FIRST ON FOX: An office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) terminated a federal grant funding California’s sex education program aimed at preventing teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases after the West Coast state reportedly refused to remove «radical gender ideology» from its curriculum, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Thursday. 

«California’s refusal to comply with federal law and remove egregious gender ideology from federally funded sex-ed materials is unacceptable,» acting assistant secretary at the Administration for Children and Families Andrew Gradison said in comment provided to Fox News Digital Thursday. «The Trump Administration will not allow taxpayer dollars to be used to indoctrinate children. Accountability is coming for every state that uses federal funds to teach children delusional gender ideology.»

The Administration for Children and Families — which is an office under HHS’ umbrella that funds state, local and tribal organizations to provide support for families such as child care — announced Thursday morning that it was terminating the funding to California’s Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) grant. 

The PREP program aims to educate California’s youth, ages 10–19, on preventing teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections, which the state says has led to students in the program «delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth, or reducing number of sexual partners.» 

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«Program services are engaging, nonjudgmental, medically accurate and tailored to the unique needs of youth participants and their communities,» PREP’s website states. «Services are offered in a range of settings, including schools, juvenile justice facilities, homeless shelters and foster care group homes. CA PREP activities also include community engagement and promotion of clinical linkages to youth-friendly reproductive health services.»

PREP specifically aims to assist those who «reside, attend school or receive reproductive health services in a high-need geographic area; are homeless and/or runaway; attend an alternative or continuation school; are in or emancipated from foster care; are in the juvenile justice or probation system; identify as LGBTQ; are receiving treatment for mental health or substance abuse issues; have special needs; live in migrant farmworker families or are expectant/parenting female youth up to age 21.»

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The PREP grant has been under scrutiny by the Trump administration since at least March, when the ACF requested program leaders send copies of its curriculum and other relevant course materials to them for review. The probe was initially launched to ensure the state’s sexual education programming is medically accurate and age-appropriate.   

Previous grant funding shows California’s PREP program received just under $6 million from the federal government in fiscal year 2022. All in, California could lose $12.3 million in funding that it has not yet received, covering multiple years, according to HHS. 

The Administration for Children and Families reviewed the program’s curriculum and other teaching materials, and found a lengthy list of subjects and language deemed to fall outside the program’s «authorizing statute,» in particular references to «gender ideology.» In June, Fox News Digital reported Administration for Children and Families gave the sex education program a 60-day deadline to remove all references to gender identity or face potential termination of its funding.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is an office within HHS  that funds state, local, and tribal organizations to provide support for families such as child care. (Rod Lamkey, Jr./The Associated Press)

The 60-day deadline just ran dry, with the Administration for Children and Families subsequently terminating the funding and sending a letter to Sydney Armendariz, the division chief of Maternal Child, and Adolescent Health Division at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and Matthew Green, the deputy director of the Center for Family Health at CDPH, declaring it was «terminating all California State Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) awards and suspending the funding effective August 21, 2025.»

The letter sent Thursday reported that following Administration for Children and Families’s June request to remove what it said was radical gender ideology from PREP teachings, California refused in a letter of its own. 

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«CDPH will not make any such modifications at this time for several reasons,» the California Department of Public Health said in a letter to ACF earlier this week, according to HHS. «The listed reasons were: 1) PREP materials had already been reviewed and approved by ACF; 2) the materials are medically accurate; 3) the gender ideology content is relevant to purposes identified in the authorizing statute, specifically the adult preparation subjects listed at 42 U.S.C. § 713(b)(2)(C); and 4) ACF does not have authority to take an enforcement action.»

Among the materials Administration for Children and Families found amid its review of the curriculum was a lesson for middle school-aged students that sought to introduce them to the concepts of transgenderism, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

«We’ve been talking during class about messages people get on how they should act as boys and girls—but as many of you know, there are also people who don’t identify as boys or girls, but rather as transgender or gender queer,» the lesson states to students. «This means that even if they were called a boy or a girl at birth and may have body parts that are typically associated with being a boy or a girl, on the inside, they feel differently.»

