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High diesel prices may dampen summer lobster fishing season

The spike could mean higher prices for lobster in Maine this summer.

Jun 1 • 2:37 PM EDT • Business • spectrumlocalnews.com

Digital Science Launches AI-Assisted Profile Curation in Symplectic Elements

Digital Science has announced a new suite of AI-powered capabilities for Symplectic Elements that streamline how research information is captured and maintained across higher education institutions.

Jun 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • newswise.com

Here Are Monday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Accenture, Caesars Entertainment, Carnival, Dell Technologies, IBM, Kohls, Microsoft, Zscaler and More

Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading higher to start a new trading week and a new month after what was an incredible May, and anybody who followed “Sell in May and Go Away” is having total seller’s remorse. All the major indices, except the Russell 2000, finished the day higher, helping them reach all-time highs, ... Here Are Monday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Accenture, Caesars Entertainment, Carnival, Dell Technologies, IBM, Kohls, Microsoft, Zscaler and More

Jun 1 • 8:01 AM EDT • Entertainment • 247wallst.com

Digital Science launches AI-Assisted Profile Curation in Symplectic Elements

Digital Science has announced a new suite of AI-powered capabilities for Symplectic Elements that streamline how research information is captured and maintained across higher education institutions.

Jun 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org

Digital Science Launches AI-Assisted Profile Curation in Symplectic Elements

New capability converts CVs and unstructured documents into structured faculty profiles - accelerating researcher onboarding at scaleLondon, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2026) - Digital Science, a leading technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, today announced a new suite of AI-powered capabilities for Symplectic Elements that streamline how research information is captured and maintained across higher education institutions.The new AI-Assisted Profile

Jun 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • finance.yahoo.com

UK house prices fall for first time this year as Middle East crisis hits confidence

British house prices fell 0.6% in May, leaving them 1.7% higher than a year earlier, Nationwide reports

Jun 1 • 2:20 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com

Wisconsin ranks #12 for youth mental health. Here’s what parents need to know.

Wisconsin has a lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care than most of the country.

May 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • wbay.com

SAPT after TAVR linked to key benefits over DAPT, new data confirm

All-cause survival after six months was significantly higher for patients discharged on DAPT than SAPT. That trend remained in place after 24 months.

May 29 • 3:04 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Google Drive rolling out powerful document scanner redesign for higher-end Android devices

Google Drive is now rolling out a redesigned document scanner on Android with powerful, on-device features.

May 29 • 2:09 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

European Academics Shun U.S. Business Conference

Going forward, the Academy of Management will move its annual meeting as attendees stay at home this year owing to visa worries and opposition to the president’s research policies.

May 28 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • insidehighered.com

Dell stock explodes higher after blockbuster AI-fueled earnings

Dell is among a handful of 2000s-era computer companies that have gotten a major boost from AI. The company crushed analysts' earnings estimates.

May 28 • 6:23 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

The doctor will see you now — in a dazzling new office in South Florida

Medical space for higher-end healthcare services is driving a mini-boom in the South Florida real estate market.

May 28 • 4:54 PM EDT • Health • miamiherald.com

US states with the most and least college-educated adults, ranked

Educational attainment varies widely across the US. See the states with the highest and lowest shares of adults with bachelor's degrees or higher.

May 28 • 9:07 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for 3% funding target

Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”

May 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for better conditions

Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”

May 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

Valve raises Steam Deck OLED prices by over 40%

1TB model now costs $949, up from $649, due to higher component costs and logistical challenges

May 28 • 3:41 AM EDT • Technology • gamesindustry.biz

Mid-career physicians report higher burnout rates

Physician burnout is improving, but exclusive AMA data shows years in practice shape how doctors experience stress and recovery.

May 28 • 3:00 AM EDT • Health • ama-assn.org

China Is Exporting Its Factories Across the World and Spooking the Competition

Faced with higher Western tariffs and weak demand at home, many Chinese factories are moving abroad.

May 27 • 11:00 PM EDT • Business • wsj.com

Fed's Goolsbee says oil shock could exacerbate inflationary impulse of AI hype

Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee on Thursday amped up his warning that mounting expectations for the productivity-boosting potential of AI ​could send inflation higher and force the Fed and other ‌central banks to raise interest rates.

