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Apple's $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro hits a problem software can't fix
Apple’s iOS 27.0.1 fixes iPhone 18 Pro Face ID freezes, but green and pink screen lines look like hardware.
Democratic appropriators accuse White House of using CBP funds for Trump political ads
Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee accused the White House of using Customs and Border Protection (CBP) funding to air political ads just weeks out from the November midterm elections.…
Maureen Dowd, Karl Rove to Discuss Politics at Free Geneva Forum
Maureen Dowd and Karl Rove discuss politics at Geneva's free Stern Family Forum. Bill Whitaker moderates Friday at 7 p.m.
Alec Zumwalt out as hitting coach
He will remain as senior director of hitting performance
White House urges EU to draw down diesel inventories, sources say
Sept 29 (Reuters) - The White House has urged the European Union to draw down emergency diesel inventories in an effort to lower global prices, as President Donald Trump and his administration purs...
Fever’s Stephanie White admits mental health impact of toxic WNBA discourse
White and the Fever have had an especially trying season. Little of which has had to do with basketball.
Here’s how many iPhone Duo units Apple is reportedly making
A recent report offers an update on iPhone Duo production, including how many units are being made, assembly troubles, and more.
NSU STEM Day puts science, technology and more in the hands of area high schoolers
NATCHITOCHES, La. – From flying drones to handling snakes, guiding airplanes, and cracking codes, students from 18 high schools were led through demonstrations, workshops, and guided exploration of all branches
New on DVD: Set sail on adventure with 'Moana' once more
Disney's latest live-action remake of an animated hit tops the DVD releases for the week of Oct. 6. "Moana": The young princess Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) is chosen by the ocean
Pixel 11a looks mostly unchanged in first leak, reportedly brings purple color back [Gallery]
The first leak of Google’s upcoming Pixel 11a just hit the web, revealing a virtually unchanged design, as well as...
SUNY Poly and Whitesboro CSD Partner for AI and Computer Science Learning
A new project is bringing together SUNY Poly and Whitesboro Central School District educators to help high school students access artificial intelligence and computer science education.
Taking the odds: Sports betting at Lehigh
Sports betting and online gambling have become highly popular, even addictive, among college students in recent years.
SteelSeries’ new mice are super light, have UWB and swappable batteries
Plus, SteelSeries now has a web version of GG.
Unlikely playoff teams collide as Astros face White Sox in AL Wild Card Series
The Astros are the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record, and the White Sox are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.
News outlets ask court to halt White House access ban pending case
The news outlets say the administration has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban" despite a judge's restraining order
News outlets ask court to halt White House access ban pending case
The news outlets say the administration has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban" despite a judge's restraining order
News outlets ask court to halt White House access ban pending case
The news outlets say the administration has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban" despite a judge's restraining order
Q&A: The legacy of 100 years of physics graduate studies at Penn State
In 2026, Penn State celebrates the centennial anniversary of awarding its first doctoral degree — in physics — to Marsh White. Recently, the Eberly College of Science spoke with several physics alumni from different decades about their experiences at Penn State and what it means to be celebrating 100 years of the doctoral degree, as well as White’s legacy impact on undergraduate education in the department.
Flutter Entertainment reacts to online betting and gaming ban in Brazil
Flutter (FLUT) halts Brazil online betting after a provisional ban; SEC filing outlines possible $70M revenue hit.
Biggest Questions For Every MLB Wild-Card Series
The 2026 MLB postseason is here , and the path to the World Series is loaded with familiar contenders, unexpected arrivals, and a few teams carrying serious momentum into October. From the White Sox completing a remarkable turnaround to the Brewers chasing the first championship in franchise history, there is no shortage of intrigue .…
‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered’ Hits A Metacritic Review Score Record
‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered’ has arrived with such good reviews it has actually tied a 2026 record. Here's the score and what critics are saying.
ChatGPT ads are dominated by business software companies so far
ChatGPT ads skew heavily toward business software, and there are bright points for the business, according to a new report from the agency Graphite.
Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences warns against Russian cooperation after attack
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has urged the international scientific community not to “restore or legitimise institutional cooperation with Russian state scientific and educational structures,” after a Russian drone hit its Presidium building in central Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring several others. The drone strike took place in the early afternoon on September 28 while staff were working.The academy called the strike, one of several Russian attacks on Ukraine’s capital using jet-powered drones in recent days, an act of terrorism. “It is a strike [. . .] on the very idea that knowledge, research, and the search for truth should serve life, not its destruction,” it said in a statement.The academy thanked the global scientific community for its solidarity following the attack and warned against any temptation to normalise scientific relations with Russia.“Science cannot exist outside of moral responsibility. There can be no ‘ordinary scientific cooperation’ with a state that kills people and destroys scientific institutions of another country,” it said.“We urge not to create opportunities for Russian state institutions to return to the international scientific community as if nothing happened. There can be no ‘science beyond politics’ when science is attacked with weapons.”After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe almost entirely cut institutional ties and joint programmes with Russian science, although personal academic contacts are still ongoing.Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresHow geopolitical rifts cut scientific collaborationThe European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), for instance, continues to exclude the Russian Academy of Sciences from its network.ALLEA condemned the latest attack as a “barbaric act” and part of a broader “systematic targeting of Ukraine’s scientific and cultural infrastructure.” This is a “deliberate attempt to erase the conditions under which free inquiry, knowledge, and democratic life are possible,” it said in a statement.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 4,650 educational institutions across Ukraine have been damaged, and a further 423 have been destroyed, according to ALLEA.National academies across Europe joined ALLEA in condemning the attack. “Science is about the pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of humanity, so this is an attack on civilisation itself,” said Paul Nurse, president of the UK’s Royal Society.Attacks on scientific, university and cultural institutions “are attacks on the foundations of society and constitute a clear violation of international law,” wrote the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.The presidents of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a joint statement condemning the attack and pledging to continue to support the Ukrainian research community.The targeting of the Ukrainian academy prompted outcry from European leaders. “Today, science became a target for Russia,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media.“These strikes are the latest illustration of the Russian regime’s hostile contempt for science and truth,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
"Contempt for Science and Truth": Macron Condemns Russian Strike on Ukraine’s Science Academy
The attack on the National Academy of Sciences follows drone hits on a Kyiv university where 160 sheltered, and damage to a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Beclowning of Scott Bessent
One iron law of current politics is that nobody who associates themselves with Donald Trump emerges with a shred of credibility. For some, that’s not a big loss — it’s not as if anyone respected Pete Hegseth even before he decided that the key to military success in an age of drones and AI was more testosterone. For others, however, the costs are real. I’m old enough to remember when Marco Rubio was widely considered a reasonable, thoughtful politician. Right now, however, my candidate for the biggest loser is Scott Bessent, the Secretary of the Treasury. Bessent started out with significant reputation to lose: When Trump selected him, this was the headline in the Financial Times: Jason Furman, Barack Obama’s chief economist, described him as a “credible Treasury secretary who has a real understanding of the global economy”. But Bessent has now transformed himself into the Baghdad Bob of bonds. Three weeks ago, after intervening (for reasons that remain somewhat unclear) to support the Japanese yen, Bessent boasted about his ability to move markets and dared investors to bet against his, declaring “I am the house now.” He then tried to push long-term interest rates down, buying 30-year U.S. Treasuries in a move some have compared to paying down part of your mortgage by running up your credit card balance. Here’s how that’s going so far: To get some perspective on how high interest rates have gone, here’s a longer-term perspective: We haven’t seen interest rates this high since the fading days of the dotcom bubble. Why are interest rates hitting new records? The backdrop, as I argued in last Sunday’s primer, is the huge AI-driven investment boom; more on that next week. But the immediate cause of the latest interest rate spike was Trump’s rejection of an Iranian proposal to end the war. This rejection sent crude oil prices, which for a while had fallen considerably, shooting back up: It’s notable, by the way, that oil prices remain high even though a significant amount of oil is now being shuttled through the Strait of Hormuz by night, on smaller vessels. That’s an interesting story, which has a lot to do with the fact that oil from the Hormuz shuttle runs must be transferred to larger vessels before being shipped to markets in Europe and Asia; around 15 percent of the world’s large crude carriers are now parked off the coast of Oman, waiting to be tanked up. This is creating a shipping crunch: But that’s a topic for another day. For now, the point is that with oil still high and refined products, especially diesel, still close to record levels, inflation will remain elevated. And this in turn means that the Federal Reserve will keep short-term interest rates high, an expectation that is feeding into longer-term rates. Hence Bessent’s bond-market humiliation. The truth is that Bessent might not have been able to get interest rates down even in the best of circumstances. But he certainly won’t get anywhere as long as Trump keeps believing that he can somehow convert his Iran debacle into a triumphant victory. And Trump will keep believing that as long as he is surrounded by sycophants who tell him what he wants to hear. Sycophants like, for example, Scott Bessent, who is predicting the imminent collapse of the Iranian economy, possibly within two weeks. Bessent is right to say that the embargo on Iranian oil exports is placing the country under great economic strain. But his implicit prediction that this will quickly produce a deal that Trump can call victory looks no more plausible than his boasts about the bond market. The big question now is, why would anyone with a reputation to lose work for Donald Trump? As the beclowning of Bessent shows, joining the Trump team won’t just damage your reputation; it will utterly destroy it.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
Portrait of a congressional district redrawn, as told by its voters
Redistricting has reshaped a key Central Florida district. So we hit the road to talk to voters about the issues that matter to them.