One lesson in California’s PREP program aimed at middle school-aged students sought to introduce them to the concepts of transgenderism, HHS said (ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images)

Other flagged lessons in the materials included curriculum for high school-aged students included instructions on what it means to be «nonbinary» and language that informed students «gender-identity» is «essentially a social status.» 

«In a disturbing and egregious abuse of federal funds, California has been using taxpayer money to teach curricula that could encourage kids to contemplate mutilating their genitals, ‘altering their body … through hormone therapy,’ ‘adding or removing breast tissue,’ and ‘changing their name.’ It instructed teachers to ‘remind students that some men are born with female anatomy,’» HHS said in a Thursday press release of the teachings.

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The Administration for Children and Families also had raised concerns over materials for teachers within the program, including lessons on avoiding misgendering individuals. 

«All people have a gender identity,» the teacher training materials stated, Fox Digital previously reported. It also instructed educators to refer to people who identify with their sex «assigned at birth» as «cisgender,» and added that those who are not «cisgender» may identify as «non-binary, agender, bigender, genderfluid, [or] genderqueer.»

Gradison’s letter to the California health leaders Thursday underscored that ACF’s decision to terminate the grant is final unless California health leaders file an appeal.

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«This is the final decision of the Administration for Children and Families. It shall be the final decision of the Department unless, within 30 days after receiving this decision, you submit a notice of appeal to the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB),» the letter reads. 

Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

As the debate heats up over the delivery of aid into Gaza, Israeli officials have once again questioned the United Nations over its data, specifically, aid getting stolen or intercepted, and the number of trucks entering the enclave from Israel.

As of August 12, the U.N. Office for Project Services showed that 3,140 trucks have been intercepted en route to their destinations since May 19. Only 412 trucks, 11.6% of the total sent into the region, reached their targeted location. The U.N. said the aid was taken «either peacefully by hungry people or forcefully armed actors.»

On Tuesday, a review conducted by the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) claimed to have found that the U.N. figures have failed to account for the entry of around 6,000 additional trucks since May.  COGAT said that Israel has allowed about 9,200 trucks to deliver aid to Gaza in the last three months, a figure 2.5 times higher than the around 3,500 trucks counted by the U.N.  

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«The fact that the U.N. presents only part of the aid actually transferred misleads the international community and creates a false picture of the situation, directly influencing global media coverage and shaping the positions of international decision-makers regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza,» a COGAT statement read.

Meanwhile, the often-maligned U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) out-of-the-box aid delivery mechanisms continue to show success, according to the group. Theft and looting have not been an issue for the GHF – which continues to provide between one and two million meals per day through distribution sites secured by armed guards. GHF has provided over 130 million meals since the start of its operations on May 27.

«The presence of armed security is one of the reasons why GHF has been able to deliver aid successfully without a single truck being looted,» noting that «in one of the most volatile and complex operating environments in the world, that security is the only reason food consistently reaches civilians without interference from Hamas.»

Though a group of about 230 NGOs initially rejected the organization on account of what they called «militarized distribution sites,» Fay said things might be changing as over 200 international organizations, «sent a letter calling on the U.N. to collaborate with us.»

«This is not the militarization of aid … It is the only way to make sure food actually reaches civilians. Every decision we make is guided by protecting lives.» 

He said «more aid is the solution to many of the problems in Gaza today» and that GHF is «willing to work with any organization that wants to help feed the people of Gaza.» 

Several weeks ago, Fay toured the vast lots in Kerem Shalom crossing, where pallets of U.N. aid await pickup by drivers. «I saw about a dozen [trucks] sitting roasting, fully laden with dozens of pallets of food in each truck. I saw flour rotting on the side of the road. There were medical supplies that had already expired.» 

