Search headlines

CIA chief makes historic trip to Cuba as US blockade chokes island's energy supplies

The U.S. has been restricting oil shipments to Cuba since January, plunging the country into blackouts lasting days at a time.

May 15 • 3:16 AM EDT • Politics • cnbc.com

Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.

Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe

May 15 • 3:04 AM EDT • Politics • adamtooze.substack.com

Local business leaders, state commit $13 million to Field of Dreams

DYERSVILLE, Iowa — Dubuque County families and business leaders and the state of Iowa have committed $13 million to support ongoing and future development at the Field of Dreams movie

May 15 • 2:00 AM EDT • Business • telegraphherald.com

'Petty politics': Angie Nixon blames Ron DeSantis and 'his allies' for House discipline over megaphone use

The Jacksonville Democrat shows no remorse or regret for violating House rules last month.

May 14 • 4:10 PM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com

The MAX offers free admission to military families all summer

Blue Star Museums program includes active duty service members and veterans through September

May 14 • 11:45 AM EDT • Entertainment • wtok.com

Local business leaders commit $10 million to support Field of Dreams

DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- Three Iowa families and business leaders have committed $10 million to support ongoing and future development at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville.

May 14 • 11:15 AM EDT • Business • telegraphherald.com

Mott Road Science Fair extends learning beyond the classroom - Fayetteville-Manlius CSD

Elementary students at Mott Road were recently challenged to explore new topics and ideas. The project was developed by the school’s Site-Based Team, which is composed of teachers, parents, administrative assistants, and administrators. “This year, we have focused on creating opportunities for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom while engaging their families,” shared

May 14 • 10:14 AM EDT • Science • fmschools.org

Howard Community College Featured in 'State of Business' Address

In his Business Outlook Luncheon remarks at Turf Valley Resort last week, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball outlined how Howard County “stands on business” through five pillars: managing crises, investing in people, backing businesses, making strategic investments, and preparing for the future. Howard Community College appears by name in the pillar that anchors the others: investing in people. Dr. Ball highlighted the $11 million county investment in HCC’s Cathy and Danny Bell Workforce and Trades Center, which will open this fall. He described the facility as a world-class center with state-of-the-art training in key industries, championed by HCC President Dr. Daria J. Willis, and positioned to help Howard County compete with institutions worldwide. He also recognized HCC’s Complete4Success program, supported by a $3.5 million county investment in 2022, as a continuing driver of certifications and degrees that prepare students to enter Howard County’s workforce ready to contribute on day one. Dr. Ball connected HCC’s work to the broader economic moment in the county, including more than 1,580 apprentices now training across Howard County businesses, up from roughly 1,100 in 2018, and the SPARK program that bridges classroom learning to high-demand industries. Each of these efforts depends on the kind of workforce pipeline HCC is built to deliver. Educational Services is one of the top three employment sectors for county residents, alongside Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services and Health Care & Social Assistance. HCC will award 1,263 degrees next week at its annual commencement ceremony, and every year, that output feeds directly into the industries the County Executive named as drivers of Howard County’s growth. The full picture also includes the families who are not yet there. The 2024 ALICE update from United Way of Central Maryland found that 35,346 households in Howard County, 29% of the total, fell below the ALICE Threshold in 2022, meaning they earned more than the Federal Poverty Level but less than the basic cost of living in the county. The Household Survival Budget for a Howard County family of two adults, an infant, and a preschooler reached $118,608 annually, requiring an hourly wage of $59.30 to cover housing, child care, food, transportation, and other essentials. Affluence and economic strain coexist within the same county lines. That gap is the reason higher education and economic development are inseparable. Every certification, associate degree, and apprenticeship credential issued at HCC represents a household closer to crossing the ALICE Threshold and into long-term financial stability. The Bell Center, Complete4Success, Howard P.R.I.D.E., Parent Scholars, and the institution’s transfer-rate gains are significant components of Howard County’s economic mobility infrastructure. HCC is grateful to Dr. Ball for his sustained partnership over nearly eight years of service and for recognizing that this college plays a central role in the economic story Howard County is telling. Standing on business in Howard County means standing alongside the flagship institution that prepares its workforce.