May 27 • 10:27 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com

31 hours with the spit-shined Mina the Hollower (and 34 with the four games that came before it)

To truly appreciate Mina The Hollower, an extraordinary new throwback of a game, I sent myself to Yacht Club University. That’s not a real institution of higher learning, but it’s the best way I can explain much of the past several weeks as I prepared to play Mina by playing the four biggest game previously made by studio Yacht Club Games. I had expected Mina the Hollower, in development for six years for PC and consoles, to potentially be something special. A demo I tried in March had felt great. Mina the Hollower had an old-school premise: a singular move for its hero that felt so good to control and so rich with possibilities that, in the hands of skilled designers, it could be riffed on in various ways for the length of a full game. Mina’s core maneuver, her hollowing, made her sort of an upside down Super Mario. Nintendo’s hero jumps through the air, discovering power-ups at the apex of his jump by bonking overhead blocks, then defeating enemies by landing on them. Mina essentially jumps into the ground, digging (“hollowing”) into the earth to fetch buried treasure, then burrows for a short distance to emerge on the other side of a wall that hides treasure or an enemy that needs some battering. I wanted to understand how good Yacht Club was at making games. I wanted to see how far they’d come. If Mina was terrific—as I predicted it might be—I wanted to feel how they got there, one button press at a time. On May 6, 21 days before the writing of this review, I checked with Yacht Club Games co-founder and programmer David D’Angelo, to ask which of the studio’s games I should play to truly appreciate the new one’s design. “Hmmm all of them?” he wrote back. “Starting with Shovel Knight definitely is helpful,” he continued, referring to Yacht Club’s first game. He gave me a link to a spreadsheet of over 400 cheat codes that could help me out, if I found the game too tough.1 “Most folks say Specter of Torment is the least difficult and quickest to finish in terms of playtime, and [it] refines much of Shovel Knight,” he told me. “King of Cards is a big celebration of everything we did in [the Shovel Knight compilation] Treasure Trove— might work for you better if you’re a fan of shorter, Mario-style courses. And it’s probably the closest to Mina in terms of polish.” So that was that. Four games, none of which were required. Mina is a whole new game in a whole new world, best I can tell. I’d barely played that first Shovel Knight before and never the other three. I just thought it’d help. It did. It turns out that playing a game studios major works before their latest is very illuminating.

May 27 • 7:55 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

Fox News Poll: Faith in higher education in the US is collapsing

Fox News poll reveals dramatic shift in attitudes toward higher education, with 65% of voters now saying college is less important to success than before.

