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Florida Affordable Care Act numbers fall as subsidies expire
Roughly 200,000 fewer Floridians enroll but health care advocates warn more will drop their insurance once higher premiums kick in.
Warsh's challenge: Navigating Fed independence and Trump's demands
Kevin Warsh has sought the job of Federal Reserve chair, off and on, since President Donald Trump first considered him for the position nearly a decade ago
Falcons Defender Floated as Option for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have a number of decisions to make this offseason in terms of personnel. They have a number […]
Fintech lender SoFi profit jumps on strong growth in fee‑based businesses
Consumers are shifting high-cost credit-card balances to fintech lenders to take advantage of low-interest personal loans. SoFi's financial services business, which includes credit card and investing products, saw revenue surge 78% in the quarter ended December 31 to $456.7 million. Fee-based businesses help insulate fintechs from interest-rate swings.
Here’s how Baton Rouge’s casinos fared in December
After two strong months in October and November, Baton Rouge’s casinos continued their upward trajectory in December. Collectively, the casinos posted $25.7 million in revenue for December, u… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Livingston v Motherwell: Pick of the stats
Tawanda Maswanhise has scored in his past three league appearances, while a goal here would make him the youngest player (23 years 72 days) to net in four successive Scottish Premiership outings since Malik Tillman for Rangers in April 2023 (20y 308d), and youngest for Motherwell in the top flight since Nick Blackman in November 2010 (21y 9d). Motherwell have only lost one of their past 15 league games (W9 D5), a 1-0 defeat at Rangers in December.
How direct-to-consumer health tests could impact insurance, mortgages, and employment
As more consumers order up lab tests and genetic screenings, experts say it could impact insurance, loans, and employment decisions.
Vikings GM defends decision to move on from Sam Darnold, but admits results 'maybe didn’t play out the way we wanted'
Trump reveals when he will announce the next Fed chair
President Trump says he'll announce Jerome Powell's replacement as Federal Reserve chair Friday morning, escalating his ongoing criticism of monetary policy decisions.
Eugene business owners grapple with decision to open or close for Friday’s general strike
The general strike protesting federal law enforcement crackdowns leave business owners contemplating what action is best: close in solidarity or stay open to be of service.
UK business confidence weakens as doubts grow over wider economy
British business confidence has weakened this month after executives' view of the global economic outlook declined to its darkest in a year, a survey by Lloyds showed on Friday.
A 20-year-old cancer vaccine may hold the key to long-term survival
Two decades after a breast cancer vaccine trial, every participant is still alive—an astonishing result for metastatic disease. Scientists found their immune systems retained long-lasting memory cells primed to recognize cancer. By enhancing a key immune signal called CD27, researchers dramatically improved tumor elimination in lab studies. The findings suggest cancer vaccines may have been missing a crucial ingredient all along.
NASA considering alternatives for Gateway logistics
NASA is at a “crossroads” in deciding how to handle logistics for the lunar Gateway as it considers alternative approaches.
Health Care Provider Consolidation
I. Issue Overview Ongoing consolidation among hospitals, physician practices, and other providers poses a serious challenge to the U.S. health care system—offering potential benefits to some but also with significant worrying impact on rising health care prices. Provider consolidation remains pronounced among both hospitals and physician practices. The share of hospitals operating independently declined from … Continued
Tim Walz says he’s done with politics: ‘I will never run for office again’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declares "I will never run for an elected office again" amid massive fraud scandal that forced him to abandon 2026 re-election bid.
Monkey Business: Using Genetics to Understanding Decision-Making in Monkeys
Abigail Morris first visited the Peruvian Amazon when she was 6 years old. Now, as a Ph.D. candidate in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group, she has returned to study how seasonal flooding affects the behavior, diet and population genetics of two species of monkey: monk sakis (Pithecia monachus) and large-headed capuchins (Sapajus apella macrocephalus).
