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Politics Chat, September 1, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Sep 1 • 8:34 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Bears’ Early Season Injury Concerns Test Ben Johnson’s Demanding Culture

Quarterback Caleb Williams' progress and a versatile roster have Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson optimistic about defending their NFC North title coming out of training camp.

Sep 1 • 8:08 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com

What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.

Sep 1 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com

Don’t dismiss ‘Woke 1.0’ – young people’s activism should be encouraged

Letter: Far from being crazy, the grandchildren of the radical ‘permissive’ generation are using their voices to fight for progress, as we taught them to do, writes Paul McGilchrist

Sep 1 • 12:43 PM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Construction On Novant Health Performance Center Continues To Make Progress

It’s been about a year and a half since the Novant Health Performance Center (NHPC) officially broke ground back in March of 2025 and the Charlotte Hornets’ ...

Sep 1 • 12:05 PM EDT • Health • nba.com

gamescom 2026’s Steam wishlist winners

gamescom wrapped up last weekend, and it was bloody fantastic. It really felt like the industry had a spring in its step again. The show itself was BUZZING, with 368K attendees (+3% over last year), maxed-out exhibit space, and Opening Night Live pulling over 78M online views (+7.5%). Let’s have a look at the games at the event that brought in the most new Steam wishlists between August 23 and 30. One quick thing before we start, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but wishlists are NOT a barometer for launch sales (they’re bookmarks, not baskets is what we always say over here at Alinea). With that aside, wishlists are a nice gauge of hype, so let’s dive in. Witche(r)s and Warlocks take the top two spots The biggest game of the event (by new wishlists, anyways) wasn’t a game at all. It was an expansion. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s upcoming expansion, Songs of the Past, nabbed 451K Steam wishlists by the end of the weekend. It’s a big example of something we bang on about constantly: proven IP with built-in fandom is the most powerful force in this market. But said IP can also ripple into other external success stories (more on that later!). Anyway, Songs of the Past debuted at Opening Night Live, and it’s the first Witcher 3 expansion in over a decade, landing next year after a full Witcher 3 remaster (free for existing owners!) arrives next month. The Witcher 3 has sold around 66M copies, and I’ll be one of those owners jumping back in to refresh myself on the core game (like there isn’t enough to play!), then play the expansion next year. This is all part of CDPR’s plan. The studio is clearly whetting everyone’s appetite for The Witcher 4 in 2028 via a classic bridge strategy. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Releasing a free 4K remaster next month – followed by a proper expansion in 2027 – keeps IP top-of-mind across a huge gap between content (games-wise, anyway). It kind of echoes Capcom’s evergreen catalogue strategy. And outsourcing co-development to Fool’s Theory (a studio led by trusted Witcher 3 veterans) keeps CDPR’s internal headcount focused on The Witcher 4. #2 by wishlists between Aug 23 and 30 went to another giant IP: Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, published by Wizards of the Coast and developed by Invoke Studios (a team of ex-Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Splinter Cell devs). It’s due to launch in 2027, and it looks brilliant so far. It’s a dark-fantasy open world with third-person spell-slinging. It’s a very Witcher-ish aesthetic. As you might expect, 48% of Warlock’s Steam wishlisters have played Baldur’s Gate 3, and 46% have played The Witcher 3. One to watch. For sure! Mash-ups: Anime GTA (!?) and a city-builder for kids (and adults) Ananta took #3 with 302K new wishlists. It’s an open-world game that looks like GTA and Persona had a baby. It was published by NetEase, developed by Naked Rain, and got a trailer at Opening Night Live. I got hands-on at the show, and it wears its influences openly; there’s literal web-slinging (very Spider-Man) and a LOAD of mini-games (Like a Dragon). It’s free-to-play and out in January. For Ananta, Naked Rain is taking the free-to-play, cosmetics-only route. That’s certainly a choice for a single-player open-world game. Without gacha mechanics driving high ARPU, Ananta is betting purely on top-of-funnel reach and long-term retention. This puts pressure on skin appeal when there’s no multiplayer lobby to flex in (although, co-op is reportedly coming later). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Then there’s Lego Skylines (273K wishlists between Aug 23 and 30), which does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a cosy Lego twist on the city-builder genre, as shallow or as deep as you fancy (five min quick sesh or ten-hour no-lifer session; latter for me). There’s some family-friendly stuff in there like couch co-op, which is only really viable on console. Iceflake Studios, which Paradox acquired back in 2020 is developing this one. So Paradox is probably looking for a family-friendly onramp to its rad Cities: Skylines games. The overlap there is plain, with 33% of Lego Skylines wishlisters having played Cities: Skylines and 16% Skylines II. There’s no doubt plenty of parents here (and uncles, ahem) planning to indoctrinate the next gen of city-builders. I’ll definitely be playing with my youngest nephew. This one could be big and educational. I’m very curious to see more. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Mature IP, new and old, rounds out the list As for the rest of the list of gamescom games by new wishlists between Aug 23 and 30: Heroes of Might & Magic III Remake got 189K new wishlists. It remakes the iconic 1999 turn-based-strategy classic in full 3D and 4K. It follows this year’s Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era (~1.8M copies sold, as per our estimates), and around a quarter of the III Remake wishlisters have played Olden Era, including 7% of them this month. Wardogs – a $40 PvP shooter – added another 146K to an already massive pile (nearly 1.6M total). It’s published by Team17 and made by Bulkhead. It plays somewhere between the tactical squad stuff of … Squad and the all-out-chaos battlefield of … Battlefield. It’s up to 100 players, and it’s out in about 10 days. It’s already pre-sold over 500K copies on Steam ($16.6M), boosted by a pre-order-only beta. It sold another 70K copies during gamescom, too. Afterworld managed 121K new wishlists. It’s a Paradox-made post-apocalyptic grand-strategy game, and it was announced at the show. It’s a departure from Paradox’s