May 27 • 3:31 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

Ebola, chemical plants and health, hantavirus, common colds, heat and more

As they say, bugs have ears. Public health has had a relentless May. Chemical plant (near) explosions, Ebola, hantavirus, and that's before you even get to the usual suspects: common colds, heat, and ticks. Here’s an attempt to keep you up to speed and, more importantly, what it means for you and your community. But first, an announcement: World Cup The World Cup starts in 15 days (not like anyone is counting down), and we are hanging TVs in the Health Security Operations Center. It’s going to be a gorgeous, chaotic celebration of basically every culture on earth. And it’s going to take a team effort—from communities to individuals, from public health to health care—to keep people healthy. That’s where you come in. If you’re going to the games or live within 30 miles of a stadium, we would love to hear from you. Sign up for a weekly survey here. Thanks to the more than 1,280 people who have already signed up…you will be hearing from us soon!! Global disease “weather report” Hantavirus: Two more cases The global count of cruise ship passengers with hantavirus has now increased to 13 cases (11 confirmed), with three deaths. The two new cases are overseas and among people who were already quarantining: A crew member in the Netherlands. A Spanish national passenger who was quarantining at home tested positive through daily monitoring. They are now in a biocontainment unit. In the U.S., everyone remains negative. There may be more cases, given that the incubation period of hantavirus (the time from exposure to infection) is 45 days. But this week, we will reach a major milestone: the median incubation window is 18 days, and that will pass on May 29. What this means for you: Your risk from this cruise ship outbreak remains essentially nil at this point. Ebola rages on in Central Africa Big thanks to Dr. Craig Spencer, a humanitarian physician who has treated and survived Ebola, for jumping in to provide the YLE community with an update. Craig, take it from here… The combined confirmed and suspected Ebola cases in DRC are now more than 1,000. All signs are pointing to a very long and catastrophic outbreak in Central Africa: This is a vast undercount. We know this because the test positivity rate is hovering around 50%, only 20% of contacts are being traced (and in some areas, no contacts at all), and more cases keep popping up with no known connection. This all points to widespread and undetected community transmission. This is in only a week of detection. Compared to previous outbreaks, the growth is very fast, as the huge West Africa outbreak in 2016 was first detected at 49 cases and rose to 208 cases a month later. It took four months for that outbreak to reach the size of the current one in the DR Congo. The cases are spread out across 16 health zones. There are now multiple epicenters, making containment very difficult. Next door in Uganda, the case count is seven. While this number is low compared to DRC, a concerning development is that two health care workers recently tested positive with uncertain exposure histories. If they weren’t treating known Ebola cases, this means it’s spreading undetected in Uganda as well. On the ground, backlash, including the burning of health centers, has emerged, a pattern seen in nearly every outbreak and rooted in deep community distrust. It often stems from outside actors working in communities without fully understanding or addressing local priorities. Affected populations may recognize the severity of Ebola while still holding other concerns as more pressing, such as where their loved ones are buried. Community trust is essential to an effective response, but difficult to build during an active emergency. It is best established long before a crisis begins. U.S. priorities are made clear, and may backfire. The U.S. Administration has shown that its first priority is keeping Ebola out, with helping end the outbreak in the DRC a secondary concern. That's meant travel restrictions broader than anything we've imposed before — covering travelers from across the region, and reportedly some green card holders and permanent residents as well. For example, just these past two days, news broke that high-risk American travelers will be subject to a mandatory quarantine in Kenya before they are allowed to return. If an American is infected, the U.S. government plans to send them to a hospital it is standing up from scratch in Kenya. (Currently, Americans who were in the area are allowed to return but are diverted to three airports—Houston, Atlanta, and DC—for further screening.) Past administrations have used travel notices and stepped-up screening; this goes much further. At first blush, these strict precautions may sound prudent. But this approach could backfire in three ways: Restrictions this blunt give people every reason to hide where they’ve been and whom they’ve been near — making the people we most need to find harder to track, not easier. They also breed a false sense that this is someone else’s problem. But diseases are humbling. They find the small cracks in even the most impenetrable-seeming defenses. Lives lost. There is no treatment for this Ebola strain, which means survival depends heavily on the quality of the health system. We have that system in the States, but we are choosing not to use it for infected Americans. This is unbelievable and infuriating. (See a deeper dive from me here.) The only real way to lower the risk to Americans — and everyone else — is to end the outbreak in the DRC and across the region. What this means for you: If you have travel plans to this region, it’s time to cancel them. This is a high-risk situation in Central Africa, and CDC released a Level 4 Travel Advisory. There is also great uncertainty if and when the Administration will let you back in. To the general public in the U.S., your risk remains very, very low right now. U.S. disease “weather report” Ticks: past peak season? Good news, especially for people in the Northeast and Midwest: tick numbers continue to decline. Though we are at the peak of the season, this unusually early year is trending favorably. Heat-related illnesses in the North Heat risk is certainly not blanketing the entire country yet, but this week it will be moderate in the Midwest and the Southeast. What this means for you: Be sure to check the CDC HeatRisk tool. A red day isn’t the best day for that soccer game for a kid with asthma, and a stretch of orange days is a great time to check on your elderly neighbor. Common colds surging As far as respiratory viruses go, the only thing really going around right now is the common cold. It is higher this year than last year, but should peak very soon before returning this fall. Spotlight: Chemical plants Over the weekend, YLE California covered the serious situation that unfolded around a chemical plant in Orange County, California. Thankfully, the worst-case scenario (a chemical explosion) was mitigated, but only through luck. The health implications in a densely populated area could have been catastrophic. As the situation was winding down, another chemical explosion struck Washington State. This one was fatal. Health officials say the risk to surrounding residents from chemicals in the air and ground remains low, though the community deserves far greater clarity. Clean air and clean water consistently rank as Americans’ top public health concerns — yet when chemical disasters strike, communities are too often met with reassurances rather than transparency and accountability. Residents near the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, for example, are still waiting to understand the long-term impact on their health, with few clear answers. What this means for you: Many are wondering if facilities processing potentially dangerous materials are in their neighborhoods. This interactive map allows you to enter your ZIP code and see all facilities monitored by the EPA, including any violations. Good news Ebola vaccines and treatment for the Bundibugyo species are in development. Two vaccine platforms are being explored, at least one of which may be deployable in as little as 2 months. One vaccine is being developed by Oxford, and the other uses the same biotechnology as the FDA-approved Zaire species of Ebola. (It may provide cross-protection, but it’s unclear at this point.) On the treatment side, two promising monoclonal antibody cocktails are likely to be deployed, though doses are limited and logistical hurdles remain significant challenges. Anni over at The Biotech Tea had a great explainer about the Ebola vaccine gap, if you want to read more. [ The Biotech Tea The Ebola vaccine gap, reading vessel damage, & the Makary exit 🗝️ Paid subscribers get the Biotech Term of the Week at $30/year (~$2.50/month). I try to keep it intentionally accessible, but if cost is ever a barrier, send me a message. A few people asked about expensing your subscription, so I put together a short email template… Read more 6 days ago · 10 likes · Annicka Evans, PhD ](https://www.thebiotechtea.com/p/the-ebola-vaccine-gap-reading-vessel?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following more than a decade of debate and input from roughly 22,000 clinicians, researchers, and patients worldwide. This is good because the old name was medically misleading, leading to patients without visible cysts being dismissed or overlooked entirely. The WHO estimates that 70% of people with the condition remain undiagnosed. A more accurate name should improve recognition, reduce stigma, and ultimately help the millions of people living with this condition get diagnosed and treated sooner. Poll Loading... Bottom line Public health situations are everywhere right now. Staying healthy takes public health professionals and systems working tirelessly behind the scenes and each of us showing up for our neighbors and communities. Love, YLE Big thanks to Ed Nirenberg for staying on top of the Ebola vaccines, Hannah Totte for all the figures, Dr. Craig Spencer for the Ebola insight, and Dr. Matt Willis for covering the chemical situation in CA. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “Translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe

