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Lettuce at Taco Bell in 5 states confirmed as a source of diarrhea-causing parasite
Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations across five U.S. states as a source of the widespread outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
Oral health advocates try to unravel mystery of two NC budget paragraphs
A budget provision about dental Medicaid services, ambulatory surgical centers confounds oral health organizations, advocates.
UK’s Enviropods summer camp gives middle schoolers a look at weather science careers
The summer camp tour was designed to visit areas impacted by natural disasters in recent years. The stop in Perry County comes nearly four years after the devastating 2022 flood.
GTA 6 Hacker Moved to Prison for Retrial Two Years After Indefinite Sentence to Secure Hospital
The hacker behind the massive GTA 6 leak in September 2022 has been released from indefinite imprisonment at a secure hospital and is now awaiting a retrial.
N.Y. spending risks long term financial stability, state comptroller report says
The report shows spending continues to grow on programs like healthcare, education and childcare, but total reserves haven't kept up pace.
Michigan board did not discuss AD Warde Manuel's future at meeting
The University of Michigan Board of Regents did not discuss the future of athletic director Warde Manuel during a Thursday meeting.
Congress debates: Should daylight saving or standard time be year-round?
Legislation to make daylight saving time year-round passed the U.S. House this week and is now being considered by the Senate. It comes as many Americans disapprove of how the U.S. manages time.
Trump revives rule denying green cards over public benefits use
The policy was previously implemented by Trump, but it was reversed by Biden
Trump revives rule denying green cards over public benefits use
The policy was previously implemented by Trump, but it was reversed by Biden
SUD Industry Optimistic Despite Reimbursement Woes
This is an exclusive BHB+ article. A few months ago, I was moderating a panel on M&A in behavioral health, and a theme emerged: savvy buyers could get
Boone Co. man sentenced for major drug bust at Roscoe business
A Caledonia man finds out his prison sentence after pleading guilty to trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in 2022.
UConn Health Recognized as High Performer for Inclusive Care
National recognition from the Healthcare Equality Index highlights commitment to providing inclusive, patient-centered care for all.
Science center in W. Palm Beach gets $3M in state funds for expansion
Palm Beach donors have given millions to enlarge the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach, which got $3 million in new state budget.
CNBC rated Ohio 'Top State for Business.' Here's what that means — and what it doesn't.
Ohio Republicans are touting a CNBC business rating, but one of its authors says it doesn't mean that life is great for average Ohioans.
Google and Epic Abandon Settlement, Clearing the Way for Rival Android App Stores
Google and Epic Games this week withdrew their joint settlement agreement after it became clear the court was unlikely to allow it. With the settlement out, Google is bound by a permanent injunction issued in October 2024 requiring it to allow alternative app stores on Android devices. In a court filing [PDF], Google said that it plans to begin supporting alternative app stores on July 22. In a statement to The Verge, Google said it decided to withdraw the motion to avoid a prolonged legal fight.
