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A Very Special Milestone for Serhou Guirassy
“I’m very, very happy to have played a hundred games for Dortmund - I didn’t even realize that,” said the 30-year-old forward, who joined BVB from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2024. 100 comp...
New York braces for impact of retaliatory tariffs
As the issue becomes a flashpoint in the November midterm elections on one hand, the real day-to-day economic impact is playing out on the other.
Mets Officially Learn MLB Playoff Fate
The New York Mets have one of the most expensive rosters in the history of sports. It hasn’t worked out even close to how they planned. And while there wasn’t really any suspense about this, it only became official this week how the Mets would fare in the NL East Division. Tuesday night will be […] The post Mets Officially Learn MLB Playoff Fate appeared first on HEAVY.
The trail of clues that our planet might be heating faster than we realised
A curious online row over this summer's heatwaves points to a wider - and worrying - shift in climate science.
The trail of clues that our planet might be heating faster than we realised
A curious online row over this summer's heatwaves points to a wider - and worrying - shift in climate science.
RAF lands new 'The Ultimate Fighter' style reality series
RAF is continuing to grow, landing its very own take on UFC's 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality series.
The 98 Biggest TV Show Flops, Bombs and Misses in the First Half of 2026
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) In July, I updated my look at how the “streaming bubble” popped since 2023, showing the decline in streaming TV shows over time. But after compiling and analyzing and writing about over one hundred TV show flops in the first half of 2026—I counted 99 “nominees” and there are even more honorable mentions—I couldn’t have told you that the number of shows is going down. When it comes to scripted, English-language TV shows, it feels like we have as many bombs as ever. I don’t keep a specific count, but some streamers probably had as many flops as they’ve ever had.1 That’s right, it’s time for part two of my analysis of the biggest flops, bombs and misses on streaming in the first half of 2026. Two weeks ago, I took a look at films. Today, TV shows. If you want to read the full methodology for how I assemble this list, you can find it at the bottom of this article. In short, this list is… ...scripted and unscripted TV shows,...from the nine major streamers,...in the US (using US-only ratings),...excluding true crime, kids and foreign-language shows,...that got no/poor ratings,...from Jan-2026 to the end of June-2026. Reminder: this article does not represent my personal opinion—many of these shows are great!—but I follow the data, and a miss is a miss and a bomb is a bomb. Also, price matters. If a TV show costs north of $100 million, it needs to get lots and lots of streaming viewership to justify that budget. As with past editions, I ordered this list by streamer, going from best (fewest flops) to worst (the most misses)—taking the size of the flops into consideration—and like the last edition, three or four streamers vied to take the win/loss of having the most flops. (But the actual winner is no surprise.) I try to avoid tooting my own horn too much, but seriously, in just under 5,000 words (including the methodology section) I provide a mostly comprehensive overview of the eight major streamers (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+, and Apple TV) for the first half of the year, mentioning most of their hits and all their misses. It summarizes the entire first half of 2026! If you want to support this work, please subscribe. Subscribe Tubi Big Mood Boarders The Freak Brothers Twenty Twenty Six Honorable Mentions: Busted on Bodycam, Deestroying the Pitch, Destination World Cup 2026 I don’t think that Tubi spends all that much making or (mostly) licensing these original TV shows—Big Mood, Boarders and Twenty Twenty Six all come from the UK—but they’re not free and they didn’t chart anywhere. Winner: The Freak Brothers Have you even heard of this show? It’s an animated comedy...that’s on its third season! And Pete Davidson, Woody Harrelson, John Goodman and Tiffany Haddish all provide voice talent for it. Yes, animated shows don’t cost as much as live action shows, but cheap isn’t free! So a show with this level of talent needs to perform better. Disney+ Daredevil: Born Again Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Honorable Mentions: Behind the Attraction, Donna Hay Coastal Celebrations, We Call It Imagineering Disney+ doesn’t make all that many original shows anymore. They had two flops, and one was animated. Their one not-a-miss show, Wonder Man, got just good enough viewership to not be considered a “miss”...but it’s since been cancelled. At this point, Disney has pivoted entirely away from making big budget TV shows for Disney+ to making...almost nothing for Disney+? Sure, Disney’s spending circa 2019-2022 was unsustainable, but now they’re pivoting too far in the other direction. At some point, Disney needs to stop shifting strategies so wildly. Really, Disney should have made fewer shows for Disney+ at launch and the shows they did make at that time needed to be made at more reasonable budgets. And they should adopt that strategy now. Winner: Daredevil: Born Again Daredevil, the Marvel Comics character, is on my personal Mount Rushmore of favorite superheroes, so it pains me to give him the win/loss today, but this show deserves it. I’ll repeat my hot take from last spring: “Based on his popularity, Daredevil should be in movies, and probably ones that cost a lot less than the MCU’s usual price tag. Disney/Bob Iger/Ike Perlmutter (who, based on reporting, made the decision) made a huge mistake selling TV shows to Netflix in the 2010s, thus limiting this character to the small screen. Daredevil could have anchored Marvel’s post-Infinity War plans, and if he did, the MCU would probably be in a better place than it is now.” HBO Max We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… What four streamers had the most misses... HBO’s strong start to 2026… The caveat to Peacock’s turnaround this year... Paramount+’s key man problem… What country isn’t delivering hits for Netflix or Hulu... The cavalcade of stars on a streamer where no one is watching their shows... Across nearly 5,000 words of analysis… And a lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you’d like to read more about why you should subscribe, please read this article about the Streaming Ratings Report, why it matters, why you need it, and why we cover streaming ratings best.
