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Ukraine’s Science Under Fire: Russia Is Targeting Knowledge, People and the Future
Russian strikes are killing scientists, destroying laboratories and equipment, and putting Ukraine’s scientific and technological capacity at risk.
How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy
Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.
Tony Gilroy Says Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Will ‘Destroy’ a ‘Healthy and Beautiful Business’ in ‘The Name of Venture Capital’: ‘It’s Tragic’
Tony Gilroy blasted the “tragic” nature of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger at the world premiere of his new film, “Behemoth!” Produced on a $36 million budget, “Behemoth!” is representative of the m...
Leucine does more than build muscle. It powers up your cells
The essential amino acid leucine can boost cellular energy production by protecting key proteins on mitochondria from being destroyed. The discovery reveals a new connection between nutrition and metabolism that could eventually lead to new approaches for metabolic disorders and cancer.
Israeli strike kills five in Gaza, including four women, health officials say
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu AlkasCAIRO/GAZA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians, including four women, in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defence service officials said.Among the dead were a Christian mother, Maisa Abu Dawoud, and her daughter Mary, medics and the church said.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.The strike destroyed the apartment building and started a fire.
Troy council passes law setting standards for use of Flock cameras
One provision requires the city to delete all data from the license plate reader (LPR) technology within 72 hours.
A job layoff leads Hispanic family into filling needs in the community with help of the TROY Small Business Development Center
For Gilberto Laines and Jocabet Cortes, entrepreneurship did not begin with a business plan, a loan or even the certainty that they would one day own a business. It began with work.
How Anti-Corruption Politics Destroyed Brazil
Brazil’s upcoming election pits President Lula da Silva, eighty, against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, forty-five. If he wins, Lula will serve a record fourth (non-consecutive) term.
Troy police expect to make arrest soon in business theft probe
A downtown business owner shared footage from two businesses that appeared to show a person stealing tip jars.
How Mainers are weighing the pay-to-play allegation involving Susan Collins
Tom McShane of Windham will likely split his ticket in November. He likes a Republican candidate running for his legislative district but plans to vote for Democrat Troy Jackson for Senate, although reluctantly since his first choice dropped out. His choice in the Senate race is irrespective of the recent corruption allegations against incumbent Republican […]
Steam's Giant Autumn Sale Is Officially Here To Destroy Everyone's Wallet
Valve's PC gaming platform is brimming with discounts on major new releases and old classics players can enjoy on top-of-the-line rigs and Steam Deck
Florida State University doctoral student transforms ‘forever chemicals' research into commercial possibilities through NSF's I-Corps program
A Florida State University doctoral student has developed a new approach to destroying “forever chemicals” and is now taking the technology beyond the
FEATURE | Adil Bourabaa
The fact that there was no fire sale at Le Mans FC this summer, following their promotion to Ligue 1, was indicative. Whereas the likes of Mathys Detourbet and Martin Adeline left ESTAC Troyes after g...
Dozens displaced, 6 businesses destroyed after fire in Somerville's Teele Square
Troy Jackson's Gaza misstep shows him struggling with a big step up to national politics
Jackson is working through one of the most divisive issues on the left while running against strongly pro-Israel Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Troy Jackson apologizes for remarks about Jewish Maine residents’ views of Gaza war
Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee in Maine’s battleground Senate race, apologized Wednesday for saying it is “unfortunate” that Jewish residents of the state do not like to label the war in Gaza a genocide.
RAYE, Sombr, Troye Sivan, Conan Gray & More Musicians Named to 2026 TIME100 Next
The annual list spotlights 100 emerging leaders making their mark across entertainment, sports, business, science, politics & other fields.
Democrat Troy Jackson apologizes for Holocaust reference
The Senate nominee’s bid to unseat incumbent Susan Collins (R) is critical to Democrats’ hopes for reclaiming control of the chamber.
Maine Democrat who rejects special interests previously ran PAC that courted them
Troy Jackson is challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a pivotal contest that has been dominated by campaign finance issues.
‘He Could Be a Cheaper Option’ — Sports Media Expert Theorizes ESPN May Be Planning to Replace Troy Aikman With 3-Time Pro Bowler
The longest-standing broadcast partnership in NFL history may be approaching a crossroads, and one media analyst has floated three-time Pro Bowler Greg Olsen as a possible option for ESPN if Troy Aikman departs. When Troy Aikman, the on-air partner of Joe Buck since 2002, revealed on the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast that he has not signed a contract extension with ESPN, rumors swirled.