The States Try to Topple WarnerMount…Thus Begins the Local Antitrust Era
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, it looks like it’s time for another strategy column. Can I finally avoid writing about M&A? No, it seems I cannot. Admittedly, I’m a week early with this column, since I usually put it out every other week. But this news couldn’t wait. This will make three “Most Important Stories” in a row with a merger or acquisition as its centerpiece. First, Roku-Fox (an acquisition), then Comcast-NBCUniversal (a divestment!), and now the State AGs and the WGA’s lawsuits against Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery (antitrust). M&A is usually the “most important” topic any given week, simply because a giant company merging or breaking up (or preventing those outcomes) can have the biggest impact on the streaming board. If you think about these companies as players in a game, changing the number of players is one of the biggest changes you can make. I shouldn’t really complain, either, since this lawsuit is very good news for customers and suppliers (econ speak for talent, workers and indie studios in Hollywood). So let me answer some questions about this potential trial, along with (shudder) making some heavily caveated predictions. I’ll also look at whether Hollywood must consolidate, whether or not the states can win, trouble at X-Box, Netflix’s YouTube binge, and more. Plus, I have five images that visualize this merger and the harm, including three brand new data looks you’ve never seen before. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Can The States and the WGA Stop Hollywood’s Consolidation (Crisis)? If every other newsletter and news outlet is writing about the same story, I try to avoid writing about it as well, but I can’t ignore a story this consequential. The story of the last year was the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery, and this development potentially extends that saga into 2027. As I tried to figure out my angle, I realized, like my last column, I’m again faced with a series of questions. These questions, though, are much more forward-looking. Will the states win? Will the WGA win? If so, what happens to Warner Bros. Discovery? Either way, will this chill the market for future mergers? So you know what that means: predictions. About the future, no less, the hardest thing to predict.1 Just remember: nothing here comes with a guarantee. And the more confident someone is in their predictions, the less you should trust them. This situation is incredibly fluid, nuanced, uncertain and tenuous. So let’s try to explain what may happen. Question: Why File this Lawsuit? I’ll admit, a few months back, I was fairly pessimistic about the fate of this lawsuit. Rumors had started bubbling up that the state Attorneys General (in particular California) wanted to settle with either some minor divestments (usually CNN) or behavioral remedies. And that tracked for me: the states usually settle lawsuits, like the recent John Deere right-to-repair suit. Yet, they plan to fight this. (As they did the LiveNation-Ticketmaster monopolization trial and the Nexstar-Tegna merger.) Honestly, that also makes a ton of sense. Frankly, this move is just good politics for these State AGs. Most are still running for higher and higher office in blue states—some folks have emphasized that only Democratic AGs joined this suit, but given the Ellison/Trump ties, and fears of retribution, that tracks—and a high profile case like this will help them move up the electoral ladder, especially since Paramount and its leadership (the Ellisons, father and heir) have sided with the other side of the political aisle. That makes them unsympathetic to Democratic voters and Hollywood workers in particular. Why did this lawsuit happen? In addition to the very real concerns about industry consolidation, this is why. That said, I don’t think we would have seen this lawsuit for Netflix and Warner Bros., simply because they’re more sympathetic and aligned with Democrats. But those consolidation concerns are real. The “town”—meaning Hollywood and such—really is seeing the damage of mergers on this industry. That’s why the WGA also filed its own lawsuit in defense of workers as well. (Wildcard: What about Europe? Will they try to stop the deal, too? There have been some rumors out of the UK they may try to fight the deal, and UK enforcers just stopped a Getty Images-Shutterstock tie up, so there is precedence. This argument could go either way, though. On one hand, the EU doesn’t need to step in, cause they states are handling it. On the other hand, this could make the EU’s case easier. Just imagine if both sides coordinated. I’ll simply say, “We’ll see!”) Question: Will The State AGs or the WGA Win? Can the state AGs play David to Paramount-Skydance’s Goliath here? That’s really the whole thing, isn’t it? If you know this result, you could make a lot of money. When things are uncertain, it’s tempting to shrug and say, “Eh” meaning it’s a 50/50 proposition. I wouldn’t, though. When in doubt, you should expect that the merging parties succeed. AT&T did successfully buy Warner Bros., after all, and Disney bought