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Steelers Dealing With New Major Offensive Line Injury: Report
Pittsburgh Steelers insider Mark Kaboly reported right guard Spencer Anderson broke a broke in his leg during Week 2. The post Steelers Dealing With New Major Offensive Line Injury: Report appeared first on HEAVY.
5 Takeaways From a New Poll on the New Hampshire Senate Race
Representative Chris Pappas, a Democrat, leads by five percentage points, according to a New York Times/Siena poll. Voters say they are more interested in a check on President Trump than in a candidate who supports him.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Will Bridge The Gap Between The Animated Series And The Games
The success of the show has birthed a lot of fans waiting for a new Castlevania game to sink their teeth into
'I loved it' - Robertson grateful for United spell
Before the Champions League and Premier League titles, Scotland captaincy and Liverpool hero status, Andy Robertson was a skinny teenager starting his professional career at Tannadice. Dundee United plucked the then 19-year-old left-back from fourth-tier Queen's Park in June 2013 and paid him a few hundred quid a week. Within months he had earned a first Scotland call-up and by the end of the season he was off to Premier League Hull.
From 15,000 to 185 to Zero: Trump’s Claims of Illegal Voting in Nevada Fizzle
It was the Trump administration’s latest stumble in its effort to find proof of widespread noncitizen voting, despite decades of evidence that it is extremely rare.
Forced Eviction of 87-Year-Old Woman Spurs Outrage in Spain
Demonstrations broke out across the country over the woman’s eviction in Madrid, putting rising rents and affordability at the top of the political conversation.
ICYMI: Chairman Smith on The Will Cain Show: Big Insurance Cashed in on Taxpayer Subsidies for Health Care That Wasn’t Actually Provided
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) joined Fox News’ The Will Cain Show to discuss...
STC Trustees Take Leadership Roles on Core Committees
The duties of a South Texas College Board of Trustee expand past once-a-month meetings and event appearances, with committee involvement where most large decisions are made and crucial conversations that impact the college, students, faculty and staff are held.
Steelers-Lions Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Reshape Detroit
CBS Sports proposed a blockbuster trade that would send Joey Porter Jr. and DK Metcalf to the Lions for Jameson Williams and a 2027 first-round pick.
Lemonade the Rare Way: Harford County father turns life's lemons into a small business
Matthew Bartee of Lemonade the Rare Way uses fresh fruit and organic cane sugar to craft flavors he's been perfecting for more than a decade. Jumpstarting a small family business after being laid off.
Republican coordinated campaign spending surges after US Supreme Court ruling
The Republican committees supporting the party's candidates have exceeded the former national caps by more than $48 million
Is metascience being co-opted?
In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.
Pokémon TCG Pocket: Deluxe Pack: Mega Coming Soon
These four-card packs are guaranteed to include one Pokémon ex, helping you fill out your collection.
Lee Health Foundation Hires Caroline Vives-Vietri as Associate Director of Development
Lee Health Foundation has welcomed Caroline Vives-Vietri as associate director of development, bringing a strong background in donor engagement, alumni relations, volunteer management and nonprofit leadership. Caroline joins Lee Health Foundation from the Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association. In addition to her fundraising and relationship-building experience, she has a longstanding record of community involvement […]
Civic Committee sounds alarm on city finances ahead of budget
As Johnson and the City Council get ready for what promises to be another chaotic budget process, the Civic Committee weighs in with some friendly but stern advice.
Civic Committee sounds alarm on city finances ahead of budget
As Johnson and the City Council get ready for what promises to be another chaotic budget process, the Civic Committee weighs in with some friendly but stern advice.
Megan Mostyn-Brown on Grounding Fictional Horror in Real Science
Genetics have fascinated me since I was a teenager. My interest didn’t spawn from a well-meaning science teacher or an Oscar winning documentary. My interest in genetics came from one man—Dean Koon…
Collins Leads in Maine in Our New Poll. Is That an Outlier or an Omen?
There’s nothing more uncomfortable for a pollster than a result that stands out from the pack, but it doesn’t mean it should be dismissed.
American Bar Association Fights to Keep Power to Vet Law Schools
Losing its accreditation ability would be a blow to the nation’s largest association of lawyers and another example of how the Trump administration is reshaping higher education.
‘Survival Mode Time’: Republicans Accelerate Their Break With Trump
The dissent reflects growing unease about the party’s prospects in November, as the G.O.P. struggles to overcome the president’s unpopularity.
