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Results for " Defense " 1,955 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Jaguars D/ST Is Must-Draft Fantasy Football Sleeper

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a solid defense and special teams when it pertains to a choice in a fantasy football league. But the reality is that if you want to wait on the D/ST position in your draft, the Jags become a must-draft sleeper. The reason is actually simple: Their schedule to open the season […] The post Jaguars D/ST Is Must-Draft Fantasy Football Sleeper appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 6 • 5:11 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
☹️ Negative (-10%)
Ashton Jeanty Learned Football On Defense In Texas

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty was once a safety playing high school football in Texas.

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Sep 6 • 4:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Richard Sherman blasts Bengals defense in AFC North prediction

Richard Sherman explained why a healthy Joe Burrow still isn't enough for him to pick the Cincinnati Bengals to win the AFC North in 2026.

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Sep 6 • 4:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Connor McDavid Teams Up With Maple Leafs Defenseman In Offseason

The Edmonton Oilers are essentially in “win now” mode considering that star captain Connor McDavid is entering the first of the two-year extension that he agreed to in October of last season.McDavid, regarded as the NHL’s top player and who has now lost twice in the Stanley Cup Final, has essentially declared that the Oilers […] The post Connor McDavid Teams Up With Maple Leafs Defenseman In Offseason appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 6 • 3:46 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Girona earns three points at El Molinón

Girona secured three valuable points at El Molinón after defeating Sporting de Gijón 0-2. Quique Álvarez's team delivered a solid and effective performance, especially in defense, against an Asturi...

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Sep 6 • 1:15 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Quinnen Williams Praises 'Night-And-Day' Difference In Cowboys Defense
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Sep 6 • 12:54 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Ex-New York Jets Progress Report: Part II (Defense)

Catching up with some old friends

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Sep 6 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL Execs Believe In Broncos Defense But Still Have Doubts

The Denver Broncos are ranked high in every preseason list, but NFL executives don't completely believe in them.

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Sep 6 • 10:48 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How Christian Braun Can Bounce Back for Nuggets This Season

Braun's new contract kicks in this season, and Denver needs the shooting and defense from 2024-25 to come back with it.

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Sep 6 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Dolphins’ new-look secondary has something to prove in 2026

The Miami Dolphins' young cornerback trio enters 2026 with high expectations and a chance to establish itself as a strength of their defense.

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Sep 6 • 8:52 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
49ers’ Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw Get Key Rams Game Message

The San Francisco 49ers have a major question mark on defense regarding their pass rush. Nick Bosa is expected to play in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in Australia. Nonetheless, apart from the pass rush that’s leaning heavily on Bosa, a Niners reporter sees two other players who need to […] The post 49ers’ Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw Get Key Rams Game Message appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 6 • 7:23 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Red Raiders Take Down ACU 33-10 with Conservative Offense

No. 12-ranked Texas Tech began its Big 12 championship defense with a victory over FCS Abilene Christian.

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Sep 5 • 10:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Jones defense holds off late Evans surge in Soul Bowl

Jones football coaches have pretty much come to the expectation that the defense is going to win games for the Tigers, at least in the early part of the season. That was quite evident at Evans on Saturday afternoon in this year’s edition of the Soul Bowl. The Jones defense came up with a third-quarter goal-line stand, had seven sacks and added an interception, wreaking havoc on the Trojans’ ...

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Sep 5 • 10:18 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Hawkeye Football: Instant Reaction NIU vs Iowa

A sleeping giant awakens as Iowa’s offense finds its groove and the defense shuts down Northern Illinois.

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Sep 5 • 8:13 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Scientists find a weak spot in one of the deadliest brain cancers

Researchers may have found a new way to weaken glioblastoma’s defenses against treatment. Blocking a protein called SET prevented tumors from forming in preclinical models, while targeting related proteins made cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation. The strategy works by restoring activity of PP2A, an enzyme that glioblastoma cells appear to suppress. Human testing will be needed to determine whether the approach is safe and effective.

