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Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive | NewsRadio 1370 AM & 92.9 FM WSPD

Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...

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Sep 1 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • wspd.iheart.com
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive

Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...

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Sep 1 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • wiba.iheart.com
Big Three Entertainment Unions Back Trump's Film Tax Incentive

Three major entertainment unions support President Trump's call for a federal tax incentive to boost U.S. film and TV production. The incentive aims to bring jobs back to America and compete with foreign subsidies. Unions emphasize the need for domestic production to sustain the industry and i...

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Sep 1 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • businessnews975fm.iheart.com
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.

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Sep 1 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
Florida Politics: Hope Florida, Nixon-Moody debate?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to host a forum with several huge names in the Florida Republican Party, such as Attorney General James Uthmeier and GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Byron Donalds. Meanwhile, Angie Nixon is throwing her hat into the ring, challenging U.S. Senator Ashley Moody to a public debate ahead of the general election. POLITICO Reporter and Florida Playbook author Kimberly Leonard joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer live over Zoom to discuss what's new in Florida politics.

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Sep 1 • 4:07 PM EDT • Politics • fox35orlando.com
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Entertainment briefs: Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allan and Chris Young added to Resorts World rodeo week lineup

Las Vegas’ live entertainment calendar continues to fill this fall and into the holiday season, with new bookings lined up at Resorts World Las Vegas, Station Casinos properties and the Rio, along with the return of …

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Sep 1 • 3:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • lasvegassun.com
Jared Freid finds his comedy calling in new Netflix hour 'The Family Plan'

Jared Freid’s new Netflix hour, “The Family Plan,” turns a beach blowup with his dad into a sharply observed, big-hearted look at boomer-millennial family warfare and reconciliation.

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Sep 1 • 2:54 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Rocket boosts bid to woo UWM brokers with new program, referral bonus

UWM pushed back on Rocket’s effort, saying its rival's new program relies on cash incentives rather than technology and service.

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Sep 1 • 2:29 PM EDT • Business • detroitnews.com
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Lenovo’s ‘Pen Pro for Googlebook’ hits Bluetooth SIG with wireless charging and gestures

With Google’s private media event in New York City just around the corner, the hardware surrounding the launch of Googlebook continues to leak out left and right. While we’ve spent plenty of time...

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Sep 1 • 2:28 PM EDT • Technology • chromeunboxed.com
Cirque du Luxe set to bring four days of circus entertainment to Boone County Fairgrounds
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Sep 1 • 2:17 PM EDT • Entertainment • local12.com
Delta Fest returns to Jackson with focus on Deep South’s $270 billion boom

Delta Fest returns to Downtown Jackson for three days of discussions, networking and performances focused on economic growth across the Deep South.

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Sep 1 • 1:48 PM EDT • Business • clarionledger.com
Women's sports are booming. Billie Jean King says the opportunity is even bigger
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Sep 1 • 1:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Yellow Wood Partners Agrees to Acquire Nestle's Holistic Health Platform of Leading Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements Brands

/PRNewswire/ -- Yellow Wood Partners ("Yellow Wood"), a private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in consumer brands and companies, today announced...

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Sep 1 • 1:00 PM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com
College of Public Health Student Serves as Guest Editor for Themed Research Collection

Benjamin Momo Kadia, a doctoral student in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health epidemiology program, was part of a guest editorial team for a study that focused on youth stunting.

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Sep 1 • 11:16 AM EDT • Health • news.uams.edu
Political Attacks Are Pushing Public Libraries To ‘Breaking Point,’ New Report Shows

Attacks on librarians, forced storytime cancellations and book bans are threatening the stability of public libraries

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Sep 1 • 10:48 AM EDT • Politics • forbes.com
gamescom 2026’s Steam wishlist winners