May 27 • 7:43 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

SCSU Softball Places Five on Collegiate Sports Communicators Academic All-District Teams

Southern Connecticut State University softball standouts Sophia Angiolini, Izzy Ingersoll, Olivia Young, Nadia Cestari and Brianna Pearson were named to the Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) for the 2026 season. To qualify for the award, athletes must be at least a sophomore athletically and academically with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. On the field, athletes must compete in 90% of games or start 66% of them.

May 26 • 10:20 AM EDT • Sports • scsuowls.com

Rahm Emanuel, a Possible 2028 Contender, Calls for Higher Education Reforms

Republicans have made gains with voters on education issues. A plan championed by Mr. Emanuel, a Democratic former mayor of Chicago, centers on college affordability.

May 26 • 9:36 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Girls with ADHD from deprived backgrounds may face a higher risk of long-term health conditions

Girls from a deprived background who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more likely to experience multiple long-term health conditions, or multimorbidity, in adulthood, ...

May 26 • 9:20 AM EDT • Health • medicalxpress.com

Beyond DHA content: The emerging science of brain lipid transport

The future of brain omega-3 may be about smarter transport, not just higher doses

May 26 • 6:42 AM EDT • Science • nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com

Teladoc Health Faces Flat Sales And Weaker Revenue Per User Trends

Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) is reporting flat sales over consecutive years, despite continued investment in its virtual care platform. Average revenue per user has been declining, pointing to weaker consumer monetization and softer engagement levels. Management has focused on broadening services, but this has not translated into stronger top line growth or higher earnings quality. The outlook for the next twelve months remains subdued, highlighting ongoing challenges for the...

May 26 • 12:29 AM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com

With midterms looming, HHS and states at odds over cause of lagging Obamacare signups

Trump administration officials point to their work on fraud as the reason for dropoffs while states and insurers blame higher premiums.

May 25 • 4:00 PM EDT • Health • politico.com

Common heart drug taken by millions found useless

A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after uncomplicated heart attacks—offered no real benefit for patients whose heart function remained normal, despite being given to millions worldwide. Even more surprising, women taking the drugs faced a higher risk of death, repeat heart attack, or hospitalization for heart failure compared to women who didn’t receive them.

May 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Computer Science Colloquium Series Presents Cybersecurity Research at the Nelson Mandela University: The Centre for Research in Information and Cyber Security (CRICS)

Abstract:This presentation provides an overview of the Centre for Research in Information and Cybersecurity (CRICS) at Nelson Mandela University and its role within the South African higher education context and cybersecurity landscape.

May 25 • 1:27 AM EDT • Science • engineering.ucdavis.edu

How The Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) Investment Story Is Shifting With New Targets And Projects

Analysts have lifted their fair value estimate for Sphere Entertainment from $136.36 to $161.00, pointing to a higher price target in updated models. That shift lines up with a wave of research that includes higher targets, rating upgrades and new coverage as more institutions focus on the company’s project pipeline and potential role in industry deal discussions. As you read on, you will see how to track these changing views and what to watch as the Sphere Entertainment story evolves. Stay...

