SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " inf " 8,543 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
This Overlooked Infrastructure Problem Can Break a Growing Business. Here's How to Prevent It.
Here's what happens when growth outpaces the systems built to support it.
Memories for profit: Is influencer marketing becoming too much?
Wimbledon removes accreditation for influencers to attend the U.S. Open.
Enterprise AI Wants Your Most Sensitive Data. VAST Says It Can Keep It Safe
Enterprises have plenty of data they would like to use with AI. The problem is that some of their most valuable data is also the hardest to use. Think of all the customer records, financial information, internal research and other sensitive data that can’t always be sent to an outside AI service. There is another […]
Paid influencers quietly push political messaging on social media
Paid content creators are quietly pushing political messaging on social media platforms like TikTok to shape public opinion. Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell reacts to the trend and a new California law requiring political ad disclosure.
The story behind Princess Diana's infamous revenge dress. And why she almost didn't wear it.
One of the most recognizable dresses in modern history is going up for auction and could fetch an eye-watering price. Why Diana's revenge dress is so coveted goes far beyond a fashion story.
Square Announces Apple Business Integration
Square today announced a new Apple Business integration that makes it easier for businesses to ensure they have up-to-date information across Apple Maps, Apple Wallet, and Siri AI. Square today announced a new Apple Business integration that makes it easier for businesses to ensure they have up-to-date information across Apple Maps, Apple Wallet, and Siri AI.
How Open Science Can Help Researchers Prepare for the Next Pandemic
NVIDIA is collaborating with organizations including Google DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute to release an open dataset of viral protein structures — giving scientists a head start against diseases.
'Extreme concern': OpenAI agent hacked Australian public health website, prime minister says
An OpenAI agent "infiltrated" an Australian public health website earlier this summer, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters during a media briefing.
Googlebooks will get full GeForce Now support ‘later this year’
Nvidia says Google’s new Gemini-infused laptops are slated to get GeForce Now support before the year is up, which is...
Oprah Winfrey reveals the biggest ‘mistake’ of her career (exclusive)
Oprah Winfrey reflects on her career in Entertainment Weekly’s exclusive clip from her conversation with LinkedIn Editor in Chief Dan Roth.
Square Integrates Apple Business to Help Local Businesses Stand Out on Apple Maps
DISTRIBUTED-WORKFORCE/OAKLAND, Calif., September 24, 2026--Square today announced a new integration with Apple that enables Square sellers to connect their locations to Apple Business from their Square Dashboard, so they can seamlessly manage and synchronize key business location information that appears on Apple Maps. Rather than managing multiple channels separately, sellers can now maintain their Apple presence alongside the rest of their business in Square. The integration makes it easier fo
Baptist Health Foundation Receives $1 Million Gift from Julio and Alexandra Herrera
Baptist Health Foundation announced a $1 million gift from Julio C. and Alexandra Herrera to support care for women and infants at Baptist Hospital and South Miami Hospital. The gift will be divided evenly, with $500,000 supporting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at South Miami Hospital and $500,000 supporting the transformation of the Lake […]
Control Resonant Launch Patch Will Address Its Biggest Combat Complaints
The game's biggest pre-launch criticism will already by smoothed over when players jump in today. - Game Informer
Is metascience being co-opted?
In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.
Kennesaw State researcher developing safer, more efficient computing systems for intelligent vehicles
Modern vehicles are becoming computers on wheels, powered by increasingly complex software and artificial intelligence. As those systems take on more responsibility, they must process information quickly and reliably enough to keep critical functions running safely. Kennesaw State University computer science researcher Kun Suo is working to improve how those systems operate through a $356,782 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant focused on developing more efficient and secure computing infrastructure for intelligent vehicles.
KFF Women’s Health Survey Explores How Women Navigate Contraceptive Information
Many reproductive-age women seek health information through online sources, where they may encounter false or misleading information about contraception, according to the 2026 KFF Women’s Health Survey. And an Ohio health department’s new AI policy offers a rare example of a health-specific policy addressing accuracy and public trust.
Guéla Doué's Leverkusen Start Has Been Put On Hold
A record signing sidelined by a painful calf injury fights to justify his €30 million price tag while watching his new teammates chase Bundesliga glory from afar.
Australia Says Rogue OpenAI Agent Hacked Health Service Website
Australia said an OpenAI agent hacked a data portal for its public health insurance system, in what’s thought to be the first known instance of an AI agent infiltrating a government website. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said the agent had accessed public and non-public information relating to health care spending, but personal information is not believed to have been part of the breach. Albanese, speaking on Wednesday at a media briefing in New York where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, said that the incident took place in June. OpenAI learned of the hack in August, but only emailed a general inbox of an Australian government agency on September 10, and it wasn’t until this week that OpenAI and the Australian government spoke directly about the issue. “It took the company way too long to inform the government what had occurred,” Albanese said, “and the nature of the way that that notification occurred as well was unacceptable.”
An OpenAI Agent Hacked Australia's Health Service. Their Government Found Out Months Later.
The country's prime minister expressed disappointment at being informed of the hack only via email. Now Australia is investigating whether OpenAI broke the law.
Valley fever spreading to Central Valley cities, linked to oil drilling
Researchers at UC Berkeley have discovered valley fever spores in cities in the Central Valley and linked nearby oil drilling to an uptick in infection risk — challenging the long-held belief that the deadly disease only affects rural areas.
