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Annie Andrews attacks Graham over reported China business; calls for answers
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews called on interim Sen. Darline Graham on Wednesday to answer questions about her ties to China.
Annie Andrews attacks Graham over reported China business; calls for answers
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews called on interim Sen. Darline Graham on Wednesday to answer questions about her ties to China.
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
Cam Heyward reveals legendary Vince Williams trash-talk vs Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers DT Cameron Heyward recalled former linebacker Vince Williams' legendary trash talk before facing the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dodgers outfielder blasts MLB for airing controversial Sydney Sweeney commercial
Alex Call doesn't like watching what he called 'soft porn ads' with his young son.
Skill games become illegal in PA, small business workers lose their jobs: ‘It’s awful’
The last day of legality arrived Tuesday for an estimated 70,000 so-called “skill games” that were pulling in money at clubs and small businesses across Pennsylvania.
WHO calls for urgent health action across the Eastern Mediterranean
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for promoting, providing and protecting health in the Eastern Mediterranean region, home to some of the world’s top humanitarian crises such as Sudan, Yemen and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
BUSINESS UPDATE: A 138-year-old New York Manufacturer Gets Another Life in Fulton
E.J. Willis Co. was founded in New York City in 1888 and for generations it has made ship’s bells and other equipment for the U.S. Navy and American shipbuilders. This summer, the new owner moved the company’s equipment to Fulton By Stefan Yablonski E. J. Willis Co. cast brass ship’s bells — handcrafted in the United States since 1888. Ship bells, “built to last a lifetime at sea,” are now manufactured in Fulton. E.J. Willis Co. has moved its operation and manufacturing business to Fulton. They are currently operating out of N.E.T & Die. The company is now under the ownership of Jonathan Hyatt. He recently acquired the company after seeing a for sale note on Craigslist. [caption id=attachment_11110 align=alignright width=400] Entrepreneur Jonathan Hyatt is the new owner of E.J. Willis Co. He bought the business this summer after finding a listing on Craigslist by chance.[/caption] “I had been looking for something to do. I had been 20 years in corporate America and I was just tired of building someone else’s empire, you know what I mean? I was in consulting, pretty much a jack of all trades. I wanted to do something that I could call my own,” he explained. “I’d been on this path of trying to find a business to buy for about a year. One night I am on Craigslist about 11:30 in mid-April searching for something completely unrelated. At the bottom of Craigslist was a ‘things you might be interested in from outside of your area.’ There was an ad that said 138-year-old bell manufacturing company for sale. So, I clicked; why not, right? I wasn’t looking to buy a manufacturing company, but I went down the rabbit hole, absolutely fell in love with the history and ended up buying it.” He read the ad and responded. “I called and I am talking to the owner of the business for about two hours. We ended with, let’s have another chat and then come on out here and have a look. I figured, well I might wind up getting kidnapped and getting murdered or there is a real business here. But I gotta see it through,” he quipped. “And sure enough, there is a big machine shop operation there. The gentleman who owned it was retiring and in the corner of this shop is a little room where they make bells and they have been doing this ever since the company had started.” That’s the one constant thing that has survived the changes of the business. [caption id=attachment_11061 align=alignright width=300] Sales 1929 general catalog published by E. J. Willis Co, listing all the merchandise it sold. It’s like the Sears Roebuck and Co. catalog for marine parts.[/caption] “I drove home and told my wife, ‘This is what I am doing for the rest of whatever we are calling this — mid-life crisis.’ And she said, ‘absolutely you got to do it.’ I took out a loan and off we go.” He put in an offer on the business and they closed on July 1. He didn’t disclose what he paid for the company. “In terms of price, the seller and I have agreed to keep those terms private.” “I am finding that I am a business owner, an archeologist, opening files and cabinets that haven’t been opened in 100 years. It’s just amazing, just cool things that I am finding,” he said. “I want to build the business back. I want to be able to sell the bells to outsiders. I think they are beautiful. “It’s really a wild story about a company that started in lower Manhattan, exploded in the automotive space, sold parts to the Wright Brothers, moved into the aeronautical world and then landed in marine. The cool thing, I have been digging around and the gentleman who owned the company prior to me was not a digital guy. There is nothing out there. “Now I am sitting here with all the art from like the 1930s, the E.J. Willis boat catalog it’s like 250 pages of things this company used to make. It’s like the Sears-Roebuck and Co. catalog for marine parts. We are modernizing, we are staying true to the heritage of the business. It’s exciting to be the next steward of the whole business.” Initially he thought he’d move everything from the company’s plant in Middleville, Herkimer County, to Boston, out of convenience. “Then I thought let’s keep the foundry where it is. Let’s not move anything right away,” he said. “I want to get a good sense of what we’ve got, what works and what doesn’t. “I went to the foundry and met with the people there, lovely people, and said here is my position — I am buying a company where everyone is retiring. There is machining and polishing to be done, who would you work with around here? Without hesitation they said, ‘you need to go to NET Tool & Die and talk to Michelle [Shatrau]. She is a third-generation machinist and she runs the company now.’” So, he drove to Fulton. “I knocked on the door, they let me in. And she said, ‘how’d you get in here?’” he said with a laugh. “We became fast friends. I told her what I am doing. It must have struck a nerve. She has