SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " 213 " 2,847 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Michigan vs. Rutgers Over/Under: Predictions for the Wolverines
Michigan has plenty of questions to answer heading into its matchup against Rutgers. Here are some Over/Under predictions involving the Wolverines' quarterbacks, rushing attack, defense and more.
Huntsville Hospital seeks community input on healthcare needs across North Alabama
Huntsville Hospital Health System is asking residents across North Alabama to weigh in on healthcare needs in their communities through a survey open through Nov. 13.
Richmond mental health professional accused of $49 million in Medicaid fraud
A Richmond mental health professional is accused of defrauding Virginia Medicaid for $49 million by falsely claiming her facility provided services to people in crisis.
Australia's Star Entertainment accepts $183.6 million anti-money laundering penalty
Oct 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Star Entertainment said on Thursday it would accept a court-imposed penalty of A$260 million ($183.6 million) for breaching anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism
AI search queries hurt Alphabet's core business, says Deepwater's Gene Munster
Gene Munster, Deepwater Asset Management, joins 'Fast Money' with reaction to the recent slate of Big Tech earnings.
Warsh Says Politics Played No Role in Fed's Rate Decision by Group He Is 'Honored' to Lead
By Howard Schneider and Ann Saphir WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh on Wednesday said he is "honored" to lead the central bank's policymakers and said politics played no role in their decision to skip a rate hike, rebutting at least indirectly President Donald ...
Kansas State Football: Depth Chart Review
The Kansas State defense kept the team in the game but faded in the 4th quarter.
Bolsonaro arrives in Miami with his family after fleeing Brazil
Flávio Bolsonaro landed in the U.S. on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil, threatening to add new strains to relations between Brasilia and Washington and raising questions about his family’s future as
Health insurance costs rise for 2027
This increase comes as Texas leads the country in uninsured rates.
ENTERTAINMENT: Big Boo!seum Bash offers trick-or-treating at 9 locations
Nine Little Rock museums and cultural centers offer free trick-or-treating, games and activities to the annual Big Boo!seum Bash, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Wednesday, October 28th: BestReviews: Boo Box, Humane Society of Eastern Carolina, Entertainment Report, Be Our Guest: Jay's 108 Goldsboro
Eastern Lifestyle
Cheraw recycling business shut down after stolen railroad materials, wiring found
Authorities ordered Cheraw Iron and Metal, Inc. to temporarily close on Tuesday after law enforcement executed a search warrant at 179 Legion Lane in Cheraw, recovering thousands of pounds of stolen r...
Middlesex Health faces class-action lawsuit over time-keeping policies, unpaid wages
A former Middlesex Hospital employee has filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the health system failed to pay workers properly.
Dive into American political stories with the fall slate of NPR Network podcasts from the American Storytelling Collection
Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, the fall slate looks past the noise to the people, conflicts, and pivotal moments that have shaped US politics.
Angels Have A Leadership Void To Go With Talent Gaps
The Los Angeles Angels looked lost last year when it comes to effective leadership, and that needs to change.
Come enjoy some picking with the Nature Coast Ukulele Friends
Nature Coast Ukulele Friends invite the public to enjoy some time with good, fun music during the next few months. The group will also help celebrate the holiday season by
Val Chmerkovskiy, Carrie Ann Inaba share long embrace on “DWTS” set after temporary feud and 1-week suspension
EW captured the moment on camera after Chmerkovskiy was barred from competing for one week after his joke about defending wife Jenna Johnson from Inaba’s judging.
Chicago Cubs Listed As Best Fit For 3 Free Agents
With several stars poised to depart Chicago, Craig Counsell could reunite with a former ace and land a veteran battery mate to solidify the North Siders' roster.
MI Prop 26-2 aims to restrict political spending, researcher weighs in
A Michigan researcher explains Michigan’s Prop. 2, saying the proposal would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to add new rules on political contributions and ad disclosures.