gamescom wrapped up last weekend, and it was bloody fantastic. It really felt like the industry had a spring in its step again. The show itself was BUZZING, with 368K attendees (+3% over last year), maxed-out exhibit space, and Opening Night Live pulling over 78M online views (+7.5%). Let’s have a look at the games at the event that brought in the most new Steam wishlists between August 23 and 30. One quick thing before we start, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but wishlists are NOT a barometer for launch sales (they’re bookmarks, not baskets is what we always say over here at Alinea). With that aside, wishlists are a nice gauge of hype, so let’s dive in. Witche(r)s and Warlocks take the top two spots The biggest game of the event (by new wishlists, anyways) wasn’t a game at all. It was an expansion. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s upcoming expansion, Songs of the Past, nabbed 451K Steam wishlists by the end of the weekend. It’s a big example of something we bang on about constantly: proven IP with built-in fandom is the most powerful force in this market. But said IP can also ripple into other external success stories (more on that later!). Anyway, Songs of the Past debuted at Opening Night Live, and it’s the first Witcher 3 expansion in over a decade, landing next year after a full Witcher 3 remaster (free for existing owners!) arrives next month. The Witcher 3 has sold around 66M copies, and I’ll be one of those owners jumping back in to refresh myself on the core game (like there isn’t enough to play!), then play the expansion next year. This is all part of CDPR’s plan. The studio is clearly whetting everyone’s appetite for The Witcher 4 in 2028 via a classic bridge strategy. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Releasing a free 4K remaster next month – followed by a proper expansion in 2027 – keeps IP top-of-mind across a huge gap between content (games-wise, anyway). It kind of echoes Capcom’s evergreen catalogue strategy. And outsourcing co-development to Fool’s Theory (a studio led by trusted Witcher 3 veterans) keeps CDPR’s internal headcount focused on The Witcher 4. #2 by wishlists between Aug 23 and 30 went to another giant IP: Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, published by Wizards of the Coast and developed by Invoke Studios (a team of ex-Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Splinter Cell devs). It’s due to launch in 2027, and it looks brilliant so far. It’s a dark-fantasy open world with third-person spell-slinging. It’s a very Witcher-ish aesthetic. As you might expect, 48% of Warlock’s Steam wishlisters have played Baldur’s Gate 3, and 46% have played The Witcher 3. One to watch. For sure! Mash-ups: Anime GTA (!?) and a city-builder for kids (and adults) Ananta took #3 with 302K new wishlists. It’s an open-world game that looks like GTA and Persona had a baby. It was published by NetEase, developed by Naked Rain, and got a trailer at Opening Night Live. I got hands-on at the show, and it wears its influences openly; there’s literal web-slinging (very Spider-Man) and a LOAD of mini-games (Like a Dragon). It’s free-to-play and out in January. For Ananta, Naked Rain is taking the free-to-play, cosmetics-only route. That’s certainly a choice for a single-player open-world game. Without gacha mechanics driving high ARPU, Ananta is betting purely on top-of-funnel reach and long-term retention. This puts pressure on skin appeal when there’s no multiplayer lobby to flex in (although, co-op is reportedly coming later). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Then there’s Lego Skylines (273K wishlists between Aug 23 and 30), which does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a cosy Lego twist on the city-builder genre, as shallow or as deep as you fancy (five min quick sesh or ten-hour no-lifer session; latter for me). There’s some family-friendly stuff in there like couch co-op, which is only really viable on console. Iceflake Studios, which Paradox acquired back in 2020 is developing this one. So Paradox is probably looking for a family-friendly onramp to its rad Cities: Skylines games. The overlap there is plain, with 33% of Lego Skylines wishlisters having played Cities: Skylines and 16% Skylines II. There’s no doubt plenty of parents here (and uncles, ahem) planning to indoctrinate the next gen of city-builders. I’ll definitely be playing with my youngest nephew. This one could be big and educational. I’m very curious to see more. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Mature IP, new and old, rounds out the list As for the rest of the list of gamescom games by new wishlists between Aug 23 and 30: Heroes of Might & Magic III Remake got 189K new wishlists. It remakes the iconic 1999 turn-based-strategy classic in full 3D and 4K. It follows this year’s Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era (~1.8M copies sold, as per our estimates), and around a quarter of the III Remake wishlisters have played Olden Era, including 7% of them this month. Wardogs – a $40 PvP shooter – added another 146K to an already massive pile (nearly 1.6M total). It’s published by Team17 and made by Bulkhead. It plays somewhere between the tactical squad stuff of … Squad and the all-out-chaos battlefield of … Battlefield. It’s up to 100 players, and it’s out in about 10 days. It’s already pre-sold over 500K copies on Steam ($16.6M), boosted by a pre-order-only beta. It sold another 70K copies during gamescom, too. Afterworld managed 121K new wishlists. It’s a Paradox-made post-apocalyptic grand-strategy game, and it was announced at the show. It’s a departure from Paradox’s usual historical stuff, and the studio’s first new setting in over a decade. The Paradox purists are into it, with over half its wishlisters having played Hearts of Iron IV (19% this month) and 41% Crusader Kings III (17% this month). Metro 2039 got 110K during the show, tunnelling its total past 1.3M. Nearly 40% of wishlisters have played 2020’s Metro Exodus, the previous mainline title in the series. The Metro novels are Russian, dev 4A Games is Ukrainian, and it’s set in Moscow, so it’s unsurprising that – after the