a very entrepreneurial background. I must have said something right because she came out and she said, ‘I’d love to help you. Why don’t we move the equipment that you have into my large building and I will give you a space to work at and use my team?’” [caption id=attachment_11058 align=alignleft width=300] Bell in progress awaiting assembly[/caption] It’s a great relationship so far. “We are bringing the business into the modern world. It’s been a lot of stuff all at once. But it has been very exciting,” he said. “We moved in a month ago [in July]. We closed on the business July 1. We moved a couple weeks later. We had all our equipment set up, electrical being run, everything. [caption id=attachment_11059 align=alignright width=300] Bell attached to a lathe going through the machining process[/caption] “We’re working with NET Tool & Die to rebuild production and preserve manufacturing processes that, in some cases, existed mostly in the heads and hands of the people who had been doing them for decades. We’re currently working on several 200-pound ship’s bells and bringing an old two-way manual bilge pump back into production.” He said he will be working with NET employees for the time being, adding, “I’d love to get to a point where I have so much growth that I need to hire people.” No one wakes up and says, ‘I am buying a bell today,’ Hyatt admitted. [caption id=attachment_11060 align=alignleft width=225] Bell after receiving a custom etching toward the bell mouth[/caption] “Everyone does wake up and has things that deserve acknowledgment and remembering — a promotion, a marriage, the birth of a child,” he said. “These are the things I feel like if there was something that could capture a particular moment in time and will literally outlast the person that bought it, a bell is that. We can engrave a bell if you get married or the birth of a child. We can put anything on a bell. “I have orders, yes. I am working on several orders right now. We have a little bit of busyness. But there are still some things to work out. I want to make things consistently and continue to move forward.”
BUSINESS UPDATE: All About Cannabis
SUNY Oswego’s cannabis studies prepares for growing business opportunities By Mary Beth Roach [caption id=attachment_11114 align=alignright width=383] Marthinus (Martin) Koen is associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. He and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, created the program.[/caption] As the cannabis industry in New York state continues to grow, so do the business opportunities. New York’s legal cannabis market is projected to hit $3 billion in annual sales this year and more than 600 licensed dispensaries are operating across the state, according to budpedia.com. It’s estimated that New York will add about 16,160 new cannabis jobs in 2026, according to the 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report. SUNY Oswego, realizing the potential, now offers two programs to acquaint both matriculated and non matriculated students with aspects of this multi-billion-dollar business. Its cannabis studies microcredential came out last year and a minor was introduced this fall. The microcredential allows traditional students to add electives to their degree. Students who are not enrolled in the college can sign up to take classes to learn more about the field, growing the crop and managing or opening a dispensary, according to Marthinus (Martin) Koen, associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. The classes are designed to give those who wish to pursue business opportunities in the field a much broader understanding of cannabis and a more overall perspective of the various aspects of running a business, such as supply chain management, customer service and best practices. “When you’re trying to market it, when you’re trying to make sales, you’re understanding will be a lot more vast and nuanced,” he said. “The last 10 years especially, the hard science on cannabis increased and we have a lot more nuanced understanding right now that hasn’t yet permeated the pop culture,” he added. Koen’s team is also hoping to develop an independent study class that will help somebody who wants to apply for a license. That the classes fill up quickly should come as no surprise. “I think there’s a lot of people who are excited about it because it’s a new industry,” he said and they see an opportunity to make some money. Matriculated students may look at it as fun to learn about and stack on top of their existing major or minor. According to the college’s website, students interested in a microcredential would take cannabis law and policy and cultivation of cannabis, along with two other electives. For the first elective they could select either the economics of cannabis or manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of cannabis; and the second elective would be either cannabis science, analysis, and well-being or cannabis and society. The idea for a microcredential in cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego began in 2023, Koen said, as SUNY statewide was advocating for these types of initiatives. Koen and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, began brainstorming on ideas. Catching their attention was the legalization of full recreational marijuana use in New York state in 2021 and the problem-riddled rollout of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management. Guy and Koen created a Criminal Justice Elective called CRJ 420, called cannabis and society, to see if there was any interest. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there was interest —a lot of it. Further discussions led to the microcredential, cannabis studies, which incorporated science, business and anthropological perspectives, Koen said. They were allowed to create their own prefixes for the classes, such as CAN 310; CAN 320; and CAN 420. Yes, the 420 was intentional — it’s a slang term and symbol used to refer to cannabis consumption and counterculture — but it’s also meant to reflect that the course, being on the 400 level, is “very academically involved,” Koen explained. The term 420 was coined in 1971 by a group of California high school students as a secret code to meet at 4:20 p.m. at a campus landmark to search for an abandoned cannabis crop nearby. The phrase has evolved, to say the least. It is now associated with cannabis use worldwide. For more information, visit ww1.oswego.edu/academics/microcredentials/cannabis-studies.