Calling all current and future scientists: Kiel is the place to be this week
This week, Kiel has become a meeting place for science in Europe. Researchers, school pupils, young scientists and members of the public are coming together through a series of major events led or co-organised by Kiel University.At the centre of it all are around 150 of Europe’s most talented young researchers, aged 14 to 20, who have travelled to Kiel from nearly 40 countries for the 37th European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). Running from 22 to 27 September, the European Union’s flagship competition for young scientists brings together winners of national science competitions to present around 100 original research projects across fields ranging from engineering and computer science to medicine, environmental research and the social sciences. The winners will be announced at the Award Ceremony on Saturday.For Kiel University, hosting EUCYS is both an honour and a natural extension of a much longer story. Germany’s northernmost comprehensive university has invested for many years in supporting young scientific talent and bringing research into dialogue with society. The Kiel Science Factory gives school pupils opportunities to experience research first-hand, while programmes such as Rent-a-Scientist send researchers directly into local classrooms. Major annual public events including Kiel Week and the European Researchers’ Night take science beyond the campus through talks, exhibitions and hands-on activities.That long-standing commitment has increasingly taken on a European dimension – and this week, many of those efforts are coming together.One of the foundations for this success is the European Researchers’ Night (ERN), which celebrates its tenth edition in the Kiel region this year. The initiative is funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, with Kiel University developing the successful EU proposals and securing the funding, while regional partner KielRegion coordinates the many activities on the ground. Together with research institutions, schools, companies, local authorities and civil society, they have built ERN into a major platform for public engagement.Over the years, Kiel’s ERN programme has grown far beyond a single evening into a whole “Science Summer”, beginning with “Science Shopping” in spring and culminating tomorrow, 25 September, in Science Day.“We have developed a wide range of public engagement formats, often together with the other research institutions in the region, the city and regional authorities, schools, companies and civil society,” says Eckhard Quandt, Kiel University’s vice president for research, academic infrastructure and transfer. “Over the past decade, we have increasingly taken this commitment to the European level.”That combination of European funding expertise and strong regional partnerships also helped Kiel University take the next step. Drawing on its experience with ERN and its European networks, including the SEA-EU University Alliance, the university brought together Brest in France and Split in Croatia for a successful bid to the EU’s new Science Comes to Town initiative. Throughout 2026, the three cities are serving as Europe’s first Science Ambassadors, with more than one thousand activities bringing science into schools, public spaces, cultural venues and everyday life.EUCYS is perhaps the clearest example of how Kiel University is using Science Comes to Town to create new connections between major European initiatives. From the outset, the university deliberately planned the contest for the week of European Researchers’ Night and opened the EUCYS exhibition to the wider Science Day audience. Tomorrow, that means thousands of visitors can encounter the next generation of scientific talent first-hand, while the young researchers themselves gain a much bigger public stage.“Because we opened EUCYS up for European Researchers’ Night, there will be a lot of people actually visiting the exhibition,” says organiser Stefanie Altemark of Kiel University.“We wanted Europe’s most talented young scientists not only to compete with one another, but also to become visible to the wider public. At the same time, people in Kiel will have the opportunity to see what the next generation of scientists are already capable of,” says Quandt.“We’ve shown over the last years that science is a big part of Kiel, and it’s always been the goal to not only show that to people in Germany, but also to show it to people all over Europe. Thanks to Kiel University’s expertise in European funding programmes, we have been able to turn that ambition into reality,” says Sünje Fock, who is coordinating the Science Summer at KielRegion.The model is characteristic of Kiel University’s approach: combining European funding expertise and international networks with strong regional partnerships to give major initiatives greater reach and visibility.This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, giving Kiel University the special opportunity to welcome Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, Head of Department for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions at the European Research Executive Agency, to Kiel tomorrow. Her visit brings together two priorities that have shaped Kiel University’s work over the past decade: supporting researchers and bringing science closer to society. Debiais-Sainton emphasises how closely the two are connected: "For thirty years, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) have given more than 150,000 researchers the chance to pursue their dreams and open up new fields. Doctoral Networks and Postdoctoral Fellowships give them the freedom to move, to connect, to train and to follow their curiosity across borders, sectors and disciplines. But excellence cannot live only in laboratories. Researchers’ Night takes science out of the lab and into the city, to the families, the schoolchildren and the curious minds who will become the next generation. Kiel shows what that looks like at its best. That is the MSCA promise: open science, open borders, open doors."For Kiel University, these activities are not separate endeavours. They are part of a broader understanding of academic excellence in which outstanding research, talent development, international cooperation, knowledge transfer and engagement with society strengthen one another.“For me, one of the most important lessons from the past decade is that scientific excellence, knowledge transfer, talent development and engagement with society cannot be treated as separate tasks,” stresses vice president Quandt. “They reinforce one another.”That philosophy is also reflected in Kiel University’s current bid for Germany’s Excellence University status. The designation is part of Germany’s national Excellence Strategy, which provides substantial long-term funding to selected universities to strengthen internationally competitive research and their overall institutional development. A successful outcome would provide new opportunities to build on what has already been created: deepening international cooperation, creating more opportunities for knowledge exchange and public engagement, and extending the university’s reach across the region and beyond. “If we are successful, it would allow us to take what we have built in Kiel considerably further – including expanding our networks and transfer activities beyond the region and increasingly across the Baltic area,” says Quandt.This week’s events offer a glimpse of what that could mean in practice: a university using its research strength, European expertise and regional partnerships to create opportunities for scientists at every stage of their careers while making science more visible, accessible and exciting to the wider public.
The tyranny of majority rule has infected small-town politics
Stuart, Florida, is a microcosm of modern-day political division. And these days, no one thinks twice about politicians trying to seek revenge.
In the Know: Save a Life Day provides overdose harm reduction resources nationwide
Sept. 24, 2026, is Save a Life Day, a nationwide day of action to help people struggling with drug addiction and raise overdose awareness. Volunteers nationwide host events to give out free naloxone. 'In the know' features one or two local news topics to keep you informed as you start your day.
Proposition 4: Allow public financing of political campaigns
In-depth explanations of California ballot Proposition 4, including pros and cons, endorsements and key arguments to help voters make informed decisions.
Social media influencers shape memorable health messages for young adults
Emily Pfender, assistant professor in the department of communications at the University of Delaware, is a researcher on a new study in Health Communication.
Australia Investigates OpenAI Hack on Public Health Care Site
Australia is exploring potential legal action after an artificial intelligence agent accessed nonpublic information on the country’s universal health care system.
