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Supreme Court blocks Trump-backed Missouri congressional map
The ruling is a defeat for Republicans seeking to give their party an edge in the midterm elections for control of the House. It means voters will face a different map than the one used in the primary elections.
Maple Leafs Face Financial Headache Due to Star’s Bonus Payments
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a financial headache to deal with due to potential bonus payments to a budding star forward. The post Maple Leafs Face Financial Headache Due to Star’s Bonus Payments appeared first on HEAVY.
As Xi Leaves Washington, Divisions Still Simmer Beneath the Surface
President Trump welcomed Xi Jinping of China for a state visit that was heavy on pomp and ceremony. But surprisingly little time was spent on the issues that most divide the two superpowers.
ProTributeBands.com Clarifies Direct Booking Model for Corporate Event Entertainment Planners
SAN RAMON, CA - September 25, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE -ProTributeBands.com, the curated booking and lead generation platform for high-end tribute bands, has outlined how its direct-booking structure works for event planners seeking corporate event entertainment. Under the model, bands featured on the platform negotiate terms and close each booking directly with the client, while ProTributeBands follows up to keep the transaction moving smoothly.The structure separates ProTributeBands.com from traditional booking agencies that insert themselves into every contract. Rather than acting as an intermediary that controls the final agreement, the platform connects event planners, performing arts centers, festivals, wedding clients, and private party hosts with pre-screened, national-act-caliber tribute acts, then steps back so the parties can settle details themselves. The platform maintains contact with both sides to ensure momentum is not lost during the process.Founded by David Victor, former guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the multiplatinum band BOSTON, ProTributeBands.com features tribute acts covering artists such as Queen, The Beatles, ABBA, Journey, The Eagles, and Pink Floyd. Selected bands receive optimized profile pages and booking leads generated through the platform."Event planners often assume a booking platform means another layer of negotiation and markup," said David Victor, Founder of ProTributeBands.com. "The approach here is different. The bands negotiate terms and close each booking directly, which keeps the conversation honest and the details accurate. The platform stays involved by following up so nothing stalls between the first inquiry and the signed agreement."The direct-booking method reflects how corporate and private event planning typically operates. Planners frequently need to confirm technical requirements, stage dimensions, scheduling, and performance specifics with the people who will actually be on stage. By allowing those conversations to happen between the client and the band, the model aims to reduce miscommunication that can occur when information passes through a third party.ProTributeBands.com applies a screening process before an act appears on the platform, focusing on production quality, musicianship, and readiness for larger venues. The company ranks tribute bands across categories including Queen, The Beatles, The Eagles, Journey, Pink Floyd, and BOSTON tributes, drawing on performance quality and audience response.The ProTributeBands guide to hiring a tribute band offers additional context for planners weighing these decisions, covering topics such as understanding the audience and event, assessing entertainment value, viewing an act in person before hiring, and reviewing rider and insurance requirements. The guide addresses the practical considerations planners face when selecting an act for a corporate function, festival, or private celebration."A tribute production for a corporate audience has to hold the room the same way a headline act would," Victor said. "The vetting exists so planners can trust that the act they see listed can deliver at that level, and the direct-booking structure lets them confirm every detail with the band before committing."ProTributeBands.com serves clients across the United States and abroad, working with tribute acts that perform at performing arts centers, summer concert series, product launches, corporate parties, private parties, and wedding receptions. The platform also accepts artist submissions from tribute bands seeking consideration for inclusion. The company operates online at protributebands.com.###For more information about ProTributeBands.com, contact the company here:ProTributeBands.comDavid Victor(925) 236-0217hello@protributebands.com11040 Bollinger Canyon Road Suite E-938, San Ramon, CA 94582
Trump promised to campaign in midterm battlegrounds. He's starting in deep red states instead
While organizers insist the rallies are in locations with media markets that span state lines and they will help bolster broader turnout, Trump's itinerary is yet another sign of the uphill fight that his party faces.
Man City fans face up to reality of guilty verdict
How Manchester City fans have reacted to news that the club have been found guilty of a majority of the financial rule breaches they were accused of.
