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An ordinary laptop solved a problem thought to require a quantum computer
A quantum problem once described as impossible for classical computers has now been solved using relatively modest hardware. Researchers used tensor networks to compress the overwhelming wave function created by hundreds of entangled qubits, allowing some calculations to run on a laptop. Their results matched both theoretical predictions and simulations performed with a quantum computer. The method could open new paths for exploring quantum dynamics and materials.
Solve complex materials-science problems with the new Fire Opal quantum-dynamics simulator
Fire Opal helps solve meaningfully advanced physical-simulation problems in fields including materials science and energy.
Scientists discover a protein that protects the brain from Alzheimer’s damage
A protein called SORLA may act as a powerful defense against the toxic tau tangles involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Mice with extra SORLA had less tau accumulation, less brain atrophy, and healthier connections between neurons, while mice without it experienced more severe damage. The findings also revealed a possible drug target that could help control harmful activity in supporting brain cells.
Rejuvenation science: Rewinding biological clock works for mice, not yet for humans
THE QUEST TO LIVE LONGER, fuller lives has captivated humanity for millennia. In lab mice, scientists have spent about a century studying the cellular
Michael Harris II's Breakout Is Confirmed Two Ways, Not One
Fresh off the All-Star break, Michael Harris II went full highlight reel this weekend. If you're a Harris owner, you might expect another hot half, but you might be better off treating this weekend as a stepping-off point to trade for a more reliable asset. Statcast, always a downer, is a lot less impressed than conventional wisdom.
5 Reasons Why Some Gamers Swear By Sennheiser Headphones
Sennheiser headphones match premium listener profiles, have great spatial imaging, multiple open-back architecture options, and an optimized ergonomic design.
Major water company in distress as pool business collapses
Pentair (PNR) was one of the pandemic's quiet winners, riding America's backyard pool boom. However, that run ended this week. The company pre-announced weak second-quarter results on July 14, cut its full-year outlook, and revealed its CFO had left four days earlier. Shares dropped about 15% the ...
Royals' Michael Massey: Out of Sunday's lineup
Royals' Michael Massey: Out of Sunday's lineup
Windows 11's big 2026 update is almost here, and these 10 things you need to know before upgrading could save you time and frustration
Windows 11 2026 (26H2) Update looks like a new version, but it follows Microsoft's newer approach of smaller, faster upgrades.
AIPAC has spent a record amount on Michigan's Senate primary, the biggest test of its influence yet
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens is benefiting from tens of millions in pro-Israel spending in her race to be the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan.
AIPAC Has Spent a Record Amount on Michigan's Senate Primary, the Biggest Test of Its Influence Yet
SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — Senate candidate Haley Stevens talks often about manufacturing, taking on President Donald Trump and why she’s the Democrat best positioned to win Michigan. The congresswoman has far less to say about the pro-Israel group that has spent millions trying to get her elected.
NH's Business: Could the life science industry drive NH economy?
Fred Kocher sits down with Lucy Lange with the NH Department of Business & Economic affairs and Andrea Hechavarria with NH Life Sciences about how the life science industry has impacting the state's economy.
NH's Business: Could the life science industry drive NH economy?
Fred Kocher sits down with Lucy Lange with the NH Department of Business & Economic affairs and Andrea Hechavarria with NH Life Sciences about how the life science industry has impacting the state's economy.
Housing costs is the top political issue for young voters, CNBC survey finds
The cost of housing is the top priority for voters ages 18 to 34, besting food and healthcare cost concerns, the CNBC All-America Economic Survey found.
Scientists found two powerful new ways to destroy forever chemicals
Scientists are testing two promising ways to destroy PFAS, the stubborn “forever chemicals” that can accumulate in water and resist normal treatment. One method uses collapsing vapor bubbles to generate extreme heat and reactive molecules, while the other uses cold plasma and rising gas bubbles to pull PFAS to the surface and break them apart.
