SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " MAD " 10,814 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
WATCH LIVE: Mullin holds news conference on election security after Trump's address to the nation
10 songs to get hyped for the World Cup final
To get in the spirit for the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, The Associated Press has made a themed playlist. The list includes Shakira and Burna Boy's
Lettuce at Taco Bell in 5 states confirmed as a source of diarrhea-causing parasite
Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations across five U.S. states as a source of the widespread outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
Blanche meets with Epstein accusers after demand from Republican senator crucial to confirmation
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met Thursday with accusers of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the demand by a Republican senator whose support is crucial to advancing his nomination to lead the Justice Department.
Here's what makes American elections so complicated and secure
One of the strongest security features of U.S. elections is the fact that they aren’t conducted at the federal level.
John and Ann Tickle donate $25M to Ballad Health
John and Ann Tickle have donated $25 million to Ballad Health - the largestsingle philanthropic gift in system history.The announcement was made on Friday.Ball
Claims about GTA 6 pre-orders are incorrect and "absurd", analyst firm says, but it's still had the "strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded"
Estimates suggest GTA 6 made $260 million in pre-orders in its first week alone.
Police investigate death threat against Reform's Cai Parry-Jones
Senedd member Cai Parry-Jones said the alleged threat was made against him and his family.
2026 NFL Season Predictions
NFL training camps are beginning to open this weekend, and a lot can happen between now and the start of the 2026 regular season. Still, the editors of Athlon Sports' 2026 NFL Preview magazine have already made their predictions for who will be in the playoffs and who takes home individual player awards. The following picks are from the magazine, which is on sale now.
How do the Eagles keep winning year after year despite losing star players?
Every year, the Eagles lose star players. Yet, every year, they just keep winning. How does Howie Roseman do it?
Amateur astronomer spotted the Tesla Roadster Elon Musk launched in space and what he saw caused a bit of panic
An amateur astronomer spotted the Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk sent into space aboard a SpaceX rocket, and a tiny mistake led to a moment of massive panic
AI Made Up a Science Term — Now It’s in Dozens of Papers
A scanning mistake and a translation error created scientific nonsense that AI models learned to repeat.
Rimington, Frazier and Suh make Sports Illustrated's college top 50
Sports Illustrated released its top 50 best players of all-time list. Three Huskers made the list.
Virginie Bridoux - A life shaped by sports volunteering: "There's simply nothing else like it"
French volunteer Virginie Bridoux began her journey as a sports event volunteer 20 years ago, saying it made her "a better person". Discover her story and sign up to follow in her footsteps and become a volunteer for LA28.
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
Election officials in Arizona's largest county agree on how to oversee vote, ending legal battle
Republican Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap sued the predominantly GOP board of supervisors in June 2025, alleging it illegally took control of certain aspects of election administration. The board called the lawsuit frivolous and said Heap was wasting taxpayer money.
WATCH: Trump believes his Kalshi-betting teleprompter operator is a 'disgrace,' Leavitt says
Leavitt added that no other staffers are under investigation and that the White House counsel had no awareness of the alleged bets.
Trump's address may focus on the 2020 election. Here’s what to know about foreign interference, voting security
President Donald Trump is set to address the nation July 16 with an expected primetime focus on election integrity. Reports from intelligence experts show that the 2020 election was secure and foreign governments’ attempts at interference did not affect voting.
NBA reportedly looking into Bucks' signing of Gary Trent Jr.
The deal sparked some controversy after Trent made less than $4 million in each of the last two seasons in Milwaukee.
Trump immediately fires the new court-appointed top prosecutor in Seattle
President Donald Trump fired the new top U.S. prosecutor in Seattle on Wednesday less than an hour after the attorney was unanimously appointed by the federal judges in the district, highlighting tensions between the courts and the president over the powerful positions.
Kai Trump says politics is 'not my thing'
Kai Trump, the president's granddaughter, has tried to stay out of politics in the past, while focusing on her golf career.
WATCH: Tillis says he won't vote to confirm Blanche unless nominee meets with Epstein survivors
Trump is taking longer to approve disaster aid and denying Democratic states more frequently
When major disasters strike, Americans are routinely waiting weeks — or even months — to receive presidential approval for aid. And if they live in a state that didn't support President Donald Trump, chances are greater that aid will be denied.