May 14 • 10:04 AM EDT • Business • howardcommunitycollege.substack.com

Red Sox Pitchers Silencing Phillies' Phenomenal Offense

Boston's arms have gotten the better of Philadelphia's bats this week.

May 14 • 9:51 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Business formations hit all-time high as ‘under-employed’ Americans turn to side hustles to make ends meet

It seems nobody's coming to rescue American families from an affordability crisis—so they're taking it into their own hands.

May 14 • 8:12 AM EDT • Business • fortune.com

Don Mattingly Sends Words of Encouragement to Struggling Andrew Painter

It's been a very ugly start to Andrew Painter's professional career with the Philadelphia Phillies, though it's still far too early to press the panic button just yet.

May 13 • 10:48 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Around the MHS

The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of May 11-15, 2026, includes nationally recognized scores for military hospitals, a U.S. Navy audiologist’s efforts to protect hearing, and a U.S. Armed Forces partnership that’s strengthening relationships between the U.S., Africa, and global allies.

May 13 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • health.mil

What health experts say are the growing issues for families across Central New York

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Several community health partners and organizations from across Central New York joined together Wednesday at Upstate Medical University to discuss the work they can do t…

May 13 • 5:25 PM EDT • Health • localsyr.com

The Earliest Known Dentistry Wasn't Done By Our Species

"A novel, highly specialized task."

May 13 • 2:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencealert.com

Colorado Democrat Jason Crow calls on House leadership to ban trading on prediction markets

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow on Monday joined a bipartisan call asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to adopt new rules banning the chamber’s lawmakers, their families and staff from participating in prediction markets, in a move the Aurora Democrat said can help restore public trust in Congress. The push comes less than two weeks after the […]

May 13 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com

Meet a Health Hero: John Matthews of Ride Hard, Breathe Easy

He rode across America for his mom.That cross-country journey became a nonprofit that has raised $1.2 million for lung-cancer patients, families, and researchers.

May 13 • 7:55 AM EDT • Health • phillymag.com

Phillies news: Cristopher Sanchez, Dylan Carlson, Anthony Volpe

Depth is depth, right?

May 13 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Maine's mental health system is failing families and taxpayers

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. But for Maine families living alongside severe mental illness, awareness is not enough. We need action, accountability, and reform. I am a nurse and a professor. More importantly, I am a mother. Our adult son lives with schizoaffective disorder, causing paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, and profound instability. Compounding his illness […]

May 13 • 4:50 AM EDT • Health • mainemorningstar.com

Wes Streeting set to meet Keir Starmer ahead of King’s speech

A number of the health secretary’s allies called for the prime minister’s resignation but Streeting has yet to call for a formal leadership challenge

May 13 • 3:41 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Duterte vs. Marcos: Inside the Impeachment Shaking Philippine Politics

Political dynasties have long shaped the Philippines, where alliances can matter as much as policy. So when the country’s two most powerful families joined political forces in 2022 — with Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as president and Sara Duterte as vice president — a new era of stable politics looked promising.

May 13 • 1:50 AM EDT • Politics • bloomberg.com

12 of the top technology vendors serving children’s hospitals

Epic makes the list with its enterprise inpatient EHR and related platforms. So does PCC, aka Physician’s Computer Company, which supplies pediatric-specific ambulatory EHR and practice-management products and services.

May 12 • 10:20 PM EDT • Health • healthexec.com

Catholic Church slowly takes up mental health ministry to respond to growing needs

Phoenix Bishop John Dolan lost three siblings and an in-law to suicide and has spoken out about the church's need to accompany those suffering from mental illness and their families.

May 12 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • ncronline.org

Phillies sign 27-year-old to bolster outfield depth

The Philadelphia Phillies added to their outfield depth by signing former St. Louis Cardinal Dylan Carlson to a minor league deal.

May 12 • 6:49 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

How The Investment Story Is Shifting For AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC)

Analysts have recently adjusted their price targets for AMC Entertainment Holdings, with some referencing fair value estimates around US$2.03 per share and others setting more cautious targets near US$1.10 to US$1.50. These moves reflect a split view, where bullish research relies on revenue and margin assumptions, while bearish reports focus on capital structure and execution risks, especially around box office expectations. As you read on, you will see how these differing calls fit into the...