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Sep 5 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Change Before Orioles Game

After taking the first two games of their series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox will send their top pitcher, Sonny Gray, out to the mound on Saturday night to win the series.As for the lineup and defense behind him, interim manager Chad Tracy is mixing things up both defensively and with his […] The post Boston Red Sox Announce Wilyer Abreu Change Before Orioles Game appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 5 • 7:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Turnovers Are the Hallmark of UCF’s Defense

From Jayden Williams’ explosive pick-six to relentless strip-sacks, the Knights are weaponizing takeaways to transform their defensive identity and fuel a dominant start to the season.

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Sep 5 • 6:54 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Post Match Reaction: Dortmund Complete the Comeback in Hoffenheim

Borussia Dortmund did it the hard way today in only their second match of the season. Away to Hoffenheim, the Black and Yellows went two goals behind, leaving it all to do with thirty minutes to play. Waldemar Anton took charge, sporting the captain’s armband, blasting through the Hoffenheim defense at a lax moment to […]

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Sep 5 • 4:32 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (10%)
Defenses worth prioritizing in 2026 fantasy football drafts

If you're going to use a premium pick on a D/ST, here are your options

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Sep 5 • 3:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (43%)
love
100%
Notre Dame star LB questionable, WR ruled out vs. Badgers

Notre Dame may have one of their stars back on defense for the season opener.

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Sep 5 • 2:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NFL Executives Flag DeMarvion Overshown Health As Cowboys Variable

Multiple NFL executives identified DeMarvion Overshown’s health as a key variable for the Dallas Cowboys defense entering the 2026 season.

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Sep 5 • 10:58 AM EDT • Health • dallassportsjournal.com
Texas, Texas State meet for first time since 1930

No. 5 Texas opens the season against a veteran Texas State team that will provide an early test for Will Muschamp's new-look defense.

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Sep 5 • 10:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Green Bay Packers receive low defensive ranking from PFF prior to Week 1 of 2026 NFL season

The Green Bay Packers defense has a lot to prove in 2026. Unfortunately, one of those things is that they can play well without All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons. He, of course, is out for at least the first four games of the season as he works his way back from a torn ACL. With [...]

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Sep 5 • 9:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
☹️ Negative (-7%)
Complacency Might Be Biggest Issue For Broncos Defense

The Denver Broncos have a dominant defense, and that comes with the risk of complacency going into this season.

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Sep 5 • 9:32 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Quinnen Williams sees growth in the Cowboys defense

Quinnen Williams has become so important for the Cowboys.

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Sep 5 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
GM vs. Ford: U.S. defense, energy sectors add to automakers' century-old rivalry

General Motors and Ford are looking for new potential growth areas, including by seeking military contracts and getting into energy storage businesses.

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Sep 5 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
Letters: Clippers and Kawhi get off easy; fans are big losers

Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the NBA's penalties for the Clippers, USC's defense, the Angels sale and more.

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Sep 5 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • latimes.com
Three killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, health ministry says

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon "in response to Hezbollah’s attempted attack yesterday against IDF troops operating in the security zone."

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Sep 5 • 5:04 AM EDT • Health • euronews.com
Commanders defense has several reasons to be optimistic for 2026

There's no question that Washington's defense will be much better in 2026. How much better?

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Sep 5 • 4:01 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
love
100%
Poor pitching, defense leads to another Reds loss to Brewers

The Reds have now lost seven of eight games against the Brewers this season.

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Sep 4 • 10:18 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Las Vegas defense attorney says Lindsay Clancy mistrial points to mental health defense strength

With the Lindsay Clancy murder trial ending in a mistrial, a prominent attorney breaks down why the 11-1 deadlock in favor of insanity is a win for the defense.

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Sep 4 • 10:11 PM EDT • Health • fox5vegas.com
🙂 Positive (38%)
love
50%
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Mike Norvell on SMU: ‘I love coaching in these games’

On Labor Day, Florida State and SMU face off for only the second time in the history of their programs. SMU will deploy a vaunted and aggressive passing offense against a Florida State defense that, at times, was not aggressive enough in their pass defense against New Mexico State in week zero.

