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Health benefits platform Thatch reaches $1B valuation as healthcare costs surge
The five-year-old startup raised $108 million from The General Partnership, Index Ventures, General Catalyst, and Andreessen Horowitz.
Dangote reveals the business mistake that cost him billions 30 years ago after Chinese and Indian imports left nearly 8,000 workers jobless
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has revealed that one of his biggest business mistakes was investing heavily in Nigeria’s textile industry, a venture he eventually abandoned after struggling to compete with imports from China and India
Venture Capital Investments in Maternal Health Startups
A new study by LDI Fellows identified 172 VC-backed maternal health startups, but fewer than half accepted insurance and only 34% took Medicaid.
U.S. health officials move quickly to deploy medical AI despite concerns
Federal projects are rolling out AI agents that offer therapy and prescribe medicine, raising concerns about safety and the influence of venture capital investors.
Ricoh invests in mental health technology company Intellect through the RICOH Innovation Fund Ⅱ | Global
Ricoh Company, Ltd. today announced that it has invested in Intellect Company Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company providing a mental health platform for organizations, through its corporate venture capital (CVC) fund, the RICOH Innovation Fund Ⅱ.
Kansas State Fair crowds drive business spike in Hutchinson
The event will last through Sunday, drawing thousands of visitors to Hutchinson — many of whom will venture into the city to see what local businesses have to offer.
Kansas State Fair crowds drive business spike around Hutchinson
The Kansas State Fair is officially underway after kicking off over the weekend. The event will continue over the next seven days, drawing thousands of visitors to Hutchinson — many of whom will venture into the city to see what local businesses have to offer.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Jong REMASTER announced for PS5, Switch, and PC
City Connection has announced mahjong adventure game remaster Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Jong REMASTER for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch in 2027 in Japan. It will support Jap…
Crypto regulation bill nears Senate vote amid debate over Trump ventures
The Senate could vote as soon as Tuesday on landmark legislation spelling out how the federal government regulates cryptocurrency and digital assets
Crypto regulation bill nears Senate vote amid debate over Trump ventures
The Senate could vote as soon as Tuesday on landmark legislation spelling out how the federal government regulates cryptocurrency and digital assets
Crypto regulation bill nears Senate vote amid debate over Trump ventures
The Senate could vote as soon as Tuesday on landmark legislation spelling out how the federal government regulates cryptocurrency and digital assets
Crypto regulation bill nears Senate vote amid debate over Trump ventures
The Senate could vote as soon as Tuesday on landmark legislation spelling out how the federal government regulates cryptocurrency and digital assets
Casper Pickleball and Sports Complex to swap batting cages for multi-course adventure park
CASPER, Wyo. –– Batting practice will make way for ninja warriors after a remodel at the Casper Pickleball and Sports Complex. According to CEO and
'Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett, Authentic invest in creators
Star podcaster Steven Bartlett is joining with Authentic Brands Group to grow creator businesses through a venture called OBSN.
SENA Health Secures Series A Financing to Accelerate Growth and Expand AI and Technology Capabilities
SENA Health, a New Jersey-based AI-powered healthcare access and care coordination company, today announced it has secured Series A financing led by Rittenhouse Ventures. The funding will support the expansion of SENA's Clinical Command Center and global operations. SENA is dedicated to relentlessly reducing friction in healthcare by reducing the administrative burden for healthcare organizations, making it easier for patients to access care, and enabling providers and staff to focus on deliveri
Traverse Group Launches ToyVerse, Dynamic New Venture in the Global Toy Business
Traverse Group, a privately owned retail group generating over $1 billion annually in GMV, has officially announced its expansion into the global toy market with the launch of its new venture, ToyVerse.
'To Invention & Adventure Together' - Xbox Boss Visits Kojima Productions To Mark New Era
Discussing future plans
Punch Brothers talk ‘unsung’ album ahead of Hancher show
Gazette music writer Ed Condran has high praise for “The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers,” calling it one of the finest records of 2026. You can decide for yourself when the band plays Wednesday in Iowa City.
