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‘FBI’s Zeeko Zaki Reveals What Excites Him About OA’s New Assignment
Plus, why OA and Zara could work out.
Trump’s crusade to oust disloyal Republicans underscores the party’s dilemma: From the Politics Desk
Plus, surveying GOP officials for a vibe check ahead of the midterms.
Whoa! Netflix is Sending Narnia Heading to Theaters...What This Means for the Future of Film
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Here’s a funny thing about the debate over whether streamers should release their movies in theaters first: Both sides think the other side represents the “conventional wisdom”. If you’ve been reading me for any amount of time, or even just scanned my front page, you know I think movies make more money by having a robust theatrical window compared to going straight-to-streaming. I’ve published thousands of words on this topic. And for years, I felt like I was standing up to a wave of opposition. See, while the “put your films in theaters to make money” take was obvious at any point before 2019, post-streaming revolution, most of the trendy thinkers took the opposite point of view. Big names argued that Netflix putting their film straight-to-streaming (“S-to-S” from here on out) actually made more money. Netflix was “disrupting” theaters, just as they disrupted Blockbuster Video, and since innovation is always good, this too was a great idea. This thinking then leaked into the mainstream business outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. I read many articles whose take boiled down to “Netflix makes tons of money from S-to-S releases” and “theaters were in structural decline” anyways. Covid-19 shutting down theaters and the 2023 strikes shutting down film production seemingly justified this point of view, as the box office struggled to return to 2017-2019 heights. Yet I’ve also read folks arguing the opposite point: the conventional wisdom says to put films in theaters! From some writers’ points of view, “everyone” actually agrees/agreed with my “send your films to theaters” take—especially the stodgy traditional studios—and folks still didn’t understand Netflix’s genius. I feel like, for the last two years, many people have argued this point as if it’s conventional wisdom. You know what? I may have been wrong. At this point, the “S-to-S strategy makes money” might be the minority viewpoint. Especially with the news this month that Netflix will put at least one film—Greta Gerwig’s Narnia film The Magician’s Nephew—in theaters in 2027 for a full 49-day run is big news. So that’s the story of the week, but I’ll also explain why they’re making this move now and why Netflix may not completely embrace theaters, along with other topics, like how I don’t buy Disney’s “super app” strategy, the latest good news out of the unions, my take on the latest attacks against free speech, and a whole lot more. Let’s get started. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Netflix Goes to Theaters! Listen, I promise not to victory lap too hard today. As I just wrote, I’ve argued against sending films straight-to-streaming for—checks calendar—eight years now. Since 2018. Yikes. That’s a long time. And for years, others painted my thinking as “conventional” in that I was standing up for the status quo against trendy, cool disruption. And that’s not cool! But math is math, and I never could make the S-to-S numbers work. The only thing that ever enabled that model was Wall Street’s brief exuberance for it. It seems like the heads of Netflix now agree with me. (There were always rumors that former head of film for Netflix Scott Stuber argued internally for theatrical releases as well.) As they announced: “The Magician’s Nephew_—the first film in a Narnia series of films—will open on 12-Feb-2027, with a 49 day theatrical exclusive run.”_ I’m a little surprised at how little coverage this big change actually got. Credit to Bloomberg for leading with it and Matt Belloni’s The Town for highlighting it with the provocatively titled podcast “Hell Hath Frozen Over”. But after that? Instead of getting as much coverage as, say, the FCC’s latest egregious crackdown on free speech, this news story got crickets. But it’s massively more important for the future business of entertainment. So let’s start with the obvious question… Why Put Your Movies in Theaters? So…why should Netflix put (some!) of their movies in theaters? Well, I’ve already written that in a very, very, very long article from 2022: [ ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) [ The Data Is In: Theatrical Films Massively Outperform Straight-To-Streaming Films ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) Entertainment Strategy Guy · April 5, 2023 [ Read full story ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) To summarize, theatrical runs make much more money, especially blockbusters, because they earn more money per viewing,1 and that helps boost home entertainment