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Sep 4 • 7:48 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
4 bold predictions for the Chargers' defense in 2026

From defensive takeaways to star-studded performances, these four bold predictions showcase how we expect the Chargers' defense to perform in 2026.

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Sep 4 • 7:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Maple Leafs’ Chris Tanev Breaks Silence With Important Health Update

The Toronto Maple Leafs were anything but fully healthy last season, as several key players missed weeks of time with various ailments. One such player was defenseman Chris Tanev, who was limited to 11 games.Tanev missed time because of a concussion and later, because of a core-muscle injury that took place shortly after he returned […] The post Maple Leafs’ Chris Tanev Breaks Silence With Important Health Update appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 4 • 6:13 PM EDT • Health • sports.yahoo.com
Pentagon agreement with NIH on biodefense draws alarm from Democrats

The deal is being criticized by Democrats who warn it could allow the Defense Department to go around Congress and gain access to billions of dollars meant for infectious disease research.

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Sep 4 • 5:36 PM EDT • Politics • seattletimes.com
Broncos Hope to Capitalize On Injury to Chiefs Key Guard

The Denver Broncos defense will be hunting matchups in Kansas City on Week 1, and Trey Smith could be a target.

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Sep 4 • 1:43 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Pentagon Agreement With N.I.H. on Biodefense Draws Alarm From Democrats

Under a new partnership, the Defense Department would play a larger role in biodefense and pandemic preparedness. Democrats warned it could allow a Pentagon cash grab.

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Sep 4 • 12:24 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Special adviser to Hegseth explains that military testosterone guidance was rescinded after being posted ‘inadvertently’
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Sep 4 • 12:15 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Apple Cup Preparation for Washington, Prediction

For the second straight year, Jedd Fisch and Washington have to prepare for a reshuffled Washington State program with a coaching staff and personnel overhaul. Former Oregon State defensive coordinator and head coach Trent Bray now calls the Cougar defense. Washington State head coach Kirby Moore’s offense stems from his stint as the offensive coordinator …

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Sep 4 • 12:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Illinois Football Defense Remains a Concern

Illinois football opened the 2026 season with a 44-23 victory over UAB, but the Illini's defensive performance left plenty of questions.

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Sep 4 • 9:09 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NATO drills highlight Iceland's role in Arctic defense

Iceland is at the heart of NATO monitoring activities in the North Atlantic and Arctic amid rising Russian and Chinese presence. DW reports from a NATO exercise practicing submarine attack scenarios.

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Sep 4 • 2:17 AM EDT • Politics • dw.com
Sterlington football takes the first step with Franklin Parish victory

Sterlington's title defense was once again on full display with a come-from-behind victory at Franklin Parish.

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Sep 4 • 1:41 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Seahawks Trade Addition Drops ‘Legendary’ Message After Joining Seattle

Rookie cornerback Avery Smith already sounds comfortable with the standard attached to playing defense in Seattle.Smith met with reporters Thursday after joining the Seattle Seahawks from the Los Angeles Chargers, and the former Toledo standout didn’t undersell the history he’s stepping into.“Legendary defenses are built in Seattle. LOB and now you got the MOB,” Smith […] The post Seahawks Trade Addition Drops ‘Legendary’ Message After Joining Seattle appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 4 • 12:12 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (63%)
Bold Rams Prediction Will Fire Up Los Angeles Fans

The Los Angeles Rams have been handed one of the boldest predictions heading into the 2026 NFL season, and it should give their fans plenty of reason for excitement. The forecast calls for the team to finish the year with both the league’s No. 1 scoring offense and No. 1 scoring defense, a feat accomplished […] The post Bold Rams Prediction Will Fire Up Los Angeles Fans appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

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Sep 3 • 10:17 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Trump Taps Army Engineering Official as Acting Secretary

The move came days after the resignation of Daniel P. Driscoll, who had clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the purge of top generals in the Army.

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Sep 3 • 7:37 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Pete Hegseth’s problems are getting harder to ignore

When GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell voted against Pete Hegseth for defense secretary last year, he bypassed the big-ticket controversies over Hegseth’s personal life and instead focused on his lack of experience.

