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Scientists Push Molecules on a Surface to the Ultimate Quantum Limit

An ultra-clean crystal surface allowed individual molecules to preserve quantum coherence at the fundamental Fourier limit. A molecule placed on a surface should be easier to probe and manipulate than one hidden inside a solid or suspended in vacuum. In practice, however, surface contamination creates an unstable, noisy environment that can quickly degrade the molecule’s

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Sep 4 • 5:48 PM EDT • Science • scitechdaily.com
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Gubernatorial candidates present drastically different plans to improve healthcare costs, access

Maine’s three gubernatorial candidates agree on health care struggles but propose vastly different solutions for improving access and costs.

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Sep 4 • 4:23 PM EDT • Health • mainemorningstar.com
KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza Will Miss Group’s European Tour Leg

HxG confirmed Sunday that she will sit out the sold-out Wildworld Tour dates in Europe and the UK as she continues focusing on her well-being.

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Sep 4 • 4:22 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Atacama Makers connects science, technology, and territory at ALMA

Thirty students from Toconao and San Pedro de Atacama took part in the first sessions of a special edition of the Atacama Makers program, held for the first time this year at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) facilities. Through programming, electronics, and innovation workshops, the young participants are creating technological solutions to the challenges...

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Sep 4 • 4:11 PM EDT • Science • almaobservatory.org
Giants’ Cam Skattebo explains viral sideline exchange with John Harbaugh

Cam Skattebo is developing a solid connection with head coach John Harbaugh despite a viral interaction during the Giants' preseason slate.

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Sep 4 • 3:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Cowboys' biggest X-factor could solve their main offensive problem

This guy could help Dak Precott and company a lot.

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Sep 4 • 3:26 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Mohammed El-Kurd on the Politics of the “Perfect Victim”

The author discusses the limits of liberal solidarity, and why human rights cannot depend on being likable.

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Sep 4 • 3:24 PM EDT • Politics • currentaffairs.org
The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film 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… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.

‘There has to be a political resolution’: CAO says airport case likely won’t be decided for decades

The city of Jackson is suing the state in U.S. District Court to block the implementation of a 2016 bill taking over the Jackson-Evers airport.

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Sep 4 • 3:02 PM EDT • Politics • wlbt.com
Fairfax County’s Xpect Solutions acquires Reston security company

Fairfax County-based Xpect Solutions announced Thursday that it has acquired Reston-based security company Amivero.

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Sep 4 • 2:59 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com
Final Fantasy Resonance is shaping up to be a solid experience on Switch 2, PS5, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally

We check out the Final Fantasy Resonance demo and compare visuals and performance across Switch 2, Switch 1, Switch 1 on Switch 2, PS5, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally.

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Sep 4 • 2:30 PM EDT • Technology • rpgsite.net
Integrated Solutions For Systems Lands $47 Million Navy Contract

Integrated Solutions for Systems’ new Navy contract leads this week’s list of Huntsville-area companies that have been awarded contracts by the Department of

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Sep 4 • 2:00 PM EDT • Business • huntsvillebusinessjournal.com
Want a solution to plastic pollution? Scientists urge UN to require global reporting

Plastic is a wonder material that has molded itself to fit a wide variety of applications. But it comes with a host of drawbacks that aren't fully considered. That's why the United Nations has convened ...

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Sep 4 • 2:00 PM EDT • Science • phys.org
Hype for GTA 6 is giving PS5 and Xbox console sales a much needed 30% boost

The GTA 6 Extended Look on Netflix was huge - so much so that it caused a sales spike for both Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S.

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Sep 4 • 1:14 PM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net
Western Computer Achieves the 2026/2027 Microsoft AI Business Solutions Inner Circle Award

Western Computer, a Microsoft solutions partner delivering Dynamics 365 ERP, Microsoft 365, and AI-powered business applications, today announced its selection to the 2026/2027 Microsoft AI Business Solutions Inner Circle award. Participation within Inner Circle is based on sales achievements that rank Western Computer in the top echelon of Microsoft's AI Business Solutions global network of partners. It's widely acknowledged that Inner Circle members perform at a high-level by delivering valuab

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Sep 4 • 1:07 PM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
NASA PICASSO Awards

NASA has made 10 new awards through the Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) program.

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Sep 4 • 1:06 PM EDT • Science • science.nasa.gov
Business Insider Recognizes Vontier Among America's Most Innovative Businesses for 2027

RALEIGH, N.C., September 04, 2026--Vontier Corporation (NYSE: VNT), a leading global provider of critical technologies and solutions that connect, manage and scale the mobility ecosystem, today announced it was named one of Business Insider's America's Most Innovative Businesses 2027.

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Sep 4 • 12:50 PM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
How Mark Wahlberg made a mafia hitman’s son cry behind the scenes of ‘By Any Means’

‘By Any Means’ director Elegance Bratton tells EW how he adapted the incredible true story of a mafia hitman who helped the FBI solve the murder of a civil rights leader. Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II star in the new thriller.

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Sep 4 • 12:44 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Benson, James to make pitch for governor to Detroit Economic Club

The event will be held Sept. 16. Each candidate will have solo time on stage.

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Sep 4 • 12:41 PM EDT • Politics • crainsdetroit.com
Gloria Steinem’s ‘Turtle Test’ Is a Business Lesson Every Founder Needs to Learn

If you’re wondering why your product isn't gaining traction, maybe you’re providing solutions nobody needs.

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Sep 4 • 12:31 PM EDT • Business • inc.com
Last-minute Bruno Mars tickets for Gillette Stadium are still available from $160

The sold-out show features support from RAYE and DJ Pee .Wee.