May 12 • 5:24 PM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com

Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies forward and former Gonzaga star, dead at 29

Brandon Clarke played in just two games with the Grizzlies this season.

May 12 • 3:50 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Boston's Willson Contreras to Miss Series Opener Following Hand Injury

Boston's first baseman is out of the lineup for the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies after taking a pitch to the hand on Sunday.

May 12 • 3:29 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Effort to roll back business tax breaks collapses at Colorado Capitol

Colorado Democrats in the final day of the legislative session largely abandoned their plan to reverse a suite of tax breaks for businesses and redirect that money to a new tax credit for lower-income families. ...

May 12 • 3:17 PM EDT • Business • aspentimes.com

Sam Altman faces awkward grilling over 'toxic culture of lying'

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was bombarded with questions from Elon Musk's attorney over whether he lies to advance his business interests.

May 12 • 2:59 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Memphis Grizzlies' Brandon Clarke dies at 29

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died, the NBA franchise announced Tuesday. The 29-year-old was the No. 21 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

May 12 • 2:53 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Grizzlies forward, Desert Vista alum Brandon Clarke dead at 29

Brandon Clarke went to Desert Vista High School in Phoenix before a pair of college stops. He was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.

May 12 • 2:31 PM EDT • Sports • arizonasports.com

HHS expands access to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy through telehealth | Health and Human Services North Dakota

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) FamilyFirst Services now offers Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) through telehealth by an approved provider to eligible families.Parent-Child Interaction Therapy is an evidence-based program for children ages 2 to 7 and their parents or caregivers. It is designed to improve child behavior, strengthen parenting skills and build healthier parent-child relationships.

May 12 • 2:27 PM EDT • Health • hhs.nd.gov

Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke dies at 29: No. 21 pick in 2019 NBA Draft spent seven seasons with Memphis

'He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life,' his agency said in a statement

May 12 • 2:20 PM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com

ALOHA for HAWAII: North Shore ‘Open for business,’ but storm recovery still underway behind the scenes

As Hawaii News Now’s ALOHA for HAWAII fundraiser kicks off, one of the groups set to benefit says Oahu’s North Shore is welcoming visitors again, even as many families continue rebuilding out of public view.

May 12 • 2:15 PM EDT • Business • hawaiinewsnow.com

Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke dies at age 29

Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29.

May 12 • 2:12 PM EDT • Sports • espn.com

Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies veteran forward, dies at 29

Brandon Clarke, a Memphis Grizzlies forward who played seven seasons, has died. Here’s what to know.

May 12 • 2:04 PM EDT • Sports • usatoday.com

Students learn about the science of baseball at Citizens Bank Park

The Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Gas Works teamed up to host the children for a STEM-filled day of fun.

May 12 • 1:29 PM EDT • Science • 6abc.com

Opposition research: Trevor Story

The Phillies and Red Sox have a lot in common this season, including disappointing showings from their shortstops

May 12 • 12:59 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Supreme Court extends mifepristone deadline

The deadliest drug in the country, the new name for PCOS, and more health news from Morning Rounds

May 12 • 12:24 PM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Scientists Subjected Fruit Flies To Hypergravity And Their Behavior Became Counterintuitive

Some of the flies were subjected to extreme hypergravity for 10 whole generations, living out their lives in conditions found around a super-Jupiter.

May 12 • 10:24 AM EDT • Science • iflscience.com

The Science of Growing Up

Natalie Brito, a professor of psychology, researches how both the families we’re raised in and the societies we live in, shape us.

May 12 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • news.columbia.edu

How the Working Families Party Can Promote Black Political Independence

In many state and local races, the WFP ballot line has helped Black candidates win office without falling in line with the Democratic political establishment.

May 12 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • thenation.com

Alcohol is wreaking havoc on U.S. public health. American society looks the other way

The Deadliest Drug, a new investigative series, shows that the alcohol epidemic is a generational failure of the medical and public health systems, of industry, and of government.