Fox without any challenges. Many judges are extremely sympathetic to mergers, and I’d bet the state AGs get a judge who will allow the merger. (Even Obama-appointed judges often allow mergers.) As I understand it, we’ll see two main attacks. First, theatrical films. The AGs are arguing that, when it comes to share of box office and the number of both “wide releases” and blockbuster (or “tentpole”) films, the merging parties will have over 27% market share. Now, the Supreme Court once ruled from on high that any merger that exceeds 30% is presumptively illegal, but that’s guidance, not an ironclad bar. Still, the states will have to argue that this is close to having too much power, and with that power, this will likely further worsen the theater/studio splits in particular. Indeed, as Matthew Stoller pointed out, “just five studios are responsible for 95% of all blockbusters; if this merger goes through, then Paramount and Disney will control 60% of that.” So yes, movie studios will be very concentrated after this merger. Want me to visualize some of that? Well, here’s the share of films that grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office since 2022. (Note: this isn’t all films released in over 3,000 screens, but it is a good look at market power.) First, here are the 43 films by studio: Notice all the blue (Disney), orange (Universal), and purple (Warner Bros)? Yeah, those studios are powerful, and this combines Paramount with one of them. Here’s the look by studio and share of the films that grossed over $200 million: Now, if you look at that and also think, “Huh, should we break up Disney?” I’m with you. I’ve seen some folks poo-poo this idea that this is a real category, but it is! For an upcoming article, I’ve been pulling data on the share of top 100 films at the box office as a share of total box office, and it’s massive. Here’s the chart: (This analysis looks at The-Number’s top 100 films and total domestic box office each year.) To be clear, tentpoles make up 80.7% of the box office each year, so I do think it’s a genuine market. (To be clear, films grossing over $50 million make up 80% of the domestic box office, and films grossing over $100 million make up 64.1%.) I mean, the top 100 films at the box office make up 95% of each year’s grosses. Worse, the combined studios will likely cut output to flex that market power. Everyone can just look at what happened to Disney and Fox to see the precedent. (With fewer films, the remaining theaters have to give more for those few films that remain.) Here’s an image I’ve used a lot, the share of wide-release films from Disney and Fox over time: The AGs will also argue that this consolidation will also impact the cable industry. In this case, the consolidation is actually worse, but that environment is…complicated. Paramount will argue that the cable industry is shrinking. That said, predictions that cable will “go to zero” also don’t look very well supported by the data, as the declines are shrinking, meaning “cable” or “vMVPDs” will likely stabilize at some point. Can the state Attorneys General win on those two main arguments? I honestly don’t know. Again, I’d bet no, since history in general supports that, but it depends on the judge/jury and how they interpret the arguments. Notably, Paramount won’t face accusations about monopoly power in other areas, like streaming, news, sports rights, or vertical integration. I tend to disagree with leaving out sports rights, but I also see the appeal for a simpler case. The states also aren’t really pushing novel theories about labor harm either, which should help. (By the way, Sean McNulty at The Ankler wrote a great run through of potential options, and Capitol Forum also wrote a great paper on theatrical consolidation. Both these pieces predated the lawsuit. Matthew Stoller is also out with his analysis of the pros and cons of the case too.) In some ways, the WGA’s case is even stronger. Quoting Sean McNulty’s summary: “The WGA is citing WARNAMOUNT as crossing a 30% market share in multiple sectors, a number that the Supreme Court has precedent for deeming “presumptively anticompetitive” in a market. According to the WGA numbers, WARNAMOUNT would have represented: - 35% of film writing jobs between 2021 and 2024 - 36% of TV writing projects between 2022 and 2025 - 38% of overall deals between 2021 and 2024” Notably, antitrust enforcers did win recently in the Penguin-Simon & Schuster merger by focusing on labor impact, so don’t count this thinking out. (Wildcard: Will the states try to get a jury trial? Most likely no, they’ll let a judge handle it. If I’m them, though, I’d try to put this in front of a jury. Juries tend to understand monopoly power in a more realistic way than judges faced with legions of economists.) Question: What if They Win? What if They Lose?
Windows 0-day drops the same day Microsoft releases record number of patches
HiveLegacy is a "powerful primitive" that's likely capable of other nefarious actions.
Health benefit premiums for NJ school workers expected to rise by 34%
New Jersey's beleaguered health plan for school workers faces another year of double-digit increases, the latest in a series.