New AI blood test predicts heart disease 15 years early
A new AI-powered blood test could give people a remarkably early warning of serious heart and circulation problems. Developed by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, CardiOmicScore analyzes thousands of proteins and metabolites to estimate the risk of six major cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Unlike genetic risk scores, which remain fixed throughout life, the system captures biological changes linked to a person’s current health, lifestyle, and environment.
A tiny universe in a bottle reveals clues to the origins of life
Researchers have created cosmic dust from scratch by recreating space-like conditions inside glass tubes. The dust contains complex carbon-rich molecules built from elements essential to life and produces infrared signals similar to real material found in space. By studying these laboratory samples, scientists can explore how organic chemistry unfolds around stars and how comets, asteroids and meteorites may have carried those ingredients to Earth.
Michigan will have a new football and basketball coach at the same time…again
As was the case in 2024, Michigan will have two new coaches in its biggest sports:
Small Business Technology News Roundup: IBM Shares Crash, ChatGPT To Replace Wall Street Analysts
IBM shares collapse, OpenAI says AI will replace workers, Upwork says AI is reshaping freelancing, Microsoft will let you pause Windows 11 updates, Expensify consolidates travel billing
5 Powerful Laptops Cheaper Than MacBook Air After The Price Hike
With the MacBook Air getting more expensive, a few options from Lenovo, Microsoft Surface, HP, and Asus can offer good power and value for money.
Why the Trump effect is different in 2026 than 2018
The brightest warning light for Democrats in this year’s election is the consistent finding in early national and state polls that they are not winning nearly as large a share of voters who disapprove of President Donald Trump’s performance as they did during his first term. Paradoxically, that dynamic could represent a major danger for Republicans if it proves unsustainable through November.
Evan Engram is key to unlocking the Broncos offense
Evan Engram adds an element to the Broncos offense that could make it more dynamic given he’s utilized properly.
Restoring Britain’s health to 2014 levels could add 2% to GDP, thinktank says
Health Foundation paper argues health is an economic asset and improving it could generate £72bn for public finances
Red Wings Prospect Enjoying His Michigan Summer
The post Red Wings Prospect Enjoying His Michigan Summer appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now. When JP Hurlbert heard his name called by the Detroit Red Wings on the night of the NHL Entry Draft […] The post Red Wings Prospect Enjoying His Michigan Summer appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.
🫨 Why he's irreplaceable: France star breaks Pelé record
France may have lost the spectacular third-place match against England 4–6, but Michael Olise still broke an incredible record once set by Pelé. With a total of seven assists, he is now the player ...
Patriots Fans Will Love Cooper DeJean’s A.J. Brown Admission
Philadelphia Eagles corner Cooper DeJean would love to match up against a certain New England Patriots wide receiver. DeJean spoke at the Exciting Mics forum at Fanatics Fan Fest over the weekend and talked about one receiver you would like to match up against.If you’re looking for an answer, it is one of his former […] The post Patriots Fans Will Love Cooper DeJean’s A.J. Brown Admission appeared first on HEAVY.
Mason McCormick expected to play new position in 2026
The Steelers have a potential All-Pro center in Zach Frazier and two young rising offensive linemen in guard Mason McCormick and tackle Troy Fautanu.
Abdul El-Sayed backers see 'pick-a-side moment' in Senate primary
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said the campaign fight unfolding in Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senate primary was "democracy versus oligarchy."
Prominent local sports analyst names MSU AD candidate to monitor
Who will be the next Michigan State athletic director? A prominent local sports analyst has provided a candidate to keep an eye on moving forward
It's Abdul El Sayed vs. billionaires, Bernie Sanders says in Detroit
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders visited Michigan to stump for progressive candidates July 18.
This wild Microsoft tech may solve data storage and backup crisis forever
Future data storage backup crises may become a thing of the past, thanks to Microsoft's groundbreaking technology innovation.
Bernie Sanders and AOC bring anti-establishment fight to Michigan
The progressive duo rallied Saturday for Abdul El-Sayed, whose Democratic Senate primary clash with Rep. Haley Stevens represents the latest battle over the party’s future.