NeuroSense Provides Business Update and Progress for the First Half of 2026
/PRNewswire/ -- Therapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: NRSN) ("NeuroSense" or the "Company"), a late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on developing...
Revisiting Collin Gillespie’s Breakout Potential for Phoenix Suns
As Phoenix faces a crossroads, the sharpshooting guard must expand his offensive repertoire and seize a high-volume role to transform from a reliable starter into a legitimate star.
Manchester City Could Pay a Bigger Price Than Any Sanction
Manchester City could face a much harsher penalty than just financial sanctions following the stunning news on Friday. The post Manchester City Could Pay a Bigger Price Than Any Sanction appeared first on HEAVY.
Lionel Richie Has Big ‘American Idol’ News Amid Recent Health Issues
Lionel Richie has given fans a major update about his future on American Idol. The singer recently faced health problems that forced him to step away from some work. Now, he has confirmed that he plan...
Kansas’ Offensive Line Faces Questions After Arizona State Loss
Kansas’ Offensive Line Faces Questions After Arizona State Loss
Microsoft stops insisting you need a "Copilot+ PC"
Microsoft's new Surface laptops forgo Copilot+ PC branding.
Report: Cubs, Red Sox Could Finish Series In Tampa
As a looming nor’easter forces scheduling shifts and doubleheaders, the regular-season finale faces a potential relocation to Tropicana Field to bypass Boston’s worsening weekend weather forecast.
watchOS 27 upgrades popular Apple Watch face with new options
Apple Watch offers lots of custom faces to personalize your Watch, and the popular Modular face gets even more versatile in watchOS 27.
Texas A&M Offense Faces Major Test Against LSU’s Dominant Defense
Texas A&M must protect Marcel Reed, establish the run and finish drives against an LSU defense allowing only 33 rushing yards per game.
Sherrill wants Caldwell to resign. If he stays, lawmakers may face an impeachment fight.
If he remains in office, the controversy could continue limiting her ability to travel outside New Jersey while intensifying pressure on lawmakers to consider impeachment.
MindsEye: Ex-GTA developer's studio faces closure
Build A Rocket Boy, founded by Leslie Benzies, has gone into administration after its debut game flopped.
Maple Leafs release former Stanley Cup champion right before season
The NHL season is just days away, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a notable roster move involving a familiar face as they continue trimming their squad ahead of opening night. Steven Lorentz was placed on waivers by the…
Montgomery County business owner pleads guilty in SEPTA bid-rigging case
A former Montgomery County business owner could face prison after pleading guilty in a SEPTA bid-rigging scheme.
Spring Health Opens VERA-MH Harm-From-Others Safety Rubric for Public Comment
/PRNewswire/ -- Spring Health, a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform, today expanded VERA-MH, the first open-source AI safety...
Avoiding complacency in business
Commentary: Complacency is one of the quietest threats a business can face.
Employees of Eddy Street restaurants discuss recent shooting, impacts on business
Employees from restaurants near Notre Dame say the recent shooting on Eddy Street has negatively impacted business. Gun violence in the neighborhood to the south of Notre Dame has spiked in the past two years.
Parker Health Group Names Mark Lenhard as Next President & CEO
/PRNewswire/ -- Parker Health Group, a nationally recognized nonprofit provider of aging services, announced today that Mark Lenhard, MS, LNFA, has been named...
In tight R.I. lieutenant governor’s race, Matos, Loughlin to face off in first debate
Republican John Loughlin is seen as having the best chance to win a statewide election for his party since 2006. But incumbent Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos has an advantage, she doesn’t approach politics as a my-way-or-the-highway proposition.
A 'decent start' or are Liverpool 'underperforming'?
Defence looks sharp with the new additions, the middle looks imbalanced as we persist with Florian Wirtz. Gareth: Let's face it, we were spoiled in Arne Slot's first season. Iraola is still finding out about players and who will fit into his style of play.
Mets close out 2026 season against Nationals
The season ends with a whimper as the two bottom teams in the NL East face off looking to escape the cellar.