Blue wave or blue blip? How national politics forecasters see Arizona
With the election just a week away, politicos are in the midterm home stretch. Most prognosticating and predicting what will happen on Nov. 3 is just about wrapped up, but the northeastern Arizona District 2 is getting some eleventh-hour buzz.
Blue wave or blue blip? How national politics forecasters see Arizona
With the election just a week away, politicos are in the midterm home stretch. Most prognosticating and predicting what will happen on Nov. 3 is just about wrapped up, but the northeastern Arizona District 2 is getting some eleventh-hour buzz.
Celtics' Paul George Quietly Delivers Something Boston Badly Needs
Jayson Tatum stole the spotlight, but Paul George provided a different kind of performance that could become increasingly valuable for the Celtics.
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is finished commenting on Jaylen Brown situation
The trade of Jaylen Brown has already left fans speculating about a deep emotional rift between Jayson Tatum and Brown. Meanwhile, Brown’s recent pointed remark suggested that things might not be entirely smooth between the former teammates. As a result, Tatum once again faced questions about his relationship with Brown, but the Boston Celtics star […] The post Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is finished commenting on Jaylen Brown situation appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Veterans Concert Weekend to feature U.S. Army Chorus
Help honor the nation’s heroes and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Army Chorus at Lake Junaluska’s Veterans Concert Weekend Nov. 6–8.
Stacy’s Streamers: Five Players to Start in Week 8
Stacy Perez highlights at least one player at each position who is capable of helping your team through all the injuries and bye weeks in Week 8.
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorses Democratic candidate in Alaska governor’s race
Murkowski, who has clashed with Trump at times, said the GOP candidates running for governor are too partisan.
Ohio Sec. LaRose refers progressive group to federal law enforcement
The state is asking federal law enforcement to investigate another progressive voter engagement group, accusing them of missing key deadlines and doing "sloppy" work.
My divorce made headlines. Now I help survivors of toxic relationships tell their stories.
Elizabeth Chambers on rebuilding after her high-profile divorce from Armie Hammer, raising her kids and what survivors have taught her through her ID series "Toxic."
Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes documentary 'You Can See Everything' ended, but the story didn't. Here's what's happened since.
Warning: Don’t read this article if you haven’t seen Fielder's critically acclaimed film, as it contains plenty of spoilers.
Dodgers notes – Bananas coming to town, roster talk
The Savannah Bananas have taken the baseball world by storm with their wacky version of the game. On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that the Bananas will have a two-game series next spring when the Dodgers are away in Washington to play the Nationals. Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium will host the Bananas and […]
Farmington handles business, beats Pulaski Academy
FARMINGTON -- The Farmington Lady Cardinals have talked about getting back to the state volleyball championship game all season after falling to Marion in Hot Springs a year ago.
Hot Springs Renaissance Faire returns with Halloween thrills, medieval entertainment
The Hot Springs Renaissance Faire will coincide with Halloween this weekend at the Garland County Fairgrounds, 4831 Malvern Ave., featuring Halloween-themed entertainment, shopping, food and live performances.
Farmington handles business, beats PA
FARMINGTON -- The Farmington Lady Cardinals have talked about getting back to the state volleyball championship game all season after falling to Marion in Hot Springs a year ago.
Seminoles Roundup: Kickoff Time Announced for FSU at BC
The Seminoles head to Chestnut Hill seeking a fourth straight road win against the Eagles, while volleyball dominates Notre Dame and women's golf secures a top-five finish.
Dak Prescott throws for three scores in win over Eagles
Dak Prescott attempted a season-low 27 passes in Week 7 but three of his 15 completions went for touchdowns in a win over the Eagles.
Political science professor shares insight on tight election races
Some people think the GOP is concerned with tight Kansas races after the second visit in October from the federal administration.
Political science professor shares insight on tight election races
Some people think the GOP is concerned with tight Kansas races after the second visit in October from the federal administration.
Business Scholar Luncheon Series Presents ‘Ways to Finance Your Business’ Nov. 4 At SALA
Visit the post for more.
Three Areas of Need for the Rangers This Offseason
The Texas Rangers will be tasked with figuring out how to upgrade their roster so they can return to the postseason for the first time since their 2023 World Series title.