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Sep 3 • 1:16 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Carencro oil & gas business plans to tap into SpaceX development

An oil and gas manufacturer plans to invest $25.5 million to expand its Carencro facility and focus new production lines on aerospace and defense.

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Sep 3 • 12:01 PM EDT • Business • lailluminator.com
Iran targets Kuwait in retaliation for U.S. bombardments

It came after U.S. allies Bahrain and Jordan said their air defense systems also intercepted several Iranian air attacks Wednesday

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Sep 3 • 10:05 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Getting to know Western Michigan ahead of Michigan’s season opener

A potent rushing attack and a defense with returning talent. Here’s what you need to know about Western Michigan ahead of Michigan’s season opener.

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Sep 3 • 6:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
‘Right in your face’: The science behind Maryland field hockey’s press defense

While the intensity of the Terps’ press defense stays consistent, part of what makes it so effective is the different shapes the players take on.

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Sep 3 • 12:33 AM EDT • Science • dbknews.com
Some elected Republicans are pushing back on Defense Secretary Hegseth’s overhaul of the military
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Sep 2 • 9:03 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Sony and Microsoft say they’re not obligated to pass U.S. tariff refunds to consumers, echoing Nintendo

Back in July, Sony executives told investors that the company expected to receive $508 million in refunds from the U.S. government, after tariffs that the PlayStation-maker paid were ruled mostly in 2025 were found to be illegal. “Most” of the refund would by recouped by Sony’s gaming division, its chief financial officer said. This week, Sony’s lawyers are arguing that the company is not legally obligated to pass those proceeds on to consumers who paid for recently price-hiked PlayStation consoles. That’s in the face of a lawsuit from gamers calling on them to do exactly that. “Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact,” the lawyers wrote in a legal motion filed on Monday, as they asked a judge in California’s Northern District to dismiss a potential class action lawsuit over the tariff refunds. Microsoft made a similar argument two weeks ahead of Sony’s lawyers, in a similar lawsuit brought by a gamer in federal court in Washington State. As Microsoft’s legal team put it on August 21, in their request for a dismissal of that lawsuit: “There is nothing unjust about Plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what he paid for—regardless of whatever theory he devised months later about Microsoft’s cost structure.” Both legal fights are set to go on for some time. How things got to this point U.S. tariffs impacting a wide range of imported goods, including game consoles, had kicked off in early 2025. In May 2025, Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox consoles, citing “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” They raised them again that September. In August of that year, Sony raised the price of PlayStation 5 consoles, citing “a challenging economic environment.” Sony later told investors that its tariff fees for the fall quarter were nearly $200 million. in February of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 2025 tariffs illegal, prompting impacted companies to begin to request refunds. In turn, consumers began suing the likes of Sony and Microsoft to get what they said was their share. The gamers in the Microsoft and Sony lawsuits argue that the 2025 price hikes of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, which added $50 or more to their sticker price, were due to illegal tariffs and should now be returned to consumers. The Sony suit started in May, when a group of gamers sued in federal court in California, saying Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) would be unjustly enriching itself if it did not pass tariff refunds to its PS5 buyers. “Sony is poised to be paid twice for the same unlawful tariff burden: once by its customers (through elevated prices) and once by the U.S. government (through tariff refunds),” the gamers’ lawyers wrote at the time. They called for Sony to partially reimburse anyone who bought a PlayStation in the U.S. since August 1, 2025. The Microsoft suit, filed by gamer Trevor Hastings against the Xbox giant in July, made similar claims. The console makers push back In late July, Nintendo’s lawyers, facing a similar suit accusing them of double-dipping on tariffs and refunds, replied with arguments that previewed Microsoft’s and Sony’s: “Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying,” they wrote. Sony has buttressed that Nintendo-style argument this week by saying that the gamers have failed to prove that tariffs were the reason for its August 2025 PS5 price hike. They call thatclaim “speculative and illogical.” Other factors, including “inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand,” could have played a role. (No, the Sony lawyers do not break down the costs and factors that officially triggered the price increases). Microsoft has also argued that there’s no proof in these lawsuits that tariffs drove all or some of the price increase, as it seeks to dismiss the tariff refund suit it’s facing: “Plaintiff provides no specific allegations that would establish any pricing