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Travis Kelce’s First Post-Wedding Workout Brings Chiefs Season Back

Travis Kelce is back to training for a new NFL season with the Chiefs post his high-profile wedding to Taylor Swift. After renewing his contract with the Chiefs amid previous retirement rumors, the tight end is back to the grind. For those unversed, Kelce tied the knot with the pop star on July 3 at […] The post Travis Kelce’s First Post-Wedding Workout Brings Chiefs Season Back appeared first on Reality Tea.

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Jul 17 • 4:28 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Ribbon cutting, tours planned to celebrate completion  of Kelce College of Business building and Besse Hotel renovation

Pittsburg State University and the community will celebrate the completion of two transformative projects with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and self-guided tours on Aug. 11.

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Jul 17 • 4:12 AM EDT • Business • pittstate.edu
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Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 17, 2026, puzzle No. 662

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 17 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it

From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.

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Jul 16 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • iai.tv
Business 51 Southside Project begins Stage 3 construction Monday in Stevens Point

The City of Stevens Point will begin Stage 3 construction on the Business 51 Southside Project on Monday, July 20.

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Jul 16 • 8:53 AM EDT • Business • wsaw.com
Elite Entertainment’s award winning services can enhance your next event

This morning on “The Rhode Show” we welcomed DJ Kenny and DJ Armando of Elite Entertainment they chatted with Brendan Kirby about their careers, what they do, and how, for the 10th consecutive year…

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Jul 16 • 8:44 AM EDT • Entertainment • wpri.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 16, 2026, puzzle No. 661

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 16 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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NewsNight panel reacts to viewer comment about Trump’s ICE operations

NewsNight viewers are welcomed to join the debate via CNN.com. One viewer says: “people elected trump for more deportations but not by any means… Especially violent means.” The NewsNight panel responds.

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Jul 15 • 10:54 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Uber Announces Acquisition Offer for Delivery Hero

Cash consideration of €41.50 per share offered to all Delivery Hero shareholders, representing an Equity Value of $14.8 billion, or $13.7 billion adjusted for Uber’s prior stake purchases The transaction is expected to be accretive to Non-GAAP EPS upon close; high-single-digit percentage accretion by year three Delivery Hero has separately agreed to sell part of its business covering 14 markets to SSW Partners Management Board and Supervisory Board of Delivery Hero unanimously welcome and support the Takeover Offer and intend to recommend Delivery Hero shareholders to tender into the offer, subject to their review of the Offer Document Prosus has irrevocably committed to tender their shares, which would bring Uber’s total economic interest to ~53% Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) has entered into a business combination agreement with Delivery Hero, extending the world’s largest mobility and delivery platform to a total of 99 markets, with combined pro-forma Gross Bookings of $236

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Jul 15 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • investor.uber.com
Team Welch demanded ‘misleading’ ad’s removal. Crist’s camp replaced it

A political committee backing Charlie Crist uploaded a new ad calling out City Hall spending with tweaked language.

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Jul 15 • 7:25 PM EDT • Politics • tampabay.com
Sunscreen gets an upgrade | Investors Lab

There are hundreds of brands of sunscreen available in the United States, but not one of them contains an ingredient we all need. Bemotrizinol, a highly effective, broad-spectrum chemical ultraviolet ray blocker, has been available in Europe for decades but absent from U.S. shelves. The regulatory bottleneck was driven by a 2011 U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy classifying sunscreens as drugs. While the classification remains, consumers and innovators can welcome the news that the FDA has officially approved bemotrizinol, effective August 9, 2026. Science News's Meghan Rosen provides the coverage.

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Jul 15 • 5:15 PM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org
The States Try to Topple WarnerMount…Thus Begins the Local Antitrust Era