usual historical stuff, and the studio’s first new setting in over a decade. The Paradox purists are into it, with over half its wishlisters having played Hearts of Iron IV (19% this month) and 41% Crusader Kings III (17% this month). Metro 2039 got 110K during the show, tunnelling its total past 1.3M. Nearly 40% of wishlisters have played 2020’s Metro Exodus, the previous mainline title in the series. The Metro novels are Russian, dev 4A Games is Ukrainian, and it’s set in Moscow, so it’s unsurprising that – after the US (17.3% of wishlisters) – the next two countries are Russia (12.7%) and Ukraine (10.0%). The Blood of the Dawnwalker drew in (the blood of) 108K new wishlisters, now totalling an impressive 1.7M (at a $70 price point, though). It’s an open-world dark-fantasy action-RPG set in 14th-century Europe (with vampires!), made by some former Witcher devs at Rebel Wolves. Again, it shows. Over half of Blood of the Dawnwalker’s wishlisters have played The Witcher 3, and its #2 market is Poland, home of Rebel Wolves. That’s that hometown-hero effect we keep banging on about again! And Blood of the Dawnwalker plays very well, by the way. While it looks like a Witcher clone on the surface, it actually brings a lot to the table mechanics-wise. I love the whole time-as-a-currency spin on RPG gameplay. It gives the game a different, refreshing pace. Essentially, you start Blood of the Dawnwalker with a pool of 480 action points spread across 30 days and 30 nights. As for how the game performs, we’ll be posting some numbers next week, so hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready. Subscribe The Witcher’s legacy ripples Make no mistake: on a high level, this was The Witcher‘s gamescom. The #1 game by wishlisters was a Witcher 3 DLC. Warlock is clearly Witcher-inspired – as is Blood of the Dawnwalker, which was made by ex-Witcher devs. There was a lot of other cool stuff on the floor that we’ll no doubt be covering in subsequent newsletters, though! As always, wishlists went through the roof for sequels, remakes, DLC, and licensed IP. As always, though, these wishlists will likely convert to about 5% to 10% of launch-day buyers, with the probable exception of The Witcher DLC – the exception that proves the rule. Either way, we’ve got a nice, diverse list here – one that is very Witcher-y, Paradox-y, and – if you’re a fan of great games on Steam – a bloody good list. We even got a bunch of new IP to get excited for. Great gamescom! Even if we are still processing that unfathomable number of mini Kölsch beers! One more thing: GTA 6 broke the internet (again) Move aside, Spider-Man and The Odyssey (I love you both, really). But the decade’s defining entertainment zeitgeist is round the corner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Rockstar dropped an extended look at GTA 6 last week. It was INSANE, the most impressed I’ve ever been by a showcase like this. You can see the budget seeping through every second of the extended look, and this level of game is unobtainable for any other publisher. Everyone’s going nuts, and rightly so. GTA 6 is out in holiday 2026, and it’ll be the biggest entertainment release ever, full stop. For those without a PS5 or Xbox Series console, a $500-$900 console is a big ask in this economy, but GTA will pull a lot of last-generation-console fence sitters over the current-gen fence either way: The autumn timing puts GTA 6 on (digital) shelves for the holidays, meaning a PS5 or Xbox (let’s be honest, mostly the former) will be on many a Christmas and Hanukkah list. Demand will outweigh the struggling supply, though, and PS5 Pros are already sold out and being sold at a markup via scalpers. Every console that isn’t on a shelf is a sale deferred or lost, and worse, it hands scalpers the margin. GTA has cultural clout that reaches everyone. It’s been a mainstream fixture since 2001’s GTA III and its clout has only grown exponentially since then. There’s a touchpoint for every generation alive. The FOMO-word-of-mouth double punch does the rest. Loading... It’ll reactivate the lockdown cohort, the millions who picked up gaming in 2020-21 and churned. GTA 6 will bring them back. Remember when College Football 25 brought a bunch of US gamers to current-gen consoles? GTA will do that globally. Once they’re back (or upgraded), and all GTA’d out, the fresh current-gen-console folks will check out the rest of the current-gen catalogue they missed. GTA Online, if not free to play, will also lead to a boost for PS+ and Xbox Game Pass, another boost for the ecosystem players. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Even some of the smug PCMR 60FPS crew won’t be able to resist their FOMO and will bite the bullet on a console to play this one early (then double dip). The consoles cost the same as a decent stick of RAM these days anyway lmao… Don’t get me wrong, though. GTA 6 is no silver bullet for the mature console market, but it does prime the current gen for a couple of strong swan-song years. And it’ll also give the consoles more users from which to maximise ARPU. ‘’We are in the latter half of the lifetime cycle of [the PS5],’’ said Sony President and CEO Hiroki Totoki in a Wall Street Journal interview. ‘’That means we do not need to aggressively sell the console today; rather than that, we are focusing on the current revenue from the current user base.’’ The biggest, best premium games always arrive late in a console cycle, so getting more players aboard now, ahead of that content storm (the new current-gen-only Call of Duty included), is a clear win for the platforms. On the Netflix thing, though: let’s all chill out a bit, like. Half my LinkedIn feed was going bonkers treating the reveal debuting on Netflix like it’s the future of entertainment. It wasn’t. It was a six-hour head start, and Netflix left that detail out of the “first-of-its-kind partnership” press release. The extended look hit Netflix at 3pm ET on 27 August, then went up on YouTube and Rockstar’s site for everyone six hours later. And it was all over social immediately, anyways. This reveal was going to reach an untold number of people whether it debuted on Netflix, YouTube, a Times Square screen, or a group chat. The last trailer did nearly half a billion views in a day with no gatekeeper at all. Netflix just stood next to that audience for six hours, borrowing it. It’s was a tidy deal for Netflix, sure. But every outlet on earth was breaking the thing down frame by frame by the evening anyway. Anyway. I’m hype. And we’ll be covering some GTA numbers on the newsletter soon. So hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready! Subscribe The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]

Sep 1 • 10:27 AM EDT • Technology • alineaanalytics.substack.com

Myles Garrett making 'really good progress' with knee injury

Myles Garrett has missed the last several weeks of practice with a knee injury, but Sean McVay says the goal is to be ready for Week 1.