Will Boston Blue Hill Ave biz owners be displaced?
Blue Hill Ave. business owners worry that the corridor's redevelopment isn't for them, it's for the wealthy white people on their way.
Dana White Kills Stevenson-Pacquiao Talk
Dana White shut down Shakur Stevenson vs. Manny Pacquiao at a Zuffa Boxing press conference. An offer is out to Gary Antuanne Russell to unify at 140.
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Reaches New 1-Year High
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Hits New 52-Week High - Here's What Happened
Kyle Whittingham Owns Issues After Michigan's Heartbreaking Loss To Iowa
A candid look at Michigan's penalty troubles, play-calling accountability and why unity is key as Big Ten play heats up.
Chase Briscoe's championship hopes take hit with loss at Kansas
Chase Briscoe's championship hopes took a major hit after his heartbreaking loss at Kansas Speedway.
Chicago businesses and fans gear up for playoff baseball as Cubs and White Sox begin postseason
Many local establishments would prefer home playoff games, but owners say the excitement surrounding October baseball is expected to bring strong crowds regardless.
Perelel Health hits $100 million run rate, hires Rare Beauty CMO on growth path
Glossy interviews Victoria Thain Gioia, CEO of Perelel Health, about the company's sales, partnerships and strategic hires.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico ask judge to stop Trump from reviving White House ban
“The White House’s words and actions leave little doubt that it will immediately reinstitute a complete ban of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO if allowed the opportunity,” the media companies said.
Europe Condemns Russian Strikes on Kyiv Science Academy and Medical Center
European leaders condemned Russian attacks on Kyiv that hit the National Academy of Sciences, a medical center and other civilian sites.
Jalen Hurts forced to undergo concussion evaluation
The Eagles quarterback had to leave Monday night’s game after taking a late hit in the second quarter.
The Philosophy of Organizational Politics 2.0
Editor’s Note: This article is Part II of “The Philosophy of Organizational Politics: Power, Legitimacy, and the Integrity of Mission,” previously published in Oragark. We Are Not in Competition With Anyone: Conviction, Power, and the Purpose of Leadership By Dr. Prof. M. Mkhitar Moradian, PhD Bioanalyst In organizations some factions make
Utah football ‘whiteout' vs Kansas game time, TV announced
Morgan Scalley looks to maintain his historic undefeated streak under the lights as the Utes bring a legendary atmosphere to Rice-Eccles Stadium for this Big 12 clash.
Coby White ended his Media Day press conference by …
Coby White ended his Media Day press conference by …
Broadcast To Hit A Double, Peacock Going Deep In NBC Sports Coverage Of MLB Wild Card Playoffs
Sports fans of a certain age can readily recall NBC’s coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs regularly pre-empting the network’s “Must-See TV” primetime lineup in the 1990s. While today’s ratings and programming landscape has changed dramatically in the intervening decades, this year’s playoffs (starting Tuesday) are shaping up as a back-to-the-future milestone for NBC …
Two Former Nets Still Without Training Camp Invites
Cam Thomas and Dariq Whitehead remain in free agency limbo as rosters solidify.
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
Kyiv Science Academy hit, 10 dead as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
In recent weeks, Russia has begun hitting Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with faster, high-flying jet drones.
White House says Trump PSA that appears to look like 2024 campaign ad is 'not political'
The Trump administration published a new "PSA" that was paid for by the U.S. government that ran alongside football games, Sunday morning news shows and primetime broadcast shows. The White House defended the advertisements, saying that they were "not political." NBC News' Yamiche Alcindor reports.
