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NFIB June jobs report: Small business job openings rebound from lowest level since May 2020
The June jobs report from the NFIB shows that the Small Business Employment Index remained essentially flat, at 100.2.
Fast walkers in their 80s cut their risk of cognitive decline by half, study finds
A new study of people 80 and older with exceptional gaits finds fast walkers have about a 50% lower risk of cognitive decline, showing the connection between physical health and brain health.
Media Release: Financial Worries Rise and Match Health Concerns as Cost-of-Living Pressures Mount in 2026
MUNICH, July 06, 2026--Households around the world are feeling the strain of the rising cost of living, with financial pressure increasingly shaping everyday choices and long-term confidence. Finances and health are now tied as the top global worries, at 48% each, followed by concerns about the future at 35%, according to consumer surveys in 10 countries published in "The Allianz 3am Report 2026."
Oil slips after OPEC+ agrees to raise output targets
Oil prices inched lower on Monday after OPEC+ agreed to further increase its output targets from August while exports from key producers via the Strait of Hormuz are recovering, potentially adding to global supplies.
Lower-Opportunity Neighborhood Linked to Higher Rates of Emergency Mental Health Visits Among Youth
Youth living in lower-opportunity neighborhoods had significantly higher rates of mental health visits to the emergency department than those living in higher-opportunity neighborhoods, independent of demographic and geographic factors.
Loose Feathers: Lamar and Zay throw punches, Minter takes Cincy
Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers added boxing to their offseason training regimen.
Small flower farm’s business springs from a seed of trust
Every day at 5 a.m., while most of the world is asleep, Alicia Atwood sets out flower bouquets for sale in a small shop at the end of her driveway. The arrangements are priced at just $10, and her farm operates in a way almost no other business does -- through an honor system.
Fidelity Health Care vs. State Street Biotech: Which ETF Fits Your Portfolio Best?
One offers broad stability with lower costs and higher income, while the other chases biotech growth with 89.3% annual returns but steeper volatility.
Record-breaking ocean drilling reveals why Japan's 2011 tsunami was so deadly
Scientists have uncovered a hidden weakness beneath the Pacific Ocean that helps explain why Japan’s catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami became so devastating. By drilling deeper into the seafloor than ever before, researchers discovered a thin, slippery layer of ancient clay that allowed the massive rupture to race all the way to the ocean floor, triggering enormous seafloor movement and a powerful tsunami.
AI Forced Apple To Abandon Its Older, Slower Packaging, With The Upgrades Arriving To A20 Pro Making It Suitable To Handle Larger Data Volumes
A rumor claims that the slower packaging used on Apple’s older chipsets had to abandoned due to AI, with the A20 Pro bringing notable upgrades in this regard
Phillies bring all the fireworks to Royals’ fourth straight loss
The Royals fell to the Phillies 6-1 after Michael Wacha allowed four runs on three homers in six innings. This was Wacha’s first start after being named a 2026 American League All-Star. While it was among his worst starts of the season, it wasn’t a terrible start overall. He even struck out 7! But the […]
Wall Street Pessimism Has Made Universal Health Services (UHS) Stock A Top Extreme Value Stock To Buy Now
Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) is one of the Top 10 Extreme Value Stocks To Buy Now. On June 22, TD Cowen lowered the firm’s price target on Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) from $230 to $197 and kept a Buy rating on the stock. The downward price target revision still reflects a 24% upside […]
World Cup 2026: Cape Verde's Vozinha frustrates Lionel Messi in heroic loss to Argentina
Vozinha entered the World Cup with 50,000 Instagram followers. He is up to 18.4 million after Cape Verde's loss.
Scientists thought ravens followed wolves for food. A 2.5-year GPS study told a different story.