(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, it looks like it’s time for another strategy column. Can I finally avoid writing about M&A? No, it seems I cannot. Admittedly, I’m a week early with this column, since I usually put it out every other week. But this news couldn’t wait. This will make three “Most Important Stories” in a row with a merger or acquisition as its centerpiece. First, Roku-Fox (an acquisition), then Comcast-NBCUniversal (a divestment!), and now the State AGs and the WGA’s lawsuits against Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery (antitrust). M&A is usually the “most important” topic any given week, simply because a giant company merging or breaking up (or preventing those outcomes) can have the biggest impact on the streaming board. If you think about these companies as players in a game, changing the number of players is one of the biggest changes you can make. I shouldn’t really complain, either, since this lawsuit is very good news for customers and suppliers (econ speak for talent, workers and indie studios in Hollywood). So let me answer some questions about this potential trial, along with (shudder) making some heavily caveated predictions. I’ll also look at whether Hollywood must consolidate, whether or not the states can win, trouble at X-Box, Netflix’s YouTube binge, and more. Plus, I have five images that visualize this merger and the harm, including three brand new data looks you’ve never seen before. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Can The States and the WGA Stop Hollywood’s Consolidation (Crisis)? If every other newsletter and news outlet is writing about the same story, I try to avoid writing about it as well, but I can’t ignore a story this consequential. The story of the last year was the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery, and this development potentially extends that saga into 2027. As I tried to figure out my angle, I realized, like my last column, I’m again faced with a series of questions. These questions, though, are much more forward-looking. Will the states win? Will the WGA win? If so, what happens to Warner Bros. Discovery? Either way, will this chill the market for future mergers? So you know what that means: predictions. About the future, no less, the hardest thing to predict.1 Just remember: nothing here comes with a guarantee. And the more confident someone is in their predictions, the less you should trust them. This situation is incredibly fluid, nuanced, uncertain and tenuous. So let’s try to explain what may happen. Question: Why File this Lawsuit? I’ll admit, a few months back, I was fairly pessimistic about the fate of this lawsuit. Rumors had started bubbling up that the state Attorneys General (in particular California) wanted to settle with either some minor divestments (usually CNN) or behavioral remedies. And that tracked for me: the states usually settle lawsuits, like the recent John Deere right-to-repair suit. Yet, they plan to fight this. (As they did the LiveNation-Ticketmaster monopolization trial and the Nexstar-Tegna merger.) Honestly, that also makes a ton of sense. Frankly, this move is just good politics for these State AGs. Most are still running for higher and higher office in blue states—some folks have emphasized that only Democratic AGs joined this suit, but given the Ellison/Trump ties, and fears of retribution, that tracks—and a high profile case like this will help them move up the electoral ladder, especially since Paramount and its leadership (the Ellisons, father and heir) have sided with the other side of the political aisle. That makes them unsympathetic to Democratic voters and Hollywood workers in particular. Why did this lawsuit happen? In addition to the very real concerns about industry consolidation, this is why. That said, I don’t think we would have seen this lawsuit for Netflix and Warner Bros., simply because they’re more sympathetic and aligned with Democrats. But those consolidation concerns are real. The “town”—meaning Hollywood and such—really is seeing the damage of mergers on this industry. That’s why the WGA also filed its own lawsuit in defense of workers as well. (Wildcard: What about Europe? Will they try to stop the deal, too? There have been some rumors out of the UK they may try to fight the deal, and UK enforcers just stopped a Getty Images-Shutterstock tie up, so there is precedence. This argument could go either way, though. On one hand, the EU doesn’t need to step in, cause they states are handling it. On the other hand, this could make the EU’s case easier. Just imagine if both sides coordinated. I’ll simply say, “We’ll see!”) Question: Will The State AGs or the WGA Win? Can the state AGs play David to Paramount-Skydance’s Goliath here? That’s really the whole thing, isn’t it? If you know this result, you could make a lot of money. When things are uncertain, it’s tempting to shrug and say, “Eh” meaning it’s a 50/50 proposition. I