ODU political experts analyze new Trump messages
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — President Donald Trump told voters several weeks ago in the face of discouraging GOP polling numbers to “pretend I’m on the ballot.” That should be especially easy now that a series of new messages from the White House have begun running, though the administration emphatically denies that they are propaganda. The […]
Des Moines Art Center awarded $100,000 climate grant
The Des Moines Art Center has received a $100,000 Implementation Grant through the 2026 Frankenthaler Climate Initiative to replace the original 40-year-old air-handling system in its 1985 building, which was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier. The upgrade is expected to reduce energy use by an estimated 30% to 60% while improving environmental controls…
Charlotte will incur a $6.9M cap hit on Dillingham. …
Charlotte will incur a $6.9M cap hit on Dillingham. …
Russian strikes hit science academy and medical facility in Kyiv
Russian strikes struck a science academy building and a medical facility in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring six others, including three children, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said on Monday that the casualties were reported at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine building, which sustained a direct hit. […]
White House releases 3rd taxpayer-funded ad for Trump, raising ethics concerns
The administration defends the commercials as public service announcements
White House releases 3rd taxpayer-funded ad for Trump, raising ethics concerns
The administration defends the commercials as public service announcements
White House releases 3rd taxpayer-funded ad for Trump, raising ethics concerns
The administration defends the commercials as public service announcements
Bobby Kotick’s lawyers sent me a bad email (and later apologized)
The message I had received was unsettling—for a moment. Then it was just really confusing. Back on January 20 of this year, at 5:15pm ET, I received an email with the subject line “Legal Correspondence re Bobby Kotick.” It was from the law firm Clare Locke, a firm I’d heard had been emailing reporters in recent years about their coverage of Kotick, the former, longtime CEO of Activision Blizzard. The letter was threatening. A lawyer from the firm introduced themselves as “defamation counsel to Bobby Kotick.” They issued a “demand” that I “correct” a Game File article I’d published a week prior. The article that had irked them had been a scoop of sorts. I’d written about a a 2022 lawsuit brought by a Swedish pension fund, AP7, over Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. The suit wasn’t news, but I was first to review and report about Kotick’s extensive pushback to the fund’s claims. The pension fund’s core contention was that the sale had been rushed by Kotick to avoid the consequences of sexual misconduct scandals swirling around the company in 2021. (He’d not been accused of misconduct himself in those suits, to be clear.) As I wrote at the time, Kotick had denied the allegations of the rushed sale. Beyond that, Kotick used a December 2025 reply to the Swedish fund’s lawsuit to assign blame for those workplace scandals, the bad press and even for the AP7 lawsuit. I’d found Kotick’s arguments novel and newsworthy. Across nearly 3,000 words, I explained Kotick’s take: that a Swedish gaming company was behind the Swedish fund’s lawsuit (the Embracer group; they denied it); that the Microsoft-Activision deal was not rushed and was secured at what Kotick felt history had proven to be an optimal price for shareholders; that he believed a conspiracy of people at unions government agencies, PR firms and the media had spun up claims of widespread workplace misconduct at Activision Blizzard in 2021. The article gave context for all of this, letting readers assess the claims and weigh their credibility. As I’d later write to Kotick’s lawyers: I would be surprised if you could point to any news article about Bobby Kotick in the last five years that has spent more of its wordcount articulating his point of view. He is welcome to do an interview with Game File any time. Nonetheless, there they were in my inbox that Tuesday evening: Clare Locke, the law firm that secured a $787.5 million settlement from Fox News over false statements about voting machines. They were emailing me, threatening that failure to comply with their demand could support a claim of “actual malice,” a legal standard for libel. Unless… Unless, they said, I added a key paragraph to my article. This was a paragraph that I already knew Kotick’s lawyers had been emailing reporters about for at least a year, and it was a paragraph that was already in my article. The paragraph they wanted is from a 2023 settlement that California’s Civil Rights Department struck with Activision Blizzard. The settlement had closed a two-year-old lawsuit over alleged sexual discrimination at the game maker. The paragraph basically said that claims of systemic or widespread sexual harassment—or of execs like Kotick tolerating such behavior—had never been proven. I’d already seen proof that Kotick’s lawyers had pushed for the settlement’s language to be added to reports about 2021 sexual discrimination and misconduct lawsuits brought against Activision Blizzard by California and, separately, by the U.S. federal government (both suits were since settled). I knew that Kotick and his lawyers felt that the California settlement language should be mentioned in the same breath as references to an article he hated and denied, a November 2021 Wall Street Journal article claiming Kotick knew “for years” of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard. So, in the Game File article that Clare Locke emailed me about, in the interest of ensuring I was being fair and balanced regarding the person I was covering, I had already included the following excerpt from the California settlement [emphasis added in bold]: (Kotick has repeatedly pushed back against that November article in the Wall Street Journal, citing among other things, language from a court-approved consent decree as part of Activision’s 2023 $54 million settlement over the California suit. It states: “no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard [or] that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a culture of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination.”) On the evening of January 20, I was incredulous. How do you write a four page legal threat about a week-old article and miss this? While scrambling to also make my kids dinner, I wrote a lengthy reply to Clare Locke’s lawyers, basically asking them to cool it with the threats and to start making sense. In part, I wrote: I hope you can understand why I am having trouble understanding what you’re asking for, when the statement you’re demanding to see in Game File’s article already appears in Game File’s article. Actual malice, as you know, refers to a reckless disregard for the truth. I’m not sure what your argument is when my article already states your client’s position. Here