N. Syracuse Manufacturer Marks Milestone, Plans for the Future
Air Innovations has grown from a small local manufacturer into a global business, selling its products in 74 countries organizations. Some of its clients include NASA, Blue Origin and SpaceX. By Stefan Yablonski [caption id=attachment_11117 align=alignright width=450] Michael Wetzel, president and CEO, and his father, Larry, who currently is an adviser to the board of directors. Larry served as the chairman of the board until 2024, when the company was acquired by Altus Capital Partners, a private equity firm.[/caption] Air Innovations in North Syracuse hopes to add more employees and possibly even expand its facility in the near future. The company is a global leader in designing and building environmental process control systems for applications that can’t be addressed with standard HVAC equipment, according to Michael Wetzel, president and CEO. “We customize solutions for temperature, humidity, filtration and pressurization, with additional capabilities in direct-expansion, chilled-water and thermoelectric technologies. Our business now is entirely focused on specialty or niche markets.” Air Innovations celebrated its 40th anniversary on Sept. 18, marking four decades of doing business, manufacturing products and growing in Central New York. In the beginning [caption id=attachment_11138 align=alignright width=451] A worker, Ezzy Salehi, tests a Wine Guardian condenser unit at Air Innovations.[/caption] “A guy by the name of Jim Kelley started the business [known as Floratech] in 1986. It was focused on refrigerated display cases for supermarket fresh flowers,” Wetzel said. “My father [Larry] started Clean Room Technology in the early 1980s, then sold that to a French company called Clestra Cleanroom. “My father and I bought Floratech in 1996 — 30 years ago, 10 years after it was started. Then in 1999, Floratech bought a portion of Clestra and their building. At that point everything was still called Floratech. But, as that was not reflective of the diversity of the business, we rebranded as Air Innovations in 2001.” The company rebranded to pursue a strategy of diversification in specialty HVAC systems. Wetzel explained that since then, it has become a trusted global partner, earning the President’s “E” Award for Exports and securing contracts in the most demanding fields, including aerospace, defense and semiconductor manufacturing. Air Innovations has grown from a small local manufacturer into a global business, selling nearly 70,000 units in 74 countries and territories and developing custom environmental control systems for companies and organizations including NASA, Blue Origin and SpaceX. “We work with all the big names you ever heard of and some you never heard of,” Wetzel added. The Wetzels sold the business two years ago to Altus Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on control investments in lower middle-market, niche manufacturing companies in North America. Founded in 2003, Altus Capital Partners’ headquarters is in Wilton, Connecticut, with an additional office in Lincolnshire, Illinois. “They are an equity firm. Both my father and I both maintain a small minority share. I am going to continue to be involved. I call myself a part-time CEO. I will continue that role for the foreseeable future; I don’t see any change there.” Building to the future “We are at 58 employees right now, which is a little bit down. We had a high of 70. That moves along with the activity we have,” Wetzel said. “We’ll start ramping up here in the fourth quarter into next year. More than 20% of our employees have been with the company for more than a decade. “I am fairly certain that sometime in the next several years we are going to have to enlarge the footprint of our facility and for sure we are going to have to add employees. We already are. We are probably going to have to add five or six people next year. We are always in the market for HVAC technicians; we always need those.” Air Innovations will remain in Central New York, with its current workforce staying in place, he added. “I believe the primary driver of our success over time is the diversity of our business which is a direct result of our willingness to tackle new challenges,” Wetzel said.
Editorial: Trump’s desperate campaign to buy off voters
The omens that President Donald Trump is facing an epic example of what another Republican president once called “a thumpin’” are accumulating. His deeply unpopular Middle East war is metastasizing,
David Raya Reveals Thomas Frank's Message After 2020 Wembley Defeat
David Raya has recalled Thomas Frank's unexpected response to his mistake against Fulham at Wembley, revealing how the former Brentford manager backed him.
New entertainment district to be discussed
It is called The Boulevard and is spearheaded by Reno Pro Soccer.
Senators Urge Trump to Reverse Diesel Deal With Putin
A bipartisan group of 12 senators called on the president to drop his decision to ease sanctions on Russia’s exports of diesel fuel, saying the deal would help Moscow continue the war in Ukraine.
Gigantic prehistoric snake discovered in India may have been one of the largest ever
A massive prehistoric snake discovered in India may have rivaled the largest snake ever known. Called Vasuki indicus, the 47-million-year-old giant could have reached up to 50 feet long, making it comparable to the legendary Titanoboa. Scientists believe its enormous body made it a slow-moving ambush predator, similar to a modern anaconda.
Katie Zacharia Makes Bumpy Debut as Trump’s New Press Secretary
Ms. Zacharia spent eight minutes reading from a script, called on only three reporters and made an awkward slip-up.