Democrats Show Strength in Michigan Senate Race but Trail in Maine, Polls Find
The party’s nominees lead in Michigan and New Hampshire but the Republican incumbent is ahead in Maine, according to New York Times/Siena polls of the three battlegrounds.
Why Miami-Dade Is Eager to Promote ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’
Some argue that the county can afford to embrace its fictional twin in the game, “Vice City,” because the real place has experienced a striking drop in violence over time.
In the Know: Save a Life Day provides overdose harm reduction resources nationwide
Sept. 24, 2026, is Save a Life Day, a nationwide day of action to help people struggling with drug addiction and raise overdose awareness. Volunteers nationwide host events to give out free naloxone. 'In the know' features one or two local news topics to keep you informed as you start your day.
Youth psychiatric hospital opens in Hendersonville to fill regional gap in teen mental health care
Pardee’s new Adolescent Behavioral Health Center has 23 beds for youth ages 13 to 17 who are experiencing mental health issues.
Honda Internships Take UToledo Business Finance Student From Helper to Project Lead
Ella Boerger was one of four students who shared the value and impact of their experiential learning journeys with the UToledo Board of Trustees this week.
Omaha student-led clubs help teens open up about mental health
When it comes to reaching teenagers, meeting them where they are often means going to school.
Australia Investigates OpenAI Hack on Public Health Care Site
Australia is exploring potential legal action after an artificial intelligence agent accessed nonpublic information on the country’s universal health care system.
Australia Says OpenAI ‘Infiltrated’ Public Health Care Portal
Australia is exploring potential legal action after an artificial intelligence agent accessed nonpublic information on the country’s universal health care system.
Will Simmons, Smothers play for Texas against Volunteers?
AUSTIN (KXAN) – As Texas football gets set for their SEC opener against Tennessee, they hope to head into Knoxville at full health. The Longhorns got a bit of a scare in their final non-conference game against UTSA when defensive standout Colin Simmons exited and was seen in a walking boot. Now, it looks like […]
Mary Peltola’s Campaign in Alaska Senate Race Is Rocked by Tumult, With Angry Outbursts and Slurs
Democrats hope that Mary Peltola can flip a Republican Senate seat in Alaska. Former aides describe a campaign and congressional office marked by chaos.
U.S. and China Agree to Extend Trade Truce by 2 Months, Bessent Says
The Treasury secretary, who is leading talks with China, said the countries had agreed to extend a trade truce until January.
Hands-on science can be cool
After spending many long days conducting experiments to find a new way to combat bacterial infections in crops, Misha Hegde and Mia Soleil Maurer have been rewarded with international recognition and access to top research facilities. But these are not typical scientists. They are 16-year-old German high school students.“Our supervisor told us that in order to start a project, you need to begin with either a question or a problem,” says Misha, adding that she and Mia had read about antibiotic resistance in certain plants being treated for bacterial infections. “We found out that antibiotics overuse is very common in agriculture,” explains Mia. “Our aim was to create an alternative to antibiotics and to try to raise awareness of the problem of overusing antibiotics.”Their subsequent research has focused on harnessing bacteriophages, the natural predators of bacteria, to eliminate pathogens threatening food crops treated with antibiotics. At the Schuldorf Bergstraße Jugend forscht MakerLab in Seeheim-Jugenheim, located in the German state of Hesse, they discovered a novel phage that infects the Rhizobium rhizogenes bacterium, which causes the hairy root disease that can reduce yields of tomatoes, carrots, soya beans and other food staples.The students believe their method could curb antibiotic use, while protecting plants from infections without disturbing the natural soil microbiome. “The application of phages is host-specific, so they would only kill the targeted pathogen or disease-causing bacteria,” explains Mia. It may also offer environmental benefits, since applying antibiotics can contaminate groundwater.Getting to this point has not been easy. The childhood friends admit to feeling frustrated when their trials did not yield the expected results. “We spent six months on our first experiment, just doing the same thing over and over and over again, to the point where we thought, is it even worth it? Why are we doing this?” Misha says. “You just need to be brave enough to take that first step and keep going.”The benefits of inquiry-based learningTheir determination has paid off. In 2025, the pair won first prize in biology at Jugend forscht, Germany’s national competition for young people interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They