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Sep 4 • 12:12 PM EDT • Entertainment • syracuse.com
Maria Bartiromo Denies Fox Firing, Retains Bryan Freedman As Attorney

"The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false," Freedman said.

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Sep 4 • 11:40 AM EDT • Business • hollywoodreporter.com
Xianfeng Gu Named Fellow of the Solid Modeling Association

Xianfeng Gu, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the Department of Computer Science, has been named a Fellow of the Solid Modeling Association (SMA) in recognition of his fundamental contributions to the theory and practice of solid modeling. The recognition was announced at the 2026 Symposium on Solid and Physical Modeling and honors Gu’s work bridging

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Sep 4 • 11:38 AM EDT • Science • news.stonybrook.edu
Sold: Sanford buys North Memorial Health

Following years of mounting financial pressure, North Memorial Health has reached an agreement to be acquired by South Dakota-based Sanford Health, backed by $600 million in guaranteed local hospital investments

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Sep 4 • 10:30 AM EDT • Health • hometownsource.com
Investors flip Mount Joy medical office building for $6M

For the second time in two years, the building housing Lancaster Orthopedic Group’s Mount Joy offices has been sold for approximately $6 million.

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Sep 4 • 10:27 AM EDT • Business • lancasteronline.com
Three Louisiana brands, three paths to growth

Before Slap Ya Mama seasoning landed on grocery shelves in all 50 states, and eventually reached markets as far away as Dubai, the Walker family mixed its seasoning in a glass pickle jar at its Ville Platte convenience store. As Business Report writes in its latest issue, what started as a homemade blend sold in […]

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Sep 4 • 10:14 AM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
BenQ Unveils New Visual Innovations for Work and Entertainment at IFA 2026

/PRNewswire/ -- BenQ, the world's leading provider of technology products and solutions, joins IFA Berlin with its latest innovations across lighting,...

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Sep 4 • 10:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • prnewswire.com
BenQ Unveils New Visual Innovations for Work and Entertainment at IFA 2026

BenQ, the world's leading provider of technology products and solutions, joins IFA Berlin with its latest innovations across lighting, projection, monitors and desktop accessories. Bringing together intelligent technologies and human-centered design, the new solutions are created for the way people work, create and enjoy entertainment today.

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Sep 4 • 10:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com
BenQ Unveils New Visual Innovations for Work and Entertainment at IFA 2026

/PRNewswire/ -- BenQ, the world's leading provider of technology products and solutions, joins IFA Berlin with its latest innovations across lighting,...

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Sep 4 • 10:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • prnewswire.com
Scientists solve ‘mystery-signal’ hidden in quantum material

Researchers have solved the years-long mystery about the origins of the ‘beating’ signal in the topological insulator (TI) nanowires.

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Sep 4 • 9:37 AM EDT • Science • interestingengineering.com
Like father, like son: The art, science and family bond behind a local DJ business

Hatfield resident Killian Stewart, 16, had his first professional solo gig five years ago after apprenticing in his craft almost literally from birth, thanks to mentoring from the well-known regional DJ Greg Stewart. Also known as Killian’s dad, Greg is an audio-visual engineer by day. The two of them provide glimpses into the art and […]

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Sep 4 • 9:36 AM EDT • Science • recorder.com
Switchboard Health Acquires Livara Health to Integrate Value-Based Musculoskeletal Care

Acquisition Brings Livara’s Virtual MSK Care Model Onto Switchboard’s Specialty Care Platform; Closes $5M+ Round of Funding Switchboard Health, creators

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Sep 4 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • healthcareittoday.com
EU and ASEAN discuss health emergency preparedness and response

The Director-General of the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), Dr Florika Fink-Hooijer, met with the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, in Jakarta on 4 September 2026 to discuss health emergency preparedness and response to emerging health threats, and to explore deeper cooperation between the EU and ASEAN. Both regions face similar challenges from emerging threats such as infectious diseases, which will further increase with climate change and increased travel, requiring global and regional cooperation. Both sides acknowledged that regional partnerships are essential to prepare for the next health emergency — it's a matter of when, not if. Building close EU-ASEAN cooperation on health emergency preparedness and response is therefore critical to ensuring a collective response, as we look ahead to the Commemorative Summit in 2027 marking the 50th anniversary of EU-ASEAN Dialogue Relations. Among other topics, discussions covered future partnership in the establishment and operations of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), as well as other key avenues for deeper collaboration.

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Sep 4 • 8:49 AM EDT • Health • eeas.europa.eu
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Genesee Brewing parent company sold to private equity firm

Saothair Capital Partners acquires Genesee Brewing's parent company, renaming it North American Breweries and investing in Rochester operations.

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Sep 4 • 8:45 AM EDT • Business • rbj.net
Miguel Studios Expands Beyond Podcasting

Miguel Studios, a Fort Worth-based content studio and digital marketing agency, announced an expanded business model designed to help companies solve an i

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Sep 4 • 8:38 AM EDT • Business • fortworthbusiness.com
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Job growth rebounded in August with solid gains

The Labor Department released the August 2026 jobs report on Friday, with Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing solid job gains last month.

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Sep 4 • 8:31 AM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com
Exchange Online outage causes email delays, 'Server busy' errors

Microsoft is working to resolve an ongoing Exchange Online outage that is delaying email sent to and received from external domains.