is where I should remind you, the reader, that I am an independent journalist. I publish on Substack, and have availed myself of the Substack Defender program that provides writers on the platform with legal support. But I’m no Wall Street Journal or New York Times, nor even IGN or GameSpot when it comes to such things as, well, having a legal department. There are more fun things for me to do as an independent journalist than writing back to a powerful law firm representing a very rich person. On the evening of January 20th, I was just trying to cook some pasta, broccoli and chicken nuggets for hungry twins. Nevertheless, I wrote back to them. Two hours later, I got a reply. Summarizing: A lawyer for Clare Locke said they’d “reviewed an incomplete version” of my article and they “apologize for the confusion.” (My guess: Someone didn’t read past the piece’s paywall, even though they’d had a full week to scrounge up the funds to do so. What I’d published above the paywall was balanced, as was what came after.)1 That was almost that, but something about the situation bothered me. The letter had been marked “confidential.” I hadn’t agreed to that, and I disliked the idea that powerful people on the beat that I cover would act like they could unilaterally control what I might tell my readers about. On the morning of the 21st, having already gotten the powerful law firm to back off, I oh-so-wisely re-approached them with just one more thing. I thanked them for clearing things up the night before but noted that I’d never agreed to keep their letter confidential. I’m all for agreeing with a source to keep things off the record, but that’s the thing. We have to agree. You can’t just declare it. I’m not bound by that. I wrote to Clare Locke’s lawyer and said, in part: I trust the matter is resolved. It was disappointing to have to spend less time with my kids last night in order to address your legal letter. Family time’s precious. I will add, for clarity’s sake, that, while your letter stipulated that it was confidential, I did not agree to those terms. In the future, should you wish to communicate with me confidentially, I am happy to agree to classifying our communication as “off the record” prior to the actual communication—as is standard with any professional journalist. The firm’s lawyer replied, not directly addressing the confidentiality issue but asserting that the matter was resolved. Why I didn’t write about this until now In May, I told this story on an episode of Simon Parkin’s podcast My Perfect Console, but I held off on sharing it directly with Game File readers. I held off to avoid stepping on the toes of another reporter, the journalist Mikhail Klimentov. He’d interviewed me in the spring of 2025 about an investigation he was working on regarding Bobby Kotick lawyers pressing the media to add the California settlement language to stories referencing the 2021 lawsuits. And about how some outlets had changed their stories and how some simply deleted them. Initially, I was a third-party source for Klimentov’s reporting, providing on-the-record context about the state of the games media. I’d heard about the letters but hadn’t put the time into pursuing the story. I thought it was interesting, and I was glad he was covering it. When the outlet that Klimentov was going to run his reporting in dropped the story, I began talking to him about potentially publishing his reporting on Game File. This was tentative. Then, in January, when I got my own Clare Locke letter, I told Klimentov that I didn’t think it would make sense for me to publish him, not with me now being part of the story. I had my own version of this situation to tell. But I wished him well and said I’d refrain from telling my tale until he could get his reporting out there. Last Friday, Klimentov finally ran his investigation, in a nearly 48-minute video report for People Make Games. It covers various Clare Locke letters, how media outlets reacted to them and what to make of all this. His video weighs the merits of Kotick’s request and looks at some of the articles that were changed (one of which had a glaring error). I highly recommend watching it: (Note, I did some editorial consulting for a People Make Games video last year but nothing to do with this report.) While many outlets haven’t left any public evidence that they updated their Kotick coverage at Kotick’s counsel’s request, at least one has. Back in October 2025, the mainstream outlet Reuters applied the most transparent article update I’ve seen. On the 3rd of the month, they published an article about the state of the Swedish pension fund’s lawsuit. Days later, they added this: In an October 7 letter sent after publication of this article, Kotick’s defamation counsel disputed claims of widespread harassment at Activision. “Not a single investigation, court finding, verdict, or ruling ever concluded that there was any merit” to the allegations of widespread harassment at Activision, Tom Clare and Nick Brechbill of Clare Locke wrote. I’ve never added a statement to my article on Game File, because none was needed. Not for fairness’ sake, nor to meet any demands of Kotick’s lawyers. I’ve nevertheless wanted to be transparent with Game File readers. If someone powerful is questioning my reporting, is threatening a lawsuit over it… if that threat is part of a pattern involving other games media outlets and if, in my case, the whole thing ran into a ridiculous ditch, I want you to know about it. I also share this as a real example of how I handle threats to Game File. I stand up for my own reporting, even when it’s not comfortable to do so. (In that same category of standing up for the work I do, I’ll point to an incident in late August. Asocial media post I published to X/Twitter regarding reporting I did about Take Two and GTA VI was hit by bogus copyright claim by a firm working for the publisher. I pushed back and got it reversed; even while a bigger games media outlet let themselves be censored. This is the other reason I’m sharing this story: To emphasize that dealing with threats from powerful people is one of the costs of covering the video game industry independently and as fearlessly as possible. This is where you come in. Your support, through free and paid subscriptions (sign up here!), can help me keep doing that. It can ensure that I’ve got the back-up I need. And it can help make fiascoes like this even less of a worry, so I can spend my evenings dealing with more important things, such as making sure I steam the kids’ broccoli just right. 1 That pension fund lawsuit I wrote about in January has all but gone away. In May, the fund and Activision Blizzard owner Microsoft agreed to settle. Lawyers for the fund brokered a $250 million settlement for former Activision Blizzard shareholders. In the settlement, the fund’s lawyers changed their rhetoric. Where once they’d questioned the meaning of the California settlement language, they adopted a version of it for themselves. Several weeks ago, while seeking to get a court to sign off on the terms of the settlement, they proposed their fee for their work in the case: $60 million.