For decades, biologists believed ravens found their next meal by shadowing wolves across the landscape until the predators made a kill. A new study in and around Yellowstone National Park suggests the birds are using a far more sophisticated strategy.
iPhone 18 With 9GB RAM Still Won't Support Two New iOS 27 Features
The lower-end iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will be equipped with 9GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a social media post, Kuo said the 1GB increase in RAM will ensure that Apple Intelligence features continue to run smoothly on the pair of devices. The higher-end iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable "iPhone Ultra" will each have the same 12GB of RAM as the iPhone 17 Pro models, added Kuo.
Air Force Detains Officer Who Called for Trump’s Impeachment at Capitol
Maj. Jason Watson, who was in uniform, was arrested during a protest that followed a news conference on Wednesday.
Long Reads for the Long Weekend
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards
Steelers receive second-lowest NFL offseason grade in AFC North
The NFL has handed out 2026 offseason grades, and the Pittsburgh Steelers received the second-lowest mark in the AFC North division.
Governor Moore Announced Energy Assistance To Lower Utility Bills for 200,000 Maryland Households, Wrote On How To Improve Young Men’s Mental Health, Applauded SCOTUS Decision To Uphold Birthright Citizenship, And A Local Farmer Said ‘Gov. Moore Takes Action For Farmers’
This past week, Governor Wes Moore announced energy assistance programs to help lower utility bills for 200,000 Maryland households, published an opinion piece on how to improve young men’s mental health, applauded the SCOTUS decision to uphold birthright citizenship, and a local farmer applauded his work to secure a USDA Secretarial Disaster Declaration. Governor Moore […]
10 Reasons Philadelphia Is the Best Sports City
The birthplace of the United States has another reason to rebel 250 years later. Philadelphia didn’t get enough votes to register in a recent Sports Business Journal poll of best American sports cities. New York City led the way at 20%, followed by Pittsburgh (16%) and Chicago (13%).
WPR’s Larry Meiller signs off after nearly 60 years
Larry Meiller hosted his final show on Wisconsin Public Radio on June 30. The Cap Times followed him on his last day.
Sports quiz of the week: World Cup, Ben Stokes, Wimbledon and LeBron James
Have you followed the big stories in football, cricket, tennis, rugby union, basketball, cycling and Formula One?
Last mail plane is end of an era for Guernsey flower business
Mail delivery to the UK will now be done by sea freight.
Trinity Health System School of Medical Laboratory Science celebrates 2026 graduates
STEUBENVILLE — The Trinity Health System School of Medical Laboratory Science graduated its seventh class, comprised of Aliyah Pattie and Audrey Poole. The graduation ceremony was held in the chapel at Trinity Medical Center West, followed by a reception in the Sullivan Room. Trinity’s Medical Laboratory Science program spans 11 months and is designed for […]
Zuckerberg said AI agent progress has been slower than expected
Superintelligence will take time, Zuckerberg tells Meta staff, as the company makes its AI training program opt-in after a data leak.
NFL QB rankings: Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett near bottom
Even with career numbers last season, Jacoby Brissett is one of the lowest-ranked QBs in the league, per PFF.
Zuckerberg says AI agent development going slower than expected
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told an internal town hall on Thursday that AI agent development over the last four months has not "accelerated in the way we expected," according to a recording heard by Reuters.
Scientists Thought Ravens Followed Wolves for Food. They Were Wrong. Ravens Predict Them
New GPS tracking suggests ravens navigate Yellowstone using a mental map of wolf kills.
U.S. death rate fell to lowest level on record in 2025, CDC says
The rate of deaths fell for all age groups compared with 2024, according to preliminary data.
House panel explores direct health contracting to lower costs
The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions July 1 examined whether direct health care contracts between employers and providers could help address rising health care costs.
Trump administration’s $46 billion 'smart wall' races ahead
The wall is under heavy scrutiny for the billions of dollars being dedicated to it when border crossings are at their lowest in decades.
Trump administration’s $46 billion 'smart wall' races ahead
The wall is under heavy scrutiny for the billions of dollars being dedicated to it when border crossings are at their lowest in decades.