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Sep 4 • 8:22 AM EDT • Technology • bleepingcomputer.com
RADIATION BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ENCOURAGES INDUSTRY-WIDE FEEDBACK ON PROPOSED MEDICARE PAYMENT CHANGES

Radiation Business Solutions (RBS) urges radiation oncology providers and industry leaders nationwide to join ongoing advocacy efforts concerning the CMS proposed CY 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

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Sep 4 • 8:02 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
HERA Director-General visits Indonesia to strengthen health cooperation

The Director-General of the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), Dr Florika Fink-Hooijer, met with Indonesia's Minister of Health, H.E. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, in Jakarta on 4 September 2026. Discussions centred on Indonesia's expansion of surveillance capacities, including genomic sequencing as well as local manufacturing capacity. There was a clear commitment to work together on wastewater surveillance going forward. Earlier that day, Director-General Fink-Hooijer, met with the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Secretariat to discuss health emergency preparedness and response to emerging health threats, and to explore deeper cooperation between the EU and ASEAN. More info on the meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat: https://link.europa.eu/HdVV7q

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Sep 4 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • eeas.europa.eu
Sony's PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90

Sony’s PlayStation disc plant is losing 10 percent of its volume in 2028, not 90 Sony won’t license disc pressing to anyone else, Microsoft does, and a former PlayStation boss thinks that’s the whole problem. When Sony DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer spoke with an Austrian broadcaster in July about PlayStation disc production at the Thalgau plant, a number of press outlets misunderstood the report, writing that production would fall to a tenth of current levels. It won’t. Sony DADC confirmed to Game this week that the figure is a 10 percent decline, not a decline to 10 percent. “To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” a spokesperson with Sony DADC told Game. That figure covers 2028. Tanzer didn’t put a number on the years after, and the spokesperson declined to comment further. What we do know is that on July 1, PlayStation announced that physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028 and that the transition has no impact on games that have already released in disc format or will be releasing in disc format prior to that month. “So, there will be reorders going to the market after January 2028,” the Sony DADC spokesperson said. “For details around that I would ask you to liaise with the PR team from PlayStation, as we can’t speak or comment on their behalf.” PlayStation officials did not respond to questions about reorders or other disc-related matters. But I did recently speak with Shawn Layden, Game Industry Strategic Advisor and former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, who called a future without physical PlayStation discs “depressing, but solvable.” then added, “I think.” The chief hurdle to third-party manufacturing of collector’s editions or any other version of a PlayStation game disc is that Sony owns the proprietary process to press those discs, Layden said. “And unless they decide or determine a way to license that to some of these bespoke disc manufacturers, there’s no way to make it happen,” he said. Layden was careful to add that he understands the concept but doesn’t have “line of sight on the particulars.” “Depressing but solvable, I think.” — Shawn Layden Microsoft already licenses replication to outside plants. Xbox discs are pressed by manufacturers Microsoft certifies as Authorized Replicators, a term defined in its publisher agreements, with the approved list set at the company’s sole discretion and Microsoft retaining the right to halt manufacture. The structure is still in place today: publishers select an Authorized Replicator in Partner Center and submit a bill of materials created with a Microsoft representative. Sony, by contrast, presses PlayStation discs through Sony DADC, its own manufacturing subsidiary. No one I spoke with said they were in discussions with Sony about doing that, and PlayStation hasn’t responded to questions about whether it would be open to a licensing deal. There is an obvious reason Sony might not want to. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed it out on the day of the announcement: it’s a platform-led decision, he wrote, designed to cut costs, eliminate the resale market, and drive all revenue through the PlayStation Store. The math is not subtle. On a $70 third-party game sold through the PlayStation Store, Sony keeps $21. Sold at retail, Ahmad says, it earns about half that. Licensing disc replication to an outside manufacturer might not be worth it. And even if it were, it seems unlikely that such a deal would come from boutique companies like iam8bit, which sells collector’s editions of video games. “We would absolutely love to find a way forward to continue making physical PlayStation games,” said Jon Gibson, co-owner and co-creative director of the company. “We are big believers in giving humans the option to truly own media. If we can play a role in helping make that a reality for the future of PlayStation games, count iam8bit in!” If it were to happen, it would most likely be with a company like Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions, a Memphis-based manufacturer of optical discs and vinyl records that also runs third-party logistics, fulfillment and distribution for packaged media. The company, which was formed in 2025 when Los Angeles private equity firm Variant Equity Advisors purchased Vantiva’s Supply Chain Solutions division, traces its lineage back to Technicolor. When it sold the division, Vantiva described the business as having served video game creators for more than 25 years. Conectiv is also buying, not shrinking. Last month it acquired SDS, the distributor for Universal and Warner Bros. home entertainment, consolidating those studios’ packaged-media pipeline from pressing plant to retail shelf. I reached out to Conectiv and its CEO, but haven’t heard back. Layden pointed to music and books in our discussion about the ongoing value of physical media. “No one ever saw the comeback of cassette tape,” he said. “And vinyl didn’t so much come back. The flame went down, the fire’s dying, but the ember was always there, and it just kind of came back. Much like the book business. We thought we’d all be on Kindles right now. “I believe that physical media is crucial and important. One of the things that makes us gamers, one of the core game mechanics, going back to the beginning of time, is collecting stuff. “Did you get all the diamonds in Crash Bandicoot? Did you get all the stars in Mario? And we like to collect our games. And we have a game shelf. And we put all our boxes up there. And if you’re super hardcore, when you buy a game, you buy two copies, right? One stays in the shrink wrap, and you play the other one. What happens to that important cultural part of the gaming world? You know, we buy the steelbook and the three-disc Final Fantasy set and the figurine and, you know, you can’t download any of that. “What happens to that?” And Layden believes it shouldn’t have been a revenue question for PlayStation. “This was a core thing to the experience of our most devoted fans,” he said. “Yeah, it’s fan service. Why would we take that away? Well, we can’t afford to. It’s already 120 bucks, you know, limited edition special purchase onyx box version of whatever, and those sell at a higher rate than the box selling at $69.99 does. So yeah, the market has said they will continue to buy them. You’re just saying you just don’t want to make them anymore.” Layden said he was recently talking with someone about these sorts of business decisions and how they’re made. Too often, he said, it’s all about the financials and nothing else. “OK, we can do this and save this much money, or we can invest this to look at that outcome, or we can do this and have this happen over there, or move this team to Sri Lanka,” he said. “But each one of those, someone also has to have a ledger there saying, ‘OK, what is the brand impact from that move?’ “Iif you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” — Shawn Layden “If we do that, dollars and cents work out. I get it. That’s just math. But what’s the brand impact? Are people going to say, ‘Good move, you guys?’ Or are they going to say, ‘We hate you guys. Quit doing that.’ And sometimes they say, ‘We hate you.’ Then you take a note and say, OK, how much of that can we live with? How much ‘we hate you’ is OK. And when does it go over the line? “I see a lot of companies making decisions which, objectively speaking, I don’t know what the dollar end of that was for you, Mr. Company, but your brand value just dropped 30 percent. So I hope it was worth it.” Of course, shifting to a digital-only model for games raises other issues beyond simply wanting to collect. The biggest is ownership. Layden pointed out that once you go to a streaming-only or download-only model, it’s just a digital footprint on a hard drive. “What does ownership mean anymore?” he said. “It’s a genuine question. Well, in fact, it’s not even a question anymore. It’s like you are shifting the model from ownership to accessibility. “And what’s always been true, which people forget, is you’ve never been able to sell your iTunes library. And you can’t sell your PlayStation download library. So if you can’t resell it, do you really own it?” The touching tribute found in the credits for Star Wars Zero Company. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Interview and Hands-On with a Minoan Masterpiece Star Wars Zero Company hands-on: Attack Astromechs, permadeath, and delightfully fatal Rube Goldberg tactics Control Resonant opens up as you get stronger — and as characters start trusting you