Poindexter calls for an end to the Iran war
Brian Poindexter, who is running on the Democratic ticket for Ohio’s 7th Congressional seat, called for an end to the US involvement in the Iran war during a press conference Tuesday.
The developer who cloned Photoshop using AI has now created Word, Excel, and PowerPoint replicas with Claude
Called WordCraft, GridCraft, and DeckCraft, respectively, the open-source applications are written in Rust with Anthropic's Claude Opus 5.5, as the Adobe replicas were, and are available for...
SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity breaks ground on 'Wonder Works' expansion
The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity in Sacramento is breaking ground on a new space called "Wonder Works."
Trump’s new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia keeps first briefing short
Zacharia, a conservative commentator, stuck close to prepared remarks in her first outing at the podium. She called on three reporters, all from conservative outlets.
Australia: NSW Health warns against handling bats due to lyssavirus
NSW Health is advising the public not to handle, or otherwise handle bats, following a recent increase in people being bitten or scratched across the state. In the two weeks from 28 September to 10 October, 43 people were assessed by NSW Health after being bitten or scratched by bats. This includes in coastal areas in Hunter New England, the Mid North Coast, Northern NSW, and the Central Coast. This is a significant increase when compared with 10 reported cases of bat bites or scratches for the same two-week period in 2025. Keira Glasgow, Director in Health Protection at NSW Health, said, “We want people to assume that any bat could carry Australian bat lyssavirus, which is a close relative to the rabies virus and very dangerous to humans.” “If you see a bat that is injured or in distress, call your local wildlife rescue service and do not touch it. Only trained, protected and vaccinated wildlife handlers should interact with bats. “It is incredibly rare for Australian bat lyssavirus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment. “If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, urgent medical assessment is crucial.” Rabies virus and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) belong to a group of viruses called lyssaviruses. These viruses transmit via a bite from an infected ("rabid") animal. They all cause a similar illness known as rabies, which affects the central nervous system and is usually fatal. Rabies and ABLV infection cause similar symptoms. The early symptoms are flu-like, including headache, fever and fatigue. The illness progresses rapidly to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death, usually within a week or two. Rabies cases and the three known human cases of ABLV infection have shown a wide variability in the time it takes for symptoms to appear following exposure to an infected animal (from several days to several years). The best way to protect yourself from infection is to not touch bats. If you see a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground, do not try to rescue it. Instead, contact trained experts. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Singer who dated Prince in the ‘90s says she couldn’t handle the musician dating around: ‘I wasn’t the only one’
Elisa Fiorillo, who dated Prince in the ‘90s and reunited with him to play in his band in the 2010s, recalled her experience being romantically involved with the ‘Purple Rain’ musician.
How Israel votes: A Guide to Knesset, political parties, and coalition governments
Israel uses a system called proportional representation, which helps explain its many political parties, complicated coalition negotiations, and frequent early elections.
Beaverstock festival aims to alleviate hunger
A music festival called Beaverstock will take place at Bad Beaver Farm in Ellsworth on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 3-8 p.m., an announcement said.
Student group screens documentary to raise awareness of women’s health
At a Sunday evening film screening hosted by the Yale Student Film Festival, the stories of seven diverse women living with endometriosis came to life and called attention to the daily struggles that come with the condition.
Mercy Fort Smith boss notes added regional staff, services
In what he called an “update” for the Fort Smith region, Mercy Fort Smith Communities President Ryan Gehrig said more than 640 “caregivers” have been hired in the region, with...
Oregon's Season Called a 'Bust' After Loss to UCLA
Plagued by quarterback struggles and offensive stagnation, the Ducks’ national championship dreams are fading fast. Dan Lanning must ignite a turnaround before this star-studded roster faces total collapse.
Jeffries calls New Hampshire seat key to House control
Hakeem Jeffries called New Hampshire’s open 1st District seat critical to House control as he campaigned with Democrat Stefany Shaheen. House Speaker Mike Johns...
Trump asked about Ilhan Omar home search
President Donald Trump called Rep. Ilhan Omar “a terrible person,” but insisted he was not involved in a search by federal officers of her DC-area home on Monday.
Kelly Clarkson's online feud with Art of Play, explained
Kelly Clarkson called out Art of Play for the way she was treated as a customer. The specialty shop now says it was a 'misunderstanding.'
New ASU initiative to advance the science of finding and identifying missing people
The pain of losing a friend or a family member can be devastating, but it is profoundly different from learning that a loved one is missing and may never be found.“It’s called ambiguous loss,” said Sherry Fox, an assistant teaching professor in The School of Interdisciplinary Forensics at Arizona State University. “And it’s a horrible thing.”
PS5 Jailbreak App 'Overdrive' Seemingly Makes Games and DLC Free
A new app called Overdrive has been released for jailbroken PS5s, which apparently allows users to access all games and DLC for free.