My Word: Gazan performance art
An opening act chanting “Free Palestine” and falsely accusing Israel of genocide sets the stage for more violence.
R360 rebel series given ultimatum on overdue accounts
The company behind R360, the controversial all-star rugby start-up, has been ordered to publish overdue accounts or face being dissolved.
A 60-beam ultraviolet laser flash-vaporized the surface of tiny diamonds so the blast would kick a shock wave through them, melting the hardest material on Earth at 12,680 degrees and 145 million psi, and solid diamond turned out to float on its own melt like ice on water
The experiments ran on the OMEGA laser at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics, which fires 60 ultraviolet beams into a target
NFL gameday: Brock Purdy 'in prime' for San Francisco 49ers, Patrick Mahomes chases Tom Brady record and Dexter Lawrence leads Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl charge
Watch the Los Angeles Chargers against the Buffalo Bills exclusively live on Sky Sports from 5.30pm on Sunday, before the Dallas Cowboys face the Baltimore Ravens in the first NFL game to be played at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 9.25pm
Assertive Professionals Awarded $14.7 Million DCSA Business Operations Support Services Task Order
/PRNewswire/ -- Assertive Professionals (AP), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Woman-Owned Small Business, has been awarded a task order by the Defense...
Gurucul Launches AI Risk and Response to Detect and Stop Risky AI Behavior Before It Escalates
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2026 — Gurucul has announced the general availability of Gurucul AI Risk and Response, bringing behavioral AI to the growing attack surface created as AI moves from assistant to actor. With hundreds of AI detections connecting activity to identity, access, data and broader security telemetry, the solution helps SOC and Insider […]
Friendly, another poor showing for Ancelotti's Brazil
Brazil got away with one...In their first match since the 2026 World Cup, Brazil faced Australia in a friendly this Friday at noon.Three months after their unfortunately historic round-of-16 eliminati...
Juventus to Send Out Scouts for a Few Brazilian Talents
Juventus reorganized their management very late last summer and faced a race against the clock. Instead, the officials will have more time to scout and shortlist players ahead of January and especiall...
Democrats press RFK Jr. on an ethics agreement change involving law firm fees
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces scrutiny from congressional Democrats over ethics disclosures | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Grand River businesses experience influx of students with campus outages
Dining halls served adapted menus to cater to the lack of gas, but limited options led many students to Grand River Ave businesses instead.
Microsoft unveils Copilot super app, targeting business users with AI agents
Microsoft is launching its super app as a central interface through which customers can chat with AI bots, write code, and access a new "Autopilot" feature that brings agentic capabilities to its flagship AI app.
Can the Left Make America Fun Again?
Hi friends, I’ve got a piece in The New York Times today about how collective joy — participatory, youthful, anti-corporate — can defeat Trumpism and transform our lives. The basic argument is that politics used to be embedded in communal life: dances, sports leagues, union halls. As that infrastructure disappeared — and more of everyday life was atomized and privatized — politics became something broadcast at people rather than something they did together. NYC-DSA and Zohran provide another model, where socials and face-to-face organizing are tied to a fight vs the corporations that fenced off so much of the good life. Rebuilding that kind of collective fun, I argue, could help bring young people back into politics and, by redistributing America’s wealth, make everyday life more joyful. I would super appreciate it if you’d read the piece, share it, or post comments on it. Thank you! p.s. FYI, Opinion writers don’t get any say over their headlines! More Take action to support the fight of licensed deck officers at Alaska Tanker Company and Overseas Shipholding Group to win a first union contract. This is one of the most important, and underreported, unionization campaigns in America: these workers have a huge amount of power over domestic energy distribution and maritime supply chains, and they’re still without a contract two years after having voted overwhelmingly to unionize. Please sign the public petition here, and if you’re an academic you can sign this support letter.
No. 7 Ohio State faces Big Ten opener against Illinois
With three important October road tests on the horizon, Day is seeking more balance on offense
Netanyahu turned the UN into campaign theater – but will Israelis buy the show?
NATIONAL AFFAIRS: The prime minister presents himself on the global stage as a leader uniquely equipped to defend Israel in a hostile world, seeking to bring that same message home to Israeli voters.