May 25 • 12:29 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com

Uber weighs higher bid for Delivery Hero, FT reports

Uber’s board met ​on Saturday to ‌discuss raising its offer ​for German ​food delivery group ⁠Delivery Hero ​after a ​major shareholder rebuffed an Uber bid that ​would ​value Delivery Hero over ‌11.5 ⁠billion euros ($13.39 billion), the Financial Times ​reported ​on ⁠Sunday.

May 24 • 3:43 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com

US Treasury rout tests Washington's tolerance for higher borrowing costs

President Donald Trump's room to wage war while maneuvering on economic policy is being tested by a force largely beyond his control: the bond market.

May 24 • 9:07 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com

Your Brain Restricts Full Access to Reality. But Scientists Found a Way to Turn Off the Filter.

Could they be the key to unlocking higher consciousness?

May 24 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com

Your Brain Restricts Full Access to Reality. But Scientists Found a Way to Turn Off the Filter.

Could psychedelics be the key to unlocking higher consciousness?

May 24 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • popularmechanics.com

Retirement can bring mental health challenges; local experts highlight support resources

Retirement isn't always as relaxing as it seems. Experts say it can come with a higher risk of depression due to loss of routine and social connections. We look at programs that are helping seniors stay active and engaged.

May 22 • 7:49 PM EDT • Health • abc30.com

'Getting harder to do': Southern Wisconsin boat rental business struggles with rising fuel costs

MADISON (WKOW) — Higher fuel prices are making it harder for one local boat rental business to keep water recreation affordable this Memorial Day weekend.

May 22 • 4:47 PM EDT • Business • wkow.com

How TAVR valve implant depth impacts clinical outcomes

TAVR procedures with a higher implant depth are associated with certain clinical benefits after one year, according to a new study of data from more than 600 patients.

May 22 • 4:04 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Citi to boost Asia wealth business with 'significant' hires, global head says

Citigroup plans to allocate a significant portion ​of its global wealth management hiring to Asia, where its private bank is growing faster and ‌generating higher productivity than in other regions, the bank's global wealth head Andy Sieg said.

May 22 • 5:07 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com

German Business Confidence Edges Higher Though War Concerns Still Weigh

Sentiment rebounded marginally this month, though remained near multiyear lows, as companies adapted to the energy shock prompted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

May 22 • 4:32 AM EDT • Business • wsj.com

UK borrowing hits higher than expected £24.3bn in April; retail sales drop as drivers cut back on fuel

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news

May 22 • 2:49 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com

Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition announced, includes new story mode

Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is on the way, Inti Creates has announced. The package will be out later in 2026. Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced previously came to Nintendo Switch. For this version, however, there’ll be support for higher frame rate and enhanced resolution as well as a new story mode called “Azure Striker...

May 21 • 10:00 PM EDT • Technology • nintendoeverything.com

Report: NIH, NASA Restrict Co-Authoring With Foreign Scientists

The National Institutes of Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are targeting collaborations between U.S. scientists and foreign researchers, Science reports.

May 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • insidehighered.com

Finding the sleep 'sweet spot' could help you live longer, study suggests

A new study in Nature reveals that people who sleep too little or too long show signs of accelerated biological aging and higher disease risk.

May 21 • 3:39 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com

Mortgage rates climb to highest level in 9 months

Turmoil in the bond market, fueled by the war with Iran, is sending US mortgage rates higher and threatening to make buying a home even more expensive.

May 21 • 12:00 PM EDT • Business • cnn.com

Higher vitamin D intake in pregnancy linked to some cognitive benefits in children

Researchers are studying whether taking extra vitamin D during pregnancy could affect their babies’ brain development.

May 21 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • cnn.com

Walmart Sales Rise as Its E-Commerce Business Grows

The retailer said shoppers pushed its grocery, general merchandise and online sales higher in the most recent quarter.

May 21 • 7:02 AM EDT • Business • wsj.com

Deere Sales Rise as Construction Equipment Business Offsets Agriculture Slump

Deere posted higher fiscal second-quarter sales as growth in the company’s construction equipment business helped to offset weakness in its production agriculture segment.

May 21 • 6:33 AM EDT • Business • wsj.com

Axel Springer Revenue Rises 2.6% Following Business Split

The media company said it had a strong start to the year after posting higher revenue—in its first results since splitting into two businesses in April of last year.

May 21 • 5:57 AM EDT • Business • wsj.com

French Business Activity Slumps at Fastest Pace Since 2020

French business activity shrank at the quickest pace in five and a half years as higher energy prices hit consumers and firms.

May 21 • 3:15 AM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com

Where do citizen science data come from?