The set-pieces: Real Madrid 2-1 Inter
Madrid won the first contact from two of their seven deliveries and generated four shots, three of them in the second phase
Travel information for the Champions League opener v Villarreal
Rail servicesGetting thereThe RE 57 from Sauerland will make unscheduled stops at Signal Iduna Park station at 6:15 pm, 7:15 pm and 8:15 pm, and at Dortmund Central Station five minutes later each tim...
❌ Sent off after provocation: E. Mbappé loses his head
In the first leg between Lille and Real Betis, Ethan Mbappé initially shone with an assist for the opening goal. After that, however, things only went according to plan to a limited extent for the Fr...
Realistic Detroit Pistons Expectations For 2026-27 Season
The Detroit Pistons made a lot of changes during the offseason, but how will that impact their quest to retain the top seed in the Eastern Conference?
Exclusive: Two of gaming’s biggest names are making a big investment in gaming’s future
The first thing to know about the Nova Games Foundation is that it isn’t about The Game Awards. And it’s not about PlayStation. The ambitious new grant program is the brainchild of Geoff Keighley and Mark Cerny. Keighley is the host of The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest and Opening Night Live. Cerny is a game designer of some 45 years and the lead architect for the PlayStation 4 and 5. But this new thing, which they’re revealing through Game File, isn’t about their day jobs. It’s an unaffiliated, standalone philanthropic project. It’s a bet on the artistic future of video games and a way, they tell me, to give back. “I’m nearing the end of my career,” Cerny recently told me over email. “I’m not done yet, but paying it forward—in the best way possible—is very much on my mind these days,” The Nova Games Foundation is a university-affiliated fellowship program, intended to offer six-figure grants to 20 young game designers each year, potentially for decades to come. It will offer no-strings-attached funding along with mentorship from games industry leaders, a combination intended to aid the development of groundbreaking new games, Cerny and Keighley told me. Nova will begin accepting applications in December, from class of 2026 and 2027 students from 13 affiliated gaming programs at universities in eight countries. The schools working with Nova include the New York University and the University of Southern California in the U.S., along with Abertay University in Scotland, Cnam-Enjmin in France, TH Köln in Germany, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, Cerny and Keighley said. The plan: $100,000 per recipient, with about a quarter of Nova fellows eligible for up to $500,000 more for projects that are shaping up particularly well. Payments will be delivered based on development milestones, and recipients will own their games. Nova will help promote the work, and developers will be free to pursue the publishers and platforms of their choice. Nova can help introduce fellows to publishers, but won’t take a cut. “I’ve always wanted to give back, but given my role in the industry, I’ve never felt it appropriate to commercially invest in games,” Keighley told Game File. “I’ve never owned stock in a game company or taken a financial stake in a game. Nova is philanthropy: we aren’t taking equity or looking to recoup the grants. The return we’re hoping for is creative—helping new voices make games and find their footing. “Mark and I have each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish the foundation, and we intend to keep contributing. We hope others will join us.” Cerny and Keighley have already hired an executive director, John Maconga, and a head of grants, recent Game Developers Conference director Ashley Corrigan, to help launch the effort. They’re working to recruit game industry leaders to join the effort. Keighley says “dozens of leading game directors have already expressed interest in contributing their time.” To name one, they’ve already gotten Josef Fares, lead designer from It Takes Two and Spit Fiction studio Hazelight on board with a donation and pledge to help out. “I’m proud to support Nova because it gives the next generation of creators the freedom to explore their creativity and hopefully bring their unique visions to life,” Fares told Game File. A plan forged from a friendship Keighley and Cerny have known each other a long time. It’s been so long, Cerny isn’t even sure exactly when they met. “We travel in much the same circles and I’m sure first intersected in the 90s or early 2000s,“ Cerny said. Keighley thinks it might have been during his stint writing a column about the mid-’90s console 3DO for a gaming magazine while Cerny was working on games with Crystal Dynamics or on Way of the Warrior with Naughty Dog. They became genuine friends about a 10 years ago, Keighley said, as they bonded over a shared love of games and a hope to improve the industry. “About a decade ago, we started having dinner a few times a year in LA,” Keighley said. “Just to catch up on life and the industry. Those conversations continued over Zoom during COVID. Nova grew out of that friendship and a question we kept coming back to: ‘What could we do to help the next generation of game directors get started?’” Keighley credits Cerny with the idea to figure out a way to put their money and time back into the industry. At one of those dinners, Keighley proposed the idea of a fellowship program. He’d recalled applying for a Rhodes Scholarship when he was younger. “Spoiler: I didn’t get it,” he said. He’d admired the MacArthur Foundation’s so-called “genius grants.” He liked these kinds of programs that recognized people’s talents and gave them the financial boost and the freedom to realize their potential. With Cerny, he had pondered what a game industry version of that could be. Keighley liked the idea of centering the fellowship on students, drawing inspiration from the accomplishments of Jenova Chen, the USC game design graduate who went on to lead the creation of gently moving, ambitious games such as Flower and Journey. Keighley also thought it could be useful to help promising graduates bridge the transition from student to professional. “Joining an established studio isn’t always possible—especially in today’s market—and even then, it isn’t the right path for everyone,” Keighley said. A fellowship, he realized, could give “graduates the time, resources and guidance to pursue a game of their own and not worry about the commercial viability.” As the idea took shape, Cerny also saw an opportunity to enable more games of a certain type: “The target with the grants is games as an artistic medium,” Cerny told me. “We like to say games with ‘artistic, literary and societal value.’” He added: “I’m a pretty big gamer myself, though I tend to gravitate towards the smaller and more unique or artistic titles, games like Neva, Abzu, Gorogoa, Stray or Outer Wilds. I was just playing and Roger on a flight to Japan, and was getting misty eyed to a degree that I was concerned that a flight attendant would ask me if I was OK. “So one fun benefit here is the games that will come out of the Nova Games Foundation – I can’t wait to play them myself.” Cerny believes it will also be useful for Nova fellows to hone their craft and team leadership skills. “We are looking for the next generation of visionaries,” he said. “The trick is that they will also need to have the executive function necessary to drive a small project to completion.