SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " intro " 2,865 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Why Are Nothing's New 'B' Series Phones So Much Cheaper?
There are quite a number of downgrades that the Phone 4(b) has when put head to head with the 4(a), including a plastic back, and that's why it's cheaper.
5 Classic PS1 Games That Are Unplayable Today
Surprisingly, these five classic games for PS1 are not only no longer playable, but include some of the platform's biggest and most acclaimed titles.
Lorde blasts Spotify's AI song feature over error
Lorde isn't a fan of Spotify's AI-generated song descriptions. The streaming platform introduced its About the Song feature in February.
Will Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’ independent streak define his legacy?
Sometimes aligned with his party and at other times apart from it, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has spent much of his tenure charting his own course. That independent streak carried through fights over labor policy, rural anger over wolf reintroduction and ultimately his decision to commute Tina Peters’ sentence, a move that reshaped his standing […]
4 Disadvantages Of Using Microsoft Word Instead Of Google Docs
MS Word's Ribbon interface is not beginner-friendly, there's no free offline version, working in the cloud requires setup, and there are formatting issues.
Yahoo Sports releases new college fantasy football game
Yahoo Sports is expanding its fantasy football by introducing a new college fantasy football game. Find out details and how to sign up here.
Ranking Member Markey, Senator Hirono Reject Trump’s SBA Policy Proposal that Harms Underserved Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Letter (PDF) (Washington, July 17) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. The 8(a) Business Development Program was created by Congress more than 50 years ago to level the playing field for small business owners and entrepreneurs who have faced discrimination in starting and operating their businesses. The SBA’s proposed change ignores the existence of historic discrimination that minority and underserved small businesses have faced and continue to face. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “SBA’s proposed rule ignores present-day barriers that entrepreneurs from minority and underserved communities face. Discrimination is not dead; minority entrepreneurs continue to face reduced access to contracting opportunities and capital, as well as racial threats and targeting, including unequal treatment, refusal by others to work with minority-owned firms, being called racial slurs, and bias in the workplace. These barriers lead to wide underutilization of, and less revenue for, minority-owned businesses compared to majority-owned businesses, as supported by decades of disparity studies. The proposed rule diminishes the history of systemic racial and ethnic discrimination in the United States by claiming that remedies for discrimination create discrimination in and of themselves.” The lawmakers continued, “The program has always been open to anyone who can prove they have experienced prejudice or cultural bias in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and other facets of our society. Nonetheless SBA has moved forward with the proposed rule. It lacks a reasoned basis, purporting that the federal government has discriminated against White Americans, but offering no substantive qualitative or quantitative data or research in support. If the examples provided in the proposed rule are the only basis for what constitutes discrimination to the agency, they are woefully insufficient. The final rule must provide strong evidence that there is discrimination against White individuals and show how the rule is narrowly tailored to address it. The record remains devoid of evidence of discrimination against White individuals on the basis of race.” Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect federal programs that address historic discrimination against small business owners from minority and underserved communities, and for a small business agenda that ensures economic opportunity for all. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a statement condemning the SBA’s proposed changes to the 8(a) Business Development Program. Also in June, Ranking Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses, including minority-owned small businesses. In February, Ranking Member Markey, alongside Senators Hirono and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), introduced the Strengthening Place-based Access, Resources, and Knowledge (SPARK) Act to spur entrepreneurship and increase access to capital and resources for underserved entrepreneurs nationwide. Ranking Member Markey previously held a field hearing in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to discuss how government and the private sector can come together to make entrepreneurship more accessible for underserved communities. Earlier in February, Ranking Member Markey secured funding with the Appropriations Committee for Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, SCORE Chapters, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers and provisions to rein in the Administration’s attempts to eliminate programs that support women, veterans, and underserved entrepreneurs. In January, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to oppose rule changes that would gut protections against discriminatory lending practices that harm small businesses. In December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler expressing significant concerns with the SBA’s overly burdensome request and unclear guidance for extensive financial documentation over the holidays, as a part of their sweeping attempts to dismantle the 8(a) Business Development Program. In July and December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator demanding answers about the Trump administration’s efforts to limit economic opportunity for American entrepreneurs, including immigrants. In May 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the SBA Administrator rejecting President Trump’s FY 2026 budget proposal and calling on SBA to immediately release funding for the entrepreneurial development programs, which include programs like the Women’s Business Centers and the Veteran’s Business Development Centers that support underserved small business owners. In April 2025, Ranking Member Markey introduced the New Start Act of 2025 to establish a five-year pilot program providing grants to support entrepreneurial development training for currently or formerly incarcerated individuals. In February 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator and Government Accountability Office (GAO) condemning President Trump’s war on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies and asking how the SBA intends to implement Trump’s anti-DEIA executive orders. ###
Nexus unveils first startup school cohort of companies
Nexus Louisiana introduced the inaugural cohort of companies in its Stealthmode Startup School and announced the winners of its DevDays Education Challenge during a recent showcase, highlighting the o… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Here Are The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 And Z Fold 8 Camera And Battery Specs, Apparently
Camera upgrades in the Z Flip 8, Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra appear to be slim.