sales. Theatrical films also perform as well or better than the streaming-only films. Now, partially this is driven by increased marketing for said films, but said marketing ultimately boosts the awareness of the movies and drives improved streaming and library performance as well. Again, I’ve made this case after reviewing the economic models and streaming data for years. Just last week, Emily Horgan also made the case for kids films! Yes, it is probably conventional wisdom, but that’s also because it’s true! I’d also argue we’ve seen a lot of data in the various studios’ behavior. As I’ve noted before, the more a studio needs to make money, the likelier they are to put films in theaters. As such, Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony all send their major films to theaters. Even if they once made a big S-to-S push (*cough* Disney *cough*), they’ve since relented and returned to theaters. The tech companies don’t need to make money, per se, so it took them years to embrace theaters. Apple doesn’t need to make money because it doesn’t disclose their (likely) Quibi-sized losses each year. (They fear bad press more than losing money.) Amazon announced two years ago that they planned to make Amazon-MGM Studios/Prime Video profitable on its own, and guess what? Now they’re putting films in theaters. That leaves Netflix. They’re in between the “no need to make money at all” and the “desperately need to make money to offset linear TV declines”, so they had less pressure to put some films in theaters. Plus, for years, they were the sexy disruptor, and Wall Street rewarded them for that. (Honestly, they still do.) Yet, even Netflix likely saw the money they were leaving on the table (I’ve estimated it at an easy billion dollars before) so they changed their course. I heard one pundit argue that, because Netflix already makes so much money, they don’t need to make more money, which sort of goes against everything I’ve ever learned about business and economics. Again, to be super-nuanced, sending “films to theaters” does not mean EVERY film. TV movies have been a thing for decades. Lifetime films, Hallmark holiday films, Disney Channel Original Movies, and so on, don’t need theatrical runs. But films above a certain budget level (say $25 to 50 million) almost certainly need theaters to maximize their revenue. The Scenarios (with a Dose of Skepticism) Now time for some skepticism: it won’t surprise me at all if Netflix re-changes course. Specifically, Netflix announced that their Narnia film will go to theaters. And I’d bet anything we see KPop Demon Hunters 2: The Huntering2 also goes to theaters, cause it’s the surest hit outside of a Disney animated sequel right now. But how much does Netflix truly commit to theaters? They’ve already tried to emphasize that this is a one-off move. I see three broad scenarios:
PlayStation Plus to raise monthly subscription by £1 in UK
The videogame firm says the increase is due to "ongoing market conditions"
Three things to know about Aaron Rodgers' return to the Steelers, plus breaking down the 2026 NFL schedule
Here's everything you need to know about the NFL for May 18
Sony announces price increase for new PlayStation Plus subscribers "due to ongoing market conditions"
The price of PlayStation Plus is going up. But not for everyone, for a change. At least, not yet.
Sony is raising short-subscription prices for PlayStation Plus
The price hike goes into effect on May 20th.
Amazon Alexa Plus Now Produces AI-Generated Podcast Episodes
The podcast industry suddenly has a big new player: Amazon's Alexa+ AI-powered voice assistant, which can now create extended 'podcasts' on any topic.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeats as MVP; Aaron Rai wins PGA Championship; Aaron Rodgers to play in 2026
Plus NBA conference finals set as Cavs knock out Pistons
Trump’s Approval Rating Hits New Low, and Ebola Outbreak Declared a Global Health Emergency
Plus, inside the closed-door talks over Greenland.
My Boss Is an Alcoholic. What Should I Do?
Plus, a bona fide “kids say the darnedest things” moment at a company party.
A prayer festival calls for more religion in politics, not less
A prayer festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC was partially organized and funded by the federal government. Its evangelical Christian messaging and call for more religion in politics not less, aligns with the Trump administration's fusion of faith and governance. NPR's Emily Feng went to the event to understand the audience for this approach, and she spoke with author Eric Metaxas, a speaker at the Rededicate 250 festival.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Henry Larson, with audio engineering by It was edited by Sarah Robbins and Daniel Burke.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
How To Watch From Season 4, Episode 5
Watch From live with TV channel, start time and streaming info. Stream Season 4, Episode 5 on Fubo — no cable required, free trial available.
Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim Head K-Movie Entertainment’s Indonesian Action Slate at Cannes Market (Exclusive)
IMDb, la source la plus populaire et la plus fiable au monde en matière de films, de télévision et de célébrités.
Heart of Midlothian: A 150-1 Long Shot Is Set to Shock the Scottish Premier League
Plus, the World War I pilot who helped shape this week’s PGA Championship, the slugger who lost his home run stroke and Jason Gay.
Google’s Android Upgrade—Why You Need A New Phone In 2026
Bad news for a billion-plus Samsung and Pixel owners — only new phones get Google's new upgrade.
Downtown Youngstown entertainment venues rebound financially
YOUNGSTOWN — The city-owned entertainment facilities started the year off strong with a $300,448 operating surplus during the first quarter — the fourth-best January-March in its history — rebounding from a $484,728 loss in 2025. “It’s a great start for the year,” said Eric Ryan, president of JAC Management Group, which operates the Covelli Centre, […]
Trump’s China trips ends with more questions than answers: From the Politics Desk
Plus, he’s not on the ballot, but Gov. Brian Kemp faces a big primary test in Georgia next week.
What It Takes To Build A Lasting Family Business. Plus: Catch Hiring Managers’ Attention In 11 Seconds
Welcome to this week’s ForbesWomen newsletter, which every Thursday brings news about the world’s top female entrepreneurs, leaders and investors straight to your inbox.
From The Sports Desk: Preakness preview
Our data guru Steve Kornacki expects a wide-open field for the big race. Plus, our World Cup player spotlight and a preview of this weekend’s Premier League action.
‘Football City USA’ adds players, including Steelers’ Mason Rudolph, to York County Sports Hall of Fame
Rock Hill hosted the York County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony, featuring the induction of NFL quarterback Mason Rudolph of the Pittsburgh Steelers, plus other former athletes and coaches.
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
A chemical found in fish could help reinvent your sunscreen
It’s been over 25 years since the FDA approved a new ingredient for sunscreen in the United States. But a molecule called gadusol found in fish and coral reefs is a promising candidate. It absorbs U.V. rays — acting like a built-in sunscreen for fish. But there’s a big hurdle if scientists want to turn gadusol into human sunscreen: They’d need to make a lot of it. A new study out this week in the journal Trends in Biotechnology takes us a big step closer. Their solution? Using the bacteria best known for making your stomach hurt: e. Coli. Interested in more science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
ASUS ROG NUC 16 (2026) launches with Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, price over $4000
ASUS ROG NUC 16 adds Arrow Lake Refresh CPU, white model and horizontal performance mode But how in the world did they come up with the price? ASUS has
Why Wisconsin lawmakers blew up a state budget surplus deal
Democratic and Republican legislators reject a deal to cut taxes and boost school funding.
Both sides of political aisle react to budget surplus deal failure
The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Assembly, but failed because of bipartisan opposition in the Senate.
Trump presents a midterm dilemma for Republicans: From the Politics Desk
Plus, revisiting Biden’s prediction of a Republican “epiphany.”
Kalihi machine shop closing after 80-plus years in business
Takeguchi owns and runs the family machine shop that his parents, Ted and Barbara Takeguchi, opened on Queen Emma Street in downtown Honolulu in 1944.
Billy Idol to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the AMAs
Plus, who else is receiving special honors.
Dell's New 14S And 16S Are The Replacement For Its Old Plus Models
The new models are now available, with prices starting at $1,270.
We Tested 33 New Phones to See Which Charge Fastest and Crown 2 Winners
We ran 33 phones from Apple, Google, OnePlus, Samsung, Motorola and more through our charging tests. The winners are given our CNET Lab Award.
How the WSJ Deciphered Trump’s Truth Social Behavior | WSJ Politics Newsletter for May 14
Plus, the president considers 250 new pardons to mark America’s 250th birthday, and JD Vance goes to war on Medicaid fraud.