were also among the winners of the German Research Foundation Europa-Preis, which is awarded to selected national winners at Jugend forscht, and took third place in the 2025 European Union Contest for Young Scientists.The Jugend forscht Foundation opens doors for young people to connect with scientists as well as industry professionals. Jessica Bönsch, executive director of the Foundation, sees Misha and Mia as prime examples of how young people can develop a deeper understanding of science through their own research projects. “The experience of working on your own research question is very important,” she explains, adding that “inquiry-based learning engages with real-life problems in a way that can be more motivating than traditional classroom teaching.”The Jugend forscht Foundation offers financial support through sponsor pools in Germany’s federal states. Some projects are developed in cooperation with student research centres, university labs or informal collaborative learning areas called makerspaces. Other activities start as hands-on “garage projects” and can grow within the Jugend forscht network and infrastructure.The Jugend forscht Foundation is also a partner of Science Comes to Town, an EU initiative to strengthen public awareness about science and create bridges between researchers and communities. The EU-financed project involves universities, research institutions and other stakeholders in three host cities — Brest (France), Kiel (Germany) and Split (Croatia).“It's so important for people not to live in a bubble, because I think science can be very scary if you misunderstand it,” Mia says of SCTT. The initiative’s aim of raising awareness about science is “absolutely amazing,” Misha adds. “I think it's the best way to kind of make science digestible for the public. In a world where misinformation in science is getting more radical, more dangerous, becoming more of a threat to the trust in scientific infrastructure and foundations, we need such programmes.”Misha and Mia also believe that SCTT can help break down gender stereotypes in science by encouraging young women to study and pursue careers in scientific fields. Both students have benefited from female mentors and encouragement they had when they were much younger. Mia’s love of science began with a class trip to a lab, while Misha — with a smile on her face — says she wanted to study history until “a teacher kind of coerced me into joining a school science club.”Recognition beyond EuropeIn May, Misha and Mia were among the finalists at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix, Arizona, and involving nearly 1,700 pre-university students from over 60 countries. “It was very crazy because there were so many people and so many teenagers interested in science,” Mia recalls. The event was also challenging. “It was eight hours of continuously presenting your project,” adds Misha.Attending the fair was a chance for the young women to see first-hand the value of international collaboration as well as how research cultures differ. “America is a bit more willing to take risks, and I think that's something we can learn about here in Europe,” Misha explains. However, she continues, “I think Europe has the talent, has the innovation and has the resources” to be competitive.Misha and Mia plan to continue their phage experiments in the new school year, inspired by the project’s hands-on nature and the support they receive from their supervisors. They have also attracted the interest of professional scientists and received invitations to leading research facilities, including the Centre for Synthetic Microbiology, jointly run by the University of Marburg and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany. “It is so cool that we can do something to try to move the world in our school and at this age,” Mia says.After completing secondary school, Mia plans to study microbiology and pursue a career in medical research, focusing on Ebola and other infectious diseases. “This has been my dream for so long,” she says. Her friend Misha is interested in biological research with a focus on medicine. “I've gotten addicted to the process of going to the lab, planning out experiments, then failing, trying again,” Misha says. “I think there's just so much to be discovered, so much to be done.”The students' names and photos were published with the permission of their parents.Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Eyes on Seagrass: Inside the Citizen Science Program
The Eyes on Seagrass Citizen Science Program was made for volunteers to help survey the bays, gathering crucial data to go towards measuring water health.
Iowa Judge Dismisses Trump’s Lawsuit Against The Des Moines Register
The suit challenged a poll that showed Trump trailing Kamala Harris in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign. A judge warned that similar legal challenges could have a chilling effect on news reporting.
Trouble in the Heartland
The G.O.P. is on defense in the so-called “blue wall” states and beyond as gas prices remain high.