wouldn’t, though. When in doubt, you should expect that the merging parties succeed. AT&T did successfully buy Warner Bros., after all, and Disney bought Fox without any challenges. Many judges are extremely sympathetic to mergers, and I’d bet the state AGs get a judge who will allow the merger. (Even Obama-appointed judges often allow mergers.) As I understand it, we’ll see two main attacks. First, theatrical films. The AGs are arguing that, when it comes to share of box office and the number of both “wide releases” and blockbuster (or “tentpole”) films, the merging parties will have over 27% market share. Now, the Supreme Court once ruled from on high that any merger that exceeds 30% is presumptively illegal, but that’s guidance, not an ironclad bar. Still, the states will have to argue that this is close to having too much power, and with that power, this will likely further worsen the theater/studio splits in particular. Indeed, as Matthew Stoller pointed out, “just five studios are responsible for 95% of all blockbusters; if this merger goes through, then Paramount and Disney will control 60% of that.” So yes, movie studios will be very concentrated after this merger. Want me to visualize some of that? Well, here’s the share of films that grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office since 2022. (Note: this isn’t all films released in over 3,000 screens, but it is a good look at market power.) First, here are the 43 films by studio: Notice all the blue (Disney), orange (Universal), and purple (Warner Bros)? Yeah, those studios are powerful, and this combines Paramount with one of them. Here’s the look by studio and share of the films that grossed over $200 million: Now, if you look at that and also think, “Huh, should we break up Disney?” I’m with you. I’ve seen some folks poo-poo this idea that this is a real category, but it is! For an upcoming article, I’ve been pulling data on the share of top 100 films at the box office as a share of total box office, and it’s massive. Here’s the chart: (This analysis looks at The-Number’s top 100 films and total domestic box office each year.) To be clear, tentpoles make up 80.7% of the box office each year, so I do think it’s a genuine market. (To be clear, films grossing over $50 million make up 80% of the domestic box office, and films grossing over $100 million make up 64.1%.) I mean, the top 100 films at the box office make up 95% of each year’s grosses. Worse, the combined studios will likely cut output to flex that market power. Everyone can just look at what happened to Disney and Fox to see the precedent. (With fewer films, the remaining theaters have to give more for those few films that remain.) Here’s an image I’ve used a lot, the share of wide-release films from Disney and Fox over time: The AGs will also argue that this consolidation will also impact the cable industry. In this case, the consolidation is actually worse, but that environment is…complicated. Paramount will argue that the cable industry is shrinking. That said, predictions that cable will “go to zero” also don’t look very well supported by the data, as the declines are shrinking, meaning “cable” or “vMVPDs” will likely stabilize at some point. Can the state Attorneys General win on those two main arguments? I honestly don’t know. Again, I’d bet no, since history in general supports that, but it depends on the judge/jury and how they interpret the arguments. Notably, Paramount won’t face accusations about monopoly power in other areas, like streaming, news, sports rights, or vertical integration. I tend to disagree with leaving out sports rights, but I also see the appeal for a simpler case. The states also aren’t really pushing novel theories about labor harm either, which should help. (By the way, Sean McNulty at The Ankler wrote a great run through of potential options, and Capitol Forum also wrote a great paper on theatrical consolidation. Both these pieces predated the lawsuit. Matthew Stoller is also out with his analysis of the pros and cons of the case too.) In some ways, the WGA’s case is even stronger. Quoting Sean McNulty’s summary: “The WGA is citing WARNAMOUNT as crossing a 30% market share in multiple sectors, a number that the Supreme Court has precedent for deeming “presumptively anticompetitive” in a market. According to the WGA numbers, WARNAMOUNT would have represented: - 35% of film writing jobs between 2021 and 2024 - 36% of TV writing projects between 2022 and 2025 - 38% of overall deals between 2021 and 2024” Notably, antitrust enforcers did win recently in the Penguin-Simon & Schuster merger by focusing on labor impact, so don’t count this thinking out. (Wildcard: Will the states try to get a jury trial? Most likely no, they’ll let a judge handle it. If I’m them, though, I’d try to put this in front of a jury. Juries tend to understand monopoly power in a more realistic way than judges faced with legions of economists.) Question: What if They Win? What if They Lose?