Freya Industries raises SEK 6M to expand drone detection business
Swedish drone detection company Freya Industries has closed a SEK 6 million (approx. EUR 500k) round that will fund orders and expansion through Europe. Foundry ventures, Longswan Ventures, Propel Capital, Saminvest AB (via Annexstruktur), Schyssta Änglar, Sting and a small group of private investors contributed to the round. Freya’s sensors are designed to detect drones
Exclusive: Nara Health raises $10M for benefits admin
Khosla Ventures led the third-party administration startup's funding.
KGW News
KGW is the NBC TV affiliate in Portland, Oregon, delivering the latest news, weather, traffic and sports for Oregon and SW Washington on TV, online at kgw.com and on mobile via the free KGW News app: on.kgw.com/app Check our channel every Friday for a new Oregon adventure from Grant's Getaways. Every week, look for a new in-depth political discussion on Straight Talk with Stephanie Domurat. And every day you can get headlines on demand with the Top Stories from our newscasts!
Read the memo: PwC US plans big changes to offshore structure in India
PwC US plans to form a new joint venture with PwC India, Paul Griggs told staff in a memo sent on Saturday.
Sooo ... About Last Night
Yesterday (Sat., Sept. 12, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona for Noche UFC 4. Although this year’s Noche UFC event didn’t have the hype of previous years, it was still a solid card. Even without Yair Rodriguez in the main event, all of the matchups promised excitement, […]
Sterling woman turns farm hobbies into business venture
Shannon Jacobs, along with her husband Brent, is the founder and owner of Roots Market, their farmstead business on the couple’s 3.5 acres between Sterling and Morrison.
'Julián' review: 'Julián Is a Mermaid' is now a wonderful movie
Three cheers for this family-friendly adventure about love, identity, and finding your community.
For Liam Neeson, Zachary Levi, making ‘The Fix’ ‘a heck of an adventure’
“The Fix” revels in its action, patriotism and suspense as military veterans – led by Liam Neeson’s Larry and Zachary Levi’s Tucker – go undercover in the Mideast for a rescue and a big haul.
KGW News
KGW is the NBC TV affiliate in Portland, Oregon, delivering the latest news, weather, traffic and sports for Oregon and SW Washington on TV, online at kgw.com and on mobile via the free KGW News app: on.kgw.com/app Check our channel every Friday for a new Oregon adventure from Grant's Getaways. Every week, look for a new in-depth political discussion on Straight Talk with Stephanie Domurat. And every day you can get headlines on demand with the Top Stories from our newscasts!
Wilmington health tech founder launches new venture
Several years after launching his health tech startup Artemis Immersive, founder Adam Isley is setting his sights on new horizons. Co-founded in 2023 by husband-and-wife Adam Isley and Kaylan Barbrey, along with Matthew Raffa and Bill Blakesley, Artemis Immersive began as a spatial medtech company that created digital renderings of medical scans for viewing in augmented reality (AR). Isley said the firm, which won an NC Tech award in the Biotech + HealthTech Innovation category last year, has raised $1.2 million in total in seed funding since launching. Isley has since created a new venture, Research and Me, building on the Artemis platform. Like Artemis Immersive’s core software, VoxScan, Research and Me combines health data with artificial intelligence in a 3D interactive environment to help patients better understand health outcomes and provide integrative wellness support. While the Artemis product is no longer Isley’s primary focus, he said the company’s technology and ambitions have evolved into different ventures, like Research and Me. "It's a different venture building on the Artemis platform, and there'll probably be more,” Isley said. He added, "I was very disappointed in the quality of the information available to general patients about their healthcare... I wanted to give patients more and a better plate of choices." Research and Me is still in its beta phase, Isley said, with usability testing ongoing in partnership with the firm’s partner, Medicap Pharmacy and Wellness Center, owned by Barbrey. "As someone who's kind of dedicated their life to working in healthcare, I've tried to bring this spirit and passion to it,” he said, “and a lot of the resources that we'll be providing are free — like a base level of free care for any patients, or medical education if they've got specific conditions." Isley describes Research and Me as a “patient-first” platform designed to securely store and pseudonymize health data and use AI and medical