As quirky Switch 2 life sim Tomodachi Life gets a release date, Nintendo makes good on decade-old same-sex relationship promise
Nintendo has confirmed same-sex relationships in its Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream reveal, alongside an April release date.
Fighting for Stronger Political Transparency | IFES - The International Foundation for Electoral Systems
We stand ready to support all actors in strengthening the integrity of political finance around the world.
Abortion Pill Safety Decisions by FDA Were Science-Based, New JAMA Study Finds — The Monitor
A new study found the FDA’s abortion pill decisions followed scientific evidence, as misleading claims about the drug’s safety continue to shape public understanding. And Google removed some health AI summaries after a Guardian investigation reported that AI-generated summaries contained false and potentially dangerous health information.
IDF accepts Gaza Health Ministry estimate of over 70,000 Palestinians killed in the war
Although Many International Experts Have Accepted the Health Ministry's Data as Reliable, and Even Conservative Relative to the True Death Toll, Israel Had Refused to Accept the Health Ministry's Count Until Noiw
Why I decided to share all my health information with ChatGPT Health
“I don’t think people should have to go through 18 years of brain cancer to understand their own health records,” writes Liz Salmi.
Samsung's leaked Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro prices could be a great sign for the Galaxy S26 series
Samsung's next earbuds will not increase the prices of their predecessors, which means the same could be true for the Galaxy S26 trio.
Trump’s National Guard deployments have cost taxpayers nearly $500 million dollars
President Donald Trump’s sweeping deployment of National Guard troops to several major cities across the United States cost taxpayers approximately $496 million from June through December last year, according to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.
Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro leak brings good news for potential buyers
Samsung may not increase the price of the Galaxy Buds 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro compared to their predecessors, at least in Europe.
SF changes method to count unhoused; advocate believes it's political, will lead to undercount
For the first time in more than two decades, San Francisco is changing the way it counts the number of unhoused individuals on its streets.
Older adults’ driving habits offer window into brain health, cognitive decline
Research Highlights: A study of over 200 adults followed for five years found that greater white matter damage in the brain was linked to decreased driving, fewer trips, repetitive routes and having more driving errors, especially in those who later ...
Decatur seeking input on Oakwood Business District
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — The City of Decatur is asking its residents to fill out a survey on changes they would like to see to the Oakwood Business District before they make a plan to revamp it. Councilman David Horn said the survey is part of a step that will be taken before the city […]
How Trump decided to shift his strategy in Minnesota: From the Politics Desk
Plus, tensions between the U.S. and Iran are ratcheting up again.
Oklahoma businesses face challenges as winter storm impacts sales
A winter storm in Oklahoma has significantly affected local businesses, leading to decreased customer visits and financial challenges.
Alexander Volkanovski shuts down Jean Silva title talk
Not yet, “Lord.” Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Brazilian fan-favorite Jean Silva scored the biggest win of his career at UFC 324 last weekend (Sat., Jan. 24, 2026), outworking the ultra-durable Arnold Allen to a unanimous decision victory inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The win immediately launched Silva into the division’s elite and title […]
Newcastle get ‘justice’ after ‘ridiculous’ VAR penalty decision against PSG
Lewis Miley was bafflingly penalised for handling the ball as PSG were given an early spot-kick
Footy Fix: Catch Champions League action only on Paramount+
All eyes will be on Napoli where Chelsea chase top 8 and the hosts look to sneak into the top 24
Learner Tien shuts down Trump question at Australian Open amid political grilling of American players
American tennis players at the Australian Open continue to face political questions about the Trump administration, with rising star Learner Tien becoming the latest to decline comment.
Record-breaking South Carolina measles outbreak nearing 800 cases
The record-breaking measles outbreak in South Carolina has reached nearly 800 cases, making it the largest spread of the disease in the U.S. since it was first declared eliminated at the start of t…
With AlphaGenome, Researchers Are Using A.I. to Decode the Human Blueprint
AlphaGenome is a leap forward in the ability to study the human blueprint. But the fine workings of our DNA are still largely a mystery.
