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Dermatologist Reveals No. 1 Skin Symptom That Can Be a Sign of Heart Issues
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a dermatologist explains the links between skin health and heart health.
Why standard time is better for your health than daylight saving time
Proposed legislation would make daylight saving time permanent. But standard time is actually better for your body, according to science.
PENN Entertainment expands its online gaming footprint in Canada
The Berks firm launches theScore Bet Sportsbook and Casino, theScore Casino, and Hollywood Casino standalone apps in Alberta.
PENN Entertainment expands its online gaming footprint in Canada
The Berks firm launches theScore Bet Sportsbook and Casino, theScore Casino, and Hollywood Casino standalone apps in Alberta.
Fells Point businesses caught between teen chaos and crackdown
Although the city has boosted police presence in Fells Point, some business owners say those efforts haven’t been enough.
New Research Explores Scientists’ Role in Public Policy Conversations, from Neutrality to Advocate
Scientists at U.S. land-grant universities take different approaches to engaging with the public, from remaining strictly neutral to openly advocating for the public good, but most agree better training is
World Cup reader Q&A: post your questions for Guardian sports reporter Nick Ames now
After 102 games we know that 2026 World Cup final will be between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday. Our football correspondant Nick Ames has been in the US and Mexico all tournament – post your questions for him now
CVS wants to become the AI front door to health care
CVS Health is betting it can drive customer engagement with an AI assistant it developed with Google.
DC Sports Reality Check: The fan you think you are vs. the fan you actually are
In Part 4 of a five-day series on how D.C.-area sports fans follow their teams, Rob Woodfork finds the common thread between multiple types of fans.
Asian shares mostly decline with South Korea’s Kospi down 6.6%, while oil prices slip
Asian shares are mostly lower and oil prices have fallen despite back-and-forth strikes between the U.S. and Iran.
A Road Map for Local Public Health Success
A toolkit from a national commission emphasizes the importance of partnerships between public health leaders and elected officials.
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.
5 of 10 questions policy researchers—and all healthcare stakeholders—should be asking this year and next
In healthcare policymaking, priorities are like flaming swords to a circus juggler. It’s easy to take on one too many—and overlook the overreach until a burn or laceration halts the show. The word picture is suggested between the lines of a peer-reviewed paper published this month.
Rockies Need to Get Starting Pitchers at MLB Trade Deadline
When the Colorado Rockies head into the MLB Trade Deadline, the team needs to focus on getting better pitching.
Duke Basketball Star Recruit Throws Insane Shot at UNC
I don't know how people feel about Duke and North Carolina when it comes to which program is better. I think both are pretty comparable in the college basketball landscape, at least historically.
Business owners ask city of Richmond to address drainage after flooding
Bethany and Jason Freeman, owners of Prosigns on Big Hill Avenue, said the flooding caused them to lose tens of thousands of dollars in inventory and left nearly $20,000 in damage to their building during a city commission meeting on Tuesday.
5 Maryland residents who traveled out of state have measles, health officials warn
The Maryland health department said that people who visited the Carroll Hospital Center Emergency Department waiting room in Westminster between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on July 13 may have been exposed.
2026 Open Championship odds, picks, date: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 17 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the British Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets and picks for Royal Birkdale
AirPods just got a long-requested feature in new public beta
A new AirPods public beta just arrived with custom EQ, a long-requested feature. Here's how to install it and what else is new.
Fort Bend County Fair announces 2026 entertainment lineup
The 90th celebration of the Fort Bend County Fair will showcase an exciting entertainment lineup featuring Texas legends, country favorites, and rising stars who will take the stage throughout …
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.
Team Welch demanded ‘misleading’ ad’s removal. Crist’s camp replaced it
A political committee backing Charlie Crist uploaded a new ad calling out City Hall spending with tweaked language.
Hundreds rally at Bethesda HQ to protest Xbox layoffs, and Ars was there
Union wants to halt a "perpetual cycle" of layoffs, get back to contract bargaining.
You can now watch free movies on Fandango without an account
These days, “free” is few and far between—but not today! Fandango just announced that it is expanding its collection of free movies and TV shows that you can watch without an account. That’s right, yo...
