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It’s not personal: US Supreme Court justices focus on law, not politics
Justice Amy Coney Barrett told a UVA audience justices get along even in disagreement, but the job can be lonely.
AI leaders to attend state dinner with Jinping: Report
Several of the technology industry’s most prominent artificial intelligence leaders are expected to attend President Donald Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, putting AI and the growing U.S.-China technology rivalry in focus as the two leaders prepare for their Sept. 24 summit. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and […]
The Next Chapter of Entertainment and Fandom
At Character.ai, our goal has always been to power new formats for users to interact with their favorite characters, stories, and communities. While leading the industry in AI safety, we’ve focused on building a leading platform for entertainment and fandom—pioneering interactive features like Books, studio-made microdramas
Opinion: Today's politics make me feel like Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz'
Dorothy knew song and dance are weapons that can strengthen resolve, remind us of our values, and focus us on the massive good out there.
Maye Musk details the business advice Elon Musk ignored after PayPal
Maye Musk tells Stuart Varney about the business advice her son Elon Musk ignored after selling PayPal. She explains how he went on to start multiple successful companies despite her warning to only focus on one.
Central Health’s Proposed 2027 Budget Focuses On Expanding Access To Care Across Travis County
Sponsored Content Central Health is looking ahead to 2027 with a proposed budget centered on one key goal: making health care easier to access for Travis County residents. Dr. Pat Lee, president an…
Hendrix Genetics acquires full ownership of swine business
Hendrix Genetics Swine will move forward as the Swine Business Unit of Hendrix Genetics with a dedicated focus on serving swine producers worldwide.
Control Resonant's Has Remedy's Signature Touch, Uplifting Its Sharp Combat That Eventually Dulls
Remedy's follow-up to 2019's Control moves to action combat in an open world and tells a more character-focused story with its paranatural edge intact.
Posh teenager Shofowoke aiming for Premier League
Peterborough United's 17-year-old striker Bolu Shofowoke says he is fully focused on the Posh after links with a host of top-flight clubs.
CASAA research event focuses on addiction science
The Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions (CASAA) hosts its annual research day on Friday, Nov. 6, as part of The University of New Mexico's Research and Discovery Week.
Scientists develop a way to restore aging EV batteries without breaking them down into raw materials
The work focuses on a common problem in aging lithium-ion batteries: buildup on the electrodes. As batteries are charged and discharged, a layer known as the solid...
Early voting begins in midterms as campaign shifts focus to cost of living and Iran war
Campaigning or control of Congress is expected to ramp up as some states open early voting
Jon Stewart explains his ongoing philanthropic support of first responders
Jon Stewart says he never planned to focus his charity work on first responders and their families, but it grew organically. “The Daily Show” host said he wanted to support
Democratic doctors, nurses aim to flip Congress seats with a focus on healthcare
A crop of Democratic medical professionals are running for Congress campaigning to reduce healthcare costs.
Abortion Rights Activists in Idaho Find Their Pitch: Bring Back the Doctors
Organizers of a referendum to repeal an abortion ban in deep-red Idaho are far more focused on how the ban has broadly affected health care in the state.
Celtic fans fear derby 'nightmare' after 'appalling' Euro defeat
Must focus on the weekend, Celtic can't lose three games in a week, twice to the Rangers! Alistair Johnston, Jota and Yang back will be soon, Celtic need to hang in there. A win against Rangers on Sunday and all is forgotten.
'Let's get this stadium into the 21st Century'
Sharon: This sounds a very positive thing that will bring Forest forward with them now still being in the Premier League. Can't wait to see what it's going to turn out like - bring on the future for Nottingham Forest! Roger: After the old Main Stand is replaced, Forest should focus on rebuilding the present Bridgford Stand - now renamed in memory of John Robertson.
Developing retail through people and purpose
Akemi Takase is a Retail Area Manager for Salomon at Amer Sports Japan, based in Tokyo. Working closely with store managers, she focuses on strengthening collaboration, growing the Salomon fan base…
Stormont Vail Health program takes the fear out of expecting
Becoming a parent can be a scary experience, that's why one program is focusing on providing families with the care and resources they need.