If You Own One Of These Routers, You're At Risk - And There May Never Be A Fix
If you own an older Tenda router, your home network could be at risk. Learn which models are vulnerable and the steps you should take now to stay safe.
5 Big Changes Reportedly Coming To The iPad Lineup By 2027
Apple's iPad line-up is slated to get some major changes with its 2027 releases, including upgraded accessories and the long-awaited Siri AI.
Samsung's Freestyle+ Projector Is Now Available For $1,200
Samsung's Freestyle+ projector is a tiny unit which can play movies on the most uneven of surfaces.
Massie introduces second Epstein files bill
Last July, Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a bipartisan bill to force the Justice Department’s release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. Forest Policy: A Path Forward for Healthy Forests and Communities
Executive Summary America’s forests are facing three interconnected challenges: While the conditions for policy to address these challenges are ripe, current legislative and funding proposals fall short of the scale required. Closing the gap will demand greater ambition, coordination, and resources from across the forestry community. Introduction America’s forests are at a critical inflection point. … Continued
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
Case introduces transit-oriented development bill
The legislation would expand tax-credit eligibility for projects in transit hubs like those around Honolulu Skyline stations
5 Micro Center Finds With Deep Discounts In July 2026
Micro Center is holding a back-to-school sale along with regular monthly discounts that let you get laptops, computer monitors, and components on the cheap.
Senators Coons, Lankford introduce bill to help unemployed workers start small businesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced the New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency (NO BOSS) Act today, legislation that would modernize the Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program so that laid off workers can more easily receive their normal unemployment insurance even while working full-time to start […]
Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch
Eleven grams of gold offered in this limited edition of 1,969 pieces, priced as if we were back in 1969.
Apple Readies OLED iPad Mini, With Low-End and Air Updates Coming in 2027
Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce its biggest overhaul to the iPad mini in half a decade, giving new life to a product that’s popular with travelers and technology enthusiasts.
Amid political division, Alaska lawmakers close in on final compromise gasline bill
Legislative leaders say they will introduce a final compromise tax bill for the proposed AKLNG gasline on Thursday, which is then scheduled to be taken up for a vote by the full House and Senate.
You Can Now Grant Claude Access To Your 1Password Credentials
1Password lets you use Claude agents for personal chores without exposing your credentials.
Physician lawmakers introduce bipartisan fix for radiologist Medicare pay woes
Members of the Democratic and GOP Doctors Caucuses are proposing the Patients First Act, bolstering incentives to save independent practices and “reversing decades of consolidation.”
Capital One (COF) Unveils Up To $500 In Spark Business Travel Credits
Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) has introduced new travel credits for Spark Cash Plus and Spark Cash business cardholders. The credits are designed to be used on Capital One Business Travel bookings, adding a new benefit for business customers. This move links card rewards more directly to Capital One's business travel platform and could influence how companies manage travel spend. Capital One Financial, trading at around $208.89 per share, is adding this travel credit feature at a time...
Skullcandy Crusher 1080 review: Haptic bass meets whisper-quiet ANC
Skullcandy’s new flagship Crusher 1080 headphones blend Bose audio and big bass.