Former CEO of mental health clinic for children arrested on child porn charges
The former CEO of an Ohio residential treatment facility for children and adolescents was arrested by federal agents on child pornography and coercion charges.
HHS finalizes health IT rule cutting certification criteria
The HTI-5 final rule reduces requirements for developers participating in the ONC Health IT Certification Program.
Kirk Cousins to remain starting quarterback
Raiders QB Kirk Cousins will not be benched even though the team is on losing streak
Election 2026 Daily: Govs. Hodges, Beasley endorse Annie Andrews. Kamala Harris for Jermaine Johnson
Former South Carolina governors Jim Hodges, a Democrat, and Republican David Beasley have endorsed Annie Andrews as millions in new outside spending flows to her and Darline Graham.
Breaking down the 2026 Section 2 Class B football playoffs
Glens Falls (North), Averill Park (South) earn division No. 1 seeds
📈 Monday data: The bottleneck isn’t intelligence
In the AI Investment Brief today: CapEx updates and lease commitment breakdowns Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark recently said in a speech at the IMF that the singularity has begun: For many years, researchers and science fiction authors have forecast a future in which AI systems drastically increase the pace of overall scientific and technical progress, making things move so quickly that it is hard for humans to keep up. They call this the singularity. I believe that this year we have gained convincing evidence that it has now begun. This follows Anthropic’s claim that in August, 26% of its AI R&D was led by Claude, with a human supervising its work. In October, OpenAI posted 719 math manuscripts1 made by its internal model. Math and coding are two fields where a research loop can close without leaving the desk. But can the loop close in the rest of science? Subscribe The loop is real The idea is not new. Mathematician Irving John Good, who had worked with Alan Turing at Bletchley Park, argued that a machine smarter than us “could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be an ‘intelligence explosion,’ and the intelligence of man would be left far behind.” The Gödel machine, a self-improving computer that can rewrite its own code better than its prior, was first proposed in 2003. In 2025, researchers at Sakana AI and the University of British Columbia set out to show that this was possible. Their agents iteratively improved their own code through a feedback loop, resulting in gains of 30 pp on SWE-bench and more than 15 pp on Polyglot, testing coding skills beyond Python. The idea has since been tested in other labs. A Gemini-powered agent called AlphaEvolve found a faster matrix multiplication kernel used for training Gemini, speeding up the kernel by 23% and cutting Gemini’s training time by 1%. In China, MiniMax reported that its M2.7 model worked on improving its own agent’s harness, skills, sampling and memory. Over 100 rounds of rewriting led to a 30% gain, per its internal evaluations. In each case, what was being rewritten was not the model itself but everything around it. Is it better than human work? In September this year, in what seemed like a milestone, an AI-built agent proved as good at improving other AI agents as a human-built one. It did that in what appeared to be half the steps. But the result was inconclusive: the differences between runs were greater than the difference between the AI- and human-built agent results. Nonetheless, this is increasing the chatter around recursive self-improvement (RSI) in AI. Google’s Sundar Pichai said that “you have RSI loops along with AI researchers in various aspects of model development.” Sakana AI published a paper on RSI through multi-agent collaboration, finding that after two cycles its system scored 1.2–1.6x better per output token than the base model across four research benchmarks. Ramez Naam challenges that view. He splits AI self-improvement into five overlapping types. The first four describe how autonomous the AI is; so far, only types 1 and 2 have been observed. The fifth type describes accelerating returns, and he notes that greater autonomy doesn’t guarantee a takeoff scenario. Instead, each round of self-improvement would need to deliver at least as much as the last. The results from Sakana, AlphaEvolve and MiniMax above might look like type 3 or type 4 autonomy. But in each case, the AI wasn’t updating its own weights directly, only the ancillary parts — the harness, the memory. And where Claude leads its own R&D, for now a human still supervises.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman could be headed for a split. Why that matters more than you think
Fox Sports To Honor U.S. Military and Veterans During Special Broadcas
FOX Sports will honor the nation’s servicemembers and veterans during a special Veterans Day initiative Nov. 7–8, bringing two of its signature sports broadcasts to the U.S. Naval Academy
Can a Bernie Sanders-backed progressive flip the Central Valley’s House seat?