Cardinals Starting DL Is Surprise Addition to Thursday’s Injury Report
Three days remain until the Arizona Cardinals‘ week two battle against the Seattle Seahawks, as of Sept. 17.The game status for key Cardinals is shaping up to benefit the squad heading into Sunday, although one key surprise came about following Thursday’s practice.Read more about Arizona’s addition to the report, as well as a focus on […] The post Cardinals Starting DL Is Surprise Addition to Thursday’s Injury Report appeared first on HEAVY.
AI pioneer Andrew Ng calls extinction fears ‘science fiction’
He also said there are "practical engineering problems" the industry can focus on to continue to improve and safeguard the technology.
Community leaders, elected officials come together to discus...
Health experts and community leaders came together to focus on mental health in session, titled “Ready to Rise: Addressing the Black Mental Health Crisis,” duri...
Sarkisian challenges No. 1 Texas to avoid letdown against UTSA
After an emotional comeback win over Ohio State and an eventful week off the field, Steve Sarkisian wants No. 1 Texas to refocus and show what it's made of Saturday night against UTSA.
Disney doubles down on tech, naming former YouTube executive as head of entertainment streaming
Former YouTube executive Adam Smith has been named the head of Disney's entertainment streaming business, highlighting the company's focus on tech under Chief Executive Josh D'Amaro.
Disney doubles down on tech, naming former YouTube executive as head of entertainment streaming
Former YouTube executive Adam Smith has been named the head of Disney's entertainment streaming business, highlighting the company's focus on tech under Chief Executive Josh D'Amaro.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu. • The company also named Joe Earley...
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney names insider Adam Smith as chairman of streaming business
Sept 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney on Thursday named insider Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, as the company seeks to sharpen its focus across its direct-to-consumer platforms such as Disney+ and Hulu. • The company also named Joe Earley...
DOL/EBSA Narrows Mental Health Parity Enforcement Focus to Three Priority Areas
On September 8, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-03, outlining how it
The Faces of Entertainment
The Bridger Group is a second-generation, 57-year-old search firm focused on building products and commercial/residential interiors recruiting on a local and national level.
No. 6 Ohio State shifts focus to Kent State
The Buckeyes are 52 1/2 point favorites over the Golden Flashes.
Study upends claim that affordable housing depresses NH property values
Data from a NH Housing report focused entirely on New Hampshire dispels the notion that affordable housing development in a community depresses the property values of nearby residences
Empowering Content Libraries with AI is the New Future for Communal Fan Experiences, Execs Reveal: ‘You Have Companies Sitting on Crown Jewels’
Artificial intelligence has already made its mark on the screen. For some of the entertainment industry’s players, AI’s next playground is the real world. Such was the focus on Thursday morning at the...
National Institutes of Health awards $3.6 million grant to study health threats from Hawaiʻi’s plantation history
Investigating a hidden environmental health threat across Hawaiʻi—pollutants left behind by decades of agricultural and industrial activity, and whether wildfires and other disasters can bring those contaminants back into the environment and into people’s bodies—is the focus of a new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-led research project that received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Environment, health groups sue over Trump move to wipe out climate rules for power plants
Environmental and public health-focused organizations are suing the Trump administration over its move to wipe out most climate regulations on coal and gas power plants. The Natural Resources Defen…
50 New macOS Golden Gate Features and Changes Worth Checking Out
Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate this week, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system, improving performance, and nixing bugs, there are still plenty of new things to explore. There's an overhauled Siri experience, changes across Apple's apps, and much-needed updates across the system interface. In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're updating your Mac.
Android Bench 2.0 focuses on long-horizon tasks, agent evaluations
Google’s development of Android Bench continues today with a version 2.0 that reflects how AI can handle more complex development tasks.
Campbell focused on derby after US call-up
West Bromwich Albion captain George Campbell is focused on the Black Country derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers after earning his second international call-up for the US.
