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Populist politicians on the right and left take a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook
The world’s modern populists are discovering a common trait that seems to serve them more than the voters they claim to champion.
UAE defense firm EDGE Group wants to turn homegrown military tech into a global business
EDGE Group CEO Hamad Al Marar discusses the UAE’s push to build a globally competitive defense industry — and how technology, manufacturing and exports are shaping that ambition.
Dodgers Reveal Shohei Ohtani Status Before Diamondbacks Series Opener
Per the lyrics/song title of popular country group ‘Alabama’, ‘ Can’t Keep a Good Man Down’ is a fitting idiom for Shohei Ohtani. On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a lengthy announcement about Ohtani’s upcoming All-Star game status, in which the popular X account wrote: “Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start on […] The post Dodgers Reveal Shohei Ohtani Status Before Diamondbacks Series Opener appeared first on HEAVY.
Graham Platner makes it official in Maine, submitting paperwork to leave Senate race
In his withdrawal notice, Platner said "people are desperate for change" and that's why they made him the Democratic nominee. Now, Maine Democrats have to pick someone to replace him by July 27.
Is Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced worth the 13 year wait?
The BBC's Tom Gerken plays the much-anticipated pirate game which has been remade from the ground up.
The EPA promised a MAHA agenda. It has yet to materialize, frustrating activists
After Make America Healthy Again activists drew up a petition to get him fired, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin pledged to release a formal agenda of MAHA priorities his agency would pursue. But eight months after its first mention, the so-called MAHA agenda is nowhere to be found.
Graham Platner submits notice to formally withdraw from Maine Senate race
Maine is considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats were desperate for a candidate capable of defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
How climate change harms human health — and what can be done
From air pollution to wildfires, from heat waves to vector-borne diseases, climate change harms our health and causes significant stress to the healthcare system. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what can be done to protect people from a warming world with Victor Tsao of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and Lisa Patel of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.
A demand for debates and Trump on voting: CT Politics news
Plus: Fazio's energy plan, CSCU chancellor investigation, a Sikorsky helipad at the White House and Chris Murphy on special education.
U.S. demands Iran publicly state Strait of Hormuz is open
U.S. officials said Friday that internal Tehran power struggles have made it difficult to reach and keep a deal
Graham Platner makes it official in Maine, submitting paperwork to leave Senate race
In his withdrawal notice, Platner said "people are desperate for change" and that's why they made him the Democratic nominee. Now, Maine Democrats have to pick someone to replace him by July 27.
Mayor Mamdani addresses whether Taylor Swift is covering costs for police presence at MSG wedding
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani addresses whether newlywed Taylor Swift is covering costs for the extra police presence at her and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding.
Billionaires warned New York would scare off business. Anthropic and Airbnb just made their biggest bets on the city yet
Not only are they expanding their footprint, they’re also doubling headcount. Anthropic said it plans to have more than 1,000 employees by end of year.
A decade later, Pokémon Go finally made good on its original promise
Tell Mewtwo to keep its head on a swivel.
Browns roster: OL depth chart and expectations
Cleveland Browns roster sees a remade offensive line under new coach George Warhop. Predicting 2026 for Spencer Fano and co.
id Software Issues Statement Following Xbox Layoffs, Says It's Back to the Size It Was When It Made 2016's Doom
id Software has issued a statement following layoffs at Xbox that saw roughly half the staff at the legendary first-person shooter studio lose their jobs.
'Not a run-of-the-mill El Nino.' Forecasters predict historic strength
It should rank among the most intense El Ninos since the weather agency started tracking them in 1950.
Iran needs to see that we mean business: GOP lawmaker
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., discusses concerns over a clause regarding the Strait of Hormuz in the MoU, reports of Iran-made drones in Cuba and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani meeting a Cuban delegation.
Trump ousts election commission members in latest push to reshape U.S. voting
The White House on Friday confirmed the executive action against members of the Election Assistance Commission, which distributes federal grants to states, oversees the testing of voting systems and maintains the national voter registration form.
New Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst is at home at UW-Madison
A former deputy athletic director for the Badgers, Eichorst already has relationships with coaches like Greg Gard and Mark Johnson.
Report: LeBron James to Cleveland is ‘Done’
The biggest story of the NBA offseason may have finally reached its conclusion. Although no official announcement has been made by LeBron James or the Cleveland Cavaliers, a new report suggests the four-time NBA champion has already made his decision.…
Victor Marx Wins Colorado Gubernatorial Primary
Republican Victor Marx, who claims his father made him kill someone at age seven, enters the race as an underdog.