CDC nominee says she won't betray science
Dr. Erica Schwartz told the Senate health committee she "will never betray the science” and pledged to use “radical transparency” in a bid to rebuild public trust in the agency. But several senators questioned how she might handle pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Pixel Devices Get Fancy New Beta
Two weeks ago, Google released Beta 6 for Android 17 QPR1. Now we're getting Beta 7, available now to all supported Pixel devices. Suitable for everyday usage, Android 17 QPR1 became platform...
Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 rolling out for Pixel
Following last release two weeks ago, Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 is rolling out today for Pixel devices. Android 17...
‘The Odyssey’ Journeys Up the Top Titles Audiences Are Hyped For
ScreenShare: A data partnership between ScreenEngine/ASI & TheWrap
Science-based testing powers better health at Plus10 - Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound
Flower Mound resident Yves Lafortune has competed in his fair share of Ironman events, 100-mile runs, and national-level triathlons over the years. And if you ask him if he plans to do more, he wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. Clearly, the challenge isn’t finding the passion or commitment to keep going. As a lifelong athlete, […]
The States Try to Topple WarnerMount…Thus Begins the Local Antitrust Era
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, it looks like it’s time for another strategy column. Can I finally avoid writing about M&A? No, it seems I cannot. Admittedly, I’m a week early with this column, since I usually put it out every other week. But this news couldn’t wait. This will make three “Most Important Stories” in a row with a merger or acquisition as its centerpiece. First, Roku-Fox (an acquisition), then Comcast-NBCUniversal (a divestment!), and now the State AGs and the WGA’s lawsuits against Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery (antitrust). M&A is usually the “most important” topic any given week, simply because a giant company merging or breaking up (or preventing those outcomes) can have the biggest impact on the streaming board. If you think about these companies as players in a game, changing the number of players is one of the biggest changes you can make. I shouldn’t really complain, either, since this lawsuit is very good news for customers and suppliers (econ speak for talent, workers and indie studios in Hollywood). So let me answer some questions about this potential trial, along with (shudder) making some heavily caveated predictions. I’ll also look at whether Hollywood must consolidate, whether or not the states can win, trouble at X-Box, Netflix’s YouTube binge, and more. Plus, I have five images that visualize this merger and the harm, including three brand new data looks you’ve never seen before. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Can The States and the WGA Stop Hollywood’s Consolidation (Crisis)? If every other newsletter and news outlet is writing about the same story, I try to avoid writing about it as well, but I can’t ignore a story this consequential. The story of the last year was the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery, and this development potentially extends that saga into 2027. As I tried to figure out my angle, I realized, like my last column, I’m again faced with a series of questions. These questions, though, are much more forward-looking. Will the states win? Will the WGA win? If so, what happens to Warner Bros. Discovery? Either way, will this chill the market for future mergers? So you know what that means: predictions. About the future, no less, the hardest thing to predict.1 Just remember: nothing here comes with a guarantee. And the more confident someone is in their predictions, the less you should trust them. This situation is incredibly fluid, nuanced, uncertain and tenuous. So let’s try to explain what may happen. Question: Why File this Lawsuit? I’ll admit, a few months back, I was fairly pessimistic about the fate of this lawsuit. Rumors had started bubbling up that the state Attorneys General (in particular California) wanted to settle with either some minor divestments (usually CNN) or behavioral remedies. And that tracked for me: the states usually settle lawsuits, like the recent John Deere right-to-repair suit. Yet, they plan to fight this. (As they did the LiveNation-Ticketmaster monopolization trial and the Nexstar-Tegna merger.) Honestly, that also makes a ton of sense. Frankly, this move is just good politics for these State AGs. Most are still running for higher and higher office in blue states—some folks have emphasized that only Democratic AGs joined this suit, but given the Ellison/Trump ties, and fears of retribution, that tracks—and a high profile case like this will help them move up the electoral ladder, especially since Paramount and its leadership (the Ellisons, father and heir) have sided with the other side of the political aisle. That makes them unsympathetic to Democratic voters and Hollywood workers in particular. Why did this lawsuit happen? In addition to the very real concerns about industry consolidation, this is why. That said, I don’t think we would have seen this lawsuit for Netflix and Warner Bros., simply because they’re more sympathetic and aligned with Democrats. But those consolidation concerns are real. The “town”—meaning Hollywood and such—really is seeing the damage of mergers on this industry. That’s why the WGA also filed its own lawsuit in defense of workers as well. (Wildcard: What about Europe? Will they try to stop the deal, too? There have