and I was glad to hear that it’s part of their training.”—bukunothingRelated: “My Alarm Bells Were Going Off”: People Are Sharing Their Wildest “I F—ing Knew It” Moments That Prove You Should ALWAYS Trust Your Gut Domoyega / Getty Images/iStockphoto11.”Not an FBI or CIA officer, but my sister is a district attorney, and over the years, she has prosecuted a number of animal-cruelty cases. This led to her having an ongoing partnership with the FBI for the last several years. It turns out the FBI started tracking animal abuse cases about 10-15 years ago due to the incredibly high correlation between abusing animals when you’re young and becoming a serial violent offender as an adult.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—TheDongerNeedsFood12.”I have a relative who retired from the NSA a few years ago. She has talked about a few things in generalities, nothing specific. Among them: Alcoholism in general is rife in the agency. When you cannot speak to anyone outside the agency about your work, it becomes nearly impossible to confide in anyone close to you. Even if you have close work friends or family, you have to be careful what you say because not everyone is read into every program. Two people can sit next to each other in the same office, working on the same subject for months, and never talk about it with each other, even though they’re close friends outside the agency. So people turn to the bottle. Her husband worked for a different government agency and also had a Top Secret-SCI clearance, but she couldn’t talk about her work with him (nor could he with her, but his didn’t involve the intelligence community).”—NetworkLlama Anna Clopet / Getty Images13.”Want to work for them? Prepare to do a fair amount of paper work. The form will ask for each of your employer’s contact information, contact information of friends, your history of addresses, etc. They will then send an agent to interview a number of these people. Next, you have to take a psychological exam and be interviewed by a psychologist. Finally, you’ll have one last interview with a polygraph and a professional lie detector.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Sw0rDz14.”The agency employs psychiatrists who are cleared to be read into almost any program. Going to them, though, is often seen as a mark of shame among other agency employees, so they are not used nearly as often as they should be.”—NetworkLlama Ignatiev / Getty ImagesRelated: 24 “I’m So Self-Centered And Oblivious” Screenshots That Are Pure Entitlement15.”Properly secret programs and operations are never named in any way that indicates what they are actually about. They’re generally just two words chosen at random and that would rarely come up in normal conversation, stuff like ‘Cracked Gorilla’ (which I just made up off the top of my head).”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—xxkoloblicinxx16.”I applied to be an accountant at the FBI out of college. On the first or second page of the application, it asks if you have ever done any illegal drug. Not wanting to lie, I said yes, and it immediately ended the application process. It’s shocking to me that there are so many FBI agents, and absolutely none of them have ever smoked weed.”—scotchglass22 OneMoreImage / Getty Images17.And finally, “Anyone who is a US citizen can apply to join the CIA. It isn’t that hard. If you have any kind of degree in computer science, statistics, engineering, or accounting, and don’t have anything that would mess up your getting a clearance, getting a job would be relatively easy there. Working at the CIA is far more boring than you would think.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Intrepid-Client9449Responses have been edited for length/clarity. So, to all the former FBI and CIA workers out there. What are some other secrets you can share about the job? Let us know in the comments below. Or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, share your submission in the form below.Also in Internet Finds: These 15 Hilarious Internet Fails From Last Week Made Me Laugh So Hard I Shed A Single TearAlso in Internet Finds: “He Would Squeeze People’s Hands When He Shook Them”: 26 Incredibly Chilling Stories From People Who Knew MurderersAlso in Internet Finds: 33 “Brutal Truths” Men Say They Could NEVER Reveal To Women’s FacesRead it on BuzzFeed.com

An actor whose mother was the victim of a murder-suicide in France has urged her friends not to attend his stepdad’s funeral.Callum Kerr, who appeared in Hollyoaks and Netflix’s Virgin River, said it would be “inappropriate” for the memory of his mother, Dawn Searle, to be associated with her husband Andrew Searle.The couple’s bodies were discovered by a neighbour at their country home in the Aveyron region on 6 February.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe prosecutor in charge of the case previously told the BBC it was murder followed by suicide and there was no evidence that another person was involved.The statement, issued on Kerr’s Instagram account on behalf of the actor and his sister Amanda, comes more than six months after the couple were found dead.It is unclear why it has taken so long for Mr Searle’s body to be released by the French authorities or when his funeral is scheduled to take place.