differential attributable to tariffs or suggest any possibility that Microsoft applied then or could recreate now any dollar-for-dollar calculation of tariff-related pricing—any more than it could any other market factor that affects pricing.” To further skewer the gamer side’s argument in its case, Sony’s lawyers have pointed to what might be a surprising defense: yet another PlayStation 5 price hike from this past spring, after the tariffs were ruled illegal. “If the original price increase were attributable to tariffs, SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment, aka PlayStation] would have had no reason to raise prices again after the Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA tariffs.” … “If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated—not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs.” Judges have not yet ruled on the arguments made by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. Last week, Panic, the company behind the small, yellow Playdate handheld said it would be passing its tariff refunds on to consumers. It is the only gaming hardware maker to have made such a pledge. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my reporting, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: A reporter’s second Second Life Wagner James Au, who from 2003-2006 was paid by San Francisco-based tech company Linden Lab to be a full-time journalist embedded in their virtual world Second Life, is returning to the company. This time, he’ll be an editorial advisor and business development specialist, he tells Game File. The new role will involve trying to share the stories of people inhabiting Second Life’s ongoing online world with reporters and by extension the public. Au plans to continue to also chronicle some of that through his long-running blog New World Notes. I’ve known Au since the mid-2000s and featured him in a 2007 article for the Columbia Journalism Review about reporters like him opening up virtual news outlets within Second Life. As I wrote at the time: On April 22, 2003, writing as Hamlet Linden for the New World Notes blog on Second Life’s Web site, Au introduced himself. “For the next few months, Linden Lab has invited me to set aside my journalist cap, and instead, don the digital beanie of their in-house virtual correspondent.” He wasn’t paid to keep it positive. He wrote about builders and eccentrics, but then in August of that year, he reported on a tax revolt against Linden Lab (a complaint about the fees it charges users who build stuff) led by a resident whose avatar was a big cat. Second Life has always been less of a video game and more of a virtual world where people can live, hang out, make art, sell virtual items and flirt. Back in 2007, Au described touring it as “sort of like underwater lucid dreaming.” For the past two decades, Au has maintained New World Notes as an independent publication. But he said he’s been drawn back to Second Life and Linden Lab as a place to directly work. The virtual world has around 650,000 monthly active users, he said, “which is actually about what it was during the hype wave.” Au says he’s still finding rich stories in Second Life, the kind that keep him interested 20 years into the beat: “Over the last few months for instance, I wrote about an SL creator in Venezuela whose apartment was destroyed by the earthquakes, so the global SL community rallied to get him back on his feet,” he told me. “Then there’s the woman from a Middle Eastern country who explored her lesbian sexuality in SL, then earned enough from her virtual jewelry to escape her abusive family situation and country.” Au wants to beckon more reporters to give Second Life another look. He argues that it is often ahead of internet trends, noting, for example, an early backlash in the community against AI-made art. Now the platform is drawing curiosity from more of the user-generated content community who’ve grown up with the likes of Roblox, according to Au. “Second Life was too early during its hype wave in 2005-2010, but it now feels right for a new wave of interest,” he told me.

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Sep 2 • 8:21 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news
Republican Senator Calls On Trump to Replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Sen. Thom Tillis is urging the President to oust Hegseth because of what he described as “inept management.”

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Sep 2 • 6:59 PM EDT • Politics • time.com
Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on the Clinical G

The War Department remains focused on building and maintaining a ready, lethal fighting force prepared to dominate the battlefield and achieve peace through strength.

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Sep 2 • 2:41 PM EDT • Health • war.gov
Driscoll offers no reason for his exit as Army secretary

Tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported

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Sep 2 • 2:11 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Expert analyzes impact of Clancy trial on mental health care

Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno discusses the latest on the Lindsay Clancy trial during 'Outnumbered' as the jury continues deliberations for a fifth day.

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Sep 2 • 1:13 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com
Defeated by physics

The Pentagon's $3.2 billion bet on space-based boost-phase missile defense ignores basic orbital dynamics, offering no real protection while fueling a costly, destabilizing arms race in space.