been some rumors out of the UK they may try to fight the deal, and UK enforcers just stopped a Getty Images-Shutterstock tie up, so there is precedence. This argument could go either way, though. On one hand, the EU doesn’t need to step in, cause they states are handling it. On the other hand, this could make the EU’s case easier. Just imagine if both sides coordinated. I’ll simply say, “We’ll see!”) Question: Will The State AGs or the WGA Win? Can the state AGs play David to Paramount-Skydance’s Goliath here? That’s really the whole thing, isn’t it? If you know this result, you could make a lot of money. When things are uncertain, it’s tempting to shrug and say, “Eh” meaning it’s a 50/50 proposition. I wouldn’t, though. When in doubt, you should expect that the merging parties succeed. AT&T did successfully buy Warner Bros., after all, and Disney bought Fox without any challenges. Many judges are extremely sympathetic to mergers, and I’d bet the state AGs get a judge who will allow the merger. (Even Obama-appointed judges often allow mergers.) As I understand it, we’ll see two main attacks. First, theatrical films. The AGs are arguing that, when it comes to share of box office and the number of both “wide releases” and blockbuster (or “tentpole”) films, the merging parties will have over 27% market share. Now, the Supreme Court once ruled from on high that any merger that exceeds 30% is presumptively illegal, but that’s guidance, not an ironclad bar. Still, the states will have to argue that this is close to having too much power, and with that power, this will likely further worsen the theater/studio splits in particular. Indeed, as Matthew Stoller pointed out, “just five studios are responsible for 95% of all blockbusters; if this merger goes through, then Paramount and Disney will control 60% of that.” So yes, movie studios will be very concentrated after this merger. Want me to visualize some of that? Well, here’s the share of films that grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office since 2022. (Note: this isn’t all films released in over 3,000 screens, but it is a good look at market power.) First, here are the 43 films by studio: Notice all the blue (Disney), orange (Universal), and purple (Warner Bros)? Yeah, those studios are powerful, and this combines Paramount with one of them. Here’s the look by studio and share of the films that grossed over $200 million: Now, if you look at that and also think, “Huh, should we break up Disney?” I’m with you. I’ve seen some folks poo-poo this idea that this is a real category, but it is! For an upcoming article, I’ve been pulling data on the share of top 100 films at the box office as a share of total box office, and it’s massive. Here’s the chart: (This analysis looks at The-Number’s top 100 films and total domestic box office each year.) To be clear, tentpoles make up 80.7% of the box office each year, so I do think it’s a genuine market. (To be clear, films grossing over $50 million make up 80% of the domestic box office, and films grossing over $100 million make up 64.1%.) I mean, the top 100 films at the box office make up 95% of each year’s grosses. Worse, the combined studios will likely cut output to flex that market power. Everyone can just look at what happened to Disney and Fox to see the precedent. (With fewer films, the remaining theaters have to give more for those few films that remain.) Here’s an image I’ve used a lot, the share of wide-release films from Disney and Fox over time: The AGs will also argue that this consolidation will also impact the cable industry. In this case, the consolidation is actually worse, but that environment is…complicated. Paramount will argue that the cable industry is shrinking. That said, predictions that cable will “go to zero” also don’t look very well supported by the data, as the declines are shrinking, meaning “cable” or “vMVPDs” will likely stabilize at some point. Can the state Attorneys General win on those two main arguments? I honestly don’t know. Again, I’d bet no, since history in general supports that, but it depends on the judge/jury and how they interpret the arguments. Notably, Paramount won’t face accusations about monopoly power in other areas, like streaming, news, sports rights, or vertical integration. I tend to disagree with leaving out sports rights, but I also see the appeal for a simpler case. The states also aren’t really pushing novel theories about labor harm either, which should help. (By the way, Sean McNulty at The Ankler wrote a great run through of potential options, and Capitol Forum also wrote a great paper on theatrical consolidation. Both these pieces predated the lawsuit. Matthew Stoller is also out with his analysis of the pros and cons of the case too.) In some ways, the WGA’s case is even stronger. Quoting Sean McNulty’s summary: “The WGA is citing WARNAMOUNT as crossing a 30% market share in multiple sectors, a number that the Supreme Court has precedent for deeming “presumptively anticompetitive” in a market. According to the WGA numbers, WARNAMOUNT would have represented: - 35% of film writing jobs between 2021 and 2024 - 36% of TV writing projects between 2022 and 2025 - 38% of overall deals between 2021 and 2024” Notably, antitrust enforcers did win recently in the Penguin-Simon & Schuster merger by focusing on labor impact, so don’t count this thinking out. (Wildcard: Will the states try to get a jury trial? Most likely no, they’ll let a judge handle it. If I’m them, though, I’d try to put this in front of a jury. Juries tend to understand monopoly power in a more realistic way than judges faced with legions of economists.) Question: What if They Win? What if They Lose?