May 12 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

6 takeaways from STAT’s investigation into the U.S. alcohol epidemic

Alcohol is the culprit behind the United States' most enduring and overlooked drug crisis. Here are 6 takeaways from STAT's new investigative series, The Deadliest Drug.

May 12 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Shortage of beds, staff force Michigan kids out of state for mental health treatment

Michigan kids with serious mental health needs are being sent thousands of miles away from their families to receive proper treatment.

May 11 • 11:00 PM EDT • Health • wwmt.com

Wake County Public Health to offer back-to-school vaccine clinics this summer

While the current school year is winding down, Wake County Public Health is already working to make it easy for families to check a critical task off their list for next year – getting their child's required vaccinations. The County is hosting monthly vaccine clinics to help students get the immunizations they need as they head back to class in the fall.

May 11 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • wake.gov

Maternal health program coming to Maryland as some raise previous budget cut questions

A new, cash assistance program for moms is coming to Maryland aiming to boost low-income families in coordination with other supports offered in the state.While

May 11 • 7:12 PM EDT • Health • foxbaltimore.com

Disney cruise canceled after boarding leaves passengers waiting hours and questioning response

Passengers say Disney Adventure's Singapore sailing was canceled after boarding due to technical issues, with families waiting hours for hotel details.

May 11 • 6:54 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com

Big, Beautiful Success Story: Missouri Small Business Owner Expands, Creates New Jobs Thanks to Working Families Tax Cuts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The pro-worker, pro-growth tax policies in the Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts are already helping small businesses...

May 11 • 2:03 PM EDT • Business • waysandmeans.house.gov

UNC Health plans Wilmington hospital

UNC Health plans to create a community hospital on a 62-acre proposed site in New Hanover County, pending regulatory approvals, according to an announcement Monday morning. “Planned for the southeast corner of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard, the site was selected for its accessibility and its geographic infill capacity in serving a rapidly growing region,” according to the release. “This project marks a significant step forward in UNC Health’s commitment to improving access to primary care and specialty care closer to home.” Officials said the proposed hospital would offer a range of specialties, including emergency care, cardiology, oncology, OBGYN and more. While the not-for-profit, state-owned health system’s officials are planning the hospital, the proposal still requires state approval through North Carolina’s certificate of need (CON) process before it can become a reality. UNC Health is targeting an opening date of 2030, the release stated, and “will continue to engage openly with local community leaders and residents and share updates as plans evolve and progress is made towards achieving CON approval.” The state’s CON law requires healthcare providers to obtain a CON from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services before developing or offering what the department’s website dubs “a new institutional health service.” The term encompasses a wide range of facilities, including hospitals. The news of UNC Health’s Wilmington plans follows the recent addition of Ernie Bovio to UNC Health. Bovio, who had served as president of the Novant Health Coastal Region since 2024, became regional president of UNC Health’s Southeast Coastal Region in April. “This is an important first step in our commitment to ensuring that families in Wilmington and the surrounding areas have access to the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve – right here at home,” Bovio stated in the release. “As I’ve listened to my own neighbors and community members across the region, I’ve heard a clear message: Wilmington is ready for more choice in healthcare – and UNC Health is ready to deliver it.” According to the release, Wilmington Health – one of the largest independent, physician-owned practices in Southeastern North Carolina – also supports the project, and its providers are expected to participate on the medical staff of the new facility. “Wilmington Health has served this community for more than 50 years, and we know firsthand that our patients are interested in choice,” stated Jeff James, CEO of Wilmington Health, in the release. “We strongly support UNC Health’s plan to bring a new community hospital to our region – closing critical gaps in specialty care and ensuring families across our region have options to access the services they need, right here at home.”

May 11 • 10:24 AM EDT • Health • wilmingtonbiz.com

Lies of P Dev Is Making Headlines, But Not for Reasons Anyone Wants to Hear

AI caramba

May 11 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • pushsquare.com

My dad's dementia care cost $17,000 monthly, drained his life savings

My father with dementia needed full-time care in an assisted living facility. The cost and scarcity of elder care is difficult for families like mine.