How Paul Rabil is growing the business of lacrosse
Premier Lacrosse League Co-Founder Paul Rabil joins Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi on Opening Bid to discuss the business of lacrosse, the sport's rising stars, and how the league plans to lower the cost of youth lacrosse.
Flower business destroyed by fire in Cobb; shooting on Cleveland Ave.
A silk flower business was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning in Cobb County and police are investigating a shooting on Cleveland Avenue. Breaking news.
U.S. Job Gains Slowed In June To 57,000; Movie and Music See Drop
The latest report fell below expectations.
US economy added jobs at a slower pace than expected in June
The Labor Department released the June 2026 jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy added jobs at a steady pace last month despite uncertainty over inflation.
Croatia criticised for ‘unambitious’ changes to 2022 science law
Croatia’s science ministry has been accused of a lack of ambition, and even incompetence, over proposed changes to the country’s 2022 science law. Critics say an opportunity has been missed to fix wider shortcomings in the research and universities system.“This law, like all the previous ones, will not significantly change the current state of science in Croatia,” Vlatko Silobrčić, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences, told Science Business. “A small shift here and there will not have a significant impact.”The 2022 law introduced multi-year block grant financing of research, based on results, and changes intended to boost employment and career progression for researchers and lecturers. But implementation of the law has been uneven. “It became apparent that certain of its provisions were subject to different interpretations by higher education institutions and scientific institutes,” the science ministry said in its proposal for change. “This caused legal uncertainty in the system, administrative difficulties in implementation and, in certain cases, unequal treatment of teachers, scientists and students.”Most of the proposed amendments deal with technicalities in hiring and promoting staff, such as extending the committee deadlines from 60 to 90 days, or allowing applicants to cite all of their achievements and not only those since their last appointment.Both the ministry and Croatian media highlighted changes that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years and allow part-time students 15 year rather than 10 years to finish their studies.The change to retirement age has been criticised for reinforcing a weakness in the system. According to Matko Marušić, professor emeritus at the University of Split, this will “allow unproductive teachers to advance and work longer, while hindering and discouraging productive ones.”A longtime campaigner for excellence-based meritocracy, he sees little hope in the new legislation. “I am not optimistic that things will improve,” he told Science Business. “As recent changes to the law in Croatia show, the legal framework is becoming increasingly hypocritical and harmful.”For Marušić, who analyses Croatia's university system in a recently published book, the situation is “unfavourable and constantly deteriorating” due to the criteria used for academic advancement.“The key criterion for advancement should be scientific productivity,” he said. “In Croatia [. . .] scientific criteria are increasingly lowered, and ineffective and absurd criteria such as waiting times for promotion and age limits for remaining in a job are promoted.” He would also like to see better criteria for the quality of teaching at universities. “In practice, teaching is not monitored or evaluated,” he said, estimating that up to a third of teaching simply does not take place. “Under the guise of university autonomy and bad laws, universities and faculties are allowed to earn additional money by increasing enrolment quotas that have nothing to do with the needs of the labour market.” Lack of ambitionDora Kršul, a reporter at Telegram.hr who covers science policy in Croatia, finds the rationale for changes “bizarre.” “The ministry responsible for supervising the uniform application of the law is changing the law because it is being implemented unevenly,” she said. “This primarily speaks to the power relationship in the sphere of science and higher education in Croatia, that is, the question arises as to who actually manages this system.”Rather than raising quality, she continued, the changes appear to be designed to help vocational and applied universities who have not been complying with the law.The Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia said that the changes were “unambitious” and represent a missed opportunity for more important changes. “We think some of the changes are even negative,” it said in its statement on June 25. One of these is introduction of an “assistant” job title that allows people to be hired only for the duration of a project. Related articles: Elections to top science bodies test Croatia’s gender equality in researchSlovakia revises R&D approach to increase focus on competitivenessLatvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluationsThe union’s president, Tvrtko Smital, who was part of the 15-member working group tasked with drafting the changes, told the local media there was a “worrying lack of ambition” in the process, and “lack of competence” in terms of research experience and understanding the problems in the system.“There is no clear will to deal with the problems,” said Smital, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. “It’s a combination of unambitiousness and incompetence,” he went on, expressing his “deep frustration” with the situation. “There is no strategy, no clear thinking, and money is not being spent optimally.”Croatia’s science ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
The Fat ‘Upgrade’ A Doctor Recommends To Lower Bad Cholesterol
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a doctor explains why we need fat and how to choose the best type for heart health.