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Sep 2 • 7:30 AM EDT • Science • thebulletin.org
Florida's 6-Foot-1 Enforcer Feels 'Disrespected' Before Season

Fueled by an All-SEC snub, junior linebacker Myles Graham aims to anchor a revitalized Gators defense and silence critics during head coach Jon Sumrall’s high-stakes debut season.

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Sep 1 • 7:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?

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

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Sep 1 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
The Hundred Line Was Meant To Be Different Than Fire Emblem

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy’s battles make you less concerned for your characters’ lives than other strategy RPGs

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Sep 1 • 2:30 PM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months on the job, White House says

No reason was given for the departure of Driscoll, who is a friend of Vice President JD Vance, but tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have been widely reported.

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Sep 1 • 10:43 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
EU chief diplomat taps ex-political, military leaders for defense group

The taskforce will focus on European defense as the bloc faces growing pressure to take more responsibility for its own security.

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Sep 1 • 8:01 AM EDT • Politics • politico.eu
The Epicycles of Identity Politics

One of the more revealing moments in what we now call “Woke 1” was the firestorm around the philosophy professor Rebecca Tuvel’s paper “In Defense of Transracialism.”

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Sep 1 • 6:57 AM EDT • Politics • compactmag.com
How Will Penguins Manage Veteran Defenseman's Workload in 2026-27?

Pittsburgh Penguins' 39-year-old defenseman Kris Letang will face heavy competition this season as he looks to hold onto a spot in the Penguins' top-four.

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Aug 31 • 11:59 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How the Pentagon Is Getting Into the Venezuelan Oil Business Under Trump

The Defense Department’s Office of Strategic Capital, founded by the Biden administration to give loans to bolster the U.S. defense industry, is helping lead President Trump’s oil deal.

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Aug 31 • 9:56 PM EDT • Business • nytimes.com
Bill Guerin speaks out about Quinn Hughes’ extension

Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin was at the Minnesota State Fair on Monday. He shared more information about extending star defenseman Quinn Hughes. Guerin sat on the Chad Hartman Show and was asked about the latest on re-signing Hughes. Furthermore, the relationship between Hughes and Guerin is in a good place. The two sides […] The post Bill Guerin speaks out about Quinn Hughes’ extension appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 31 • 7:29 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Lightning Have PTO Target In Former Blackhawks Defenseman
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Aug 31 • 6:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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What does the Lindsay Clancy trial tell us about treating maternal mental health?

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

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Aug 31 • 4:45 PM EDT • Health • npr.org
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Defense Dept., SBA aim to revamp US defense industrial pipeline

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler discusses how small businesses are working with the US government to replenish defense supplies amid the Iran conflict on 'The Claman Countdown.'

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Aug 31 • 4:33 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com
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Alcaraz wins US Open first-round match after injury layoff

Carlos Alcaraz opened his US Open title defense in solid fashion Monday, defeating Russia's Roman Safiullin in straight sets in his highly anticipated first singles match in more than four months.A powerful baseliner with a prior win over Alcaraz, Safiullin kept close in all three sets, but never looked likely to threaten the Spaniard.

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Aug 31 • 4:24 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Hanover volleyball looks to build defense after losing key seniors

Hanover Coach: Avery Kretschmar (1) League: NHIAA Division II Last Year: 12-5; loss in the quarterfinals Top Returners: Seniors — Sage Fargher (Setter), Bella Poisson (Outside), Casey Wilkinson (Libero), Esther Skogerboe (Middle) Newcomers: Juniors — Nour Tannous (Outside), Laila Sundred (Defensive Specialist), Amelia McGinnis (Right Side) Coach’s Analysis: “With the matriculation of seasoned front row […]

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Aug 31 • 11:05 AM EDT • Sports • vnews.com
Prominent Black Democrats rally behind Keisha Lance Bottoms

Republicans want to make Bottoms' record as Atlanta mayor a major liability in the governor's race, but her successor, Andre Dickens, offered an unequivocal defense on Sunday.