4 Devices You Should Always Connect To 5GHz Wi-Fi (And 4 That Can Stay On 2.4GHz)
Not every device needs 5GHz Wi-Fi. Some gadgets benefit from faster speeds, while others perform better on reliable 2.4GHz connections.
XGIMI Elfin Flip 4K review: An ultra-portable laser projector with sharp video quality
XGIMI’s Eflin Flip 4K is a portable, stylish projector that provides outstanding image quality at a great price.
Chicago Needs A ‘Small Business Bill Of Rights’ To Reduce Red Tape, Local Leaders Say
Ald. Desmon Yancy is set to introduce a resolution outlining policy goals for the city to lessen regulations, fees and bureaucratic delays for small businesses.
PPG introduces PPG AEROVIEW virtual aircraft painter for business, general aviation
Innovative digital tool enhances aircraft paint color selection, design experience PPG (NYSE: PPG) today announced the launch of the PPG AEROVIEW™ virtual aircraft painter, a digital tool designed to help business and general aviation customers explore and customize aircraft paint colors with precision and ease. This web-based tool provides an interactive platform where users can select from a variety of aircraft models and digitally apply colors from PPG’s comprehensive aerospace color library to visualize custom paint schemes in real time. The PPG AEROVIEW™ virtual aircraft painter is a digital tool designed to help business and general aviation customers explore and customize aircraft paint colors with precision and ease. The PPG Aeroview virtual aircraft painter is designed to increase the visibility and accessibility of PPG’s aerospace coatings, particularly for business and general aviation markets. The tool provides a digital alternative to traditional physical color brochures
Will UK Affordability Checks and Prediction-Market Scrutiny Change Flutter Entertainment's (FLUT) Regulatory Risk Narrative?
In recent days, UK gambling bosses, including Flutter Entertainment via the Betting and Gaming Council, have been weighing legal action against the Gambling Commission’s plan to introduce affordability checks for online customers spending over £1,000 within 24 hours, arguing the rules rely on weak evidence and could push bettors toward less regulated operators. At the same time, investor Michael Burry’s interest in Flutter, partly based on expectations that prediction markets may face...
The founder of Hinge raised $18M to build a new AI dating service, Overtone
Overtone describes itself as "a voice- and audio-forward service, enabled by AI, that provides highly curated introductions."
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
PlayStation FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick Delayed Without A Firm Release Date
Sorry Marvel Tokon fans, PlayStation's FlexStrike fight stick has been delayed.
Health system leaders discuss care delivery, workforce and technology at 2026 AHA Leadership Summit
Following an introduction from Michelle Hood, AHA executive vice president and COO, moderator Chris DeRienzo, M.D., AHA senior vice president and chief physician executive, led a panel discussion July 14 at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit with Betty Chu, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer of Advocate Health; Christine Donohue-Henry, M.D., chief population health officer of ChristianaCare; and Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, and AHA chair-elect.
Public Betas For iOS 27, macOS 27 And More Apple Platforms Are Now Available
Try the new Siri AI and system-wide performance improvements.
Introducing the 2026 Field Fellowship Cohort
This summer leadership program offers students from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs the opportunity to gain hands-on public policy experience through placements at government offices and…
Experimental Transmission Aims To Tackle The Biggest Problems With Hybrids
Faraday Future patented the Range-Extending Hybrid Transmission System to fix PHEV complexity using a multi-clutch and multi-shaft architecture.
Introducing the new Environmental Science digital resource guide
Explore how Earth’s natural systems function and examine the relationships between humans and the environment.
At $6,900, Is This 2004 Audi TT 3.2 A Bauhaus Bargain?
The 2004 Audi TT 3.2 we're going to discuss today might be considered a future classic owing to its form-over-function design and desirable drivetrain.