Australia Says OpenAI ‘Infiltrated’ Public Health Care Portal
Australia is exploring potential legal action after an artificial intelligence agent accessed nonpublic information on the country’s universal health care system.
Dollar perched at two-month high as hot PMI fuels inflation fears, rate hike bets
The dollar clung to a two-month high on Thursday after a strong manufacturing reading reignited inflation fears and rate-hike bets, while a weak Treasury auction sent yields higher across the curve, providing fresh impetus to the US currency.
Washington couple sues Salem Health, alleges hospital sent them home with infant son’s body
A Washington couple is suing Salem Health, alleging the hospital system sent them home from the emergency room with their infant son’s body in their back seat.
Hands-on science can be cool
After spending many long days conducting experiments to find a new way to combat bacterial infections in crops, Misha Hegde and Mia Soleil Maurer have been rewarded with international recognition and access to top research facilities. But these are not typical scientists. They are 16-year-old German high school students.“Our supervisor told us that in order to start a project, you need to begin with either a question or a problem,” says Misha, adding that she and Mia had read about antibiotic resistance in certain plants being treated for bacterial infections. “We found out that antibiotics overuse is very common in agriculture,” explains Mia. “Our aim was to create an alternative to antibiotics and to try to raise awareness of the problem of overusing antibiotics.”Their subsequent research has focused on harnessing bacteriophages, the natural predators of bacteria, to eliminate pathogens threatening food crops treated with antibiotics. At the Schuldorf Bergstraße Jugend forscht MakerLab in Seeheim-Jugenheim, located in the German state of Hesse, they discovered a novel phage that infects the Rhizobium rhizogenes bacterium, which causes the hairy root disease that can reduce yields of tomatoes, carrots, soya beans and other food staples.The students believe their method could curb antibiotic use, while protecting plants from infections without disturbing the natural soil microbiome. “The application of phages is host-specific, so they would only kill the targeted pathogen or disease-causing bacteria,” explains Mia. It may also offer environmental benefits, since applying antibiotics can contaminate groundwater.Getting to this point has not been easy. The childhood friends admit to feeling frustrated when their trials did not yield the expected results. “We spent six months on our first experiment, just doing the same thing over and over and over again, to the point where we thought, is it even worth it? Why are we doing this?” Misha says. “You just need to be brave enough to take that first step and keep going.”The benefits of inquiry-based learningTheir determination has paid off. In 2025, the pair won first prize in biology at Jugend forscht, Germany’s national competition for young people interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They were also among the winners of the German Research Foundation Europa-Preis, which is awarded to selected national winners at Jugend forscht, and took third place in the 2025 European Union Contest for Young Scientists.The Jugend forscht Foundation opens doors for young people to connect with scientists as well as industry professionals. Jessica Bönsch, executive director of the Foundation, sees Misha and Mia as prime examples of how young people can develop a deeper understanding of science through their own research projects. “The experience of working on your own research question is very important,” she explains, adding that “inquiry-based learning engages with real-life problems in a way that can be more motivating than traditional classroom teaching.”The Jugend forscht Foundation offers financial support through sponsor pools in Germany’s federal states. Some projects are developed in cooperation with student research centres, university labs or informal collaborative learning areas called makerspaces. Other activities start as hands-on “garage projects” and can grow within the Jugend forscht network and infrastructure.The Jugend forscht Foundation is also a partner of Science Comes to Town, an EU initiative to strengthen public awareness about science and create bridges between researchers and communities. The EU-financed project involves universities, research institutions and other stakeholders in three host cities — Brest (France), Kiel (Germany) and Split (Croatia).“It's so important for people not to live in a bubble, because I think science can be very scary if you misunderstand it,” Mia says of SCTT. The initiative’s aim of raising awareness about science is “absolutely amazing,” Misha adds. “I think it's the best way to kind of make science digestible for the public. In a world where misinformation in science is getting more radical, more dangerous, becoming more of a threat to the trust in scientific infrastructure and foundations, we need such programmes.”Misha and Mia also believe that SCTT can help break down gender stereotypes in science by encouraging young women to study and pursue careers in scientific fields. Both students have benefited from female mentors and encouragement they had when they were much younger. Mia’s love of science began with a class trip to a lab, while Misha — with a smile on her face — says she wanted to study history until “a teacher kind of coerced me into joining a school science club.”Recognition beyond EuropeIn May, Misha and Mia were among the finalists at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix, Arizona, and involving nearly 1,700 pre-university students from over 60 countries. “It was very crazy because there were so many people and so many teenagers interested in science,” Mia recalls. The event was also challenging. “It was eight hours of continuously presenting your project,” adds Misha.Attending the fair was a chance for the young women to see first-hand the value of international collaboration as well as how research cultures differ. “America is a bit more willing to take risks, and I think that's something we can learn about here in Europe,” Misha explains. However, she continues, “I think Europe has the talent, has the innovation and has the resources” to be competitive.Misha and Mia plan to continue their phage experiments in the new school year, inspired by the project’s hands-on nature and the support they receive from their supervisors. They have also attracted the interest of professional scientists and received invitations to leading research facilities, including the Centre for Synthetic Microbiology, jointly run by the University of Marburg and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany. “It is so cool that we can do something to try to move the world in our school and at this age,” Mia says.After completing secondary school, Mia plans to study microbiology and pursue a career in medical research, focusing on Ebola and other infectious diseases. “This has been my dream for so long,” she says. Her friend Misha is interested in biological research with a focus on medicine. “I've gotten addicted to the process of going to the lab, planning out experiments, then failing, trying again,” Misha says. “I think there's just so much to be discovered, so much to be done.”The students' names and photos were published with the permission of their parents.Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Australian PM says OpenAI hacked government health website
An autonomous OpenAI program infiltrated an Australian government health website in June in an "unacceptable" breach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.- 'Obviously unacceptable' - The prime minist...
White House plan to increase control of NIH grants appears 'dead'
A planned EO that would have greatly enhanced White House influence over grants at the NIH is “looking dead,” a source said.