White House to reopen part of Lafayette Square after eight months
Administration officials are still pursuing plans to build a permanent fence around the park.
Jazz Fest hits all the right notes
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival, in existence since 2007, has been a welcome repository of a wide variety of jazz sounds. This year was no exception.
Eberly, Fox Graduate School to celebrate 100 years of the Penn State Ph.D. on Oct. 2
Join the Eberly College of Science, Department of Physics, and the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School from 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, in 117 Osmond Building or via webinar to celebrate 100 years of doctoral degrees at Penn State.
Behind the Science with Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria Dr. Matthew Carrano
Is the 21st Century the real Age of Dinosaurs? Today, more paleontologists are discovering more dinosaur fossils from more places in the world than ever before. Our understanding of these amazing creatures has leapt forward while their popularity has surged. Museums sit at the junction of these phenomena. The Smithsonian has been a center for dinosaur research for more than a century, and its collections include many iconic and scientifically important specimens. Today, Smithsonian researchers continue to discover new dinosaurs, but they are also uncovering more information about the ones we already know and love. New techniques and approaches allow them to investigate aspects of dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution in ways that would have been inconceivable to early paleontologists. The result is an ever-improving understanding of dinosaurs as living, breathing, and thriving animals. This month, go behind the science with paleontologist Dr. Matthew Carrano, Curator of Dinosauria at the National Museum of Natural History as he discusses new discoveries at home and abroad, in the field and in the museum. Registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come first served basis. ---------------- About the Series: Behind the Science A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now!
JBU enrollment hits new record
John Brown University recently said its enrollment has risen to a record 473 new students. The incoming class includes a record 401 freshmen, 60 transfer students, and 12 students returning...
Greenville Country Music Fest back at CCNB Amphitheatre
The Greenville Country Music Fest is set to return to CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park in Simpsonville on April 30 and May 1, 2027.
Bears Make Risky QB Decision Ahead of Eagles Matchup
The Chicago Bears are turning to their third quarterback for a difficult Monday night matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Veteran Case Keenum is expected to start for Chicago on Monday Night Football , NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday morning. The move comes with Caleb Williams already ruled out because of a hamstring injury…
12 moves that illustrate the brazenness of Trump’s second term
When the Trump administration began running taxpayer-funded “public service announcements” that looked suspiciously like campaign ads for President Donald Trump last week, the White House gamely maintained they were “very clearly not campaign ads.”
John Mayer maps Sphere shows with innovative format
John Mayer will hit the Las Vegas Sphere in the spring for shows that showcase his music in three forms.
John Cusack sets the record straight on longtime rumor he turned down starring in ‘Breaking Bad’ as Walter White
A rumor has long persisted that John Cusack passed on playing Walter White on ‘Breaking Bad,’ and the ‘Say Anything’ actor admits he had to double-check if that was the case.
Trump open to Iran sanctions relief for ‘concrete progress’ on nuclear issues, White House official says
President Donald Trump is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release frozen funds for “concrete progress” on a nuclear deal, a US official told CNN Monday, as mediators try to bring both countries back to the negotiating table.
How to Watch: White Sox at Astros, Wild Card Series
Your broadcast guide this week, including every permutation of Game 3 start times!
Fire, Smoke and Desperation After a Strike in the Heart of Kyiv
A Russian jet-powered drone hit Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences, the source of almost all of the country’s major scientific discoveries.
Trump administration uses taxpayer money to air 2024 Trump campaign ad
A television advertisement from Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign is the latest in a series of ads promoting the president ahead of the midterms that the White House maintains are “public service announcements.”
Trump administration begins airing 2024 Trump campaign ad
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is using taxpayer funds to air a television advertisement from Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign in the latest in a series of ads promoting the president ahead of the midterms that the White House maintains are “public service announcements.” The 30-second video, which is virtually identical to one that […]
Paul Goldschmidt could punish the Red Sox for the Yankees
Against left-handed pitching, Paul Goldschmidt hit .299/.393/.573 this season. Against right-handers, he hit .213/.239/.351. The Yankees don’t need to invent […]
ONE WEEK AWAY: Protect Our Care’s “Sick of It! Fix Health Care Now” Bus Tour Hits the Road to Take the Fight for Affordable Health Care Across the Country
Washington, D.C. — One week from today, Protect Our Care’s “Sick of It! Fix Health Care Now” campaign will hit the road with Care Force One, kicking off in Bangor,...