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Sep 4 • 7:57 AM EDT • Technology • game.substack.com
Solarize Marquette educates business owners and non-profits on solar energy benefits

Solar Marquette was held by GLREA Solarize Michigan in an effort to expand solar energy.

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Sep 4 • 6:24 AM EDT • Business • uppermichiganssource.com
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One of the region's largest public companies completes $315M acquisition

Hillman Solutions expands into industrial fasteners with $315 million acquisition of Illinois-based Kanebridge Corp.

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Sep 4 • 6:10 AM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com
Why is a can of fish being sold at a Gen Z concert? Behind the popularity boom of tinned fish

The appeal of tinned fish does not only stem from its social media hype; the shelf-friendly protein has also gained popularity for being chock-full of nutrients.

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Sep 4 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • cnn.com
Private equity faces existential crisis in US as unsold companies pile up

Private equity firms and the companies they own employ over 13 million, from startups to rural hospitals and large retailers, but experts’ concerns of collapse are growing

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Sep 4 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com
Scientists watch a comet being born 3 billion miles away

A rare look at a centaur transforming into a comet with coma is providing a missing link in the evolution of small, icy solar system bodies.

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Sep 4 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
Scientists watch a comet being born 3 billion miles away

A rare look at a centaur transforming into a comet with coma is providing a missing link in the evolution of small, icy solar system bodies.

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Sep 4 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • space.com
Future Penn State opponent loses season opener in embarrassing fashion

IT was a long night for Rutgers football as they opened their 2026 season with an absolute dud of a performance against lowly UMass.

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Sep 4 • 5:11 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Iconic singer and controversial TV personality dead at 94: ‘Absolutely unforgettable’

She was one of a kind.

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Sep 4 • 5:05 AM EDT • Entertainment • pennlive.com
Army National Guard Sergeant Wins $35K Settlement Against Kansas Health Department

The DOJ settled a years-long case with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to resolve allegations surrounding USERRA claims.

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Sep 4 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • military.com
Bologna troubles continue as Orsolini ruled out until international break

Bologna are without a victory after their first two Serie A matches of the 2026-27 season and the troubles for head coach Domenico Tedesco have now increased as Italy international Riccardo Orsolini h...

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Sep 4 • 4:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Director says they beat Arsenal to sign La Liga youngster

Pablo Garcia has gone viral for crying after being sold to Racing de Santander by Real Betis, the club he has played for since he was a child.Betis had to make space for Dani Ceballos and decided to m...

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Sep 4 • 4:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Milan Find a Solution for Almost All Their Outcasts

Milan parted ways with most of their castoffs on deadline day, but not Fikayo Tomori, who will be reinserted into their squad, also because Mattia Gabbia suffered an ankle injury.According to Fabrizio...

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Sep 4 • 4:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Is Six Flags (FUN) Recalibrating Its Investment Story With an Arlington Move and 2027 Ride Push?

Six Flags Entertainment recently announced that it will continue investing in Carowinds and Carolina Harbor, with new attractions such as Rip Roarin' Falls set to open in 2027, alongside an ambitious slate of rides including Bakunawa and Werewolf Gorge across several flagship parks. The company also plans to move its corporate headquarters in 2027 from Charlotte to Arlington, Texas, consolidating leadership closer to its five Texas properties while maintaining a regional presence and ongoing...

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Sep 4 • 4:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
End of the world: Scientists reveal 7 countries most likely to survive a global collapse by maintaining society and food production

With countries fighting wars and natural calamities sweeping away civilisations, it seems a global collapse might be a spark away. But the possibility of entire humanity vanishing off the face of Earth seems a little less plausible with the years of effort we have spent preparing solutions for such situations.