Randy Villegas is a populist endorsed by national progressive figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Does his message meet Central Valley voters?
5 new businesses opening in the Upstate soon. See what's coming and when
See what businesses are new in the Upstate or gearing up to open soon.
Wieden+Kennedy launches entertainment division to make movies and shows—with and without brands
W+K Entertainment will develop original projects, starting with a Bad Bunny film, and help clients break into Hollywood.
'Wheel of Fortune' Jim Thornton: FBI Never Contacted Witness in Pedo Chatroom Scandal
The woman who says she saw disgraced 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer Jim Thornton in a pedophile chatroom on a plane has NEVER been contacted by the federal agency that would investigate such matters -- the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- TMZ has learned.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for Oct. 26, 2026, puzzle No. 763
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
How Do the Blazers Stop Luka Doncic?
Fresh off a 2-0 start, Portland faces a 52-point fireball in Los Angeles. To survive, the Blazers must stifle the high pick-and-roll while shielding their smaller guards.
FL GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez: I don’t want my children or grandchildren to face a nuclear Iran
Panera closes in Dillon, Underground Snowboards gets new owners and more business news
Panera Bread has closed its Dillon location less than four years after opening, adding to a growing list of national restaurant chains that have shuttered businesses in the area. The establishment at 257 Dillon Ridge...
Health network adding helicopter in rapid Pennsylvania expansion
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — Not long after they acquired five Pennsylvania hospitals, a health system will soon launch an air medical helicopter in the Keystone State. WVU Health System recently...
Molina Healthcare awards $15,000 grant to expand tribal cultural wellness initiative
Nico Collins disappoints in Week 7 vs. Giants
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins posted two receptions for six yards on five targets in Week 7
Trump escalates rhetoric against El-Sayed as he tries to undermine Democrat in Michigan Senate race
The Republican president has been attacking El-Sayed's faith throughout the campaign and claiming his past statements and background show a sympathy for extremists.
Scientists trapped antimatter particle for months -- but studying it without blowing up lab was a challenge
Sky Sports share rumours of unhappy Leeds United star live on air vs Sunderland
Daniel Farke looking unimpressed as Leeds United take on Sunderland at Stadium of Light on 25 October
Nico Williams publicly disavows his agent over Barcelona transfer claims
Barcelona’s long and drawn-out pursuit of Nico Williams has become one of the more familiar sagas of recent transfer windows.The Athletic Club winger ultimately opted to stay at San Mames, snubbing ...
NFL Week 7 Sunday afternoon open thread
Join us at Buffalo Rumblings as we chat all things NFL Week 7 LIVE with like-minded folks in Bills Mafia
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Bengals Week 6 game discussion
Join the discussion about the Ravens’ Week 7 matchup with the Bengals!
Modders Unlock GeForce RTX 20, 30 And 40 GPUs For Up To 2X Compute Gains
The compute barrierbbetween NVIDIA RTX Pro GPUs and NVIDIA GeForce GPUs has finally been breached.
Nevada's Republican governor fights to survive Trump undertow
Joe Lombardo is no MAGA warrior, but his Democratic opponent ties him to the president at every opportunity. Lombardo hopes Nevada voters judge him on his performance, not Trump's.
Gov. Meyer announces the inclusion of the Verizon BEAD Project
Governor Matt Meyer announced the addition of the Verizon Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) project to the JobsFirst Accelerator program.
Snap a daily joy photo, snack on pumpkin seeds and try this logic puzzle — plus 5 more health tips to help you have a great week
Health hacks for the week ahead — including how walking can help get you out of a rut.
Where to watch Kansas vs. Duke basketball: Channel, live stream, time, TV schedule for men's exhibition game
It's a preseason matchup of blue bloods as Duke visits Kansas on Sunday. Here's when and where to tune in.