When regulation is good for business
By now, I think I have established both my view that I am a fan of ESG investing and the benefits of regulating what is and isn’t a sustainable investment, and my view that in Europe, ESG regulation has gone too far and become too costly. It almost feels like the old Aristotelian maxim of doing things in moderation that leads to the best outcomes is valid in regulatory efforts as well. To give you an example, let’s look at a study by the National Bank of Belgium on the impact of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) on fund flows of conventional and ESG funds. The SFDR was announced on 27 November 2019 and came into effect on 10 March 2021. It was implemented in several stages and split funds marketed in the EU into three broad categories: (i) Art. 6 funds that are basically conventional funds without any specific ESG integration, (ii) Art. 8 funds that ‘promote environmental or social characteristics’, which must provide additional reporting how they do that, and (iii) Art. 9 funds that are impact funds. The gaps between the announcement and the phased implementation give us an idea of how fund flows were affected by the regulation. It is clearly visible in the figure below that once the new regulation was announced and when it was initially implemented, fund flows in Art. 8 and Art. 9 funds increased significantly. Conventional Art. 6 funds also saw more inflows, but the increase was not statistically significant. I should add that the data below is pure fund flow, cleaned of performance effects and of any reclassified funds that moved from one classification to another. Note also that once the initial rush in ESG funds was over, additional, stricter regulatory requirements didn’t create that many new flows. This implies that with additional regulation, the funds incurred higher costs to comply but didn’t benefit in terms of new inflows and higher assets under management. Fund flows as the SFDR regulation was implemented in the EU Source: Emiris et al. (2026) When examining the drivers of these flows, the authors of the study found that institutional investors were more likely to switch to ESG funds and particularly so in countries where concerns about sustainability are culturally more accepted. In a society where buy-in into environmental and social risks is higher, private investors were shifting more of their assets into ESG funds as the regulation made it clear which funds are really green and which ones are not. And institutional investors in these countries did so as well, given the societal pressures and reputational risks of sticking with conventional funds. Meanwhile, fund managers reacted to the changing regulatory environment as well. Many funds that were mildly green before the regulation was announced became greener and more sustainable as the regulation was introduced to attract new assets and new investors. Cleverly, and unsurprisingly, these ESG funds also charge on average higher fees, which means that not only did fund managers gather fresh assets, but their profitability increased as well.
MyFlyYatra is expanding its business class flight travel to Australia, Africa, Japan, Europe, Dubai by introducing enhanced coverage for global destinations as part of its ongoing growth strategy.
MyFlyYatra announces expanded business class flight booking options from the United States to Australia, Africa, Japan, Europe and Dubai.Germant...
Why Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death could impact Texas politics
Political experts say Lindsey Graham’s death introduces uncertainty into the fight for control of the U.S. Senate, creating ripple effects that could reach far beyond South Carolina — includi…
Bridging divides: Alumnus helps legislators find common ground, reach policy solutions
Jack Thomas ’22, M.P.P. ’23 is the director of congressional engagement and public policy at the National Institute for Civil Discourse in Washington, D.C.
Entertainment Notebook: Artemis II — The Screening; Bourassa Quartet; The Big Top; Tight Lettuce & Engelbert
The Montreal Science Centre has introduced a special screening dedicated to Artemis II, the historic mission that marked the return of crewed flights to the Moon and enabled Canadian Jeremy
Ohio's Charming Cincinnati Suburb Is A Vibrant City Bursting With Unique Foodie Finds And Entertainment
This unassuming city just beyond Cincinnati's borders is home to a "theme park of food," as well as top-notch restaurants and buzz-worthy events.
The 80/20 Institute Introduces an Approach to Expand Margin Without Cutting — by Concentrating on the 20% That Drives Profit
Lakewood Ranch, FL, July 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amid a broad corporate push to 'do more with less,' The 80/20 Institute is making a contra...
The 10 Best Bluetooth Speaker Brands, Ranked By Sound Quality
Getting serious sound quality with the convenience of Bluetooth portability is big business these days. We checked out some of the top brands in the market.
5 4-Cylinder Engines That Deliver V6 Power
Powerful vehicles used to require powerful engines, but thanks to newer technology and improved efficiency, a 4-cylinder can perform just as well as a v6.
Xbox Gamer Wins Lawsuit Against Microsoft To Restore Account And Digital Library
Microsoft also has to pay roughly $400 in damages to the user.
Why GameCube games are so expensive (and why they're rarely sold at retro stores)
GameCube game sales didn't come close to those of the Nintendo 64 or Wii, so scarcity plays a major role in the titles' high prices and lack of availability.