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Sep 4 • 4:27 AM EDT • Science • timesofindia.indiatimes.com
President Trump puts Colorado farmers and ranchers first

By Brooke L. Rollins Ever since Colorado was admitted to the union 150 years ago this month, farmers and ranchers across the state have kept our nation’s food supply secure and our freedom alive. From cattle ranchers on the eastern plains to specialty crop producers on the Western Slope, Colorado is home to more than 36,000 farms spread across more than 30 million acres. Last week, I saw the tremendous effect of agriculture in the Centennial State firsthand as, along with U.S. […]

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Sep 4 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com
Radiologist seeks to better understand consolidation in the specialty

Benjamin E. Northrup, MD, with the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, recently scored a grant from the Neiman Health Policy Institute to help fuel his curiosity

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Sep 4 • 2:02 AM EDT • Business • radiologybusiness.com
San Francisco 49ers arrive in Melbourne for historic NFL game against the LA Rams

The San Francisco 49ers have arrived in Melbourne for their season-opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sept. 11. It is expected to be the first of many regular-season NFL games in front of its growing Australian fan base. The team’s 200-member traveling party touched down on Friday morning after a 15-hour chartered Qantas flight and will spend a week acclimatizing before facing the Rams in front of an expected sold-out crowd at the MCG.

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Sep 4 • 1:53 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
KIER achieves world-record 26.7% efficiency in perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells

The Photovoltaic Research Department of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) achieved a certified world-record efficiency of 26.7% for perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells, opening a new chapter in next-generation thin-film photovoltaics. This achievement was officially certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Germany and listed in the Best Research-Cell Efficiencies Chart published by the US National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR, formerly NREL).

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Sep 4 • 12:46 AM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org
Northern State football 2-0 for first time since 2003

ABERDEEN, S.D. (KELO) — It was another solid night at Dacotah Bank Stadium in Aberdeen where the Northern State Wolves moved to 2-0 for the first time in 23 years with a 31-16 win over conference rivals, Winona State. The Wolves offense continued to run on Kraft, Hank that is as the running back scored […]

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Sep 4 • 12:12 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Wade Meckler Caps Red-Hot Month With Personal Achievement

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Wade Meckler earned the Sports Info Solutions Defensive Player of the Month for his efforts in August. The post Wade Meckler Caps Red-Hot Month With Personal Achievement appeared first on LA Sports Report.

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Sep 3 • 10:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Nurses announce sympathy strikes, pickets on Sept. 15 at five Prime Healthcare hospitals in four states

RNs at two Prime Healthcare hospitals in Nevada and California and nurses and health care workers at a Prime facility in California gave notice that they will hold a sympathy strike for one day on September 15 in solidarity with striking nurses at Olympia Fields Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Nurses at another Chicago hospital and at a hospital in Lewiston, Maine, will hold informational pickets in solidarity with Olympia Fields RNs on the same day.

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Sep 3 • 8:01 PM EDT • Health • nationalnursesunited.org
Here’s where a massive solar storm could take down the US power grid

New research maps show where a severe solar storm could strike. See if your neighborhood would lose power.

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Sep 3 • 8:00 PM EDT • Technology • cnn.com
Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez to plead guilty in Indianapolis stabbing case

Sanchez and the victim are also working to resolve their civil dispute

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Sep 3 • 7:30 PM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com
Solarize Marquette educates business owners and non-profits on solar energy benefits

Solar Marquette was held by GLREA Solarize Michigan in an effort to expand solar energy.

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Sep 3 • 7:28 PM EDT • Business • uppermichiganssource.com
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White House website debuts 5 low-res arcade video games that promote Trump’s agenda

The White House website has unveiled Arcade, a collection of five low-resolution video games that promote different aspects of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

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Sep 3 • 6:11 PM EDT • Entertainment • seattletimes.com
Jim Cramer Notes Cardinal Health (CAH) is “Too Attractive to Ignore”

On the September 2 episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer called Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) one of his “absolute favorites” and mentioned its growing exposure to specialty pharmaceuticals and higher-margin healthcare services. Cardinal’s been running circles around McKesson and Cencora. They consistently put up the best numbers because this company has gradually become less of […]

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Sep 3 • 5:52 PM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com
Scientists Expose Unexpected Driver of the May 2024 Superstorm

Even though the solar wind was unusually dense during the May 2024 superstorm, ions from the solar wind contributed very little to the ring current, marking the first time both were observed simultaneously during a storm of this magnitude.

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Sep 3 • 5:32 PM EDT • Science • scitechdaily.com
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Baptist Health scoops up Coconut Creek Kohl’s store for $54M

Baptist Health South Florida dropped $53.5 million on a Kohl’s department store in Coconut Creek. The retailer, led by CEO Michael Bender, sold the 92,700-square-foot stand-alone store at 6950 North State Road 7 for $577 per square foot. Kohl’s acquired the 8.2-acre property for $14.8 million in 2008, soon after the store was built. Last year, the company announced plans to shutter 27 stores in underperforming locations, though no additional closure announcements have been made since then. The store is still open, and plans for the site are being evaluated, a Baptist Health spokesperson told the South Florida Business Journal. […]

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Sep 3 • 5:30 PM EDT • Health • therealdeal.com
Has Jürgen Klopp found the solution to Germany’s striker problem?

Younes Ebnoutalib already has 4 goals and an assist in just 2 games this season. Is he Germany’s next star striker?

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Sep 3 • 4:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Penobscot Community Health Care announces consolidation and layoffs amid financial challenges

Penobscot Community Health Care says it's closing its Adult Wellness Center in Bangor in November and will transition patients to other locations. It's also eliminating 16 administrative positions, though 11 employees will transfer to new roles.

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Sep 3 • 3:39 PM EDT • Health • mainepublic.org
Florida Polytechnic University nabs top rankings for computer and data science programs

'We emphasize strong technical foundations alongside real-world problem-solving, ensuring our graduates are prepared to contribute meaningfully.'

