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The World Health Assembly adopts updated Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2026–2036)
Geneva, 23 May 2026 – Member States at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) adopted the updated Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance (GAP-AMR) 2026–2036, marking a major milestone in the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and delivering on a key commitment contained in the 2024 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on AMR. The updated plan was developed through a consultative process led by the Quadripartite organizations – FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH – with extensive engagement of Member States and stakeholders across sectors. AMR remains one of the most significant global health and development challenges, affecting humans, animals, plants, food systems and the environment. The updated GAP-AMR provides a comprehensive One Health framework to guide coordinated global, regional and national action over the next decade. It builds on the foundation established by the original GAP-AMR adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2015 while reflecting evolving evidence, lessons learned, and the commitments made at the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting on AMR. During the Assembly, Member States expressed broad support for the updated plan and its strengthened multisectoral and One Health approach. Delegates highlighted the importance of prevention-first interventions, including infection prevention and control, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), vaccination, biosecurity, and environmental measures. They also highlighted the need for responsible, equitable and sustainable use of antimicrobials, strengthened surveillance, innovation, and sustainable agrifood systems. The updated GAP-AMR is intended to serve as the global framework for coordinated action against AMR through 2036. It aims to accelerate global progress towards the commitments and targets agreed by Member States and support countries in developing, implementing and financing ambitious multisectoral national action plans. The plan also reinforces the importance of accountability, monitoring and reporting, sustainable financing, and international cooperation to address AMR through a One Health approach. The adoption of the updated GAP-AMR reflects renewed global commitment to preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials and safeguarding advances in human, animal and plant health, food security, economic development and environmental sustainability. As implementation begins, continued collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector will be critical to translating commitments into measurable impact. The Quadripartite organizations will continue supporting Member States and partners in operationalizing the updated GAP-AMR and advancing coordinated One Health action against AMR at country, regional and global levels.
Semiconductor decoupling. Powell's politics. Industrializing Ogaden. Free trade and the Magna Carta.
Thank you for opening your Chartbook email. Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 8th Army’s Front, Italy 1944 Semiconductor decoupling Source: FT One thing that Jerome Powell deeply understood is that chairing the Fed under current conditions is a deeply political job. “Powell has successes and mistakes to his name. But he stands out as having thought more carefully about the Fed’s democratic legitimacy than any chair since Paul Volcker,” said Paul Tucker, a former deputy governor at the Bank of England, referring to the Fed chair who successfully fought the great inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. … While Powell was at the Treasury in the early 1990s, he watched Alan Greenspan build relationships within the government. That convinced Powell he needed to follow the former Fed chair’s lead and spend more time in Congress than his predecessors Yellen and Bernanke. “The accountability for the Fed runs through Congress,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed official who is now chief economist at New Century Advisors. “That’s not just about having people on speed dial — it’s answering questions, explaining policy and getting feedback.” Source: FT Ethiopia’s PM Abiy and Nigerian business tycoon, with Chinese engineering, are driving industrialization in Ogaden/Somali region of Ethiopia. - Michael Masri’s reporting for Africa Report if fascinating. Ethiopia has launched a cluster of large industrial schemes in the Somali region, laying foundation stones for a urea plant and an oil refinery in Gode while opening the first two phases of the Ogaden LNG project. Abiy Ahmed framed the push as part of a broader strategy to link energy, agriculture and industry. “These projects embody more than industrial growth,” he said. “They represent our shared responsibility to harness opportunities, strengthen co-operation and promote peace.” The Gode urea plant, backed by Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), is designed for 3m tonnes a year. Dangote owns 60%, while EIH holds 40%. Officials say Dangote’s equity totals about $2.5bn, while the state provides land and implementation oversight. Gas from the Calub fields will be piped 108km to the site. Construction is slated for 40 months, with operations targeted for 2028. Ethiopia imports most of its fertiliser, spending more than $1.2bn a year for 1.5m–2m tonnes. Usage was roughly 1.7m tonnes in 2023, almost half of it urea, and demand for 2024–25 is put above 2.4m tonnes. If delivered on time, the Gode plant could cover domestic needs and allow exports to neighbours. Brook Taye, chief executive of EIH, called the venture “a significant milestone in the journey toward industrial self-sufficiency”. Dangote told the groundbreaking crowd that the complex would be integrated with gas supply and a polypropylene unit to support local inputs. He pointed to Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), with a capacity of more than 5,000MW, and noted his group’s cement operations and expansion plans. The Gode refinery is being developed by Golden Concord Group of China. It is designed to process 3.5m tonnes a year of crude and condensate from the Hilala field, with associated storage. Backers say it will ease foreign-exchange pressure from fuel imports and anchor further industrial activity, including a proposed steel smelting site in Dire Dawa. GCL’s chair, Zhu Gongshan, cast the project as “a key step in Ethiopia’s path to energy sovereignty”, underscoring the Beijing–Addis ties. Financing details are still being finalised, but the refinery is central to the government’s energy-security narrative. Source: The Africa Report Dangote’s Ethiopian vision: Dangote began with cement. His crown jewel, Dangote Cement, dominates Nigeria’s market and has 10 operations in other nations in Africa. The formula has been consistent: identify sectors with chronic shortages – cement, fertiliser, sugar – commit massive local investments, and scale up to serve regional demand. Ethiopia was a natural extension of that model. In 2015, Dangote launched the Mugher Cement Plant outside Addis Ababa at a cost of $600m, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The investment gave him a firm foothold in one of Africa’s fastest-growing construction markets. But success came with risks. In May 2018, violent unrest led to the killing of Dangote’s country manager and temporary shutdowns at Mugher. While other investors might have retreated, Dangote doubled down. Today, he is preparing to spend $400m to expand Mugher’s capacity to 5 million tonnes, alongside a new grinding unit near Addis Ababa. Cement is just one market Dangote is targeting. Ethiopia’s enormous state-controlled sugar industry, long plagued by inefficiency and debt, has struggled for years to reform. Its Omo Kuraz Sugar Development Project, touted as one of the continent’s largest initiatives, continues to face delays and mismanagement. … The most ambitious venture of all is the planned fertiliser production complex in Gode, Somali region. Publicised on 28 August 2025, the Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) deal