MAGA's attack on science is even worse than it looks
In my post on America’s 250-year anniversary, I argued that respect for the individual was the “secret sauce” in the U.S.’ long-lasting preeminence among nations. But it was certainly not the only factor. There were plenty of institutional innovations that helped the U.S. stay on top — economically, militarily, and in terms of the attractiveness of its society. One of these was American science. Today we take things like the modern research university, government grants for science, public-to-private research spinoffs, etc. for granted, but a lot of that infrastructure wasn’t there before World War 2. It was either invented or scaled up massively by the U.S. government in the postwar period, led by far-sighted scientist-bureaucrats like Vannevar Bush (pictured above). If you want to read about this history, a good place to start would be Jonathan Gruber and Simon Johnson’s excellent book Jump-Starting America. Those scientific institutions didn’t exist in a vacuum, however. They were backed by the U.S. government’s abiding faith in the power of science — and, even more fundamentally, by deep popular trust in the scientific enterprise. Science gave us radar and the atom bomb in wartime, and in peacetime it gave us plastics, vaccines, cheap food, and a thousand other things that made our lives easier. Science was also the driver behind American industry — chemicals, aerospace, telecommunications, computers, electronics, and so on. We owed science our jobs, our livelihoods, our comfortable living standards, and our greatness and power as a nation. It’s little wonder that both political parties, even as they fought viciously over other issues, were steadfast in their support of science. For a long time, the only people who distrusted science were a hippie fringe on the left who disliked modernity (or thought they did, anyway), who also disliked American industry and American power, and who subscribed to an early version of degrowth environmentalism. America’s scientific enterprise is still strong, especially compared to the systems in Europe, Japan, Korea, and other developed countries. It has lost a lot of ground to China in a relative sense, but a lot of that is because of China’s incredible growth; as China has poured untold amounts of money and talent into its research labs, spending and output have overtaken the U.S. by some measures. There are a few ways in which China’s rise creates problems for American science — for example, top scientists can choose to work in China instead of in the U.S. — and of course there’s the concern that China’s technological strength will help its military to reign supreme. But overall, China’s rise in science should be good for American science, since American scientists can use Chinese discoveries for free and build on them. The much bigger problem is that the scientific enterprise America built during and after World War 2 is now being threatened with absolute decline. The biggest problem, of course, is that much of the country — the Republican half — has basically lost faith in the scientific enterprise. To what degree this loss of faith is justified is an open question, and deserves to be discussed openly. But the larger point — that the system that powered American dominance is under threat — is true either way. Most Americans still trust science, but MAGA Republicans don’t There’s a myth, popular in right-wing circles, that scientists have lost the trust of regular Americans — either due to the increasingly left-wing composition of academic departments, or to misbehavior during Covid, or to DEI-related research taking over science, etc. This also fits with a wider narrative that Americans are losing trust in all of our institutions. But it just isn’t true. Poll after poll shows that on the whole, Americans still trust scientists and want to spend more on science. For example, here’s a Pew poll from late 2025 showing that although about a fifth of Republicans did lose confidence in science in 2020, two thirds still have at least “a fair amount” of confidence: That same poll found that scientists are among America’s most trusted groups — even better trusted than the military! In fact, Americans trust scientists more than people in most other countries do. Other polls show that although Republican trust in science has dropped somewhat, Republican support for spending more on science remains very strong: A Pew poll in 2023 found the exact same thing: So when MAGA types tell you about scientists losing their credibility, or a drop in trust in science, they’re only talking about themselves. Whatever left-wing politicization of science happened during the Biden administration — and there was definitely some of that — it was not enough to make most Republicans lose faith in the scientific enterprise, or favor research cuts in order to purge unwanted ideology from the system. That doesn’t mean I think progressives should continue down the path of politicizing scientific research. They should not, and Biden made real missteps in this area. Objectivity clearly matters for public trust of science in the long term. But as of right now, there’s no crisis of trust in science, except among the smallish minority of people who are running around screaming that there’s a crisis of trust in science. But despite science’s overwhelming popularity and public trust, Trump and his administration are launching an unprecedented and devastating attack on American science — cutting funding, and forcing science projects to undergo ideological review by government commissars. Trump’s comprehensive attack on science
What you need to know about the cyclosporiasis outbreak
A foodborne parasitic infection has health officials urging people and restaurants to take special care with food safety.