literature to generate insights. The insights are presented in an interactive 3D environment for patients and providers to explore conditions, treatments and wellness plans together. "It's almost like a democratization of understanding medical information," Isley said. "We take a whole bunch of clinical data, we take a whole bunch of peer‑reviewed, published studies on PubMed, and we try to turn them into chunks of information that normal humans can understand." Like VoxScan, the Research and Me platform lets users interact with 3D anatomical models for visualization. The platform provides a space for tracking, notes and insights. The platform also supports video conferencing, Isley said, allowing providers or coaches to examine models and data together. "We wanted to create a safe environment where you can start to learn and experiment with new features about your health, using agents to do that,” Isley said. While Research and Me is in beta-phase testing with Medicap Pharmacy, Isley said he envisions the platform serving a wellness-oriented community, working with sports performance clinics and hormone optimization. Isley, who is working towards a wellness-coach board certification, also plans to offer functional wellness consults through the platform. Long‑term, Isley says he wants the platform to embody an “integrative health practitioner” approach, “connecting experts of different fields and specializations in a way that they can make a greater impact in people's lives.” “For people in the state of North Carolina, it's already a win,” Isley said of the Medicap rollout, noting that partner clinics get “immediate resources for learning about their health and wellness conditions… out of the box.” Isley plans to launch Research and Me’s provider portal in 2028 and begin pursuing integrations with larger systems, he said.
Doing business in Canada: Business organization and corporate governance
Businesses establishing a presence in Canada typically choose among incorporation (federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) or under an equivalent provincial statute), partnership (general, limited or limited liability, depending on the province), joint venture, sole proprietorship, or extra-provincial registration of an existing foreign entity as a branch.
$7.9M federal grant to extend Venture Parkway could spur jobs at Redding business park
The City of Redding has received a $7.9 million federal grant to extend a road through Stillwater Business Park, opening more land for potential business
Enter Seton Hall's $50k Pirates Pitch for High School Students Startup
Are you a high school entrepreneur who dreams of launching a new venture? Or do you already run your own business? Enter Seton Hall's $50,000 Pirates Pitch for High School Students Startup Competition
This Lehigh Valley restaurant is closing, announces ‘new business venture’
Katie’s Country Kitchen will close less than a year after it opened in its new Lehigh Valley home.
The Baltic Powers Available Now for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition! - Age of Empires
Hello adventurers, a Shipment from the Home City has arrived! The Baltic Powers DLC for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is available now, and comes
How NFL brought 49ers-Rams to 'sports mad' Australia
The NFL's latest and farthest international venture is to Melbourne, Australia. How did the 49ers and Rams fit into those plans?
Ketchup Entertainment Lands U.S. Distribution Rights to 'ViQueens'
Ketchup Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to ViQueens, the 3DCG animated Viking adventure that marks the first animated feature from director Harald Zwart, whose credits include The
NMSU FIRE Venture Fellow completes summer internship with El Paso health innovation startup
Grace Valentine Olagunju, a New Mexico State University graduate student and member of the 2026 Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy Venture Fellows cohort, has completed a summer internship with...
Enchanted Forest Water Safari's Autumn Adventure Returns
Families can celebrate fall in the Adirondacks with Autumn Adventure at Enchanted Forest Water Safari, featuring rides, Halloween activities and seasonal fun.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is ready for the new Siri
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is ready for your next adventure.
Thunder Road Films & Lit Entertainment Group Launch TR/AK Media Co.
Thunder Road has with Lit Entertainment Group to launch TR/AK, a new media venture centered on commercially ambitious film and television.
He Poured His Retirement Savings into a Business — and It Failed Spectacularly: 'I'm Working Harder Than Ever.'