Hamas terrorists carrying clubs and firearms secure humanitarian aid trucks in the northern Gaza area of Jabaliya on June. 25 (TPS-IL)

Speaking with the drivers who deliver aid to Gaza, he was told they had been in the loading area for five days, living out of their trucks. The drivers said that on the fourth day, they attempted to enter Gaza from Kerem Shalom but were shot at by unknown gunmen in Gaza. He reported that the drivers are now in «fear for their lives,» and asked if GHF would provide security for their trucks.

A U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) spokesperson told Fox News Digital that «the use of armed escorts can undermine perceptions of humanitarians’ neutrality and independence, in turn jeopardizing community acceptance and staff security, and hindering access to civilians in need.» The spokesperson called for armed escorts to «only be used in exceptional circumstances as a last resort.» 

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«Everyone working in Gaza is operating under extremely dangerous circumstances … what is clear is that conditions are not in place for humanitarians or those who support them to deliver aid at scale safely, rapidly and efficiently. We have consistently called for civilians to always be protected and for us to be enabled to reach people in need. 

«In order to reach people in Gaza facing starvation, we need a predictable lifeline of aid via all available crossings and through all available corridors. We also need removal of the impediments we continue to face: delays at checkpoints; impassable, dangerous or congested routes; and restrictions on what can enter and on who is allowed to bring supplies.»

Jordanian and UAE planes drop humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip on July. 27 (TPS-IL)

The spokesperson did not respond to questions about the fate of aid that has not reached its destination, or about whether drivers’ fear of kidnap, death, and looting is hindering aid dispersion. The spokesperson did claim that «the U.N. and our partners have strict monitoring in place with oversight on deliveries when enabled to do so,» and said that «we do not have evidence of systematic aid diversion from the U.N. to Hamas.» 

Despite statements to the contrary, there continues to be growing evidence that Hamas is diverting and benefitting from humanitarian aid. 

A State Department public assessment provided to Fox News Digital stated that the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of the Inspector General «has received and is actively investigating credible allegations of systematic interference by Hamas in Gaza. These allegations can come from aid workers, whistleblowers, and other parties, rather than sanitized disclosures sent by U.N. agencies which refuse to name Hamas as the party responsible for the interference. Whistleblowers, including U.N. staff, may fear political retaliation or violent retribution for sharing information and outing Hamas.»

Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) posted this photo that shows humanitarian aid pallets waiting to be distributed in Gaza. (COGAT)

An Israeli military official told Fox News Digital that of the aid that is diverted from U.N. trucks, he estimates about 40% percent is taken by local communities, and about 60% taken by armed looters. He said that it is difficult to assess how much aid is being diverted by Hamas. «Hamas is not a force wearing a uniform and identifying themselves,» he said. 

An Israeli military official told Fox News Digital that, of the aid diverted from U.N. trucks, about 40% is taken by local communities and 60% by armed looters. He said it’s difficult to assess how much aid is stolen by Hamas, as «Hamas is not a force wearing a uniform and identifying themselves.»

The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) shared a video X of Hamas looting aid packages on July 29, explaining that «even when aid is delivered into Gaza – Hamas loots it for its own use, blatantly disregarding the needs of the population.»

On Aug. 12, COGAT showed another video on X of armed members of Hamas attempting to avoid targeting by affixing a World Central Kitchen emblem to their vehicle and donning yellow vests. The NGO confirmed that the vehicle was not affiliated with the organization.

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People carry boxes of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private US-backed aid group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory, as displaced Palestinians return from an aid distribution centre in the central Gaza Strip on June. 8 The UN and major aid organisations have refused to cooperate with the GHF, citing concerns that it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.  (EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)

Orde Kittrie, a law professor at Arizona State University and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Hamas’ obstruction of aid violates international law. 

«Intentionally obstruct[ing] the passage of humanitarian relief, including food, to civilians in need» is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. He said Hamas is violating «the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 11 of which recognizes ‘the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger,’ because it is «starving its own people.»

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«What Hamas is doing represents an unusual, if not altogether new, type of violation of the prohibition on ‘starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.’ This prohibition is typically violated by a military intentionally starving enemy civilians in order to pressure the enemy to surrender or to abandon positions or to divert limited resources to the enemy’s own civilians. In contrast, Hamas appears to be intentionally starving their own civilians in order to leverage their suffering as a strategic information weapon against Israel,» he added.