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my reporting, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Going big with this Keighley and Cerny may have started Nova and may be the ones primarily backing it right now, but they’re dreaming of something that goes beyond them. “Mark and I may have helped get it started, but one of our measures of success is that Nova grows into something the entire games industry feels a sense of ownership in,” Keighley said. “Our ambition is to build a lasting endowment supported by people and companies across the industry, and an equally broad community of creators willing to give their time and experience to the next generation.” The industry has a lot of knowledge that it can pass to the next generation, Keighley said: “Nova can hopefully become a way to connect that generosity with talented young creators at the moment when it can make the biggest difference.” Cerny, who told me he believes Nova can mature “over the next 10 or 20 years,” sees an opportunity to give generations of game makers momentum. “The industry has changed immeasurably since I started in games in 1982,” he said. “These graduates have talent, training and tools that outclass what we had back in the day by an astonishing amount. But they face a tough road ahead getting traction in the industry, and many could benefit from our support. We want to be there to give it to them.” “There’s a personal side to this, too,” Keighley said. “I don’t have children, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I can do for future generations. Games have been my entire career. I’ve been incredibly fortunate, and helping someone else build a life in this industry feels like a meaningful way to give back.” Cerny’s oeuvre dates back to Marble Madness and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. He has stood on stage multiple times to reveal the future of PlayStation hardware. He’s been an executive producer for a string of modern PlayStation classics such as The Last Guardian and Marvel’s Spider-Man. Nevertheless, of Nova, he said, “It’s certainly not like anything I’ve done before.” Nova Foundation applications will be due in December and the first wave of fellows will be announced in March 2027. A full list of participating universities and steps students and recent graduates can take to apply to become a Nova Fellow is forthcoming.
Women immigrant-owned businesses featured at massive market at HER Tel Aviv festival
“We really want to show the diversity and the connection and the love for Israel,” HER Tel Aviv founder and CEO Sivan Hadari said.
🚨Confirmed XIs: Dortmund host Villarreal in their European opener
The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League kicks off in style at the mystical Signal Iduna Park. Borussia Dortmund come in as favorites, backed by three straight wins and Serhou Guirassy’s firepower up front...
CONFIRMED lineups: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan, 2026 Champions League
Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Inter Milan in the Champions League. STARTING LINEUPS: Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Trent; Brahim, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé. Inter Milan starting XI (TBC): Martínez; Bisseck, Stones, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Jones, Carlos Ausgusto; Lautaro, Thuram. HOW TO […]
Louisiana contestant wins first runner-up in Miss America, 'Words that will never seem real.'
After reaching the final five, the current Miss Louisiana came up just shy of the win, but grateful for the experience nonetheless.
Trade war shock: Tariffs push Canadian small businesses to the brink
The economic pain that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned would come from a trade war is now a harsh reality for some small businesses that export to the US.
Are rich people really worse behaved? Here’s the science
Who’s more likely to steal sweets from a child? According to science, it’s the rich. A study seemingly confirming our suspicions about the moral behaviour of the wealthy was one of the winners of the 2026 Ig Nobel prizes, which honour research that makes you laugh and then think. Science editor Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay what the researchers think could be behind the phenomenon, and they explore some of the other awards, including one for a surprising quality we look for in our friends and another for a biomechanical definition of kissing
Current events: Scientists keep close eye on Atlantic Ocean changes
The year is 2060. London shudders through months of Nordic winter freezes. Across northern Europe, oak and beech forests wither under severe frost and drought, while cereal yields collapse from temperatures ...
The New York Times: A new editor for Politics
Ben Shpigel, who’s guided fast-breaking coverage on Live and Sports, will help elevate real-time political coverage at The New York Times.
Christal Jordan has the latest in entertainment headlines
The Duke & Duchess of Sussex are back in the UK, and Phaedra Parks has a new beau. Keep up with Christal on social media @threalchristaljordan
Former Kane Realty COO launches AI-powered real estate consulting firm
Bonner Gaylord and David Shaner co-founded Grounded Intelligence to help Triangle commercial real estate firms implement AI tools for competitive advantage.
Are Irving, LaVine, Holiday realistic for Heat? And surprising Richards info
The Heat’s challenges in landing one more impactful player. And some notable data on new backup center Nick Richards.