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMr Kerr, who is also a country singer in the US, and his sister said that while the investigation into the deaths was ongoing they “cannot ignore the circumstances as they stand”.The statement continued: “For this reason, we must respectfully but firmly request that our mother not be included in any way in the funeral arrangements being made for Andrew.”They urged their mother’s friends not to attend the ceremony and asked people not to share photographs of Mr and Mrs Searle together.The statement concluded: “It would be inappropriate for her memory to be associated with a service honouring the man who, based on all available evidence, may have been responsible for her death.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”We ask for understanding, privacy and respect as we continue to grieve and seek justice for our mum.”Andrew and Dawn Searle lived in the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, north of Toulouse [BBC]Mrs Searle’s body was found in the garden of the couple’s property in the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, with severe wounds to her head.Mr Searle’s body was found inside their home, about an hour north of Toulouse.Police were alerted to the incident by a neighbour who had gone to check on them when they failed to turn up for a planned dog walk.Post-mortem examinations confirmed Mrs Searle suffered “multiple blows to the head with a blunt and sharp-edged object” while Mr Searle died from hanging.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMrs Searle, 56, grew up in Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders, and Mr Searle, 62, was originally from England.They previously lived in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, and married in France in 2023.Prosecutors said they had lived in the Aveyron region for five years.According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Searle previously worked in financial crime prevention at companies including Standard Life and Barclays Bank.

The Trump administration has clapped back at Grammy-winning musician Jack White’s critical commentary on the president’s new-look Oval Office.White, former front man for The White Stripes, unleashed on Instagram on Monday, claiming that Donald Trump’s torrent of gold and gilded additions to the office were an “embarrassment to American history,” describing it as “a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler’s dressing room.”“Look at his disgusting taste, would you even buy a used car from this conman, let alone give him the nuclear codes?,” White said, posting a photo of the Oval Office. “A gold plated Trump bible would look perfect up on that mantle with a pair of Trump shoes on either side wouldn’t it?”Jack White is not a fan of Donald Trump or his taste in decor. / Leon Neal / Getty ImagesA gold coaster reading Responding to White’s verdict on Trump’s tacky decor, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told the Daily Beast: “Jack White is a washed up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCheung added, “It’s apparent he’s been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of ‘The People’s House.’”White’s post has had almost 120,000 likes and is the latest of many anti-Trump comments the 50-year-old has made on social media, which has seen him label the president everything from a “obvious fascist and wannabe dictator” to a “Nazi clown.”White House Communications Director Steven Cheung (L) and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino taking in the splendor of the Oval Office. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty ImagesWhen one comment on his Oval Office post said “it was an insult” to compare “this gold poop” to locker rooms, White noted, “I agree that pro wrestlers don’t deserve the comparison.”White has won 12 Grammy awards, his first being for the White Stripes classic “Seven Nation Army”, a song which Trump used without permission in a campaign video last year, prompting the musician to threaten to sue him.“Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” White wrote in a fiery Instagram post responding to the video.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite Cheung claiming White’s career has “stalled”, his most recent album, last year’s No Name, was nominated at the 2025 Grammy awards for Best Rock Album.His next major gig is the CBGB Festival in Brooklyn next month, playing alongside Iggy Pop and the Sex Pistols.The media gets a taste of the Oval Office as Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty ImagesWhite House Communications Director Steven Cheung is seen during a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. / DREW ANGERER / AFP via Getty ImagesTrump has been bringing a touch of his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort to the White House this year.Paintings have gold frames, gold cherubs have been shipped in from his resort, with gilded mirrors on the wall and gold appliqués on the fireplace, which is topped with urns.“I picked it all myself,” Trump said last month. “I’m very proud of it.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBarbara Res, once a VP at the Trump Organization, witnessed the real estate tycoon’s penchant for filling Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago and the Plaza Hotel with gold, polished bronze and brass.“He used the word ‘class’ a lot, and it was a high-class thing for him,” Res told USA Today of his taste in decorations and fittings. “It conveyed an illusion of taste and wealth, and that’s why he wanted to gild everything.”A glimpse of all the Trumpified gold in the Oval Office. / MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty ImagesTrump has also replaced the lawn in the Rose Garden with paving, claiming women had complained their high heels were sinking into the grass. He is planning on hosting a UFC match on the grounds of the White House next year.