Sep 1 • 9:43 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Bio-Techne Achieves Science Based Targets Validation and Reports Significant Progress Toward Climate Goals

/PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH), a global provider of life science tools, reagents and diagnostic products, today announced significant...

Sep 1 • 6:30 AM EDT • Science • prnewswire.com

‘Most’ of Star Wars Zero Company studio Bit Reactor was furloughed ahead of launch

Last week was meant to be a moment of triumph for Bit Reactor, the Maryland-based game studio founded in 2021 with ambitions to create a great new tactical combat game. On Thursday, August 27, Bit Reactor’s debut title, Star Wars Zero Company, released to stellar reviews. And, from the Gamescom show in Cologne, Germany, studio co-founder Greg Foertsch was giving interviews discussing what the studio’s next game may be. But for many developers on the game, launch has been bittersweet. Fans love it. Critics prefer it to most recent Star Wars games. Zero Company, which is out for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and PC, is the top-selling game on Steam. Much of the team that made it, however, is currently going without pay. They were furloughed, just weeks ahead of the game’s launch. A rep for Bit Reactor confirmed to Game File today that the studio had furloughed many of its workers prior to the game’s release. They said it was a difficult decision and one that had been made before it was clear how launch would go. The rep emphasized that the call to do this was Bit Reactor’s alone (meaning not from publisher EA nor Star Wars license holder Disney). While the rep declined to comment on the scale of the furloughs, a previously unreported lawsuit brought by studio co-founder Alison Kelly in 2024 noted in a filing from August 12 of this year that Bit Reactor “has furloughed most of its employees and terminated contractors…” One source told Game File the furloughs impacted 80% of the team; another referred to there only being a skeleton crew left on Bit Reactor’s active payroll, ready to address any of Zero Company’s post-launch bugs. The issue is that Bit Reactor, a studio formed in 2021, had run out of most of its money just ahead of the launch of its first game. Over the weekend, Zachariah Scott, a senior technical artist who worked at Bit Reactor from early 2023 until an acrimonious exit this past May, said on LinkedIn that the studio was “concealing the fact that the team was Furloughed weeks ago.” Reached by phone today, Scott told Game File that he spoke to nearly a dozen Bit Reactor workers over the weekend. “Everybody has essentially the same story, which is, ‘Yeah, I got furloughed three weeks ago.” The Bit Reactor rep told Game File that the studio hoped to bring furloughed workers back, suggesting that a successful launch of the game could be impactful. Scott told Game File that workers he spoke to were less confident that even if there were returns, that all who were furloughed would get their old jobs again. A heated dispute Bit Reactor’s mid-2026 was almost even more tumultuous. The lawsuit by co-founder Alison Kelly that first revealed the furloughs was initially slated to go to trial in June. The suit is a she-said/he-said about whether Kelly, until 2024 the chief operating officer of Bit Reactor, was a co-owner of the studio or whether it was solely owned by Greg Foertsch. In July 2024, Kelly sued, saying she was pushed out by Foertsch. She first sued in federal court and later refiled in Maryland’s Baltimore County, alleging breach of contract and that Foertsch had unjustly enriched himself. Kelly cited damages of over $20 million, on the basis of Bit Reactor allegedly being worth more than double that. Foertsch’s side has said Kelly was never a co-owner and has countered with claims about her job performance (which she has denied). The June trial was postponed until early 2027, as both sides have been deposing witnesses and filing more claims and denials along the way. Amid all of that, filings in the lawsuit reviewed by Game File paint a picture about Bit Reactor’s origins, early aspirations around tactics games, the team’s breakthrough in drawing the attention of Electronic Arts with the help of a pitch tied to one of EA’s non-Star Wars franchises, and early fractures among its co-founders. The real story about the company behind Zero Company

Aug 31 • 10:23 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

Fiorentina progressing in move for Everton’s Beto, player interested

Serie A side Fiorentina remain in the hunt to sign a new striker, having likely missed out on Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee. A deal for Everton’s Beto is now slowly gathering momentum.Get Ita...

Aug 30 • 3:20 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Progressive candidate is gaining on top two rivals in N.H. congressional race

While the establishment-backed top contenders, Stefany Shaheen and Maura Sullivan, are locked in a close contest, a progressive push by Carleigh Beriont may be gaining momentum.

Aug 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • bostonglobe.com

Novant Health, Hornets unveil progress on new Uptown practice facility

Channel 9’s Miana Massey got a first look of the facility on Friday, where crews are building the spaces that will become practice courts, training and recovery areas for the Hornets.

Aug 28 • 1:19 PM EDT • Health • wsoctv.com

Oklahoma officials outline progress on Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives

The update comes as Oklahoma prepares to enter the second budget period of a five-year federal funding opportunity meant to transform rural health.

Aug 28 • 8:22 AM EDT • Health • kosu.org

Democrats aim to emulate Republicans in building state power

A growing number of progressive groups looking to combat the influence of conservative groups. Experts say the left has years of work ahead if it wants to match the prowess of the organized right. But the second Trump administration has rallied Democrats across the states seeking to oppose federal policies.