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Aug 31 • 9:06 AM EDT • Politics • ajc.com
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Only Daryus Dixson Until Penn State Football

Do you feel that extra bit of electricity in the air? That’s the feeling of a game week for Penn State Football – and the very first one of the Matt Campbell era. Daryus Dixson is set to play a major role for the defense in 2026. He played in every game as a highly-coveted […]

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Aug 31 • 8:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Experts weigh in on Lindsay Clancy's mental health defense and possible verdicts

Legal expert Kelly Hyman and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Sabrina Romanoff analyze Lindsay Clancy's mental health defense and the charges facing the jury on 'Fox News Live.'

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Aug 30 • 5:58 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com
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Dolphins cut 129-tackle starter in shocking defensive shakeup

The Dolphins are making a surprising change on defense, releasing Tyrel Dodson despite his career-high 129 tackles last season and clearing the way for rookie Jacob Rodriguez to take over a major role.

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Aug 30 • 12:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Experts clash over mental health issues in Clancy trial

Jury deliberations are expected to resume in the trial of Lindsay Clancy. The defense argues that Clancy suffered from postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated. Fox News' Madison Scarpino reports the latest.

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Aug 30 • 11:26 AM EDT • Health • foxnews.com
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Kuminga Agent Reveals Why Defense Won Over Lakers Money

Jonathan Kuminga's agent explains the real reason he chose the Timberwolves over the Lakers. Defense, not cash, drove the move.

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Aug 30 • 8:55 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Buccaneers Icon Believes Rookie Trotter Could Become Defense’s Best Player

Ronde Barber reveals just how great he and the Bucs organization believe that the second-round rookie linebacker will be.

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Aug 30 • 4:02 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Shohei Ohtani Is Suddenly in Serious Danger of Losing MVP

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's MVP defense is looking more and more unlikely as Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to amaze.

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Aug 30 • 2:26 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Blackhawks agree to 2-year contract with defenseman Kevin Korchinski

The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a two-year contract with defenseman Kevin Korchinski. Chicago announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The 22-year-old Korchinski posted two assists in 13 games with the Blackhawks last season.

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Aug 29 • 7:08 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
For at least 1 week, Bill Belichick has quieted the noise at UNC — and even cracked a smile

The Tar Heels played tough defense, didn't kill themselves with huge mistakes or penalties and generally made life tough for TCU. Sounds a lot like a Belichick-coached team, doesn't it?

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Aug 29 • 5:01 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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When the Nation's Top Health Official Becomes the Outbreak's Biggest Obstacle

RFK Jr. cast doubt on confirmed measles-associated deaths during Pennsylvania's worst outbreak in decades.

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Aug 29 • 10:45 AM EDT • Health • globalbiodefense.com
Boeing's Back in the Defense Business With a Big $131.2 Billion Order for New F-15 Fighters

Boeing's once-beleaguered defense business may drive future profits at the aerospace giant.

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Aug 29 • 7:50 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
Eagles 53-man roster projection ahead of 2026 final cuts

Here is Dave Zangaro’s final 53-man roster projection ahead of 2026 final cuts.

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Aug 29 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsphiladelphia.com
Seahawks news: Mike Macdonald 'really impressed' by Trevon Diggs contributions

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald came away extremely pleased with how quickly former Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs has acclimated to the defense, following Friday night’s 9-9 preseason tie against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Diggs, who signed with Seattle on Aug. 19 after past stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Green […] The post Seahawks news: Mike Macdonald 'really impressed' by Trevon Diggs contributions appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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Aug 29 • 3:33 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Dave Canales: 'The defenses were handling business'

Panthers head coach Dave Canales on wrapping up the preseason with a win over the Texans, cleaning up penalties, and he also provides injury updates ahead of cutdown weekend.