Joe Buck ‘hopeful’ Troy Aikman stays at ESPN
After following Troy Aikman to ESPN, Joe Buck now hopes his longtime NFL broadcast partner follows him in staying at ESPN. Earlier this month, Buck signed a six-year contract extension with ESPN worth more than $100 million to continue as the network’s voice of Monday Night Football. Aikman, however, remains unsigned, with his current contract…
Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences warns against Russian cooperation after attack
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has urged the international scientific community not to “restore or legitimise institutional cooperation with Russian state scientific and educational structures,” after a Russian drone hit its Presidium building in central Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring several others. The drone strike took place in the early afternoon on September 28 while staff were working.The academy called the strike, one of several Russian attacks on Ukraine’s capital using jet-powered drones in recent days, an act of terrorism. “It is a strike [. . .] on the very idea that knowledge, research, and the search for truth should serve life, not its destruction,” it said in a statement.The academy thanked the global scientific community for its solidarity following the attack and warned against any temptation to normalise scientific relations with Russia.“Science cannot exist outside of moral responsibility. There can be no ‘ordinary scientific cooperation’ with a state that kills people and destroys scientific institutions of another country,” it said.“We urge not to create opportunities for Russian state institutions to return to the international scientific community as if nothing happened. There can be no ‘science beyond politics’ when science is attacked with weapons.”After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe almost entirely cut institutional ties and joint programmes with Russian science, although personal academic contacts are still ongoing.Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresHow geopolitical rifts cut scientific collaborationThe European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), for instance, continues to exclude the Russian Academy of Sciences from its network.ALLEA condemned the latest attack as a “barbaric act” and part of a broader “systematic targeting of Ukraine’s scientific and cultural infrastructure.” This is a “deliberate attempt to erase the conditions under which free inquiry, knowledge, and democratic life are possible,” it said in a statement.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 4,650 educational institutions across Ukraine have been damaged, and a further 423 have been destroyed, according to ALLEA.National academies across Europe joined ALLEA in condemning the attack. “Science is about the pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of humanity, so this is an attack on civilisation itself,” said Paul Nurse, president of the UK’s Royal Society.Attacks on scientific, university and cultural institutions “are attacks on the foundations of society and constitute a clear violation of international law,” wrote the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.The presidents of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a joint statement condemning the attack and pledging to continue to support the Ukrainian research community.The targeting of the Ukrainian academy prompted outcry from European leaders. “Today, science became a target for Russia,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media.“These strikes are the latest illustration of the Russian regime’s hostile contempt for science and truth,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Beclowning of Scott Bessent
One iron law of current politics is that nobody who associates themselves with Donald Trump emerges with a shred of credibility. For some, that’s not a big loss — it’s not as if anyone respected Pete Hegseth even before he decided that the key to military success in an age of drones and AI was more testosterone. For others, however, the costs are real. I’m old enough to remember when Marco Rubio was widely considered a reasonable, thoughtful politician. Right now, however, my candidate for the biggest loser is Scott Bessent, the Secretary of the Treasury. Bessent started out with significant reputation to lose: When Trump selected him, this was the headline in the Financial Times: Jason Furman, Barack Obama’s chief economist, described him as a “credible Treasury secretary who has a real understanding of the global economy”. But Bessent has now transformed himself into the Baghdad Bob of bonds. Three weeks ago, after intervening (for reasons that remain somewhat unclear) to support the Japanese yen, Bessent boasted about his ability to move markets and dared investors to bet against his, declaring “I am the house now.” He then tried to push long-term interest rates down, buying 30-year U.S. Treasuries in a move some have compared to paying down part of your mortgage by running up your credit card balance. Here’s how that’s going so far: To get some perspective on how high interest rates have gone, here’s a longer-term perspective: We haven’t seen interest rates this high since the fading days of the dotcom bubble. Why are interest rates hitting new records? The backdrop, as I argued in last Sunday’s primer, is the huge AI-driven investment boom; more on that next week. But the immediate cause of the latest interest rate spike was Trump’s rejection of an Iranian proposal to end the war. This rejection sent crude oil prices, which for a while had fallen considerably, shooting back up: It’s notable, by the way, that oil prices remain high even though a significant amount of oil is now being shuttled through the Strait of Hormuz by night, on smaller vessels. That’s an interesting story, which has a lot to do with the fact that oil from the Hormuz shuttle runs must be transferred to larger vessels before being shipped to markets in Europe and Asia; around 15 percent of the world’s large crude carriers are now parked off the coast of Oman, waiting to be tanked up. This is creating a shipping crunch: But that’s a topic for another day. For now, the point is that with oil still high and refined products, especially diesel, still close to record levels, inflation will remain elevated. And this in turn means that the Federal Reserve will keep short-term interest rates high, an expectation that is feeding into longer-term rates. Hence Bessent’s bond-market humiliation. The truth is that Bessent might not have been able to get interest rates down even in the best of circumstances. But he certainly won’t get anywhere as long as Trump keeps believing that he can somehow convert his Iran debacle into a triumphant victory. And Trump will keep believing that as long as he is surrounded by sycophants who tell him what he wants to hear. Sycophants like, for example, Scott Bessent, who is predicting the imminent collapse of the Iranian economy, possibly within two weeks. Bessent is right to say that the embargo on Iranian oil exports is placing the country under great economic strain. But his implicit prediction that this will quickly produce a deal that Trump can call victory looks no more plausible than his boasts about the bond market. The big question now is, why would anyone with a reputation to lose work for Donald Trump? As the beclowning of Bessent shows, joining the Trump team won’t just damage your reputation; it will utterly destroy it.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