He regrets losing the entirety of his $180,000 retirement savings in a failed business venture.
Koei Tecmo and Gust announce The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother for PS5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC
Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust, in cooperation with TOHO Games, have announced mystery solving adventure game The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother for PlayStation 5, Switch 2…
Trading Cards Growth, Pokémon Apocalypse: A Chat With Peter Levin
A chat with Peter Levin, founder of venture firm Griffin Gaming Partners, on Hollywood's forays into the trading card business and how he curates his own 500,000-plus card collection.
Barcelona vs Feyenoord, Champions League: TV & Streaming, Live Thread
Join us for the first Barcelona European adventure of the season!
Luma locks down 15-year, $410M fund for life science investments
Luma Group today announced the final close of its inaugural life sciences venture capital fund, totaling $410 million. The New York-based investment firm has had a grip on life sciences since its founding in 2023. The funds unveiled today, dubbed LumaBio Fund I, include investments that have already been made into more than 10 biotechs. They include the likes of eye disease-focused Character Biosciences, rebranded Belgian biotech Coultreon Biopharma and cellular rejuvenation company Altos Labs. The fund saw early success when one of the companies it co-founded, called Vaccine Company, was picked up by Eli Lilly earlier this year for up to $1.55 billion. The acquisition of the in vivo nanoparticle technology-focused biotech formed part of a trio of vaccine buys for the Big Pharma, which has itself been on a prolonged spending spree in 2026. Luma's fund is structured as a 15-year investment with plans to support groundbreaking science and support companies through key milestones from discovery to commercialization, Luma explained in the release. "We founded Luma Group on the belief that extraordinary science, supported by patient, long-term capital, has the power to improve millions of lives," Joshua Fink, founder and managing member of Luma Group, said in the release. "This fund represents more than capital—it is a commitment to partnering with extraordinary innovators as they translate visionary science into life-changing medicines."
Donald Trump Jr.'s venture capital firm rejects House Democrat's accusations of "insider political influence"
Rep. Jamie Raskin launched an investigation last month into the president's son's investment firm and its "almost clairvoyant" business moves.
These are the best things to do in Brevard this weekend, Sept. 11-17
Find your weekend adventure! Zoo days, live music and theater auditions top our list of Brevard's best things to do.
Slime Molds and a double Ig Nobel Prize winner and a big, great science adventure
” ‘This is dangerous’: slime moulds and the bitter debate over the nature of intelligence — Scientists are battling over whether supposedly simple organisms should be considered ‘intelligent’…
Health-oriented Korean rice bowl restaurant opens on Whitney Avenue
BIBIM, a new venture from the owner of bb.q Chicken, aims to offer affordable, healthy Korean fare in a customizable form. In its opening week, the restaurant has sold 1,000 bowls, according to a manager.
Star Stable Entertainment reduces workforce by 20% to secure long-term future of its multiplayer horse adventure RPG
Interim CEO says by "reducing operating costs and refocusing resources," Star Stable will be in the "best possible position to adapt and grow"
He lost $180K in retirement savings, now drives Uber and Lyft at 58
Bill Lewis, a former Wall Street broker, now drives for Uber and Lyft after losing his retirement savings in a failed franchise venture.
Red Cell Partners lands Pentagon contract that could generate $100M for its portfolio startups
Red Cell Partners, a McLean venture firm, won a Pentagon contract worth up to $100 million to identify cost-saving opportunities using AI technology from its portfolio startups.
Fifty years of the Maison d’Ailleurs: a mecca for science fiction fans
From prison to sci-fi wonderland, Yverdon's Maison d’Ailleurs is more than a museum – it’s an adventure.
Zinc: British Business Bank Commits Up To £46 Million To Science-For-Impact Fund
The British Business Bank has agreed to commit up to £46 million to Zinc Capital Management's Science-for-Impact Fund, providing a cornerstone investment for the early-stage venture fund focused on UK deep tech companies addressing health and environmental challenges.