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Sep 3 • 2:45 PM EDT • Science • floridapolitics.com
A NASA Spacecraft Is Nearing The Edge Of The Solar System. Its Instruments May Be Shut Off Due To Lack Of Funding

New Horizons' instruments may be shut off before it reaches the Solar System's "termination shock", despite it being fully functional likely into the 2050s.

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Sep 3 • 1:03 PM EDT • Science • iflscience.com
Final Fantasy Resonance: How Square Enix Turned a Dead Gacha Game Into a Must-Play Console RPG

I went into Final Fantasy Resonance expecting a lazy asset flip. Instead, I found a deeply strategic, meticulously balanced RPG.

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Sep 3 • 10:15 AM EDT • Technology • pcmag.com
Lego's Near 1:1 PlayStation Set Launches On October 1

The detailed Lego replica of the first PlayStation console also features two miniature dioramas of classic PlayStation games.

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Sep 3 • 10:10 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com
Roguelite action game The Eminence in Shadow: Phantom Echoes announced for PS5, Switch 2, and PC

Publisher Aiming and developer Team Caravan have announced The Eminence in Shadow: Phantom Echoes, the first console game based on The Eminence in Shadow anime series. It will launch for PlayStatio…

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Sep 3 • 10:08 AM EDT • Technology • gematsu.com
NANO Nuclear and Howden, a Baker Hughes Business, Advance Engineering Collaboration for the KRONOS MMR™ Primary Helium Circulator to Detailed Design Phase

Engineering milestone marks continued progress in the maturation of the KRONOS MMR™ toward commercial readiness New York, N.Y., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, announced continued progress toward […]

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Sep 3 • 10:02 AM EDT • Business • nanonuclearenergy.com
The Blood Of Dawnwalker Devs Offer Workarounds For PC Issues

The RPG from CD Projekt alumni has landed a lot more smoothly on console

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Sep 3 • 9:55 AM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com
iPhone 18 Pro Chip Leak Indicates Major GPU and Memory Bandwidth Improvements

An alleged solder joint diagram for Apple's A20 Pro chip suggests the processor will deliver a number of significant upgrades, including a seven-core GPU, a wider memory interface, and a larger L2 cache for its efficiency cores. The claims come from a Weibo user who says the layout was reconstructed by mapping the chip's solder ball positions and overlaying them with die level images to sketch out where each block of the processor sits.

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Sep 3 • 8:06 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
“Shohei Ohtani Is Absolutely Cooked” – MLB Fans Sound The Alarm After Dodgers Superstar Gets Struck Out 4 Times In Loss To Cardinals

Fans expressed concern over LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani after he struck out four times in the team’s 8-6 loss to the Cardinals at home on Wednesday. The Japanese two-way phenom has gone 12 games without a home run or an RBI.

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Sep 3 • 7:15 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Euro zone overall business growth held steady in August, PMI shows

Growth in the euro zone's dominant services industry slipped to a two-month low in August though solid and broad-based demand kept overall private sector activity on an even keel, a ​survey showed on Thursday.

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Sep 3 • 4:09 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
ChatGPT for Healthcare unveils Epic integration as part of data consolidation strategy

In addition to providing Epic users with access to the popular LLM, OpenAI said all clinicians that use its platform will be able to access public databases, including ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed, with the proper plug-ins in place.

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Sep 3 • 3:18 AM EDT • Health • healthexec.com
Husker football scouting report: Ohio

Sports reporter Matthew Malloy previews Nebraska football's season opener against Ohio, including an interview with an Ohio reporter and an appearance from Frank Solich.

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Sep 3 • 1:00 AM EDT • Sports • dailynebraskan.com
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Sony and Microsoft say they’re not obligated to pass U.S. tariff refunds to consumers, echoing Nintendo