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Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 15, 2026, puzzle No. 660

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 15 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
ECU Health welcomes 152 new resident physicians and fellows to train across Eastern NC

WCTI ABC 12 Greenville and WYDO Fox 14 Greenville offer local and national news reporting, sports, and weather forecasts to viewers in the Greenville, New Bern, Washington, North Carolina region, including Farmville, Wilson, Rocky Mount, Goldsboro, Snow Hill, Pikeville, and Simpson, North Carolina.

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Jul 14 • 9:46 PM EDT • Health • wcti12.com
Concert review: DeVotchKa and Wheelchair Sports Camp celebrate Little Miss Sunshine at Red Rocks

Film on the Rocks returned to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Monday night with a celebration that felt uniquely Colorado. Denver Film partnered with the

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Jul 14 • 7:33 PM EDT • Sports • cpr.org
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.

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Jul 14 • 3:17 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news
ECU Health Graduate Medical Education welcomes 152 new resident physicians, fellows

The future of medical care at ECU Health has arrived in the form of 152 new Graduate Medical Education (GME) resident physicians and fellows.

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Jul 14 • 3:00 PM EDT • Health • ecuhealth.org
Fenway Health Welcomes Governor Healey’s Signing of the FY27 Budget, Advancing LGBTQIA+ Health and HIV Prevention

Governor Healey’s signing of the FY27 budget marks an important step forward for LGBTQIA+ health, HIV prevention, and health equity in Massachusetts. At a t ...

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Jul 14 • 2:29 PM EDT • Health • fenwayhealth.org
The celebrities who had to RSVP 'no' to Taylor Swift's wedding, from Shania Twain to Ryan Seacrest

First came the guest list. Now comes a new Hollywood flex: explaining why you couldn't make Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding.

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Jul 14 • 2:24 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute Welcome First Patients at Melchiorre Cancer Center

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, officially welcomed its first patients today at the Melchiorre Cancer Center.

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Jul 14 • 12:35 PM EDT • Health • rwjbh.org
Can network sharing rescue the 6G business case?

Telcos spend heavily to eliminate costs yet cling to facilities-based competition. Ahead of 6G, embracing network sharing may be a survival move.

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Jul 14 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • lightreading.com
Trump rolls out the White House welcome mat for new Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi

President Donald Trump is set to welcome Iraq’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, to the White House

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Jul 14 • 12:12 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 14, 2026, puzzle No. 659

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 14 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Jason Kelce opens up about his 4 daughters being Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s flower girls

Jason Kelce says his daughters were ‘very happy’ to be uncle Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s flower girls.

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Jul 13 • 4:07 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Polymarket Promo Code SBWIRE Get $50 Bonus for World Cup, Politics & More For July 13

Use Polymarket promo code SBWIRE to skip the waitlist AND claim a $50 bonus with a $20 deposit welcome offer. Start trading prediction markets immediately.

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Jul 13 • 2:46 PM EDT • Politics • golfweek.usatoday.com
Aggie Venture Accelerator Welcomes Inaugural Cohort of Life Science Startups

The University of California, Davis Innovation and Economic Development Office has announced the inaugural cohort of the Aggie Venture Accelerator (AVA), selecting SinewUS, Pharm to Food and ThriveSpan Labs as the program’s first participating startups.

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Jul 13 • 11:55 AM EDT • Science • ucdavis.edu
Opinion | Welcome to the Golden Age of the Crone

A new generation is not willing to settle for being invisible.

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Jul 13 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
Kansas City continues to prove it's a superior sports city as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce could welcome a new superstar to town soon

The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as international superstars in their own sport. The city could soon have Mo Salah.

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Jul 13 • 10:53 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Poll: Who Wins the Home Run Derby?

Editor's note: Welcome to Athlon Sports' poll of the day, where we ask readers to weigh in on the biggest topic of the day. Thanks for voting, and be sure to sound off in the comment section. We've hit the MLB all-star break, and Monday night is the Home Run Derby (8 p.m.

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Jul 13 • 8:29 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Stealth PlayStation 5 Feature Update Adds a Handy New Widget

Sony Interactive Entertainment has quietly dropped a new PS5 feature update that adds a handy new widget to the Welcome Hub.

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Jul 13 • 8:17 AM EDT • Technology • playstationlifestyle.net
Sen. McConnell breaks weeks of silence about health, US and Iran vie for Strait of Hormuz control

Welcome back.

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Jul 13 • 6:44 AM EDT • Health • apnews.com
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Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 13, 2026, puzzle No. 658

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 13 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Nippon Paint Offers $8.6 Billion for Akzo Nobel’s Paint Business

Nippon Paint Holdings Co. has made an offer for Akzo Nobel NV’s decorative paints business in the past month.

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Jul 12 • 10:47 PM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com
Opinion: A baton pass to welcome a new era of Alaska politics

In a political climate built for outrage, Alaska needs leaders who still know how to build coalitions.

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Jul 12 • 7:38 PM EDT • Politics • adn.com
Summer Games Done Quick 2026 raises another $2.4 million for Doctors Without Borders

The annual speedrunning marathon, held in Minneapolis this week, welcomed around 2500 in-person attendees, as well as thousands via its livestreams.