The hard choice Democrats face on Republicans’ anti-trans attacks
They’re being bombarded with attack ads. How do they respond without betraying a vulnerable community?
‘Worth the wait’: Social science faculty members describe move to newly renovated 2001 Sheridan Road
For decades, much of Northwestern’s anthropology department had been working out of a two-story house at 1810 Hinman Ave., an Evanston landmark which has faced maintenance issues and is nearly as old as the university. But starting in the 2026-27 academic year, anthropology is one of multiple social science departments moving into one of the...
Surprising Short-Notice Welterweight Bout Added to UFC 332
A surprising short-notice welterweight bout has been added to UFC 332, which takes place next Saturday night.As first reported by MMAMania.com, welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith will return to the Octagon to face UFC newcomer Bruce Whitehead in a surprising booking that has MMA fans scratching their heads.Heavy’s Marcel Dorff further confirmed that Smith vs. Whitehead […] The post Surprising Short-Notice Welterweight Bout Added to UFC 332 appeared first on HEAVY.
Kath Smith: Winning breeds winning
Leeds United Women will once again travel to Silsden AFC to face West Yorkshire rivals Bradford City Women, with the two sides meeting in the final Group T fixture of the FA WNL Cup.The Whites current...
Women's Preview: Whites face Bradford in FA WNL Cup
Leeds United Women travel to Silsden AFC for the second week running, this time facing Bradford City Women in the FA WNL Cup after securing victory over Sunday’s hosts in the league last weekend.The...
Wellness kiosk in the Memorial Union makes it convenient for OSU community to buy basic healthcare products, STI tests and more
A new vending machine in the basement of the Memorial Union on Oregon State University’s Corvallis campus is now stocked with a variety of over-the-counter healthcare products, from cortisone to contraceptives to COVID tests.
France XI vs Turkiye – Predicted lineup and team news
France and Turkey are set to face off in their first UEFA Nations League A match on Friday, with the game taking place at the Turca Arac Muayene Kocaeli Stadium.France begins this campaign under the l...
The World Health Organization in crisis
The World Health Organization faces a deepening crisis of funding, authority and relevance as alternatives emerge for disease surveillance and emergency response.
Olympiacos Eyeing OFI Goalkeeper as Panathinaikos Complicates Move
Olympiacos face a strategic battle for OFI Crete's Nikolaos Christogeorgos, as a complex resale clause grants fierce rivals Panathinaikos the power to hijack the deal.
Brazil XI vs Australia – Predicted lineup and team news
Brazil is heading across the globe to face Australia on Friday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, marking their first game since the World Cup.Brazil arrives in this new chapter keen to move on from ...
Rob Pelinka Confirms Luka Doncic Influenced Offseason Moves
The Los Angeles Lakers have put their full trust in Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise. General Manager Rob Pelinka confirmed that Doncic was strongly involved into the decisions he made to build a team around the All-NBA superstar. Moves like adding center Walker Kessler and extending Austin Reaves to a long-term contract […] The post Rob Pelinka Confirms Luka Doncic Influenced Offseason Moves appeared first on HEAVY.
Microsoft Copilot+ Branding Disappears from Latest Surface PCs
Microsoft's recent Snapdragon-powered Surface Laptop and Surface Pro launch was surprisingly absent the usual Copilot+ branding, aside from as a callout to the inclusion of the actual AI assistant on the devices. Apparently, this was an intentional branding change, according to Surface Corporate...
What Kotek, Drazan said at Oregon business forum
Gov. Tina Kotek and Sen. Christine Drazan faced off for the first time this election at a Portland business forum. Here's where they stand on taxes, tariffs and Oregon's economy.
Congo faces health worker shortage as Ebola remains out of control, WHO says
Congo is running short of health workers to staff treatment centers for history's fastest-growing Ebola outbreak, particularly in the eastern province of North Kivu where cases have surged 73% over three weeks, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Open AI attacked Australia’s health system – and then doubled down on its negligence. The time for ‘wait and see’ is over
Human hackers face serious consequences, and so must AI companies. There is no excuse for what happened
Pa. lawmakers face deadline to regulate and tax skill games
Pa. lawmakers have less than three weeks to reach a deal on skill games, including how to regulate and tax the machines.