Bob on Business: Fall football arrives with H-E-B, tequila and bobbleheads corporate tie-ins
Also, a merger, some cold martinis for Southlake, a joint venture and Bowie House gets a refi.
A canine adventure: Virginia Beach business takes dogs on hikes
In June, Jodi Moore Burns opened Hike Doggie, a mobile pet services franchise that provides professional dog hiking and outdoor adventure experiences.
Valencia vs Barcelona, La Liga: TV & Streaming, Live Thread
Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!
40 Years Ago, Konami Changed the Video Game Industry Forever
Without Konami's early hit, it's difficult to see how we would have gotten to Dark Souls and other gothic adventures.
Metaplanet’s Business Head Phil Geiger Departs to Pursue New Bitcoin Ventures
A major leadership departure has happened in Metaplanet. Phil Geiger, who served as Head of Business Development at the leading Japanese Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet, has announced his departure from the company as he takes on new roles across the Bitcoin ecosystem. Geiger shared the update on LinkedIn, saying he had “wrapped up” his time
From a taqueria to a café: The California businesses linked to relatives of ‘El Mencho’
The brother and youngest daughter of the man who led the Jalisco New Generational Cartel opened business ventures in the cities of Hemet and Perris
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. 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: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
The Grimm Reapress and the Drearytale Monster coming west in 2027 for PS5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC
NIS America will release storybook adventure game The Grimm Reapress and the Drearytale Monster for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2027 in the west, the publisher announced. I…
Critical Public Health: Fiscal Reform Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and It’s Public Health Implications
The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is framed by its proponents as the largest middle-class tax cut in U.S. history and a catalyst for economic growth. Yet, beneath the marketing of ‘jobs, tax cuts, and American prosperity’, the legislation conceals sweeping rollbacks of Medicaid, food assistance, education, reproductive care, and expanded immigration enforcement, alongside tax windfalls for venture capital and immigration enforcement.
Women’s Champions League: Inter’s opponents
A historic moment and an extraordinary achievement that marks the start of a new adventure for Inter Women: the Nerazzurre will compete in the UEFA Women's Champions League League Phase for the first ...
AMC Entertainment Shares Rise 9.1% Following Leawood Films Distribution Launch
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) shares rose 9. 1% in pre-market trading as investors assessed the cinema operator’s recently announced Leawood Films distribution venture alongside its latest financial performance.
CVS Health Ventures looks beyond healthcare for its next bets
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Before you sign: What imaging joint venture contracts leave out
In this Radiology Business opinion piece, radiologist Mayur Virarkar, MD, MBA, discusses some of the key lessons learned from reviewing 30 years of literature on JV deals.
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
West Palm Beach mayor gets ethics clearance for private business venture
West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James has been approved by the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics to start a private business venture while in office, with restrictions to prevent conflicts of interest.
Konami announces magick action adventure game Rhapsody in Scarlet for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC
Konami has announced Rhapsody in Scarlet, an original magick-themed action adventure game coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam. A release date was not announced.
Every Indiana Jones movie, ranked from worst to best
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‘Mayday’ review: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh reboot the buddy movie
Apple TV's 'Mayday' mashes the Cold War with 'Top Gun' and every buddy adventure-comedy you've ever loved and serves it up with stars who appear to be having as much fun as audiences will.
Olive oil shop in Overland Park to close after 15 years. Owner shares next venture
“Thank you for believing in a dream that started with a simple idea and grew into something none of us could have imagined,” the owner said in a message to customers.
SM Entertainment and Tencent Music establish Beijing joint venture STE, with Super Junior-M’s Zhoumi as CEO
STE will develop and manage artists for the Greater China market, and says it’s preparing a new Chinese idol group for a debut within two to three years…
Select Medical and Corewell Health Form Joint Venture to Build New Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital in Southeast Michigan
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RuneScape Arrives on XBOX for the First Time in 25 Years with Survival Adventure RuneScape: Dragonwilds!