Back in July, Sony executives told investors that the company expected to receive $508 million in refunds from the U.S. government, after tariffs that the PlayStation-maker paid were ruled mostly in 2025 were found to be illegal. “Most” of the refund would by recouped by Sony’s gaming division, its chief financial officer said. This week, Sony’s lawyers are arguing that the company is not legally obligated to pass those proceeds on to consumers who paid for recently price-hiked PlayStation consoles. That’s in the face of a lawsuit from gamers calling on them to do exactly that. “Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact,” the lawyers wrote in a legal motion filed on Monday, as they asked a judge in California’s Northern District to dismiss a potential class action lawsuit over the tariff refunds. Microsoft made a similar argument two weeks ahead of Sony’s lawyers, in a similar lawsuit brought by a gamer in federal court in Washington State. As Microsoft’s legal team put it on August 21, in their request for a dismissal of that lawsuit: “There is nothing unjust about Plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what he paid for—regardless of whatever theory he devised months later about Microsoft’s cost structure.” Both legal fights are set to go on for some time. How things got to this point U.S. tariffs impacting a wide range of imported goods, including game consoles, had kicked off in early 2025. In May 2025, Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox consoles, citing “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” They raised them again that September. In August of that year, Sony raised the price of PlayStation 5 consoles, citing “a challenging economic environment.” Sony later told investors that its tariff fees for the fall quarter were nearly $200 million. in February of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 2025 tariffs illegal, prompting impacted companies to begin to request refunds. In turn, consumers began suing the likes of Sony and Microsoft to get what they said was their share. The gamers in the Microsoft and Sony lawsuits argue that the 2025 price hikes of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, which added $50 or more to their sticker price, were due to illegal tariffs and should now be returned to consumers. The Sony suit started in May, when a group of gamers sued in federal court in California, saying Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) would be unjustly enriching itself if it did not pass tariff refunds to its PS5 buyers. “Sony is poised to be paid twice for the same unlawful tariff burden: once by its customers (through elevated prices) and once by the U.S. government (through tariff refunds),” the gamers’ lawyers wrote at the time. They called for Sony to partially reimburse anyone who bought a PlayStation in the U.S. since August 1, 2025. The Microsoft suit, filed by gamer Trevor Hastings against the Xbox giant in July, made similar claims. The console makers push back In late July, Nintendo’s lawyers, facing a similar suit accusing them of double-dipping on tariffs and refunds, replied with arguments that previewed Microsoft’s and Sony’s: “Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying,” they wrote. Sony has buttressed that Nintendo-style argument this week by saying that the gamers have failed to prove that tariffs were the reason for its August 2025 PS5 price hike. They call thatclaim “speculative and illogical.” Other factors, including “inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand,” could have played a role. (No, the Sony lawyers do not break down the costs and factors that officially triggered the price increases). Microsoft has also argued that there’s no proof in these lawsuits that tariffs drove all or some of the price increase, as it seeks to dismiss the tariff refund suit it’s facing: “Plaintiff provides no specific allegations that would establish any pricing differential attributable to tariffs or suggest any possibility that Microsoft applied then or could recreate now any dollar-for-dollar calculation of tariff-related pricing—any more than it could any other market factor that affects pricing.” To further skewer the gamer side’s argument in its case, Sony’s lawyers have pointed to what might be a surprising defense: yet another PlayStation 5 price hike from this past spring, after the tariffs were ruled illegal. “If the original price increase were attributable to tariffs, SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment, aka PlayStation] would have had no reason to raise prices again after the Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA tariffs.” … “If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated—not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs.” Judges have not yet ruled on the arguments made by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. Last week, Panic, the company behind the small, yellow Playdate handheld said it would be passing its tariff refunds on to consumers. It is the only gaming hardware maker to have made such a pledge. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my reporting, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: A reporter’s second Second Life Wagner James Au, who from 2003-2006 was paid by San Francisco-based tech company Linden Lab to be a full-time journalist embedded in their virtual world Second Life, is returning to the company. This time, he’ll be an editorial advisor and business development specialist, he tells Game File. The new role will involve trying to share the stories of people inhabiting Second Life’s ongoing online world with reporters and by extension the public. Au plans to continue to also chronicle some of that through his long-running blog New World Notes. I’ve known Au since the mid-2000s and featured him in a 2007 article for the Columbia Journalism Review about reporters like him opening up virtual news outlets within Second Life. As I wrote at the time: On April 22, 2003, writing as Hamlet Linden for the New World Notes blog on Second Life’s Web site, Au introduced himself. “For the next few months, Linden Lab has invited me to set aside my journalist cap, and instead, don the digital beanie of their in-house virtual correspondent.” He wasn’t paid to keep it positive. He wrote about builders and eccentrics, but then in August of that year, he reported on a tax revolt against Linden Lab (a complaint about the fees it charges users who build stuff) led by a resident whose avatar was a big cat. Second Life has always been less of a video game and more of a virtual world where people can live, hang out, make art, sell virtual items and flirt. Back in 2007, Au described touring it as “sort of like underwater lucid dreaming.” For the past two decades, Au has maintained New World Notes as an independent publication. But he said he’s been drawn back to Second Life and Linden Lab as a place to directly work. The virtual world has around 650,000 monthly active users, he said, “which is actually about what it was during the hype wave.” Au says he’s still finding rich stories in Second Life, the kind that keep him interested 20 years into the beat: “Over the last few months for instance, I wrote about an SL creator in Venezuela whose apartment was destroyed by the earthquakes, so the global SL community rallied to get him back on his feet,” he told me. “Then there’s the woman from a Middle Eastern country who explored her lesbian sexuality in SL, then earned enough from her virtual jewelry to escape her abusive family situation and country.” Au wants to beckon more reporters to give Second Life another look. He argues that it is often ahead of internet trends, noting, for example, an early backlash in the community against AI-made art. Now the platform is drawing curiosity from more of the user-generated content community who’ve grown up with the likes of Roblox, according to Au. “Second Life was too early during its hype wave in 2005-2010, but it now feels right for a new wave of interest,” he told me.

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Sep 2 • 8:21 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news
Rep. Jeff Crank leads resolution against Democratic Socialists of America

Colorado leaders of the Democratic Socialists of America called U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank's anti-socialism resolution a “waste of time."

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Sep 2 • 6:29 PM EDT • Politics • coloradonewsline.com
How These Founder Communities Offer Support

Finding the right networks can help business leaders beat isolation and gain a competitive edge.

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Sep 2 • 5:30 PM EDT • Business • entrepreneur.com
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$1.1B Norman Rock Creek project faces key court hearing Tuesday

Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development's case against Norman's Rock Creek Entertainment District project may be resolved as soon as Tuesday.

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Sep 2 • 5:06 PM EDT • Entertainment • journalrecord.com
House Democrats block constitutional amendment on Supreme Court size

The Republican-led resolution, which requires two-thirds support in the House and Senate, comes in response to increasing openness among Democrats to expand the court.

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Sep 2 • 4:38 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
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Microsoft to start disclosing Azure quarterly revenue as company consolidates business units

Microsoft will begin reporting quarterly Azure revenue in dollars for the first time, providing more clarity about its business that competes with AWS.