May 11 • 9:25 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Islanders Children’s Foundation Donates $150,000 to Create A Child Support Center Named in Memory of Schaefer’s Late Mother, Jennifer

Matthew Schaefer teams with Northwell Health to bring joy to families fighting cancer

May 11 • 9:24 AM EDT • Health • nhl.com

NBA Mock Draft 2026: Cameron Boozer falls to Bulls at No. 4 after Grizzlies take Caleb Wilson at No. 3

Gary Parrish's first mock draft after Sunday's lottery has a few surprises

May 11 • 9:18 AM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com

Trump administration launches moms.gov to support pregnant women and families

The initiative falls under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

May 11 • 8:45 AM EDT • Health • komonews.com

Safe, Healthy, and Happy: Practical Tips To Help Kids Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Make the Most of Summer

Swimming, playing outside, and traveling are central parts of the summer experience for many children. For families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing, taking some additional precautions can help kids stay safe without sacrificing any of the fun.

May 11 • 7:01 AM EDT • Health • finance.yahoo.com

Mother's Day brunch rush brings families and big business to Billings restaurants

Mother's Day is the top holiday for full-service restaurants, according to the National Restaurant Association, with nearly half of Americans choosing to dine out.

May 10 • 9:24 PM EDT • Business • ktvq.com

Mother's Day brunch rush brings families and big business to Billings restaurants

May 10 • 9:19 PM EDT • Business • yahoo.com

Eric DeCosta details emotional NFL Draft phone calls

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta describes the 'special feeling' of calling NFL Draft picks and hearing their families erupt.

May 10 • 8:49 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Families celebrate Mother’s Day with hands-on science and art activities at Carbondale Science Center - KBSI FOX23 News Cape Girardeau News

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) — Families spent Mother’s Day getting creative at The Science Center in Carbondale, where mothers and grandmothers received free

May 10 • 8:38 PM EDT • Science • kbsi23.com

Reminder: Edmonds School District Health and Wellness Expo May 16

The Edmonds School District invites students, families and community members from Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway to the District’s free Health and Wellness Expo from 9 a.m. to […]

May 10 • 4:39 PM EDT • Health • myedmondsnews.com

2 Southwest Florida Sheriffs back Liesa Priddy for HD 82

Southwest Florida sheriffs boost Liesa Priddy’s growing House District 82 campaign.

May 10 • 1:10 PM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com

Israeli politics have shifted from institutional decline to perpetual negation

Beyond the Ben-Gvir controversy lies a structural crisis; information overload is reshaping politics, weakening institutions, and elevating figures who thrive in disorder.

May 10 • 12:45 PM EDT • Politics • jpost.com

Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton - send us your thoughts

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned. Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

May 10 • 10:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Elmo delivers electric commentary on Phillies broadcast

The NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast booth had a very special guest during Saturday’s Philadelphia Phillies game against the Colorado Rockies. Sesame Street star Elmo was in attendance at Citizens Bank Park for the “Strike Out the Stigma” event in support of mental health awareness. And Elmo joined Phillies announcers Tom McCarthy and John Kruk in…

May 9 • 10:38 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Phillies 9, Rockies 3: Brotherly Shove

The Rockies couldn’t out-slug a surging Phillies offense in the City of Brotherly Love.

May 9 • 9:34 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

‘Climb for Air’ raises funds to support lung health

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Hundreds of firefighters, families and other local corporate teams flocked to Sahlen Field Saturday to climb for a good cause. “Climb for Air” returned for …

May 9 • 6:24 PM EDT • Health • wivb.com

Turning passion into business: Tennessee community rallies behind a 15-year-old baker

Teenager Grace Nirmaier turned a hobby into Baked by Grace, a thriving bakery in Maynardville, Tennessee, inspiring locals with her ambition and sweet treats.

May 9 • 5:07 PM EDT • Business • wral.com

Imagination blooms at the Oatland Island Fairy and Gnome Festival

Families dressed as fairies and gnomes explored nature, mined gems, built fairy villages, and let imagination run wild at Oatland Island.