Is Wyoming hoops stuck in purgatory within modern college basketball?
Every season for a reasonably successful mid-major university begins in a similar fashion. They schedule a few in-state cupcakes as the season and home openers before, if they are lucky enough, participating in an ever-declining MTE tournament during the week of Thanksgiving. Throw in a dash of high-major money labeled as “buy games” to help […]
Moto G77 launches with a 108MP camera with 3x lossless zoom, 120Hz AMOLED display, and an IP64 rating
Motorola has grown its Moto G series line of smartphones with the launch of a new model. The new Moto G77 has a new camera, a bigger battery, and a brighter display than its predecessor, the Moto G75.
The Two Big Decisions Facing Democrats Ahead of a Shutdown
Plus, senators work on a last-minute budget deal on immigration enforcement, and Tom Homan presented his list of demands to Minnesota leaders.
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
The Pressure Just Ramped Up for Three Vikings
It was the big decision of the Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 offseason. How would the Vikings move forward at quarterback? There […]
Limy raises $10M to help brands boost AI agent visibility: pitch deck
Limy raised $10 million from investors including Flybridge and a16z to help brands boost their visibility to AI agents.
Trump’s Choice to Be Alabama’s Next Senator Finds an Odd Political Target: the Modern Gas Can
ENTERPRISE, Ala.—U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, a longtime political figure in this rural Alabama community, has his priorities. Among them? A reform effort aimed at the modern gas can. A congressman since 2021, the Republican may be headed toward one of the most powerful positions in Yellowhammer State politics, a seat in the U.S. Senate, given […]
Where is the Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s tariffs?
When the Supreme Court agreed last September to hear a dispute over President Donald Trump’s billion-dollar tariffs on foreign goods, it heeded the administration’s plea that time was of the essence.
Region on watch as India declares Nipah virus outbreak contained
Several Asian countries have introduced screening measures for arrivals from India, as New Delhi seeks to dampen alarm.
Starmer Attack on Reform Candidate Shows His Future on Ballot
Keir Starmer stepped up his attacks on Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party ahead of a special election that could decide the prime minister’s political future.
How scientists predict big winter storms : Short Wave
This past weekend, Winter Storm Fern struck the States. Sleet, snow and ice battered Americans all the way from New Mexico to New York. Scientists predicted its arrival in mid-January, and in anticipation of the storm, more than 20 state governors issued emergency declarations. But how did scientists know so much, so early, about the approaching storm? NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher says it has to do with our weather models… and the data we put into them. Which begs the question: Will we continue to invest in them?Interested in more science behind the weather? Check out our episodes on better storm prediction in the tropics and how the Santa Ana winds impact the fire season this time of year. Have a question we haven’t covered? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We’d love to consider it for a future episode! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by our showrunner Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones and Rebecca Hersher checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez. News clips were from CBS Boston, Fox Weather, Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, and PBS Newshour.
India reports two Nipah virus infections as Thai, Malaysia step up screening
India is monitoring Nipah virus infections, with two reported from its eastern state of West Bengal since December, the health ministry said, as some Southeast Asia nations step up scrutiny of air travellers.
Is Teladoc Health (TDOC) A Potential Opportunity After Prolonged Share Price Weakness
If you are wondering whether Teladoc Health at around US$5.91 is a bargain or a value trap, this breakdown is designed to give you a clear, structured view of where the stock stands today. The share price has retreated recently, with a 2.6% decline over the last 7 days, a 17.0% decline over 30 days, a 16.2% decline year to date, and a 43.8% decline over the past year, on top of a much larger 79.9% decline over 3 years and 97.8% over 5 years. Recent coverage around Teladoc Health has focused...
What should the 49ers do with Kendrick Bourne this offseason?
The San Francisco 49ers have several decision to make this offseason, including whether or not to re-sign Kendrick Bourne in free agency.