Alaska Beacon reporter recognized with national science journalism award
Alaska Beacon reporter Yereth Rosen’s award-winning science story weaves together regional indigenous knowledge, scientific study findings and political influences to answer a freighted question about the future viability of village life in Western Alaska after ex-typhoon Halong.
Oregon hospital made parents drive to Seattle with dead infant, suit says
A Washington couple is suing Salem Health for $10 million after they claimed they had to drive their son's body home after his death in the hospital.
UNC Charlotte launches NC Economic Impact Center
UNC Charlotte has launched a N.C. Economic Impact Center that university officials envision as a place businesses and others will come when they need reliable information fast. “We are going to be a center and a repository for local data, constantly updating data, so that business leaders and civic leaders can come to us for […]
St. Louis County Health officials not alarmed after three infected with measles
Three people from St. Louis, Franklin and Jackson counties became infected after being near the New York resident aboard the same train
Australian PM says ChatGPT-maker’s AI hacked public health care site
Anthony Albanese said there was no evidence that any personal health information was stolen and criticized the AI company for the incident.
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Declines More Than Market: Some Information for Investors
In the closing of the recent trading day, AMC Entertainment (AMC) stood at $2.87, denoting a -3.37% move from the preceding trading day.
Havana's 26th annual Pumpkinfest is set for October 10th with vendors, contests, and live entertainment
Havana's Pumpkinfest returns October 10th for its 26th year with vendors, live entertainment, and free family activities downtown.
Demuth-affiliated political action committee receives $10 million infusion
A super PAC backing Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth’s campaign for Minnesota governor received a $10 million cash infusion in recent weeks, cutting into Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s longtime financial advantage in the race. Restore Sanity — a political action committee that has provided the most significant outside money in support of a statewide Republican candidate […]
Demuth-affiliated political action committee receives $10 million infusion
A super PAC backing Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth’s campaign for Minnesota governor received a $10 million cash infusion in recent weeks, cutting into Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s longtime financial ad...
Coby Mayo’s Breakout Has Complicated Baltimore Orioles Infield Plans
It is unclear who will man the hot corner for the Baltimore Orioles in 2027.
Australia PM Albanese says OpenAI agent breached government website in June
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday an AI agent developed by OpenAI infiltrated an Australian government website in June, accessing public and non-public files in the first known instance of an AI agent hacking a government website.
NASA Selects Far-Infrared Telescope as First in New Mission Class
NASA announced Wednesday a mission to explore the history and evolution of the universe, PRIMA (PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), is advancing to
Newcastle United defender Richardson signs first professional deal
Newcastle United defender Abbie Richardson has signed her first professional contract with the club.WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Magpies earlier ...
Oprah Winfrey will be live at The Sphere in 2027, how to buy tickets
Oprah Winfrey is bringing AHA Live to The Sphere in Las Vegas in April 2027. See show dates, ticket prices, performers and how to buy tickets.
NMI Expands Business Capital Lending Program for Small Merchants
Embedded payments infrastructure company NMI is expanding its NMI Business Capital service to help more merchants access financing, according to a
Health Care Partnership outlines workforce progress
More local nursing graduates are staying in the region, according to officials offering an update on the progress of the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership at a public forum last night. According to Jack Watson, dean of UNCW’s College of Health & Human Services, the number of UNCW nursing graduates choosing to remain in the area after graduation has climbed from 27% to the mid-40% range. The New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership aims to address the region’s healthcare worker shortage, with a key focus on nursing through strategic partnerships between UNCW, Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Each of the partners had pathway programs,” said Watson, “but they were almost at times done in a silo." One of the New Hanover Community Endowment's largest commitments to date, the collaborative received a $22.3 million grant in 2023, to be disbursed over three years, beginning in 2024. At the public forum, leadership addressed the nursing bottleneck created by the pandemic, and Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, acknowledged that Novant Health had relied heavily on travel nurses during that period, with travel nurses making up about 47% of staff and nursing turnover at 35% at the height of the pandemic. "I can say we are in a tremendously different place today,” Whalin said at the forum. The number of travel nurses employed by the Novant Health Coastal Region has dropped to around 100 today, which Whalin says accounts for less than 4% of the workforce. Roughly two years into the grant term, major stakeholders in the collaboration pointed to various accomplishments tied to the initiative. According to Stephen Hill, vice president of talent development with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, 250 more nurses live in New Hanover County in 2026 than in 2023. Whalin added that between 2021 and 2025, the Novant Health Coastal Region has hired close to 1,200 registered nurses. Additionally, according to Whalin, over the past two years, hiring and retention of nursing graduates from UNCW increased by 103%, while hiring and retention of nursing graduates from CFCC increased by 70%. Mandy Mills, director of career & technical education at New Hanover County Schools, pointed to the launch of its first Health Sciences Academy program, established across the county's four traditional high schools (Hoggard High School, Laney High School, Ashley High School and New Hanover High School), which started with 38 students last year. Mills also pointed to growth in the district’s Nursing Fundamentals course, which grew from 10 seats in 2023 to 50 in 2025-2026 and is now offered at all four traditional high schools. Watson emphasized the growing nursing class sizes and offered an update on the school’s accelerated nursing degree, which launched last year. Eleven students graduated in the first class, and all passed their boards on the first try, Watson said. This year’s class has 24 students. When the endowment announced its $22.3 million grant for the collaborative in 2023, UNCW and CFCC were each slated to receive the bulk of the funds, at about $10 million each. UNCW’s plans for the grant money included expanding its simulation lab, Watson said. He added that construction is expected to begin on the simulation lab this year and will likely extend through next year. According to Mary Ellen Naylor, dean of Health & Human Services at CFCC, the college has experienced growth in its associate degree nursing retention, rising from 59% in 2023 to 76% for the May 2026 class. CFCC used part of its endowment funding to support wraparound services, including a housing stipend, tuition assistance, exam assistance, emergency assistance, drop-in daycare and clinical and educational supplies. "We have very strong … students, but once they get into the program, there are competing priorities,” Naylor said. “They are working multiple jobs. They have children. They're single parents." According to Naylor, in 2026, 94% of students who used support services are still enrolled or have graduated. Addressing a question from an audience member about an approaching “enrollment cliff,” driven largely by dropping birth rates, Watson and Naylor said demand remains strong at both schools. “Right now … we do have more applicants than we have spots in our nursing program, and it is still a competitive process to get into,” Watson said. “I do not foresee that changing.” "(We've) doubled enrollment in our nursing programs over the last few years, but just as Dean Watson said, we still have very robust applicant pools, so it is still very competitive to get in,” Naylor said. "We have the applicant pool to support that, but again, it's not as easy as just saying, 'Okay … we're going to take another 90 students.' It's making sure all the resources and infrastructure that we need to educate the students outside the classroom is there as well." In response to a question about applying the collaborative model to other healthcare positions besides nursing, Sophie Dagenais, CEO and president of the endowment, said she sees the potential for the model to expand to other healthcare jobs and even other industries, but that the endowment hopes to learn from this model first. “This is a grant that is in year two of three years, and first we wanted to learn what is this going to demonstrate, what will we learn and then how may we scale it possibly,” she said. According to endowment spokesperson Amber Rogerson, funds for the program are set to expire after June 2027. “It's too early to discuss what happens after that,” wrote Rogerson in an email, “though we know the partners are considering the future, and some of the work supported by the grants is now built into their regular operations.”