907 Sports: Spring Sports Teams That Stand Unbeaten
More than halfway through the spring sports seasons, there are just a few unbeaten teams remaining in soccer and baseball. Plus, we check an a growing activity called ‘air pitch soccer’ that took over Anchorage’s Dome over the weekend.
Downtown Businesses on the Move, Plus More Retail & Restaurant News
Several downtown Traverse City businesses are on the move – including swapping locations, preparing for summer relaunches, or getting ready to open their doors for the first time. The Ticker has the latest on those and other restaurant and retail updates from across the region. Downtown MovesThe recent sale of the building at 122 Cass Street …
Redistricting raises the stakes in battles for statehouse control: From the Politics Desk
Plus, what to expect from Trump’s summit with Xi.
What Tele-ICUs Mean For Health Care In Critical Moments
In August 2024, 26-year-old Conor Hylton checked into Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut. Overnight, he was transferred to critical care, where he died.It was only after his passing that his family found out that Conor was treated at what’s known as a “tele-ICU.” His story shines a light on a practice that’s been around for decades despite a lack of substantial research about its outcomes.A tele-ICU is a hospital unit where patient care is handled off-site by remote doctors, nurses, or specialists. Up to a third of ICU beds in the U.S. are in tele-ICUs. That’s according to a study from the American Hospital Association.In Wisconsin, as of May 1, critical care physicians are no longer physically present in the ICUs of a few Ascension satellite hospitals. They remain available via video call to help bedside nurses and on-site hospital medicine doctors, known as hospitalists, who do not specialize in critical care.These facilities do present an opportunity to expand and improve the health care people receive. But what are the risks of replacing in-person care in the most critical, life or death moments?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Google on its ‘continued commitment to Chromebooks’ after Googlebook
Following yesterday’s Googlebook announcement, the company released a post aimed at existing enterprise and educational Chromebook users. Google says “Chromebooks...
Star Wars Outlaws & Red Dead Redemption 2 Join PS Plus Extra
May 2026's PS Plus Extra and Premium freebies also include Time Crisis, Flintlock, Bramble King, and a Broken Sword – Shadows of the Templar remastered
PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for May Includes Star Wars Outlaws and Red Dead Redemption 2
PlayStation Plus subscribers have several blockbuster games to look forward to this month, as Sony has revealed its Game Catalog additions for May 2026.
Oklahoma breaks ground on $1B-plus entertainment district, new arena
Leaders from OU, Norman and Cleveland County on Tuesday broke ground on the Rock Creek Entertainment District, a more than $1B planned development in North Norman that includes a new arena for the Univ. of Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball and women’s gymnastics.
Red Foxes’ Hudson Valley Entertainment Playbook
When the maples blaze and a cool breeze rolls off the Hudson, Poughkeepsie slips into its best season—festival weather, sweater weather, show-going weather. Marist College Red Foxes call this river city home, and the campus hum becomes a perfect launchpad for music and theater all over the Mid-Hudson region. From ornate 19th-century opera houses to big-sky amphitheaters that echo into the hills, autumn here is tailor-made for set lists and standing ovations. Consider this your locally tuned guide: a mix of chart shapers, roots revivalists, and Broadway juggernauts—plus the nearby halls that turn a crisp evening into a memory.
Tariff Refunds Begin to Reach Businesses as Trump Lashes Out at Court
The government must return about $160 billion, plus interest, collected from duties deemed illegal and potentially more if it loses a related tariff case.
Boston's best spots for a mental health break
Plus: 💩 Sewage in the Charles
PS Plus Extra, Premium May 2026 games revealed as Star Wars Outlaws tops line-up
Fans will be hoping Sony unleashes the big guns to combat Microsoft and its Xbox Game Pass line-up for May.
RFK Jr. Keeps Losing Top Officials as FDA Head Resigns
Plus, Trump’s late-night posts on Truth Social, and what he and China’s Xi Jinping want from their high-stakes Beijing summit.