Trump will let bipartisan housing bill become law without signing in protest over GOP voter ID law
Trump had 10 days until the Friday deadline to sign the bill, issue a veto, or allow the measure to take effect without his signature.
Trump says he won't sign bipartisan housing affordability bill
The housing measure could become law on Friday without President Donald Trump’s signature, as he had 10 days to issue a veto and stop the measure.
Inside Rolls-Royce's factory, where custom 6-figure cars are made
At Rolls-Royce's factory in Goodwood, England, customers have tens of thousands of customizations to choose from. For some, it's not enough.
How World Cup stars pushing 40 are defying their biological clocks
Players in their mid-30s and older used to be rare. In 2026, they made up about 6% of the 48 national team squads.
Summerville defers vote on entertainment district plan
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – The Town of Summerville is working to finalize plans for a proposed outdoor entertainment district. A decision could be made next month. The goal is to increase foot traf…
GLP-1 drug popularity is outpacing the science, Madison doctor says
Dr. David Harris at UW-Madison says weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound are safe, so long as patients get the medications from doctors.
Hegseth pushes for action after sailors appear to flout his beard policy
As the US-Iran war risked reigniting in recent weeks, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded a Navy ship for what was supposed to be a routine visit with sailors.
Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald Gets Blunt on Potential Super Bowl Repeat
The Seattle Seahawks aren’t getting much attention despite being the reigning Super Bowl champions. Seattle hasn’t made any blockbuster moves this offseason to put themselves in the spotlight, while their NFC West rival, the Los Angeles Rams, has. Los Angeles made trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie this offseason to improve their defense and […] The post Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald Gets Blunt on Potential Super Bowl Repeat appeared first on HEAVY.
10 scientists and experts who have left US and UK for China so far in 2026
From a Nobel Prize winner to the creator of the first plant ID app, here are some of the scientists and experts who made the move.
Tua Tagovailoa Gets Strong Statement From Dolphins’ Patrick Paul
The new Miami Dolphins regime made the decision this offseason to cut ties with Tua Tagovailoa. Moreover, the decision made by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will cost the Dolphins an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead money against the salary cap.Moreover, Tagovailoa’s release will be designated post-June 1, allowing Miami to split the dead money over […] The post Tua Tagovailoa Gets Strong Statement From Dolphins’ Patrick Paul appeared first on HEAVY.
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Fires Multiple Toronto Staff Members
It’s been the summer of change for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have made multiple notable moves involving the front office along with names on the playing roster.As far as the coaching staff is concerned, Chayka removed head coach Craig Berube and replaced him with former Toronto assistant Jim Hiller; he also did not retain […] The post Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Fires Multiple Toronto Staff Members appeared first on HEAVY.
What's next for immigrants with TPS status after Supreme Court ruling?
The legal status of nearly 1.3 million immigrants facing war or environmental disasters in their home countries is up in the air following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. In a 6-3 decision, the high court ruled last month that the Homeland Security secretary’s decision to grant, extend or terminate a country’s TPS designation, which lets people from eligible countries legally live and work in the U.S. for periods
Falcons salary cap: 10 highest-paid offensive players in 2026
Looking at the 10 highest salary cap hits on the Falcons offense in 2026.
Judge dismisses suit challenging Sen. Tuberville's eligibility to run for Alabama governor
A judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit alleging U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville does not meet the residency requirement to run for governor of Alabama.
NC falls in business ranking as growth hurts affordability
CNBC: NC still good for business but faces growth challenges.
Haley Stevens knows how to win in Michigan. Dems must decide if that's enough to win the Senate
Holding Michigan’s Senate seat is essential to any Democratic path back to the Senate majority this fall.
SSM Health challenging recent union election at St. Mary's hospital in Madison
Ahead of the vote, the health system challenged the eligibility of the hospital’s charge nurses to vote in the election. And after the vote, SSM filed objections to the conduct of the election with the National Labor Relations Board.
AEDP and MOVE Business Chamber launch program to help aspiring food entrepreneurs open in Northern Virginia
Free kickoff session July 29 at 1940 Duke Street features owners of Alexandria Restaurant Partners and the top-ranked Teriyaki Madness franchise in the country; eight fully subsidized seats available for Alexandria residents
Maine Democrats seek path forward in critical US Senate race
At least five candidates have come forward in the hours since Graham Platner dropped out less than three weeks before the ballot deadline.