CDC nominee says she won't betray science — and also backs Kennedy's actions
Dr. Erica Schwartz told the Senate health committee she "will never betray the science” and pledged to use “radical transparency” in a bid to rebuild public trust in the Centers for Disease Control.
Eli Lilly is reinventing the pharma business
The world’s largest drugmaker is betting big on preventive medicines—and learning from big tech
CDC nominee says she won’t betray science — and also backs Kennedy’s actions
Several senators questioned how Dr. Erica Schwartz might handle pressure from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Scottie Scheffler favored to win Open, but bettors like Europeans
Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite to win the Open Championship, but sportsbooks are getting action on European golfers like Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood.
Top US science body readies climate report as Republicans push back
The United States' leading scientific body is set Thursday to launch a major report on the link between climate change and extreme weather, a growing research field now underpinning lawsuits seeking b...
Federal agency intervenes in Michigan's legal fight over Kalshi sports contracts
A federal board charged with overseeing futures trading is barring a popular prediction market from implementing a new rule after being ordered to cease sports betting operations in the state.
Carteret Community College offers transfer to App State health science program
A new statewide transfer agreement between our state’s community colleges and App State now makes a seamless transfer path for Health Science majors.
New Kentucky law changing sports and horse race betting taking effect
A law that will reshape sports and horse race betting is taking effect Wednesday.
Delaware Rolls Out Self-Service Sports Betting Kiosks Statewide
Delaware has installed self-service sports betting kiosks at all 89 Sports Lottery retailers and its three casinos, adding prop bets, parlays and live wagering.
How Clean, Accessible Data Powers Agentic AI Workflows and Better Business Decisions
Over the past few months, conversations with customers, partners, and peers — including at the recent Databricks Data + AI Summit — have surfaced a consistent set of shifts happening across the analytics and data landscape.
4 Devices You Should Always Connect To 5GHz Wi-Fi (And 4 That Can Stay On 2.4GHz)
Not every device needs 5GHz Wi-Fi. Some gadgets benefit from faster speeds, while others perform better on reliable 2.4GHz connections.
Hotel Bethlehem to feature ‘Megabar,’ unique eats and live entertainment for Musikfest
Restaurant manager Alyssa Carpiniello noted that guests should also save room for dessert.
9 explosive behind-the-scenes feuds between costars
From blockbuster blowups to slow-burning rivalries, these celebrity feuds show that sometimes the real drama unfolds behind the scenes.
Small business optimism picks up in June, survey says
Owners reported stronger sales expectations and better conditions ahead, even as inflation and hard-to-fill jobs continued to weigh on growth.
DC Sports Reality Check: Tickets, streaming and betting — the rising cost of being a sports fan
In Part 3 of a five-day series on how D.C.-area sports fans follow their teams, Rob Woodfork explores fan reactions to tickets, streaming and betting.
Elevance raises annual profit forecast on better medical cost management
Elevance Health raised its annual profit forecast after beating second-quarter earnings estimates on Wednesday, as it looks to keep medical costs in check.
Kalshi’s Core Business May Already Be in Serious Trouble
States are cracking down on sports betting, and a major court ruling bodes poorly for the prediction-market giant.