Putin's 'HIGH-PRECISION' Weapon Destroys European Missile; Kyiv Science Hub Bombed, Zelensky Fumes
Ranking Member Markey: SBA Administrator Loeffler, Trump Administration are Refusing to Answer to America’s 36+ Million Small Businesses and Workers, Leaving Main Street Behind
Loeffler canceled her scheduled Sept. 30 appearance before the Senate Small Business Committee, has not appeared before SBC in more than a year (Washington, September 28) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released the following statement after Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler canceled her scheduled Wednesday appearance before the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Administrator Loeffler has not appeared before the committee in more than a year and has consistently refused to provide substantial answers to committee members in person, in writing, or via requested briefings. In June, Ranking Member Markey led every Democratic member of the committee in calling on Administrator Loeffler to appear before the committee to answer for the Trump administration’s cruel attacks on American small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers. The Democratic lawmakers still have not received a response from Administrator Loeffler. “It is unacceptable that Administrator Loeffler chose to cancel her appearance before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. The Trump administration is once again ignoring the more than 36 million American small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers who drive our economy and enrich our communities by refusing to answer questions about this administration’s reckless economic policies. It has been more than a year since Administrator Loeffler has appeared before our committee and answered questions from both Democrats and Republicans. Since then, the Trump administration’s attacks on Main Street have only worsened. “Small businesses are facing record high gas and diesel prices, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and never-ending uncertainty from Trump’s trade war with the world. Trump has terrorized Main Streets across the country with violent ICE raids, destroying families, communities, and local economies. Meanwhile, Administrator Loeffler and the Trump SBA have been in a Witness Protection Program, ignoring the Pain on Main Street that they have created. They have chosen to make drastic cuts to SBA funding and essential, bipartisan programs, including the closure of the SBA office in Springfield and removal of the SBA office from Boston; directly attacked immigrant small business owners and destroyed the promise of the American Dream; and proposed shortsighted small business size rules that would benefit billion-dollar businesses over actual small businesses. “It’s clear that Administrator Loeffler, President Trump, and their CEO billionaire buddies want to turn the Small Business Administration into the Big Business Administration, tear down our economy, and abandon Main Street. If that is indeed this administration’s goal, Administrator Loeffler must answer to the millions of small businesses, workers, and families in Massachusetts and across the country that this administration is leaving behind.” ###
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Is 'Testing the Bounds' of What Naughty Dog Is Capable of, Troy Baker Says
Troy Baker has teased that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is "testing the bounds" of what Naughty Dog is capable of, telling fans that they are going to have their "minds blown."
Zhen Xu Receives Golden Goose Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science
This award recognizes transformative work enabled by federal funding, which was crucial to advancing the tumor-destroying soundwaves until they were ready for the clinic.
Mark Kelly says Troy Jackson a 'real shot' to win in November
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly said Democrat Troy Jackson has a chance to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, this November.
Students weigh in on rhetoric in Maine political advertisements
It is no secret that the Senate race in Maine is hotly contested. Republican incumbent Susan Collins and former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, a…
The Trump Admin Is Airing Yet Another Taxpayer-Funded Political Ad
The video, originally from Trump's 2024 campaign, shows the president vowing to destroy "villains" with the disclaimer, "Paid for by the U.S. Government."
Retro Visual Analysis: That Night in Munich
How Carlo Ancelotti, Sergio Ramos, and Cristiano Ronaldo destroyed Bayern Munich in transition and from set-pieces
Maryland football destroyed by UCLA, 54-3, in 9th straight Big Ten loss
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland was outclassed from the start. In a game that was scoreless after one quarter but quickly devolved into another lopsided loss, nothing went the Terps’ way. Maryland couldn’t establish a running game despite a questionable insistence on doing so; quarterback Malik Washington never got going in the one-dimensional offense and threw four interceptions; and the Terps’ ...
Sinema’s ex-bodyguard says stress, mental health crisis led to home damage
The former bodyguard accused of having an affair with former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and allegedly breaking into her home and destroying property is now speaking out, saying he was going through a mental breakdown brought on by stress.
A mysterious organ in the sperm whale's head gives it the power to sink ships
A survivor of the shipwreck that inspired the novel Moby Dick had a theory about how a sperm whale could destroy a vessel many times its size – 200 years later, he's been proved right.