US (17.3% of wishlisters) – the next two countries are Russia (12.7%) and Ukraine (10.0%). The Blood of the Dawnwalker drew in (the blood of) 108K new wishlisters, now totalling an impressive 1.7M (at a $70 price point, though). It’s an open-world dark-fantasy action-RPG set in 14th-century Europe (with vampires!), made by some former Witcher devs at Rebel Wolves. Again, it shows. Over half of Blood of the Dawnwalker’s wishlisters have played The Witcher 3, and its #2 market is Poland, home of Rebel Wolves. That’s that hometown-hero effect we keep banging on about again! And Blood of the Dawnwalker plays very well, by the way. While it looks like a Witcher clone on the surface, it actually brings a lot to the table mechanics-wise. I love the whole time-as-a-currency spin on RPG gameplay. It gives the game a different, refreshing pace. Essentially, you start Blood of the Dawnwalker with a pool of 480 action points spread across 30 days and 30 nights. As for how the game performs, we’ll be posting some numbers next week, so hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready. Subscribe The Witcher’s legacy ripples Make no mistake: on a high level, this was The Witcher‘s gamescom. The #1 game by wishlisters was a Witcher 3 DLC. Warlock is clearly Witcher-inspired – as is Blood of the Dawnwalker, which was made by ex-Witcher devs. There was a lot of other cool stuff on the floor that we’ll no doubt be covering in subsequent newsletters, though! As always, wishlists went through the roof for sequels, remakes, DLC, and licensed IP. As always, though, these wishlists will likely convert to about 5% to 10% of launch-day buyers, with the probable exception of The Witcher DLC – the exception that proves the rule. Either way, we’ve got a nice, diverse list here – one that is very Witcher-y, Paradox-y, and – if you’re a fan of great games on Steam – a bloody good list. We even got a bunch of new IP to get excited for. Great gamescom! Even if we are still processing that unfathomable number of mini Kölsch beers! One more thing: GTA 6 broke the internet (again) Move aside, Spider-Man and The Odyssey (I love you both, really). But the decade’s defining entertainment zeitgeist is round the corner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Rockstar dropped an extended look at GTA 6 last week. It was INSANE, the most impressed I’ve ever been by a showcase like this. You can see the budget seeping through every second of the extended look, and this level of game is unobtainable for any other publisher. Everyone’s going nuts, and rightly so. GTA 6 is out in holiday 2026, and it’ll be the biggest entertainment release ever, full stop. For those without a PS5 or Xbox Series console, a $500-$900 console is a big ask in this economy, but GTA will pull a lot of last-generation-console fence sitters over the current-gen fence either way: The autumn timing puts GTA 6 on (digital) shelves for the holidays, meaning a PS5 or Xbox (let’s be honest, mostly the former) will be on many a Christmas and Hanukkah list. Demand will outweigh the struggling supply, though, and PS5 Pros are already sold out and being sold at a markup via scalpers. Every console that isn’t on a shelf is a sale deferred or lost, and worse, it hands scalpers the margin. GTA has cultural clout that reaches everyone. It’s been a mainstream fixture since 2001’s GTA III and its clout has only grown exponentially since then. There’s a touchpoint for every generation alive. The FOMO-word-of-mouth double punch does the rest. Loading... It’ll reactivate the lockdown cohort, the millions who picked up gaming in 2020-21 and churned. GTA 6 will bring them back. Remember when College Football 25 brought a bunch of US gamers to current-gen consoles? GTA will do that globally. Once they’re back (or upgraded), and all GTA’d out, the fresh current-gen-console folks will check out the rest of the current-gen catalogue they missed. GTA Online, if not free to play, will also lead to a boost for PS+ and Xbox Game Pass, another boost for the ecosystem players. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Even some of the smug PCMR 60FPS crew won’t be able to resist their FOMO and will bite the bullet on a console to play this one early (then double dip). The consoles cost the same as a decent stick of RAM these days anyway lmao… Don’t get me wrong, though. GTA 6 is no silver bullet for the mature console market, but it does prime the current gen for a couple of strong swan-song years. And it’ll also give the consoles more users from which to maximise ARPU. ‘’We are in the latter half of the lifetime cycle of [the PS5],’’ said Sony President and CEO Hiroki Totoki in a Wall Street Journal interview. ‘’That means we do not need to aggressively sell the console today; rather than that, we are focusing on the current revenue from the current user base.’’ The biggest, best premium games always arrive late in a console cycle, so getting more players aboard now, ahead of that content storm (the new current-gen-only Call of Duty included), is a clear win for the platforms. On the Netflix thing, though: let’s all chill out a bit, like. Half my LinkedIn feed was going bonkers treating the reveal debuting on Netflix like it’s the future of entertainment. It wasn’t. It was a six-hour head start, and Netflix left that detail out of the “first-of-its-kind partnership” press release. The extended look hit Netflix at 3pm ET on 27 August, then went up on YouTube and Rockstar’s site for everyone six hours later. And it was all over social immediately, anyways. This reveal was going to reach an untold number of people whether it debuted on Netflix, YouTube, a Times Square screen, or a group chat. The last trailer did nearly half a billion views in a day with no gatekeeper at all. Netflix just stood next to that audience for six hours, borrowing it. It’s was a tidy deal for Netflix, sure. But every outlet on earth was breaking the thing down frame by frame by the evening anyway. Anyway. I’m hype. And we’ll be covering some GTA numbers on the newsletter soon. So hit subscribe below to get that in your inbox when it’s ready! Subscribe The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]