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Sep 2 • 4:30 PM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
Fort Bragg Veteran celebrates expansion of high-end experiential entertainment brand

Photo provided by EscapologyAfter 15 years as an Army officer at Fort Bragg, Fayetteville resident Dan Cooke transitioned to business ownership to bring high-end experiential entertainment to North Carolina, applying strict military operational systems to scale his footprint across the state.Cooke got his start in the Army’s Boots to Business program.“Boots to Business was instrumental in preparing me to start a company. The program taught me how to develop a business plan, conduct market and financial analysis and critically evaluate whether a business concept was actually viable,” shared Cooke. “What made the program particularly valuable was that the instructors and mentors had real-world business experience…At the end of the course, I had to present and defend that plan. From there, they directed me to SCORE, where mentors helped me further refine the plan. I eventually presented it to a bank, which was impressed with the level of preparation, and I secured the financing necessary to build the business.”As Cooke neared the end of his military career, he began to wonder what would come next. Through his faith and some valuable mentors, he found the right avenue for his entrepreneurial interests.“While working on my instrument pilot rating, my flight instructor happened to tell me about escape rooms and the economics behind building them. He thought they could make for an interesting business. I took the analytical skills I had developed in the military, along with what I learned through Boots to Business, and began comparing the escape-room model against other opportunities I was considering,” explained Cooke. Cooke opened his first Escapology location in Fayetteville in 2019.“My approach was to start small and prove the model. Fayetteville made sense because I was already there, understood the market and could minimize my initial risk. It also became clear very quickly that I needed a partner that could provide the creative design, branding and industry knowledge that I did not have. After researching a number of options, Escapology became that partner,” added Cooke.Following the success of his initial venue in Fayetteville and a venue in Charlotte that opened in 2023, Cooke recently expanded into Raleigh with his third Escapology venue at Crabtree Valley Mall.His North Carolina footprint now includes:Fayetteville: A 5-room venue launched right after his Army transition in 2019.Charlotte: A 10-room venue opened in 2023, doubling his original operational footprint.Raleigh (Crabtree Valley Mall): A 6-room venue opened in May 2026, with plans to expand to 10 full rooms.Beyond his venues, Cooke expanded his local footprint by launching Jade Solutions in Aberdeen, N.C., an OEM manufacturing business that now builds prop and technical solutions for Escapology venues systemwide.Cooke shared that his long-term goal is to continue expanding Escapology in a healthy and sustainable way while enjoying the journey. “I actually did not start an entertainment business because I personally loved escape rooms. I started a business because I love the game of business itself. Growing up, I loved military simulation games and business tycoon games. I eventually had the opportunity to experience the first of those in the real world — I went to war, led troops and played my part in the military. Today, I would much rather apply that same drive to the real-world game of building businesses.I don't play business computer games anymore. I get to wake up and do it for real every day,” shared Cooke.

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Sep 2 • 4:07 PM EDT • Entertainment • bizfayetteville.com
Kiggans, Underwood Recognize September 1st-8th as National Clinical Nurse Specialist Week

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced a resolution to recognize the first...

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Sep 2 • 3:48 PM EDT • Health • kiggans.house.gov
How to Solve the Parks Festival Quiz Puzzle (Parks Floating Festival) - Disney Dreamlight Valley Guide

The Parks Festival Quiz Puzzle is one of the final puzzles introduced to the Parks Floating Festival event in Disney Dreamlight Valley. It debuted on September

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Sep 2 • 3:29 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com
The Devil Works Hard, But Whoever Is Keeping The IS Alive At Lexus Works Harder

Despite entering its thirteenth year of life, the Lexus IS is still soldiering on with a new Special Appearance Package that has some great green paint.

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Sep 2 • 3:20 PM EDT • Technology • jalopnik.com
US says it will use regional body to isolate Nicaragua

Move comes after Nicaragua's lawmakers change constitution to ban most political opposition.

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Sep 2 • 3:12 PM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com
New UK taskforce will examine influence of political mega-donors

Government pledges to find quick ‘solution’ to party funding row under pressure from Labour MPs

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Sep 2 • 3:00 PM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
How to Solve the Flower Garden Restoration Puzzle (Parks Floating Festival) - Disney Dreamlight Valley Guide

The Flower Garden Restoration Puzzle is one of the six puzzles released during the Parks Floating Festival event in Disney Dreamlight Valley. It is available

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Sep 2 • 2:48 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com
Uber to cut thousands of jobs in sweeping restructuring effort

The ride-hailing giant's CEO said Uber is cutting management layers, consolidating teams and requiring most remote workers to relocate to key office hubs.

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Sep 2 • 1:56 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com
New Jersey asks US Supreme Court to assess power to regulate sports bets on Kalshi

New Jersey authorities on Wednesday asked ​the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve whether ‌states have the power to police sports betting that occurs on prediction markets operated by Kalshi and competing ​platforms.

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Sep 2 • 12:01 PM EDT • Sports • reuters.com
New Jersey Asks US Supreme Court to Assess Power to Regulate Sports Bets on Kalshi

Sept 2 (Reuters) - ⁠New ⁠Jersey authorities ⁠on Wednesday asked the U.S. ‌Supreme Court to ‌resolve ⁠whether ⁠states have the power to police sports betting that occurs on prediction markets operated ⁠by ⁠Kalshi and ⁠competing platforms. The state asked the Supreme Court ⁠to overturn a lower ...

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Sep 2 • 12:01 PM EDT • Sports • usnews.com
Future Leader: Emily Roy, UR Team Supervisor, Hansei Solutions

Emily Roy, UR Team Supervisor at Hansei Solutions, has been named to the Future Leaders Class of 2026 by Behavioral Health Business. To become a Future

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Sep 2 • 11:45 AM EDT • Business • bhbusiness.com
Future Leader: Emily Roy, UR Team Supervisor, Hansei Solutions

Emily Roy, UR Team Supervisor at Hansei Solutions, has been named to the Future Leaders Class of 2026 by Behavioral Health Business. To become a Future

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Sep 2 • 11:45 AM EDT • Health • bhbusiness.com