READERS' CHOICE | Impact Realty Group makes its mark with Best Small Business win
A locally owned and operated real estate brokerage has been named Best Small Business in the 2026 Texarkana Gazette Readers' Choice Awards.
Cowboys fans render a decision on Brian Schottenheimer’s fate
Cowboys fans are pretty upset right now.
At an Ohio deli, GOP voters shrug at controversy over Ramaswamy ad
Attendees said the ad doesn't concern them.
Rep. Lisa McClain: Rural Michiganians deserve first-class healthcare
No law can make Michigan smaller. But we can make healthcare more accessible in rural communities and use modern technologies to make those miles matter less.
Jeremy Sochan selected No. 1 in G League Draft
Jeremy Sochan selected No. 1 in G League Draft
Reddit discussions could help improve public health messaging on heat
Two years ago, Robbie M. Parks, an environmental health scientist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and Nathaniel Matthews-Trigg, director of climate and disaster resilience at Americares, founded an online community on Reddit, r/heat_prep, where members share information and advice about coping with extreme temperatures.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly. There are many reasons. People have stopped splitting their tickets when voting and now usually support one party in
Jennings: Ramaswamy’s campaign tactics ‘worst politics you could imagine’
Republican commentator Scott Jennings took a swipe at Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (R) for using a controversial campaign ad featuring his opponent’s estranged mother. The ad, which…
Jackson outdoes Haaland despite latest PL away goal 🔥
Manchester City have lost in each of the last three seasons at Villa Park and they are staring down the barrel of another defeat courtesey of Nicolas Jackson. The Senegalese striker has been in elec...
Ole Miss vs. Texas: How to watch tonight's NCAA college football game, where to stream and more
How to watch the Ole Miss vs. Texas game this Saturday.
LGBTQ+ college students facing discrimination report higher mental health risks
LGBTQ+ college students who experience discrimination are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and avoid needed health care, according to a new national study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.
Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello: Will the Fairytale Continue?
All Eyes are on the Super Lightweight division this weekend as Britain's Dalton Smith defends his WBC title against the Dominican Republic's Alberto Puello
Harrison’s Brady Lawhon scores his second touchdown against Northwest
Harrison’s Brady Lawhon scores his second rushing touchdown of the night against Northwest on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.
Family of Victorville man shares deputy bodycam footage of shooting death as man is in mental health
Stevie Wonder sues to evict reported ex-fiancée from L.A. property
Stevie Wonder is taking legal action against a reported ex-fiancée, seeking to evict the woman after she has allegedly lived more than 30 years rent-free at the singer's Hollywood property.
Meghan Markle responds to child pornography allegations against father
After reports surfaced that Thomas Markle Jr. discovered explicit material involving minors in their father’s home, the Duchess of Sussex explains her choice to distance self from her father.
US Olympic star Hellebuyck traded from NHL Jets to Devils
Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's top goaltender, was traded Friday from the Winnipeg Jets to the New Jersey Devils after being suspended since the season began.The Jets had suspended Hellebuyck on September 16 after he failed to report for training camp after requesting a trade before the season began.
In one of the West's few swing races, a Democrat tries to keep a Trump district
Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is home to a tight race that will help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Bucky Irving off the Bucs' Week 7 injury report
The Bucs will have Bucky Irving in the backfield in Week 7.
Carney Rejects US Election Interference Claims, Criticizes Trump's Ambassador to Canada
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday there is “no merit” to U.S. allegations that Canadian politicians are interfering in next month’s U.S. midterm elections, expressing disappointment with Washington’s ambassador over the accusations. Speaking to reporters in Istanbul,
Before We Abolish Business Schools, Let's Look Beyond The West
Can the case for abolishing business schools travel? India’s experience suggests the answer depends on context, writes Vikas Kumar.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
Who should win the Ballon d’Or Feminin? The Athletic asked people in elite football to vote
Our reporters asked players and managers, past and present, coaches, sporting directors, scouts and leading executives to pick their top-10s