Russian drones hit Kyiv science academy and hospital
One person killed and six injured in attack on capital, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges countries to do more to protect Ukraine
Michigan State Injuries Were Massive Hits to the Team
A brutal wave of pregame and mid-match casualties left the Spartans depleted, forcing a depleted roster into a desperate battle of attrition against a surging Nebraska squad.
Houston Astros rebound from 11 games under .500 and win AL West
Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Houston Astros rebound from 11 games under .500 and win AL West
Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Kyiv Science Academy hit as Russian jet-drones strike across Ukraine
KYIV, Sept 28 () - At least one person was killed when a drone hit the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Monday, as Russia pounded the centre of the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali...
'Home Improvement' star reveals why Patricia Richardson left show
Taran Noah Smith is sharing his perspective on why Patricia Richardson walked away from "Home Improvement," a decision that brought the hit ABC sitcom to an end after eight seasons.
Koch and the Chase Koch Foundation donate $1 million to The Pinnacle
The $1 million donation will go toward completing renovations to the state-of-the-art facility, offering local first responders comprehensive health and wellness services.
Deadly strike on Kyiv Science Academy as Russian jet-drones hit Ukraine
The Ukrainian capital’s mayor said 19 people had been injured in attacks on the city.
Caleb Williams’ Injury Just Got More Concerning for the Bears
The Chicago Bears hoped Caleb Williams had escaped with a minor hamstring injury. That optimism has now taken a hit. […]
Russia attacks scientists in strikes on Kyiv
A Russian drone hit Ukraine’s science academy in the heart of Kyiv, killing a woman and causing a large fire.
Russian drone ‘hits National Academy of Sciences’ in central Kyiv
A Russian drone slammed into a building belonging to Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Monday, causing a fire local media reported.
America's Oldest Person Just Turned 116 – Here's What Science Says About How to Live That Long
Exceptional.
White House cancels health, education funds approved by Congress
The Trump administration announced plans Friday night to cancel $810 million in funding for health, education and other programs just days before the end of the current fiscal year, triggering another fight with Congress over the power of the purse. The so-called pocket rescission claws back money already appropriated by Congress, with little time for […]
High Tide Named to Report on Business Ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies for Sixth Consecutive Year
High Tide Inc. ("High Tide" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: HITI) (TSXV: HITI) (FSE: 2LYA), the high-impact, retail-forward enterprise built to deliver real-world value across every component of cannabis, announced today that it placed No. 315 out of 375 companies listed on the 2026 Report on Business ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies, with a verified three-year revenue growth rate of 66% over the 2022 to 2025 measurement period. Highlighting the Company's increasing profitability profile, Ad
Klopp sees no reason for negativity after Germany's setbacks
Jürgen Klopp has refused to be hit by a resurgent wave of negativity after two setbacks in his first two games as Germany coach. Following a disappointing last-32 exit from this year's World Cup, Klopp replaced Julian Nagelsmann.
All Aboard Banijay Entertainment’s Landmark MIPCOM 2026 Line-Up
Media and entertainment group, Banijay Entertainment, today unveils its newly combined powerhouse of content for MIPCOM 2026. Celebrating highly anticipated premium scripted staples, versatile next-gen formats, and standout catalogue champions, the business teases the hits set to grace its newly named “Banijay House” in Cannes this October. This year’s line-up is led by gripping legal […]
Harriet Slater ready to fight in ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ S2
Playing a passionate woman in 18th century Scotland in the hit prequel “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” has certainly changed Harriet Slater’s career.
A Financial Stock Can Be a Great Business and a Bad Investment. Here's How to Tell Them Apart.
Investors will quickly figure out that a potential stock needs to clear two primary hurdles.
Around the Big Ten: Dylan Raiola shines after vicious hit on Dante Moore
Sports writer Connor Krumme looks at each Big Ten school after most of them made their yearly football conference debut. He looks at Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Washington, Maryland and more as they prepare for the full conference slate and the College Football Playoffs.
White House releases new taxpayer-funded ad describing ‘final battle’
The ad is nearly identical to one Trump’s presidential campaign released in 2024.
Astros Are Playoff Bound after 9-0 Whitewashing of Athletics
There’s a new worst record to go to the postseason, but at least it isn’t a sub-.500 one. The Houston Astros handled business today in West Sacramento against the Athletics, 9-0. With the victory, the Astros are AL West Champions and will host the Chicago White Sox in the AL Wild Card Round beginning Tuesday […]
White House expands taxpayer-paid ad campaign boosting Trump
New taxpayer funded ads featuring President Trump have sparked debate over whether they violate federal law.