Aug 28 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • stateline.org

Politics Chat, August 27, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Aug 27 • 7:28 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science

“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

Aug 27 • 6:47 PM EDT • Science • wessiler.substack.com

Florence Harding Photographed Taught Me About Women Partaking in Politics

What would Florence Kling Harding think now? A week or so ago when I cast my ballot at my designated polling place this thought crossed my mind. I imagine the former first lady would be pleased about how routine voting has become for women in the United States. But perhaps she would not be satisfied. Today, a published essay I wrote for In Pursuit spotlights a lesson in leadership demonstrated by First Lady Florence Harding. In my research, I discovered there’s a lot to be said about this strong female historic figure. But it was the blurry photograph capturing Mrs. Harding voting for her husband Warren G. Harding, one of two presidential candidates from Ohio, on Nov. 2, 1920—Election Day—that drew my attention. It was the first presidential election held in the United States after the ratification and certification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Its 106th anniversary was marked on Wednesday. I remember thinking what a shame it was that her presence in the image was imperfect while the mostly men surrounding her were in sharp focus. Perhaps cynically I thought, “No surprise!” On further examination, though, the clear reaction of the people surrounding Mrs. Harding was equally important. In that snapshot of time, many of their expressions were serious. One man stood elevated above the rest with a slight smile as he caught a glimpse of history. Mr. Harding hovered over his wife’s shoulder closely observing the last seconds of her vote being cast. Their gazes were locked in on who would hours later become first lady. Subscribe The attention she drew is worth noting, mostly because, as I learned, Mrs. Harding understood the power her image could have on women across the country. She and I share in common a career in newspapers—hers the business side and mine on the editorial side. Nevertheless, it became clear to me as I write in the essay that she understood if she was seen voting, other women would follow suit. That wouldn’t necessarily be the case in that 1920 election, though, Karen Kedrowski, the director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University, explained to me. Florence Harding was a suffrage advocate. But, suffrage was a contentious issue and women were far from united at the time of the election. In fact, a substantial number of women and active anti-suffrage organizations thought women participating in elections was a “bad idea and antithetical to their roles in the private sphere as mothers and homemakers,” Kedrowski said, adding that women were also viewed as the moral compass for their husbands and sons. If women got involved in politics they would become contaminated by it. Suffragists, on the other hand, wanted to bring that moral presence into politics to help clean things up. Only about 30% of women voted in that 1920 presidential election. That was a start. More than 100 years later in the 2024 presidential election, 66.9% of eligible women voted (91.3 million), compared to 63.7% of men who voted (82.6 million), according to the League of Women Voters. Yes, Florence Harding would be pleased. Subscribe That imperfect Election Day image was important symbolism about women’s potential during what was known as the “Modern Woman” era and the growing public role women were taking in the 1920s. I imagine Florence Harding might agree with other succeeding first ladies when it comes to gender equality and the importance of the vote. Like Michelle Obama when she said in her memoir Becoming, “We all play a role in this democracy. We need to remember the power of every vote.” Or Hillary Clinton during her unsuccessful run for president in 2016 when she remarked on International Women’s Day: “We celebrate the progress we’ve made to advance the full participation of women in economies and societies. And most importantly, we recommit to finishing the unfinished work that remains …” I hope if you are reading this, you will also read my essay on Florence Harding’s leadership lesson for In Pursuit. And perhaps that will move you to dig deeper and read more about Florence Harding’s life circumstances in biographies like First Lady Florence Harding: Behind the Tragedy and Controversy by Katherine A. S. Sibley. No, I do not think Florence Harding would be satisfied despite how far women have come from that day she first entered her polling place. She once wrote to the Camp Fire Girls, “The part that women play in the world has been greatly changed … It has been broadened and enlarged …” It has. And as women continue to engage in civics it continues to be. I imagine Florence Harding would want women to keep meeting the moment. Read the In Pursuit essay Watch on C-SPAN Share East Wing Magazine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

Aug 27 • 5:01 PM EDT • Politics • eastwingmagazine.com

Progressives Condemn Pick of Pro-Israel Democrat Atop House Panel

Outrage over making Representative Jared Moskowitz, who is vocally pro-Israel, the top Democrat on a Middle East policy subcommittee reflected the party’s rift over Israel.

Aug 27 • 4:59 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Are the kids all right? Mental health issues drop — but disparities remain

The latest data from a statewide youth survey shows signs of progress, but that’s partly because our comparison is from a “horrible” pandemic peak, experts say.

Aug 27 • 4:16 PM EDT • Health • vtdigger.org

From foot-and-mouth disease to One Health: 75 years of regional cooperation for veterinary public health in the Americas

Established in 1951 to help countries combat foot-and-mouth disease, PAHO's Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA) has spent more than seven decades advancing regional cooperation. Its work has helped drive progress toward the eradication of the disease while strengthening the Americas' response to zoonotic diseases, food safety threats, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging health risks.

Aug 27 • 12:01 PM EDT • Health • paho.org

Primary conversations: Manzur says it’s time to break donors’ grip on party politics

Senate Democratic candidate Karishma Manzur lives in Exeter, serves as a volunteer with progressive organizations and has a background in medical science.

Aug 27 • 10:54 AM EDT • Politics • nhpr.org

$50B Rural Health Transformation Program Needs More Transparency, Groups Say

States must submit Rural Health Transformation Program progress reports to the federal government, but they aren’t required to proactively post those reports, or related information, publicly.

Aug 27 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • kffhealthnews.org

Investing in Pandemic Preparedness for Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems

Pandemic preparedness and resilient health systems are inseparable. This message featured prominently during Symposium 5, “Resilient Health Systems for Future Well-being”, at the Public Health Summit held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 22 to 24 July. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO SEARO) participated in the symposium, contributing to discussions on how countries can prepare for future health emergencies while sustaining essential health services, contributing to health security, and advancing universal health coverage.Photo: Public Health Summit, where the main theme was 100 years of organised community health services in Sri Lanka. The summit was supported by the WHO Country Office for Sri Lanka. The SEARO presentation at the symposium, titled “Pandemic Preparedness for Resilient Health Systems”, highlighted how lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing global health initiatives are shaping stronger, more resilient health systems capable of protecting populations during future crises.Photo : WHO South-East Asia Regional Office’s Health Emergencies Programme highlighted that pandemic preparedness strengthens resilient health systems, advances health security, reinforces primary health care, and supports progress towards universal health coverage.