Citizen science projects are playing an increasingly important role in ecological and conservation research worldwide. In these programs, members of the public support researchers by submitting photographs, audio recordings, observations, or even by contributing to data analysis. In Hungary, no fewer than 17 such initiatives combined their datasets in a joint study. The authors aimed to understand which socio-economic and environmental factors influence participation patterns in Hungary. By comparing the spatial distribution of citizen science data with an independent administrative dataset (municipality level data on income, education, demography, density and protected areas), the researchers identified several general trends as well as numerous project-specific relationships. For example, they found more per capita observations from municipalities with higher proportions of protected natural areas and lower population densities. Furthermore, excluding Budapest, the capital, both the proportion of people with diplomas and the proportion of elderly people showed a positive correlation with participation activity. In contrast, no consistent general pattern emerged regarding wealth or the proportion of children, although several project-specific relationships were observed. The study not only reveals how citizen science data are distributed across Hungary, but also provides robust support for the view that various biases must be taken into account when analyzing such data. The authors hope that their findings will help researchers in other countries design more effective projects and produce more accurate analyses by accounting for some of these or similar biases.

May 20 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org

Target’s comeback strategy is working

American shoppers are brushing off higher gas prices and finally spending money at Target again.

May 20 • 6:35 AM EDT • Business • cnn.com

Google unveils new $100 per month AI Ultra plan; cuts price of top-tier plan

Google unveils $100/mo AI Ultra plan at I/O for developers: higher Gemini limits, Antigravity access, 20TB storage, YouTube Premium.

May 19 • 2:31 PM EDT • Technology • seekingalpha.com

People who lost the most weight on Ozempic saw huge health benefits

People who lost significant weight while taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda had sharply lower risks of major obesity-related health problems, including sleep apnea and kidney disease. Those who gained weight instead faced higher risks — especially for heart failure — even though many patients discontinued the medications within a year.

May 19 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • sciencedaily.com

Sony WH-1000X The ColleXion leak ahead of launch

They will be positioned as a higher-end offering than the current WH-1000XM6. Sony is launching its WH-1000X headphones tomorrow, but a detailed leak has...

May 18 • 2:01 PM EDT • Technology • gsmarena.com

Pomegranate vs. Grapefruit: Which Is Better for Antioxidants and Overall Health?

When it comes to antioxidant capacity, studies show that grapefruit has higher free radical-neutralizing power. However, pomegranate also provides powerful antioxidants.

May 18 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • health.com

The Middle East Oil Crisis Has Already Cost Global Businesses $25 Billion

Global companies are raising prices, cutting production and preserving cash as the Iran war drives oil and gas costs sharply higher.

May 18 • 1:50 AM EDT • Business • oilprice.com

Optical condensation using a fiber-based photothermal module

The system achieves about tenfold higher collection efficiency than conventional approaches, enabling the assembly of approximately 10,000 microparticles or bacteria in just 60 seconds.

May 18 • 1:29 AM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org

Oil Prices Edge Higher as Cease-Fire Remains Tenuous

Oil prices rose after President Trump issued a new warning to Iran, calling into question the tenuous cease-fire in the war.

May 18 • 1:21 AM EDT • Business • nytimes.com

Nature is good for business – and we now have numbers to show it

A New Zealand-focused analysis finds businesses in areas with healthier ecosystems tend to generate higher sales and profits, revealing an overlooked green benefit.

May 17 • 7:56 PM EDT • Business • theconversation.com

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: The Waiting Game

From the moment of my fist keystroke here, there are 10 days, 10 hours and 34 minutes until the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline for college underclassman, those wishing to continue their undergraduate eduction at an institution of higher learning. Flory Bidunga, you are on the clock. And now the Louisville Cardinal fanbase, after enduring a […]

May 17 • 2:13 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Scientists uncover surprising health benefits of watermelon

Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health.

May 17 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Scientists uncover surprising health benefits of watermelon

Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health.

May 17 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • sciencedaily.com

Opinion: When voting rights are weakened, health suffers

Communities facing voting barriers are often living with higher rates of chronic disease, shorter life expectancy, and reduced access to care.

May 17 • 5:02 AM EDT • Health • citizen-times.com

Keyshawn Davis wins in Norfolk, then sets his sights higher

Keyshawn Davis is 15-0, he dominated Nahir Albright, and before he left the ring he called out Oscar Duarte and Devin Haney. The redemption arc is moving forward. Whether the weight issues are behind him is another question.