AZ's R&D chief Barr touts internal 'science success story' after IL-33 antibody's stellar showing in COPD
With a detailed data drop that AstraZeneca’s R&D chief described as an internal “science success story,” the British Big Pharma has secured an FDA priority review for what it believes could become a flagship biologic in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In detailed results from the late-stage Oberon and Titania trials—first teased in March and detailed in full at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona this week—the drugmaker laid out the extent of its IL-33 inhibitor’s potential to reduce moderate and severe exacerbations in a wide range of COPD patients still struggling with those “lung attacks,” as AstraZeneca’s Sharon Barr, Ph.D., called them, despite using standard-care inhaled therapy. In the headline results, a 300 mg dose of tozorakimab given once every four weeks curbed those moderate and severe exacerbations in the studies’ primary population of former smokers by 29% in the Oberon study and 34% in Titania. In the overall population of both current and former smokers, these reductions were 30% and 29%, respectively, versus placebo and inhaled standard of care. The benefits also extended to clinically meaningful exacerbation reductions in all prespecified patient subgroups and specifically turned up promising signals in patients across a range of blood eosinophil counts, with Barr telling Fierce that “it’s the details that make this even more exciting than the high-level results that we’ve already shared.” In fact, during AZ’s tozorakimab poster presentation at the ERS 2026 Congress this past weekend, attendees were so enamored by the data that event organizers had to encourage people to clear the room and look at the other presentations on offer, Barr said in an interview. “I think it really speaks to the fact that there is a lot of buzz around these data because the entire respiratory community has been so desperate for new therapies for these patients,” she explained. The respiratory disease continues to represent a “staggering unmet medical need,” Barr said, highlighting the COPD exacerbations that the Oberon and Titania studies homed in on, which she added carry a greater mortality risk than a heart attack. “When a patient has a severe exacerbation, only about half of them are still alive within three and a half years,” she pointed out. As for tozorakimab specifically, Barr christened the molecule “an AstraZeneca science success story,” harkening several years back to the point at which researchers began to explore IL-33 as a driver of respiratory disease, and COPD in particular. At the same time, “there was still so much that wasn’t understood,” she admitted, highlighting the insight that IL-33 signals through both ST2 and EGFR through the RAGE pathway, a discovery Barr attributed to AstraZeneca's own scientists. Understanding the need to tackle both pathways in COPD—and aware of competitor candidates in the hopper, including one that bound ST2—the company ultimately had to make some “courageous decisions,” Barr said. These included taking a prior COPD molecule offline and going back to the drawing board to reinvent its potential IL-33 label “to make sure that we had a molecule that could block signaling through both arms of the pathway, through both the reduced form and the oxidized form, knowing that we wouldn’t be first, but striving to be best.” “When we put [tozorakimab] into the clinic, we firmly believed that we had a differentiated molecule, and we saw the other molecules blocking just ST2 or partially blocking IL-33, unable to deliver two positive pivotal studies in COPD,” Barr explained. “We kept marching forward because we believed our molecule was differentiated, and now I think we have the clinical validation that supports that.” Ultimately, AstraZeneca finds itself on much better footing these days when it comes to potential biologic rivals to tozorakimab in COPD. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, for instance, is approved to treat COPD exacerbations in patients with high eosinophil counts, but not low ones. Meanwhile, the future has become cloudier for other next-gen IL-33 candidates from Sanofi and Regeneron, as well as Roche, which have suffered trial flops in recent years. One other potential ingredient for AstraZeneca’s success in its duo of studies was that the company was “ambitious in the trial design, willing to look at an all-comers population,” Barr said, “and willing to enroll the most severe patients.” Prior studies for would-be biologics rivals in COPD “avoided enrolling” those patients, she pointed out. She also highlighted the Big Pharma’s painstaking design of exacerbations in its trial, which “gave us a very rigorous readout,” and pointed to “the extra effort and investment” the company put in to understand the effect of mucus plugs in patients. Barr described mucus production as a “key feature in disease diversity,” noting that mucus plugs—obstructing clumps of mucus that block patients’ airways—are associated with worse outcomes in COPD. In its data announcement, AstraZeneca noted that an integrated analysis of Oberon and Titania found tozorakimab “demonstrated a reduction in patients’ mucus plug score,” with the pharma claiming its biologic is the first to deliver such results in a broad COPD population. “So being able to reduce those mucus plugs, we expect, is an important part of driving benefit for patients who are living with COPD,” Barr said. Again touching on the breadth of the study populations, Barr added that tozorakimab “worked across all eosinophil levels in both current and former smokers across all levels of lung function,” which she suggested “really simplifies decision-making for clinicians, and it allows them to offer therapy to the broadest possible patient population.” In the highest patient eosinophil count group, tozorakimab helped chart a 43% reduction in exacerbation risk, which Barr stressed were “unprecedented data.” In the mid-level group, AZ’s drug delivered a 23% reduction and, in the lowest group, a 34% reduction in eosinophils, which Barr said suggests efficacy “in all patient subgroups.” As for AZ’s recent guidance upgrade on the medicine’s sales opportunity, the lift from a $3 billion to $5 billion range to $5 billion plus was informed by multiple factors, Barr said, including the fact that “in 2024, there were multiple competitors, and there aren’t anymore.” Additionally, “we know that this is a massive unmet medical need, and this is a really incredible set of data that we think will be very convincing to the clinical community,” Barr said. Looking ahead to a potential evolution of the COPD treatment landscape, Barr noted that most patients start treatment in the community with an option like a triple therapy, and for them, having an option like AstraZeneca’s inhaler Breztri will remain a “really important part” of that journey. But of the patients uncontrolled on triple therapy, which Barr described as “about half of them today,” just a “small fraction” are currently eligible for biologic therapy, which she emphasized AstraZeneca is working to change. Understanding that COPD is not a “one-size-fits-all” disease, AstraZeneca is also looking at its antibody drug Tezspire for patients with T2-driven disease, and the company continues to think about new mechanisms for tackling COPD through both systemic and inhaled drugs, Barr said.
Auburn launches new AI course for business leaders in Birmingham
🧑🎓 NEW AI COURSE IN BHAM: Designed for the schedules of working professionals, Auburn's new AI course fills the gap between new tech + real-world applications 👇 NowPartner
Commentary: Sadly, the promise of special education still hasn’t been realized
Significant barriers prevent students with disabilities from reaching the goal of preparing them for the transition to adulthood and independent living.
Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL Can Fly. The Passenger Business Is Still Unproven
Vertical Aerospace has made real flight progress, but five years of recapitalization show why passenger economics remain the harder test.
Trust in Jackson crucial for Emery
Ollie Watkins' departure to Al-Hilal - which lurched between acrimonious and emotional - has left Aston Villa without their best attacking outlet. Despite just one goal in his first 13 top-flight games last season, he ended up netting 16, leaving him on 91 Premier League goals - a club record. Nicolas Jackson was brought in as Watkins' direct replacement and was a priority signing for Unai Emery, having worked together at Villarreal.
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes.
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes | KNSS Radio
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes.
Six decades of politics (but little government)
The first aired episode of “Star Trek,” entitled “The Man Trap,” premiered on September 8, 1966 — 60 years ago today. I’m actually editing a political science fiction issue of The Forum right now, and it’s prompted to me think a lot about the ways that Trek deals with politics and government and what it’s offered us as commentary. The @smotus report is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, please become a paid subscriber. Subscribe The original TV series ran from 1966 to 1969. It had a loyal but modest following, but the audience grew substantially with the series in syndication for years after that. The franchise developed its first motion picture in 1979, followed by five sequels, and then a whole other series of films built around the “Next Generation” series that first aired in 1987. In recent decades, several more TV series have built up around it, including the current “Strange New Worlds,” now in its fourth season. Throughout the past six decades, the franchise has offered us a good many insights into US politics and international relations, although often disguised as science fiction yarns. The original series was largely a Cold War fable, with the United Federation of Planets (a stand-in for the US) perpetually at odds with the Klingon Empire (a stand-in for the USSR). The “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” episode (1969) posited a planet divided into two races, largely indistinguishable to outsiders, but nonetheless constituting a brutal racial hierarchy. “Patterns of Force” (1968) showed a struggling planet where the leader had attempted to construct a benevolent dictatorship — literally Nazism without bigotry — and found that authoritarianism could not exist apart from hierarchy and oppression. (Relatedly, I’d put “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” high on a list of dad films about the end of the Cold War, near “The Hunt for Red October.”) Get 20% off for 1 year Indeed, the original series itself was something of a political statement, with a multi-racial crew running the Enterprise, a diverse and largely peaceful Federation mostly free from want and oppression, and protected by Starfleet, an armed force whose scientific mission was at least as important as its military one. Famously, when Nichelle Nichols wanted to walk away from the role of Uhura on the original series, none other than Martin Luther King, Jr. met with her and urged her to remain on the show, discussing the importance of viewers seeing an intelligent Black woman as part of the command team three centuries hence. Later series in the Trek franchise offered a good deal of political commentary on their own, but probably none as explicitly and incisively as “Deep Space Nine,” which ran from 1993 to 1999. The episodes surrounding the Dominion War, especially the “In The Pale Moonlight” (1998), showed the compromises, sacrifices, and moral rot associated with winning even a just war — probably better than any series would until “Andor” (2022-25). In “Far Beyond The Stars” (1998), Captain Benjamin Sisko is somehow transplanted to the role of a science fiction writer in 1950s New York. The writer is frequently sidelined and his ideas stolen because publishers don’t want to credit a Black writer. Several series have depicted the secretive Section 31 — an unacknowledged black ops security force operating within Starfleet. These episodes often end up using Section 31 as a foil to show the dangers of a lawless group within a lawful society, even (especially) when that group posits itself as essential for everyone else’s freedom to continue. The current “Strange New Worlds” has played with a few political themes. I found the first two seasons of this show among the best that the Trek franchise has produced in decades, but this season and the last have really been struggling for ideas. Yet one interesting thread is the idea that the diplomatic and enlightened leadership style of Captain Christopher Pike will not work in all situations. “A Quality of Mercy” (2022), which I wrote about here, puts Pike in the middle of a battle with a Romulan vessel in an alternate timeline, and finds that Pike’s conciliatory style would actually make a lengthy and deadly war more likely, while a quick and more violent approach might have prevented the war. This season’s opener, “Valles Marineris,” shows a pre-lightspeed civilization locked in a war to the death with a neighboring planet. The idea of an alliance or a federation hasn’t even occurred to them — their ship’s commander is curious but doesn’t see it as an option. For a franchise as political as “Star Trek,” one thing we almost never see is the government. We get occasional glimpses of Starfleet’s council — mostly uniformed people at a rectangular table — but almost no sense of how the Federation is governed. Are there elections? Who is in the legislature? How much power does the president have? What kind of factional divisions do they wrestle with and how? The shows and films are pretty silent on this. We’ve seen a few military tribunals within Starfleet, but little about how civilians deal with crime and injustice. With recent years seeing some of the franchise’s more interesting plot lines and casts, it seems clear that Star Trek is still full of energy and ideas. Given the erosion of American democracy and the reshuffling of the international order, there’s no shortage of material for future shows to comment on. I’m not sure we should toast to 60 more years, but cheers to a show that continues to teach us about ourselves. Share
Evaluating Warriors' Biggest Roster Weakness Ahead of Training Camp
The wings will get most of the attention when camp opens in Hawaii, but the real problem for Golden State is in the middle of the floor.
The rise of 'quantum gravity?' Einstein's theory seen in the quantum realm for 1st time
"These two pillars of modern physics have so far eluded all attempts at a unified theoretical framework, but this complex experiment gives more hints as to how such a unification may be achieved."
‘Star Trek’ and NASA have intertwined legacies – the show championed diversity and inspired generations of real space scientists
60 years of ‘Star Trek’: A cultural anthropologist on how the show’s “infinite diversity in infinite combinations” conception helped shape NASA’s vision of the future.