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Aug 28 • 10:34 PM EDT • Business • panthers.com
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Hughes due extension after Makar signs record-breaking deal

The Minnesota Wild’s clock is ticking to get defenseman Quinn Hughes signed after seeing Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar get a contract extension today. Makar signed a historic 8-year deal worth $163.4 million, which makes him the highest-paid player in NHL history. He’s the first NHL skater to be making over $20 million as an […] The post Hughes due extension after Makar signs record-breaking deal appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 28 • 8:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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New Mexico advocates push for stronger maternal mental health support amid Lindsay Clancy trial

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A high-profile murder trial in Massachusetts is drawing renewed attention to maternal mental health issues and prompting conversations about support systems available to parents in New Mexico.Lindsay Clancy has admitted to killing her three young children, but her defense team argues she is not criminally responsible because she was experiencing postpartum psychosis. […]

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Aug 28 • 8:51 PM EDT • Health • kob.com
Avalanche Set NHL History With Massive Cale Makar Extension

After weeks of speculation as to what his next contract could look like, the Colorado Avalanche and defenseman Cale Makar have come together on an extension that has officially set NHL history.On Friday, the Avalanche announced that they have signed Makar to an NHL-record $163.2 million contract extension over eight seasons. This means that Makar […] The post Avalanche Set NHL History With Massive Cale Makar Extension appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 28 • 8:31 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NC State vs. UVA: What are we watching for?

What are the early indicators, for better or worse? These are a few. 1.) Can NC State’s defense be more consistently disruptive on passing plays? State’s defense was really, really bad on passing downs last season—its havoc rate stunk, it was bad on a per-play basis, from an EPA basis, from pretty much every basis. […]

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Aug 28 • 8:04 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Cale Makar’s Record Contract Marks Fourth Landmark NHL Deal in 11 Months

The Colorado defenseman’s $20.4 million AAV smashes Celebrini’s record from July.

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Aug 28 • 7:17 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Dem candidate erupts in profane defense of Hasan Piker as party figures distance themselves

Christopher Rabb profanely defended podcaster Hasan Piker as Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats condemned the streamer's remarks as antisemitic.

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Aug 28 • 6:01 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Pete Hegseth is talking about a possible run for president in 2028, sources say

The defense secretary has floated a White House run with close friends and associates, two people said. And Hegseth sparked speculation with an event in Iowa this month.

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Aug 28 • 5:40 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
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Maxx Crosby Receives Strong Words After Raiders Lose to 49ers

The Las Vegas Raiders‘ preseason is now over after falling 18-12 to the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 27 at Allegiant Stadium. Moreover, it was the final reps that Fernando Mendoza received, as the No. 1 pick is likely to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins to start the 2026 NFL season. Against the Niners’ defense, […] The post Maxx Crosby Receives Strong Words After Raiders Lose to 49ers appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 28 • 3:19 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Sheer Nothingness: Marquette 0, Milwaukee 0

Yep, nothing doing in the Valley on Thursday, although that’s continuing good news for Mia Hurd and MU’s defense.

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Aug 27 • 10:53 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Browns Make Surprise Veteran Addition Ahead of Roster Cuts

The Cleveland Browns are adding a key, veteran piece to their defense as the final roster takes shape. The post Browns Make Surprise Veteran Addition Ahead of Roster Cuts appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 27 • 8:34 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science

“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

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Aug 27 • 6:47 PM EDT • Science • wessiler.substack.com
Zach Werenski Should Be Blue Jackets Captain, Says NHL Analyst

NHL analyst Mike Johnson says that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski should be named the team captain.Former Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner recently signed a free-agent contract with the Washington Capitals, leaving Columbus without a captain for this coming season.But according to Johnson, this is an easy call for the franchise to make in […] The post Zach Werenski Should Be Blue Jackets Captain, Says NHL Analyst appeared first on HEAVY.

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Aug 27 • 5:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Data center controversies have transformed midterms. Here's where different groups stand

Snowballing opposition to data centers in communities across the U.S. has transformed the midterm election landscape, thrown a wrench into the plans of the world’s richest companies and brought President Donald Trump to its defense.

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Aug 27 • 3:54 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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How A Tribal Health System Built A Wastewater Early-Warning System From Scratch

Tribal health org in remote Alaska proved wastewater surveillance can detect flu, RSV, and COVID-19 days before clinical cases in underserved communities.

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Aug 27 • 3:41 PM EDT • Health • globalbiodefense.com
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