La NASA logró un avance relevante en la ingeniería de materiales con el desarrollo de la aleación metálica GRX-810, capaz de soportar altas temperaturas y apta para impresión 3D. Este avance, realizado en el Glenn Research Center de la agencia en Cleveland, Ohio, transforma la producción de componentes tanto para la industria aeroespacial como para la aviación comercial.

El GRX-810 superó una limitación histórica de la impresión 3D en metales: la ausencia de aleaciones asequibles que resistan las condiciones extremas de motores espaciales y aeronáuticos. Antes, solo los metales más costosos permitían la fabricación aditiva de piezas expuestas a altas temperaturas, restringiendo su uso a aplicaciones de alto presupuesto. La nueva formulación, que combina níquel, cobalto y cromo, resolvió ese obstáculo.

El proceso de fabricación de GRX-810 incorpora una innovación clave: cada partícula metálica en polvo cuenta con un recubrimiento cerámico de óxido. Esta técnica, conocida como aleación reforzada por dispersión de óxidos (ODS), mejora la resistencia térmica y el rendimiento del material.

Antes, producir polvos ODS resultaba costoso y complejo, pero la NASA desarrolló un método avanzado basado en mezcla acústica resonante. Mediante vibraciones rápidas aplicadas a un recipiente con polvo metálico y nanopartículas de óxido, cada partícula recibe un recubrimiento uniforme.

Así, el material conserva sus propiedades incluso tras ser reciclado y reutilizado para impresión 3D. Este procedimiento permite reutilizar el material sin perder las cualidades que lo distinguen.

Las ventajas sobre las aleaciones convencionales son notables: GRX-810 resiste hasta un año de uso continuo a 1.093°C bajo cargas que fracturarían cualquier otro metal asequible en solo horas. Además, la impresión 3D con esta aleación permite la creación de formas mucho más complejas, lo que amplía el horizonte de diseño y eficiencia en fabricación de componentes.

La producción industrial de GRX-810 está a cargo de Elementum 3D, una empresa con sede en Erie, Colorado, que posee una licencia coexclusiva para la aleación y el proceso patentados por NASA. Elementum 3D suministra el material en volúmenes que van desde pequeños lotes hasta más de una tonelada, y mantiene una colaboración activa con la agencia bajo un acuerdo Space Act para perfeccionar el producto.

Jeremy Iten, director técnico de la compañía, explicó: “Un material sometido a estrés o a una carga pesada a alta temperatura puede empezar a deformarse y estirarse casi como si fuera caramelo”. Iten agregó: “Las pruebas iniciales realizadas en la producción a gran escala de nuestra aleación GRX-810 mostraron una vida útil que duplica la del material producido en pequeños lotes, y esos ya eran excelentes”.

El potencial de GRX-810 abarca más industrias. Empresas del sector, incluyendo la aviación, exploran aplicaciones adicionales para esta aleación. Un caso concreto es el de Vectoflow, cliente de Elementum 3D, que está probando sensores de flujo fabricados con GRX-810.

Estos dispositivos, esenciales para medir la velocidad de los gases en turbinas y optimizar el rendimiento de los motores, suelen fallar en minutos debido a altas temperaturas. El uso de GRX-810 podría mejorar la eficiencia del combustible en aviones, reducir las emisiones y disminuir la frecuencia de reemplazo de componentes.

La colaboración entre NASA y empresas privadas como Elementum 3D se integra en una estrategia de transferencia tecnológica que genera beneficios tanto para la agencia como para la economía espacial estadounidense. A través de acuerdos específicos, NASA impulsa materiales avanzados que potencian sus misiones y a la vez impactan sectores industriales clave.

Gracias a iniciativas como GRX-810, la NASA consolida su liderazgo tecnológico al aportar soluciones que pueden transformar la exploración y generar cambios en la industria y la vida cotidiana.