Brennan calls on GAA to employ video technology
Dublin manager Ger Brennan calls on the GAA to introduce video technology to assist officials make key decisions following his team's All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat by Kerry.
Here's What The R/T Badge On A Dodge Charger Actually Means
The R/T label on Dodge Chargers means Road and Track, not Rapid Transit, Racing Technology, Rally Touring, or Racing Team, as some fans have thought.
The Rare Pyrex Bowl Produced For Only A Year That Collectors Dream Of Finding At Thrift Stores
Pyrex’s Black Tulip casserole dish is a rare find for thrifters because its pattern of black flowers and pinwheels was only produced from 1956 to 1957.
KS Supreme Court amendment would reintroduce politics to the bench
Justices haven't been elected since the 1950's
These 7 SUVs Have Engines From Proper Muscle Cars
SUVs with muscle-car motors include the Cadillac Escalade-V, Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, and Jeep's Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and Wrangler Rubicon 392.
10 Essential Apple Watch Features You Have To Enable Yourself
Customizing workouts, changing your Control Center, and setting up a sleep schedule are essential Apple Watch features you should enable and test.
5 Star Trek Gadgets That Have (Or Will Soon) Become Real World Tech
"Star Trek" has inspired technologies like humanoid robots, universal translation devices, hypospray-like medical jet injectors, and even virtual environments.
Microsoft wants to integrate your smartphone more deeply with Windows 11: Plans major UX enhancements that will make your PC and phone more seamlessly connected
Sources say that Microsoft is exploring several ways it can introduce new smartphone integration features across the Windows 11 interface in the coming months.
Here's What Should Be In Your Bicycle Repair Tool Kit
To fix your bike at home or on the road, the essentials are a multi-tool, hex wrench set, tire levers, a tire pump, chain lube, and a patch kit.
Skip Pyrex: The Antique Dishware You Can Find At Thrift Stores That's A 'True Collector's Jewel'
The Le Creuset Dutch Oven Terrine is unique. Shaped like a duck and no longer in production, this piece is a rare and interesting twist on plain cookware.
4 Car Brands Bringing Back The Inline-6 Engine
Discover 4 car brands bringing back the inline-6 engine. We review how automakers like Mazda, Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and Land Rover use the tech.
4 Drawbacks Of Buying A Nintendo Switch 2
Generally, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a great console. Are there any drawbacks to buying one now? Our expert weighs in on the cons of buying Nintendo's flagship.
8 Cool Consumer Reports Approved Gadgets Under $50
Score top-tier, Consumer Reports-endorsed tech like streaming sticks and headphones from Roku, Amazon, JBL, and more — all for under $50.
Top Stories: 'iPhone Ultra' and Apple TV Rumors, iOS 27 Beta 3, and More
Apple's annual iPhone event is just two months away, but we're still not quite clear on when and in what quantities the new foldable "iPhone Ultra" will be available. It sounds like we could end up in a situation similar to that of the iPhone X where it was introduced at the September event but didn't become available for pre-orders until around six weeks later.
Who Needs Scalpers When GameStop Is Marking Up Pokémon Cards By More Than 300 Percent?
Is paying a reasonable price for colorful cardboard too much to ask?
FIFA Rolls Out Major VAR Update Amid World Cup Criticism
FFIFA has introduced a big change to its VAR operations for the World Cup.
iOS 27: What's New With the Mail App
Apple's Mail app is getting some useful updates in iOS 27, with Apple making big improvements to search and introducing new AI features. Search iOS 27 has an overhauled search system that extends to the Mail app. Instead of surfacing results based on keywords and recency, Mail app search ranks results by relevance and intent. Search results that come up in Mail are more relevant than before, so you find exactly what you're looking for.
Apple Calls OpenAI's Hardware Business 'Rotten To Its Core' In Trade Secret Theft Lawsuit
The lawsuit also names io Products, the hardware company led by Jony Ive.
HP OmniBook Ultra 14 review: HP's best ultraportable in years
While fully loaded models are quite pricey, the HP OmniBook Ultra is hard to beat for those in the market for a premium Windows ultraportable.
State Sen. Pat Fahy introduces bill on swimming lessons for children with autism
Harbe Nagi who was found dead in a pool in Menands last week following a search that lasted for multiple days.