A mysterious organ in the sperm whale's head gives it the power to sink ships
A survivor of the shipwreck that inspired the novel Moby Dick had a theory about how a sperm whale could destroy a vessel many times its size – 200 years later, he's been proved right.
Business destroyed by Hurricane Helene seeing progress but still has a long road ahead
Two years after Hurricane Helene rocked WNC, a local home and business are continuing to recover.
Susan Collins hanging onto Senate seat despite heavy political gravity
The Maine Republican remains locked in a tight race with her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson.
Clemson vs Cal Q&A with Write for California
For the first time since destroying Alabama 44-16 for a National Championship in 2019, Clemson is going back to Cali. The Tigers have a late Friday night game against one of the ACC’s newest members, the Cal Bears. Jesse Miller-Gordon of WriteforCalifornia.com joins us to talk Cal football, what Tiger fans can expect in Berkley, […]
The eruption that destroyed Pompeii is helping scientists date Earth's history
Historical accounts of the eruption nearly 2,000 years ago provide a precise timeline that allowed recalibration of one of the most versatile dating methods.
Asteroid named after ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
‘I just hope this isn’t the asteroid that winds up destroying the Earth.’
This week in health care policy: September 21–25, 2026
Innovation watch FDA approves the first treatment for Sanfilippo syndrome. On September 17, the FDA approved Ultragenyx’s Fayuvi, a one-time gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A, an inherited disease that progressively destroys cognitive function in young children. Until this week, there was no approved treatment at all. BioNTech’s lung cancer candidate shows promising results. […]
Another new poll shows close Maine Senate race
Other UNH results show Democrat Hannah Pingree continuing to lead the pack for governor ahead of Republican Bobby Charles and independent Rick Bennett.
CRISPR could help doctors attack blood cancer without destroying healthy cells
Researchers used CRISPR to remove CD33 from donor stem cells, potentially giving doctors a way to attack aggressive blood cancers without destroying the healthy cells patients need after a transplant. In a 30-patient trial, the edited cells successfully took hold and appeared to shield blood cells from a CD33-targeted cancer treatment.
Trump Is Destroying Public Health. Democrats Need to Fight Back.
If they win in the midterms, the party must move quickly and aggressively to undo the harm Trump and his cronies have caused. It is truly difficult to keep up with the pace of OMB Director Russell Vou...
Trump Is Destroying Public Health. Democrats Need to Fight Back.
If they win in the midterms, the party must move quickly and aggressively to undo the harm Trump and his cronies have caused.
There’s a central place to donate to help Walhalla businesses destroyed in massive downtown fire
WALHALLA — Even as the rubble still smoldered in downtown Walhalla, the community shifted from shock over the businesses destroyed in a massive blaze to asking how they could help them recover. Now, t...
Bijan Robinson destroys Packers in 35-14 win for Falcons
Star running back Bijan Robinson rushed for an explosive 194 yards and two touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons thrashed the Green Bay Packers 35-14 on Thursday.But it was Bijan Robinson again who put the game to bed, bursting through the Packers' defense for a touchdown before a successful two-point conversion made it 35-14.
Bill seeks to restrict development of artificial superintelligence
The bill would ban artificial superintelligence, which it defines as AI models with cognitive capabilities that surpass those of humans and have the ability to destroy humanity.
Troy Thompson: Minnesota business owners can’t find help. Here’s a fix.
Every small business has two kinds of work. There’s the work that touches your customers and builds your reputation, and there’s the work that just has to get done.
Collins leads Jackson in new Maine poll
On the favorability front, 49% said they have a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion of Democrat Troy Jackson, with 41% saying very or somewhat favorable.
Nightclub owner, 2 others charged with arson after business was destroyed by fire in May
Arrest documents show that all three people were present the night that La Danse nightclub burned down.
Scientists find two tiny new snails with shells that close like doors
Scientists discovered two tiny new snail species in Montenegro, showing that even Europe still holds animals unknown to science. One lives in the threatened Komarnica Canyon, where a proposed hydropower reservoir could destroy habitat before its full biodiversity is understood.
Sorrell College of Business cuts ribbon on new Corporate Partnership Program
Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business officially launched its Sorrell Corporate Partnership Program on Tuesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony in John Robert Lewis Hall on the Troy Campus. The initiative is designed to strengthen relationships between the college and business throughout the region while providing students with greater access to business leaders and career...Read More
Dolly Parton's estate is accusing her nephew of threatening to destroy the country music icon's legacy
Danny Nozell, the late country music icon’s longtime manager, is seeking a restraining order against her nephew, Bryan Seaver, accusing him of threatening to commit violence and destroy his aunt’s leg...