plans one of the world’s largest single-site urea manufacturing plants. The project costs an estimated $2.5bn and has an estimated capacity of 3 million metric tonnes annually, a rate that would not only render Ethiopia independent, but even a net exporter of fertiliser. EIH, the state wealth fund of Ethiopia, will hold 40%, while 60% is held by Dangote Group. … For Dangote, Ethiopia is a trifecta: Cement demand is projected to grow by 10% annually, its sugar consumption is growing with rapid urbanisation, and fertiliser demand is all but insatiable, given that farming supports the livelihood of 70% of Ethiopians. Source: The Africa Report The stakes for Abiy are high: For Addis Ababa, the $4bn fertiliser project in Ethiopia’s Somali region is no longer simply a manufacturing investment. It is increasingly being framed as a strategic state project tied to food sovereignty, import substitution and the government’s broader attempt to build economic resilience under mounting fiscal pressure. “Becoming self-sufficient in food is our main agenda,” Abiy says during the visit. “Land is needed; we have it. Water is needed; we have it. Human resources are needed; we have it.” The scale is enormous even by African industrial standards. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce three million metric tonnes of urea annually, potentially making it one of the continent’s largest fertiliser complexes. Ethiopian officials say the project now includes a 110km gas pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant. For a government grappling with chronic foreign exchange shortages, ballooning import bills and pressure on agricultural productivity, the numbers matter politically as much as they do economically. The decision to anchor the project in Gode is deliberate. Long viewed as peripheral to Ethiopia’s industrial economy, the Somali region is now being repositioned by the federal government as a future irrigation and agro-industrial corridor. Officials argue that the area’s vast land reserves and access to water could eventually support large-scale commercial farming capable of reshaping Ethiopia’s food economy. The government is simultaneously building housing infrastructure for about 5,000 residents near the plant, while officials project broader industrial expansion along the corridor. Abiy goes further, comparing the long-term revenue potential of the Gode development zone with Ethiopia’s flagship state enterprise. “The investments we are making in this Gode area, combined, will generate high revenue for Ethiopia, at par with Ethiopian Airlines,” he says. Source: The Africa Report Feliks Topolski 1907-1982 Topolski’s Chronicle, ‘Nazi Revival’, Vol. 8, Is. 1-2, 1960 HEY READERS, THANK YOU for opening the Chartbook email. I hope it brightens your day. I enjoy putting out the newsletter, but tbh, what keeps this flow going is the generosity of those readers who clicked the subscription button. Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash If you are persuaded to click, please consider the annual subscription of $50. It is both better value for you and a much better deal for me, as it involves only one credit card charge. Why feed the payments companies if we don’t have to. Subscribe Grim vision of drone warfare by Sylvie Kaufmann For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe The state of the art in Colbert-studies. Jean-Baptiste Colbert was Louis XIV chief minister from 1661 to 1683 and traditionally seen as an architect of absolutism and mercantilism. Alexander Hamilton later cited him as an inspiration in 1782. Now his legacy is disputed. Daniel Dessert, the chief critic, sees Colbert as the orchestrator not so much of an absolutist state as of an elite cabal. Would be great to have a good English-language review of this important debate. Source: lhistoire Didn’t know that the Magna Carta included free trade provisions Fighting for the right to the beach in Oregon in 1967: Source: Research Gate RAF Station – British and Polish Flags, c. 1940-45, The Ingram Collection Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 ink and wash If you’ve scrolled this far, you know you want to click: Subscribe
5 Big Moments in the Texas Republican Senate Race
The contest between the incumbent John Cornyn and his challenger Ken Paxton will culminate in a Tuesday runoff. Here are the developments that shaped the campaign.
Great Lakes Maritime Initiative aims to strengthen shipbuilding, jobs and the environment
University of Michigan launches Great Lakes Maritime Initiative to boost shipbuilding, innovation and workforce development across the region.
Bernie Sanders warns of 'the most transformative economic revolution in the history of this country'
Sen. Bernie Sanders warned that AI and robotics controlled by billionaires could replace American workers and harm children's social development.
Brigandine: Abyss demo now available for PC
A demo for fantasy war strategy RPG Brigandine: Abyss is now available for PC Steam, developer Happinet Corporation announced. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Switch 2 versions will follow at a lat…
How integrating tradition and self-care has strengthened public health in the Americas
On 13 May 2026, a regional dialogue for the Americas titled, Innovative Experiences to Strengthen Health and Self-Care through Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine, was hosted by EsSalud, the government agency responsible for social security and health care in Peru.The event brought together representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO collaborating centres, the health sector and academia. It presented regional perspectives from BrBolivia, Brazil, Mexico and Peru to explore how self-care and traditional medicine can strengthen public health, empower communities and support more inclusive models of care. Across all four countries, a clear message emerged: traditional medicine is not being positioned as an alternative to formal systems, but as a way to strengthen them. In the Americas region, the challenge is to consolidate intercultural and holistic care, with the aim of strengthening the healthcare system – making care more preventive, culturally relevant and community-based.Peru: institutionalizing complementary care over 28 years Dr Martha Villar López from EsSalud Peru demonstrated how integration can be institutionalized over time. With nearly three decades of investment, including a research programme dating back to 1998, traditional medicine is now embedded within public health infrastructure. EsSalud’s flagship programme, Reforma de Vida, operating as Prevenir, takes multidisciplinary teams into workplaces to reduce and detect risk factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases. Education cycles are structured around three pillars: celestial nourishment, focused on life purpose and movement; terrestrial nourishment, centred on regional food and healthy diets; and human nourishment, addressing identity, relationships, stress and spirituality. Grounded in Andean cosmovision and the principle of the ayllu, the programme aligns with local cultural values. Since 2007, it has trained over 6600 health leaders, certified more than 3100 health-friendly organizations and built alliances with nearly 11 000 employers.Bolivia: legal recognition and medical pluralism Adelino Pau Carpacheco, an 82-year-old Callawaya healer, described working with more than 220 medicinal plants, supported by deep generational knowledge. Traditional healers and plant medicine are highly respected in the country. Bolivia’s contribution also highlighted the role of policy in enabling integration. Through Law 459, traditional medicine has been formally recognized within a legal framework and led the country to medical pluralism where traditional medicine coexists with biomedicine, and both are now offered free of charge through the public health system. Mexico: preserving Indigenous knowledge and reinventing food culture Mexico presented two complementary approaches focused on knowledge preservation and food systems. In Veracruz, communities partnered with a university to safeguard Totonac traditional medicine through a diploma programme launched