Apple 'Welcome Home' Launch: Everything to Expect Tomorrow
Apple's "Welcome Home" product launch is happening tomorrow. As the name suggests, Apple is going to debut new home accessories, including the long-rumored home hub. Below, we've listed all the rumors we know about the three devices Apple is set to introduce. HomeView Apple's home hub, which will be called HomeView, is a multi-function device designed for all of a home's occupants. It's built around Siri AI, and will have an A18 chip and 8GB of RAM.
Early morning fire destroys Crawford County business
A restaurant and bar in Conneautville were deemed a total loss after a fire tore through the building early Monday morning. Crews from across Crawford County were called to the 900 block of Main St…
Pro Golfer Sarah Schmelzel Reflects on Nearly Two-Decade-Long Health Struggle as She Eyes 2027 LPGA Tour Return (Exclusive)
The LPGA Tour veteran often recalled waking up and asking, “Is my body going to work for me or against me today?”
Google announces $179 Fitbit Edge tracker with display, GPS
Google is following the Fitbit Air launched in May with a second tracker that features a screen called the Fitbit Edge.
Color May Not Actually Exist. Here’s the Unsettling Reason Why.
A controversial idea called qualia suggests the reality you see belongs to you alone.
What will Skydance do with the industry’s most complex sports rights portfolio?
With the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger now complete, forming Skydance, many in the sports media world are watching and wondering what happens to the combined entity’s sports rights. Certainly, this seems like a good time to examine what the folks at Skydance Global Sports Group (now to be called SGSG forevermore) are, and…
Republican Aaron Flint touts Montana roots in western congressional district race
Aaron Flint says he and his family have deep connections to western Montana – connections he says you can still see on a short street on Whitefish’s west side, called Flint Avenue.
Dubai Holding Entertainment new park, Global Village coaster
Global Village continues to expand its attractions and experiences
Texas health agency proposes eliminating children’s autism program
The proposed elimination of the program, aimed at serving lower-income families, comes as Texas leadership has called on agencies to reduce budgets by 3%.
Texas proposes eliminating children’s autism program
The proposed elimination of the program, aimed at serving lower-income families, comes as Texas leadership has called on agencies to reduce budgets by 3%.
AsiaOne
Holly Madison has thrown her support behind the controversial Playmates movie.The 46-year-old beauty — who was the late Hugh Hefner's 'number one girlfriend' when they were together for seven years in the early 2000s — has shared her support for the film and its writer, Lorraine Nicholson, after the Playboy founder's third wife Crystal Harris recently called on Jessica Biel...
More than 82K rechargeable hand warmers recalled over fire risk
More than 82,000 rechargeable hand warmers combined from HotHands and Gobi Heat face a recall due to overheating that poses fire and burn hazards.
Baby bath seats sold on Amazon recalled over deadly drowning hazard
Baby bath seats sold on Amazon are under a recall because they are unstable and can tip over while in use, posing a risk of serious injury or even death from drowning.
Pat McAfee was right about Georgia football
The ESPN personality called his own shot on Saturday.
Bears HC Ben Johnson Called Out After Packers Embarrassment
The Chicago Bears and head coach Ben Johnson got a reality check at the hands of the rival Green Bay Packers. The post Bears HC Ben Johnson Called Out After Packers Embarrassment appeared first on HEAVY.
UK's Burnham accuses Russia of meddling in Brexit vote
The UK prime minister called for voters in Europe to be made fully aware of Russia's attempts to influence politics.
Dennis Krause Blog: Packers make statement with rout of Bears
Jordan Love was outstanding. LaFleur called some deep shots and Love was accurate on them.
Election forecaster says ‘winds are blowing against Republicans’ in midterms
The election forecaster who called nearly every presidential race since 1984 says Democrats are well positioned this fall.
Sunday Thoughts on the Cesspool Comment
I grew up on internet sports message boards. Back in high school i posted on CNNSI.com boards as well as a few others. When I was a junior in college, i found Texags and started posting there. At the time the site was small enough to where people knew you and called you by your […]
Apple smart home control center is called 'HomeView'
Apple's new smart home controller is the HomeView, and while it's not shipping in October, you'll be able to get your hands on it before the end of 2026.
Trump proclaims US 'golden age' of science
At a tech summit, the US president announced what he called the most ambitious set of science initiatives in decades, with new "national missions" to inspire the American people. But where exactly is the money going?
Michael Douglas confirms Charlie Sheen put ‘c---’ sign on Sean Young during “Wall Street” shoot
Young has recalled her rocky experience filming Oliver Stone’s 1987 hit.
Who Were the Vikings? 21 Graves Weave a Tale of Hunters, Nomads and Sorceresses.
“The Sea-King and the Sorceress” examines the lives and deaths of the diverse people who called themselves Vikings.
Filmmakers made the AI sci-fi series 'The Arc' with $38k in credits
The filmmakers behind the AI-generated TV series called "The Arc" share what went into making it, including $38,000 in AI credits.