Microsoft patches record number of security vulnerabilities, citing its use of AI
Microsoft's monthly release of security fixes, dubbed Patch Tuesday, resolved a record 570 security vulnerabilities across the company's product line, thanks to discoveries with AI.
Meet the Rest of This Year's Health Hero Challenge Semifinalists
Learn more about who they are, what they do, and what they stand for.
How the war in Ukraine impacts the law and politics of security guarantees
The paradoxical revival of security guarantees Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has revived the concept of security guarantees. Their content and scope have been central to scholarly and political debates about Kyiv’s resistance to the Russian aggression (see here and here). Yet, this revival highlights a paradox: if existing arrangements had been effective, […]
SonicWall warns of SMA1000 flaws exploited in zero-day attacks, patch now
SonicWall warns that threat actors have been exploiting two SMA1000 vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2026-15409 and CVE-2026-15410, in zero-day attacks and urges customers to install the newly released security updates.
988 Enters Its Fourth Year as Demand Grows and the Mental Health and Substance Use Landscape Shifts
Data as of March 2026 show that demand for 988 continues to rise, with the volume of calls, texts, and chats 15% higher than a year earlier and nearly 50% higher than two years ago. States are also answering more calls in-state, where counselors are more likely to be familiar with local resources.
Vaccine skeptic Dr. Ryan Cole to stay on board of Idaho’s largest public health district
Dr. Ryan Cole, an Idaho pathologist who has been a vocal critic of COVID vaccines, is staying on the Central District Health board.
See the newest businesses registered in Fresno County
Restaurants, retail shops, health care providers and service businesses headline the latest new business registrations across Fresno County.
Amex Platinum digital entertainment credit updating Aug. 1
Beginning Aug. 1, Peacock bundles, add-ons and third-party subscriptions will no longer qualify for the Amex Platinum digital entertainment credit.
2026 World Cup Odds: Books Hoping For Spain-England Title Match
One thing sportsbooks don't want? A rematch of the 2022 World Cup final. Patrick Everson breaks down the semifinal betting action.
The Metro: Why partisan politics makes it harder to keep the lights on in Michigan
Despite the fact that consumers won’t reap the benefits immediately, residents are having to pay for the upgrades now.
Cosmos Health Accelerates Prescription Medicine Strategy with Libytec Partnership to Commercialize DIABIT-IS X in Greece
Cosmos Health will supply DIABIT-IS X (sitagliptin), while Libytec handles distribution and promotion in GreeceFive-year agreement expected to contribute to revenue and cash-flow visibilityAs a prescription medicine, DIABIT-IS X is expected to be accessible to patients through Greece's national health insurance system, broadening its potential reachDIABIT-IS X is a generic alternative to Merck's Januvia®, which with Janumet® generated approximately $4.5 billion in combined global sales in 2022Po
A heart for health
Albany High retiree Mary Kelly has a heart for health that expands beyond her professional responsibilities. Not only did she serve the City School District of Albany for over 23 years as a nurse, she also has been a faithful supporter of our food pantry here at Albany High! Since June 2022, Kelly has given a monthly donation to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York specifically designated for Albany High. Thanks to Kelly and other individual donors and partner organizations, our students and their families can have access to nutritious food, free of cost at the Falcon Market. As someone who raised three boys, she knows how hard it can be to keep one’s shelves stocked at home. “I remember when they would sit down, three teenagers, eating a box of cereal a piece as a snack,” Kelly reminisced with a laugh. “Who can afford that nowadays?” Known affectionately as Nurse Kelly throughout her career in the district, she served our students at the elementary, middle and high school levels, and was stationed at Albany High from 2019 until her retirement. By caring for students day in and day out, Kelly was keenly aware of the negative impact of food insecurity on the lives of young people. This is what motivated her to take a proactive step towards improving access to nutritious food for our students and families. Kelly’s generosity is a way to carry on the memory of her youngest son, who passed away in 2019. “The kindnesses that I do are always in his memory,” Kelly shared. On behalf of our Albany High staff, students and families, we thank Nurse Kelly for her incredible support and wish her all the best during her retirement. For more information about how to support the Falcon Market with in-kind or financial donations, please contact Joey DiPiazza at jdipiazza@albany.k12.ny.us.