Haberman discusses Trump’s health, cruelty and GOP enablers
Maggie Haberman is “a resident of Donald Trump’s head,” according to Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith. Haberman, a White House reporter for The New York Times, sat down with Smith for an...
I-5 southbound project on track as pressure builds for local businesses
Portland’s southbound I-5 Rose Quarter shutdown hits the halfway point, with ODOT saying repairs remain on track for Oct. 16. But delays are worsening and nearby businesses report steep losses as traffic patterns shift.
Art that serves others: How a Harnett County muralist is making a lasting mark in her community
Van Goat Studios, which has been operating since 2019, has allowed Johnson to express herself and reflect the spirit of local communities through murals. Photo provided by Elyse Johnson.Elyse Johnson of Van Goat Studios in Dunn wants to spread her artistry and make a lasting mark in her community. Van Goat, which has been operating since 2019, has allowed Johnson to express herself through murals and decorating electrical boxes in the urban landscapes of North Carolina. On top of traditional mural painting, Johnson offers what she calls “portable murals,” an option tailor-made for structure owners who do not want to commit to a design for their wall.“A contractor builds a framed piece of wood, and then they can frame the ‘mural’ onto the wood, whether it’s into their building, whether it’s interior or exterior,” Johnson said. The beginnings of Johnson’s journey into establishing Van Goat Studios reflect the teachings she wants artists to take away today: everything is a learning opportunity. When she started Van Goat, she shared it was a joint venture with a business partner. “I mainly did that because I didn’t feel like I was ready to go and do this on my own,” Johnson said. Her business partner eventually dropped out of the project, deciding she wanted to pursue other forms of art. That is when Johnson was thrust into growing her business on her own during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had built up my confidence enough to go out and reach new heights,” she said. “And I was probably one of the few that benefited from COVID.”The moment presented a silver lining for Johnson. One of her first projects was a Farmers Day mural for the town of Coats. “When COVID-19 hit, Coats was not able to hold their annual festival, so they had a little bit of savings. They decided they wanted to do something for their community without getting anyone sick,” Johnson said.From there, word of mouth spread. Now, Johnson has an organic way of approaching projects. “Like a lot of muralists, if I feel inspired by a building, I will just go up and talk to that building owner and tell them a mural is something they should consider,” Johnson said. But above all, Johnson says she wants art to be accessible to everyone. Johnson said she is trying to stick to projects that benefit “the little guys.” “I’m not trying to go for a project in downtown Raleigh to get the eight-foot-tall building,” Johnson said. “I’m not trying to go to those major cities and get those huge buildings for two reasons: one, I don’t want to go that high; two, my passion really lies with the small guys.” But due to financial constraints and the material reality of art commerce, that requires open communication, she added. “I don’t want to just snowball you with this huge price, and then you just shut me down because it wasn’t what you were thinking,” Johnson said. “At the same time, I am an advocate for the arts, so I’m not going to give you a $10,000 mural when you’re only going to pay $5,000.” There is a healthy balance in explaining the artistic process and working with clients and the surrounding community, Johnson said.“Your municipality invested this, and this is why they invested this, and this is how it’s going to help and improve your community,” she noted. “Same thing when I’m talking to a small business. You asked for me to come at you with this that is outside your budget. How do we make this still your same exact goal, but within your budget lines?” Johnson also provides lessons to aspiring artists. She does so with a mission: how do you master the balance between being a great artist and a competent business owner? “We still do art lessons, but I’m also going to give you business scenarios,” she noted.One of the scenarios she has come up with for her students is a T-shirt competition. “The kids have to think about ‘okay, I can’t just draw whatever I want on a T-shirt. I need to think about what colors Miss Elyse likes. What does Miss Elyse’s logo look like? What would Miss Elyse like?’” Johnson said. “So the design needs to be around that kind of concept.” As Johnson looks toward the future of Van Goat Studios, she is thinking of time, longevity and succession. Johnson is a new mom, which she said has shaped how she sees the future of the studio.“I still want my name and my business out there continuing, so that when my daughter is of age and she can be more independent, then I can be out there doing more and more,” Johnson said. “I would love to get a student to pass this on to, or an intern. I would love for this business to be passed on to the next generation and let them go.”
Cuvo Health Publishes 2026 State-by-State Virtual Clinic Compliance Report: 33 of 51 Jurisdictions Restrict the Corporate Practice of Medicine
/PRNewswire/ -- Cuvo Health, the white label telehealth platform operated by Medstra Inc., today published the 2026 State-by-State Virtual Clinic Compliance...
White House expands taxpayer-paid ad campaign boosting Trump
The taxpayer-funded campaign borrows the president's political rhetoric as the White House defends the spots as “public service” announcements.