in 2019. This collaboration has already produced practical outputs, including manuals and a dictionary, helping to sustain knowledge at risk due to migration and generational change. Alongside this, Dr Hernán García, Directorate of Traditional Medicine and Intercultural Development – Mexico, explained how the Dieta de la Milpa programme addresses Mexico’s dual burden of malnutrition and rising noncommunicable diseases. Rooted in traditional Mayan cultivation systems and ingredients, it promotes healthier diets through community-led, intercultural approaches involving local authorities, Indigenous leaders and cooks. By reconnecting food, culture and health, it offers a practical pathway to prevention. Brazil: community therapy as a public health tool Brazil’s experience centred on Integrative Community Therapy, a methodology developed over 40 years ago by Dr Adalberto Barreto and now used in more than 47 countries. Therapy circles create spaces where participants share experiences and coping strategies, building social support networks at very low cost. Within Brazil’s Unified Health System, the approach has expanded rapidly since its inclusion in national policy in 2017. By 2025, more than five million integrative practice procedures were delivered annually in primary care, with registrations for this therapy increasing by over 500% in eight years. The main challenge now is equity, with access still concentrated in urban areas such as São Paulo. A shared regional direction against a global backdrop Drawing these experiences together, Dr Natalia Aldana of the TCIM Network of the Americas highlighted the shared outcomes of the interventions discussed. Such approaches strengthen healthy behaviours, social networks and community resilience; they are low-cost, adaptable and enable active participation in care, while showing potential to reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases.The regional momentum mirrors a broader global shift. Dr João Paulo Souz, Director of BIREME (Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information), the specialized center of PAHO/WHO, emphasized that the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 promotes a vision centred on people, evidence and integrated use. He noted that health should be understood through the relationships between people, community, nature and spirituality. Self-care interventions as a critical pathway towards universal health coverage Dr Manjulaa Narasimhan, Unit Head for Sexual Health and Well-being across the Life-course at WHO, delivered a presentation titled Advancing Self-Care in Traditional Medicine: Aligning the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 with the WHO Self-Care Framework, co-authored by Dr Geetha Krishnan Gopalakrishna Pillai, Unit Head for Research, Data and Innovation at the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre. WHO recommends self-care interventions for every country and economic setting as a critical path to reach universal health coverage – and traditional medicine acts as a bridge for self-care. Dr Narasimhan explained that traditional medicine contributes most effectively to self-care when embedded directly into primary health care, not operating in parallel, siloed systems. This, she stated, “is possibly the only sustainable way to deliver continuity of care that meets the needs, rights and priorities of communities and individuals”. The Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 is a move towards a more people-centred approach to health care that champions holistic approaches to health equity and patient autonomy.The integration of traditional medicine and self-care requires collaboration across disciplines, clear referral pathways, trained health and care workers, and strong leadership that supports integration. The WHO self-care competency framework defines 10 key competencies for health and care workers to support self-care in their clinical practice, supported by the WHO guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being. These documents help health-care workers safeguard their own well-being and ensure that care is consistent, safe and grounded in shared standards and values.Together, the discussion through this dialogue points to a fundamental shift in how health systems are designed in the region, and globally, towards models that are more inclusive, culturally-grounded and responsive to the needs of the communities they serve. It is a move towards a system where traditional medicine is respected and responsibly integrated, where self-care provides empowerment and evidence-based care, and where health systems are supportive rather than being distant from these systems.Traditional medicine perspectives from Bolivia, Mexico and Peru - WHO's "Restoring Balance" seriesInnovative Experiences to Strengthen Health and Self-Care through Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine was streamed in Spanish, with Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. Recordings are available through the CABSIN YouTube channel with Portuguese subtitles and on the BVS MTCI Americas YouTube channel with Spanish subtitles. Dr Narasimhan’s session can be watched in English on both channels.
Fujitsu develops self-evolving multi-AI agent technology that learns and adapts to business operations
Fujitsu Limited today announced the development of a self-evolving multi-AI agent technology that enables multiple AI agents to perform tasks as a team, continuously and safely learning from daily execution results, human feedback, policy revisions, and specification changes.
BottleRock artists criticize Trump, spark anti-ICE chants
Concious hip-hop pioneers Arrested Development and performers Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker delivered some of BottleRock’s most political moments at BottleRock Napa Valley 2026.
Jonisa McBride joins UGA SBDC to champion Southeast Georgia small businesses
Navigating the evolving economic landscape will be a key focus for businesses in Southeast Georgia, with Jonisa McBride now leading the charge at the UGA Small Business Development Center in Statesboro. Her commitment to community leadership and proven track record in business development offer a valuable resource for entrepreneurs.
AI is getting worse as Google and Anthropic nerf AI models and limit usage
Evidence is mounting that the subsidization of AI is ending in real time. Will businesses still shell out for it?
Seattle Mariners' Miller relishing return to good health
Seattle Mariners starter Bryce Miller is having fun on the mound again while fully healthy and showing increased velocity.
China’s AI growth is about ‘economic and political leverage,’ Rep Hinson says
Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, discusses why the U.S. must lead in artificial intelligence development to counter China amid growing national security concerns on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’
Grand Rapids program aims to turn river investment into business opportunities
The new initiative will provide workshops, pitch competitions, and boot camps to help entrepreneurs develop ideas for new businesses along the riverfront.
A Petition Calling on Sony to Greenlight Destiny 3 Has Over 120,000 Signatures Already — and It's Rising Fast
An online petition calling on Sony to greenlight the development of Destiny 3 has seen over 120,000 signatures, but it seems unlikely that the game will be made.
KernelScript: A Programming Language For Kernel Customization & App Optimizations
Multikernel Technologies Inc has been working on a multi-kernel architecture for the Linux kernel while in addition to that they have been developing KernelScript as a domain-specific language for carrying out Linux kernel customizations and app-specific optimizations.
Local business supports Humboldt Commons
Humboldt Commons, a project in design and development, is the result of community support and years of dedication by Life Plan Humboldt, a grassroots nonprofit formed by local residents who want more choices for aging well in Humboldt…
China’s desire for endless youth is wiping out donkeys
Brazilian researchers are developing a lab-grown alternative to ejiao, a traditional medicine made from donkey skin.