Tuipulotu is called in after Capstick ruled out
EXETER have signed No.8 Carwyn Tuipulotu for the rest of the season. The 25-year-old, who has represented Wales at Under-20 level, played in France last season for Pau and was a free agent. He has most recently been training with Dragons having previously played for Scarlets, and had a spell with Saracens in 2025. “After […] The post Tuipulotu is called in after Capstick ruled out appeared first on The Rugby Paper .
Mike Morath urges Texas schools to embrace science of reading
The commissioner called on leaders to embrace the science of reading and "high-quality instructional materials," including its own curriculum, at a statewide conference.
Kalshi scrutinizing longshot bets that correctly predicted Trump’s next press secretary
The trades surrounding Zacharia’s selection as press secretary took place on so-called “knowable markets,” which experts say are more susceptible to insider trading.
Trump awards science medals to Musk, Nadella and 4 other tech titans — 5 immigrants — hours after Vance targets them
Vance called foreign tech workers “indentured servants” and suspended Microsoft’s PERM program. Hours later, Trump gave its immigrant CEO a national medal.
Matthew Lillard recalls thinking ‘Scream’ was ‘lame’ and he’d become a TV star
Matthew Lillard recalled a late-night shoot during the making of ‘Scream,’ during which he and his castmates were discussing their upcoming TV roles.
Netflix star and musician boyfriend abruptly split after four years of dating
A Hollywood power couple has called it quits
Washington’s Physicality Gap Amplified in Iowa Loss
Elijah Brown’s second-half performance struck life into the Washington offense, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the hole it dug itself against Iowa in the first half. The Huskies began the game with five straight punts. In what Jedd Fisch called a measuring stick game against the Hawkeyes, his team failed to measure up to …
Browns Called Top Trade Destination for 1,000-Yard Bucs RB
Cleveland Browns called top trade destination for Bucs' 1,000-yard running back. The post Browns Called Top Trade Destination for 1,000-Yard Bucs RB appeared first on HEAVY.
Google employees praise latest Gemini 4 internal model
Google is rolling out new Gemini 4 models to staff ahead of a public release. The latest is called Carbon, and staff are loving it.
Purdue names School of Business building after alumnus following $42M gift
The gift is the largest contribution from an individual for a facility in Purdue’s history. As a result, the building on the West Lafayette campus will be called the Roland G. Parrish Hall of Business.
'This is a Chance to Build Something New': Stand Up for Science Rallies Around America’s Compact For Higher
Speakers highlighted importance of knowledge development; called on university leadership to stand support of academic freedom in higher ed.
Meet the Teen Athlete Who Overcame a Major Health Curveball
After developing an unprecedented and progressive spinal curvature, known, 10-year-old Macie Perna feared her love for playing softball may be lost forever. But, a life-changing operation at Shriners Children's Philadelphia called Vertebral Body Tethering, or VBT, hit those fears out of the park. Just six weeks later, Perna was back on the field stronger than ever before. Now, at 16, she has no restrictions and big dreams. Macie and her mother Michelle join TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones to talk about her health journey and her role as a Shriners Children's International Patient Ambassador. She even gets a surprise from her favorite college athlete! (Sponsored by Shriners Children's)
Talarico disappearance has Dem volunteers worrying and Trump asking, 'What is going on?'
Trump called James Talarico "MISSING IN ACTION" as the Texas Democrat's nearly two-week campaign trail absence sparks concerns about losing momentum.
In brief: 'Stick' season 2 trailer and more
Bill Murray stars in the official trailer for A Course Called Ireland. The six-part documentary series premieres on Paramount+ on Oct. 25. The show follows Murray and his friends as they travel across the island to explore Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland's best fairways ...The Die Hard films are getting a brand-new home media release. All five of the movies will be released on physical media in 4K Ultra HD on Dec. 1. Bruce Willis stars as John McClane in all of the Die Hard films. The original movie finds the New York City policeman taking on terrorists after he flies to Los Angeles to be with his estranged wife and two children on Christmas ... TNCMS.AdManager.render({region: 'fixed-big-ad-top-asset', slot: 1, fold: "above"}); The trailer for Stick season 2 is here. Owen Wilson stars as the talented golfer who strives for second chance in the sophomore season. Peter Dager, Timothy Olyphant, Rhea Seehorn, Marc Maron, John Higgins and Billy Zane also make up the cast of the new season. The Apple TV series premieres its first two episodes on Nov. 4. A new episode drops weekly every Wednesday that follows until the season finale airs on Dec. 30 ...Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Thank you for reading kmaland.comAt KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.
A New Live Business Show Wants to Be CNBC for Gen-Z. A TBPN Designer Called It a 'Shameless Ripoff'
A social-media debate erupted after a tech entrepreneur posted side-by-side comparisons of the two live business shows.
Corteva (CTVA) Completes Seed Business Spin Off
Corteva (NYSE:CTVA) has completed the spin-off of its seed operations into a separate entity called Vylor Inc. The split leaves Corteva focused on crop protection products and digital agriculture services, while Vylor assumes the seed portfolio. Legal challenges have emerged that question how PFAS-related obligations are allocated between Corteva and Vylor after the separation. The Vylor spin-off and PFAS liability scrutiny only capture one chapter in the wider Corteva story for investors...