Is NIL allowed in high school sports? A look at each state’s rules
Here are the updated name, image and likeness (NIL) laws in each state for high school athletes as of 2026.
Silk flower business destroyed by fire early Thursday in Cobb County
A fire heavily damaged a wholesale silk flower business in Cobb County early Thursday morning.
Federal court ruling on Alabama prison mental health care could lower staffing requirements
The 11th Circuit reverses some of the federal court's order, including the staffing levels the federal court originally required.
UK business morale slumps as Iran war pushes up costs, survey shows
British business confidence fell to its lowest since 2022 as the Iran war, which pushed up costs, saps expectations for future sales, a survey of accountants showed on Thursday.
A GOP lawmaker who owns a fireworks business urged followers to defy Utah Gov. Cox’s pyro restrictions
As Utah Gov. Spencer Cox orders statewide firework restrictions to prevent new wildfires, a GOP lawmaker — who co-owns a firework business — encouraged Utahns to go ahead with pyrotechnic celebrations anyway.
Trinity Health Grand Rapids works to offer more free medication
Trinity Health Grand Rapids is rolling out a new program that aims to get prescription medicine to some of the lowest-income patients in West Michigan.
Report: Penguins sign Andrei Kuzmenko to one-year contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins keep adding, the latest is the report that winger Andrei Kuzmenko is joining the team for one year and $5.0 million. Kuzmenko has been among the NHL’s slowest skaters, but has the hands and scoring ability to cover up that deficiency. Curiously, his salary is right in the price range of Rickard […]
Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence
When asked about President Trump’s oft-repeated desire for lower rates at a central bank conference, Warsh underscored the Fed’s independence from day-to-day politics.
New Federal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflation
New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Donald Trump has sought. The Fed typically combats inflation by raising borrowing costs. When asked about Trump's oft-repeated desire for lower rates, Warsh underscored the Fed's independence from day-to-day politics.
Only the midwest saw US population growth in every state. Will new residents change its politics?
Lower costs in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Ohio raise questions about whether Republican strongholds will shift
Florida is ‘on fire’ with corporate relocations, experts say
Blanca Commercial Real Estate CEO Tere Blanca and DaGrosa Capital Partners Chair Joe DaGrosa speak to Fox News Digital about how a California commercial exodus has followed a residential one to the Sunshine State.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
How eggs became the latest campaign issue in Texas' Senate race
Republican Ken Paxton says his settlement holds producers accountable. Democrat James Talarico says Republicans still haven't lowered grocery bills.
Academy Sports + Outdoors coming to Siloam Springs
Marc Hayot/Herald-Leader Construction workers prepare the ground to build the new Academy Sports + Outdoors in between the Walmart Supercenter and Lowe's Home Improvement on June 24. An opening date has not been set, said Kelley Jones, senior external communications specialist for Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Hospital sued after drug addict nurse allegedly causes death of two patients
An emergency department nurse at Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital is accused of stealing drugs and neglecting patients, causing at least two fatalities. A lawsuit filed by two whistleblowers further alleges that hospital leadership covered for the drug-dependent nurse.