The Wolfpack Peels the Orange 88-68
Game Summary: NC State started the game well for the first time lately. By the first official timeout the lead was 13-5 Wolfpack. Despite a decided height advantage, the rebounds were tied at 16 at the half. Stats were generally even; the Pack won the first half with quality shooting 50%/40%/82%. Williams had a great […]
Trump Administration declares pristine Alaskan seafloor “open for business,” mocks environmental safeguards - Greenpeace
At a time of accelerating ocean, climate, and biodiversity crisis, the priority should be on protecting these ecosystems, not opening new frontiers of extraction.
C3.AI in talks to merge with startup Automation Anywhere, The Information reports
Enterprise artificial intelligence software provider C3.AI is in talks to merge with privately held startup Automation Anywhere, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.
Who Decides When a Home Is Safe? A California Bill Says Science, Not Insurers.
Following a Times investigation, a state lawmaker is proposing the first health-based standards for assessing smoke contamination after wildfires.
Nature
Genetic variations affect biological processes and can drive disease, but deciphering the precise effects of DNA sequence changes remains a significant...
Trump hikes tariffs to 25% on South Korean imports
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer discusses President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on South Korea and a trade agreement between India and the EU on ‘Kudlow.’
Seton Hall hopes spiral can end vs. struggling Xavier
Seton Hall has started to spiral, and its coach believes selfish decisions by his players are to blame.
Gun-rights groups decried the administration’s rhetoric on Alex Pretti’s gun. Then Trump went even further.
The Trump administration didn’t have a whole lot to work with after a federal officer shot and killed someone again this weekend in Minneapolis.
After a decade in business, Deep Ellum patio bar to close
The latest closure in Dallas-Fort Worth’s restaurant industry is a patio bar that’s been a go-to for revelers in Deep Ellum for nearly a decade.
McDonald's brings back an iconic item from the 1980s
McDonald's brings back beloved Changeables Happy Meal toys after decades, featuring 16 transforming robots and dinosaurs for nostalgic fans everywhere.
Transforming Clinical Decisions: VetEvince Anchors AI in Veterinary Science in 2026
Their solution, VetEvince, went beyond simple automation or AI chat assistants. It promised to deliver insights anchored in actual veterinary literature and clinical data, a foundation that would allow practitioners to act decisively in high-stakes situations.
Keurig recalls more than 80K McCafé decaf K-Cup pods over caffeine mix-up
Keurig Dr Pepper voluntarily recalled 80,640 McCafé decaf K-Cup pods sold in California, Indiana and Nevada after FDA classifies mislabeling as Class II recall due to caffeine error.
N.J. approves $12.5M to boost med-tech, maternal health startups
The state will invest in two innovation centers aimed at advancing maternal health entrepreneurship.
South Carolina measles outbreak is largest in US since measles was declared eliminated
The fast-growing measles outbreak in South Carolina is now the largest in the United States since the disease was declared eliminated in this country more than two decades ago.
Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, Doc Rivers making better health decisions
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo still tries to play through pain and injury, but is doing better at accepting when he has to sit.
Tesla lost $15 billion in brand value in 2025 as Musk stepped deeper into politics, research shows
Tesla's brand value declined while BYD's surged last year, according to research by Brand Finance
Who voted to split public and private high school school sports? What to know about AHSAA’s Central Board
The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board voted 13-2 to approve a landmark decision that will split public and private schools in championship play.
Worldview | Venezuela’s Fashion Retailers Return to ‘Business as Usual’
This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features China’s declining footwear exports, Indonesian textiles and the $900 million expansion of a Chilean department store giant.
The tricky science of forecasting extreme winter weather
It doesn't help that the Trump administration is decimating climate research.