Everything to know about Yahoo Sports' new fantasy college football
Yahoo Sports nearly broke the internet when they announced fantasy college football would be introduced for the 2026 season.
Public Health Student Hollie Hagan found her calling in rural Kentucky
A high school internship at the Grayson County Health Department introduced Hollie Hagan to public health and set her on a path she never expected. Now a University of Kentucky College of Public Health student, Hagan is combining leadership experiences and rural fieldwork to prepare for a career serving communities like her hometown.
iOS 27: 8+ New CarPlay Features
With iOS 27, Apple is introducing several CarPlay features that will improve your in-car experience, both when you're driving and when you're idle in the car. From new video experiences to Siri AI, there are multiple new options to look forward to. Video Apps CarPlay apps can incorporate video browsing capabilities, so you can browse for and watch videos on your in-car display while parked.
Clarins Introduces Double Serum Eye, Bringing 30 Years of Longevity Science to the Eye Contour to Reduce Visible Eye Wrinkles, Puffiness, and Dark Circles
/PRNewswire/ -- Clarins, French prestige skincare brand, introduces their latest skincare advancement, the new generation of Double Serum Eye. Powered by 30...
Delta, United and Other Airlines Are Offering Lower-Cost Business Class Options: What to Know
Delta is the latest U.S. airline to introduce stripped down, luxury-class fares. What do you get for your money, and is it worth it? What you need to know.
Sony Launches $120 In-Ear Monitors For Pros
The IER-M500 earphones were designed for fit and comfort during stage wear.
iPhone Ultra rumors: The most credible leaks, price and expected release date
iPhone Ultra or the iPhone Fold. No matter what you call it, here are all the rumors and leaks we've gathered on Apple's most anticipated iPhone in years.
Indiana: Stop playing politics with kids' food.
In Indiana, over 650,000 kids are without consistent meals this summer because the state opted out of an important federal food program. I just introduced a bill to change that.The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) program is designed to fill a gap for kids who typically rely on free meals at school. It’s a win-win program: the federal government covers the cost of the food benefits. Congress has already approved it, and it’s set to go — signed, sealed, and ready to be delivered to 650,000 Hoosier kids in need. That’s how the program works in other states.
Sony's RX10 V Superzoom Finally Arrives With A New Design And 4K 120p Video
Sony has finally unveiled the RX10 V superzoom with a 24-600mm zoom lens and 20.1-megapixel 1-inch sensor.
Yahoo Sports introduces a new era with College Fantasy Football: Sign up and get ready to play!
Yahoo College Fantasy Football is uniquely built for the modern college game and the millions of people who live for Saturdays in the fall.
EA SPORTS™ College Football 27 Launches Worldwide, Bringing New Era of College Football to Life
Do it For U with 138 Ways to Play in Dynasty Mode, Experience NIL and Build Your Legacy In Road to Glory Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today launched EA SPORTS™ College Football 27 worldwide on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and, for the first time ever, PC and mobile. Following the record-breaking return of the franchise, College Football 27 raises the bar once again, delivering the most authentic college football experience yet. College Football 27 captures real world elements that impact gameday like never before. College Football 27 is the definitive modern college football experience. Every major change happening in the sport — from NIL and coaching movement to recruiting, player development and game day — is now reflected in the game at unprecedented scale. Built around the current college football landscape, College Football 27 introduces the biggest changes to Dynasty Mode since the game's introduction, including all-new dynamic weather, expanded Road to Glory positions
Michigan Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to curb campaign spending power of corporations
State Rep. Betsy Coffia, a Democrat from Traverse City, and state Sen. Sean McCann, a Kalamazoo Democrat, introduced legislation in their respective chambers last week to limit the powers of business corporations, nonprofit corporations and limited liability companies to participate in campaign spending.
The best Roku feature for night owls you probably aren't using
Almost all streaming devices can route audio to your Bluetooth headphones. Here's how to set up Bluetooth on Roku, Fire Stick and Google TV.