A holiday circus show opens an Oklahoma amphitheater, which includes a club built in partnership with Troy Aikman.
The preview uses a nearly 5,000-seat theater setup; full 12,500-seat capacity is anticipated for summer 2027. Tickets go on sale in coming weeks.
Dolly Parton’s estate accuses nephew of threatening to destroy her legacy
The country icon’s estate is seeking a restraining order against Bryan Seaver, who was also Parton's former security chief
Troy Clarkson To Deliver Falmouth Forum Season Opener
Author and columnist Troy Clarkson will present the first talk of the Marine Biological Laboratory’s 2026-27 Falmouth Forum series.
How Scientists Contained a Threat That Could Have Destroyed Humanity
A half-century ago, scientists and lawyers agreed to strict self-regulation in DNA research to avoid catastrophe. But it took enforcement to really stop them.
Dolly Parton’s estate accuses her nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy
Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire and have asked a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings | KNX News 1070 AM
Dolly Parton’s estate accuses her nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy
Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire and have asked a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings
ESPN’s Direction Could Influence Their Decision On Troy Aikman
"ESPN is changing, and so is the audience it is trying to reach. The network is investing in younger voices, creators and personalities who can live beyond the traditional broadcast window. Aikman represents a different era of sports media." The post ESPN’s Direction Could Influence Their Decision On Troy Aikman appeared first on Barrett Media.
Tiger Talk Notes and Quotes: Mississippi State Edition
Drinkwitz credits Mizzou’s special teams for Troy win; emphasizes the need for a faster start against Mississippi State
Would Troy Aikman actually walk away from ESPN?
This originally appeared in Tuesday morning’s edition of The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter with the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis. Sign up here and be the first to know everything going on in the sports media world. Something is off when the analyst half of the longest-running broadcast marriage in NFL history…
Mizzou Football Revue: The sacking of Troy… no, the bad one
Mizzou calls to mind a Greek adaptation, except it’s the one that we all kind of don’t like.
Detroit Tigers Announce Frustrating Injury News Before Nationals Game
The Detroit Tigers are approaching their series opener against the Washington Nationals. But shortly before their first matchup, the Tigers announced that two of their players have now been placed on the injured list. Detroit Tigers Lose 2 Players to IL Before Nationals Game As reported by Tigers PR (via X), right-hander Troy Melton is […] The post Detroit Tigers Announce Frustrating Injury News Before Nationals Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Is DSAer Gonzalez any better than corrupt Griswold?
The good news is the interminable eight years of corruption and incompetence of Jena Griswold as secretary of state will end in January 2027. The bad news is Griswold might be elected to destroy the office of attorney general unless voters elect the far superior El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen, who is actually […]
Steelers 2nd-Year Starter Calls for Changes After Patriots Loss
Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Troy Fautanu called for offensive changes after losing to the New England Patriots on Sunday. The post Steelers 2nd-Year Starter Calls for Changes After Patriots Loss appeared first on HEAVY.
Troy Melton Suffers Potential Injury vs. White Sox
Tigers starter Troy Melton left Sunday’s game against the White Sox with an athletic trainer during the fourth inning.
Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week?
After every round of Premier League matches this season, Troy Deeney gives us his team of the week. Do you agree with his choices?
Special Teams Flip Script For Mizzou in Win Over Troy
Special teams had a quick turnaround from last week’s performance. Can MU get a similar turnaround in its other phases?
Vikes Views: Who Ya Got? Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
The Minnesota Vikings travel to the unfriendly confines of Soldier Field for Week 2. The Vikings roll into Chicago riding high after destroying the Green Bay Packers in the 4th quarter last week. However, the Bears (at least the offense) had a great time Week 1 against the Panthers. They went on the road to […]
Wahalla officials give latest update fire destroyed seven downtown businesses
The journey may be long after flames destroyed seven businesses at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17. It happened on East Main Street in downtown Walhalla and the area has been closed all day.
Maine U.S. Senate Race heats up over health care, taxes, and social security
In an interview with WABI, Democratic nominee Troy Jackson said health care reform remains his top policy priority heading into the general election.
Short North business owner seeks more security after vandals destroy sign for third time
A Short North business owner is asking for more security after vandals tore down and shattered his storefront sign over the weekend, marking the third time his
Devastated Walhalla business owners consider next steps after fire
Impacted business owners in Walhalla are reeling and basically starting over from scratch - with tens of thousands of dollars of equipment and products destroyed - after a massive fire Thursday morning.