National Security Science and Technology Strategy Highlights Expanded Role for Export Controls, Investment Screening, and Data Security
On August 20, 2026, the White House released the National Security Science and Technology Strategy (“NSSTS“), which establishes the Trump administration’s framework for maintaining US technological leadership and protecting critical and emerging technologies. The NSSTS is organized around four pillars: (1) focusing techno-strategic competition, (2) building technological resilience, (3) accelerating innovation, and (4) protecting national
Can researchers trust that AI models won’t leak their ideas?
Research funders are asking how they can stop confidential scientific ideas in grant proposals from leaking out through large language models (LLMs), for example if reviewers use AI to help them judge applications. Last week, a row erupted in mathematics after OpenAI announced it had solved a notoriously difficult problem, only for another mathematician to demand answers over whether the company had used ideas he had fed into its models. The spat, and the broader issue of idea leakage through AI models, was discussed by funders at an R&D policy conference held in Paris on September 14. At worst, it threatens to undermine the correct attribution of breakthroughs, one of the foundations of modern science. The mathematics dispute around OpenAI is “certainly something we're looking at” Jason Gallo, head of the newly established Office of Metascience at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), told the Blue Sky Forum, hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The controversy started on September 8, when OpenAI announced it had cracked a mathematical problem that had gone unsolved for 90 years. Using a swarm of AI agents, millions of dollars’ worth of computing power and a new internal model, the company said it had finally proved that a long-used formula for modelling fluid dynamics breaks down under certain conditions. However, Tristan Buckmaster, a New York University mathematician who had been independently working with collaborators on the same problem using OpenAI’s Codex tool, hit back with a statement questioning whether the company had snooped on his Codex sessions to gain an advantage. OpenAI has always denied it looked up the “specific user data” of Buckmaster and colleagues. However, the company initially admitted that “while unlikely, we cannot rule out that de-identified data derived from their usage of our products helped improve our models,” although its proofs “differ significantly” from Buckmaster’s. The firm later said that, following an investigation, it concluded that Buckmaster’s Codex prompts “could not have influenced the [OpenAI] system in any way, including through training.”Funder concernYet OpenAI’s initial admission that its model might have ingested Buckmaster’s ideas, then spat them out to its own mathematicians, has scientistsworriedthat their work could leak out if shared with AI. Some AI tools give users an opt-out option to stop their sessions from training the model. If such guarantees can be trusted, this gives scientists some confidence they can use an LLM to develop an idea without the risk of it leaking out.But there’s a bigger potential vulnerability. To win money to investigate ideas, scientists have to share them with funding bodies. These grant proposals are normally kept strictly confidential, to prevent other scientists from scooping them, or to protect commercially valuable intellectual property. To preserve this confidentiality, when the NSF uses AI models, “we have to be sure that it's not making server calls out to an external party, leaking that data,” said Gallo to delegates in Paris. Leaks through reviewersHowever, funders normally use external academic reviewers to assess proposals. And there are growing worries that these reviewers are feeding grant ideas into AI models to help them make a judgement. Research funders have noticed that peer review reports and funding recommendations have “suddenly become much longer, more detailed and complex,” said Diogo Machado, head of the data science unit at Technopolis, a science and technology-focused consultancy. “The sense is that reviewers are increasingly using generative AI in their review work, even where guidelines sometimes forbid it,” he told Science|Business. “This is very difficult for funders to control or prove.” Happening at scaleThis sharing of confidential proposals with AI models is “happening at scale already,” said James Wilson, executive director of the Research on Research Institute, based at University College London, during the debate in Paris. In response, Gallo said the NSF had “strict guidance” around the uploading of proposals to AI models. But he added the NSF was mulling new types of assessment to make sure applicants were truly the originators of their ideas, such as following a short-form proposal with an oral presentation, which would allow the foundation to “really interrogate the investigator on their intellectual contribution.” Related articlesHow can Europe cope with a flood of AI-assisted research grant proposals?The risks and benefits of AI in screening research grant proposals Viewpoint: AI could make scientific overload worse“For us as funders, a lot of the ways to ensure that the application remains the applicant's own intellectual contribution, those ways are quite regressive,” Peter Clifford, head of strategy at Research Ireland, told delegates. “They're maybe ten or 15 or 20 years old, and they don't scale particularly well.” Disputes over the origin of ideas are as old as modern science. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz spent more than a decade arguing over who invented calculus, for example. And long before LLMs emerged, academics would agonise over how much of their early work to reveal at conferences, in case their colleagues scooped them, Jack Leahy, a senior metascience advisor to the UK government, told delegates. But AI was “accelerating” the “problems of the system,” he said.