Aug 26 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • who.int

The Real Purpose of China's Robot Games Is Not Your Entertainment

China’s endlessly delightful World Humanoid Robot Games featured tons of impressive stunts. But the most mindblowing tricks were far less showy, and a lot more significant. For more like this, subscribe to Will Knight’s “AI Lab” newsletter.

Aug 26 • 2:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • wired.com

Trump scores federal court win against House progressive accused of assaulting ICE

A Biden-appointed judge sided with Trump's DOJ, rejecting House Democrat LaMonica McIver's legislative immunity argument for getting her case thrown out.

Aug 26 • 1:38 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

Politics Chat, August 25, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Aug 25 • 8:06 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Patrick Mahomes continuing to progress; looking to play Week 1

Aug 25 • 7:10 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

At Atlanta Black Pride, Joy Becomes A Public Health Strategy

As federal disruptions threaten hard-won progress against HIV, organizers are embedding prevention, care and stigma reduction within Black queer culture and celebration.

Aug 25 • 1:31 PM EDT • Health • forbes.com

Crop health falls six weeks in a row

For six weeks in a row, Minnesota’s corn and soybean health has fallen, per USDA crop progress reports. In many parts of the state, one would need to dig down at least three feet to find much in the way of even ‘adequate’ water.

Aug 25 • 1:15 PM EDT • Health • mprnews.org

REACH Study Aims to Make School Success a Measure of Children's Health

The REACH study is developing a method to link school performance and health data, expanding how researchers measure outcomes for children.

Aug 25 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • news.med.miami.edu

Anavex Life Sciences Reports Third Fiscal Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Business Update

Clinical Development Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease Remains the Focus as Anavex Advances Regulatory Progress Across All Three Programs Anavex Submits Completed Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Study Data and Rett Syndrome Formal Meeting Request to FDA, with an IND Submission for Fragile X Syndrome Planned for September NEW YORK, NY, August 25, 2026 – Anavex Life Sciences […]

Aug 25 • 8:23 AM EDT • Business • anavex.com

Is AIPAC’s political standing declining in the US?

The powerful pro-Israeli lobby group is increasingly becoming liability for both the progressive as well as right-wing.

Aug 25 • 6:55 AM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com

VA deploys Oracle EHR to 3 medical centers in Indiana

The Department of Veterans Affairs is making progress on its goal to add the new electronic health record to all of its medical centers. Past deployments have been plagued by technical challenges and delays.

Aug 25 • 5:32 AM EDT • Health • healthcaredive.com

Rebecca Katz’s Risky Formula for Winning Elections

The political consultant has an uncanny gift for finding charismatic progressives. Why do so many of them implode?

Aug 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • nymag.com

Katin Houser's Biggest Area of Growth Revealed by Illinois Coach

The Illinois Fighting Illini's newest starting QB has progressed in one key area.

Aug 24 • 5:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Panthers expect RB Chuba Hubbard to be ready for regular-season opener vs. Bears

Coach Dave Canales says Hubbard, who strained his hamstring earlier this month, is progressing well.

Aug 24 • 2:27 PM EDT • Sports • spectrumlocalnews.com

AMC Entertainment Spikes 7%, Cinemark Climbs 6%: Is This a Short Squeeze in Progress?

Theater stocks are surging together on a down-market Monday with no earnings, no analyst upgrades, and no press releases to explain the move. When three separate exhibitors all spike at once without a single headline, something deliberate is driving the tape.

Aug 24 • 1:56 PM EDT • Entertainment • 247wallst.com

Why politicians are punchlines at the Edinburgh Fringe

There was a time when satire had an easier gig. Politicians said something ridiculous, comedians made fun of them, audiences laughed, and everyone went home. Subscribe Now the joke is often the headline. In a world where the unbelievable regularly makes the news, where politics can veer into parody before the comedians have had time to write the punchline, you might reasonably wonder: is satire running out of material? Not in Edinburgh. At the Fringe, I can confirm satire has a pulse, even in a relentless and rapid news cycle. Politicians as punchlines Take NewsRevue, the world’s longest-running live sketch show, where politicians are turned into punchlines at industrial speed. Its latest target? Andy Burnham - or, more accurately, his doppelganger, pictured below in the middle. The joke, he tells us, is that there have been so many politicians coming and going that even satire risks suffering from political fatigue. But perhaps that revolving door is precisely why comedy matters. When the news cycle moves faster than our ability to process it, comedians can hold up a mirror - and make us think twice. Small talk Take Ayoade Bamgboye, the Saturday Night Live UK star who won the Best Newcomer prize at last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Her Fringe debut was critically acclaimed; this year she is turning her attention to one of Britain’s most baffling social rituals: small talk. Share It’s a reminder that satire doesn’t always need a politician in its sights. Sometimes the target is simply us civilians - the strange little rules and rituals we have collectively agreed to pretend are normal. Politics and Palestinian identity For British-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh, pictured below, comedy has a more urgent job. His new show, Sami Abu Wardeh Hates You, asks who gets to hate, and whether anger belongs to everyone, not just the far right. His comedy confronts politics and Palestinian identity while refusing to surrender the simple business of making people laugh. Shakespeare meets climate crisis And then there is HAM: an “eco-hijacking” of Hamlet, which its creators describe as “a sordid wrestle between a vegan and a sausage-lover”. Shakespeare meets the climate crisis. Meat meets moral panic. The end result? You’ll leave promising to become vegan and swiftly bulk buying Linda McCartney sausages. HAM was created by theatre company Hotter Project, aka Ell Potter and Mary Higgins, pictured below. They say comedy helped them avoid the preachiness sometimes associated with climate activism - using Shakespeare as a vessel for uncomfortable questions about the planet, politics and the way we live. Perhaps that is satire’s secret weapon. It doesn’t necessarily make the world less absurd. It makes the absurdity crystal clear. And at a moment when reality increasingly feels like it has been written by a sketch writer, the Fringe is proving there is still plenty to laugh and cry at. Satire isn’t dead. It’s alive, subletting and having the time of its life at the Fringe. Subscribe Share Channel 4 News Leave a comment

Aug 24 • 12:02 PM EDT • Politics • channel4news.substack.com

Rune Factory 6 work-in-progress video

Marvelous has released a work-in-progress video for the May 2025-announced,/a> Rune Factory 6.