TMG Holding Signs Strategic Alliance With SELA To Develop Entertainment Ecosystem In Egypt
Talaat Moustafa Group Holding EGX:TMGH:
Carmelo Anthony’s Creative 7 Productions: Strategic Partnership With Utopai Studios To Expand Sports And Entertainment IP
Carmelo Anthony, through his production company Creative 7, has become a strategic partner in Utopai Studios as the companies look to expand original sports and entertainment intellectual property development powered by cinematic AI technology.
Touchable POV Display Blooms In Mid Air
Typically, when we think of touch screens, we think of LCDs or OLEDs with a resistive or capacitive sensing layer laid over the top. However, a team from the University of Chicago has developed an …
Apple Preparing New 'Gen AI' Website Ahead of WWDC
Apple is readying the subdomain genai.apple.com, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, but it does not yet lead to a live web page. This comes a few weeks ahead of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC, where the company has promised to announce "AI advancements" across its software platforms. Apple's website already has an Apple Intelligence page, so it is unclear what the company's plans are for genai.apple.com at this time.
Brandi Glanville worries she contracted ‘sexually transmitted ringworm’ amid health troubles
For years, the reality star has been dealing with health issues tied to a parasite that developed from ruptured breast implants
A Look At Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) Valuation After Penn Station Decision And Theater Sale Plans
Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) drew fresh investor attention after confirmation that the Penn Station redevelopment will keep the existing arena in place, while a potential theater sale and federal infrastructure funding reshaped the stock’s value story. See our latest analysis for Madison Square Garden Entertainment. At a latest share price of $69.64, MSGE has seen a 12.92% 1 month share price return and a 9.31% 3 month share price return, while its 1 year total shareholder...
Dr. Julie Bazan receives UT Health SA Presidential Excellence Award
Dr. Julie Bazan recently received a Presidential Excellence Award from UT Health San Antonio for her contributions to health education, workforce development and community well being.
Scientists just found a faster, cleaner way to extract lithium for EV batteries
A breakthrough lithium-extraction method could help solve one of clean energy’s dirtiest problems. Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a fast new technique that pulls lithium directly from salty underground brines using a temperature-sensitive solvent, avoiding the giant evaporation ponds that can take years and drain precious water supplies. Even better, the method works on low-quality lithium sources that current technologies struggle to use.
Bond breakout? Big effects of bad data. Immigration and thermostatic politics & dad-chat is coming for dad-books.
Thank you for opening your Chartbook email. Anna Airy, A Shell Forge at a National Projectile Factory, Hackney Marshes, London, 1918 Bond breakout - John Authers Across the developed markets, bond markets are staging a slow-motion car wreck. Looking at the drastic moves in the US, Japan, the UK and France, Barclays’ Ajay Rajadhyaksha commented: “Last week, long bonds broke. Not in one country. In all of them. Simultaneously. Four countries. Four different political systems. Four different central banks. But the same trade — “get me out of duration!”” Each country has its own contributing political problems, but the uniformity of the shift out of long-term bonds with high duration makes clear that something broader is afoot. For Rajadhyaksha, it is “simple and uncomfortable.” The developed world “has too much debt, too little fiscal discipline, and no political appetite for fixing either.” If there’s a trigger, it has been the Iran war and the resulting shock to oil supply. Source: Bloomberg G7 countries are now borrowing at rates that were enjoyed by EM in the early 2020s For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe Trade between China and Russia has grown in recent years For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe Big effects of bad data A decade ago nearly nine in ten Americans, when approached, agreed to fill out the Current Population Survey, which is administered to about 60,000 households each month and asks about, among other things, employment. Fewer than seven in ten do so now (see chart 1). For the Consumer Expenditure Survey, which tries to capture 3,700 households monthly, the response rate is down from 68% to 40%. … When the information becomes less reliable, investment decisions get more difficult to make. Some may be delayed, creating a potential drag on the economy. A new working paper by Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University, Erica Groshen, former head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) now at Cornell University, and Duncan Hobbs and Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute, a think-tank, hazards an estimate. Preserving trust in “the integrity and quality of official statistics”, the authors claim, generates economic benefits of about $25 for every $1 spent on the BLS, the agency with an annual budget of $700m that is responsible for many of these data. To arrive at their conclusion the quartet analysed an ignoble episode in the BLS’s recent history. On August 1st 2025 Donald Trump sacked Erika McEntarfer, appointed as the agency’s commissioner by his predecessor, Joe Biden. The president alleged, without evidence, that the BLS’s steep downward revision to recent jobs numbers had been “RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad”. In fact, it was the wanton dismissal that looked bad in the eyes of many observers. In the following seven days there was a 50% leap, relative to the week before, in the average value of the index of Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU), which tracks the number of articles mentioning such uncertainty that are published daily in American newspapers. This was a discernible jump even when compared to the chaos caused by Mr Trump’s trade war in April 2025 and his real one in Iran in the past two months (see chart 2). Based on Mr Bloom’s earlier study with other colleagues of the EPU’s impact on business investment, industrial production and employment, the authors estimate that the jump reduced American GDP by over $100bn (0.3%) and non-farm payrolls by 168,000 (0.1%). Source: The Economist Immigration and thermostatic politics (Sarah O’Connor in the FT) A strange thing happened a year and a half ago. No sooner had Americans elected Donald Trump as president on an explicitly anti-immigration platform than US public opinion began to swing much more favourably towards immigration. … to political scientists who study “thermostatic” politics, this development is no surprise at all. Public opinion often moves against the prevailing party, especially if they are perceived to have gone “too far” in one direction. The phenomenon was first explored in the 1990s with reference to fiscal policy, but in recent years it has been particularly evident in the realm of immigration policy. While these swings in opinion polls can make it seem as if people don’t know their own minds, they can be a useful democratic check on governments by sending bright flashing warning lights when policies stray too far from the public’s comfort zone. The problem comes when politicians misinterpret those signals. When people tell pollsters they want less immigration, or think it is bad for the country overall (or the converse), they are often expressing an opinion about how things appear to be going in that moment relative to their preferences, rather than a deep shift in their underlying views. According to Alexander Kustov, a political scientist, most Americans’ views are quite stable and moderate: they support immigration that is controlled and in the national interest, and oppose flows that are disorderly or under-enforced. In the US, he argues the Trump administration over-interpreted dissatisfaction with high immigration under Joe Biden, and implemented policies that went too far for many voters. “People don’t necessarily change their idea about their ideal immigration policy, but they can react to what the government is currently doing,” he told me. “A lot of people are not happy with what the Trump administration are doing — right now we’re not talking