The Strange New Politics of AI. Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, September 17. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Douglas Murray asks, why do we allow terrorists to die of old age? The American nonprofits backing Hamas. A conversation with Dara Horn and Coleman Hughes. And much more. But first: inside the unlikely coalition warning that AI may kill us all. Last week, an AI researcher named Jacob Coxon made headlines around the world after saying that he had resigned from Anthropic because he believes AI might cause human extinction—and his co-workers do, too. Unlike the rest of us, potentially, the story just won’t die. The Pro-Human Assembly, a conference held Tuesday in Washington, D.C., about the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, couldn’t have come at a better time—or with a more eclectic coalition. The Archbishop of San Francisco was there. So was Steve Bannon, screaming about the Chinese. Bernie Sanders did a quasi-dramatic reading of messages posted to an online forum by rogue AI agents. Ashley Judd paraphrased a graphic Andrea Dworkin quote for reasons that remain a mystery to me still. It was odd. People in the AI industry have talked openly about the possibility of this technology causing human extinction for years, but it hits differently in the wake of the Hugging Face incident. If you don’t know what that is, all the more reason to read my dispatch today. As the doomers see it, the best-case scenario is a future in which humans are basically kept as pets: well cared for, but with zero autonomy. The worst-case scenario, obviously, is the everyone dies thing. What should be done? I heard lots of ideas but no easy answers. There are currently zero federal regulations on AI, which is sort of strange even to think about. After all, we regulate microwaves, and the people running the microwave industry have never once refused to rule out the possibility that their products will end all human life on Earth. What I saw in D.C. left me even more convinced that you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes nothing should be done. You know, except for President Trump. — River Page River Page • Tech and Business [ The AI Doomers Have a Plan to Save Us. I Went to Find Out What It Is. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-ai-doomers-have-plan-save-bernie-sanders-bannon) Read story How Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr—and How to Better Fight Antisemitism On Monday, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a group of other NFL owners banned Macklemore from performing at their stadiums after the rapper delivered a “Free Palestine” speech while opening for Ed Sheeran. Kraft cited the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Once multiple venues refused to host shows with Macklemore on the lineup, the tour’s promoter officially dropped him. Today, Josh Kaplan says that the move was counterproductive, arguing that though well-intentioned, Kraft’s decision turned an irrelevant footnote into a martyr. “You cannot cancel people into liking you,” Josh writes. Read his column on what a better response to Macklemore would have looked like. Read [ Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr ](https://www.thefp.com/p/robert-kraft-made-macklemore-martyr-antisemitism-palestine) This raises the question: What actually works against antisemitism? On the latest episode of Conversations with Coleman, recorded in front of a live audience in New York, Dara Horn joins Coleman Hughes to talk about her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question. She argues that antisemitism is a script that has repeated itself across countries and ideologies, and that most people don’t understand that well enough to fight it. Don’t miss their conversation. Watch [ The Lie at the Center of Antisemitism, with Dara Horn ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-lie-at-the-center-of-antisemitism-coleman-hughes-dana-horn) Listen now Douglas Murray • U.S. Politics [ Douglas Murray: The 9/11 Failure That Still Haunts America ](https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-911-failure-justice-terrorist-guantanamo-bay) Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the men who planned them have still not faced trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and most of the accused have been locked up in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Judges have retired, and plea deals have collapsed. Today, Douglas Murray examines how this happened and argues that a justice system that allows terrorists to die of old age in an interminable pretrial process is one that has failed. Read his latest column on what that failure says about our unpreparedness for the era we are now living in. Read story The Editors • U.S. Politics [ When Nonprofits Support Terrorists ](https://www.thefp.com/p/when-nonprofits-support-terrorists) A newly declassified CIA brief from 1998 found that Osama bin Laden used nonprofit shell organizations—including U.S.-based Islamic groups—to fund his terror plots. Today, a similar story is unfolding as multiple organizations on American soil present themselves as nonprofits, taking advantage of tax-exempt status while seeking to advance the ideological mission of terrorist groups like Hamas. Read our editorial on the latest evidence of this dangerous trend—and why there’s no excuse for making the same mistake the CIA revealed 28 years ago. Read story Simon Sebag Montefiore and Bari Weiss Live in New York For decades, the Middle East has shaped American foreign policy and loomed large in the public consciousness. Few understand its influence on our politics better than Simon Sebag Montefiore, who argues that America’s quagmires in the Middle East stem from a deep misunderstanding of the region—on both the left and the right. Join him October 1 as he sits down with Bari Weiss live in New York City to kick off his U.S. book tour for The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Get Tickets Now MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Sydney Sweeney’s Naked Truth ](https://www.thefp.com/p/sydney-sweeneys-naked-truth-caitlin-flanagan) Caitlin Flanagan Read story [ I Thought Ukraine Was Losing. Then I Was Almost Hit by a Russian Drone. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/elliot-ackerman-ukraine-drone-gas-station-train) Elliot Ackerman Read story [ The Dangerous Ideology Behind the AI Warnings ](https://www.thefp.com/p/dangerous-ideology-effective-altruism-artificial-intelligence) Shyam Sankar Read story [ Amanda Knox: Patrick Clancy Can’t Win ](https://www.thefp.com/p/amanda-knox-patrick-clancy-grief-internet-crime) Amanda Knox Read story THE NEWS The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point, its first hike since 2023, signaling that another increase could follow as the central bank tries to bring inflation under control. President Donald Trump fired back by demanding that rates be cut sharply, though he stopped short of criticizing Fed Chair Kevin Warsh by name. The Houthis fired drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, including a major oil port on the Red Sea, and Saudi jets struck back with air strikes across Yemen in an escalating front of the Middle East war. (For more on the Houthis, read Zineb Riboua’s column from earlier this week.) A sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill passed the House in a 262–159 vote and is now heading to Trump for his signature. Named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation would hit countries that purchase large volumes of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100 percent, and is aimed at cutting off revenue that funds Russia’s war in Ukraine. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member,” drawing a standing ovation from European lawmakers. The proposal, framed as a response to a world grown more hostile, faces an uncertain path as EU member states would have to approve it, and one diplomat said that “nobody really knows what it means.” The House voted unanimously to send billionaire Leon Black a criminal contempt referral after he defied a congressional subpoena to testify and hand over documents related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Black chose to fight the subpoena in court rather than comply. Charlie Kirk’s family filed a wrongful death notice Wednesday against Utah Valley University, alleging that a series of security failures left him exposed to a rooftop sniper. The notice is a required legal step before the family can sue. Merriam-Webster added 1,400 words and definitions to its dictionary, including looksmaxxing, vibe coding, and cuffing season. The publisher said the new entries offer “a window into the world today.” The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article.
Patrick’s Politics: Islamophobia destroys the true reality of 9/11
ohran Mamdani, the current mayor of New York City, just wanted to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil — the one that had killed nearly 3,000 people in th…
Wynne business rebounds three years after tornado
The Cordial Cottage was destroyed in the tornado but now has a new home, along with other businesses on Murray Avenue, about a mile and a half from its original location on Falls Boulevard.
GPT-6 Astra Plays Minecraft, Gets So Depressed After Creeper Destroys Its Progress That It Farms Potatoes for Hours
OpenAI’s newest model, GPT-6 Astra, got so depressed after a creeper upended its progress in Minecraft that it listlessly farmed potatoes for hours and grew paranoid of anything green.
New trick could reveal text on 2,000-year-old scrolls charred by eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Using X-ray technologies and custom-made software, researchers were able to read text they wrote on a fake ancient scroll designed to mimic those destroyed at Herculaneum in A.D. 79.
Rep. Kamlager-Dove Launches Caucus Focusing on Entertainment, Sports Economy
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, launched a bipartisan caucus Wednesday to “educate and engage” members of Congress on issues affecting the nation’s entertainment and sports economy. The Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports (MoMEntS) Caucus will be co-chaired by Kamlager-Dove, Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, and Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana. Other members include Rep. Ted Lieu, […]
Caucus Will Focus on Entertainment, Sports Economy
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, launched a bipartisan caucus Wednesday to “educate and engage” members of Congress on issues affecting the nation’s entertainment and sports economy. The Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports (MoMEntS) Caucus will be co-chaired by Kamlager-Dove, Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, and Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana. Other members include Rep. Ted Lieu, […]
Tiger Talk Notes and Quotes: Troy Edition
Eli Drinkwitz on the growing connection between Donovan Olugbode and Austin Simmons, praise for Darris Smith, and more
Fresno family seeks help after fire destroys home, catering business
Last week, a fire destroyed a Fresno family's lifetime of memories. With it, Sandra Cisneros' business also went up in flames.
Sorrell College of Business launches Corporate Partners program with ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 22
Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business is preparing to officially launch its Sorrell Corporate Partnership Program, an initiative designed to strengthen relationships between the college and businesses throughout the region while providing students with greater access to business leaders and career opportunities.
U.S. acknowledges for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action"
Scientists stunned as volcano cloud starts destroying methane
The Hunga Tonga eruption may have triggered a surprising chemical reaction that destroyed some of the methane released into the atmosphere. Scientists say the discovery could reshape estimates of methane pollution and inspire new methods for slowing near-term global warming.
U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says
Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China.
Fundraising effort launched after Hyde Fire destroys Sonoma family’s livelihood; 2 injured firefighters OK
The fire’s cause has not been determined but is being investigated.
TROY School of Nursing awarded two grants through Governor Ivey’s rural healthcare program
Troy University’s School of Nursing has received two grants totaling $178,070 as part of the first awards announced under Governor Kay Ivey’s Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program. The awards, announced Aug. 24, are among 138 grants statewide totaling more than $144 million. The program is supported by a $203.4 million first-year federal Rural Health Transformation...Read More
Pandemic-born Wichita business expands to two new states and debuts new product
After expanding across Kansas, Troy Brooks now has expanded his Greatness Vodka into Oklahoma and Missouri.