49ers Called Top Trade Destination for $205 Million AFC Star
San Francisco 49ers urged to explore trade for elite $205 million AFC edge rusher. The post 49ers Called Top Trade Destination for $205 Million AFC Star appeared first on HEAVY.
Samsung’s first AirPods Max 2 rival could be called Galaxy Studio
Samsung recently launched its first clip-on wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds On, and the company is reportedly working on two more audio products. One is a pai
Darfur: Healthcare needs outstrip resources as Security Council extends Sudan sanctions
More than 700,000 displaced people in Tawila, in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region, face severe shortages of healthcare, food, water and protection, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday as it called for an urgent increase in resources.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh reacts to ‘insult’ from reporter
The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-4 to start the 2026 NFL season, and after Sunday’s 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, criticism of the coach-and-QB duo has begun to boil over. According to the New York Post, during a media conference Monday, head coach Jim Harbaugh called out a reporter after he believed that their…
Democrat called slur by Trump airs ad urging ‘No men in women’s sports’
Senate candidate Annie Andrews, a Senate candidate in South Carolina, released a transgender issues ad days after the president called her an anti-transgender slur.
Samsung’s over-ear headphones might be called ‘Galaxy Studio’
According to a fresh leak, Samsung’s upcoming over-ear headphones might be called “Galaxy Studio.” A leak earlier this year revealed...
CNN guest calls out ‘The View’ to Ana Navarro’s face during on-air debate
CNN guest Scott Jennings called out ‘The View’ to Ana Navarro’s face during a live debate on the news network, claiming the show ‘is able to do whatever it wants.’
Timberwolves' Jonathan Kuminga threatens to slap fan over NSFW nickname
Minnesota Timberwolves Jonathan Kuminga is going viral for the wrong reason. Kuminga threatened a fan for a nickname that he was called.
Xbox Announces New XP Entertainment Division to Make Movies, TV, and More
Xbox has announced a new TV, movies, and entertainment division called XP. It will be headed up by Kayleen Walters, a Lucasfilm veteran who moves over from her most recent post at Minecraft maker Mojang, for whom she was president – and also served as an executive producer on last year's A Minecraft Movie.
Open science is compatible with research security, says Canada’s chief science advisor
Open science is “not incompatible” with research security and science leaders and policymakers should “demystify” the false dichotomy between the two, according to Mona Nemer, Canada’s chief science advisor. More than a decade ago, EU policymakers were promoting open science, open innovation and open collaboration across the world. It was a political movement that aimed to make scientific research, data, software, publications and methodologies transparent, accessible and reusable for everyone.But that rhetoric has changed over the past few years. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Donald Trump came back to power in 2025, international partnerships have become more pragmatic. Countries are trying to implement protectionist policies and governments are increasingly worried about technology espionage. According to Nemer, science can remain open if the sector can come up with improved security protocols that would protect research data from undue manipulation by foreign actors. “If anybody can fiddle with the with the data, then [open science] is actually quite dangerous and quite useless,” she told Science|Business. Universities and research institutions are increasingly vulnerable to attempted espionage and other types of foreign interference. In September, the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence service MI5 issued a security warning against collaborations with the China General Technology Research Institute. And earlier this year, Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Information Security was criticised by federal research minister Dorothee Bär, who told a parliamentary hearing that “existing rules and systems” at the institute “were not suitable” for preventing leaks to China. According to Nemer, universities and research institutions should perhaps follow the example of the private sector, as companies have been able to safeguard their research while still publishing results. “I think that there is a level of research security hygiene that researchers and institutions need to just adopt,” she said. “You don't have to tell Sanofi or IBM how to safeguard their research, which they end up publishing anyway.”While certain areas of research will not be open for collaboration with certain partners, in other areas cooperation is necessary even with researchers based in adversarial countries. “I stress this because politics change,” she said. “Science and politics don't make for good fellows, and whether we like it or not, politics will influence certain things.”Researchers will play an important role in “protecting the integrity of science,” said Nemer. “I think that it's time that there's a commitment to a certain scientific compact, so that citizens don't think that science is actually an open door for espionage and for anti-nationalism.”New partnershipsNemer spoke with Science|Business on the margins of the Hamburg Science Summit on September 17, the day when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for increased cooperation with the EU, including in science and technology. Canada is looking to strengthen ties with partners in other corners of the world, after the Trump administration threatened to put tariffs on Canadian goods and services and even openly suggested Canada could become the 51st state. In parallel, the US government has indicated it wants to retreat from international science projects, including US collaboration with Europe’s CERN particle accelerator and other big science labs.Related articlesThe stats we need to better understand R&DCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUCan researchers trust that AI models won’t leak their ideas?Nemer said the US is still a science “powerhouse,” but Canada and Europe will have to work closely together on global challenges. “It’s important for both [sides], but I think it's also important for the rest of the world, because the cut in funding for development, in health, in regions like Africa and other places, have dramatic effects.” The Trump administration is also planning a review of the Nelson memo, a Biden-era document that mandated that results of federally funded research would be openly available. With that idea being called into question, Nemer said it could be “very disruptive” to scientific collaborations and could jeopardise research on climate change, the Arctic and global health. “When your collaborator suddenly tells you I'm not going to share the data with you as a researcher, if this happens, I think it's very worrisome,” she said. “I'm certainly hoping that a lot of the Canadian institutions, funders, researchers, have started looking at joining forces on databases and using more European research infrastructures,” Nemer added.