about border enforcement, we’re talking about people not just getting harassed, but killed.” But similarly, he added, pro-immigration advocates would be making a mistake to interpret the recent, more favourable swing towards immigration as a deep-seated ideological shift in attitudes. The recent history of UK immigration policy offers another cautionary tale. After the 2016 Brexit referendum, public concern about immigration fell. This was partly because net migration statistics declined, but also because people felt a sense of catharsis and control, says Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, a think-tank. By 2019, the public ranked immigration as only the ninth biggest issue of concern, according to Ipsos polling. But when the Conservative government liberalised visa routes for students and care workers between 2019 and 2022, that helped net migration to surge. And so, too, did public concern. Today’s Labour government has implemented another sharply restrictive turn in immigration policy. As Kustov and researcher Caitlyn Yates argue, thermostatic public opinion should be a useful check on politicians. Instead it seems to have helped to magnify the pendulum swing in the UK. The government over-interprets and overreacts to a change in public opinion, which reacts in turn, prompting a sudden swing the other way. Source: Financial Times HEY READERS, THANK YOU for opening the Chartbook email. I hope it brightens your day. I enjoy putting out the newsletter, but tbh, what keeps this flow going is the generosity of those readers who clicked the subscription button. If you are persuaded to click, please consider the annual subscription of $50. It is both better value for you and a much better deal for me, as it involves only one credit card charge. Why feed the payments companies if we don’t have to. Subscribe Anna Airy, Shop for Machining 15-Inch Shells: Singer Manufacturing Company, Clydebank, Glasgow, 1918 Racing for a vaccine … we have been here before! The deadly Ebola outbreak in two African countries driven by a virus species with no vaccine has triggered an urgent search for a potential jab, in a test of troubled global efforts to avert threats posed by emerging diseases. A World Health Organization advisory group is due to would meet on Tuesday to recommend candidate jabs to prioritise for clinical trials, the global health body said. It will assess data including an analysis by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), which was set up after failures in the international response to a previous Ebola crisis. The latest Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has infected hundreds of people and killed more than 80, health authorities say. Cepi’s reaction will be a crucial indicator of its progress towards its wider goal of producing vaccines for pandemic threats in just 100 days, despite steep cuts to international health funding. “If there was ever a time that we could show the world why Cepi is needed and show the world why the 100-day mission is needed, it’s now,” Nicole Lurie, the organisation’s executive director for preparedness and response, told the FT. “We’re happy to accept that responsibility, but obviously we need help from partners — particularly financial help in the long run.” DR Congo and Uganda would make the final decision on whether to press ahead with any vaccine candidates endorsed for clinical trials by the WHO experts, the global health body said. “Other ethical and community acceptability issues will be considered,” said the WHO, which declared the latest outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. “This will be important to make sure that the trial, if it happens, will be adequately communicated to the population.” Lurie said Cepi had provided information from a survey of research teams and companies working on drugs that might be effective against the Bundibugyo virus behind the outbreak. The organisation hoped soon to announce partners in the quest for a jab, she added, although she declined to give a timescale for when one might be developed. Cepi’s Nicole Laurie said global health bodies were ‘getting some live-fire drills’ with hantavirus and the latest Ebola outbreak. The hunt for a vaccine should be helped by scientific advances including the use of artificial intelligence to find drugs active against viruses, Lurie said. Existing jabs against the Zaire Ebola virus responsible for many previous outbreaks might provide a basis for tackling the Bundibugyo species, she added. “We’ll see how far and how fast we can get,” Lurie said, adding that Cepi had done preliminary work recently on a possible jab for the rat-borne hantavirus responsible for a recent fatal outbreak on a cruise ship. “Both with hantavirus and now with Ebola, [we] are getting some live-fire drills.” Source: Michael Peel in the Financial Times Dad-chat is coming for dad-books. (By Pamela Paul and Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg in the WSJ) They were the go-to gifts for Father’s Day: a book about some little-known chapter of World War II, the sweeping narrative of a shipwreck, perhaps the latest presidential biography. These days, dad books are a dying breed. Nonfiction book sales have been in decline for the past four years, and are now the most challenged segment of the print book market. Publishers say certain types of books still fare well—including celebrity memoirs and religious titles. But in recent years, print sales in such categories as biography, current affairs and business and economics—what publishers refer to as “serious nonfiction” and which tend to resonate especially with men—have fallen considerably. Sales of nonfiction print titles were down nearly 8% through May 9 this year, and sales of books about politics and current affairs were down 19%, according to book tracker Circana BookScan. Publishing has long been subject to cyclical changes, with trends in format and genre taking over bookshelves in grand sweeps. (Remember the adult coloring-book craze? Or the stratospheric rise of romantasy?) But many in publishing believe the decline in serious nonfiction is more existential. “The trend couldn’t be clearer,” said Jonathan Karp, the former chief executive of Simon & Schuster and publisher of the new Simon Six imprint. “This is a sea change and people should wake up and realize we’re living in a new world.” One culprit for the shift: a new media diet for fans of more serious nonfiction. … Sixty-two percent of men and 54% of women consumed a podcast in the prior month, according to a recent survey by Edison Research at SSRS, up from 46% and 39%, respectively, in 2023. “When we have internal meetings to talk about this problem, it always comes around to podcasts,” said Jonathan Burnham, president and publisher of the Harper Group at HarperCollins Publishers. “The man who wants to read American history is now tuning into one of the many good podcasts about history that lends the quiet attention to a serious subject he’s looking for. It makes the idea of sitting down with a 700-page Ron Chernow book less appealing. You’ve scratched that itch.” Source: Wall Street Journal Remarkable report by Novara from the nationalist rally in London in mid May. Anna Airy, Leopard Moth and Plums, 1915 If you’ve scrolled this far, you know you want to click: Subscribe
JPL's management contract is suddenly up for grabs for the first time since the 1930s, and NASA's own language shows why this is more than a routine procurement fight
For the first time since the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s origins in the 1930s, Caltech’s hold on one of the most important institutions in American robotic space exploration is no longer automatic. NASA has announced that it will compete the next contract for managing and operating JPL, the federally funded research and development center in Southern […]
The Team Behind The Flipper One Needs Your Help
You’ve probably heard of the Flipper Zero, a pocket-sized device that packs in lots of great hacking potential. The team behind it has now turned their efforts towards developing the Flipper …
Developers break ground on Morganton's new small business park
Developers Matt Schulte and Mike Folz broke ground on the Romarco Road Business Park in Morganton, a new development designed to provide affordable, flexible commercial space for small businesses and
Destiny 3 Petition is Blowing Up
Following recent development news about Destiny 3 and potential layoffs at Bungie, fans petition Sony to greenlight the threequel.