WATCH: Epstein survivor Dani Bensky says Blanche has never responded to them in opening statement
Madison Symphony names Laura Jackson as new director
Jackson also leads the Reno Philharmonic. She will spend the upcoming season in Overture Hall as music director designate.
Trump officials want to make testosterone drugs easier to prescribe. Is that a good idea?
Officials under President Donald Trump want to make it easier for men to get a prescription for testosterone, the latest shift in a decades-long debate over the benefits and risks of replacing the hormone that affects sex drive, mood and other health factors.
Students show progress in science across Alabama
Alabama students made strong gains in science and improved in all three tested subjects in eighth grade, according to preliminary statewide test results presented Tuesday (July 14).
WATCH LIVE: Karoline Leavitt returns for White House briefing as Trump readies primetime speech
New York Times files motion to quash subpoenas served on journalists over Air Force One coverage
The New York Times on Wednesday filed a motion to quash subpoenas that the Justice Department served on journalists who reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, teeing up a significant court fight pitting press freedom against the the government’s ability to force reporters to identify sources.
Trump is expected to make election conspiracies a focus of his national address
President Donald Trump is set to address the nation on Thursday night on topics he said will include elections and voting machines, suggesting he is likely to revisit some of the unproven claims he has previously made about Republican losses, particularly his own in 2020.
Trump expected to make election conspiracies a focus of his national address
Trump's comments suggest he's likely in Thursday's speech to revisit some of the unproven claims he's previously made about Republican losses
5 Broncos made PFN’s list of Top 100 NFL players
The Broncos have five players on PFN's list of Top 100 NFL players. All of them landed in the top 60.
Andy Barrow—Among the “CFOs to Know”
This marks the second consecutive year Barrow made the list.
Merck’s cholesterol pill gets US FDA approval
Merck said on Thursday the U.S. FDA has approved its cholesterol pill, the first of its kind to receive the health regulator’s nod, bolstering the drugmaker’s efforts to diversify beyond its blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda.
Inside RFK Jr.’s push to dismantle decades of U.S. vaccine policy
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought a series of once-unthinkable public-health proposals to the highest levels of the Trump administration.
Large funding rounds help boost digital health investment in H1
Venture capital funding deals worth $100 million or more made up nearly half of all money invested so far this year, according to Rock Health.
Our friend Marvin has curated a rigorous entertainment program
Music for the People has become synonymous with Humboldt Folklife Society (HFS). The word “folk” comes from Germanic roots and simply means “of the people.” That certainly defines HFS and its mission as a showcase of local musicians in a community driven display of traditional and roots music for all of us to enjoy.
Rubio to convene meeting on ‘far-left political terrorism’ with representatives from 65 countries
Facing what Secretary of State Marco Rubio will describe as a “resurgence” of “far left political terrorism,” according to a State Department official, Rubio will convene diplomats from around the world in Washington on Thursday to discuss a response.
Rui Hachimura Reveals What Clippers Do Better Than Lakers
Formerly popular Los Angeles Lakers star Rui Hachimura made a bold move picking the rival Los Angeles Clippers over them in free agency. The Lakers opted to prioritize other free agents, and it became apparent that Hachimura would not be on the team for next season. However, no one expected him to pick the rival […] The post Rui Hachimura Reveals What Clippers Do Better Than Lakers appeared first on HEAVY.
Bucs suggested to try and trade away an underperforming linebacker
After the moves made this offseason, the time is now for the Bucs to move on from SirVocea Dennis.