‘Political chameleon’: How Mark Zuckerberg charmed Trump and got his way on AI
It was a triumphant moment for Mark Zuckerberg. He sat at the center of last month’s White House AI meeting, with the CEOs of some of the biggest tech companies in the world signing onto a document he crafted for how to “self-police” and attempt to manage serious AI safety risks. After the meeting, Zuckerberg called it “historic.”
President Trump announces Roger Clemens will receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, calls for him to enter Hall of Fame
The president said he called MLB commissioner Rob Manfred about Clemens' Hall of Fame candidacy earlier this year. Manfred does not control the Hall of Fame.
Yankees Fans Boo Jazz Chisholm Jr. For Playoff Failure
The New York Yankees’ season was dwindling, just nine outs away from being sent home by the Tampa Bay Rays. Yankees manager Aaron Boone called on Jazz Chisholm Jr. to try and save the day. Chisholm hadn’t started ALDS Game 3. The Yanks had gone with Anthony Volpe at second base and Jose Caballero at […] The post Yankees Fans Boo Jazz Chisholm Jr. For Playoff Failure appeared first on HEAVY.
Editorial: Dave McCormick dreams of strengthening science, but Trump is researchers’ worst nightmare
In a recently published op-ed extolling the lifesaving virtues of federally funded research at institutions such as Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Sen. Dave McCormick called for doubling funding for the National Institutes of Health.
Nearly 10 months at sea. Families now count the hours until USS Lincoln docks
Sailors went months without setting foot in a port after the carrier got called to the Middle East to fight the war in Iran
LeBron James Quickly Puts Joel Embiid Rumor to Bed
LeBron James reportedly called out Joel Embiid for being late to Philadelphia 76ers practice. That report turned out to be false, as James himself shut down the rumor.
Fire destroys Clymer barn, business
CLYMER – Fire destroyed a tarp business and barn on Ravlin Hill Road in Clymer on Tuesday – though the family’s home was saved. Firefighters from six area volunteer fire departments responded to the fire around 5 a.m. after Clymer firefighters called for mutual aid. Surrounding departments, starting with the Stanley Hose Company from Sherman, […]
Japan, U.S. business leaders urge governments to boost AI cooperation
Japanese and U.S. business leaders on Wednesday called on their governments to step up cooperation on artificial intelligence, ranging from measures to support corporate procurement of necessary power sources to harmonizing governance of the rapidly growing technology.
Proposed 324-unit apartment project at Sarasota cottages falls through
The project, known as 1899 Fruitville, called for a 324-unit apartment complex.
At Black business expo, officials urge owners to speak up
State and federal lawmakers called for more Black small business owners, who disproportionately face economic challenges, to meet with elected officials and ask for support.
Phil Collins considering song about US called ‘Fat People with Guns’
NEW YORK — Phil Collins says he may soon start work on a derogative song about U.S. firearm culture and obesity while taking a few shots at President Donald Trump
Colonie Police raise concerns over mental health crisis response and aftercare
The Colonie Police Department responded to a domestic incident on Tattersall Lane Wednesday morning. It all happened after a woman called police claiming that her partner was committing acts of sel…
Stephen A. Smith issues apology over controversial Lane Johnson mental health take
Following Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson's retirement announcement, figures across the NFL called out Smith for how he discussed the news.
PlayStation Store Sale “Player’s Choice” Live on October 7
Sony has a new PlayStation Store sale live now, and it's called the "Player's Choice" promotion. In total it has 4955 items included, though this includes a game's different editions,…
NASA’s Curiosity Captures Dawn Breaking on Wind-Carved Cliffs
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this panorama of sunrise illuminating distant, wind-carved features called yardangs on Aug. 11, 2026, the 4,982nd Martian
Joel Klatt Says Michigan’s Scheme Doesn’t Fit Its Players
Joel Klatt called Michigan's loss at Minnesota and walked away blaming something bigger than the players. #GoBlue
German politicians warn of antisemitism on October 7 anniversary
Leading German politicians including Chancellor Merz and President Steinmeier called for people to reject antisemitism.
Google experiments with an AI-powered gaming platform
Google Labs is working on a new AI-powered game-creation platform called Playground for users to build browser-based games using simple text prompts.