The Asian workers keeping Greenland in business
Marinel Garciano dislikes winter, and that's tough when it lasts nine months in Ilulissat, Greenland.But behind the glass there was no greenery -- just the pristine white of a blizzard enveloping the ...
Seattle's new economic development director wants to end business roadblocks
(The Center Square) - Seattle’s new Economic Development Director Beto Yarce says he plans to ease city regulations to make it easier for retail establishments and other small businesses to
Thompson Center at MU trains over 80 businesses to be autism friendly
The Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment has led the Autism Friendly Business movement in mid-Missouri.
‘Deserted parking lot’: Business owner criticizes Beachwalk developer over lack of progress; developer responds
A St. Johns County restaurant owner is voicing frustration over what he calls stalled progress at Beachwalk, the high-profile development known for its artificial lagoon, saying unfinished construction and empty lots have left his business struggling for customers.
Searching for 'Disregard' Breaks Google
On Tuesday, Google held its I/O developer event, and introduced an AI-forward version of Google Search that the company described as an "intelligent search box" powered by the newest version of Gemini. It turns out Google's all-new version of search semi-breaks when you search for the word "disregard". Typing "disregard" into Google Search results in Google's AI interpreting it as a system-style instruction instead of a search query. "Understood.
Experimental mRNA vaccine may protect against multiple Ebola viruses
Tests with rodents suggest an mRNA vaccine in development offers protection against three strains of Ebola virus, including the one behind the current crisis
resbiotic® Launches Gut Health Test In Partnership with Tiny Health: An Advanced At-Home Microbiome Test That Maps What's Really Driving Your Health
resbiotic® (res), a leading physician-developed microbiome health company, today announced the launch of the at-home resbiotic Gut Health Test in partnership with Tiny Health, a precision microbiome platform that delivers a comprehensive picture of gut health — and a clear, personalized plan for improving it.
Why Do We Prefer One Hand Over the Other? Scientists Have New Clues
New research links right-hand bias with evolutionary brain development and upright walking.
Kidbash: Super Legend launches in early 2027 for consoles, PC
Roguelike action platformer Kidbash: Super Legend will launch for consoles and PC via Steam in early 2027, publisher Acclaim and Indonesian developers Authentic Remixes and Fat Raccoon announced. W…
IN BRIEF: Frontier Developments stock up on new Warhammer game launch
IN BRIEF: Frontier Developments stock up on new Warhammer game launch | Financial News
Anavex Life Sciences Receives Expected Nasdaq Delinquency Notification
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex” or the “Company”)(Nasdaq: AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced it received anexpected delinquency notification letter (the “Notice”) from the Listing QualificationsDepartment of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) on May 20, 2026.
MICRO Summit Returns to Northwestern
Led by Professor Cécile Chazot, the program brought undergraduate researchers from across the country together for three days of scientific exchange, career development, and mentorship in materials science and engineering.
Advanced Talent Development at the National Science Foundation | The Foundation for American Innovation
Today, I submitted written testimony to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Programs.
World Health Assembly endorses resolution on precision medicine
At the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly, Member States endorsed a new resolution on Precision medicine: a path towards targeted, personalized and equitable care, taking an important step towards advancing precision medicine as part of efforts to strengthen equitable, effective and sustainable health systems. Precision medicine refers to the use of clinical, molecular, genomic and other health data to inform prevention, diagnosis and treatment, taking into account variability while applying appropriate ethical and legal safeguards. When integrated responsibly into health systems, precision approaches can improve outcomes across different disease areas and across the life course – from cancer and rare diseases to infectious diseases, maternal, newborn and child health, mental health and noncommunicable diseases. The resolution reflects rapid advances in genomics, diagnostics, data science and digital health, alongside widening global inequities in access to these innovations. Many populations – particularly in low- and middle-income countries – remain underrepresented in data and research, limiting the public health impact of precision medicine and risking the widening of health disparities if action is not taken now. "Precision medicine is not an aspirational idea for health delivery in the future – it is already transforming lives across the world. But its benefits remain out of reach for too many and the research driving progress is concentrated in high income countries. This WHA resolution gives global health leaders, ministries of health, and WHO a clear mandate: to act. From infant screening to setting up genomic databases WHO will work with countries to bring about the power of these innovations." Dr Meg Doherty, Director Science for HealthThrough the resolution, Member States commit to developing and strengthening national policies, infrastructure, workforce capacity and governance frameworks to support the safe, ethical and equitable integration of precision medicine into health systems, aligned with universal health coverage. This includes promoting affordability, ensuring inclusive research and data systems, strengthening regulation and data governance, and fostering collaboration across sectors and regions.WHO is requested to provide technical and normative support, review and coordinate existing guidance, facilitate global and regional collaboration, and develop a Global Strategy on Precision Medicine to guide equitable and context‑appropriate implementation. WHO stands ready to support Member States through tools such as a country maturity model for countries to self-assess capacity in implementing precision medicine depending on their context. In the immediate term WHO will map all existing guidance and frameworks and host extensive consultations with interest holders globally.By placing equity, inclusion and public value at the centre of precision medicine, the resolution reinforces WHO’s commitment to ensuring that scientific advances benefit all people, everywhere, and that no one is left behind in the next era of health innovation."By uniting people-centered healthcare with innovation, precision medicine has the potential to transform lives. This resolution helps ensure those advances serve the shared goal of health for all." Dr Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist For further information please visit the Health Topic: Genomics
Former Destiny 2 Dev Says Xivu Arath Campaign And Raid Were Pitched Multiple Times As Destiny 3 Report Frustrates Fans
Former Destiny 2 developer says a Xivu Arath campaign and raid were pitched multiple times, as fans react to reports that Destiny 3 is not in development.