The fall of an MLB superstar, plus a sad day in the NBA
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Consider basket weaving today. Inside: ⚾ Yasiel Puig’s tough reality 🥅 Sabres grit out a win 💔 RIP, Jason Collins and Brandon Clarke There was a brief period where Yasiel Puig was probably MLB’s most talented player. His story was inspirational, that of a talented Cuban player defecting to the United States. He put together an unforgettable debut season, where pundits wondered if he should be an All-Star in his rookie...
Lane Kiffin vs. Lincoln Riley, can Penn State top 2025 Iowa State and Nebraska’s NIL case
Plus, is Josh Heupel's seat at Tennessee starting to warm? And college sports' spending problem.
You should probably eat more fiber. Here's why — and how to do it
The average person eats 10-15 grams of fiber per day, according to the USDA. The problem? That’s WAY under the recommended daily amount. Fiber – a type of carb that our bodies are unable to digest – is prevalent in foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and beans. And it’s key for everything from feelings of fullness, to gut health, to good poop. That’s why a lot of people online are “fibermaxxing”: trying to meet or exceed the daily recommendation of fiber, in hopes it’ll improve their health. But how should YOU add fiber to your diet… and are the fibermaxxers overdoing it? Gastroenterologist Berkeley Limketkai is here to help parse the science on how little fiber is too little, how much fiber is too much – and, like Goldilocks, how we can figure out the amount that’s just right.Interested in more food and dietary science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
The dwindling ranks of the pro-impeachment Republicans: From the Politics Desk
Plus, what to watch for in Nebraska.
Google Makes It Easier to Share Files Between Android and iPhone
Google today said it is introducing updated file sharing features that will make it easier for Android users to send files to iPhone users. Quick Share is already compatible with Apple's AirDrop feature on select Android devices, but Google says the feature will expand to Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, and HONOR devices in 2026.
The iOS-Android file sharing nightmare is officially over for more Android users
Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor join the rollout this year.
Nvidia Is Spending Big On its Supply Chain | AI & Business for May 12
Plus, OpenAI’s employee payouts and tech’s growing unemployment
Here’s How Washington Could Suspend the Federal Gasoline Tax | WSJ Politics Newsletter for May 12
Plus, Justice Department targets media organizations over leaks, and stalemate emerges in the Middle East as the cease-fire enters its second month
Why Swedish scientists gave salmon cocaine
A recent study caught our eye: salmon on cocaine. Or really, researchers giving salmon cocaine…for science. See, scientists know human drugs pollute aquatic environments – past studies have shown even anti-anxiety drugs can change how fish act. But illicit drugs are less studied. And Jack Brand, an aquatic ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, wanted to know how illicit drugs like cocaine might change fish behavior, like foraging and mating. To answer that question, Jack and his team gave salmon cocaine. Interested in more science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
OxygenOS 16.1 rollout begins with new features and exciting upgrades
OxygenOS 16.1 update rollout is live. These OnePlus devices are receiving the update with new features and key upgrades.
‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 Premiere Date Revealed
Plus, first look at Sauron's new form.
Democrats try to corner Republicans on $1 billion proposal for Trump’s ballroom: From the Politics Desk
Plus, MAGA world fights over the “hottest ticket in town.”
From The Sports Desk: Inside the drawing room
NBC News takes you behind the scenes at the NBA draft lottery. Plus, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanayama gets ejected, and Erling Haaland is our next World Cup player to watch.
‘Fallout’: Aaron Paul Joins Season 3 of Prime Video Series
Plus, everything you need to know about the new season.
Eye on Entertainment: Sigourney Weaver honored
A new honor for 'Star Wars' actress Sigourney Weaver. Plus, a look at what it took to make the 'moonwalk' movie-ready. CBS News has your Eye on Entertainment report.
‘Crystal Lake’: Premiere Date Revealed for ‘Friday the 13th’ TV Series
Plus, everything you need to know about the new series.
‘Crystal Lake’: Premiere Date Revealed for ‘Friday the 13th’ TV Series
Plus, everything you need to know about the new series.