Technologists investigate food insecurity challenges ahead of hackathon
dsmHack, an organization that brings together tech volunteers to help nonprofits, is launching a first-of-its-kind hackathon focused on issues impacting food insecurity in the Greater Des Moines metro. On Sept. 10, technologists and food security experts spent an evening at DMARC’s facility in Des Moines discussing the underlying problems exacerbating food insecurity and potential technical…
Mekies Praises Liam Lawson’s Maturity in Formula 1
The Austrian team's director highlights the New Zealander's evolution in his three races as Hadjar's substitute. He underlines his calmness, his focus on the essentials and the points scored in Zandvoort and Madrid, far from his inconsistent first stint in 2025.
Trump administration live updates: Americans give AI in schools a poor grade
Live updates and the latest news on the Trump administration as Americans give AI in schools a poor grade, Trump focuses on crime in N.C. rally remarks and a U.N. mission finds grounds for U.S. war crimes in Iran.
Sentara Health Selects GW RhythmX to Advance the Next Era of Primary Care
GW RhythmX, the AI-powered precision care and patient engagement company, today announced that Sentara Health has selected the company for a pilot initiative focused on advancing the future of primary care through real-time, patient-specific clinical intelligence.
Lena Dunham welcomes her first baby via surrogacy
(CNN) — Actress and writer Lena Dunham and her husband Luis Felber have welcomed a baby daughter via surrogate.Writing in an op-ed published by Vogue on Wednesday, Dunham, 40, who is best known as the creator of hit TV series “Girls,” revealed that the couple’s first child had arrived 13 days late, before describing the moment of her birth.“I was so focused on our surrogate — in awe at her concentration, her period of quiet followed by what sounded like a roar — I forgot to look down until I heard our baby’s cry,” she wrote.“I saw her face, gasping just as she did. Her eyes, wide and unfocused, taking in the light and shadow, blinking rapidly.”Dunham said she was “bashful and dizzy with joy.”In 2018, Dunham revealed that she’d had a hysterectomy in an attempt to end the pain caused by endometriosis.Endometriosis is a common and often painful condition that happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus itself. It’s estimated to affect more than 11% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 across the United States.The surgery removed her cervix and uterus, meaning that she was unable to conceive naturally.On meeting her surrogate, Dunham wrote in the Vogue piece: “While I’ve been known to make friends quickly — airport terminals, veterinary offices — this was the quickest leap from first coffee to gynecological procedure I’d ever done.”Dunham said in the months before the embryo transfer date, as she “got to know our surrogate and to trust her,” she thought she would feel “jealousy” towards her, but she did not.“Instead, I felt a different kind of jealousy — toward said baby, for the chance to be tucked into someone who radiated such safety. I could just tell she knew how to steer an SUV in the snow,” Dunham added.The pregnancy came after “12 years circling the fertility drain,” Dunham wrote, and revealed how she dealt with the nerves of the intervening months.“Powerless and unable to feel the physical changes that signal a growing fetus, I horrified friends and family who adhere to the Jewish superstition prohibiting anticipatory purchases, and I started shopping,” said Dunham, before recounting her journey into the world of baby fashion.“I was looking for garments that allowed her personality to develop and express itself rather than announcing an identity she didn’t yet have,” she said.“She would be a person that we helped to dress, who made an impression on the world based on our choices, until she was old enough to do it herself.”The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Women's Kidney Health in Focus
Globally, one in 10 women lives with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is closely intertwined with cardiovascular risk as part of the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.