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'Toy Story 5' Continues Reign Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Sept. 2
Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 5 remained No. 1 on the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart through, through Sept. 2. The rest of the top four remains unchanged this week, with Focus Features’ supernatural horror film Obsession holding at No. 2 in its ninth week on the chart, and Universal’s animated adventure … Continue reading "‘Toy Story 5’ Continues Reign Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Sept. 2"
'Toy Story 5' Continues Reign Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Sept. 2
Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 5 remained No. 1 on the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.Sk. home entertainment sales chart through, through Sept. 2. The rest of the Top 4 remains unchanged this week, with Focus Features’ supernatural horror Obsession holding at No. 2 in its ninth week on the chart, and Universal’s animated adventure Minions … Continue reading "‘Toy Story 5’ Continues Reign Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Sept. 2"
Chevron expands Venezuela position, to invest $7 billion in next five years
Chevron said on Wednesday it had agreed with Venezuela on updated terms for its joint ventures in the country and plans to invest more than $7 billion over the next five years, targeting production of about 600,000 bpd.
Settle In and Get Comfortable with the Designed for XBOX Cozy Collection
Made for side quests, little adventures, and everything in between, the Designed for XBOX Cozy Collection is available now, bringing warmth and whimsy to every journey. Step into a tiny, pixelated woodland where every click, key stroke, and button tap feels like discovering a new cozy corner. The 8BitDo keyboard, mouse, and controller bring a […]
A New Adventure With A Familiar Name: The New Tudor Northflag GMT
The new Tudor Northflag M9140G1A0U-0001 with a GMT function. Powered by caliber MT5652-U. Retail price €5,100
Ocean Race Atlantic Combines Sailing, Speed, Adventure, And Science In A Very Cool Way
The inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic 2026, is a high-speed transatlantic sprint from New York City to Lorient, France that leaves September 2
Business owner loses millions worth in equipment due to Ross Fire
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AMC to Put Smaller Movies Into Theaters With New Venture
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Massive KC entertainment center closes after 13 years. ‘So many memories’
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AMC Entertainment Creates “Leawood Films” With the Aim of Having More Movies Distributed on to the Big Screen
New distribution venture will focus solely on films fully financed by their filmmakers, or already completed films, leveraging AMC's…...
State health officials confirm rabies at mobile petting zoo
Several goats at Farm Adventures in Iredell County have tested positive for rabies and may have been in direct contact with people at events while infected.
Tulane Ventures brings behavioral health company to New Orleans
Tulane Ventures has invested $250,000 in Cabana, a behavioral health platform co-founded by a Tulane alumnus, as part of a $1 million seed round that also includes 1834 Ventures.Cabana combines clinical care, community groups and tech-enabled support to embed behavioral health support — outside of medical appointments — in the lives of patients battling physical ailments.
Who is behind Monarch Collective? The 10,000-fan bet that changed women’s soccer investment
Understanding the private-equity fund behind several successful women's sports ventures
High Fertility Costs Push Americans Abroad For IVF Treatment
By LJ Dawson and KFF Health News HealthDay ReportersMONDAY, Aug. 31, 2026 (HealthDay News) — In the summer of 2024, Emilie and Justin Solomon found themselves on a top-secret mission in Greece. Their family and friends thought the adventure-loving couple was on another jet-setting vacation, but they ...