YOU HAD ONE JOB THE GREENS POLITICAL PARTY! Climate change is distroying life and you exist to save it!
It’s complicated and everyone is having a lot of feelings
Troy Fauntau leaves Week 1 game vs. Falcons with injury
Steelers OT Troy Fautanu leaves game with injury.
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those concerns are inflated and secondary to winning the AI race with China.Some Democratic lawmakers last week pressured House Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene the chamber immediately to work on AI regulation, citing what they describe as the “catastrophic risk posed by advanced artificial intelligence.” But the Louisiana Republican on Sunday resisted those calls, instead saying industry leaders should meet with lawmakers to find “balance” in any potential guardrails.“If Congress just races in and does some sort of emergency session to try to regulate AI, we will lose the race to China, and that is a threat to every single American,” Johnson said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama told Democrats to make artificial intelligence regulation a central part of their agenda during a private fundraiser Thursday, warning that the technology could be dangerous “if we don’t get on top of it.”In a fireside chat with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Obama said whoever runs in the 2028 presidential election should have a “very clear plan” on AI, adding that he saw the need for a “blueprint” on AI guardrails even at the end of his presidency a decade ago.“Certainly, if I were running for president next year, this would be one of my central agendas, and I would have a very clear plan, and I would talk about this, and I would say, ‘Here’s our plan for safety, here’s our plan for making sure our kids are not corrupted by this,’” he said, per excerpts of the remarks provided to CNN by his office. Obama’s remarks were first reported by the New York Times.Concerns over the rapid acceleration of AI reached a fever pitch after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a 3,800-word essay Saturday that the race to develop artificial intelligence is in dire need of a slowdown. The call to action came after an OpenAI test model breached the Hugging Face online platform, deepening concerns about cybersecurity.In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Saturday, Amodei called on industry leaders to work together to avoid “the wrong paths” and the possibility of AI harming humanity.One Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, resigned from the firm over worries that the industry wasn’t doing enough to prevent AI from destroying humanity by the end of the decade.Obama said Democrats need a plan to get their agenda on AI underway should they win the House majority in this year’s midterms.Speaking to Jeffries, who is presumed to be speaker of the House should Democrats prevail in November, Obama said, “Once you are speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation, and you can break it out into three or four or five issues.”Obama stressed that the framework should be centered on the reality that the technology can’t be stuffed “back into a box.”“This is something that is moving very fast in private hands, and if we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous. If we do get on top of it, I do think it’s beneficial,” Obama said, laying out examples of AI’s potential use in drug development and finding pathways to a clean energy future.“We don’t want to shut off those opportunities, but we have to understand that this is a tool,” he said.Jeffries agreed with the former president in a statement provided to CNN on Sunday.“President Obama is correct that decisive action must be taken on Artificial Intelligence,” he said, adding, “In the majority, we will move urgently on this issue with a legislative response that recognizes the importance of American companies continuing to lead in the Artificial Intelligence area, while putting in place meaningful guardrails that protect the American people from bad actors and the very real damage that can be done to humanity.”Jeffries also accused Republicans of having “abdicated their responsibility to govern” and said Democrats “will not repeat their error.”A source familiar with Obama’s thinking said the former president sees Amodei’s letter and similar reaction from other tech moguls as an encouraging development.But President Donald Trump waved off their concerns, saying he is not worried about any existential threat posed by AI, focusing instead on the US winning in its development of the technology over China.“We’re leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way,” Trump said to reporters at the Amgen Irish Open on Sunday.About the concerns expressed by Democrats and others over the technology, the president said, “I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen.”One of Trump’s top economic advisers, Kevin Hassett, also rejected the calls for slowing the technology down, saying on Sunday the bigger concern is a scenario in which a “malevolent actor has access to an AI that’s better than the one we have that can protect us.”Hassett, the National Economic Council director, said on “State of the Union” the White House may hold meetings this week about addressing Amodei’s concerns, but he did not specify whether Trump had floated greater safeguards.“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Hassett said. “We are leading China right now.”CNN’s Alison Main and Molly English contributed to this report.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Should Californians worry about the chances of AI destroying humanity?
Stefano Bellasio, CEO of AI startup Anthropos, weighs in on the skepticism of the AI industry on California Politics 360.
Will Black representation in Congress fall after redistricting? See what Troy Carter, Cleo Fields say
A Supreme Court case about Louisiana’s congressional map opened the door for a wave of redistricting that could have major implications for Congress.
Russians attack Rivne Oblast with drones, business destroyed
A business in the Sarny district of Rivne Oblast was destroyed in a Russian drone attack on 12 September.