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Sep 1 • 10:27 AM EDT • Technology • alineaanalytics.substack.com
Family Entertainment Group Expands Hospitality & Entertainment Portfolio Through Strategic Partnership with Topgolf

/PRNewswire/ -- Family Entertainment Group (FEG), one of the nation's premier developers and operators of entertainment experiences, today announced a new...

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Sep 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • prnewswire.com
LG ELECTRONICS AND MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL ENHANCE TRAVELER ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE WITH NEW GUEST ROOM TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

News Summary Marriott International Inc. and LG Electronics have jointly developed a new cloud-based guest room entertainment and technology platform to...

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Sep 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • prnewswire.com
Kustom Entertainment to Acquire TFL, Expanding Integrated Live Event Ticketing and Festival Platform

Kustom Entertainment announced the acquisition of TFL, enhancing its ticketing capabilities and expected to boost revenue and profitability immediately.Quiver AI SummaryKustom Entertainment, Inc. announced its acquisition of TFL, LLC, a leading ticketing distribution and live event technology platform, through a definitive Unit Purchase Agreement. This strategic move is expected to enhance Kustom's festival production capabilities by combining it

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Sep 1 • 8:50 AM EDT • Entertainment • quiverquant.com
Credibly Opens Applications for its Third Annual Small Business Awards, offering $60,000 to Help Entrepreneurs Grow

/PRNewswire/ -- Credibly, the AI-powered working capital company that champions small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), today opened applications for its...

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Sep 1 • 8:39 AM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
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Airbus A321XLR: Where you can book flights on newest long-haul plane

37 destinations, mostly in Europe and the US, are served by Aer Lingus, Air Canada, American Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, and United Airlines.

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Sep 1 • 8:06 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Madhav Rajan reappointed as dean of UChicago’s Booth School of Business

Madhav Rajan has been reappointed for a third term as the Steven S. Wymer Dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, President Paul Alivisatos and Provost Katherine Baicker announced.

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Sep 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • news.uchicago.edu
Keenova Marks the 2nd Annual National Hand Health Month with New Dupuytren's Contracture Mixed Reality Experience and Awareness Initiatives

/PRNewswire/ -- Keenova Therapeutics plc today announced plans for the 2nd Annual National Hand Health Month (HHM), a nationwide U.S. observance held each...

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Sep 1 • 7:30 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com
Samsung launches cheaper Galaxy Book6 with Intel Wildcat Lake, 8GB RAM from $799

The new Galaxy Book6 keeps the 14-inch 1920×1200 display but drops Core Ultra Series 3 and several ports. Its NPU is rated at up to 15 TOPS.

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Sep 1 • 7:06 AM EDT • Technology • videocardz.com
Bio-Techne Achieves Science Based Targets Validation and Reports Significant Progress Toward Climate Goals

/PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH), a global provider of life science tools, reagents and diagnostic products, today announced significant...

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Sep 1 • 6:30 AM EDT • Science • prnewswire.com
Entertainment News: Movies, Music, TV and Books

The latest news in entertainment from USA TODAY, including pop culture, celebrities, movies, music, books and TV reviews.

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Sep 1 • 6:19 AM EDT • Entertainment • usatoday.com
REE Medical's "Operation Onward" Branded Entertainment Series Reach Exceeds 715,000 in Under 30 Days

/PRNewswire/ -- Refuel Agency today announced early results from Operation Onward™, an eight-episode branded entertainment series for REE Medical that brings...

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Sep 1 • 5:37 AM EDT • Entertainment • prnewswire.com
Book Review: ‘American Scoundrel,’ by Kai Bird

“American Scoundrel” traces the career of Roy Cohn, whose smash-mouth politics continue to shape our own.

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Sep 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
The best new science-fiction books of September 2026 include a tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin and a new Brandon Sanderson

From China Miéville to Brandon Sanderson via a tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin, there are some really huge names with new sci-fi novels out this month - as well as a new Doctor Who tale, says Alison Flood

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Sep 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • newscientist.com
Pokemon World Championships help boost business in San Francisco
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Sep 1 • 4:14 AM EDT • Business • cbsnews.com
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What can seashells teach us about the health of our oceans?

Seashells: They're beautiful remnants to carry home from the beach—and so much more! According to environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett, seashells record history more accurately than the humans who first wrote it down. In this episode, we talk about the science of seashells, their impact on humankind and the scientist behind a very famous tongue twister.Check out Cynthia’s book The Sound of the Sea and check out Emily’s reporting on sandcastles.Interested in more marine biology stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s hperks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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Sep 1 • 3:00 AM EDT • Health • npr.org
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Radiology appointment booking platform Scan.com raises $220M

Founded in 2017, the service seeks to connect patients, providers and imaging centers—matching parties based on scanner availability, quality and price.

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Sep 1 • 2:38 AM EDT • Business • radiologybusiness.com
New OnePlus 16 leak once again points to major camera upgrade

Digital Chat Station, a reliable Weibo leaker, has once again reported on the camera setup of the OnePlus 16. In the latest leak, the tipster once again hints that the upcoming flagship phone will see a major upgrade over its predecessor.