Steph Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
Steph Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
ZeniMax Online Studios leadership to exit as part of Xbox cuts
There are major changes happening atop Maryland-based ZeniMax Online Studios, developer of the Elder Scrolls Online, Game File has learned. Joe Burba, a 14-year veteran of the studio who was appointed to run it last July, is departing, along with ESO executive producer Susan Kath, studio game director Rich Lambert and production director Ala Diaz. Their roles were listed among hundreds of others cut last week from the Maryland offices of ZeniMax, in a WARN letter sent to the state by ZeniMax and obtained today by Game File. Tonight, BUrbam Kath, Lambert and Diaz notified Zenimax Online Studios workers of plans to “transition” to a new leadership team consisting of promoted ZOS veterans. That transition will occur “over the next few months,” they told workers, according to a copy of the notice reviewed by Game File. “We will remain in place during the transition period to help ensure a smooth handoff.” Last week, Microsoft laid off of 1,600 workers across its vast gaming teams in locations around the U.S. and abroad. Just who has been impacted and how hard various studios have been hit has been emerging day by day. Game File reported last week that Microsoft/ZeniMax notified officials in Maryland that 379 gaming jobs were being cut across the state. They tallied cuts in two locations: one for ZeniMax Media Inc. (covering Elder Scrolls/Starfield/Fallout-maker Bethesda Game Studios and central Bethesda game publishing) and one for ZeniMax Online Studios (Elder Scrolls Online). More than 200 jobs were cut at the latter. Last week’s totals did not reveal job titles, nor did Microsoft announce any leadership changes in the ZeniMax group. That has now happened. Earlier today, Game File obtained from Maryland officials a breakdown of the 379 impacted roles, which, extraordinarily, included “studio head.” Microsoft later confirmed to Game File which studio head that referred to: ZeniMax Online Studios’. Microsoft has since has notified studio employees and internally announced new leadership. ZOS will now be run by Josh Henderson, previously head of business operations at the studio, and Nick Giacomini, who was promoted to game director for ESO last August. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my journalism, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Last week’s news of 200+ cuts at ZeniMax Online Studios generated public sympathy for those workers and questions about the long-term viability of the Elder Scrolls Online. ESO is a massively multiplayer online game that inherently persists on the strength of new content being developed for it. Earlier today, fans and workers in Maryland protested the cuts at the ZeniMax teams in a rally organized by the Communication Workers of America, the union that represents many of the impacted employees. Regarding concerns around the game, a community manager stated on Saturday: “The plan is still to deliver great content, and we will hopefully have an update soon.” In their note to the studio today, the outgoing leaders of ZeniMax Online Studios predicted “growth” for the game: We have tremendous confidence in Josh and Nick, the future of this studio, and the continued growth of ESO. With exciting experiences still ahead for our players as we wrap up work for Update 51 and beyond, we believe that your passion, creativity, and commitment to each other and the community will continue serving as the heartbeat of ESO. The list of jobs cut in the ZeniMax WARN notice in Maryland includes several very senior roles, including: Studio Head Studio Operations Director Studio Game Director Studio Audio Director Studio Art Manager Vice President and Controller VP, Global Sales & Business Development While some of those job descriptions match the exiting ZOS leadership team, Game File couldn’t verify if all were from that studio. The full list of cut roles shared by Maryland officials also covers workers at Bethesda Game Studios and its central publishing office. The following is an excerpt: The list of 379 eliminated ZeniMax jobs in Maryland also includes: four animators three bilingual CS (community service) leads for Chinese, Italian, and Japanese a creative director for the Elder Scrolls Online Player Life Cycle two food service workers seven producers more than 60 senior QA testers. and many others The WARN notice states that almost all of the 379 workers were notified of their layoff on July 6. In fine print, it states: “Approximately 9 employees were notified of the elimination of their position prior to July 6, 2026.” A 2021 mega-merger scaled back Microsoft announced in 2020 that it intended to buy ZeniMax and its network of game studios in 2020, and closed the $7.5 billion deal in March 2021. The purchase, which preceded Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, added several award-winning studios to Microsoft’s portfolio, including Bethesda (Elder Scrolls, Fallout), Arkane (Dishonored), and id Software (Doom). The studios’ output since then included a 2024 Game of the Year contented from MachineGames in the form of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle along with Starfield from Bethesda and the poorly-received Redfall from Arkane Austin. In recent years, a Microsoft repeatedly in cutback mode closed ZeniMax’s Tango Gameworks (which was reconstituted by Krafton) and closed Arkane Austin. The Xbox cuts last week have hit the ZeniMax group hard, with 158 jobs eliminated in Texas, many of them at id, and 379 from the ZeniMax teams in Maryland. Xbox also said last week that it would be entering a consultation process around Arkane Lyon, a process expected to end in a sale, shutdown or other form of divestment. The Lyon team has been working on a game tied to Marvel’s Blade vampire-hunting super-hero.