Pokémon GO Events This Week: 11
Pokémon GO’s May 11-17 week sees us enter the final month of the season of Memories in Motion! Welcome Spring with the Spring Marathon, and enjoy Deino Community Day Classic. Plus the weekly rotating Raid Hours, Dynamax Battles and Mega Raids. ⭐Highlights Raid Boss Change (May 13): Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Xurkitree, and Mega Glalie return to the raid pool. […]
Trump and Xi’s Uneven Relationship Faces a Stress Test
Plus, humanoid robots rake in cash, Pope Leo’s influence, and the paradox of bowling.
‘NCIS: Origins’: Could Young Vance Appear?
Plus, what about future crossovers and more Mark Harmon?
‘NCIS: Origins’: Could Young Vance Appear?
Plus, what about future crossovers and more Mark Harmon?
Art Can’t Compete With Politics in Venice or New York
Plus: Astrocartography, Michael Jackson, and a “hotspan” hack
What’s Working: Swipe fees, AI and other legislation Colorado businesses are cheering or fearing
A more collaborative year for businesses. Plus: A new moon rover, drought tech and new law could help CenturyLink end copper wire theft
Is Autodesk (ADSK) Using Small-Business Flex Pricing To Quietly Redefine Its Competitive Moat?
Earlier this month, Autodesk Inc. launched “Autodesk for Small Business,” introducing a Small Business Hub, product refinements across AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion, and Flow Studio, plus more flexible Autodesk Flex token and pricing options in the US and UK. The initiative materially lowers onboarding complexity and upfront commitment for small firms, potentially broadening Autodesk’s customer base while giving these users a clearer feedback channel into future product development. Next, we’ll...
‘NCIS: Origins’: Could Young Vance Appear?
Plus, what about future crossovers and more Mark Harmon?
Evictions, AI, public transportation bills: CT politics news
Plus: The fate of bills concerning data centers, health care affordability, fertility treatment, Aquarion Water Company and balloons.
How Democrats’ redistricting luck ran out: From the Politics Desk
Plus, this week showed why Trump’s grip on the GOP can be a double-edged sword for the party.
2026 NFL schedule release: Predicting matchups for Thanksgiving and Christmas games, plus season opener
Who will be playing on Thanksgiving this year? We've got predictions for that and five other games.
OnePlus’ latest phone cuts OS updates in half, because clearly everything is fine
The new OnePlus Nord CE6 looks good, but it cuts software updates in half amid a seemingly crumbling brand with a bleak future.
2026 WNBA season preview; Pistons and Thunder take 2-0 series leads in NBA playoffs
Plus, projecting the first 76-team NCAA Tournament field
Hantavirus Scramble Tests Trump’s Overhauled CDC
Plus, Anthropic’s Mythos has thrown the White House AI strategy into chaos.
Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
On May 2, the World Health Organization got an alarming report: People aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean were falling ill. The culprit is now confirmed as hantavirus, a pathogen that some rodents carry that can infect humans in rare, but often deadly, instances. Multiple passengers have died, and more people are showing symptoms. So, we’re talking to Emily Abdoler, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Michigan, about the news – how common is hantavirus in humans, what are the consequences of getting it, and how can at-risk people protect themselves from it? If you found this episode interesting, listen to our episode on Rocky Mountain spotted fever.Interested in more science in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Bullying or entertainment? Kyle Sandilands argues that fights with Jackie O were ratings gold for Kiis FM
Shock jock claims his bosses had monetised the conduct he was sacked for. Plus: Michael Gawenda v Jeff Sparrow
Perplexity's New Mac App Brings Personal Computer to Pro Users
Perplexity today launched a new Mac app with support for its hybrid local-cloud AI agent Personal Computer, plus it expanded Personal Computer access to Pro and Enterprise users, so it is no longer limited to just Max subscribers. Perplexity describes Personal Computer as a "personal orchestrator" that hybridizes local and server environments for security and productivity.
How Kamala Harris is threading the needle on the DNC autopsy saga: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Tennessee is set to become the ninth state to enact a new congressional map since last year.