Destiny developer Bungie will reportedly lay off a 'significant number' of people
Bungie is reportedly laying off a significant number of people and has not started work on Destiny 3.
Editorial: Glass City fund spurs business
The latest rollout of the Kapszukiewicz administration’s Vibrancy Initiative grants is a hopeful sign for small-business development in the older areas of ...
Developers break ground on Waianiani at The Cove, new West Oahu entertainment venue
The ground breaking and blessing for Waianiani at The Cove was held on Thursday, a new oceanfront entertainment and cultural destination coming to West Oahu.
Pressure from Silicon Valley helped block Trump’s expected order on AI
Industry leaders warned in last-minute calls to the president that the proposed safety vetting system could inhibit development of the pivotal technology.
Ancient chemistry trick unlocks new type of glass that traps CO2 and hydrogen
Researchers have discovered how to fine-tune a futuristic type of porous glass that can trap gases like CO2 and hydrogen. Inspired by centuries-old glassmaking techniques, the team added sodium and lithium compounds to make the material easier to process and shape. The breakthrough could accelerate the development of high-performance materials for clean energy, gas storage, and advanced manufacturing.
'Warhammer 40k: Chaos Gate - Deathwatch' Announced, Featuring Elite Xeno-Hunting Specialists
On the 22nd, during the 'Warhammer Skulls 2026' showcase, Games Workshop unveiled 'Warhammer 40k: Chaos Gate - Deathwatch,' a new title developed by Complex Games and to be published by Frontier Developments.
Bungie Plans Layoffs After Ending ‘Destiny 2’ Development
The Sony subsidiary will focus on ‘Marathon’ rather than jumping directly to ‘Destiny 3’
UC Davis Undergraduates Take Top Prize at Big Bang! Business Competition
UC Davis Mike and Renée Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship awarded nearly $100,000 at the 26th annual Big Bang! Business Competition, with the top prize going to First Bite, a biomedical engineering student team developing a safer device to secure breathing tubes for infants.
Beloved U.S. Sports Writer Howard Fendrich Dead at 55
Howard Fendrich, a beloved longtime sports journalist for the Associated Press, has passed away. He was 55. The longtime U.S. sports writer, who was based out of Washington, D.C., was perhaps best known for his tennis coverage. He covered the Grand Slams and other major tournaments and developed ...
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4 gets a release date, as devs suggest we could get even more factions after launch
The highly-anticipated RTS sequel is set to launch September this year, while lead developers Elliott Verbiest and Jan Theysen have teased a little more too.
What’s next for Tampa’s Water Street? A lively entertainment district
Tampa’s Water Street development took a sleepy area dominated by parking lots and turned it into a bustling downtown with high-rise apartments and high-end restaurants. That transformation is most pal...
FuRyu announces survival third-person shooter ANOMALITH for PS5, Switch 2, and PC
Publisher FuRyu and developer Winning Entertainment Group (formerly Natsume Atari) have announced survival third-person shooter ANOMALITH for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and PC (Steam). It will launch…
The Big Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Interview: Year 1 Roadmap, New Playable Factions, and More
IGN interviews the developer of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV to find out more about its post-launch plans and DLC.
New Interactive AI Startup Make Believe Develops Entertainment Content
Ben Relles' Make Believe counts Reid Hoffman as an investor, and is developing tech to enable entertainment that talks back to viewers.
Camp Mystic chief health officer’s nursing license temporarily suspended
The agency said Mary Liz Eastland failed to develop adequate emergency plans before a flood killed 25 campers and two counselors last year.
Camp Mystic chief health officer’s nursing license temporarily suspended
The agency said Mary Liz Eastland failed to develop adequate emergency plans before a flood killed 25 campers and two counselors last year.
The world has fallen behind on health goals | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Progress on the health targets in the United Nations’ 2015 Sustainable Development Goals has been too slow—and in some cases is backsliding.
Introducing the PlayStation Studios Accessibility Community Council
Learn how PlayStation is helping developers build more accessible and inclusive games through direct collaboration with accessibility experts and players.
Leaked ‘Virtua Fighter Crossroads’ developer diary appears online
A video of what seems to be a behind the scenes developer diary of the next Virtua Fighter game, titled Virtua Fighter Crossroads, was posted on a Bilibili user’s account today.
Developers outline huge Water Street Tampa expansion, new entertainment district
Strategic Property Partners, the team behind Water Street Tampa, has outlined a significant expansion for the downtown district. Featuring a new music venue,
Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online ‘System’ trailer
Publisher Bandai Namco and developer Game Studio have released a seven-minute trailer for action RPG Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online introducing the gameplay systems.
Flipper unveils a Linux-powered networking gadget built for hackers and tinkerers
Flipper Devices said that the new gadget is in development and the base model will cost under $350
SGMC Health Honors Student Engagement and Workforce Development Teams as Health System Heroes
SGMC Health has recognized its student engagement and workforce development teams as its latest Health System Heroes for their leadership in developing future healthcare professionals. The honorees—Rachel Dillard, Deb Baker, […]
Higher vitamin D intake in pregnancy linked to some cognitive benefits in children
Researchers are studying whether taking extra vitamin D during pregnancy could affect their babies’ brain development.
Common pesticide linked to hidden brain damage, scientists warn
Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills years later.
Sterling steady but weak business activity data weighs
The pound was steady against the dollar on Thursday as broader currency markets focused on developments in the Iran war, while traders digested some worse-than-expected surveys of British business activity.
Subnautica 2 dev apologises for telling combat-seeking players to "go play Sons of the Forest or something"
A desire for self-defence in the underwater survival game comes from some mechanics not working well enough yet, Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds explains.
Vivaldi 8.0 arrives as "the most significant design overhaul" in the browser's history
Vivaldi 8.0 is here, and developers say it is "the most significant design overhaul" in the browser's history.