What Blanche said about Trump, Epstein files during confirmation hearing for attorney general
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tried to assert his independence from President Donald Trump during his confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Google teases gold Pixel 11 with mysterious Pixel Glow in action
A glimpse before Made by Google
Starmer says his political journey is over at his last question session as UK leader
Starmer, who leaves office next week, bid farewell to the boisterous weekly Prime Minister’s Questions sessions where he has traded barbs with opposition politicians and defended his government’s record.
Trump weighing options for expanding military operations in Iran
President Donald Trump has been receiving options for expanding the military operation in Iran, according to people familiar with the matter, including during a Situation Room meeting on Tuesday.
Trump administration 'screwed up' Epstein files communication, Vance says
During a lengthy podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance pointed largely to former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who infamously stated that an alleged “client list” of Epstein’s was “sitting on my desk right now.”
Biden will publish 'Promise Me, America' memoir after the November midterm elections
The timing of the book — two weeks after midterm elections in which Democrats seek to regain control of Congress — could raise concerns within Biden's party by putting him back into the spotlight.
Trump endorses 'Pillow Man' Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor
Trump praised Lindell as “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots” and gave formal backing to a fellow election denier a day before the Republican president delivers a national address he says will focus on election security.
'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' Closing Shines Spotlight On Broadway's Risky Business
No one seems angrier or sadder about the early closing of 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' than Andrew Lloyd Webber himself, who took to Instagram.
Stephen Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for 'Eat, Learn, Play' foundation
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has received the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his work with the Curry family's "Eat, Learn, Play" foundation, based in Oakland.
Stephen Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for 'Eat, Learn, Play' foundation
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has received the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his work with the Curry family's "Eat, Learn, Play" foundation, based in Oakland.
Stephen Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for 'Eat, Learn, Play' foundation
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has received the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his work with the Curry family's "Eat, Learn, Play" foundation, based in Oakland.
Stephen Curry honored with Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
Curry honored at Sports Humanitarian Awards in recognition of his community impact through the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.
WATCH: 'I'm his lawyer,' Blanche says of his relationship to Trump before correcting himself
WATCH: House lawmakers speak ahead of Kathy Ruemmler interview in Epstein probe
Kathryn Ruemmler, the former top lawyer at Goldman Sachs who was White House counsel to President Barack Obama, said Wednesday in testimony to Congress that it “was a mistake to deal with” Jeffrey Epstein but insisted she never witnessed criminal activities.
ESPN New York joins Buffalo Bills Radio Network
ESPN and the Buffalo Bills are giving New York sports fans something few people in the metropolitan area have been clamoring for. Beginning in the 2026 NFL season, ESPN New York 1050 will be part of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network. The Bills made the announcement Tuesday morning, revealing 23 affiliates in their radio network…
WATCH LIVE: Trump touts battlefield technology investments at Army War College in Pennsylvania
Stephen Curry Wins Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
Four-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry was named the recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian award, during the ...
Xgimi’s new Elfin Flip Google TV projectors are made to move around your home
Xgimi says its new Elfin Flip Laser and 4K projectors are portable, with a strong caveat. The Elfin Flip 4K...
Colorado festivals feature lavender, jazz, Celtic entertainment this weekend
Lavender Festival: The fragrant purple herb has many uses, and you’ll be a new person after visiting the more than 2,000 plants at this festival, with its guided tours, and food and drinks made with lavender, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms location, 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, […]
Colorado festivals feature lavender, jazz, Celtic entertainment, whitewater competitions this weekend
Lavender Festival: The fragrant purple herb has many uses, and you’ll be a new person after visiting the more than 2,000 plants at this festival, with its guided tours, and food and drinks made with lavender, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms location, 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, […]
Holy crap, someone else finally made an Android phone with Qi2 magnets built-in
Folks, it finally happened. Someone other than Google has finally put Qi2 magnets in an Android phone with Motorola’s new...
Deep below the Lost City, scientists uncovered superheated water that may fuel one of Earth's strangest ecosystems
Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, the Lost City hydrothermal field is known for eerie white chimney structures made of carbonate. Alkaline hot springs, loaded with hydrogen and methane, emerge from the seafloor ...
Best international shows to stream in 2026
For six weeks, soccer made the U.S. the center of worldwide celebration. Keep the post-World Cup blues at bay by watching these 15 international series.