Bernie Sanders dismisses Haley Stevens, says Michigan race is against the 'billionaire class'
Sen. Bernie Sanders says Michigan's Democratic Senate primary isn't about Rep. Haley Stevens but whether the billionaire class can stop El-Sayed.
Flamenco class during Concert of Colors at Michigan Science Center
Lisa Montes of Ann Arbor leads a group of children in a beginner’s flamenco workshop, held as part of the annual Concert of Colors music and culture event, on Friday, July 17, 2026 at the Michigan Science Center in Detroit.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin on two sports businesses his multi-billion-dollar conglomerate won't enter
Fanatics has become one of the most influential companies in sports, building out a massive merchandise, collectibles and sports gambling platform.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin on two sports businesses his multi-billion-dollar conglomerate won't enter
Fanatics has become one of the most influential companies in sports, building out a massive merchandise, collectibles and sports gambling platform.
Philippine Science Department Expands Academic Partnerships to Push EV Adoption
Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription, on Patreon, or on Stripe. Help us produce all of the high-quality, original content we publish week after week despite the challenges of content-scraping AI, antisocial media, inflation, and other hurdles. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is mounting a coordinated push ... [continued]
Windows 11’s massive July 2026 update fixes 570 vulnerabilities and shows how AI is quietly reshaping Patch Tuesday itself
Microsoft says AI is reshaping Windows security, and the July 2026 Patch Tuesday update is the first major sign of what's coming.
ARKANSAS A-Z: Black men’s business league embraced economic advances
The Arkansas Negro Business Men's League was created by prominent Black business and professional leaders at a meeting in Little Rock on Dec. 31, 1902-Jan 1, 1903. The state organization grew out of the National Negro Business League, created in 1900 and headed by Booker T. Washington, principal of Alabama's Tuskegee Institute and one of the most prominent spokesmen for Black communities at the time.
"There has to be a reason for people to buy an Xbox": Making sense of Microsoft's messy return to console exclusivity
The Saturday Read | Senior leaders across Xbox detail why the platform is returning to console exclusivity, and explain why Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are only the beginning
Earth’s biggest volcanic event transformed an entire oceanic plate
Seismic waves have revealed that the oceanic plate beneath the Ontong Java Plateau was dramatically transformed by the colossal volcanic activity that created it more than 100 million years ago. Researchers found a complex structure of horizontal layers cut through by vast swarms of vertical magma channels, along with unusually slow seismic waves suggesting that deep-rising magma chemically altered the plate itself.
Michigan health insurers seek large rate hikes for 2027
The proposed rate hikes are slightly smaller than last year's, but still in the double-digits for many plans.
4 Disadvantages Of Using Microsoft Word Instead Of Google Docs
MS Word's Ribbon interface is not beginner-friendly, there's no free offline version, working in the cloud requires setup, and there are formatting issues.
Asus releases new gaming laptop globally with Mini LED display and more powerful processor
Asus has finally released one of its long-awaited gaming laptops globally. Now available with a 1,200-nit Mini LED display, the ROG Strix G18 also features a more powerful processor and a refined design to improve ergonomics.
I'm an enterprise consultant, and here's the truth about AI layoffs
Max Votek, an enterprise consultant on AI adoption, said that AI layoffs are not what they seem to be and explains the economics behind the scenes.
Rooney, Hart and Richards row down Hudson River
Wayne Rooney rows down the Hudson River with fellow BBC pundits Joe Hart and Micah Richards.
Anaheim’s 100-acre, $5 billion entertainment district reveals first 6 kitchen concepts for its massive new food hall opening in early 2027
The two-story Katella Commons will eventually house 21 kitchens, bringing Michelin-recognized chefs to the Honda Center plaza.
Smoky skies didn’t stop Festa Italiana as crowds filled Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights
Festa Italiana continued at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights despite hazardous air quality across southeast Michigan caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires.
MSU Museum showcases ‘Science on a Sphere’ exhibit
The interactive NOAA display is one of only four in Michigan
Ballot initiative to block political donations by utilities and contractors advances
The Michigan elections bureau on Friday recommended certification of a ballot initiative that, if passed, would significantly restrict political spending by regulated utilities and large government contractors.