Politics: High Cost Of Healthcare And The Political Fallout
Americans are grappling with a rising cost in healthcare. For the first time in five years, fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare. That’s according to the latest data from Gallup. The cost of healthcare in the US remains higher than any other large, wealthy country. According to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services, five million fewer people are enrolled in marketplace plans for 2026, compared to last year. That’s as average premium costs rose about 58%.With health care costs increasingly becoming a stress for Americans, voters are now making the issue a top priority at the ballot box. And it’s an issue that crosses party and geographic lines. According to new polling from The Century Foundation, 71% of Democrats, 66% of Republicans and 75% of rural voters agree that reigning in hospital costs should be a top priority for lawmakers. While new polling from Ipsos and Axios suggests that a majority of Americans say they’re more likely to vote for candidates in November who will lower their health costs.How will the issue of healthcare shape the midterms? And how are Americans grappling with the cost of their health?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Politics: High Cost Of Healthcare And The Political Fallout
Americans are grappling with a rising cost in healthcare. For the first time in five years, fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare. That’s according to the latest data from Gallup. The cost of healthcare in the US remains higher than any other large, wealthy country. According to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services, five million fewer people are enrolled in marketplace plans for 2026, compared to last year. That’s as average premium costs rose about 58%.With health care costs increasingly becoming a stress for Americans, voters are now making the issue a top priority at the ballot box. And it’s an issue that crosses party and geographic lines. According to new polling from The Century Foundation, 71% of Democrats, 66% of Republicans and 75% of rural voters agree that reigning in hospital costs should be a top priority for lawmakers. While new polling from Ipsos and Axios suggests that a majority of Americans say they’re more likely to vote for candidates in November who will lower their health costs.How will the issue of healthcare shape the midterms? And how are Americans grappling with the cost of their health?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
I asked strangers to let me farm their yards. They said yes
Marisa Mender-Franklin built a flower business after dozens of neighbors offered free yard space through Facebook.
Stein creates bipartisan commission to address rising North Carolina health care costs
Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order Tuesday creating a bipartisan commission to recommend ways to lower health care costs, improve transparency and expand access to care across North Carolina.
Supreme Court upholds state transgender sports bans
In the latest of a string of losses for LGBTQ rights, the high court allowed states to bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.
US supreme court upholds laws excluding trans women from competing in female sports
Justices voted to overturn judgements issued by lower courts in favor of trans students who sued after being barred from competing in West Virginia and Idaho
College basketball returns to KeyBank Center this October with doubleheader
The first game of the day will see Daemen College take on St. John Fisher, followed by Saint Bonaventure taking on Penn State.
Oil markets move from fearing shortages to worrying about surpluses
Global oil supply recovery eases shortage fears as Brent crude falls to $73. Wall Street is lowering forecasts amid demand concerns.
ESPN Gives Blazers Lower Grade Than Grizzlies After Ja Morant Trade
ESPN had grades for the Ja Morant trade with the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers, and Portland's was lower than what Memphis received.
Trump demands gas stations lower pump prices immediately and renews push for $2.50 gasoline
President Trump demands gas station owners drop fuel prices immediately, targeting $2.50 a gallon and warning of consequences for price gouging.
FDA panel on peptides will include experts who promote the unproven chemicals favored by RFK Jr.
The Food and Drug Administration is meeting next month to consider easing restrictions on several peptides, a group of unapproved drugs popular with followers of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
BlueCross BlueShield of VT pulls its proposed lower-cost, higher-deductible health plans
The insurer said the Green Mountain Care Board’s delayed approval of the plans left them with little time to prepare.
Supreme Court rules MSU economist Lisa Cook can remain as Fed governor
The Trump administration sought to remove Fed governor Lisa Cook amid a push to get the U.S. independent central bank to lower interest rates.
Supreme Court expands Trump’s power over the federal bureaucracy
The justices allowed the president to fire a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, striking down a nearly century-old precedent intended to insulate independent agencies from political influence by the executive.
Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period. Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers to prototype iPhone app interfaces using Apple's SwiftUI frameworks, and then send them to Xcode.