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Jul 12 • 12:24 PM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net
Poll: Home Run Derby or All-Star Game?

Editor's note: Welcome to Athlon Sports' poll of the day, where we ask readers to weigh in on the biggest topic of the day. Thanks for voting, and be sure to sound off in the comment section. We've got one more day of baseball action before most of the MLB's players get to relax during the all-star break.

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Jul 12 • 5:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 12, 2026, puzzle No. 657

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 12 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Travis Swift and Travis Kelce reimbursed NYC for wedding security costs

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce paid more than $160,000 to cover NYPD and city costs tied to their MSG wedding.

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Jul 11 • 11:14 AM EDT • Entertainment • scrippsnews.com
Is Melco Resorts & Entertainment (NasdaqGS:MLCO) A Bargain After Its Sri Lanka Launch?

Melco Resorts & Entertainment stock has had a difficult run over the past few years, yet its current valuation checks paint a more supportive picture for investors trying to judge whether the market has become too pessimistic. Over the past 5 years, the share price has declined 63.2%, which signals that sentiment around Melco Resorts & Entertainment has been weak for a prolonged period. The recent opening of City of Dreams Sri Lanka can support expectations for the company to grow its...

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Jul 11 • 10:44 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
MRN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: The Daily Grind

More than just coffee. The Daily Grind in Mendon has been brewing up more than your favorite drinks since opening in 2022. From breakfast and Underbrink’s treats to a brand-new drive-thru and a freshly renovated space, Chloe Shaffer and Megan Kirby are creating a place where everyone feels welcome. Hear their story on the latest...

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Jul 11 • 8:45 AM EDT • Business • muddyrivernews.com
Opinion | ‘Platner Is Vile.’ McConnell Is Missing. Welcome to American Politics.

What America’s embarrassments have in common.

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Jul 11 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 11, 2026, puzzle No. 656

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 11 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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Brooklyn Nets Waive Malachi Smith

Back to the drawing board for his agent, Michael Lelchitski of the SIG Sports agency.

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Jul 10 • 9:08 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Mayor Mamdani addresses whether Taylor Swift is covering costs for police presence at MSG wedding

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani addresses whether newlywed Taylor Swift is covering costs for the extra police presence at her and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding.

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Jul 10 • 4:52 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
SCORE Welcomes Four New Board Members to Advance Small Business Success

/PRNewswire/ -- SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration...

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Jul 10 • 2:59 PM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
SCORE Welcomes Four New Board Members to Advance Small Business Success

SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to its board of directors.

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Jul 10 • 2:59 PM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s flower girls revealed

Jason and Kylie Kelce’s four daughters were Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s flower girls, guest Rich Eisen shares.

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Jul 10 • 1:20 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Forget Taylor Swift's Wedding—The Best Thing to Hit MSG This Week Was Bon Freakin' Jovi

Everyone was buzzing about Taylor Swift's wedding to Travis Kelce at MSG this week. But the real hit MSG event? Bon Jovi's incredible 2026 concert. Here, my honest review.

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Jul 10 • 12:52 PM EDT • Entertainment • purewow.com
All the places Taylor Swift’s been spotted after her wedding to Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift has been a jet-setting newlywed in the days following her wedding to Travis Kelce.

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Jul 10 • 12:23 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
James Cronin joins Essentia Health-South University Clinic to practice sleep medicine

The Essentia Health-South University Clinic is proud to welcome James Cronin, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner in sleep medicine.

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Jul 10 • 12:21 PM EDT • Health • essentiahealth.org
Building a Better CB Stat

Welcome to Steelers Morning Rush, our new daily short-form podcast with Alan Saunders, giving a longer perspective on a single […] This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Building a Better CB Stat | Steelers Morning Rush

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Jul 10 • 12:14 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited Stock 12‑Month Price Target Raised to $8.44, Implies 60% Upside

Explore more price target data and ratings for Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited on the Forecasts tab, and track all previous and future analyst recommendations for Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited in the dedicated News Flow.Select reference data provided by FactSet. Copyright © 2026 FactS…

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Jul 10 • 9:20 AM EDT • Entertainment • tradingview.com
Ferris State College of Health Professions leaders say building renovation, expansion will help meet demand, grow healthcare workforce

Ferris State University leaders are taking the first steps to plan for extensive renovations to the Victor F. Spathelf Center for Allied Health, modernizing and expanding programs that train the next generations of health professionals and address statewide shortages.