Starmer says his political journey is over at his last question session as UK leader
LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was leaving the United Kingdom “in better shape than I found it” as he fielded questions, criticism and even a bit of praise from lawmakers in…
What to watch as Apple, OpenAI face off over trade secret claims
A lawyer says a lawsuit between OpenAI and Apple over trade secret theft could set the stage for a legal battle that may reshape tech industry norms.
Elizabethtown native\'s dance duo makes TIME100 Creators list
A dance duo featuring an Elizabethtown native has been named to Time Magazine’s TIME100 Creators list.
Eagles Biggest Question Has to Do With Jalen Carter Again
If things are similar to how they've been in years past, the Philadelphia Eagles will have one of the better defenses in the NFL. The only question that remains for this defense at the moment is what it will do with Jalen Carter.
Baton Rouge General's Health Tip of the Week: Heat waves may double risk of heart attack
Sponsored by Baton Rouge General When the temperature rises, so does the workload on your heart. Hot weather makes your heart pump harder to cool your body, and dehydration thickens your blood, adding even more strain. That can increase the risk of a heart attack, especially if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes […]
Vikings' offense earns praise for improvements from Bleacher Report
The Vikings' offense needs to be better in 2026 and Bleacher Report believes they can be.
Fire code dispute pits Bear Lake business against fire district
ST. CHARLES – An Idaho watercraft rental company near Bear Lake is engaged in ongoing legal proceedings with the area’s fire district over what fueling practices are allowed under fire code. The dispute is between North Beach Rentals, which operates in both Idaho and Utah, and the Bear Lake County Fire District. After negotiations between […]
iOS 27: My favorite new iPhone features (other than AI)
The iOS 27 public beta is here, and the headlining changes are Siri AI and the array of new Apple...
Paramount-WBD merger could impact entertainment options
California Attorney General Rob Bonta joins "Here's the Scoop" to discuss how the merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery could impact the entertainment industry.
Watch Eternal Founder Goyal Bets on Health Tech, Aerospace
India's quick commerce billionaire Deepinder Goyal is planning to launch his first product after stepping back from the empire he led for 18 years. Goyal says Temple, a wearable device worn on the side of the forehead, will retail for about one-thousand U-S dollars. The founder of Eternal Limited, which counts quick delivery apps Zomato and Blinkit under its umbrella, spoke with Bloomberg's Haslinda Amin in an exclusive interview at his private residence in New Delhi.
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger
Going to the cinema, visiting museums, or attending concerts may do more than entertain. Researchers found that older adults who regularly participated in cultural activities tended to have bodies that functioned like those of people about three years younger. They believe stronger social ties, better mental health, and healthier habits could help explain the link, although more research is needed to determine whether cultural activities directly slow aging.
Will UK Affordability Checks and Prediction-Market Scrutiny Change Flutter Entertainment's (FLUT) Regulatory Risk Narrative?
In recent days, UK gambling bosses, including Flutter Entertainment via the Betting and Gaming Council, have been weighing legal action against the Gambling Commission’s plan to introduce affordability checks for online customers spending over £1,000 within 24 hours, arguing the rules rely on weak evidence and could push bettors toward less regulated operators. At the same time, investor Michael Burry’s interest in Flutter, partly based on expectations that prediction markets may face...
TMA calls for new guardrails on betting-style apps as sports betting concerns grow
A new proposal from the Texas Medical Association is taking aim at online prediction market platforms, calling for more guardrails to protect young users from gambling-like behavior.
Video: Woman, still wearing psychiatric bracelet, jailed by OKC officer during mental health crisis
An interaction between an Oklahoma City police officer and a woman in a mental health crisis is now under investigation after body camera video showed
Small Business Optimism Picks Up in June
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.1 points in June to 97.4, nearing its 52-year average of 98.0. Expectations for better business conditions and real sales expectations improved substantially and primarily drove the rise in the Index. The Uncertainty Index fell 2 points from May to 89, remaining well above its historical average of
Small Business Optimism Rises as Oil Prices Moderate
Small business optimism increased in June, driven by owners’ expectations for better business conditions and sales, the National Federation of Independent
Apple opens its new Siri AI to everyone with the iOS 27 public beta
If you’ve been waiting to try Apple’s revamped Siri without installing a developer beta, you now can. The company on Tuesday released the iOS 27 public beta, giving iPhone owners early access to its AI-powered assistant and other new features before the software’s official launch this fall.