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Sep 1 • 2:20 AM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
Scott's Addition's newest pizza parlor, Pizzeria Delores, opens for business

After leasing the former ice cream shop last fall, Max Sayer and Jacky Welch set out renovate the space to pay tribute to pizzerias of the 1980s with wood-paneled walls and vintage Schlitz Beer chandeliers hanging over booths.

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Sep 1 • 2:03 AM EDT • Business • richmondbizsense.com
Samsung's New Galaxy Book 6 Model Is A Budget-Friendly $799 Laptop

Samsung has released a more accessible and affordable Galaxy Book 6 laptop.

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Sep 1 • 1:01 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com
Samsung launches new 14-inch MacBook Neo rival with 25-hour battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Book 6 has been officially unveiled, and it stands as a new rival to the MacBook Neo with its 14-inch display. It’s powered by the Intel Wildcat Lake processors and has a rated battery life of up to 25 hours. The starting price is $799.

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Sep 1 • 12:58 AM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
New York Yankees Announce Aaron Judge Update Before Angels Series

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced a major update on Aaron Boone before Monday night's game against the Angels. The post New York Yankees Announce Aaron Judge Update Before Angels Series appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 31 • 11:16 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Fly fishing program aims to curb isolation, boost mental health for disabled veterans

A Northstate nonprofit group is offering a variety of fly fishing programs to benefit disabled veterans.

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Aug 31 • 8:22 PM EDT • Health • krcrtv.com
Maine GOP urges immediate funding boost for struggling rural health centers

PCHC, Maine’s largest federally qualified health organization, said it is in urgent need of funding.

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Aug 31 • 6:27 PM EDT • Health • wabi.tv
Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, The Bread Board

Read the release on Sen. Ernst's website HERE. Throughout this Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: The Bread Board of Marion County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “The Bread Board has risen to the occasion, growing from Heidi’s passion for baking into a thriving Pella bakery that brings people together,” said Chair Ernst. “From serving fresh sourdough and homemade meals to supporting local businesses, schools, and community events, Heidi and her team have proven they have the perfect recipe for success.” Heidi Rozenboom grew up baking fresh bread alongside her grandmother, always using the same bread board that would eventually inspire her business’ name. Years later, Heidi started selling fresh bread to local coffee shops and cafes. As demand grew, she opened her storefront in downtown Pella in 2021 and named her bakery the Bread Board. Today, the Bread Board serves fresh sourdough bread, pastries, homemade meals, and other baked goods. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###

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Aug 31 • 6:01 PM EDT • Business • sbc.senate.gov
What does the Lindsay Clancy trial tell us about treating maternal mental health?

Lindsay Clancy is currently on trial for killing her three children.Prosecutors say the murders were intentional, but her defense team says she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis -- a condition that does not have a distinct diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.That's the handbook used to identify mental health conditions, so patients often have a hard time getting proper care.The case has put a spotlight on maternal mental health and how its treated by the public and healthcare professionals. What does it reveal?WBUR’s Deborah Becker contributed reporting to this episode.It was produced by Megan Lim and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Éowyn Fain, Hannah Gluvna and Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Justine Kenin and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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Aug 31 • 4:45 PM EDT • Health • npr.org
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Endowment invests $5.2 million in New Hanover County mental health, housing programs

More than $5.2 million in new grants from the New Hanover County Endowment will fund a new mental health crisis center, support the homeless, and boost local entrepreneurs.

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Aug 31 • 3:19 PM EDT • Health • wect.com
Boosting youth literacy one goal of RoarCorps program

Editor’s note: This is the second story in a five-part series about the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith’s RoarCorps program. Link here for the first story. To help address...

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Aug 31 • 1:41 PM EDT • Politics • talkbusiness.net
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Apple Releases macOS Golden Gate Beta 8

Apple today provided developers with the eighth beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the seventh beta. Developers can download macOS Golden Gate by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required. macOS Golden Gate includes multiple design improvements.

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Aug 31 • 1:14 PM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Fable Leans Hard on "Limitless" Life Sim and RPG Gameplay

The upcoming release of the Fable reboot has generated quite a bit of hype, with the studio behind the game recently revealing some impressively forgiving minimum hardware requirements for PC gamers. Following that reveal, Polygon published an interview with Xbox about Fable and its content,...

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Aug 31 • 1:05 PM EDT • Technology • techpowerup.com
Democracy Works: Political status and the DSA summer

For our first episode of the fall season, we talk with a social movement scholar about whether the DSA's policies can win over enough votes to win in a general election and why political coalitions don't always align with the structure of America's two-party system.

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Aug 31 • 11:33 AM EDT • Politics • radio.wpsu.org
The best movies, TV, books, arts and concerts to spice up fall

A look at our most anticipated picks for fall entertainment, from movies like "Wild Horse Nine" to "Digger" to "Sense and Sensibility," to new versions of "Pride and Prejudice" and "A Different World" on TV and books about Whitney Houston and Corman McCarthy.