How Climate Superfund Bills Use Science to Make Polluters Pay
This week, communities across the country are asking their state legislators for a common-sense solution—using a practice that's been around for decades—to make polluters pay. In 1980, following decades of high-profile disasters from toxic pollution, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmenta
Scientists may have been wrong about what causes asthma
Asthma may not be driven by the molecules scientists have blamed for decades. Researchers have identified “pseudo leukotrienes,” inflammation-triggering compounds formed by uncontrolled free-radical reactions rather than normal enzymes. These molecules were found at much higher levels in people with asthma, closely tracking how severe their symptoms were. The finding hints at a new way to treat asthma by preventing the inflammatory spark instead of blocking its aftermath.
Climate-risk scores shape billion-dollar decisions, and new study says science behind them needs to be more transparent
A new paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that trustworthiness of climate-risk scores depends not just on the sophistication of the models used to produce the scores but also on whether the science behind them is open, reusable and transparent enough for others to examine, test and improve.
UnitedHealth Forecasts 2026 Revenue Drop on Shrinking Business
UnitedHealth Group Inc. forecast a decline in 2026 revenue, the first annual contraction in more than three decades, as the company works to rebuild confidence with investors after a stunning fall last year.
Scientists Push for More Ambitious Climate Targets
Researchers say a line has been crossed. For systems like coral reefs and ice sheets, the climate is already past safe.
‘Frightening situation’: Bangladesh elections haunted by political violence
At least 16 political activists have been killed since elections were announced in December.
How Ejae reinvented herself after her agency crushed her K-pop idol dreams
After a decade of training, she failed to debut as a K-pop artist. Now 10 years later, she’s the star of “KPop Demon Hunters” — and her song “Golden” is nominated for four Grammys and an Oscar.
Canucks make decision on trading Evander Kane
Vancouver is heading for a rebuild.
Chris Madel Ends Run for Minnesota Governor, Citing Immigration Crackdown
Chris Madel, a defense lawyer, called the operation “simply a disaster.” His decision comes two days after a second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis.
I let ChatGPT analyze a decade of my Apple Watch data. Then I called my doctor.
ChatGPT now says it can answer personal questions about your health using data from your fitness tracker and medical records. The new ChatGPT Health claims that it can help you “understand patterns over time - not just moments of illness - so you can feel more informed.” Like many people who strap on an Apple Watch every day, I’ve long wondered what a decade of that data might reveal about me. So I joined a brief wait list and gave ChatGPT access to the 29 million steps and 6 million heartbeat m
‘The world is hurting right now’: politics and protest hit the Sundance film festival
A conflicted mood has lingered over Utah’s long-running film festival with premieres and parties continuing but stars speaking out against government cruelty
Mayor declares remote learning day a success
City officials said close to 80% of students with virtual classes logged in to the system Monday.
UFC's first Paramount+ fight card averages nearly 5 million views
UFC's first fight card on Paramount+ averaged nearly 5 million views, making it the streaming platform's largest exclusive live event since it launched in March 2021. UFC 324 from Las Vegas on Saturday averaged 4.96 million for the main card and saw a global household average of 7.18 million, according to Adobe Analytics and Channel Partner Data. Adobe Analytics and Nielsen also said Saturday's card reached more homes than any other live UFC event in nearly a decade across linear, broadcast and streaming.
Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech plan to 'take a stand'
With both teams coming off decisive losses to ranked foes, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech seek turnarounds when they meet Tuesday in Blacksburg, Va.
Blackhawks send forward Nick Lardis back to minors
The Chicago Blackhawks assigned forward Nick Lardis to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Monday. The 20-year-old Lardis, one of the team's top prospects, made his NHL debut on Dec. 13. “I think he's done a solid job,” coach Jeff Blashill said of Lardis before the move was announced.
A winter storm, a viral claim and what the science actually says
After President Trump pointed to a winter storm as evidence against global warming, North Carolina scientists point to decades of warming winter data.
US business borrowing for equipment rises over 5% in December, ELFA says
U.S. companies borrowed 5.9% more to finance equipment purchases in December than a year earlier, reaching the second-highest level ever, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association said on Monday.