Montana State Employee Health Plan Costs Change Under New Union Agreement
The State of Montana Benefit Plan faces rising medical and prescription drug costs. The state says its self-funded plan is expected to see nearly double-digit h
Students try health care careers at Finley Hospital amid worker shortage
Dubuque students got a hands-on look at their potential future in health care on Thursday as the U.S. faces a projected 250,000 worker shortfall in the industry by 2038.
Medicare Beneficiaries with Multiple and Complex Health Needs Face Challenges
New KFF polling focuses on the health care access and affordability challenges among adults with multiple or complex health conditions, including older Medicare beneficiaries. The results suggest important opportunities for policymakers to strengthen Medicare access and affordability. Medicare Beneficiaries Often Have High Health Needs Many Medicare enrollees have multiple or serious health conditions. More than […]
Conflict mapping research group founded by OSU researcher wins national award for open science
The American Geophysical Union has awarded the 2026 Open Science Recognition Prize to the Decentralized Damage Mapping Group, an international research team co-founded by Oregon State University Professor Jamon Van Den Hoek and postdoctoral scholar Corey Scher.The prestigious award is in recognition of DDMG’s contributions of satellite mapping data of regions beset by war, conflict or natural disasters to the public sphere, particularly to aid in humanitarian response and provide journalists with up-to-date information.
Paolo Banchero Plummets in Latest NBA Player Rankings
Despite elite production and playoff heroics, efficiency concerns and inconsistent decision-making have sparked a significant slide for Orlando’s cornerstone as he faces a pivotal make-or-break season.
Acuña’s Health And Sale’s 200 Strikeouts Define Braves’ Playoff Run
Ronald Acuna Jr. returns without a limp while Chris Sale hits 200 strikeouts. The Braves look healthy but face a shaky offense heading into the postseason.
Acuña’s Health And Sale’s 200 Strikeouts Define Braves’ Playoff Run
Ronald Acuna Jr. returns without a limp while Chris Sale hits 200 strikeouts. The Braves look healthy but face a shaky offense heading into the postseason.
Who Replaces Labaron Philon Jr for Alabama Basketball
Alabama basketball faces a major offensive problem with the loss of Labaron Philon Jr. Despite testing the NBA waters his freshman year, Philon Jr. decided to return to Alabama. In his sophomore year, Philon took a massive step in his game, becoming more than just a good defender and decent scorer. Last season, he averaged …
This Book Made Bill Nye the Science Guy
Bill Nye joins Books That Changed My Life to discuss the Newbery Medal-winning novel that set his life’s course: "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch."
Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar gives Google’s AI a face
The AI avatar can transition between 97 languages.
Novellia Named One of Crain's New York Business' 2026 Best Places to Work in NYC
/PRNewswire/ -- Novellia, the patient data company that unifies a person's clinical histories across every system, practice, and provider they've used, today...
Trail Blazers Should Let Their Newest Players Grade the Team
Fresh faces provide a unique lens to test Portland’s chemistry, forcing veterans to refine their communication and ensuring new coach Micah Nori’s system is truly battle-ready.
Microsoft’s New Surface Laptops Embody the PC-Phone Marriage Snapdragon Promised Years Ago
Qualcomm's PC chips were developed with the company's phone DNA. Two generations in, we're seeing payoffs.
FSU HEALTH COMMUNICATION EXPERT FINDS GLP-1 USERS FACE STIGMA WITHIN THEIR SOCIAL CIRCLES
Sept 24 2026 – People taking popular GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound may face stigma from those closest to them, according to a new study by a Florida State University professor. Braidyn Lazenby, an assistant professor at FSU’s College of Communication & Information, led the study “‘They Call Us Cheaters:” Exploring Stigma […]
Scientists Discovered a Mysterious Force Eating Away at Cars, Bridges, and Monuments
When water slides on a surface, it can pick up an electric charge—and that can have consequences for metals exposed to the elements.