📺 Follow Napoli's UEFA Champions League journey on NOW!
Napoli are back in the Champions League and getting ready for a new European season packed with major challenges. Massimiliano Allegri’s side will face Arsenal, Manchester City, Porto, Villarreal, C...
📺 Follow Roma’s Champions League journey live on NOW!
After seven years away, Roma are back in the Champions League. Gian Piero Gasperini’s Giallorossi are ready to test themselves against some of Europe’s best teams, including Real Madrid, PSG and M...
Has Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) Fallen Below Fair Value?
Tencent Music Entertainment Group has seen its share price fall sharply over the past year, yet both an intrinsic value estimate based on a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) approach and traditional earnings multiples currently point to the stock trading below those valuation checks. The disconnect between a weak recent share performance and signals of potential undervaluation is drawing attention to what the current price really implies about the business. Over the past 12 months the stock has...
Canadian Jet Maker Is Target in Trump’s Trade War
Montreal-based Bombardier has been embroiled in U.S. trade disputes before. President Trump threatened to bar the company from selling in the United States.
Does Klay Thompson Move Impact Mavs' Updated NBA Power Rankings?
Bleacher Report kept the Dallas Mavericks 19th in its latest NBA power rankings after the Klay Thompson buyout, with a play-in berth viewed as realistic.
Your personality may be more genetic than scientists realized
More than 1,200 genetic variants have been linked to the Big Five personality traits, and many of the same variants are also associated with health, longevity, careers, income, and everyday habits. The findings reveal a surprisingly wide genetic connection between personality and life outcomes while showing that environment still plays a powerful role.
Politics, Pubs, Parades, + the Parish: Jim McGreevey, Part 3
McGreevey also shares his thoughts on political leadership, family, faith and forgiveness, explaining why real change begins.
Range Sports to feature Baylor, USC women in inaugural Hollywood Hardwood Classic on BTN
The event will mark the first women’s college basketball game at the Clippers’ arena in Inglewood, Calif. Will Funk, Range Sports’ co-President, tells SBJ that the company is already looking at other opportunities in the college realm, as NIL has “created more space to create unique matchups,"
Chelsea captain makes excuses after Arsenal defeat
Reece James suggested the Arsenal squad’s long time spent together helped them to overcome Chelsea on Sunday, but have the Gunners really had that much stability in the team?Photo by Justin Setterfi...
NFL Power Rankings: Week 1
The hardest part about doing NFL power rankings for Week 1 is that no one really has any freaking clue where these teams should be. We’re just projecting based on last season’s performance and the changes made over the offseason, but reality will be a completely new outcome. I decided to give the Super Bowl […]
One Off Hospitality is expanding Avec’s upcoming North Shore location
The restaurant group acquired more real estate, and plans to add a private event space to the restaurant.
Arsenal reveal early double injury update before Napoli clash
Jurrien Timber joined Arsenal training on Tuesday morning, but there was no sign of Cristhian Mosquera ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Napoli in the Champions League. The Gunners squad were on show at the club’s Sobha Realty training base for an open session before flying out to Naples later in the day. Timber, who has not played a minute so far this season, continues to step up his recovery from the minor groin surgery he had over the summer.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal – Predicted lineup and team news
Borussia Dortmund will be aiming to stretch their winning run to four matches in a row this season as they welcome Villarreal for their first UEFA Champions League game of the campaign on Tuesday at S...
A Haredi political revolt is brewing – and it could shake up Israel's election
Veteran Haredi politicians are losing favor with top rabbis, shaking up party slates. Meanwhile, new parties are outflanking the establishment on its left and right. But will they really be any different?
💣 James Rodríguez is close to joining Italy's second division!
The former Real Madrid player is close to Serie B: Avellino are betting on the attacking midfielder’s international experience in their push for promotionJames Rodríguez’s future could lie in Ita...
Health Science Saves Lives
Lessons resonate more with students when they can see that what they are learning in class has real, tangible meaning.
Health Science Saves Lives
Lessons resonate more with students when they can see that what they are learning in class has real, tangible meaning.
This creepy 'statue' that looks like a robed figure on Mars gives us the chills. Here's what's really going on | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
The creepy robed statue of a female figure on Mars was spotted by the Spirit rover on the Red Planet in 2007. Here's what it really is.
Real Madrid vs Inter Milan – Predicted lineup and team news
Real Madrid begin their UEFA Champions League journey this Tuesday with a high-profile showdown against Italy’s titleholders, Inter Milan, at the iconic Estadio Bernabéu.Los Blancos arrived into th...
Singer collapses onstage at Ryman, leaving fans stunned, praying: ‘Really unsettling’
The scary scene unfolded at Satuday's show in Nashville.
CCRES Real Job Preview: Behavioral Health Industry Challenges
CCRES employees discuss the challenges of behavioral health careers and how teamwork helps students communicate and regulate emotions.
Six Real Madrid absences put Mourinho’s options under pressure
Real Madrid will be without Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva for Tuesday’s Champions League league-phase opener against Inter Milan, with all three ruled out through suspension, acc...
Realtors put $10M into property tax amendment
Could a property tax break boost Florida's flagging housing market?
Jose Mourinho: Will Real Madrid begin their Champions League campaign with a win against Inter?
Jose Mourinho begins his second Real Madrid spell in the Champions League against former club Inter Milan, 16 years after winning the trophy with Inter at the Bernabeu. Will he finally deliver European glory in Madrid?