Will the Mac ever get Face ID? This latest rumor is a good sign
Face ID has been part of the iPhone for close to a decade, and the iPad for nearly as long—but...
In downtown Wilmington, Live Oak shutting down inclusive small business center
Live Oak Bank is turning Channel off. Described by Live Oak as an inclusive small business center, Channel opened in November 2021 to serve as a free resource for small business owners, helping numerous minority-owned and other small businesses from its headquarters downtown at 106 Market St. "After careful consideration, we’ve decided to bring Channel ... to a close at the end of this month. Live Oak determined that the needs of Wilmington’s small business community have evolved. Since Channel opened, the local small business ecosystem has grown significantly, with many strong organizations now offering education, technical assistance and community programming for entrepreneurs," stated Claire Parker, managing director of corporate communications for Live Oak Bank, in an email Monday. "With those resources firmly in place, Live Oak is refocusing on what we do best – providing banking and financing solutions that help small businesses grow and thrive." Channel's demise also resulted in the elimination of two positions – those of Channel's director, Chakema Clinton-Quintana, and Atiba Johnson, the certified professional business advisor (CPBA) at Channel. On Monday, Clinton-Quintana, who was elected to the Wilmington City Council in November, said of her immediate plans after Channel: "I will continue my work serving the public while I look for other full-time opportunities." She said Channel "served over 1,000 small business owners in the greater Wilmington area, as well as some of the surrounding areas, such as Brunswick and Pender. A lot of folks had reached out to us needing those resources because they were free, and we were able to assist them in that capacity." Johnson said he will be devoting his time to the Wilmington Minority Chamber of Commerce, which is not affiliated with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The minority chamber is celebrating its launch from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Wilmington Sportsman Club, 1111 Castle St., Wilmington. Johnson, the founder and executive director of the new chamber, said about 50 businesses are on board to join the Wilmington Minority Chamber of Commerce. According to a news release, the new chamber "was established to foster growth, networking, and advocacy for underrepresented business owners. By providing essential resources and community engagement, the chamber aims to build a more inclusive and prosperous local economy." Johnson said the creation of the new chamber is in response to "lapses in funding, education, advocacy for minority businesses...Some of the things that are going on now just don't reach all the way down to those businesses." For Lynne Jones, owner of LJ Design Studio LLC, the loss of Channel also means a reduction in income. She had contracted with Channel to run the center's social media and to provide some marketing for small business owners. "It's pretty disappointing to hear that it is closing...it was a place to connect with other small business owners and collaborate. It was like a family for those of us who were there. If you had issues or things that you needed to talk through concerning your business, there was always someone there that you could sit down with and talk things through, recalibrate, and they set you off on your way to make that pivot and move in a different direction," Jones said Monday. She said she worked with many Channel participants creating their websites and will miss seeing the joy on their faces when those websites were up and running. Dawn McDowell, owner of Creatively Covered Co. LLC, credits Channel with helping her business grow and regrow after her social media pages were hacked and shut down in 2023. "Channel was a great resource for small businesses, for women-owned businesses, for minority-owned businesses; they provided a lot of assistance, especially when you needed it," McDowell said. "If it wasn't for Channel, I don't know if I'd be where I am now, in my business, and regrowing my business and even finding out about some of the certifications and things that were out there for small businesses that I just didn't know about ... because there was no one really sharing that information for small businesses, for minority- and women-owned businesses in particular." Parker said shutting down Channel was not part of an overall cost-cutting plan. She stated in the email, "Live Oak’s commitment to Wilmington remains strong. We are continuing to support entrepreneurs by focusing our efforts where we deliver the greatest value – through specialized banking and financing solutions aligned with our mission to be America’s small business bank." As for Channel's downtown office, Live Oak had leased the 5,000-square-foot space above Seabird restaurant in 2021. The bank’s lease for the office is up in March, Parker said.
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