OpenAI agent hacks Australian healthcare database
The AI company informed Australian authorities of the incident on Sept. 10.
Android’s Create My Widget ‘app’ detailed on phones, Googlebooks
Create My Widget will debut in early October on Googlebooks. Ahead of that, a Play Store listing details what the interface will look like...
Apple Watch Ultra 4 includes a new watch face bezel option
Apple Watch Ultra includes a few more ways to customize your watch face than Series models. These include Ultra-only faces,...
Eagles Face Massive Defensive Question Before Bears Week 3 Showdown
The Philadelphia Eagles are looking for some payback as they take on the Chicago Bears in Week 3.Last season, the Bears torched the Eagles on the ground, rushing for 281 yards to win 24-15 on Black Friday. It was a rough loss for a Philly team that was trying to close out the NFC East […] The post Eagles Face Massive Defensive Question Before Bears Week 3 Showdown appeared first on HEAVY.
Cedar Health Research Appoints Jody Staggs Chief Executive Officer
/PRNewswire/ -- Cedar Health Research, a community-focused clinical research site network, today announced the appointment of Jody Staggs as Chief Executive...
Computer science grads face a brutal job market as AI reshapes entry-level work
It's a difficult job market for new graduates, especially in fields like software development where artificial intelligence is shouldering more of the work
The Copilot+ PC brand is dead: Microsoft and PC makers quietly pull back on tarnished Windows 11 AI PC branding
In a new interview, Microsoft Surface CVP confirms that its new Surface PCs are no longer called Copilot+ PCs, but will still support all Copilot+ features.
Ravens Offensive Line is Producing Troubling Stats Early On
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is one of the quarterbacks who have faced the highest pressure from defenses.
The science gap fueling Africa's water wars
As countries across Africa face growing pressure over shared water resources, USC water scientists argue that one of the most powerful tools for preventing conflict may be found not at the negotiating ...
Businesses shocked in Kiryat Shmona: State demands $68 million return
Blow to northern businesses: Out of nearly $1.7 billion transferred to the city, the Tax Authority is demanding hundreds of millions back.
Man, woman accused of stealing $200,000 from York County business
A man and woman face felony charges after being accused of stealing more than $200,000 from a York County business.
NEKO HEALTH OPENS ITS DOORS IN NEW YORK, BRINGING THE MOST VALUABLE HOUR IN HEALTHCARE TO AMERICA
/PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the opening day for Neko Health in the United States, after more than 25,000 New Yorkers joined the waitlist ahead of launch. Their...
Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 12" tablet and Surface Laptop 13" with Snapdragon X2 Plus
The new chipset has 60% faster graphics and a 95% faster NPU compared to the X Plus that powered the previous Surface Pro 12" and Surface Laptop 13".
Match Preview | St. Louis CITY SC to Face Red Bull New York for the First Time Ever on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium
St. Louis CITY SC heads east to face Red Bull New York for the first time ever on Saturday, September 26, at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be available on Apple TV. How to Watch Stream: Apple TV Apple TV Talent (English): Jonathan
Apple Confirms iPhone 18 Pro Bug Fix Update is Coming Next Week
Apple has confirmed to 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo that it plans to release a software update early next week with a fix for a Face ID issue affecting some iPhone 18 Pro users. Apple has confirmed to 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo that it plans to release a software update early next week with a fix for a Face ID issue affecting some iPhone 18 Pro users.
Falcons Roundtable: Can Michael Penix Save Atlanta's Offense Against Packers?
The Atlanta Falcons face the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football as Michael Penix Jr. returns from his ACL injury. Our Falcons Roundtable breaks down Atlanta's 0-2 start, Penix's expectations, Green Bay's weaknesses, bold predictions and Week 3 score picks.
This year's El Niño just broke a record months before it's expected to peak
Daily sea surface temperatures in the region where El Niño develops are more extreme than at any point in recorded history.
Hitachi Solutions achieves the 2026-2027 Microsoft AI Business Solutions Inner Circle award.
/PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi Solutions, has been selected for this AI Business Solution's 2026-2027 Microsoft Inner Circle membership. Participation within Inner...
Fossil-fuel firms in line for billions in benefits after answering Trump’s donation call
Senators’ report says taxpayers face higher bills after ‘bargain’ between president and major polluters
FSU Health Communication expert finds GLP-1 users face stigma within their social circles
People taking popular GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound may face stigma from those closest to them, according to a new study by a
Is metascience being co-opted?
In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.
EU science policy wonks debate prospect of stronger ties with Canada
Europe’s research and innovation sector has started asking questions on how European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s offer to make Canada “the first associate member of the EU” would actually work in practice, and who will get to shape priorities in a transatlantic relationship that is getting stronger. The Commission says it wants “a new model of association” under which the EU and Canada will aim to develop “a shared space” to face ongoing challenges. “Working in close coordination with our member states and the European Parliament, we will aim to create a new form of partnership that has not existed until now, building the closest imaginable form of association with a partner outside Europe,” a spokesperson told Science|Business.Locked in an escalating trade war with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly talked of annexing Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been looking east, but full EU membership was never in play. Taking the floor a day after von der Leyen’s proposal, he agreed to strengthen ties under “an alliance of the future” but reined in enthusiasm on the new label. He also suggested expanding Canada’s involvement in the Erasmus+ student mobility scheme, to which it currently has limited access, and the next iteration of Horizon Europe. Canada joined the present Horizon Europe in 2024, but only contributes to collaborative projects.Neither side has detailed the next practical steps in developing this new relationship. “I think nobody at the moment truly knows how this will work,” said Michael Browne, chief executive and founder of Crowdhelix, a global collaborative network that connects players in research and innovation. “It’s more of a statement of intent for closer collaboration, which requires legislative frameworks and approval processes, which have not started.”Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of the League of European Research Universities, said von der Leyen’s pitch to Canada is “politically significant, but the legal content still has to be negotiated and constructed.”Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university group, agreed that she had only opened “a political door” to Canada, as “associate membership does not come with a predefined set of rights in the EU institutions.”Not only does this status not currently exist as a legal category in the two treaties that set up how the EU functions, but the Commission president cannot unilaterally create a new category of EU membership.According to Deketelaere, Article 217 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which allows the bloc to make association deals with non-EU countries involving reciprocal rights and duties, is “the most obvious existing legal basis for building a much deeper EU-Canada relationship.”Getting universities involvedNo matter how this new cooperation takes shape, Liviu Matei, who heads the School of Education, Communication and Society at King’s College London, hopes to see universities involved in discussions from an early stage.“Its primary motivations, entirely justifiably, are political and geopolitical,” he said. “In the area of higher education, however, restricting the initiative to political and geopolitical considerations would limit the scope of cooperation and lead to distorted frameworks and counterproductive implementation.”It is all the more important since academic interests on the two sides of the Atlantic are “neither identical nor fully aligned,” Matei added. “This is not insurmountable; it simply requires work to articulate the details of this privileged cooperation, including its governance and funding frameworks, as well as its substantive content in education and research.”Related articlesCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUZaharieva hopes for a Horizon Europe deal in 2026Canada might participate in European Research Council schemes, for example, which was not on offer in the present Horizon Europe association agreement. But “there would have to be something in it for the EU,” Browne said. “They don’t want to be funding projects outside of the EU where intellectual property is going to sit outside of the EU. There has to be some kind of transfer of knowledge.”But access to funding will not by itself resolve all the practical difficulties of working together, said Björnmalm. “For researchers and students, these include visas and residence arrangements, recognition of qualifications and study periods, and the conditions for pursuing a research career across borders,” he said. “For universities, there is scope for more predictable access to shared laboratories, computing and research data, and stronger support for joint doctoral training and long-term institutional partnerships.”Linda Doyle, provost and president of Trinity College Dublin, said Europe should strive for the “closest possible expression” of this new political alliance. “If Europe is serious about recovering its voice and its place in the world, it needs to be strongly allied with countries who share its values and its vision for a stable, rules-based, peaceful world.”
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