Has Your Business Banking Experience Fallen Behind? Here’s How to Catch Up
Design what users want, rather than focusing on your existing architecture and how it can be made fixed.
Broncos Get Clear Message From Trevor Lawrence Before Jaguars Rematch
Trevor Lawrence left a teammate’s birthday party at halftime. What he studied afterward explains the Jaguars’ focus before facing the Broncos. The post Broncos Get Clear Message From Trevor Lawrence Before Jaguars Rematch appeared first on HEAVY.
Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) Following Lyft Deal Has Its Valuation Back In Focus
Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) just signed a multi-year marketing deal with Lyft that makes the rideshare service the official partner across its venues, highlighting how transportation partnerships can shape the broader entertainment ecosystem. Sphere Entertainment’s recent Lyft tie-up lands at a time when momentum has cooled in the short term but remains strong over a longer horizon. The share price is down 15.8% over the past month, while the year-to-date share price return is 53.2% and the...
Access denied! Rivals celebrate Corinthians exit, Memphis in focus
Corinthians came up short in front of the Fiel.And helped their rivals PARTY thanks to the "contribution" of Memphis Depay.The latest Libertadores disappointment sparked all kinds of reactions on soci...
WCC Faith and Science Working Group: rethinking what it means to be human
The Faith and Science Working Group is part of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing. It evaluates modern technological and scientific advancements through theological and ethical lenses, focusing on human dignity, digital justice, and existential risks.
Dartmouth Health CEO says patient care was focus in deciding layoffs
A day after Dartmouth Health and the UVM Health Network announced layoffs affecting hundreds of employees, the CEO of the region’s largest health care provider insists the cuts are unavoidable and will not harm patient care.
Dartmouth Health CEO says patient care was focus in deciding layoffs
CEO Joanne Conroy says the cuts were in the works for roughly nine months and that patient needs were a top consideration.
Christian Gonzalez Reacts to Record-Breaking Extension with Patriots
Christian Gonzalez got what he wanted and now focuses on bringing the Patriots back to the Super Bowl.
How New Aura Entertainment Plans Will Impact Norwegian Cruise Line Stock
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has outlined the entertainment slate for future ship Norwegian Aura, including an estate-approved Whitney Houston tribute, illusion shows, live band concepts, and adults-only nightlife, all positioned as exclusive onboard experiences following the 2026 announcement. The focus on branded, exclusive entertainment partnerships points to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings leaning harder into experience-led differentiation that can support onboard spending and help...
Rep. Kamlager-Dove Launches Caucus Focusing on Entertainment, Sports Economy
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, launched a bipartisan caucus Wednesday to “educate and engage” members of Congress on issues affecting the nation’s entertainment and sports economy. The Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports (MoMEntS) Caucus will be co-chaired by Kamlager-Dove, Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, and Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana. Other members include Rep. Ted Lieu, […]
Caucus Will Focus on Entertainment, Sports Economy
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, launched a bipartisan caucus Wednesday to “educate and engage” members of Congress on issues affecting the nation’s entertainment and sports economy. The Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports (MoMEntS) Caucus will be co-chaired by Kamlager-Dove, Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, and Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana. Other members include Rep. Ted Lieu, […]
Giants’ Devers Named as Potential Yankees Trade Target
Buster Olney suggests a blockbuster move to the Bronx, allowing Rafael Devers to focus on his elite power stroke while solving the San Francisco Giants’ complex financial future.
Capitals address Ovechkin’s role in Russian political ad
The Washington Capitals said Alex Ovechkin was asked to appear in a new ad for Russia’s ruling United Russia party while in Moscow this summer, emphasizing he is a Russian citizen focused on the upcoming NHL season and his community role in D.C.
UCF Defense Focused on Stacking Good Days After Pitt Loss
Despite stifling yardage, the Knights are fixing critical third-down lapses. Senior leader Ken Talley targets a bounce-back performance against Georgia State to solidify UCF’s elite defensive standing.
Outcome of suit against Department of Labor could boost skimpy employer health plans
The Trump administration has been sharply focused on expanding access to alternative coverage.