May 9 • 4:47 PM EDT • Entertainment • savannahnow.com

Arkansas health leaders push to improve maternal, infant care access in rural areas

Many Arkansas families welcoming a new baby are also navigating long drives, limited resources and difficult access to care, particularly in rural parts of the

May 9 • 3:50 PM EDT • Health • katv.com

Mayflies have crazy, acrobatic sex

Researchers froze mayfly couples in the middle of mating—for science.

May 9 • 10:32 AM EDT • Science • popsci.com

Families File Class Action to Block DOJ from Illegally Obtaining Protected Health Records from Hospitals Across the Country

The Department of Justice has been trying to force hospitals to share private medical records of transgender youth.

May 9 • 10:09 AM EDT • Health • gladlaw.org

Colorado Politics Calendar May 11-17

CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]

May 9 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com

What is perimenopause? The overlooked stage prior to menopause

Understanding what perimenopause is can make a meaningful difference in helping individuals and families navigate it.

May 9 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • usatoday.com

MADSEN: Understanding gendered communication: What science reveals

This article is the fifth in a series designed to help parents, family members, educators, and community members better understand gender differences so we can more effectively support the children, youth, and families in our lives. The first editorial examined how boys and girls see the world, the second explored how they hear, the third […]

May 8 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • standard.net

MADSEN: Understanding gendered communication: What science reveals

This article is the fifth in a series designed to help parents, family members, educators, and community members better understand gender differences so we can more effectively support the children, youth, and families in our lives. The first editorial examined how boys and girls see the world, the second explored how they hear, the third […]

May 8 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • heraldextra.com

Using Claude? Thank Elon Musk

Anthropic now relies on a huge SpaceX data center for AI compute, tying Claude's rapid growth and reliability to Elon Musk.

May 8 • 2:55 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

“Windows 11 Still Relies on Code From the 1990s…” Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Slips on Revelation of Windows 11 Code

The old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But tech giant Microsoft ($MSFT) may be taking that to an unexpected extreme as it revealed that Windows 11

May 8 • 1:34 PM EDT • Technology • tipranks.com

Meeting Families Where They Are: How Medicaid Can Strengthen Children’s Health Through Community Health Workers

Visit the post for more.

May 8 • 12:39 PM EDT • Health • ccf.georgetown.edu

Last Night in Baseball: Athletics Annihilate the Phillies

The Athletics blew out the Phillies, the Cubs had a seven-run inning, the Yankees won their sixth consecutive series, the Marlins walked it off and more from Thursday's MLB action.

May 8 • 9:55 AM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com

Trump Reversed Hormuz Plan After Saudis Denied Airspace Access

Saudi Arabia’s refusal of support suggests that President Trump’s unpredictable approach to Iran has strained ties with one of his closest allies in the Middle East.

May 7 • 8:04 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

High temperatures prompt health warnings for Central California families

Experts are warning that dangerously high temperatures are headed to California over the weekend, prompting local health officials to urge families to take extra precautions.

May 7 • 7:33 PM EDT • Health • abc30.com

Game # 37, Athletics vs. Phillies Game Thread

Ginn takes the mound to end the losing streak.

May 7 • 5:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

In Las Vegas Arts District, Cortez Masto, Small Business Owners Shine Light on Trump Tourism Slowdown - Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

***VIDEO AVAILABLE*** FTPs for TV stations is available here. Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Las Vegas small business owners put a spotlight on the tourism slowdown caused by President Donald Trump’s economic policies. Over the past year, the Trump Administration has placed blanket tariffs on our allies, increased costs and made it more […]

May 7 • 5:00 PM EDT • Business • cortezmasto.senate.gov

Harper's new drill, Wheeler's sweeper spin and more Phillies notes

Bryce Harper has paired a new drill from the WBC with better in-zone contact, while Zack Wheeler’s sweeper is showing a different shape after surgery.

May 7 • 1:14 PM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsphiladelphia.com

Lucky Strike Entertainment Hit With Bowling Alley Monopoly Suit

Private equity-backed Lucky Strike Entertainment Corp. was sued in federal court by consumers who allege the company unlawfully acquired bowling centers across the US to gain monopoly power and drive up prices, making the sport no longer an affordable pastime for families and leagues.