Health Care Partnership outlines workforce progress
More local nursing graduates are staying in the region, according to officials offering an update on the progress of the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership at a public forum last night. According to Jack Watson, dean of UNCW’s College of Health & Human Services, the number of UNCW nursing graduates choosing to remain in the area after graduation has climbed from 27% to the mid-40% range. The New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership aims to address the region’s healthcare worker shortage, with a key focus on nursing through strategic partnerships between UNCW, Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Each of the partners had pathway programs,” said Watson, “but they were almost at times done in a silo." One of the New Hanover Community Endowment's largest commitments to date, the collaborative received a $22.3 million grant in 2023, to be disbursed over three years, beginning in 2024. At the public forum, leadership addressed the nursing bottleneck created by the pandemic, and Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, acknowledged that Novant Health had relied heavily on travel nurses during that period, with travel nurses making up about 47% of staff and nursing turnover at 35% at the height of the pandemic. "I can say we are in a tremendously different place today,” Whalin said at the forum. The number of travel nurses employed by the Novant Health Coastal Region has dropped to around 100 today, which Whalin says accounts for less than 4% of the workforce. Roughly two years into the grant term, major stakeholders in the collaboration pointed to various accomplishments tied to the initiative. According to Stephen Hill, vice president of talent development with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, 250 more nurses live in New Hanover County in 2026 than in 2023. Whalin added that between 2021 and 2025, the Novant Health Coastal Region has hired close to 1,200 registered nurses. Additionally, according to Whalin, over the past two years, hiring and retention of nursing graduates from UNCW increased by 103%, while hiring and retention of nursing graduates from CFCC increased by 70%. Mandy Mills, director of career & technical education at New Hanover County Schools, pointed to the launch of its first Health Sciences Academy program, established across the county's four traditional high schools (Hoggard High School, Laney High School, Ashley High School and New Hanover High School), which started with 38 students last year. Mills also pointed to growth in the district’s Nursing Fundamentals course, which grew from 10 seats in 2023 to 50 in 2025-2026 and is now offered at all four traditional high schools. Watson emphasized the growing nursing class sizes and offered an update on the school’s accelerated nursing degree, which launched last year. Eleven students graduated in the first class, and all passed their boards on the first try, Watson said. This year’s class has 24 students. When the endowment announced its $22.3 million grant for the collaborative in 2023, UNCW and CFCC were each slated to receive the bulk of the funds, at about $10 million each. UNCW’s plans for the grant money included expanding its simulation lab, Watson said. He added that construction is expected to begin on the simulation lab this year and will likely extend through next year. According to Mary Ellen Naylor, dean of Health & Human Services at CFCC, the college has experienced growth in its associate degree nursing retention, rising from 59% in 2023 to 76% for the May 2026 class. CFCC used part of its endowment funding to support wraparound services, including a housing stipend, tuition assistance, exam assistance, emergency assistance, drop-in daycare and clinical and educational supplies. "We have very strong … students, but once they get into the program, there are competing priorities,” Naylor said. “They are working multiple jobs. They have children. They're single parents." According to Naylor, in 2026, 94% of students who used support services are still enrolled or have graduated. Addressing a question from an audience member about an approaching “enrollment cliff,” driven largely by dropping birth rates, Watson and Naylor said demand remains strong at both schools. “Right now … we do have more applicants than we have spots in our nursing program, and it is still a competitive process to get into,” Watson said. “I do not foresee that changing.” "(We've) doubled enrollment in our nursing programs over the last few years, but just as Dean Watson said, we still have very robust applicant pools, so it is still very competitive to get in,” Naylor said. "We have the applicant pool to support that, but again, it's not as easy as just saying, 'Okay … we're going to take another 90 students.' It's making sure all the resources and infrastructure that we need to educate the students outside the classroom is there as well." In response to a question about applying the collaborative model to other healthcare positions besides nursing, Sophie Dagenais, CEO and president of the endowment, said she sees the potential for the model to expand to other healthcare jobs and even other industries, but that the endowment hopes to learn from this model first. “This is a grant that is in year two of three years, and first we wanted to learn what is this going to demonstrate, what will we learn and then how may we scale it possibly,” she said. According to endowment spokesperson Amber Rogerson, funds for the program are set to expire after June 2027. “It's too early to discuss what happens after that,” wrote Rogerson in an email, “though we know the partners are considering the future, and some of the work supported by the grants is now built into their regular operations.”