Hollywood Gets New Bipartisan Caucus on Capitol Hill
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is launching a new congressional caucus focused on Hollywood, music, sports and the creator economy.
Freedom football the focus on Varsity Roundtable
We’ll catch up with the undefeated Irish as Axzil Eggert, Cody Scheibe and Henry Van Asten join us on tonight's Varsity Roundtable.
Canada keeps ‘associate membership’ label at arm’s length
'We're really much more focused on getting concrete results,' said the Canadian EU-envoy
Federal charges in Texas are part of broader Trump focus on noncitizen voting
Seven people in Texas who are not U.S. citizens have been charged with illegally voting in federal elections or falsely claiming citizenship.
Anixa Biosciences Appoints UPenn's Dr. Carmen Guerra to Cancer Business Advisory Board
/PRNewswire/ -- Anixa Biosciences, Inc. ("Anixa" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer,...
Anixa Biosciences Appoints UPenn's Dr. Carmen Guerra to Cancer Business Advisory Board
Anixa Biosciences, Inc. ("Anixa" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer, today announced the appointment of Carmen Guerra, M.D., M.S.C.E., F.A.C.P., to its Cancer Business Advisory Board.
Ukrainian defence tech seeks new ways to scale up
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's defence sector has expanded several-fold, becoming a significant source of military innovation, especially in unmanned systems, counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare and AI-driven combat systems. But finding the funds and personnel to scale up and to reach international markets remains a challenge.Spurred on by the demands of the front-line, Ukrainian defence companies say they can develop a minor component in a couple of weeks, or major hardware or software solutions within a year. This is several times faster than the usual development cycles in the sector. Tencore, founded in 2024, is now one of Ukraine’s largest providers of unmanned ground vehicles, well exceeding the production of NATO members in this category. Odd Systems, a Ukrainian combat cameras developer founded in 2023, launched its first thermal camera in 2024. Less than two years later, it is developing the fourth generation of the product, one that has evolved into a full vision system.According to Michael Singer, managing partner at Verne Capital, a venture capital fund supporting defence companies in Europe, this speed is down to the short feedback loop between the developer and the end user. “Ukrainian companies develop technologies in close interaction with soldiers and military units, test them under real combat conditions and rapidly incorporate feedback into the next generation of the product,” he says. “Sometimes we need to react to feedback and deploy an upgrade within hours,” says Polina Tymchenko, the spokesperson for Himera, which develops electronic warfare-resistant walkie-talkies. “It means that, as a company, you have to have a higher tolerance for risk, and also design your products in a way that fosters those quick changes.”Getting a product deployed by a combat command involves no paperwork other than a purchase order, says Perry Boyle, co-founder and chief executive of Mits Capital, a Ukrainian-US investment group focused on attracting capital for Ukraine's defence tech sector. “New weapons can be developed and deployed based largely on handshakes.”Nevertheless, the speed of development is largely subject to the level of funding, says Iryna Sukhomlyn, head of business development at RMachine, a developer of unmanned ground systems. “Financial support needs to start much earlier, particularly at technology readiness level 3-5, not only when most of the technological risk has already been removed,” she says.In 2025, Ukrainian defence tech companies attracted about $129 million in investment, with the true figure likely higher given the share of undisclosed security-sensitive deals, according to a report published by the Kyiv School of Economics. These investments were primarily concentrated in the AI and software segment, as they are considered a lower financial risk.Scaling production is a major barrierAccording to Iryna Supruniuk, business development director at Odd Systems, proving a defence product in Ukraine is not the end of the development process, but the beginning of a continuous evolution, since operational requirements change rapidly. “Continuous iteration remains our highest priority,” she says.It's also when production must scale up, which represents a major hurdle. “Scaling production requires capital, manufacturing capacity, components, certification, procurement access and reliable supply chains,” Singer says. Scale-up is also hampered by demographic pressures, especially a shortage of young specialists needed to expand engineering teams. Companies have reported struggling to replace specialists lost due to Russian attacks, mobilisation and emigration. In order to meet this scale-up challenge and finance arms production, begun allowing defence technologies to be exported, assuming it has an excess capacity. It has also announced the creation of ten defence and weapons export centres across Europe by the end of 2026.According to Singer, a technology that