Who will replace Graham Platner on the ballot? 7 Democrats to watch
Whoever is selected will have less than four months before facing longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.
WATCH LIVE: National Capital Planning Commission considers Trump's triumphal arch plan
What happens next in Maine and the battle for Senate control
After a twisty-turny month in Maine politics, the uncertain fate of the Senate race — and perhaps the Senate itself — may be written in the weeks to come.
Yankees Sequence of the Week: Cam Schlittler (7/6)
Schlittler reminded the doubters what he is made of on Monday in Tampa.
Patrick Dempsey says he's not running for Senate in Maine as Democrats weigh a replacement
The “Grey’s Anatomy” star quashed speculation that he was among those being considered to replace embattled Democratic nominee Graham Platner.
Jacob Tobey Out as Spurs Announcer After Affair Allegation
Jacob Tobey will not return as Spurs’ the play-by-play announcer following a viral social media post accusing him of having an affair.
Vendors, food and entertainment return for 53 Art in the Park
West Lincoln Part will come to life this weekend with live music, tasty delights, a beer tent and 153 vendors selling handmade goods and arts from across the region. The ironic event is celebrating its...
More than 1 in 5 social media users say they’ve made health choices based on their feeds. How to use it wisely
Social media can be a helpful source of health advice — but it can also spread misinformation. CNN’s Dr. Leana Wen helps you figure out the difference.
Las Vegas native Jonah Laulu got to a place he never thought he’d be: Home
He grew up in Las Vegas before it was a pro sports town. He knows what his journey means to the community.
World-First 'Super Alloy' Could Transform The Way Metals Are Made
The power of self-organizing atoms.
Here Are Thursday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Align Technology, American Tower, Caesars Entertainment, Cohu, Five Below, Intuitive Surgical, Salesforce, Toast, and More
Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading mixed after another tough day across Wall Street, with all the major indices crushed early on, before the Nasdaq made a late-afternoon push to wind up just modestly higher at 25,870, up 0.20%. The S&P 500 also rallied in the afternoon, erasing a big deficit, to finish the session ... Here Are Thursday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Align Technology, American Tower, Caesars Entertainment, Cohu, Five Below, Intuitive Surgical, Salesforce, Toast, and More
Where does the Tennessee Titans offensive line rank?
The Tennessee Titans made a handful of changes to its offensive line during the offseason, so how do they rank compared to the rest of the NFL?
The Iran ceasefire was meant to pave the way for a grand nuclear deal. New strikes expose its flaws
The day after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, opening a 60-day window to negotiate a deal over the country’s nuclear program, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff got on the phone to brief skeptical Republican leaders.
Medical equipment supplier’s cloud applications breached, leaking patient data to hackers
AdaptHealth said the intrusion on its network was made possible by compromised credentials phished from one of its vendors. Stolen data may include protected health information, though exactly what is still being determined.
Cowboys, Dolphins Get Compelling Jordyn Brooks Trade Idea
While the Miami Dolphins parted ways with several notable players this offseason, including Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb and Tua Tagovailoa, while also trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, they made sure to keep a few key pieces in place as the franchise begins its rebuild.De’Von Achane and Aaron Brewer received contract extensions to be […] The post Cowboys, Dolphins Get Compelling Jordyn Brooks Trade Idea appeared first on HEAVY.
Gonzaga Hands Out First Offer in 2028 Recruiting Class
The first July live recruiting period is open, and the Zags made their initial move within the 2028 recruiting class.
MPs seek veto over political ambassadors after Mandelson row
A Foreign Affairs Committee report said the process taken in the appointment of Lord Mandelson "was being made up as it went along".
US Senate nominee Platner halts campaign after assault allegations
A string of high-profile Democrats have withdrawn support for Platner following sexual assault allegation.
5-star RB David Gabriel Georges responds to commitment rumors
Ohio State 5-star running back target David Gabriel Georges responded to rumors that he has his mind made up between Tennessee and the Buckeyes.
Graham Platner says he'll withdraw from Senate race in Maine
Platner stressed that his decision was not an admission of guilt.
The Pitcher Who Made the Tigers Feel Big Again
After decades of pitching mediocrity, Justin Verlander’s arrival signaled a shift in Detroit. His dominant swagger and electric fastball transformed the Tigers from AL bottom-dwellers into championship contenders.