Proposal to ban DTE, Consumers political donations has enough signatures
The petition initiative from Michiganders for Money out of Politics has enough valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
North Carolina scientists find airborne microplastics warm Earth as much as 200 coal plants
"We really need every single thing at our disposal."
UT Health San Antonio’s $1 billion multiyear investment helps meet demand for care
Healthcare is a strong economic driver in San Antonio, generating more than $43 billion annually and supporting nearly 200,000 jobs across the region, according to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. As the region's academic health center, UT Health San Antonio contributes approximately $3.2 billion annually through patient care, research, education and workforce development.
New business expected to bring 100 jobs, $4m investment to Levelland
The LEDC announced a 10-year economic development partnership with Stealth Energy Services following negotiations that began in April 2025.
Ranking Member Markey, Senator Hirono Reject Trump’s SBA Policy Proposal that Harms Underserved Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Letter (PDF) (Washington, July 17) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. The 8(a) Business Development Program was created by Congress more than 50 years ago to level the playing field for small business owners and entrepreneurs who have faced discrimination in starting and operating their businesses. The SBA’s proposed change ignores the existence of historic discrimination that minority and underserved small businesses have faced and continue to face. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “SBA’s proposed rule ignores present-day barriers that entrepreneurs from minority and underserved communities face. Discrimination is not dead; minority entrepreneurs continue to face reduced access to contracting opportunities and capital, as well as racial threats and targeting, including unequal treatment, refusal by others to work with minority-owned firms, being called racial slurs, and bias in the workplace. These barriers lead to wide underutilization of, and less revenue for, minority-owned businesses compared to majority-owned businesses, as supported by decades of disparity studies. The proposed rule diminishes the history of systemic racial and ethnic discrimination in the United States by claiming that remedies for discrimination create discrimination in and of themselves.” The lawmakers continued, “The program has always been open to anyone who can prove they have experienced prejudice or cultural bias in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and other facets of our society. Nonetheless SBA has moved forward with the proposed rule. It lacks a reasoned basis, purporting that the federal government has discriminated against White Americans, but offering no substantive qualitative or quantitative data or research in support. If the examples provided in the proposed rule are the only basis for what constitutes discrimination to the agency, they are woefully insufficient. The final rule must provide strong evidence that there is discrimination against White individuals and show how the rule is narrowly tailored to address it. The record remains devoid of evidence of discrimination against White individuals on the basis of race.” Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect federal programs that address historic discrimination against small business owners from minority and underserved communities, and for a small business agenda that ensures economic opportunity for all. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a statement condemning the SBA’s proposed changes to the 8(a) Business Development Program. Also in June, Ranking Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses, including minority-owned small businesses. In February, Ranking Member Markey, alongside Senators Hirono and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), introduced the Strengthening Place-based Access, Resources, and Knowledge (SPARK) Act to spur entrepreneurship and increase access to capital and resources for underserved entrepreneurs nationwide. Ranking Member Markey previously held a field hearing in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to discuss how government and the private sector can come together to make entrepreneurship more accessible for underserved communities. Earlier in February, Ranking Member Markey secured funding with the Appropriations Committee for Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, SCORE Chapters, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers and provisions to rein in the Administration’s attempts to eliminate programs that support women, veterans, and underserved entrepreneurs. In January, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to oppose rule changes that would gut protections against discriminatory lending practices that harm small businesses. In December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler expressing significant concerns with the SBA’s overly burdensome request and unclear guidance for extensive financial documentation over the holidays, as a part of their sweeping attempts to dismantle the 8(a) Business Development Program. In July and December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator demanding answers about the Trump administration’s efforts to limit economic opportunity for American entrepreneurs, including immigrants. In May 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the SBA Administrator rejecting President Trump’s FY 2026 budget proposal and calling on SBA to immediately release funding for the entrepreneurial development programs, which include programs like the Women’s Business Centers and the Veteran’s Business Development Centers that support underserved small business owners. In April 2025, Ranking Member Markey introduced the New Start Act of 2025 to establish a five-year pilot program providing grants to support entrepreneurial development training for currently or formerly incarcerated individuals. In February 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator and Government Accountability Office (GAO) condemning President Trump’s war on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies and asking how the SBA intends to implement Trump’s anti-DEIA executive orders. ###
Fanatics’ Michael Rubin on taking the sports platform to the next level
Michael Rubin has built one of the most influential platforms in sports, evolving Fanatics from a merchandise leader to a multi-pronged, billion-dollar platform. Rubin spoke with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit about the opportunities he sees for Fanatics.