Global misinformation takes center stage at Emory conference
Emory College brought together leading scholars to study propaganda and information manipulation, emphasizing feedback and collaboration over traditional presentations to better address the growing global impact of disinformation.
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.
Wall of Entertainment Taps Chronicle Media to Power Audience Discovery and Growth for Its First U.S. Series
SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON, July 14, 2026--How do you find the exact viewers a new show is built for and turn them into a loyal, growing audience? That question is at the heart of a new multi-series partnership announced today between UK digital entertainment studio Wall of Entertainment and audience simulation platform Chronicle Media.
Majority of Fort Worth Council supports data center pause. Will it happen?
The majority of Fort Worth City Council wants a temporary moratorium on data centers. A supermajority is needed. This comes after the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted not to recommend new rules for data centers within the city. Lone Star Politics speaks with Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, one of the leaders of the effort.
Lone Star Politics: July 12, 2026
This week on Lone Star Politics, Fort Worth City Council is taking the next steps after the zoning commission voted not to recommend new rules for data centers within the city. Plus, a lawsuit at Texas Tech is looking to clarify the line between censorship and academic freedom.
macOS Golden Gate Public Beta: 10 Features to Try First
macOS 27 Golden Gate is available to public beta testers as of this week, which means you can try out Siri AI and the other changes coming in the update before it launches this fall. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We don't recommend betas for devices that serve a critical function, and it's always best to test on a secondary device.
Ohio cut red tape. Now its business sector is thriving.
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2026 Open Championship odds, picks, date: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 17 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the British Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets and picks for Royal Birkdale
Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Faces Fresh Regulatory Focus, Is It Still 31% Below Fair Value?
Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:FLUT) is back in focus after two separate regulatory storylines put sports betting on investors’ radar, including a potential UK legal challenge to new affordability checks and fresh interest from investor Michael Burry. See our latest analysis for Flutter Entertainment. After a difficult stretch in which the year to date share price return is down 48.5% and the 1 year total shareholder return declined 61.91%, Flutter Entertainment has recently shown improving...
Fall sports updates and information
The fall sports season will be here before we know it! Here are some key summer details for students and families as we look forward to the coming season. Registration begins: High school football (grades 9-12): July 17 All other high school fall sports (grades 9-12): July 24 Modified football (grades 7-8): July 27 All other modified fall sports (grades 7-8): July 31 Please register via Final Forms. Sports physicals: All student-athletes interested in trying out for a fall sport must have an up-to-date physical submitted to Final Forms in advance of the first day of tryouts and practices. Families are encouraged to get a completed physical from their child's physician. If you are unable to get a physical from your child's physician, you can schedule a physical with Whitney Young's school-based health center by calling (518) 573-2556. Appointments will be available at Albany High School in room 4253 during July on the following dates: Thursday, July 16 between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Again, you must call (518) 573-2556 to schedule your appointment and receive instructions. Whitney Young does require paperwork that must be filled out by the child's parent or guardian in order for them to be seen by the provider. Tryouts & practices begin: High school football (grades 9-12): Aug. 17 All other high school fall sports (grades 9-12): Aug. 24 Modified football (grades 7-8): Aug. 27 All other modified fall sports (grades 7-8): Aug. 31 High school student-athletes are encouraged to take part in our open gym sessions during July and August in preparation for the fall sports season. Stay tuned for fall practice schedules and competition schedules, which will be posted on our Athletics page! If you have additional questions, please contact the Athletics Department at (518) 475-6310. Let's go Falcons!
Who's the Best QB from the 2024 NFL Draft Class?
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye headlined a rare quarterback class in the 2024 NFL Draft, but which one is the better player after two seasons?
Apple releases the first iOS 27 public beta
Also, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, macOS 27 and tvOS 27 public betas. The previous beta versions were for developers only, this one is widely available.