Waze adds new AI-powered features and customization updates
Some of the new features are powered by Google's Gemini AI assistant, which reflects the the tech giant's broader push to integrate Gemini across its products while also better positioning Waze to compete with rival services such as Apple Maps.
Could tomatoes protect brain cells? Scientists uncover an unexpected clue in a familiar kitchen staple
Envision a world where an ordinary part of your daily diet acts as a robust protector against one of humanity's most devastating neurological diseases. The search for effective treatments for conditions ...
Obsidian Director Blasts People 'Running Their Mouths' About How the Studio Has Changed Following Xbox Layoffs
Obsidian Entertainment director Brandon Adler is tired of seeing "cold take artists" who are "running their mouths" about the studio following recent Xbox layoffs.
West Hartford native says his golf business has doubled
On This Week in Connecticut, Dennis House talks to Alec Lorenzo, who appeared on the show in 2022, when he first became an entrepreneur.
Tencent Music Entertainment Group Sponsored ADR (NYSE:TME) Given Average Rating of "Hold" by Brokerages
Tencent Music Entertainment Group Sponsored ADR (NYSE:TME - Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of "Hold" from the fourteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have
Natrona County health and food inspections (7/3/26–7/9/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Laramie County health and food inspections (7/3/26–7/9/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has died, his office says
The office did not provide any additional details about the South Carolina Republican, who was 71 years old.
West Hartford native says his golf business has doubled
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — On This Week in Connecticut, Dennis House talks to Alec Lorenzo, who appeared on the show in 2022, when he first became an entrepreneur. Watch the interview in the v…
Upper West Side building residents told legionella found in hot water system
A memo was sent to residents of The Ardsley, located at 320 Central Park West, on Friday.
Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak widens on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Guggenheim among sites affected
The museum’s cooling tower is among 31 that have tested positive for Legionella bacteria, which can thrive in water systems.
Working Strategies: Business startup a good option for seniors
Second Sunday Series – This is the 10th of 12 columns on career planning post-60, which will appear the second Sunday of each month from September through August. In last month’s Second Sunday column on career planning for folks in t…
MRN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: The Daily Grind
More than just coffee. The Daily Grind in Mendon has been brewing up more than your favorite drinks since opening in 2022. From breakfast and Underbrink’s treats to a brand-new drive-thru and a freshly renovated space, Chloe Shaffer and Megan Kirby are creating a place where everyone feels welcome. Hear their story on the latest...
Our readers chose their favorites in NKY arts and entertainment
From museums to live music, these are the Readers' Choice Awards winners in the arts and entertainment category.
Shelby County Health Department hosting Community Care Fair
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Health Department, in partnership with the Amigo Community Center, is hosting a Community Care Fair Saturday. The event will be held at El Mercadito, located at 3…
A demand for debates and Trump on voting: CT Politics news
Plus: Fazio's energy plan, CSCU chancellor investigation, a Sikorsky helipad at the White House and Chris Murphy on special education.
This Should Have Been the Grant Wahl World Cup
The preeminent soccer journalist in the U.S. died at the 2022 tournament.
Kelley Paul: America's Founders were the 'first civil rights heroes'
Kelley Paul's new book, "Good Night, Young American" takes children on a fantastic journey through early and colonial American history.
'Not a run-of-the-mill El Nino.' Forecasters predict historic strength
It should rank among the most intense El Ninos since the weather agency started tracking them in 1950.
Man killed after becoming trapped in conveyor belt at Deerfield Beach business
A man was killed after becoming trapped in a conveyor belt at a Deerfield Beach business early Friday, officials said.