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Jul 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • ferris.edu
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 10, 2026, puzzle No. 655

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 10 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Penguins Sign 2026 Draft Pick To ELC
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Jul 9 • 7:42 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL offseason power rankings: No. 20 Pittsburgh Steelers welcome back Aaron Rodgers, hope Mike McCarthy changes their arc
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Jul 9 • 9:38 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Business Brief: Community Bank names Gregory business development officer

Community Bank has welcomed Bart Gregory as business development officer, a role in which he will focus on connecting customers with financial solutions and reinforcing the bank’s commitment to local communities.

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Jul 9 • 7:59 AM EDT • Business • cdispatch.com
Hoo boy, RUF has built a 1,000bhp+ boxer engine with *eight* cylinders

Welcome to the ‘Boxer-Eight’: 4.8-litres of twin-turbo fury

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Jul 9 • 6:00 AM EDT • Technology • topgear.com
Gibraltar Business Capital Welcomes Fine as SVP, Account Executive

Michael Fine joined Gibraltar Business Capital’s credit team in July 2026 as senior vice president – account executive, bringing more than 30 years of banking

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Jul 9 • 1:49 AM EDT • Business • abfjournal.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 9, 2026, puzzle No. 654

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 9 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
NFL star says Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding guests were ‘floored’ when Adam Sandler came out

NFL star Ryan Fitzpatrick is sharing details about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden, including how attendees reacted to Adam Sandler officiating.

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Jul 8 • 3:37 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Kaballos Mexican Kitchen Open for Business

Public officials from Middlefield Village, Burton Village and Burton Township welcomed Ramon Arellano to the new location of his Kaballos Mexican Kitchen and Bar just before a storm blew through July 6. The crowd applauded as Angel Arellano, 10, used the Burton Middlefield Chamber of Commerce’s oversized ceremonial scissors to cut the red ribbon while

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Jul 8 • 2:06 PM EDT • Business • geaugamapleleaf.com
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World Wide Technology Raceway Welcomes the Super Fair July 31-Aug. 8

MADISON, Ill. (July 8, 2026) – World Wide Technology Raceway will transform into the Super Fair by Kissel Entertainment July 31–Aug. 8, bringing more than a week of carnival thrills and family entertainment to the Metro East. The Super Fair will fill the raceway with one of the area’s largest traveling midways, featuring more than...

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Jul 8 • 1:05 PM EDT • Entertainment • wwtraceway.com
Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class - Leaders for a Better Louisiana

Leaders for a Better Louisiana is proud to announce the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows

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Jul 8 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • betterla.org
Kremlin hails 'important step' as IOC eases Russia restrictions

The Kremlin has welcomed as an "important step" the International Olympic Committee's decision to remove many of its restrictions on Russia, a big step closer to letting it field a full team when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Games.

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Jul 8 • 7:03 AM EDT • Sports • espn.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 8, 2026, puzzle No. 653

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 8 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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Charles Barkley skipped Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s nuptials because ‘I don’t do weddings or funerals’

Charles Barkley chose golfing over having to dress up to attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding.

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Jul 7 • 7:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Adam Sandler’s reaction when asked to officiate Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding revealed

Adam Sandler’s reaction to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce asking him to officiate their wedding has been revealed. The comedian led the star-studded ceremony at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

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Jul 7 • 5:35 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Explaining The Comcast and NBCUniversal Divorce