Sutter Health Recognized in Anthem Blue Cross Annual Care Provider Recognition Program
Not-for-Profit Healthcare System’s Medical Groups Honored Among the Top Healthcare Providers in Anthem’s National Network NORTHERN CALIF. – Sutter Health today announced it earned recognition as one of only four California recipients in Anthem Blue Cross’ Care Provider Recognition Program. Developed in collaboration with Anthem’s affiliated health plans, the program honors top-performing medical groups nationwide […]
Planning Commission approves Orange Apartments, Entertainment Zones
The Vacaville Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday evening to approve the Orange Apartments and Retail Development Project. Senior Planner Albert Enault provided the presentation. He said the project would subdivide the site in the…
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Is Recasting its Protagonist After Negative Fan Feedback
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will be recasting its male protagonist and his twin brother, according to developer Owlcat Games.
Oxford Population Health: Global study of HIV variants underscores challenges for vaccine development
The largest-ever study mapping genetic variants of HIV-1 around the world shows the regional distribution of different subtypes of the virus continues to evolve.
AMD Launches the Ryzen AI Max 400 Series Processors: "Strix Halo" Gets a Memory Upgrade
In addition to the Ryzen AI Halo, AMD today debuted the Ryzen AI Max 400 series of processors for AI development platforms. This is a refresh to the Ryzen AI Max 300 series "Strix Halo" processor. The chip combines up to 16 full-size "Zen 5" CPU cores with a large SoC die that has a powerful iGPU wi...
AMD Announces Ryzen AI Halo, the Compact DGX Spark and Mac Mini Rival
AMD today released Ryzen AI Halo, a compact AI development computer designed by AMD to serve as a nearly full-stack machine for AI development, inferencing, and generative AI content creation. Ryzen AI Halo is designed to strike a unique balance of price, performance, and capabilities that rival App...
Toward power-generating displays: a single device that harvests and emits light
A newly developed organic semiconductor device can both generate electricity from light and emit bright visible light, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. By carefully designing a material where energy losses are suppressed, the team achieved efficient power conversion and electroluminescence simultaneously, demonstrating a multifunctional platform with potential applications in displays, sensors, and energy-harvesting technologies.
Councilwoman Jurado Calls for Exploration of Entertainment Zone for DTLA
In a bid to support night life and economic development in downtown Los Angeles, Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Wednesday calling for a report on the feasibility of establishing a so-called “entertainment zone.” If approved by the full City Council, the motion would direct city departments to analyze state law and evaluate potential implementation […]
Jurado Calls for Exploration of Entertainment Zones for DTLA
In a bid to support night life and economic development in downtown Los Angeles, Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Wednesday calling for a report on the feasibility of establishing so-called “entertainment zones.” If approved by the full City Council, the motion would direct city departments to analyze state law and evaluate potential implementation requirements […]
Scientists think humans developed right-handedness thanks to these 2 factors
A new study explored what aspect of humanity's evolution led to 90% right-hand dominance by collecting data from thousands of primates.
Lunar launch
When Artemis II launched in April, sending astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, the mission broke records — and will help scientists understand undiscovered secrets, including the history of Earth and our solar system.As lunar science lead for NASA’s Artemis II mission, Kelsey Young, ’12 MS and ’14 PhD in geological sciences, led the team that developed the lunar science plan and trained the crew to study the moon.
This 3-Minute Video Game Is Surprisingly Good at Spotting Depression
The game was developed by researchers at New York University and can be played on smartphones.
This Scholar Takes Oregon’s Universal Health Care Dreams Seriously. Should We?
Chunhuei Chi is working on a plan that in much of the developed world sounds essentially banal, but to many Americans sounds so audacious as to be absurd.
EDC Fairhaven Friends Business Mixer with State Rep. Mark Sylvia – June 4 at 5:30pm
FAIRHAVEN’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE INVITES YOU TO FAIRHAVEN & FRIENDS BUSINESS MIXER MEET STATE REP MARK SYLVIA, BUILD CONNECTIONS & EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES! JUNE 4, 2026…
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Google Launches $100 Monthly AI Ultra Plan
New subscription targets developers and creators using Gemini
Researchers examine fertility, reproductive health at Cornell symposium
Reproductive health researchers from across the Northeast gathered at Cornell University April 30–May 1 to examine infertility, embryo development and reproductive aging at the 2026 Tri-State Symposium on Reproductive Sciences.
Drupal critical update to fix bug with high exploitation risk
Drupal has announced a "core security release" scheduled for later today, warning that threat actors might develop exploits within hours of the update disclosure.
Advancing Gender Equality in Science for Sustainable Development in
UNESCO launches “Investing in Women in Science” report in Africa, revealing strong GDP gains from gender parity and calling for urgent reforms in STI investment.
Scientists Discovered A Population Developed a Genetic Superpower—Thanks to Potatoes
A new DNA study found that Peruvian Andeans possess a high number of salivary amylase genes, or AMY1, for digesting starchy foods like the native potato.
A new Middle-earth open world game is coming from Kingdom Come developers
Warhorse is heading into Tolkien territory for a new Lord Of The Rings-adjacent game. Read more at Empire.
Google expands AI push at I/O with enterprise-focused Gemini upgrades and smarter search tools
Alphabet Inc. ’s Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) on Tuesday introduced a range of new artificial intelligence tools at its annual I/O developer conference, including AI agents integrated directly into Search and a faster, lower-cost Gemini model aimed at enterprise customers.
Health department building to be razed, redeveloped
The city of Toledo has received a $571,342 state grant to remove asbetos and demolish the 73-year-old building occupied by the Toledo-Lucas County Health ...
Start of Elland Road redevelopment 'unbelievably exciting'
No sooner had the empty beer bottles and wine glasses been swept up by the catering staff after ushering the corporate ticket holders from the Norman Hunter, Lucas Radebe and Billy Bremner Suites after heartily celebrating Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late winner against Brighton on Sunday, work began on Elland Road's John Charles Stand. It served as a reminder that Leeds are already a competitive force in a Premier League in which they are assured of another campaign. Vital to the project is the provision of either a light rail or tram from Leeds city centre with a stop at Elland Road and then on to the White Rose area.
Building AI models that understand chemical principles
MIT Associate Professor Connor Coley develops and deploys computational models to design new chemical compounds and predict reaction pathways that could generate those compounds.