May 17 • 2:07 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Consumers sue Amazon for not refunding Trump tariff costs

Amazon.com Inc was sued on Friday by consumers seeking refunds for costs passed on to them in the form of higher prices as a result ​of tariffs the U.S. Supreme Court later concluded had been unlawfully imposed by President ‌Donald Trump.

May 15 • 8:20 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com

Gemini Intelligence requirements mean most Android phones are going to miss out

Gemini Intelligence's requirements are higher than you might realize.

May 15 • 5:34 PM EDT • Technology • androidauthority.com

Should Your Subscription Business Use Auto-Renew?

Subscription businesses obsess over pricing and churn, but the most consequential strategic choice may be far simpler: whether subscriptions auto-renew or auto-cancel. Drawing on a 1.4 million–person field experiment with a major European newspaper, the authors show that while auto-renewal boosts short-term retention, it suppresses trial sign-ups so sharply that auto-cancel ultimately produces more paying subscribers and higher-quality customers over time. The right approach depends on two factors—whether customers are naturally loyal or variety-seeking, and whether a company is an incumbent defending share or a challenger trying to acquire it—making renewal defaults a competitive strategy decision, not merely an operational setting.

May 15 • 8:15 AM EDT • Business • hbr.org

Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.

Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe

May 15 • 3:04 AM EDT • Politics • adamtooze.substack.com

Bermuda Triangle Mystery 'Solved'? Scientists Reveal Structure Found Beneath Island

Bermuda still sits atop a broad swell, standing roughly 1,600 feet higher than the surrounding ocean floor, reports Carnegie Science.

May 15 • 2:41 AM EDT • Science • ndtv.com

Jim Jordan on higher gas prices: ‘that’s life’

May 14 • 9:52 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

How 4 Colleges Are Helping Close Health-Care Gaps

They’re establishing training programs, student-run clinics and community-based care models to meet their neighbors’ needs and educate students.

May 14 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • insidehighered.com

Taming UK yields depends on economics not politics

Long-term government borrowing ⁠costs above ​5% are higher ​than other developed economies and more sensitive ​to shocks. ​It’s tempting to blame ‌political ⁠upheaval, but structural factors matter more. The solution ​is ​to ⁠shrink macroeconomic imbalances and ​revive capital ​markets.

May 14 • 6:00 PM EDT • Politics • reuters.com

As travel costs surge, companies are being forced to rethink business trips

Rising fuel and airfare costs are beginning to reshape how companies approach business travel, Fortune writes. Fuel transaction costs jumped 14% in a single month, while airfare, hotels and rental cars also moved higher, squeezing corporate travel budgets, according to new data from SAP Concur, which tracks expense activity for millions of business travelers worldwide. […]

May 14 • 3:52 PM EDT • Business • businessreport.com

Nvidia Stock Extends Winning Streak On China News

Nvidia stock gapped higher on Thursday on a report that Chinese firms are lining up to buy its AI chips if they can secure China's approval.

May 14 • 12:36 PM EDT • Business • investors.com

What Americans quietly stopped buying in April

Shoppers pulled back on spending in April as higher gas prices fueled by the Iran war meant less money left over for some nonessentials like clothing and furniture. Retail sales rose 0.5% in April, a slowdown from the revised growth level of 1.6% in March, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. March marked the […]

May 14 • 10:41 AM EDT • Business • businessreport.com

Howard Community College Featured in 'State of Business' Address

In his Business Outlook Luncheon remarks at Turf Valley Resort last week, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball outlined how Howard County “stands on business” through five pillars: managing crises, investing in people, backing businesses, making strategic investments, and preparing for the future. Howard Community College appears by name in the pillar that anchors the others: investing in people. Dr. Ball highlighted the $11 million county investment in HCC’s Cathy and Danny Bell Workforce and Trades Center, which will open this fall. He described the facility as a world-class center with state-of-the-art training in key industries, championed by HCC President Dr. Daria J. Willis, and positioned to help Howard County compete with institutions worldwide. He also recognized HCC’s Complete4Success program, supported by a $3.5 million county investment in 2022, as a continuing driver of certifications and degrees that prepare students to enter Howard County’s workforce ready to contribute on day one. Dr. Ball connected HCC’s work to the broader economic moment in the county, including more than 1,580 apprentices now training across Howard County businesses, up from roughly 1,100 in 2018, and the SPARK program that bridges classroom learning to high-demand industries. Each of these efforts depends on the kind of workforce pipeline HCC is built to deliver. Educational Services is one of the top three employment sectors for county residents, alongside Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services and Health Care & Social Assistance. HCC will award 1,263 degrees next week at its annual commencement ceremony, and every year, that output feeds directly into the industries the County Executive named as drivers of Howard County’s growth. The full picture also includes the families who are not yet there. The 2024 ALICE update from United Way of Central Maryland found that 35,346 households in Howard County, 29% of the total, fell below the ALICE Threshold in 2022, meaning they earned more than the Federal Poverty Level but less than the basic cost of living in the county. The Household Survival Budget for a Howard County family of two adults, an infant, and a preschooler reached $118,608 annually, requiring an hourly wage of $59.30 to cover housing, child care, food, transportation, and other essentials. Affluence and economic strain coexist within the same county lines. That gap is the reason higher education and economic development are inseparable. Every certification, associate degree, and apprenticeship credential issued at HCC represents a household closer to crossing the ALICE Threshold and into long-term financial stability. The Bell Center, Complete4Success, Howard P.R.I.D.E., Parent Scholars, and the institution’s transfer-rate gains are significant components of Howard County’s economic mobility infrastructure. HCC is grateful to Dr. Ball for his sustained partnership over nearly eight years of service and for recognizing that this college plays a central role in the economic story Howard County is telling. Standing on business in Howard County means standing alongside the flagship institution that prepares its workforce.