Peace Center 2026-27 schedule includes neo-soul, gravity-defying shows
Shows for the upcoming Peace Center season will run from Sept. 2, 2026 through June 2, 2027.
Strait of Hormuz remains 'de facto closed', no matter what the US says: Expert
Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, says the economics and legalities of President Trump's proposed toll on the Strait of Hormuz made his U-turn on this inevitable. He also explains why he believes the Strait remains de fact closed despite U.S. assertions on the contrary, noting that freight rates and insurance premiums have surged on Trump's latest comments.
How the failed 2016 coup reshaped Turkiye’s civil-military relations
Takeover bid 10 years ago sped up efforts to expand civilian oversight, experts say, reducing chances of another coup.
Stripe, Advent offer to buy PayPal for more than $53 billion, sources say
Payments company Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have made a joint offer to acquire PayPal Holdings Inc for $60.50 per share, in a deal that would value the payments company at more than $53 billion, two people familiar with the matter said.
WATCH LIVE: Jay Clayton testifies in confirmation hearing for director of national intelligence
Maine Democrats criticize GOP Sen. Susan Collins after fatal ICE shooting of motorist in the state
A federal immigration agent fatally shot a motorist just south of Maine's largest city on Monday, the second time in a week that ICE has used deadly force on American soil and at least the ninth death since President Donald Trump began his immigration crackdown.
The Trump team’s worst predictions about the Iran war
Over the last four and a half months, President Donald Trump and those around him have confidently made predictions that quickly fell apart.
Microsoft Secure Boot has been broken for most of its existence
Old and forgotten "shims" Microsoft failed to revoke have made Secure Boot bypasses simple.
WATCH LIVE: Senate Democrats block $1 trillion annual defense bill in protest over Iran war
Trump administration orders ICE to suspend most vehicle stops after deadly shootings
The suspension is not absolute and there's room for exceptions when executing a criminal warrant or working with partner agencies.
Takeaways from Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s first congressional testimony
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh on Tuesday offered his most detailed account yet of the sweeping changes he’s ushering in at America’s central bank and the philosophy behind them.
WATCH: Trump says FBI is 'wasting their time' if agency is investigating Sen. Graham's death
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
House to vote Tuesday on bill to enact year-round Daylight Saving Time
The US House will vote Tuesday on a measure to enact year-round Daylight Saving Time across the country, springing Congress forward into an issue that has long stumped lawmakers and spurred impassioned pleas by parents, farmers and others with sharply divergent views.
Congratulations to the 2026 American Political Science Association (APSA) Award Winners -
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 APSA Awards! APSA recognizes and honors the work of various scholars who have made outstanding contributions to political science research, [...]
Congratulations to the 2026 American Political Science Association (APSA) Award Winners -
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 APSA Awards! APSA recognizes and honors the work of various scholars who have made outstanding contributions to political science research, [...]
Aging politicians face questions over health transparency after Graham's death
Graham’s death and the 84-year-old McConnell’s hospitalization come amid a reckoning about the nation’s aging leaders. Sen. John Cornyn says more health transparency may be needed.
Aging politicians face questions over health transparency after Graham's death
Graham’s death and the 84-year-old McConnell’s hospitalization come amid a reckoning about the nation’s aging leaders. Sen. John Cornyn says more health transparency may be needed.
Chicago barely makes top 20 in American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 America's Fittest Cities ranking
Chicago just barely made the top 20 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 ranking of the country's fittest cities.
Many questions remain after an ICE officer's fatal shooting of a Maine driver
Immigrant rights groups are demanding answers and planning more protests Tuesday over an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer's fatal shooting of a Maine driver.
What I Heard At Bloomberg CityLab That Matters To Business Owners
Mayors, urban planners, and business leaders gathered at the Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid to talk about the future of cities with conversations relevant to entrepreneurs.
These Microbes Removed 96% of Dissolved Uranium From Mine Water
The microbes don't exactly digest uranium, but their metabolism made it far less mobile.
Dak Prescott's viral transformation has one major problem
A viral photo made Dak Prescott appear far more muscular than he is. The edited image spread fast before fans learned it was digitally altered.
AI Made Cloning Games Easier Than Ever
Vibecoding has made it possible to create a cheap rip off of a video game in just a few hours.