Predicted Borussia Dortmund XI vs. Villarreal: BVB duo absent
Borussia Dortmund begin their UEFA Champions League campaign at home to La Liga side Villarreal at the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday evening, but they will have to do without an additional two first tea...
Birdwatching and mental health: what the research actually shows about the mood boost from birds
The mental health payoff from watching birds is real—but smaller, and more accessible, than the hype suggests.
Real Madrid vs Inter Milan, 2026 Champions League: Predicted lineups
Real Madrid host Inter Milan in the opening game of the Champions League’s Group Stage. Los Blancos are coming off a disappointing loss against Betis, so bouncing back tonight would improve the team’s confidence and momentum. Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Bellingham; Brahim, Diomande, Vinicius; Mbappé. Inter Milan predicted XI: […]
Browns news: KC Concepcion makes confident admission about Deshaun Watson
KC Concepcion is soon going to experience real NFL action for the first time, with the Cleveland Browns scheduled to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. Concepcion is a name to watch on the Browns side , as the rookie carries some intrigue. For one, he’s yet to play a regular-season game in the NFL. But how […] The post Browns news: KC Concepcion makes confident admission about Deshaun Watson appeared first on ClutchPoints.
A men's health doctor says many men with low testosterone are getting misdiagnosed — and missing lab tests could be why
Sometimes men are treated for depression when low testosterone is the real cause. A men's health physician explains the signs, the tests, and what to do next.
Paramount Weighs Assets Selloff to Save Deal
Paramount Skydance Corp. is reportedly considering selling off cable and real estate assets as it looks to settle a multistate antitrust lawsuit
Is Champions League three-peat really possible for PSG?
Luis Enrique's Paris Saint-Germain have already secured their status as one of the Champions League's greatest teams by winning the trophy in back-to-back years, and now they have their sights set on a rare treble.- Luis Enrique: still hungry - Hence PSG winning their two titles, and two UEFA Super Cups, despite playing 18 matches against Premier League teams in the last two years.
Rutgers' planned celebration turned into reality check for Greg Schiano
The worst loss of the college football season came in Week 1.
Gen Z uprising reshaped Nepal’s politics. A year on, questions linger over what it really achieved
Injured protesters and families of those killed say the government has failed to deliver on promises of medical care, jobs and other support, leaving many questioning the movement’s legacy.
Chiesa might leave Liverpool
Federico Chiesa's future at Liverpool is in doubt, Jadon Sancho might return to the Premier League, Real Madrid's Endrick is attracting interest from Italy, plus more.
Bumbershoot 2026 proves Seattle’s signature festival is in a really good place
With an intentional, finely tuned lineup, organizers offered the clearest vision of what Bumbershoot can — and should — be.
Surreal photos show the mud, chaos, and glamour of Burning Man
Rain and dust storms returned to Burning Man, but the art cars rolled on. These photos offer a glimpse of what the festival looked like in 2026.
Former “RHOBH” star Brandi Glanville details 18-hour IV treatments: ‘I feel like death’
“I know everyone wants to know exactly what I’m dealing with. I’m not ready to share that part just yet,” the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum wrote.
Is GTA 6 Too Realistic for Its Own Good? Refueling Cars and Gun Restrictions Spark Debate
Early Grand Theft Auto 6 details have sparked debate about whether Rockstar Games' latest is too realistic for its own good.
Business Rules Management System Market to Reach $4.20 Billion by 2035 as AI-Driven Decision Automation Accelerates
The U.S. Business Rules Management System Market is Projected to Grow from $0.47 Billion in 2025 to $1.09 Billion by 2035, While Europe is Expected to Expand from $0.54 Billion to $1.36 Billion, Driven by Real-Time Decision-Making, Regulatory Compliance, Enterprise Automation, and Rising Adoption of AI- and Machine Learning-Enabled Business Rules PlatformsAustin, United States, Sept. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business Rules Management System Market was valued at USD 1.79 Billion in 2025 a
First Champions League home game
What’s on today:11 a.m.: Final training session at the BVB training ground2 p.m.: Press conference with Niko Kovac and Waldemar Anton at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK8 p.m.: Villarreal FC press conference at SI...
Michael Penix Jr. says he's 'really close' but not quite 100% healthy
Penix provided an update on his health and mindset after the Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their starting quarterback for Week 1
The Guardian view on the far right’s real weapon: it is the politics of powerlessness
Editorial: From Dover to Saxony-Anhalt, extremists thrive when voters believe established parties can no longer deliver security, prosperity or meaningful change
Why so many women are replacing Kegels with this pelvic floor trainer
Pelvic floor disorders affect millions of women, but many struggle to perform Kegel exercises correctly. Here's how the Pelvic Partner provides real-time feedback.
Ratko Mladić funeral exposes gap between Serbia’s EU ambitions and political reality
A general convicted of Europe’s first genocide since World War II was buried Monday with military and religious honors, sparking alarm in Brussels.
Video: Here's What Nintendo's Revised Switch 2 Console Looks Like
Spoiler: It's really similar
Prince William & Kate Middleton’s ‘Fun Evening’ Includes This Reality Show
Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly had a surprisingly relatable favorite for a quiet night at home. The royal couple apparently enjoyed settling in together for a popular reality competition...
What Does a Healthy Arts Ecosystem Really Look Like?
We've spent years talking about the arts as an ecosystem. What might change if we started thinking and behaving like one?
"This is super, super heavy" - Experts test Nvidia's divisive graphics-altering DLSS 5 tech and find it really does tank your game's frame-rate
Nvidia's new game-altering DLSS 5 technology takes a serious toll on a game's frame-rate, experts declare. So is it worth it?