Kraken CEO warns that Washington state business leaders are eyeing exits
Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Kraken NHL team and one of the key figures pushing to return the SuperSonics NBA franchise to Seattle, dished some economic words of warning for state lawmakers on Thursday.
UT San Antonio academic health center ranked among nation’s best for entrepreneurial readiness
UT Health San Antonio, The University of Texas at San Antonio’s academic health center, has been recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 institutions for entrepreneurial readiness, ranking No. 7 in the inaugural Cure Innovation Index for how effectively it helps researchers translate scientific discovery into real-world impact through biomedical innovation and commercialization. […]
Great Lakes Sports & Entertainment Network to air Loons-Whitecaps Game 2
The Great Lakes Loons will will play Game two of of their three-game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps, and there’s a new way to watch.
Michigan’s ‘money out of politics’ group confident in signature validity as it faces new challenge
Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers plan to take up the Michiganders for Money Out Of Politics petition next week, assessing both the sufficiency of its signatures collected over the last year, as well as a direct challenge to those signatures.
Lettuce at Taco Bell confirmed as source of a diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak
The CDC warned consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia
Huntington University Hires Dr. Aaron Wilkinson as Chair of Department of Business and Economics
Huntington University is a private, four-year, Christian school of the liberal arts in Indiana offering more than 70 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs.
Near-Earth asteroid not an asteroid at all
1998 SH2's story is a 30-year-long cosmic identity crisis.
Michigan football trending for elite legacy recruit out of Ohio
Michigan football is trending to land Ohio legacy recruit Asa Burch, a four-star edge rusher from Warren Harding.
Fast food, fries, and science: Inside U-M’s lab studying cravings
Inside a tucked-away laboratory in East Hall at the University of Michigan, researchers recreated a fast-food restaurant—not to serve lunch, but to answer a question millions of people wrestle with every day: Why do people make different food choices in tempting environments than they intended?
Andy Burnham Calls for 'New Politics' in U.K. in First Speech as Labour Leader
"We must recognize that this generation of politicians, myself included, have failed to challenge a political culture and an economic model that simply doesn't work well enough for ordinary people."
Rudolph Marcus, Who Illuminated Electrochemical Processes, Dies at 102
He received a 1992 Nobel Prize for developing a theory that explained fundamental processes behind photosynthesis, respiration, oxidation and even how fireflies produce light.
iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features
It is now mid-July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now just two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more.
Watch: Why Health Insurers Are Winning, But Hospitals Are Losing
Live updates on markets and the top finance, economics and business stories. Plus the latest on oil prices, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq.
Wildfire smoke creates health concerns across Michigan, resulting in closures and cancellations
As a sepia-toned haze continues to blanket communities throughout Michigan, some government offices, local businesses and event hosts are closing up shop, as state officials urge residents to limit their time outdoors due to hazardous air quality.
Did this scientist solve humanity’s biggest mystery? The surprising theory explained - Futura-Sciences
From behind the Iron Curtain Gánti was born in Vác, Hungary, on September 10, 1933. He grew up during World War II and the subsequent Soviet occupation. Though he trained as a chemical engineer and worked in industrial biochemistry, his lifelong obsession was a fundamental question: what actually defines something...