Astronomers find sugar between the stars
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Health system leaders discuss care delivery, workforce and technology at 2026 AHA Leadership Summit
Following an introduction from Michelle Hood, AHA executive vice president and COO, moderator Chris DeRienzo, M.D., AHA senior vice president and chief physician executive, led a panel discussion July 14 at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit with Betty Chu, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer of Advocate Health; Christine Donohue-Henry, M.D., chief population health officer of ChristianaCare; and Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, and AHA chair-elect.
“Worst Toxicity I’ve Seen On The Internet” – Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Shares Brutal Reality Of Sports Gambling
Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently opened up about the brutal reality of sports gambling he witnessed once he started dating the American, highlighting the harassment from sports bettors. Williams returned to professional tennis in June 2026 after nearly four years away from the sport.
REELSHORT AND WWE® PARTNER TO BRING ORIGINAL LIVE-ACTION MICRODRAMA TO FANS WORLDWIDE
LOS ANGELES, CA — July 14, 2026 — ReelShort, the world's leading microdrama platform, and WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment, today announced a partnership to produce an original live-action microdrama, marking the first collaboration between a major sports and entertainment brand and a microdrama platform.
2026 Open Championship odds, picks: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy predictions by model that nailed 17 majors
After 10,000 simulations, SportsLine's computer reveals its British Open best bets for Royal Birkdale this week
2026 Open Championship odds, picks, date: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 17 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the British Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets for Royal Birkdale
Random Ramsdom: 49ers with the better offense?
Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 7/14/26
Opinion: The AI question colleges need to address now
The future will not be determined by who adopts AI first but by who uses it to build systems that better serve the people they exist to support, the dean of U of I's Gies College of Business writes
WhatsApp Beta Reveals iCloud Backup Alternative for iPhone
WhatsApp is developing a first-party cloud storage option for chat backups on iPhone, providing users with an alternative to iCloud for the first time, according to app tinkerer WABetaInfo. Code found in the WhatsApp beta for iOS (version 26.28.10.16), available through TestFlight, suggests that users will eventually be able to pick their preferred backup destination directly from the app's chat backup settings. iCloud however will remain the default.
Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem
Tech titans claim the genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future
Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem
Tech titans claim the genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future
Business declares war on Pentagon stock buyback, dividend restrictions moving in Senate
The provision was pushed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and was included in the National Defense Authorization Act on a bipartisan basis.
Building better therapeutic antibodies: the science, progress and ...
As therapeutic antibodies become more complex, where is the field making real progress and which problems are proving hardest to solve? Hear leading experts share their perspectives.
Space shuttle photobombs Earth for the final time, 15 years ago
This 2011 astronaut photo captured one of NASA's iconic space shuttles passing between Earth and the International Space Station for the very last time.
One UI 9.0 Beta 4 update is out now for the Galaxy S26 series
Samsung has released the One UI 9.0 Beta 4 update for the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra in the One UI 9 Beta Program.
Letter to the Editor: A give-away contract with Another Planet Entertainment
The contracts proposed, between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Dept. and APE fall short of the industry standard. The APE contracts are not typical for a venue this size, potentially costing…
iOS 27 public beta: Should you install it on your iPhone?
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2026 Open Championship odds, picks, date: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 17 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the British Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets for Royal Birkdale
Dodgers on Deck: Friday, July 17 at Yankees
After the All-Star break, the Dodgers embark on a three-city, nine-game, 11-day road trip that will take them to New York, Philadelphia, then back to New York with a little stop in Washington D.C. in between. First up is The Bronx for a three-game series against the Yankees beginning Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The […]
ADHD and periods: Are my hormones making my symptoms worse?
A first-of-its-kind study by UK researchers is looking at the link between menstrual cycles and ADHD.
Lowcountry trooper, business owner creating teen outreach event
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Siri AI Is Becoming Apple’s Everything Tool
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‘Off Campus’ creator reacts to $80K pay disparity claim between leads Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli: ‘Check your sources’
‘Off Campus’ creator Louisa Levy responded to a claim a podcast made about pay disparities between lead actors Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli: ‘These numbers are far from correct.’
Public Betas For iOS 27, macOS 27 And More Apple Platforms Are Now Available
Try the new Siri AI and system-wide performance improvements.