Supreme Court will weigh Trump-backed Republican push to revive Arizona voting laws
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider a Republican push to enforce strict Arizona voting laws passed in the swing state after the 2020 election. The high court has allowed some similar rules to take effect temporarily before, including Arizona's proof-of-citizenship requirement for state and local elections and a Virginia purge of voter rolls that the state said was aimed at keeping noncitizens from voting. READ MORE: Supreme Court rejects Trump's
Tilak Varma enters unwanted record books after slowest-ever...
Tilak Varma's resilient half-century was a lone bright spot for India in their narrow one-run loss to Ireland, despite becoming one of the slowest Indian fifties in T20Is. Walking in during a top-order collapse, Varma battled tough conditions to reach his milestone. Ultimately, Ireland secured a historic series win, ending India's impressive streak.
Nintendo Switch eShop latest sales: lowest prices ever for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Tomb Raider 4-6, Witcher 3, more
A bunch of new sales are up and running on the North American Nintendo Switch eShop. These include the lowest prices ever for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and more. Here’s the full roundup: – .hack//G.U. Last Recode – $9.99 (was $49.99) – A Boy and His Blob – $6.74...
What’s Open, What’s Closed: Big changes for a few businesses, while chains add Denton County locations
Harvest House and Flowergarden118 find new ownership. The Chestnut Tree Tearoom & Bistro and Fiesta Eats Hub close. Target, Bath & Body Works and Panda Express open new locations in
Cedar Crossing Casino to open in 6 months, BBQ restaurant prepares for business boom
CR Midnight Smoker BBQ sits next to the casino construction site. Owner Greg Stoll said business has not slowed during the build.
Efzimfotase alfa demonstrated improvements in bone health in treatment-naïve pediatric patients with hypophosphatasia achieving median difference of 1.67 vs placebo in RGI-C Score at week 25 in MULBERRY Phase III trial
Positive results from the MULBERRY Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa (ALXN1850), an investigational enzyme replacement therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in bone health in children (2 to
Panthers rookie WR shares his offseason work in highlight tape
Panthers rookie WR Chris Brazzell II impressed at spring workouts, and he hasn't slowed down during his summer break. Check out his highlights . . .
Los Alamos Faith And Science Forum Announces Schedule Of Lectures Through Aug. 12
Courtesy image/LAFSF Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum News: For 2026, the Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum invites the public to examine issues at the interface of faith and science on Wednesdays through Aug. 12. After a light dinner at 6 p.m., presentations will begin at 6:30 p.m. to be followed by a Q […]
NEW Pirates Entertainment CONFIRMED for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Hallowee...
There's a new offering coming to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year!
Ravens have 5 players on CBS Sports' Top 100, but one omission stands out
Lamar Jackson headlines Baltimore's representatives on CBS Sports; top 100 ranking, but Zay Flowers' absence is sure to spark debate.
New Captain Jack Sparrow Entertainment Coming to 2026 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Halfway to the Holidays is over, which can only mean one thing: Halloween is almost here at Walt Disney World!!! Don't roll your eyes or laugh. This isn't a joke. At least, not a funny
Meteor streaks across skies, causes bright flash Sunday morning
Early risers across southeast Louisiana were treated to quite a sight on Sunday morning when a brilliant flash of light streaked across the pre-dawn sky. Around 5:00 a.m., Storm Station viewers reported seeing what looked like a large, vibrant green ball with fire trailing behind it followed by a bright flash. When small space rocks (meteoroids) slam into Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, they create the light streaks we call shooting stars
Airlines Are Installing New Luxury Seats, but No One Is Allowed to Sit in Them
Lie-flat seats in private pods face long waits for safety certifications, delaying debuts for carriers’ high-end offerings.
UNC, NC State to get millions from sports betting; gambling deductions allowed in budget proposal
Not only would the tax on sports betting operators rise to 23%, but North Carolina would levy taxes on prediction market operators as well under proposals expected to be included in the state budget.