Aug 24 • 9:37 AM EDT • Technology • gematsu.com

Mozambique strengthens regulation of medicines and imported vaccines, boosting health protection

Mozambique has reached a major milestone in strengthening the regulation of medicines and imported vaccines, with its national regulatory authority recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system.The Autoridade Nacional Reguladora de Medicamentos de Moçambique (ANARME) has achieved Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for the regulation of medicines and imported vaccines under WHO’s global classification of national regulatory authorities.Mozambique becomes the 10th country in Africa to reach ML3, joining Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and marking further momentum in strengthening regulatory systems across the region.For people in Mozambique, stronger regulation means greater assurance that medicines and vaccines are appropriately evaluated for quality, safety and efficacy and monitored throughout their lifecycle. It also strengthens the country’s ability to identify and respond to safety concerns and substandard or falsified products, while supporting timely access to quality-assured health products.“Mozambique’s achievement is the result of sustained investment in regulatory capacity that will deliver crucial benefits for public health,” said Dr Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist and Assistant Director-General a.i. for Health Systems, Access and Data. “Strong regulatory systems protect people, build confidence in health products and help countries respond more effectively to evolving public health needs and challenges. Mozambique’s progress also contributes to advancing regulatory capacity across Africa and promoting more equitable access to safe and quality-assured medicines and vaccines.”Building a stronger regulatory systemMozambique’s achievement follows years of sustained efforts to build the institutions and capabilities needed for effective regulation.WHO worked closely with ANARME throughout this process, assessing the national regulatory system and supporting the authority in addressing identified gaps and strengthening priority areas.WHO evaluates national regulatory systems using its Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT), which assesses the regulatory functions required to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products. These include registration and marketing authorization, licensing, market surveillance and control, pharmacovigilance, regulatory inspection, laboratory testing and oversight of clinical trials, as applicable. WHO’s maturity levels range from 1 to 4. Reaching ML3 confirms a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system, while ML4 represents an advanced system focused on continuous improvement.Benefits for Mozambique and the African continentAn ML3 regulatory system can support more timely and predictable regulatory decisions, reinforce safety monitoring and help ensure that health products entering and remaining on the market meet appropriate standards.It also creates greater opportunities for regulatory cooperation and reliance – approaches that help authorities make use of the work and decisions of trusted regulators, reduce unnecessary duplication and allocate limited resources more efficiently, while maintaining rigorous standards for quality, safety and efficacy.As the first Portuguese-speaking country in Africa to reach ML3, Mozambique’s experience can also contribute to strengthening regulatory systems and fostering greater cooperation, knowledge sharing and reliance among Portuguese-speaking countries and across the African continent. Its achievement further reinforces a more connected African regulatory ecosystem, providing a solid foundation on which the newly established African Medicines Agency can build to advance regulatory convergence and cooperation across the region.Strengthening confidence in regulatory recognitionMozambique’s achievement comes as WHO strengthens the process through which the performance of national regulatory systems is recognized.The newly established Technical Advisory Group on Regulatory Systems Strengthening (TAG-RSS) brings together independent international experts to advise WHO on whether recommendations concerning regulatory authorities reaching ML3 and ML4 and WHO-Listed Authorities, are supported by the findings of WHO evaluation processes. Its recommendations provide an additional level of independent assurance, strengthening the impartiality, transparency and credibility of WHO’s recognition process.Mozambique is among the first countries to achieve ML3 following consideration and recommendation by the TAG-RSS. As part of the same TAG-RSS process, South Africa was recommended to retain its ML3 status for the regulation of vaccines manufactured, imported or distributed in the country, following an additional WHO assessment. This extends the recognition first granted in 2022 and underscores the sustained performance of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).The two recognitions highlight continued progress in strengthening regulatory systems across Africa, as well as the importance of continued performance, improvement and assessment in sustaining regulatory maturity.WHO will continue working with ANARME and SAHPRA to sustain these gains and support continuous improvement as science, technologies and public health needs evolve.

Aug 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • who.int

BRINSUPRI® (brensocatib) Approved by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the Treatment of Patients With Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis, a Serious, Chronic Lung Disease

—First-in-Disease and First-in-Class Therapy Approved in Japan for Patients With Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis (NCFB), a Progressive Disease That Can Lead to Permanent Lung Damage—...

Aug 23 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • investor.insmed.com

Executive Summary: Russell prefers a collaborative, progressive approach

Editor’s note: The Fort Smith Metro Daily News Executive Summary series is focused on looking under the title, so to speak, of a business, government, and non-profit executive in the...

Aug 23 • 12:06 PM EDT • Politics • talkbusiness.net

Executive Summary: Russell prefers a collaborative, progressive approach

Editor’s note: The Fort Smith Metro Daily News Executive Summary series is focused on looking under the title, so to speak, of a business, government, and non-profit executive in the...

Aug 23 • 12:06 PM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net

Week in politics: primaries results, Iran pressure, Korean relations flip

Democrats have not shown a clear preference for progressive candidates over moderate ones. Republicans have rejected some of President Trump's endorsees despite his tight grip on the party's base.

Aug 23 • 8:02 AM EDT • Politics • upr.org

Trump threatens lawsuit against nonprofit that questioned whether National Guard plan lessened crime

The letter gave the Washington, D.C.-based Center for American Progress until the end of business Friday to issue the retraction or face a $5 billion lawsuit. The center declined.