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Aug 31 • 10:56 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
New business creation surges in Tennessee

A small-business boom is underway as more Tennesseans strike out on their own.

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Aug 31 • 10:46 AM EDT • Business • wkrn.com
Pixel 11 Pro bug causing static sounds in recordings while using Video Boost

Google continues to improve on video quality with each new Pixel release, but a bug on the Pixel 11 Pro...

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Aug 31 • 10:45 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com
Boom Ball bringing baseball entertainment tour, 2027 tryouts to NWA

A touring baseball entertainment show is coming to Northwest Arkansas, and local players have a chance to audition for the 2027 roster.

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Aug 31 • 10:18 AM EDT • Entertainment • fayettevilleflyer.com
Kroll Introduces APEX to Drive Measurable Business Outcomes from AI Investment

/PRNewswire/ -- Fal.Con 2026 – Kroll, the leading independent provider of global financial and risk advisory solutions, today announced the launch of Kroll AI...

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Aug 31 • 10:00 AM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
Brian Cashman failed Yankees fans & Aaron Boone

The Yankees roster issues have been exposed this season more than ever.

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Aug 31 • 9:27 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Seoul National University of Science and Technology Develops AI Framework to Test and Improve Vision-System Robustness

/PRNewswire/ -- In computer vision and robotics, ensuring that AI systems remain reliable under real-world conditions is a growing challenge. Deep neural...

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Aug 31 • 9:03 AM EDT • Science • prnewswire.com
Bellevue Alum Boosts Violence Intervention with AI

Barbara Gaskins, a Bellevue University alumna, is combining expertise in criminal justice, re-entry, community violence intervention, and data science to improve outcomes for people impacted by incarceration and violence.After earning her bachelor's and master's degrees from Bellevue University, Gaskins gained the credentials, confidence and tec...

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Aug 31 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • news.bellevue.edu
Deloitte Acquires the Business of Wavicle, Accelerating Data and AI Engineering Capabilities

/PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte announced today that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Wavicle Data Solutions, a top-tier data and AI engineering...

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Aug 31 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
Business academy graduate opens restaurant in Cambridge

Guest feature: Susan Banks is the director of Dorchester County Economic Development. Follow along on Facebook and LinkedIn. A new restaurant in Dorchester County is serving more than great food—it also represents the success of local...

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Aug 31 • 8:49 AM EDT • Business • business.maryland.gov
Media Advisory: Stand Up for Science Hosting 'Empty Chair' Town Hall in Dayton on September 2

Public event will connect Stand Up for Science with science advocates and constituents in Mike Turner’s OH-10 district to hear their concerns.

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Aug 31 • 8:30 AM EDT • Science • einpresswire.com
The New Playbook for Companion Screen Advertising

The Companion Screen offers new research revealing how the relationship between television and mobile is reshaping sports advertising.

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Aug 31 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • geniussports.com
Pulsenmore Ltd. Announces Financial Results and Business Highlights for the First Half of 2026

/PRNewswire/ -- Pulsenmore Ltd. (NASDAQ: PLSM) (TASE: PLSM), a leading innovator in remote maternal-fetal healthcare and home ultrasound solutions, presents...

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Aug 31 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
Insight: Booming weight-loss drug demand in Brazil fuels thriving black market and health fears

When Brazilian customs agents opened jars of dulce de leche aboard a tourist bus arriving from Paraguay in April, they discovered hundreds of vials of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro, mixed inside the sweet spread.

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Aug 31 • 6:01 AM EDT • Health • reuters.com
Booming Weight-Loss Drug Demand in Brazil Fuels Thriving Black Market and Health Fears

By Luciana Magalhaes SAO PAULO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - When Brazilian customs agents opened jars of dulce de leche aboard a tourist bus arriving from Paraguay in April, they discovered hundreds of vials ⁠of tirzepatide, ⁠the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro, mixed inside the ...

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Aug 31 • 6:01 AM EDT • Health • usnews.com
The U.S. Supreme Court removed limits on political parties coordinating with candidates. What does that mean for Philly’s elections?

Local elections lawyers said the Supreme Court's decision could potentially boost the spending power of Philly's political parties.

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Aug 31 • 5:01 AM EDT • Politics • inquirer.com
Industry-Specific Survey Shows Boost in Small Business Optimism

The Optimism Index for the construction, manufacturing, retail and services industries rose from April, a survey says.

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Aug 31 • 4:50 AM EDT • Business • businessjournaldaily.com
After a rough stretch, mRNA gets a boost

With clinical success on a personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma, experts are hoping for a more stable future for the technology in other areas.

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Aug 31 • 4:30 AM EDT • Politics • statnews.com
Heat safety tips as students return to outdoor sports and activities

As students return to sports and outdoor activities, learn how to stay safe in the heat and recognize the warning signs of heat-related illness.

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Aug 31 • 4:00 AM EDT • Sports • uknow.uky.edu
Trump says Venezuelan oil will lower gas prices. Analysts disagree.