Tampa General Hospital First Academic Health System in Southeast to Adopt Innovative Host-Response Technology to Advance Sepsis Care
MeMed BV provides results in 15 minutes to help clinicians distinguish bacterial from viral infections, building on Tampa General’s nationally recognized efforts to improve the early detection and treatment of sepsis. Sept. 22, 2026 – Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is advancing its longstanding commitment to improving sepsis care as the first academic health system in the Southeast to […]
NJ Business Council for Childcare Launches to Strengthen NJ’s Workforce and Economy
ATLANTIC CITY — Today, the New Jersey Business Council for Childcare officially launched, bringing together some of the state’s most influential business organizations and employers to address childcare as a critical workforce and economic issue. Advised by Moms First, the statewide, business-led coalition includes the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), New Jersey Chamber of[...]
CDC testing finds no confirmed hantavirus infection in Pine Ridge
CDC testing found no hantavirus infection in specimens from a recent Pine Ridge health evaluation, though IHS reminds residents to safely clean rodent areas.
Early childhood BMI trajectories predict later cardiometabolic health risks
Childhood obesity predicts later cardiometabolic disease, but single-time weight measures may miss dynamic growth information.
WSFA & Better Business Bureau partners for annual "Community Shred Day"
This Friday, September 25, bring up to 50 lbs. of important documents to be securely shredded! Protect your personal information and help prevent scams.
Scientific Papers Can Now Become AI Agents
There are millions of scientific research papers that include tons of information. Of course, not all that information is valuable, but buried across those papers are experiments, datasets, methods and software that could help researchers answer new questions. The problem is that no scientist can possibly read and make use of more than a small […]
Microsoft plans $10 billion-plus Gulf investment with focus on resilience
Microsoft is planning to invest more than $10 billion across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait between now and 2030, including in cloud and AI infrastructure, a senior executive said on Wednesday.
CT LIVE: Quinnipiack Valley Health District – Tackling Food Insecurity in CT
For more information, visit QVHD.org
Local government leader named planning, development services director
A leader in city and county government with a background in managing large infrastructure projects has been named the next director of planning and development services for the city of Sioux Falls.
Iowa Hospital Association creates cybersecurity leadership role
Brice Jager has joined the Iowa Hospital Association as vice president of cybersecurity, a newly created position focused on strengthening cybersecurity programs and support for Iowa hospitals and healthcare organizations. Jager will lead the association’s operational and technical cybersecurity program, including security operations, governance and risk management. He most recently served as information security officer…
New Mexico behavioral health committee closes in on goal of approving 13 regional health plans
The committee tasked with rebuilding New Mexico’s behavioral healthcare infrastructure has approved 11 of 13 regional plans.
Here’s What Strengthened CVS Health (CVS) in Q2
Polaris Capital Management, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for “Global Equity Strategy”. The letter can be downloaded here. Global markets delivered strong gains during the quarter, supported by an AI-driven earnings rally despite elevated interest rates, inflation concerns, and geopolitical uncertainty. Polaris Global Equity Composite (net of fees) returned 13.26% […]
Business activity at over five-year high; inflation pressures building
The Atlanta Federal Reserve's gross domestic product tracking estimate is running at a 5.1% rate.
Voters are turning to AI on politics. Is it up to the task?
Artificial intelligence is playing a growing role in how voters get information about politics.
Quanome Advances AI Cloud Business with $18.8 Million GPU Infrastructure Purchase Agreement
Quanome Technologies (NASDAQ:QNME) has entered into an approximately $18. 8 million GPU infrastructure purchase agreement for its XDT AI cloud business, with its first U.
Astrana Health Data Breach Reported; Impact Under Investigation
Do you believe your information may have been exposed in the Astrana Health data breach? Read more about the incident.
“God of the Gaps,” and Other Old Friends: Responding to Critics
There are a lot of commenters refuting arguments that Stephen Meyer never made. What he is offering is what philosophers of science call an abductive inference.
Quanome Advances Its AI Cloud Business XDT with US$18.8 Million Infrastructure Purchase Agreement
Company Advances Development of First U.S. AI Infrastructure Hub, Executes Its Quantum & AI Systems Strategy ITASCA, Ill., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quanome Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: QNME) (“Quanome” or the “Company”) is advancing its Quantum and AI Systems business through an approximately US$18.8 million purchase agreement for computing infrastructure powered by NVIDIA GPU technology to build its AI cloud business through its subsidiary, XDT Infrastructure I, LLC (“XDT”). The Compan
Are your medical records updated? Probably so, thanks to Delaware Health Information Network
Truth be told, we all can be a little scatterbrained about our own healthcare. When a doctor asks about medications we once took or lab tests from long ago, we scratch our heads, make our best guesses, and wonder why someone doesn’t come up with a database that instantly keeps our health records up-to-date. As […]
Russian drone hits business center in central Kyiv
Russia pounded Kyiv with drone strikes on Sept. 23, 2026, hitting business centers, railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations.
Could Proteins Become the Next Tool in Forensic Science?
Researchers reviewed how forensic proteomics uses mass spectrometry to analyze proteins in hair, bone, fingerprints, and body fluids. The approach can recover biological and contextual information when DNA is limited.
Free Breast Cancer Awareness Health Fair in Arlington on Oct. 16, 2026
The fair will feature free health screenings, vendor resources, and educational information aimed at promoting early detection and supporting community wellness.
Max Planck Stanford Centre to be established
Max Planck Institute for Informatics and Stanford School of Engineering will establish a joint AI research hub, the Max Planck Center for Visual and Multimodal Artificial Intelligence. The partnership will explore the foundations of next-generation AI systems.
The design-build business model when land is no longer the moat
As land shifts off balance sheet, builders need a customer moat, clean tech stack, and payment-first design-build model.
I'm an influencer building my own business and working every day. Here are the 4 ways I avoid burnout.
Rhiannon Wood is a travel influencer who works nearly every day building her brand and community. See how she pulls herself from the edge of burnout.