8 Chicago officers face firing over federal small business loan fraud
The officers are among 28 cops accused of lying on government documents in order to receive funding meant to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic
Trump regulator orders Kalshi to defy Michigan court – escalating battle over prediction markets
The Trump administration took an extraordinary step this week to escalate its nationwide efforts to prevent states from regulating prediction markets, where users can trade on real-world events like sports, politics and pop culture.
Bay City-area semiconductor plant once touted by Biden to shutter
President Joe Biden visited the semiconductor wafer manufacturer near Bay City in 2022 and hailed it as a "game changer" for domestic chip production.
Irvine video game maker Obsidian Entertainment lays off 52
Irvine-based video game development studio Obsidian Entertainment is laying off 52 workers as part of a larger restructuring to reset Microsoft’s Xbox video game business.
The future of oncology: Early-career scientists need mentorship and a new academic model
The early years of a scientific career can be unforgiving. For junior investigators, starting a lab is a high-pressure moment: Securing that first National Institutes of Health grant, publishing meaningful work, and proving they belong. It’s a period marked by uncertainty and, often, anxiety about whether it will all come together. I’ve seen that play […]
'Shared cosmic experience': 'Potentially hazardous' asteroid Apophis could be visible to 90% of Earth's population during ultraclose 2029 flyby, new maps reveal
Researchers predict that up to 7.6 billion people will be able to see the potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis fly past Earth on April 13, 2029. The skyscraper-size space rock will come closer than some satellites, making it clearly visible to the naked eye.
Bethesda teases Fallout 5 soon after Xbox’s mass layoffs
Microsoft’s gaming division attempts to share some good news amid the fallout of its large-scale ‘reset.’
Rep. Michael McCaul pushes for Russia sanctions bill to honor Lindsey Graham
The bill would not only impose sanctions on Russia, but secondary sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russian energy.
A new kind of chill: Cryo Lab business open in Kenosha
A business recently opened in Kenosha offers the benefits of the cold without winter weather or having to jump into Lake Michigan. CryoLabs opened its doors in Kenosha in May.
Even Microsoft couldn’t make Windows 11 work well on 8GB of RAM
RAMageddon claims another.
Cramer, Mulvaney Garner College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Accolades
Springfield, Mass. – July 17, 2026 – Springfield College men's volleyball senior Dylan Mulvaney (Reston, Va.) and men's gymnastics junior Peyton Cramer (Grapevine, Texas) have earned spots on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Teams this year for their hard work in the classroom and in their sports during the 2025-26 academic year.
Supplement that binds to microplastics may remove them from our body
A supplement comprised of dead bacteria seems to remove microplastics, and prevent their absorption into cells, by attracting them to the bacteria's rough surfaces
VOICES: Wildfire smoke exposes a hard truth — why staying indoors isn't enough in Michigan
I have lived my entire life in Southeast Michigan, and until the summer of 2023, wildfire smoke was not something we regularly experienced here. Today,
Recruiting Roundup: Michigan looking to flip rising recruit committed elsewhere
Michigan Football is targeting a recruit committed elsewhere that plans on officially visiting for the Oklahoma game. That and more in today’s Recruiting Roundup:
UK Politics Live Updates: Andy Burnham to Replace Starmer as Labour Party Leader
Mr. Burnham is expected to promise in a speech more public control of essential services, a shift of power toward local governments and a push for economic growth.
American College of Radiology pans proposal to shake up federal grantmaking
ACR believes a proposal to add restrictions around research funding could have "a chilling effect on academic research and innovation in the United States.”
Global tech stocks fall as chip sell-off deepens; Burberry sales boosted by gen Z shoppers
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Scientists discovered a plastic-eating fungus in the Amazon rainforest that survives without oxygen and could one day help tackle landfill waste worldwide
Deep within the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, scientists discovered a fungus with an extraordinary ability that could offer new clues in the fight against plastic pollution. Known as Pestalotiopsis microspora, the fungus can break down polyester polyurethane, a widely used type of plastic, and use it as a source of carbon.
Entire business development team at Kansas City's EDC let go in restructuring
The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City has eliminated its entire business development team, saying the move is part of a restructuring.
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
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