NAVER D2SF Invests in 23i, a Virtual Entertainment Startup
NAVER D2SF, the corporate venture capital arm of NAVER, has made a new investment in 23i (CEO, Hyungmin Kim), a virtual entertainment startup. As the global virtual entertainment market continues to grow rapidly, particularly in Korea and Japan, NAVER D2SF decided to invest in the team based on its ability to create expanded entertainment IP through strong content production capabilities and an in-house technology pipeline designed to maximize the strengths of virtual artists.
Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black plastic material.
What to know about Nigel Farage's dramatic resignation and political gambit in the UK
Facing awkward questions about his finances, the anti-immigration politician dramatically announced that he’s quitting Parliament in order to run again, a move critics denounced as a ploy to dodge a parliamentary probe.
Dinos take over ‘Mad Science’ show at Topeka library
Blockbuster Wednesday is a free science-based family show held every week. Wednesday’s show had a special focus on dinosaurs and the period they lived in.
MAD: M+C Saatchi NA Names Bacchus To Lead New Entertainment Practice
Bacchus is based in Los Angeles and will report to Derek Goode, Managing Director, M+C Saatchi Sport+Entertainment.
World Cup feeds Seattle's appetite for international sports
The World Cup broke visitation and hotel revenue records in Seattle. Officials hope the games made the city a destination for future international sporting events.
Judges deny request to return Trump's name to Kennedy Center pending an appeal
A three-judge panel on Wednesday denied a request from the Kennedy Center's board to restore President Donald Trump's name to the institution while the board appeals an earlier ruling that dubbed the name change illegal and had it rescinded.
Why Trump left NATO summit on a positive note after seething about Iran, Spain and Greenland
As European leaders were walking into Wednesday’s NATO summit here, the mood was dark. But within hours, they’d seemingly managed to appease President Donald Trump.
NFL star says Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding guests were ‘floored’ when Adam Sandler came out
NFL star Ryan Fitzpatrick is sharing details about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden, including how attendees reacted to Adam Sandler officiating.
Justin Bieber and More Join World Cup Final Halftime Show Featuring Madonna, Shakira and BTS
NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Bieber will bring his swag to the World Cup's star-studded, Super Bowl-style halftime show, joining fellow headliners Madonna, Shakira and BTS, FIFA announced Wednesday. Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus — a choir of elementary ...
Venezuelan aftershocks: How the quakes made political change more urgent
Venezuela’s earthquakes have created a new test for its political opposition and movement leader María Corina Machado.
Here's how much Nevada athletics made from being in EA Sports College Football
EA Sports' popular tagline is "It's in the game." And being in the game has been financially fruitful for Nevada athletics. Here's how much.
The state GOP redrew Tennessee’s election maps. Voters are fighting back.
The state’s Republican leaders have made no secret that the changes are intended to eliminate its lone blue congressional district.
How Trump has misjudged Iran
President Donald Trump offered a sharply revised review of Iran’s leaders as the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Tehran looks to be more endangered than ever.
Succession fight is underway as calls mount for Graham Platner to drop out of Senate race
The allegation reported Monday prompted a chorus of calls for Platner to depart the high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, which could decide party control of the Senate.
World Wide Technology Raceway Welcomes the Super Fair July 31-Aug. 8
MADISON, Ill. (July 8, 2026) – World Wide Technology Raceway will transform into the Super Fair by Kissel Entertainment July 31–Aug. 8, bringing more than a week of carnival thrills and family entertainment to the Metro East. The Super Fair will fill the raceway with one of the area’s largest traveling midways, featuring more than...
The 2026 Emmy Nominations Are In — Here's Who Made The List
TV fans, it's time to get your binge on before the Sept. 14 ceremony.
Pixel Watch 5 price increase expected as configs and release date leaked ahead of Made by Google event
Google's annual Made by Google event is confirmed for next month, and the new Pixel Watch 5 has been leaked ahead of the presentation.
Persona 4 Revival Producer Confirms Changes to Yosuke to Fit Today's Era
In a recent interview with Anime Corner during Anime Expo 2026, Persona Team General Producer Kazuhisa Wada spoke about different changes made to Persona
From KSU Owl Network to FIFA World Cup, alumna builds sports media career
In preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kennesaw State University alumna Maddie Crews ’24 marked her calendar for 49 consecutive days of covering the competition for multiple media outlets.
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
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