(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July in America, celebrating the country’s 250th birthday. Frankly, I am bummed the 250th wasn’t a bigger celebration, but that’s a different topic for a different Substack. While it was generally a quiet week on the entertainment/streaming/media business fronts, we still had some interesting news stories. Actually, that kinda undersells one of the stories, a huge, huge, huge divestment that could upend the entertainment landscape... So let’s get right to it. In today’s column, I’ll cover Comcast spinning off the rest of NBCUniversal, an entertainment company investing in an LLM company and an LLM-owner investing in a movie studio, the latest round of threats of digital tariffs, and more. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Most: Comcast/NBCU Breakup!!!! If I had to describe my reaction to Comcast spinning out NBCUniversal, it feels like a relationship ending, either breaking up or divorcing. Comcast’s decision to spin off the rest of NBCUniversal, after spinning off some of its cable assets into Versant last year, really does feel like a family breaking up under “irreconcilable differences”. Of my stereotypes of the entertainment moguls, my go-to for Comcast CEO Brian Roberts—heir to the Comcast fortune, but a man who’s been at the helm for 24 years now, and president for twelve years before that—is that he likes building empires. He cut his teeth acquiring cable rivals in the 1990s and tried to buy Disney repeatedly, then settled for NBCUniversal after a long court battle. (Contrast this with Rupert Murdoch, a man who also loved to buy, but would also sell when the price is right. Murdoch made Fox out of nothing, but then sold 20th Century Fox to Disney, arguably at the top of the market. So I understood why he sold.) But I don’t understand Roberts’ motivation to sell now. I have some explanations but no single, super-satisfying explanation. Strategically, it would just make more sense to have kept NBCUniversal in-house, especially for a one-time empire builder like Comcast. Yet one powerful force—arguably the decider in modern capitalism—likely overwhelmed all other considerations. At first, I thought I’d arrange my thoughts as a “Five Why” analysis, digging through each layer of the puzzle. But instead, I found myself asking, “But…why?” (And I only ended up with four sections.) So let’s look at Comcast from that angle. Then, at the end, I’ll give my biggest strategic recommendation for every company in Hollywood. It’s obvious, but sometimes, the obvious strategy is the most ignored. But…Why? The Stock Market, Conglomerations, and Sum of the Parts Analysis 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… Why Comcast could never get a “tech company” valuation The not-so-secret motivation for Comcast What Versant has to do with all of this The key strategic advice I think every entertainment exec should follow (though it’s really obvious) Some big AI investment news… Whether we’ll see digital tariffs… And more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.

WATCH: Trump arrives at NATO summit in Turkey, with ceremonial welcome from Erdogan

President Donald Trump arrived in Turkey on Tuesday to attend a NATO summit and was welcomed at a ceremony by Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shortly after.

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Jul 7 • 3:48 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Travis Kelce called out by another NFL star over wedding snub: ‘I’ve known you for 10 years’

Travis Kelce is being called out by NFL player Taylor Lewan for being left off his and Taylor Swift’s wedding guest list.

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Jul 7 • 11:53 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
James Taylor reveals why he skipped Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding

James Taylor chose to keep a five-year tradition alive rather than attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s star-studded Madison Square Garden wedding.

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Jul 7 • 11:47 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Stars who missed Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce's wedding speak out

Despite Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's extensive wedding guest list, a number of celebrities were not among the hundreds gathered inside Madison Square Garden to see the superstars say "I

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Jul 7 • 10:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com
Ranking the Dolphins roster

Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

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Jul 7 • 5:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Advantage Business Capital Welcomes New Senior Vice President

Advantage Business Capital welcomed Todd Waldrip to its growing team. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Waldrip will be focused on asset-based

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Jul 7 • 2:49 AM EDT • Business • abfjournal.com
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Wimbledon 2026: The man who invented wheelchair tennis 50 years ago

Brad Parks came up with the idea for a new sport while on a family picnic 50 years ago.

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Jul 7 • 2:39 AM EDT • Sports • bbc.com
German business leaders warn Merz more is needed to prevent ‘lost decade’

Bosses welcome government’s reform package but say country is still at a competitive disadvantage

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Jul 7 • 12:00 AM EDT • Business • ft.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 7, 2026, puzzle No. 652

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 7 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Arizona fans cheer Balogun’s return but fear politics in soccer

Arizona soccer fans welcome Folarin Balogun’s return, but Trump’s role in FIFA’s reversal has some worried that politics is entering the World Cup.

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Jul 6 • 9:29 PM EDT • Politics • azfamily.com
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How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Toronto Blue Jays

The San Francisco Giants welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.

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Jul 6 • 9:15 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Robert Pattinson reacts to missing out on ‘free stuff’ at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding: ‘What did I get?’

‘The Odyssey’ actor missed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding, including all the ‘free stuff’ the newlyweds gave away to their guests: ‘What did I get?’

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Jul 6 • 8:18 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Thousands celebrate U.S. Independence Day with Army traditions in Puerto Rico

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — The Army's home in the Caribbean welcomed thousands of community members July 4 for a U.S. Independence Day celebration fea...