A former choir teacher at Choctaw High School has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a student that lasted more than a year.Samuel Taylor Melton, 30, of Moore, will be on probation for 25 more years after his release from prison. He must register as a sex offender.He pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Oklahoma County District Court to 15 sex crimes. At times, he wiped away tears with a tissue.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”He’s incredibly remorseful,” his attorney, Chris Box, told reporters afterward. “He wanted closure, not only for himself, but for the victim.”Melton’s wife, father and mother were present in the crowded courtroom for the sentencing, the defense attorney confirmed.The guilty plea was to four counts of rape by instrumentation, three counts of second-degree rape, four counts of forcible oral sodomy and four counts of sexual battery.Former high school choir teacher Samuel Taylor Melton, in orange, is escorted to court on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for sentencing in a rape case. Next to him is his defense attorney, Chris Box.He admitted in his guilty plea that the offenses began in 2023 when the victim was 16 and one of his students. He did not apologize.His punishment was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Special Judge Jason Glidewell imposed the sentence after the victim told her former teacher she came forward to protect other students.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”You were the darkness that crept into the place that was meant to be safe for me,” Avery Smith, now 19, told him in a 10-minute statement. “You are a predator, and I was just one of your prey.”The Oklahoman typically does not name victims of sexual assault, but Avery wanted her name known.She came forward in April, almost a year after graduating. She at first told her parents.”So many parts of me screamed not to say a word,” she said in court Tuesday, looking directly at Melton. “But the parts of me that longed for my own justice and the protection of the girls you would’ve hurt in the future … screamed louder.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMelton kept his head down as she spoke. He tightly gripped a tissue in his hand as she said he had stolen her love of music and poisoned her dream of being a music teacher herself by holding her captive to his “sick sexual fantasies.””You took that from me,” she said.After the sentencing, she told reporters it was important to her to be an example for other victims of sex crimes. “I absolutely think that there are people out there that haven’t spoke out and I hope they come forward,” she said. “You matter. Your story deserves to be heard.”Melton confessed and resigned when school administrators confronted him in April about the accusations.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe was charged April 28. Attorney General Gentner Drummond took over the case in July at the request of the victim. The AG told Avery in court after the sentencing that he was proud of her.In a news release, Drummond called the sentence “the longest ever for a sexual predator in our schools.”“Anyone who preys on children should be punished as harshly as possible − especially those who have been entrusted with the education and care of our children,” said Drummond, who is running for governor.Avery told police the sexual encounters began the second semester of her junior year, two months after he was reprimanded for unprofessional and inappropriate interactions with her.Samuel Melton”Do not place yourself in the position of having your statements or actions be misinterpreted as having inappropriate feelings towards students,” he was told in the reprimand signed by Principal Jackie Harris.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShe told police the sexual encounters continued into her senior year even after his wife found out. She told police some sexual encounters took place in a practice room while class was still in session and students were practicing just outside the door.She graduated in May 2024.Lawsuit is pending in Oklahoma City federal courtAvery is suing the Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District, school officials and Melton in Oklahoma City federal court. In the lawsuit, she alleges she suffered the sexual abuse because of a series of gross failures and indifference at the district.Rape victim Avery Smith speaks to reporters on Tuesday, Aug. 19, after her former teacher was sentenced.Her lawsuit lists seven other incidents of sexual misconduct by teachers in the district.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHer attorney, Cameron Spradling of Oklahoma City, has demanded $25 million.”We have to recognize Oklahoma has a serious problem,” said Spradling, who has successfully sued other school districts.”Do we not recognize that, everybody?” he asked reporters Tuesday after the sentencing. “That we’ve got a big problem here.”The school district has not filed an answer to the lawsuit yet. In a media statement in May, the school district said, “Mr. Melton’s actions were reprehensible and antithetic to the high standards of professionalism, trust and care demonstrated every day by CNP teachers, administrators, and staff.”The age of consent for sex had been 16 at the time of their relationship but that did not apply to teachers. A new law will raise the age to 18 when it goes in effect later this year.This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Choctaw choir teacher Sam Melton sentenced for sex crimes