May 14 • 10:04 AM EDT • Business • howardcommunitycollege.substack.com

CVS Health® and WGU launch online pre-pharmacy degree program for future pharmacists nationwide

New program helps reduce financial barriers to higher education while building a stronger, more robust pharmacy workforce

May 14 • 3:00 AM EDT • Health • cvshealth.com

European markets to open higher as politics dominates the news agenda

European stocks are expected to open higher Thursday as investors keep an eye on developments in the U.K. and U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to China.

May 14 • 1:27 AM EDT • Politics • cnbc.com

The political polarization of health outcomes in the USA

Nature Human Behaviour - Using individual-level medical data and death records, this study finds that conservatives in the USA experienced worse health and higher mortality than liberals during the...

May 13 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • nature.com

Suffering from success: higher Snapdragon prices may convert many Android fans to Apple

Inflation is off the charts.

May 13 • 3:36 PM EDT • Technology • phonearena.com

Ford Stock Soars On Energy Business Optimism

Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) shares are skyrocketing Wednesday. Morgan Stanley released new research arguing that the company's energy storage ambitions are far more valuable than the market currently recognizes, putting the stock on pace for its best session since March 2020. Here’s what you should know. Ford Motor stock is among today’s top performers. What’s behind F gains? What’s Pushing Ford Higher? Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco reiterated an Equal‑weight rating and kept a $14 price targe

May 13 • 1:40 PM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

Jim Cramer on Affirm: “This Is Now a Very Profitable Business”

Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) was among Jim Cramer’s stock calls on Mad Money as he discussed how semiconductor and AI infrastructure stocks are driving the market higher. Cramer noted a “great opportunity” in the stock, as he said: Alright, what do we make of these numbers from Affirm Holdings, the king of buy now, pay […]

May 13 • 10:28 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

WGU Launches Nation’s First At-Scale, Online Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering

Competency-based degree program has potential to transform AI engineering workforce gapSALT LAKE CITY, May 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WGU, the largest conferrer of technology degrees in the U.S., announced today the launch the nation’s first accredited, competency-based Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering (BSAIE), also among the first bachelor’s degree programs nationally in AI Engineering as a standalone undergraduate discipline. “This represents an important milestone in higher education.

May 13 • 10:07 AM EDT • Science • finance.yahoo.com

Is napping a sign of a deeper health problem?

New study finds link between certain sleep patterns and higher mortality in older adults.

May 13 • 9:57 AM EDT • Health • news.harvard.edu

Higher gas prices sent wholesale inflation soaring last month, signaling more pain ahead for consumers

The war with Iran is squeezing US businesses at a rate not seen in nearly four years, likely dealing an even bigger blow to consumers next.

May 13 • 8:36 AM EDT • Business • cnn.com

Assessing Galaxy Entertainment Group (SEHK:27) Valuation After Recent Share Price Rebound And Mixed Signals

Galaxy Entertainment Group stock in focus after recent price move Galaxy Entertainment Group (SEHK:27) has edged higher in the latest session, with the stock up 2.9% over the past day and modestly positive over the past week, even though recent month performance has been weaker. See our latest analysis for Galaxy Entertainment Group. At the current share price of HK$33.28, Galaxy Entertainment Group’s recent 1-day share price return of 2.9% and weaker 90-day share price return, down 22.6%,...

May 13 • 6:29 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com