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Jul 6 • 6:20 PM EDT • Entertainment • army.mil
Former NFL star is ‘flabbergasted’ over Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce wedding snub

A former NFL star and pal of Travis Kelce’s says he is ‘flabbergasted’ over not getting the invite to Kelce and Taylor Swift’s MSG wedding, which had a reported guest list of 1,000 people.

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Jul 6 • 4:37 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding forced celebrities to post like mere mortals

Even the ultra-famous seemingly had to abide by strict posting rules following the Swift-Kelce nuptials.

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Jul 6 • 12:22 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Entertainment headlines with TMZ

TMZ's Branson Quirke joins Good Day Austin's Dave Froehlich to talk the latest entertainment headlines, including the Swift-Kelce wedding, the FIFA World Cup, and more.

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Jul 6 • 12:03 PM EDT • Entertainment • fox7austin.com
Why Taylor Swift's backup dancer is ruffling feathers with wedding look

If upstaging the bride is a cardinal sin of wedding etiquette, one guest from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's nuptials might have some explaining to do.

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Jul 6 • 10:49 AM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com
New photos show touching moment Kate Middleton hugged her children after grueling 24-hour mountain climb

Kate Middleton completed the Three Peaks Challenge for a cancer charity and quietly donated to an 11-year-old wheelchair user she met during the climb.

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Jul 6 • 6:28 AM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
The Vogue Business Spring/Summer 2027 Menswear Size Inclusivity Report

Size inclusivity in menswear remains largely static across Milan and Paris, with this season also welcoming more polarized body ideals.

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Jul 6 • 12:30 AM EDT • Business • vogue.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 6, 2026, puzzle No. 651

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 6 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Miles Teller and wife Keleigh didn't attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding amid rumored rift

Miles Teller and wife Keleigh weren't in attendance at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's star-studded wedding following reports of a rumored rift between the couples.

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Jul 5 • 11:10 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Adam Sandler offered Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marriage advice while officiating their wedding, Andy Reid says

The Kansas City Chiefs head coach attended the July 3 event at Madison Square Garden.

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Jul 5 • 6:53 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Adam Sandler gave Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 1 piece of marriage advice

Actor and comedian Adam Sandler offered pop superstar Taylor Swift and three-time Super Bowl champ Travis Kelce a bit of marriage advice while officiated their wedding, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reported.

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Jul 5 • 6:53 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Donald Trump attempts to troll Taylor Swift during wedding weekend with 'America's Eras Tour' posts

The official White House launched a bizarre AI-powered campaign over the weekend during Taylor Swift's wedding to Travis Kelce, which ripped off her record-breaking 'Eras Tour' to tell the story of America.

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Jul 5 • 6:12 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Taylor Swift sang, Travis Kelce cried during their 20-minute vows to each other, wedding guests say

Reports flooding out from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's fairy tale wedding on Friday detail 20-minute vows the couple read to each other from gold books, with Swift singing part of hers and Kelce crying through both.

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Jul 5 • 4:57 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland

Test your Taylor Swift knowledge with this quiz celebrating the pop superstar's headline-making romance with Travis Kelce. Featured this week: wedding details, memorable moments from their love story ...

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Jul 5 • 11:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Paul McCartney performed a Beatles classic at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding

Paul McCartney resurrected a beloved Beatles classic for his performance at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Madison Square Garden wedding.

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Jul 5 • 11:26 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Shore Regional Health Cancer Center adds community outreach coordinator

EASTON — The Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health recently welcomed Catalina Billings as coordinator of community outreach, a new position designed to provide up-to-date cancer information

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Jul 5 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • myeasternshoremd.com
Science National Honor Society hosts this year’s induction

CLARK — On Thursday evening, April 23, Arthur L. Johnson High School welcomed 23 new inductees into the

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Jul 5 • 9:10 AM EDT • Science • unionnewsdaily.com
‘Changing the space’: New St. Clair business hopes to become a community hub

If you’ve noticed a change in energy while passing through St. Clair, you’re not imagining things. A mystical, explorative new shop has hit the zero block of South Second Street, and welcomes folks to mingle with the esoteric…

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Jul 5 • 8:15 AM EDT • Business • republicanherald.com
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 5, 2026, puzzle No. 650

Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.

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Jul 5 • 12:00 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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