How to watch the Texas vs Tennessee game
Here is TV channel information, betting lines and more for when Texas football plays Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026.
Reform and the UAE – a threat to British politics
By Alex Carlen The United Arab Emirates likes to present itself as part of the solution to the climate crisis. The oil-rich Gulf state has committed to Net Zero by 2050, hosted COP 28, and even declared “championing climate action” as one of three strategic objectives for this week’s session of the United Nations General Assembly. But behind the scenes the UAE has quietly built one of its closest political relationships in Europe with the party most hostile to climate action in Britain: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. There is no evidence that the UAE is funding Reform. But a new FairSquare report, Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat, published today, documents a growing political relationship that should concern anyone interested in the integrity of British democracy. Reform’s leaders have embraced the UAE’s political model and promoted positions that align closely with the Emirati government’s priorities, while the UAE has given Farage and his party unusually warm access and public backing. What is emerging is not simply a relationship between British politicians and a wealthy Gulf state, but a channel through which an authoritarian government can cultivate political influence here, and abroad. Democracy for Sale relies on its readers. If you already support us, thanks so much. If you don’t, sign up to support fearless independent investigative journalism. Subscribe Back in January, Nigel Farage appeared at a GB News event in Dubai. On the 50th floor of a tower overlooking the luxury resorts and upscale residences of Palm Jumeirah, the Reform leader declared: “I want Clacton to look like this.” At the event – which Farage never declared on his official register of interests – senior Emirati officials mixed with British expats. Farage was keen to flatter. “We recognise you are our friends”, he said, assuring them that “a Brexit London, a Reform London, will remember you.” Controversy surrounding Reform’s finances and its susceptibility to foreign influence have centred around high-profile donations from billionaire crypto donors, and the jailing of Nathan Gill, Reform’s former leader in Wales, for accepting bribes to give pro-Russia speeches. Far less attention has been paid to Reform’s blossoming new alliance with the UAE, an oil-rich authoritarian state with a track record of ruinous anti-democratic interventions. Farage wasn’t always so fond of the UAE. Back in 2023 he called it an “absolute monarchy with an abysmal human rights record.” Now Reform’s hierarchy calls the UAE home. Deputy leader Richard Tice splits his time between his constituency and Dubai and has called on the UK to learn from the UAE. The party’s treasurer Nick Candy runs a firm which has been in partnership with a UAE-state linked firm since 2024. Nadhim Zahawi sits on the board of an Abu Dhabi think tank alongside an array of the most senior UAE officials and is reportedly close to three brothers of the country’s despotic ruler Mohammed Bin Zayed. Reform’s leading lights have effusively praised the UAE’s governance model, defended it from criticism, and advanced its political agenda in the UK. GB News, whose two major shareholders – the Legatum Foundation and Paul Marshall – have strong links to the UAE, has been more than happy to broadcast UAE propaganda and was forced to pay damages in 2025 after airing a false claim about a UK charity by the UAE “disinfluencer” Amjad Taha. The UAE has responded in kind. When the UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs conducted an official visit to the UK in May, Farage was the only non-government figure granted an audience. UAE state media publicised the meeting, and said that they discussed “the strategic relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in a manner that serves mutual interests.” For the UAE these ‘mutual interests’ largely concern its paranoia over political Islam, and in this regard the UAE-Reform alliance is part of a broad and troubling pattern. Following a crackdown on dissent at home in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, the UAE has offered material and political support to a range of violent and authoritarian actors willing to oppose the Muslim Brotherhood with no regard for the consequences. Its meddling in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and most notably Sudan, have been devastating. The UAE’s strategy of seeking out partners on the political fringes who it believes will advance its interests is not unique to Britain – it extends beyond the Middle East to Europe and the US. In France, it has offered clandestine support to Marine Le Pen through secret meetings, as well allegedly funding trips to the region after which Le Pen returned with a renewed focus on the UAE’s perceived enemies – Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood. Left-wing opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has accused the UAE of smearing him and of “encouraging discrimination, hatred or violence”. In the US, the UAE actively supported the rise of Donald Trump, establishing itself as a key ally during both his first and second terms. Around these relationships sits a wider ecosystem of figures willing to amplify UAE narratives, that even extends to Andrew Tate and Tommy Robinson. Subscribe In Britain, the UAE has used a combination of aggressive diplomacy and illicit, disruptive tactics to achieve its policy goal of eliminating any perceived threat from political Islam. In 2012, for instance, it threatened to block billion-pound arms deals with the UK and stop inward investment if David Cameron did not act against the Muslim Brotherhood and rein in the BBC’s coverage of the group – going so far as to suggest, with no supporting evidence, that the group had infiltrated the BBC. It has financed smear campaigns against a high-profile UK charity and funded a mercenary to secretly surveil, and possibly assassinate, a British national on British soil. In Reform UK, the UAE has finally found an ally willing to not only ban the Muslim Brotherhood, but to publicly vilify the group and repeat the UAE’s claims that dangerous Muslims are a fifth column in British society, a narrative that aligns with the Islamophobia and anti-immigration sentiments that underpin Reform’s populist politics. The Rycroft review into foreign interference concluded that “hostile states and non-state actors have a clear incentive to attempt to undermine UK democracy.” The UAE’s network and alliance with Reform must be understood within that framework. It is a powerful, disruptive and deeply authoritarian actor with the resources and networks to intervene in our politics, and a track-record of doing so in a multitude of other countries. The evidence of the threat the UAE poses is overwhelming. The question is whether parliamentarians are willing to call the UAE out and demand action using the tools that the government has to respond. Placing the UAE on the “Enhanced Tier” of the Foreign Registration scheme alongside Russia and Iran would send a powerful signal to the UAE that its meddling will no longer be tolerated, and would place Farage’s next trips to the UAE under the scrutiny they deserve. Alex Carlen is research and advocacy manager at London based human rights organisation FairSquare and author of its new report Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat. Subscribe
Voters are turning to AI on politics. Is it up to the task?