U.S. Bank Debuts Tool for Faster Small Business Money Movement
U.S. Bank has introduced a tool to help small businesses move money faster. Enhanced Payments, announced Wednesday (July 8), is offered through the bank’s
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
Dumbo Health Launches SleepLongevityAge, Bringing Clinical Care to the World’s Most Overlooked Health Metric
Introducing Sleep Longevity: a new category of care that turns the world’s most overlooked health metric into action. Sleep better. Live longer.Miami, Florida, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Millions of people wake up tired every morning, and most never find out why. Americans have never known more about how they sleep: Apple Watch, Oura, Whoop, Garmin, and other wearables generate millions of sleep scores every morning. Yet for most people, those scores never lead to action. Today, Dumbo Hea
INCUBASE Studio Accelerates Collectible Entertainment with GochaGocha's 23-Location Asia Debut of a New Photo Card Experience
INCUBASE Studio is expanding its IP entertainment ecosystem with the launch of GochaGocha, a new smart photo card machine platform developed by subsidiary INCUTix. Following a rapid rollout across 23 locations in Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in early June, GochaGocha introduces a new channel connecting fans with officially licensed content through discovery, collectability and convenience.
5 Useful iPad Accessories Cheaper Than Apple Brand Products
You can use the RAPIQUE Bluetooth Wireless Mouse, IFEART USB-C Cable, MoKo iPad Case, Logitech Combo Touch, and Metapen Pencil A8 with your iPad.
Build EBR launches facade improvement program for Plank Road businesses
Build EBR is introducing a new grant initiative designed to help small businesses and commercial property owners enhance the appearance of properties along the Plank Road corridor. Funded through the JPMorgan Chase AdvancingCities Grant, the Front Door Refresh Facade Improvement Program is the final implementation initiative tied to the Reimagine Plank Road Master Plan and […]
Digital Health Tools and Technologies: An Overview of CMS’ Recent Efforts to Expand Their Use in Medicare
As an increasing share of older adults have adopted digital health technologies over the past several years, and with most expressing interest in using them to manage their health care, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced several initiatives to expand the use of digital health technologies in Medicare. This brief summarizes these initiatives and draws on data from various surveys, including KFF Tracking Polls from September 2025 and March 2026, to highlight facts about recent experiences with and use of digital health tools among Medicare beneficiaries and older adults more generally.
iPhone 18 Pro Could Be Noticeably Thicker Than iPhone 17 Pro
The iPhone 18 Pro's aluminum frame and camera housing are both set to grow thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro's, according to new posts from the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital". In a post on Weibo today, the leaker said that aluminum alloy mid-frames are "going to be used in straight-edge phones for a long time to come," referring to Apple's continued use of the material introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro rather than a return to titanium.
12 Gadgets Under $25 That Deserve A Spot In Your Home Office
Working from home can mean spending hours on end in a makeshift space thrown together on the fly. These gadgets could ease some of the pain.
MannyPay Global Launches U.S. Merchant Processing Division to Help Small Businesses Lower Payment Costs and Accelerate Growth
Backed by global icon Manny Pacquiao, the company introduces a merchant-first payments platform — spanning card processing, integrated commerce te...
Apple Seeds Third iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Betas to Developers
Apple today seeded the third betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the second betas. Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update. iOS 27 introduces Apple's smarter version of Siri, Siri AI.
Bailey campaign embraces artificial intelligence in new era of politics
Artificial intelligence-generated images and videos are ushering in a new era for political campaigns and Republican Darren Bailey is leading its introduction in Illinois during his second run for governor.
How Does The MacBook Air Stay Cool Without A Fan?
The MacBook Air doesn't have a built-in fan, yet it still handles heat efficiently. Find out what keeps it cool and how it's designed to avoid overheating.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale's Stick-Shift Might Not Be 'Real' But You've Gotta Stop Freaking Out About It
In essence, it was either going to be this "fake" manual, or no manual at all, and I personally believe in the lesser of two evils. Do you not?
KUOW’s new podcast Pocket Science digs into the groundbreaking research happening right here in the Pacific Northwest
Today KUOW launches Pocket Science, a podcast that takes you up close to the scientific research and discovery happening all around the region and introduces you to the scientists in the thick of it.
60 summers of service: Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital's teen volunteer tradition
Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital's VolunTeen program has been introducing young people to health care careers for six decades.