North Jersey high school football schedule: Week 2
Here is this week's football schedule in North Jersey. Visit NorthJersey.com while the games are going on for real-time score updates.
How our global UBS AI Expert Symposium moves the business forward
The UBS AI Expert Symposium 2026 brought together AI practitioners across nine global locations to share expertise, explore real-world use cases and accelerate AI adoption across the firm.
Tom Still: True health care debate in Wisconsin would help people, economy
MADISON, Wis. — “Price transparency” is a phrase used by politicians right and left to oversimplify real problems with health-care costs, access and delivery in the United States. This fall’s
Sen. Jim Justice on breaking Senate gridlock, honoring Medal of Honor veterans, and realities of DC politics
In a wide-ranging interview, Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., details how a private chat saved a national monument bill, shares his candid views on Washington’s partisan gridlock.
The percentage that builds a real business - Chicago Agent Magazine Top Coach
The best predictor of who’s going to make it is what percentage of GCI an agent puts back into the business.
“Really Angered Phillies Fans” – Philadelphia Sports Reporter Bemoans Ronald Acuna Jr.’s ‘Curtain Call’ After HR in Braves Comeback Win
NBC Philadelphia sports anchor and Phillies analyst John Clark explained why Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. became a villain in the eyes of Phillies fans after his heroics on Sunday night, which helped Atlanta complete a dramatic comeback at Citizens Bank Park.
Prof Elizabeth Streicher unravels the science behind drug-resistant TB
Prof Elizabeth Streicher of the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics delivered her inaugural lecture on Tuesday 1 September 2026. Her research focuses on the transmission and spread of Tuberculosis (TB). Knowing where TB transmission is happening can help to stop it from spreading. Prof Elizabeth Streicher of the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences delivered her inaugural lecture on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The title of her lecture was Decoding tuberculosis: the evolution of technology, epidemiology and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome. Streicher explained to Corporate Communication and Marketing how molecular epidemiology (using genetic information to track how and why diseases spread through populations) has improved our understanding of where drug-resistant TB comes from, how it spreads and how drug resistance evolves within and between populations. Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field. Overall, our research group studies the genome (complete set of DNA instructions found in a cell) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) disease. Various regions of the genome are interrogated to study different aspects of the disease. My main focus has been on the epidemiology of tuberculosis – how the bacteria’s genome changes over time and what this tells us about the transmission and spread of the disease. How would you describe the relevance of your work? If we understand how the bacteria that cause TB change and spread, it can assist in combating TB globally. How has molecular epidemiology helped improve our understanding of drug-resistant TB? Molecular epidemiology was very important in drug-resistant TB as it was originally believed that bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics would be less fit and not be able to transmit. But it was shown that they can transmit, and therefore have to be monitored to identify hotspots of transmission and outbreaks, etc. Can you tell us briefly about the spoligotyping technique and its advantages for studying drug-resistant TB? Spoligotyping (a molecular technique used to identify and track specific strains of TB bacteria) does not detect drug resistance, but since the technique is relatively quick to do, it can be very useful in real-time situations, e.g. to monitor outbreaks of drug resistance. Why are interrupting transmission chains and identifying genomic hotspots important for controlling the spread of TB? Knowing where TB transmission is happening can assist in allocating resources to those areas to stop future transmission and spread of TB. Higher education can be challenging. What keeps you motivated when things get tough? Students – how they are so passionate and dedicated to learning and contributing to research and society as a whole. What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most? Again, the students and colleagues! But also the fact that it is continuously changing and thereby we are learning and expanding our knowledge. In the end, I know that we contribute to a better society in our small way. Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect. Even though I love hiking (day and multi-day hikes) and being outside, I really do not like camping! How do you spend your free time? I love hiking (wellbeing in nature) and like to watch most sports. ©Higher Education Media Services. Subscribe
She Couldn’t Hire the Talent Her Business Needed. So She Bought the Company That Had It
Hiring asks you to evaluate a story. An acquisition lets you examine financials, contracts, clients, and real performance.
🎥 Tchouameni, Thiago and Endrick back to face Inter 🔙
Real Madrid are putting the finishing touches on their preparations at Real Madrid City ahead of their eagerly awaited UEFA Champions League debut. Los Blancos host Inter Milan this Tuesday, 8 Septemb...
Burn's absence has not gone unnoticed
"We're on the telly!" Perhaps not the exact words uttered by Dan Burn Jr, but based upon his big smile and thumbs up once realising both he and his dad had made their way on to the St James' Park big screen on Saturday, I think I'm safe in my assumption. The VIP box was as close as Burn Sr got to the weekend's draw with Bournemouth. Injury has ruled him out of action until after the September international break, and his absence in the heart of the Newcastle defence hasn't gone unnoticed.
Mixed zone: Lille-Betis, with the roof closed 🏟️
Real Betis will play their next European fixture at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium under a closed roof, according to Zona Mixta. The adverse weather conditions forecast in Lille have forced a last-minute d...
Allen reaches 400-game milestone for Guernsey FC
Record goalscorer Ross Allen says he is "really proud" to have made his 400th appearance for Guernsey FC.
Former Hartford HealthCare manager builds 300-plus unit CT real estate portfolio
Alex Ilchenko left Hartford HealthCare to build Blue Key Property Group, which now owns or has stakes in more than 300 Connecticut apartments.
Shaw-Rashford 'connection' positive - now Carrick must navigate tricky week
Luke Shaw was one of Manchester United's better performers against Everton. The defender got forward with regularity and it was encouraging to see him provide the cross for Benjamin Sesko's late header. "He was really good," said former United striker Wayne Rooney on Match of the Day.