Mega Mewtwo X and Y Adventure Effects Revealed, Plus New Additional Mega Charged Attacks
The Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale introduces a major update to Mega Evolution. Eligible Mega-Evolved Pokémon can now use an additional Charged Attack, while Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y gain new Adventure Effects through Dynamic Punch+ and Future Sight+. Several other featured Mega Pokémon will also receive new Charged Attacks during the […]
North Carolina: Rabid baby goats at a mobile petting zoo prompts health warning
On Friday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported confirmed multiple rabies cases in baby goats at a mobile petting zoo located in Iredell County. They were first notified of a potential rabies exposure among four baby goats at Farm Adventures in Harmony, North Carolina on August 27. The goats were most likely exposed to rabies by a skunk that had entered the pen where they were kept in late July. The NC State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies viruses in three of the baby goats on August 28; a fourth goat was not tested but is also assumed to have been infected. Based on information gathered on August 28, it was determined that no other animals on the farm pose a risk of rabies exposure to people. Learn about rabies Anyone who had contact with baby goats from the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo either at their location in Harmony, North Carolina, or at an off-site event, between July 28 and Aug. 27, 2026, may have been exposed while the animals were infectious. Impacted individuals should contact their local health department to determine whether medications are needed to prevent infection. Individuals are encouraged to call before visiting an emergency department or urgent care clinic to determine if treatment is needed and where it can be accessed. Known potential exposure dates and locations include: July 28: Jurney’s Assisted Living, 1942 Van Haven Drive, Statesville in Iredell County July 30: Private event in Mecklenburg County Aug. 1: Community Connections Back-to-School Bash, Breeden Amphitheater, 333 S. Main St., Lexington in Davidson County Aug. 6: Brookdale Peachtree, 2806 Peachtree Road, Statesville in Iredell County Aug. 8: Private event in Watauga County Aug. 9: Private event in Burke County Aug. 15: Masonic Picnic Grounds, 201 Poplar St., Mocksville in Davie County Aug. 16: Private event in Durham County Aug. 22: Private event in Iredell County Aug. 23: Private event in Durham County Rabies is a deadly disease that can spread from wild animals to pets and people, primarily through a bite, scratch or when infected saliva touches broken skin or mucous membranes. Human rabies infections are extremely rare in the United States. No human cases have been reported in North Carolina since 2011. Rabies is almost always fatal in mammals, including people, unless medications to prevent infections are given before symptoms develop. Symptoms can begin weeks to months after someone is exposed. Early symptoms are flu-like illness including weakness, fever or headache as well as a prickling or itching sensation where someone was bitten or exposed. In 2025, over 4,000 animals were submitted to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health for rabies testing, and of these, approximately 6% tested positive. In North Carolina the disease most often occurs in wild animals especially skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices
Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.
Vicariously hike the Appalachian in the gorgeous A Trail Tale
A Trail Tale is an interactive trail journal inspired by Sierra point-and-click adventures and Oregon Trail.
How Investors Are Reacting To Tencent Music (TME) Partnering With SM Entertainment On New China JV
In August 2026, SM Entertainment announced a new joint venture with Tencent Music Entertainment Group called STE, which will focus on launching a Chinese idol group within two to three years and managing promotions for SM’s Greater China artists. This partnership links Tencent Music’s local market reach with SM’s artist IP, potentially strengthening Tencent Music’s role in China’s evolving fan-centric music ecosystem. Next, we’ll examine how this SM-Tencent Music joint venture, especially...
From The Dog Stars to Erykah Badu: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Jacob Elordi stars as a post-pandemic pilot in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi adventure, while the celebrated soul singer returns with a long-trailed collaboration
Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), Why Is It Getting Fresh Attention?
Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) is back in focus after forming STE, a joint venture with South Korea's SM Entertainment, to target the Greater China music market and develop a new Chinese idol group. For Tencent Music Entertainment Group, the share price has fallen 9.03% over the past 30 days and is down 51.51% year to date, while the 1 year total shareholder return has declined 64.32%. However, the 3 year total shareholder return of 33.04% points to longer term momentum that...
A sea cucumber venture in Zanzibar seeks to balance business and conservation
PEMBA, Tanzania — Like many coastal communities across East Africa, the residents of Shamiani have grown accustomed to watching the sea yield less and less. Warming waters, degraded marine habitats and decades of fishing pressure have all taken a toll on the resources that once sustained local livelihoods, according to community members. On Tanzania’s Pemba […]
Dev Calls Steam Branding His Adventure Game Porn 'Humiliating'
Valve's decision to slap the PEGI 12-rated indie game Future? No Thanks! with an adults-only rating on Steam has led its developer to seek support from 'top German regulators'