Analysts say Venezuela needs years of investment to boost oil production, and that 65 billion barrels won't materialize overnight.

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Aug 31 • 1:01 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
The business of beauty: GW students turn cosmetic hobbies into profits

In a city overflowing with expensive beauty service options, try booking your next refresh appointment with GW’s own student-run businesses.

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Aug 31 • 12:30 AM EDT • Business • gwhatchet.com
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Southwest inland port gets $20M state boost

The southwest Virginia inland port at Oak Park receives a $20 million state budget allocation to support site development and infrastructure.

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Aug 31 • 12:29 AM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com
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Is PENN (PENN) Using Its New Orleans Rebrand To Quietly Redraw Its Capital Allocation Map?

PENN Entertainment recently announced it will invest about US$195 million to relocate its Boomtown Casino & Hotel New Orleans riverboat operations to an adjacent landside site and rebrand the property as Hollywood Casino New Orleans, pending regulatory approval, with plans including 140,000 square feet of new development, roughly 875 slot machines, 45 table games, a retail sportsbook, and multiple dining options. This move, which continues PENN’s pattern of shifting riverboat assets ashore...

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Aug 30 • 8:28 PM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
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HP Business Laptop deal with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage offers this fantastic machine for just $699.99 for a limited time only!

This 17.3 inch notebook laptop has a huge 41% off the MSRP, but you need to act fast! Don't miss out on this great offer.

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Aug 30 • 8:25 PM EDT • Business • pcguide.com
UC San Diego Receives Up To $11.3 Million to Develop Smarter Red Blood Cells

Researchers at UC San Diego have been awarded a DARPA contract to redesign red blood cells to temporarily boost human performance.

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Aug 30 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • today.ucsd.edu
Health taxes: Overcoming technical and political challenges, including illicit trade concerns, and lessons from country experience

A virtual side event ahead of the seventy-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific will explore how health taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages can reduce unhealthy consumption, generate revenue and support health priorities. Aligned with WHO’s 3 by 35 Initiative, the session will share country experiences in tax modelling, revenue allocation and addressing illicit trade, while highlighting practical strategies for advancing health tax policies. The event will be livestreamed on X, Facebook, YouTube and the RCM77 web page.

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Aug 30 • 6:15 PM EDT • Health • who.int
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Texas Business

Texas is one of the top states for businesses to thrive and grow. This week, we’ll explore our state's booming business sector with the help of non-profits, business advisors and advocates.

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Aug 30 • 2:53 PM EDT • Business • spectrumlocalnews.com
Washington to receive $227M in Meta settlement to protect children’s mental health

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said the harm done by platforms like Instagram and Facebook has taken away things that used to be normal for kids.

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Aug 30 • 1:28 PM EDT • Health • opb.org
Red Sox get massive double boost just in time for playoff push

The Red Sox are getting healthy at the perfect time, with Roman Anthony and Trevor Story returning from lengthy injury absences as Boston prepares for a crucial September playoff push.

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Aug 30 • 1:05 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Fable Gets Forgiving PC Minimum Hardware Requirements and Potential 60 FPS Cap

Following the official announcement that Fable would be released on February 23, 2027, Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios have finally released the full PC minimum and recommended hardware requirements for the series reboot, and if the game runs well on the promised hardware, it looks as...

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Aug 30 • 12:10 PM EDT • Technology • techpowerup.com
Arizona opens as huge favorite vs. NAU

Oddsmakers don’t expect Arizona to fool around with NAU in the Wildcats’ season opener on Saturday. In one of the largest spreads of Week 1 of the college football season, Arizona has opened as a 33.5-point favorite vs. the Lumberjacks, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under is 57.5. Arizona is 17-2 all-time against NAU, with […]

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Aug 30 • 12:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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The Political Divide Isn’t Between Boomers and Gen Z

Rep. Maxwell Frost went on Jubilee’s 'Surrounded' for a debate about the generational gap. It’s smaller than most Americans realize.

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Aug 30 • 12:00 PM EDT • Politics • rollingstone.com
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Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio

Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the autumn, closer to October or November, making this week's announcement unusually early, falling just before the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models. The Information says that the AI-driven boom in Mac Studio and Mac mini sales is behind the early launch.

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Aug 30 • 11:52 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
This baby boomer vs. Gen X Senate race emerges as key test of generational change in U.S. politics and what age is too old for Congress

Sen. Ed Markey is 80, while his rival, Rep. Seth Moulton, is 47.

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Aug 30 • 11:05 AM EDT • Politics • fortune.com
Ultra-thin aramid protection: Pitaka cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z8 Series review

In-depth hands-on review of the Pitaka Classic aramid fiber cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 & Flip: fit, build quality, 3D-Grip, and MagEZ in detail.

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Aug 30 • 9:26 AM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices

Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.

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Aug 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com
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HEPA air purifiers may boost brain function after just one month

Adults aged 40 and older performed about 12% faster on a test of executive function after using a HEPA air purifier at home for one month. The findings suggest that cleaner indoor air could offer a simple way to help protect the brain from the effects of traffic-related pollution.