May 7 • 12:44 PM EDT • Entertainment • news.bloomberglaw.com

UConn Health Strengthens Perinatal Mental Health Care for Connecticut Families

During Perinatal Mental Health Month, UConn Health is highlighting its growing efforts to improve care for pregnant and postpartum individuals through integ ...

May 7 • 12:20 PM EDT • Health • today.uconn.edu

The National Academy of Sciences Elects Two Berkeley Lab Researchers

Two Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientists have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. They are part of a cohort of 120 new members and 25 international members. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and — alongside the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine — provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations. The 2026 electees bring the total number of active members to 2,705 with 557 international members. Gary Karpen is a biologist senior faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Biological Systems and Engineering Division and a Professor of Cell and Developmental Physiology in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley. Karpen studies how the structure, organization, and maintenance of genetic material impact inheritance and cell function. His lab focuses on chromatin — a packaged form of DNA strands wrapped around proteins that comprises our chromosomes — with a particular emphasis on centromeres, rarely expressed sequences called heterochromatin, DNA repair, and regulatory RNAs. His research reveals insights into fundamental aspects of nuclear organization and genome regulation that are shared across the tree of life, broadening our understanding of cancer and other diseases, birth defects, and aging. Kam-Biu Luk is a Professor Emeritus of physics at UC Berkeley and a retired senior faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Physics Division. He is an experimental particle physicist whose research has focused on neutrinos: nearly massless, electrically neutral elementary particles that can pass through matter virtually undetected. Neutrinos are created during radioactive decay processes, including the fusion process occurring in stars and the fission process that powers nuclear reactors. Luk initiated and co-led the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment, a project based in China with more than 200 international collaborators. In 2012, the Daya Bay experiment discovered a new form of a phenomenon called “neutrino oscillation” in which neutrinos change from one type to another. For this discovery, Luk and his collaborator Yifan Wang received the 2014 American Physical Society Division of Particles and Fields W.K.H. Panofsky Prize for outstanding work in experimental particle physics, and he was also the co-recipient of the 2016 Breakthrough Prize. Luk is currently participating in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, which will investigate any potential difference in behavior between neutrinos and antineutrinos that may shed light on the evolution of the universe, especially why antimatter is absent in the present universe. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

May 7 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • newscenter.lbl.gov

Google's Screenless Fitbit Air Relies on Gemini to Be Your Personal Health Coach

Google using AI to understand your fitness and health data, and then offer guidance? Who could have predicted that?!

May 7 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • gizmodo.com

Save Your Personal Podcast to Spotify and Listen Anywhere

From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It’s what’s driven us to expand from music to podcasts to audiobooks, and onto more than 2,000 devices. Whether you’re listening on your morning commute or through your speakers at home, Spotify moves with you throughout...

May 7 • 8:45 AM EDT • Technology • newsroom.spotify.com

Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano

Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.

May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

EA SPORTS FC™ and LALIGA Launch New York Community Pitch as Part of FC FUTURES Program, Designed by Local Artist BG183

EA SPORTS FC™ and LALIGA have unveiled a newly refurbished community football pitch in the South Bronx, New York, as part of FC FUTURES – EA SPORTS’ grassroots initiative to expand access to the game and connect football communities around the world. EA SPORTS FC™ and LALIGA launch New York community pitch as part of FC FUTURES program Marking the 10th pitch delivered through the program with LALIGA globally, the project brings together soccer, creativity and community to create a safe, inclusive space for young people and local families to learn through play. Developed in collaboration with local partners and featuring a custom design by Bronx artist BG183, the pitch is connected to P.S./M.S. 31 The William Lloyd Garrison School and has been delivered alongside love.fútbol and South Bronx United to support long-term impact in the community. Located in the South Bronx, the pitch has been designed as a multi-use space that goes beyond the game, supporting school physical education and

May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • news.ea.com

Southcoast Health event raises over $230,000 for hospice

Southcoast Health's Light the Way event raised over $230,000 for its Compassion Fund, supporting hospice care for families.

May 7 • 4:01 AM EDT • Health • heraldnews.com