This New Browser Extension Blocks All Those Junky, Fake Brands on Amazon
Knockoff works by filtering out brands you probably don't want to buy from anyway.
Mid-Michigan entertainment for the weekend of July 10-12 and beyond
Check out what’s happening around the region.
Judge gives college basketball players a chance with injunction
CINCINNATI — An Ohio judge has granted a preliminary injunction for 24 men’s and women’s college basketball players suing the NCAA for eligibility, claiming the new age-based model unfairly shuts them out of further competition. Judge Christopher Wagner said Thursday the NCAA eligibility rules have been applied to 2022 high school graduates in an arbitrary […]
Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, July 9-12
With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.
Google Messages Adds Sweet New Sharing Feature
With Samsung shutting down Samsung Messages this week and a massive new group of users moving over to Google Messages, folks are starting to notice changes as Google works to improve its messaging...
Culturally tailored maternity care lifts healthy birth rates for First Nations families
The Baggarrook Yurrongi or "Women's Journey" model ensures women having a First Nations baby are cared for by a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
Special Olympics Wyoming to Host Summer Sports Classic in Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — Special Olympics Wyoming will host its annual Summer Sports Classic in Casper on July 31 through Aug. 1, bringing athletes from across the
Here Are Thursday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Align Technology, American Tower, Caesars Entertainment, Cohu, Five Below, Intuitive Surgical, Salesforce, Toast, and More
Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading mixed after another tough day across Wall Street, with all the major indices crushed early on, before the Nasdaq made a late-afternoon push to wind up just modestly higher at 25,870, up 0.20%. The S&P 500 also rallied in the afternoon, erasing a big deficit, to finish the session ... Here Are Thursday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Align Technology, American Tower, Caesars Entertainment, Cohu, Five Below, Intuitive Surgical, Salesforce, Toast, and More
Russia heads to sports court to overturn its ban from international track and field
Russia's track and field federation says it has gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn a World Athletics ruling suspending its athletes from international events due to the war in Ukraine. World Athletics excluded all athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus from its international events in March 2022, days after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. Since then, the International Olympic Committee has eased its restrictions on Russia ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — something the Kremlin hailed as an “important step” — and recommended other sports bodies do the same.
Argentina faces FBI investigation amid World Cup run
Led by international superstar Lionel Messi, the Argentinian soccer team has reached the quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as it looks to defend its 2022 World Cup title. However, in addition to the challenge on the field, it sounds like the team is going to have to contend with a legal battle. As…
Mac Jones admits Josh McDaniels leaving impacted him with Patriots
Mac Jones commented on his Year 2 slump and the Patriots' disastrous 2022 season.
Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black plastic material.
Regional One Health to close Midtown Memphis, extended care hospital
On July 7, a WARN notice was filed regarding one of Regional One Health's Memphis facilities.
Restoring dignity: Senegalese surgeon and Burundian foundation win reproductive health awards
A Senegalese surgeon who has dedicated his career to restoring the health and dignity of women living with obstetric fistula, and a Burundian foundation supporting vulnerable women and children, have been named the winners of the 2026 United Nations Population Award.
Boston sues Meta, Snap, ByteDance over youth mental health
The city is suing the companies behind Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
Science on Target: Q2 2026 Research Spotlight
Basic Biology Consortium breaks new ground in ALS In 2022, Target ALS awarded funding to Drs. Jonathan Cooper-Knock (University of Sheffield, project lead) and Michael Snyder (Stanford University), along with fellow consortium members Drs. Ophir Shalem (University of Pennsylvania) and Eran Hornstein (Weizmann Institute), for their project “Exploring the landscape of ALS genetics with machine […]
'The Pitt' and 'Pluribus' poised to compete for top Emmy honors
They're set to be announced Wednesday
Downtown office vacancy dips for first time since 2022
After years of remote work trends pushing companies to shed office space faster than landlords could backfill it, stronger demand is helping offset the losses.
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
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