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Aug 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Multiple developers report equipment stolen from their Gamescom booths

Several Gamescom exhibitors, including indie dev Ryan Laley and publisher iam8bit, say laptops were stolen from their booths overnight in Cologne.

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Aug 30 • 7:38 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Falcon Heavy Side Boosters Begin Return

The two side boosters on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope have separated from the center core.

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Aug 30 • 7:31 AM EDT • Science • science.nasa.gov
MoonPie Over Mobile set to announce entertainment for New Year’s Eve

And the Facebook post says the announcement will be made live during the Mobile City Council meeting at Government Plaza.

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Aug 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox10tv.com
How a comic book store got swept into the tariff storm

Tariffs continue to rile all kinds of American businesses more than a year after Trump unveiled his first set of tariffs — including a comic book store owner in Ohio.

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Aug 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • npr.org
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Drive for nuclear power boosts uranium industry — and tribal health concerns in Southwest

WHITE MESA, Utah — On a hot April day, Malcolm Lehi maneuvered his Jeep Wrangler over a rough dirt road past junipers and sagebrush in search of Entrance Spring on

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Aug 30 • 4:15 AM EDT • Health • hanfordsentinel.com
Little League World Series brings big business boost

WILLIAMSPORT, LYCOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Little League World Series is bringing more than baseball to the Williamsport area. With more than 70,000 players, coaches, family members and fans trav...

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Aug 29 • 11:27 PM EDT • Business • yahoo.com
Xbox CEO says next-gen Project Helix will be a “family of devices,” hinting at another Xbox Series S|X-style lineup

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma says the next-generation Project Helix will launch as a “family of devices,” suggesting a tiered lineup similar to the Xbox Series S and X. Microsoft has confirmed AMD-powered hardware supporting Xbox and PC games but has yet to disclose pricing, release timing, or disc-drive options.

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Aug 29 • 10:45 PM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
Data center backlash scrambles US midterm politics

The data centers powering America's artificial intelligence boom have become an unlikely target in November's midterm elections, as anger over rising electricity bills and noise turns Democrats -- and…

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Aug 29 • 9:25 PM EDT • Politics • france24.com
Dragon Boat Festival draws crowds, boosts business along Paducah riverfront

The 11th Annual Paducah Dragonboat Festival returned to Paducah on Saturday, with the event being emceed by WPSD’s own Drayton Charlton-Perrin, many businesses across Paducah also saw an uptick in

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Aug 29 • 7:16 PM EDT • Business • wpsdlocal6.com
Eagles' most agonizing roster decision looming on 2026 cutdown day

With their preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals officially in the books, the Philadelphia Eagles have already begun the process of trimming down their 90-man roster to a 53 . Carson Steele, the owner of Crocky J and basically every offensive highlight of the preseason? Gone . Quez Watkins? Gabe Hall? Zion Wilson? Ambry Thomas? Gone, […] The post Eagles' most agonizing roster decision looming on 2026 cutdown day appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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Aug 29 • 6:12 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Saratoga businesses see sales boost during Travers weekend, but less than 2025

A packed Travers weekend at Saratoga Racecourse is bringing a surge of business to Saratoga Springs, even as some vendors say this summer has not matched last y

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Aug 29 • 5:23 PM EDT • Business • cbs6albany.com
College students’ return brings business boom to Valley restaurants

College students are back in Harrisonburg, bringing increased business to local restaurants.

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Aug 29 • 5:22 PM EDT • Business • foxcarolina.com
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College students’ return brings business boom to Valley restaurants

College students are back in Harrisonburg, bringing increased business to local restaurants.

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Aug 29 • 5:22 PM EDT • Business • walb.com
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What does UNC Tar Heels week zero win mean for Bill Belichick?

UNC opened Bill Belichick’s second season with a 15-10 upset of TCU in Dublin, giving the Tar Heels an early boost after a turbulent offseason in Chapel Hill.

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Aug 29 • 4:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Pixel 11's Tensor G6 and Pixel 10's Tensor G5 still fall behind in performance per watt, testing shows

Geekerwan's first efficiency test of the Tensor G6 and G5 shows that both trail the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Apple's A-series chips in CPU and GPU performance per watt, while the Kirin 9030 Pro matches the Tensor chips despite being manufactured on a much older process node.

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Aug 29 • 1:29 PM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
Infrastructure Summit and Fed reports: D-FW Business Datebook

The North Texas Commission hosts Infrastructure Summit with regional mayors, builders and state transportation officials. It's among several key business events in Dallas-Fort Worth this week.

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Aug 29 • 10:37 AM EDT • Business • dallasnews.com
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6 Bears playmakers make Yahoo's top 100 fantasy players

Yahoo's Justin Boone had six Chicago Bears players in the top 100 fantasy football prospects in FPPR leagues.

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Aug 29 • 10:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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