Artificial intelligence is playing a growing role in how voters get information about politics and elections, raising fresh questions about how the technology could influence the way voters stay in…
Want To Remember More Of What You Read? Science Says Do This
Want information to stick? A few simple tweaks can make studying more effective.
AI Boom, Politics, Inflation Stoke Anxiety Across Big Law
AI’s ascendance, polarized politics, and stubborn inflation are weighing down legal professionals, survey shows.
An Insightful Trip To Bearwood
Bobbins reports back from a revealing fan event at Bearwood on Tuesday, which provided information on a wide variety of fascinating topics.
A look at the legacy and influence Nancy Pelosi will leave behind when she retires
Rep. Nancy Pelosi will retire following the 2026 midterm elections, ending her almost 40-year career in Congress, but leaving a lasting influence on U.S. politics.
UK business activity cools as inflation pressure ramps up, PMI shows
Growth in British business activity cooled this month and inflation pressure built, a survey showed on Wednesday, an awkward backdrop for finance minister John Healey ahead of his first budget next month.
Will P&G’s (PG) New Science-Led Head & Shoulders and Oral-B iO Push Change Its Narrative?
In recent months, Procter & Gamble has rolled out new Head & Shoulders formulations featuring the HydraZinc Complex and expanded its Oral-B iO line, emphasizing clinically tested scalp and oral care technologies now available across multiple product collections in the U.S. market. These launches highlight how Procter & Gamble is leaning on science-led product innovation to reinforce its brands and support its broader shift from pricing-driven growth toward offering more tangible consumer...
If you got bad health information from a chatbot, it might be your fault
More people are turning to AI and chatbots for questions about their health, yet the answers they get to those questions might not always be accurate.
PM’s new anti-disinformation unit won’t target ‘domestic politcal dissent’, defence secretary says
Wes Streeting told GB News: ‘We’re not interested in policing domestic political dissent’
Google's official Googlebook demo looks a lot like Mac wearing a Chrome hoodie
Google's official Googlebook demo shows a laptop desktop that borrows ideas from rival platforms, with macOS the most obvious influence.
German business activity grows in September, PMI shows
By Maria Martinez BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - German business activity expanded solidly in September despite firms facing increased inflationary pressures, a preliminary business survey showed on Wednesday. The S&P Global Flash Composite PMI Index fo...
German business activity grows in September, PMI shows
By Maria Martinez BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - German business activity expanded solidly in September despite firms facing increased inflationary pressures, a preliminary business survey showed on
National Grocers Association CEO warns America could be left with just 'five or six national chains'
The National Grocers Association warns America is facing an "inflection point" where independent grocers could vanish, leaving just five or six national chains.
Scientists built a mosquito toilet to reveal viral information
The excrement shows potential diseases that could spread
California adds $5,000 fines, misdemeanor risk for influencers hiding paid political posts
Platforms and campaign teams could face added pressure, too.
What links smoking, body fat, mental health, genes, and heart risk? Inflammation may be part of the answer
In a large UK Biobank study, higher levels of the chronic inflammation marker GlycA were associated with smaller heart chambers, thicker heart walls, impaired diastolic function, reduced stroke volume, and a 43% higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in the highest versus lowest GlycA group. Genetic susceptibility also modified the associations between environmental exposures, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk, while inflammatory proteins in the IL-1, TNF, and IL-6 pathways statistically mediated several of these associations.
ESPN’s Direction Could Influence Their Decision On Troy Aikman
"ESPN is changing, and so is the audience it is trying to reach. The network is investing in younger voices, creators and personalities who can live beyond the traditional broadcast window. Aikman represents a different era of sports media." The post ESPN’s Direction Could Influence Their Decision On Troy Aikman appeared first on Barrett Media.
Why scientists still cannot say how much plastic infants are actually consuming
A systematic review of 22 primary studies and four reviews found plastic-derived contaminants across infant foods and feeding equipment, but major differences in sampling, analytical methods, and quality control made exposure estimates difficult to compare. The authors found substantial evidence gaps for nanoplastics and oligomers and concluded that better-standardized exposure assessment is needed before infant health risks can be reliably evaluated.
A's Notes: Kuroda-Grauer Returns, Muncy to IL
The Athletics are getting back one infielder, but losing another to begin the final week of the season.
Chief Counsel told staff early not to use Signal
The influencer issue this summer left the group chat.
Merck Life Science Expands Bengaluru Manufacturing with €13 Million Investment
Merck Life Science is expanding its manufacturing capabilities in Bengaluru with an investment of approximately €13 million, strengthening the company’s ability to supply critical materials to customers across India and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The expansion at Merck Life Science’s Jigani site in Bengaluru will introduce biological buffer manufacturing alongside the facility’s established chemistry capabilities. The investment is designed to enable faster and more reliable access to critical materials used by customers across research, diagnostics, biotechnology and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The development further advances Merck Life Science’s “in-region, for-region” approach, under which the company is expanding manufacturing capabilities closer to the markets and customers it serves. By adding biological buffer production in India, the Jigani expansion will broaden the site’s manufacturing capabilities while strengthening Merck Life Science’s regional supply infrastructure for the rapidly developing life sciences sector across India and Asia-Pacific. The company said the expansion reflects both the contribution of its teams and its collaboration with government and industry stakeholders. Merck Life Science acknowledged the support of India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the German Embassy New Delhi, and Invest India in helping strengthen life science manufacturing capabilities in the region. The investment comes as India continues to expand its role across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics and biomanufacturing value chains, increasing demand for dependable regional access to materials supporting research and manufacturing operations. The Bengaluru expansion reinforces Merck Life Science’s focus on building manufacturing capacity within Asia-Pacific and supporting customers through a more regionalised supply network.
Scientists say a critical Atlantic Ocean current is weakening and the effects could be global
Scientists have found strong observational evidence that a key part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation has been weakening across a wide stretch of ocean for nearly two decades. The slowdown could eventually reshape weather patterns, rainfall, storms, winters, and coastal sea levels around the Atlantic.