Aug 22 • 1:36 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

How a Progressive Democrat in Florida Gave Her Party New Hope

Angie Nixon, a state lawmaker from Jacksonville, shocked Democrats in red Florida by soundly defeating her centrist primary opponent. Now comes the hard part.

Aug 22 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Families face higher back-to-school costs this year, report finds

A new study by two progressive think tanks estimates that a typical basket of school supplies costs nearly 8% more this year than last year.

Aug 21 • 5:00 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com

Top 5 most heated moments as progressives spar over who is farther to the left in final Dem Senate debate

Ed Markey and Seth Moulton clashed over transgender athletes and abolishing ICE in their final Senate debate in Massachusetts.

Aug 21 • 2:27 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

Sean Mannion’s offense looks for progress against the Patriots

The Eagles need cleaner execution, better protection and more quarterback rhythm when Sean Mannion’s offense faces New England

Aug 21 • 1:15 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Democrats rally behind progressive Aisha Wahab after win in California special election

First Muslim woman and Afghan American elected to California legislature held lead throughout race over main opponent Melissa Hernandez

Aug 21 • 7:18 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Iowa Writers’ Workshop professor explores forgotten history

Matthew Neill Null, an Iowa Writers' Workshop professor, has a new novel, “Floodgate,” which centers on the 1960s construction of West Virginia's Summersville Dam and explores themes of labor unions, resource extraction, and the lives of working-class people left behind by progress.

Aug 21 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • thegazette.com

Opinion | Walz said ‘follow the science.’ His mining order does the opposite.

"The governor’s executive order throws six years of progress into question without new science, new legislation or the opportunity for a vote by our elected representatives," Dave Lislegard writes.

Aug 21 • 5:59 AM EDT • Science • startribune.com

Gallery of William Rawn Associates' New Museum of Science Venue Nears Completion in Boston - 1

Image 1 of 5 from gallery of William Rawn Associates' New Museum of Science Venue Nears Completion in Boston. View of the William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common in progress, 2026. Image © Nicolaus Czarnecki

Aug 21 • 5:54 AM EDT • Science • archdaily.com

Politics Chat, August 20, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Aug 20 • 8:21 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Yankees news: New Aaron Judge injury update is crucial

Will New York Yankees star Aaron Judge return soon? The hope is still that Judge will return before the regular season comes to an end . According to MLB.com, the Yankees slugger is expected to return from his rib injury at some point in September. MLB.com also reports that Judge began a hitting progression on Thursday which is a big step in the […] The post Yankees news: New Aaron Judge injury update is crucial appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Aug 20 • 7:55 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Layoffs in Apple's Vision Products Group prove slow progress in spatial computing

A source has exclusively revealed to us that Apple has just laid off an unknown number of people dedicated to VR development, which aligns with incoming CEO John Ternus reportedly putting the category "on ice."

Aug 20 • 3:48 PM EDT • Technology • appleinsider.com

Turning Play into Progress: An Update on Sustainability Efforts

Learn how Sony Interactive Entertainment is advancing sustainability through lower emissions, reduced plastic packaging, ecosystem restoration, and climate research.

Aug 20 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • sonyinteractive.com

Patriots rookie Gabe Jacas progressing under Mike Vrabel’s hard coaching

Gabe Jacas was challenged by his head coach in the preseason opener.

Aug 20 • 5:23 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

A new 15-minute trailer of Black Myth: Zhong Kui shows the game’s combat in action

The work in progress video highlights the game’s visual fidelity at this stage…

Aug 20 • 4:30 AM EDT • Technology • videogameschronicle.com

Biotalys Reports Half-Year 2026 Financial Results & Business Highlights

Company Provides R&D UpdateGhent, BELGIUM, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press release – regulated information Made substantial regulatory progress in both the U.S. and E.U. with first protein-based biocontrol EVOCA®, paving the regulatory pathway for its commercial version EVOCA NG Achieved promising results in field trials with a second lead BioFun-6 candidate from the AGROBODY® technology platform Entered into a strategic partnership with 21st.BIO, a leading precision fermentation technol

Aug 20 • 1:00 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

Knee osteoarthritis isn’t inevitable — here’s what you can do

Knee osteoarthritis can seriously affect mobility and quality of life, but its progression isn’t completely out of your control. Exercise, stronger leg muscles, a healthier diet, and even modest weight loss can dramatically reduce stress on the knees and help keep pain in check.

Aug 19 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Q2 Earnings Highlights: agilon health (NYSE:AGL) Vs The Rest Of The Outpatient & Specialty Care Stocks

Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at agilon health (NYSE:AGL) and the best and worst performers in the outpatient & specialty care industry.

Aug 19 • 4:14 PM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com

Government Science Websites Shouldn’t Apologize for Scientists

The job of a government science website is to inform the public about what science has discovered, not to pass judgment on historical figures for their alleged failure to live up to contemporary progressive standards of opinion. Someone should make that distinction clear to the men and women at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Aug 19 • 11:14 AM EDT • Science • donoharmmedicine.org

Progressive scores upset victory in Florida, and other takeaways from Tuesday's elections

As the long, contentious primary season nears its end, Democratic voters elevated another progressive Senate candidate in Florida, while President Donald Trump's chosen candidate in his adopted home state, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, won the nomination to be the state's first Black governor.

Aug 19 • 10:28 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

Arkane veterans Harvey Smith and Ben Horne reunite: “We’re back to the games we love”

Aug 19 • 9:01 AM EDT • Technology • thegamebusiness.com

A Stunning Win for the Left in Florida: 6 Takeaways from Tuesday’s Primaries

State Representative Angie Nixon, a progressive firebrand, defeated a moderate who dramatically out-raised her with grass-roots enthusiasm. Can it carry her to victory in November?

Aug 19 • 12:26 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Politics Chat, August 18, 2026

A newsletter about the history behind today's politics.