You always hurt the ones you love
“Jackass” opened the door for a new generation of cable network prank shows like “Punk’d” and “Impractical Jokers.” But the shows that followed seemed more interested in doing things to
NH businesses feel impact of low summer hiring rates
A new report from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute shows summer hiring rates are lower than previous years in the Granite State, and two businesses on Hampton Beach are feeling the effects.
States seek to lower drug prices by targeting the companies that manage them for health plans
TOPEKA, Kan. — As consumers worry about medication costs, states are trying to lower drug prices by reining in big companies that oversee prescription coverage for health insurers. Some of those companies, called pharmacy benefit managers, also own pharmacies, and one of them, CVS, has spent millions of dollars fighting
City of Palms new downtown parking program: How local business react to the change
The Fort Myers City Council recently approved a change impacting parking rates at all three of downtown Fort Myers' parking garages. As it stood, visitors would receive one hour of free parking followed by a hourly rate. Now, the change has made it so visitors are entitled to two free hours followed by a hourly rate. Local business owners and managers said it's a good idea giving visitors more time to bask under the royal palms and indulge in some shopping. But one general manager points out a problem that did not start yesterday, but years prior.
'Super puffy': Scientists ponder extreme low density of two planets
International researchers are engaged in a complex study of two planets in deep space that appear to have an average density lower than that of candy floss. The planets orbiting star TOI-791, located ...
Mountain lions changed everything in this tiny California preserve
A surprising ecological makeover unfolded when mountain lions began frequenting a small preserve south of San Francisco. Deer activity dropped, plants recovered, and shifts among predators like coyotes, bobcats, and foxes followed. The study shows that powerful “trophic cascades” aren’t limited to remote wilderness—they can happen in small, suburban preserves too.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner to hit 30g fiber goal: Nutrition scientist
You may eat fiber for gut health, but it plays many crucial roles in the body, from lowering cholesterol to helping to control glucose levels.
Just 2 Hours of Strength Training May Lower Heart Disease Risk in Women
Researchers say that just 2 hours of weekly strength training may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in women, especially when paired with 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise.
States seek to lower drug prices by targeting the companies that manage them for health plans
Legislators across the U.S. are trying to lower prescription costs by reining in big companies that handle drug coverage for health insurers.
States seek to lower drug prices by targeting the companies that manage them for health plans
Legislators across the U.S. are trying to lower prescription costs by reining in big companies that handle drug coverage for health insurers.
US government allows Anthropic limited release of AI model that sparked cybersecurity concerns
The US government has allowed Anthropic to release its powerful Mythos AI model to select companies and organizations, revising license requirements after ordering an export block earlier this month in the wake of national security fears.
Guided kayak tours stopped at Pinellas Bayway South
FDOT said no private for-profit business is allowed to operate within the state transportation facility right of way per Florida Statute.
New for MNSSHP 2026: Captain Jack Sparrow Leads Pirate Entertainment in Adventureland
Captain Jack Sparrow joins MNSSHP 2026 in Adventureland with a new pirate entertainment act. The Rusty Cutlass band has not appeared on any confirmed 2026 lineup yet.
I Went From Bedside Nurse to Business Owner By Turning a Hobby Into a Home Micro-Factory That Makes Over $100K a Year
Eric Street followed his crafting passion into business.
Lorain flower shop celebrating 75 years as part of International Festival and Bazaar
Lorain has seen businesses come and go, but at least one has stood the test of time. Zelek Flower Shop celebrates 75 years this summer.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment deemed most valuable sports empire
The Jones family ($17.6B) and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment ($16.91B) followed KS&E in the CNBC rankings.
PlayStation hardware sales fall to their lowest May total since 2000
Price rises hit Sony's console sales, but 007 First Light and Switch 2 help US game spending to grow 3%