has demonstrated its value under real combat conditions has a fundamentally different credibility than a product that has only been tested in a laboratory or training environment. But combat validation alone doesn’t automatically create an international business. “Companies still need access to foreign defence ministries and procurement organisations, international certification, financing for production scale-up and, in many cases, local industrial partners,” he says.Already in 2026, the EU has signed several agreements with Ukraine that aim at joint defence technology development and production. These include allowing Ukraine to join the European Defence Fund, signing a financing agreement under the European Defence Industry Programme, and setting up the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance.For Singer, it is important that European defence companies don’t just see their Ukrainian partners as technology suppliers, but rather as potential innovation partners. “Ukrainian companies bring speed, operational experience and an exceptional ability to iterate. European partners can provide industrial capacity, capital, established supply chains and access to European procurement markets.”Procurement possibilitiesWhen it comes to exports, the procurement and compliance processes involved require time, taking months or even years, and money. In other words, resources that small defence tech companies need if they are to improve and scale up their technologies. According to Sukhomlyn of RMachine, if the priority is to rapidly increase available defence capabilities, then the processes need to reflect that urgency. “If Europe wants defence innovation at wartime speed, its administrative processes also need to operate much closer to wartime speed,” she says, highlighting a need for support with certification, market access and mutual recognition of relevant testing. “Otherwise, we risk having excellent technology available but spending years making it administratively eligible to be purchased.”Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresEU must support research managers in central and eastern Europe, says Visegrad fund headThis is a lesson Europe’s defence sector would do well to learn, Singer says. “Defence innovation needs to be organised around the speed and requirements of the end user, not around the speed of the bureaucracy.”Supruniuk says the European defence sector should rethink the balance between quality and quantity. “In many cases, a good-enough system available in thousands of units creates greater operational value than a perfect system available in dozens.”“For decades, everyone has been looking for that all-powerful, exquisite system that can protect everyone,” adds Tymchenko. “We see in crime that only scalable, dedicated, affordable solutions can actually defend democracies.”
House Lawmakers Launch Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports Caucus
The caucus will focus on the economic impact of the creator economy, as well as sports, music and other forms of entertainment.
EU membership bid gives boost to Moldova’s fledgling R&D landscape
Moldova’s push to join the EU is having the spillover effect of helping to improve the country’s R&D landscape, which in recent years has suffered from fragmentation, decreasing personnel and a lack of research infrastructure.The country became an EU candidate country in 2022, alongside Ukraine, and officially began accession negotiations in 2024. With a pro-EU government, Moldova has been actively carrying out reforms to align with EU standards. This has helped accelerate the development of R&D, said Igor Chiosa, acting head of the Research and Innovation Policy Directorate at Moldova’s Ministry of Education and Research. “Our R&D landscape is moving up, and we are more and more involved in the European Research Area,” he said. “The support we receive from the EU is very important, not only financially, but also because of incentives, consultation and capacity building.”The R&D landscape in the former Soviet republic is still relatively underdeveloped, despite attempts at improvement going back to a 2004 law on science and innovation and later reforms in 2017 and 2018. But the system remains in a “precarious situation” and “in the process of contraction,” according to an assessment carried out by the government for the current National Programme for Research and Innovation, which runs from 2024 to 2027. The analysis highlights in particular the declining number of researchers and PhDs, which has been continuously falling, as well as limited research funding. This is around 10 times lower than the EU average and “insufficient to maintain a level of research activity that supports higher education and meets the needs of the economy.” The mechanisms for allocating research funds are also described as inefficient, as well as the general fragmentation of the landscape, with research and innovation activities being carried out in 67 different places. The lack of strategic vision for research infrastructure is also noted. The strategy sets out to address these issues and is being fuelled by reforms linked to EU accession. Moldova now has a regulation on open science and gender equality. There is also a new support