Aug 18 • 7:57 PM EDT • Politics • heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Researcher-artist paves the way for science communication

Lulu Perez ‘26 is a behavioral neurosciences alumna. She is a researcher in an FIU lab that investigates how complex sugars can regulate immune and cancer cell function and slow cancer progression. She is also an artist. Perez attended an arts-focused school, where she learned to paint in traditional mediums like acrylic, oil and watercolors,

Aug 18 • 2:26 PM EDT • Science • communitynewspapers.com

Hiltzik: The Democrats' age revolt took down a progressive leader

Rep. John Larson fought hard in Congress to protect Social Security. Will his much younger successor play the same role?

Aug 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com

Progressive Florida Dem Senate candidate wants to ‘assess’ congressional leadership

Aug 18 • 1:06 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Multiple Businesses Burglarized During Overnight Crime Spree; Juvenile Arrested

On August 17, 2026, at approximately 5:00 AM, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Communications Center received a call for service reporting a burglary in progress at a business in the 6800 block of Space Village Avenue in unincorporated El Paso County. As Patrol deputies responded, dispatchers received additional information indicating the suspect was […]

Aug 17 • 5:04 PM EDT • Business • epcsheriffsoffice.com

Florida primary considered huge test for progressives

Aug 17 • 9:48 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Apple retains clear smartwatch market lead, but a new contender is rising in a key wearable segment

No one can threaten Apple's smartwatch market supremacy right now, although Google and Garmin are making very interesting progress with a relatively new type of wearable.

Aug 17 • 9:38 AM EDT • Technology • phonearena.com

It’s Obvious Now Why “Woke 1” Failed. I Have an Idea for How Progressives Can Be Less Annoying Next Time.

It wasn’t the ideas that were the problem. It was the execution.

Aug 17 • 5:40 AM EDT • Politics • slate.com

Far-left politicians still using ActBlue as 88-year-old disputes donating nearly $150,000 to fundraising giant

Top progressives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders still fundraise through ActBlue amid smurfing allegations and a House probe.

Aug 16 • 7:45 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

The Scientists Who Want to Steer Hurricanes

Over the weekend, Hawaii was lashed by Hurricane Lala, which has washed away homes, left more than 125,000 people without power, shut down two of the state’s busiest airports, threatened dangerous flash flooding and, at time of writing, has killed one person. What if we could’ve steered the storm away from Hawaii, into the vast expanse of the empty Pacific Ocean that lies all around the islands—where no one could get hurt? This scenario might sound like the stuff of science fiction. But earlier this year, a peer-reviewed study published by the Public Library of Science found that it might be possible, and sooner than we think. The study was titled: “Weather Jiu-Jitsu: Prospects for atmospheric nudging to defuse the impact of catastrophic weather extremes.” According to the paper, the controversial practice of cloud seeding could enable human beings to make hurricanes change direction. The potential results could be astounding: The authors suggested that Hurricane Sandy, which in New York City alone killed 44 people and caused $19 billion of damage in 2012, could’ve been diverted by 200 miles, missing the metropolis entirely. Cloud seeding, which first succeeded in the U.S. in 1946, is a practice whereby small particles—for example, dry ice, silver iodide, or salt—are dropped into clouds, causing moisture to condense into precipitation. In the 1960s, the U.S. government launched Project Stormfury, an experiment that saw Navy pilots flying into the heart of a hurricane, dodging winds over a hundred miles per hour, to cloud-seed inside it, in the hope of reducing the storm’s power. “The seeding,” the theory went, “would stimulate the formation of a new eyewall that would surround the existing eyewall. The new eyewall would contract, strangling the old eyewall and reducing the intensity of the hurricane.”

Aug 16 • 4:43 PM EDT • Science • thefp.com

GIMP Making Progress On New Project File Format After Nearly 30 Years With XCF

The GIMP project has published their latest development update to highlight the interesting work that's ongoing toward GIMP 3.4 and future releases.

Aug 16 • 4:15 PM EDT • Technology • phoronix.com

Dodgers Expect Ohtani Back on the Mound in September

Shohei Ohtani enters the final phase of his throwing progression, aiming to bolster the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation before the postseason begins.

Aug 16 • 2:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Covington Business Council luncheon to feature Sharmili Reddy, Covington city manager

Covington City Manager Sharmili Reddy will speak at the Covington Business Council’s monthly luncheon on August 20. She will speak on “Covington’s Resilience — Partnerships Powering Progress.

Aug 16 • 12:38 AM EDT • Business • nkytribune.com

Yankees’ Aaron Judge begins baseball activities as return draws closer

Aaron Judge is making progress toward his highly anticipated Yankees return, taking another key step in his recovery from a broken right rib as New York awaits its superstar’s comeback.

Aug 15 • 7:32 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Can Oscar Health (OSCR) Still Look Cheap After Strong Q2?

Oscar Health stock has delivered a very large 3 year return while the broader valuation checks still lean cautious, with a low value score hinting that the recent re rating may not be a simple bargain story. Oscar Health has returned about 3.6x over the past 3 years, which puts a spotlight on whether recent enthusiasm already prices in much of the progress. Recent profitability and revenue growth can support investor expectations for the business, while concerns around medical cost trends...

Aug 15 • 2:09 PM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com

Rash: This primary season, the Midwest is a political science laboratory

Though some fared better than others in the primaries, the competitiveness of progressives this year suggests Donald Trump has radicalized the Democratic Party, John Rash writes.

Aug 15 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • startribune.com

Rob Sand Has Figured Something Out

Rob Sand isn’t progressive or moderate. What is he trying to be?

Aug 15 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • theatlantic.com

Opinion: Black Atlanta must decide its own political future

Black Atlanta residents built their prosperity through hard work and discipline. The rise of democratic socialism threatens the progress made over several generations.

Aug 15 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • ajc.com

Bruce Willis makes rare appearance at daughter Tallulah's wedding

Bruce Willis showed up for his daughter Tallulah Willis's wedding as he navigates the progression of frontotemporal dementia.

Aug 14 • 7:52 PM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com