Mess Fest returns to Orlando Science Center May 9–10 with messy, hands-on physics
Mess Fest is back at Orlando Science Center May 9–10, and I got a media preview of the messy, hands-on fun (including 3 experiments outside). Expect washable paint, physics demos, and big reactions—plus it’s included with general admission (members get in free).
Your guide to summer movies 2026: From 'Supergirl' to 'The Odyssey'
EW's guide to the biggest summer movie release dates, plus some exclusive new looks at movies like 'Supergirl,'
Civilization 7's huge 'Test of Time' update arrives this month, and it's full of deep changes to the divisive 4X game
Following more than a year of small and mid-sized updates, plus free content drops, Civilization 7 is getting the game-shaking 'Test of Time' update this month.
Is the FDA Really Suppressing Science? Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, May 7. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Aaron MacLean says Trump is poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Iran war. Joe Klein on the life of CNN founder Ted Turner. Jillian Lederman on why cruise ships are here to stay. And much more. But first: Is the FDA suppressing science? On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story with an alarming takeaway. “FDA Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe,” read the headline. It is the latest in a string of stories that all have the same message: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies, are engaged in a cover-up—and silencing scientists trying to get the word out about the Covid vaccine. What all these stories suggest—some more subtly than others—is that the outsiders now running the public health establishment, officials such as Marty Makary at the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya at the National Institutes of Health, are on a revenge tour. That they are doing harm to the country to get back at the scientists and bureaucrats who ostracized them for deviating from the public-health consensus during the pandemic. It’s a seductive narrative. But is it true? That’s the question we address in our latest editorial. —The Editors Read [ Marty Makary's FDA Has All the Right Enemies ](https://www.thefp.com/p/marty-makary-vaccine-study-fda) [ Trump Blinks First ](https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-peace-deal-pakistan-trump-strait-of-hormuz) Aaron MacLean In return for no detectable concessions, President Trump this week gave up on forcing open the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the Trump administration looks desperate for a deal to end the war with Iran. It’s easy to understand the desire to end the war, but are they blowing the chance at victory? Aaron MacLean makes sense of the administration’s latest moves—and Iran’s response—in his column today. Read full story Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson: Live in New York City Join Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson on May 19 for a live recording of School of War at the iconic New York Historical. In a conversation as timely as it is wide-ranging, Aaron and Niall will explore the strategic stakes of the moment, including the Middle East, China, and the future of American leadership on the global stage. Get Tickets Now [ Ted Turner, the Optimist Who Built CNN ](https://www.thefp.com/p/ted-turner-cnn-tribute) Joe Klein The man who gave us CNN and the 24-hour news cycle, Ted Turner, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Today, political writer Joe Klein—who almost ghostwrote Turner’s autobiography—remembers his friend, the American media mogul who stood out for his idealism and lack of a filter—something that got Turner in trouble more than once. “His was not a traditional intelligence, but one of horizon: Ted saw things before other people did,” Joe writes. Read full story [ Nothing Can Sink the Cruise Ship ](https://www.thefp.com/p/cruise-ship-hantavirus) Jillian Lederman A viral outbreak on a cruise ship that left three passengers dead has left some people wondering: Are cruise ships on the way out? Not so fast, says Jillian Lederman, who has been on many a cruise herself. Read her piece on why 38 million people a year take a cruise—and aren’t about to stop. Read full story [ The Great Writers Who Were Terrible People ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-writers-who-were-terrible) Shilo Brooks Throughout history, some of the greatest literary geniuses have also been immoral bigots. In the latest episode of Old School, Shilo Brooks is joined by Eli Lake for a conversation about those geniuses, from Voltaire to Norman Mailer and Roald Dahl—and why we should read their work despite their odious prejudices. Listen on MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Inside the Digital Intifada ](https://www.thefp.com/p/digital-intifada-social-media-hamas-terror) Warren Kinsella Read full story [ This Week in American History: Trump’s Over-Arching Problem ](https://www.thefp.com/p/this-week-in-american-history-trumps-over-arching-problem) Jonathan Horn Read full story [ Humanity Is Still Evolving—and Fast ](https://www.thefp.com/p/humanity-is-still-evolvingand-fast) Razib Khan Read full story THE NEWS Thirteen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination after an internal investigation found evidence that crime statistics were manipulated to make the city look safer. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee previously alleged that former D.C. police chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to skew data. Tennessee Republicans unveiled a redrawn U.S. House map yesterday that would split up Memphis’s black-majority Democratic district, the latest move in a nationwide push to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms. The effort follows a Supreme Court ruling last week on Louisiana’s districts, which Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said gave states the green light to redraw maps along partisan lines. Israel struck Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect last month, saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. The strikes risk destabilizing that truce at a delicate moment, as Iran and the U.S. report progress toward a deal to resolve their own standoff. The U.S. Air Force is aiming for a Fourth of July delivery of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, hoping to add it to the Air Force One fleet in time for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, Reuters reported. (For more on the controversy surrounding the aircraft, read Jed Rubenfeld’s piece “It’s a Terrible Idea, but Trump Probably Can Accept a Free Jet from Qatar.”) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified privately before Congress that he has no memory of why he and his family dined on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, according to Reuters. The admission contradicts Lutnick’s earlier claim that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender well before that visit. Weeks before a former JPMorgan investment banker filed a lawsuit packed with explosive allegations, the bank reportedly offered him $1 million to settle his sexual assault and harassment claims, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit, filed by Chirayu Rana, alleges he was sexually assaulted by a female colleague, subjected to racial discrimination, and forced into a degrading dynamic at work. JPMorgan says the claims lack merit, and the female colleague’s lawyers call the accusations fabricated. A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that, for the first time in roughly 20 years, church attendance is trending upward, with more people volunteering and clergy expressing renewed optimism. The study’s authors described the findings, based on a survey of more than 7,400 congregations, as showing signs of widespread recovery from low attendance numbers.
The Spurs are back, plus the unicorn recipe for firing a coach
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! I’m thinking about Chonkers this morning. Coming up: 🤠 Spurs look unstoppable 👀 Escaping the buyout trap 🙏 RIP, Ted Turner We had multiple playoff games again in both the NBA and NHL last night. They can be divided into two sections: interesting games and interesting results. Follow me here, starting with results: NBA: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95. Boring game, as San Antonio was up 20 in the second quarter. Interesting...
OnePlus 16 leak reveals 200MP zoom camera, new chipset and large battery
A new leak has revealed key details about the OnePlus 16 well ahead of its launch. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro flagship is expected to feature a 200MP zoom camera, a large battery, and a BOE display.
New OnePlus 16 leak reveals specs, 200MP periscope, 9000mAh battery in cards
A new leak reveals the OnePlus 16 may feature a 200MP periscope camera, 9,000mAh battery, and a display with up to 240Hz refresh rate.
20 Oakland sports events to catch in May
Plus: The Roots are off to their best season yet and the Falcons are in first place in their ultimate frisbee league.
Disney Entertainment SVOD Margin Hits Double Digits as Streaming Helps Offset Linear Declines
Disney’s Entertainment SVOD revenue rose 13% as non-GAAP SVOD operating income hit $582M and margin reached 10.6%.
Ohio emerges as a key midterm battleground: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Trump’s ballroom dance.
Lone Star Politics: May 3, 2026
This week, the Supreme Court made a ruling on new congressional maps and voting rights. We take a look at how it will impact an already intense battle for Congress. Plus, we spoke to a Google representative about the concerns from voters over new data centers in Ellis County.
Anthropic will let its managed agents dream
Anthropic is expanding Managed Agents with dreaming — a scheduled memory process — plus outcomes-based evaluation and multi-agent orchestration now in public beta.
See first look at 'Masters of the Universe' characters Fisto, Ram Man, and Trap Jaw (exclusive)
'Masters of the Universe' is filled with unique characters, and EW has the exclusive first look at He-Man's cohorts Fisto and Ram Man, and Skeletor's henchman Trap Jaw. Plus, costume designer Richard Sale breaks down each look's creation.
The Download: seafloor science and military chatbots
Plus: Elon Musk pushed OpenAI to go commercial, its president has testified.