mechanism for technology transfer offices and a business-academia roadmap. In 2025, the country also became the first Eastern Partnership country to approve a Smart Specialisation strategy, which will coordinate its R&D efforts to focus on strengths, within a European context. “We’ve done a lot in terms of normative acts,” Chiosa said. Horizon Europe successMoldova is also seeing more success in the EU’s flagship R&D programme, Horizon Europe. The country has now won nearly €15 million in funding, already double the amount won under the previous programme, Horizon 2020, and more than the €10 million target set by the government. Chiosa said the priority has shifted now to winning more research-centred projects, rather than those related to support and capacity. Moldova is also targeting further involvement in large European projects. Last year, it joined the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking giving Moldovans access to Europe's supercomputing network. The country is also a member of Danubius-RI, a European research infrastructure focused on river and sea research. Despite these efforts, Moldova’s research capacity is still shackled by its limited R&D budget, which equates to 0.23% of its GDP. This is around half of what its neighbour Romania spends, which is the lowest in the EU. According to Chiosa, the research budget is increasing year-on-year, jumping by €6.34 million between 2024 and 2025. But this doesn’t show up when looking at it as a proportion of GDP. “Of course, it’s difficult,” he said. “That is why we are putting more emphasis on collaboration between business and academia, as well as participation in Horizon Europe, to try to diversify our sources of funding.”A World Bank loan of €30 million, plus a grant of €7.8 million, was agreed in 2025 to support the modernisation of Moldova’s universities. As part of this, a call was launched this year to provide universities grants of up to €900,000 to develop their research infrastructure. Moldova is also collaborating closely with Romania, with which it shares a common language, funding 100 joint projects in 2023 and 2024. This support has been instrumental. “They are helping with sharing their expertise, inviting us into consortia, and lots more,” Chiosa said. Looking forward, Moldova is eagerly anticipating joining the EU. “We are looking closely at what the EU is doing and will shape our future national programme in research innovation accordingly.”EU accession “blocked at a technical level”Moldova is aiming to join the EU by 2028, but despite its swift and eager efforts to meet the accession criteria, there remain obstacles outside of the country’s control. For a country to join the EU, it must have certain legislation in place and meet specific standards in various areas. This is categorised into six thematic clusters containing 33 chapters. Moldova and the EU have so far opened two of the clusters, numbers one and six. The first covers fundamental laws, such as the judiciary, security and financial legislation. The sixth covers external relations. The remaining four clusters are still unopened. This includes the third cluster, on competitiveness and growth, which contains the chapter on science and research.Related articlesQ&A: Albania’s ambition to become a ‘moderate innovator’Data corner: Horizon success rates are droppingThe European Commission has confirmed that these clusters are ready to be opened, with an official saying that the Commission is encouraging EU governments, who have the final say, to move forward on the matter. However, both clusters two and three remain blocked by the EU Council’s working party on enlargement and countries negotiating accession to the EU, a different official, representing the Council, confirmed.This working party is set to meet several times in the coming weeks, with a Council meeting scheduled for mid-October in which enlargement, and Moldova’s bid, will be discussed. But there is no certainty that these talks will lead to progress. According to the Council source, it is “completely impossible to foresee if and when the file will be unblocked,” citing the sensitivity of the matter. Moldova’s situation is particularly complicated. One factor is that it borders Ukraine and is increasingly embroiled in Russia’s war, with drone incursions occurring more often on its territory. Another is Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway state that lies within the territory of Moldova. It is unclear how the EU would be able to accept Moldova into the bloc while this situation remains unchanged. While there is no direct reason to delay opening cluster three with Moldova, as it covers matters unrelated to security, it could be that the EU is reluctant to speed through accession negotiations without first resolving broader, geopolitical issues.Chiosa is confident that, if and when the chapter on science and research is opened, Moldova will be able to finalise it quickly. It doesn’t require any legislative changes and is only a matter of proving certain standards, which Chiosa believes Moldova is well prepared to do. “We hope that chapter 25 on science and research will be one of the first chapters opened and closed,” he said.
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