Trump SBA to Extend Comment Period After Ranking Member Markey Leads Effort to Rescind SBA Policy that Reclassifies Billion-Dollar Businesses as “Small Businesses”
Trump admin policy would reclassify 114,000 larger businesses as “small” to access small business resources and win federal contracts meant for small businesses Letter (PDF) (Washington, September 23) – This week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced its plans to extend the deadline to submit comments on its controversial proposed rule regarding small business size standards until November 20. The Trump SBA’s announcement came shortly after Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside 12 of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding that the Trump SBA rescind a harmful policy that would dramatically redefine what a small business is. The Administration’s proposed policy would change the small business size standard to designate 114,000 larger companies some with annual revenue above $1 billion—as small businesses, giving these businesses access to small business resources and federal contracts typically set aside for actual small businesses. In the letter, Ranking Member Markey and the lawmakers emphasized that small businesses will be shut out of the federal contracting space as government agencies award contracts to larger businesses, causing small businesses to lose revenue, lay off workers, or close their businesses entirely. “For more than 70 years, SBA’s mission has been clear: promote and protect the interests and viability of small businesses. By proceeding with this proposed methodology and rule, SBA moves further away from its mission of facilitating healthy small business participation in the U.S. economy. We urge SBA to rescind these proposals, meet in earnest with small businesses across the country, and discuss the proposal and methodology with congressional committees of jurisdiction. SBA must be committed to developing measured increases to the size standards that do not reward large, billion-dollar companies but instead helps our small businesses survive, grow, and thrive.” The lawmakers highlighted the following points in their letter: Under the Trump SBA’s new size standards, the highest receipts-based standard would exceed $1 billion in annual revenue—more than 20 times the current $47 million maximum—and the highest employee-based standard would reach 3,600 employees—more than twice the current 1,500 employee maximum. Specific increases include an increase in size of nearly 492% for banks, 1,500% for law firms, and more than 2,051% for private equity firms. Of the 114,000 businesses that would be newly classified as small, more than 37,000 of these businesses have collectively won more than 100,000 federal contracts worth approximately $71 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 alone without a small business designation. If SBA included the awards won by these 37,000 businesses in its Fiscal Year 2025 analysis, small business contracts would have accounted for 38% of all federal contracts, instead of the 27% that SBA announced this summer. The letter was co-signed by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Christopher Coons (D-Dela.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect small businesses in Massachusetts and across the country from the Trump SBA’s harmful policies that put big businesses and billionaires over American small businesses, workers, and families. In August, Ranking Member Markey slammed the Trump SBA’s proposal to overhaul its small business size standards to benefit big businesses over small businesses. In July, Ranking Member Markey and House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to start and grow their businesses. Also in July, Ranking Member Markey and Senator Hirono submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses. ###
11-12 IN SPAIN | OPEN THREAD
Welcome to The Daily Merengue! THESE ARE YOUR MODS: Ezek XI, Valyrian Steel, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho ENOUGH OF “MR NICE GUY” Over the past 2+ years, we’ve lost to much on the pitch that now, when i see our players looking as nonchalant as possible. It irritates me more than their inability to […]
Melania Trump’s Busy Schedule: A New Show, a Foster-Care Bill and Reading Executive Orders
In a burst of activity this week, the enigmatic first lady told Americans what she has been up to after a quiet summer. Her activities have included filming a new documentary series about her life.
Xi’s Visit Will Fuel More Scrutiny Over His Health
Discussion about the Chinese leader’s health is heavily censored in China even as the 73-year-old is expected to remain in power.
Xi’s Visit Will Fuel More Scrutiny Over His Health
Discussion about the Chinese leader’s health is heavily censored in China even as the 73-year-old is expected to remain in power.
Demuth-affiliated political action committee receives $10 million infusion
A super PAC backing Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth’s campaign for Minnesota governor received a $10 million cash infusion in recent weeks, cutting into Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s longtime financial advantage in the race. Restore Sanity — a political action committee that has provided the most significant outside money in support of a statewide Republican candidate […]
Demuth-affiliated political action committee receives $10 million infusion
A super PAC backing Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth’s campaign for Minnesota governor received a $10 million cash infusion in recent weeks, cutting into Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s longtime financial ad...
Saints Sign Former Steelers Special Teamer
A former special teamer of the Pittsburgh Steelers has a new home in the NFL.
Limited practice for Jaylen Warren
Steelers RB Jaylen Warren dealing with shoulder injury, limited Wednesday
Michael Pittman Jr. returns to practice field
Steelers WR Michael Pittman Jr. a limited participant after Week 2 absence
Yolanda Brown pleads guilty to wire fraud after $207K theft from a Ken Welch political committee
The former political Treasurer admitted to a yearslong scheme involving roughly 20 clients and more than $1.4M.
Trump Invites Putin to Attend Group of 20 Summit in Miami
Many leaders are unlikely to welcome the Russian leader’s presence at the event because of his country’s war against Ukraine.
Sarasota Memorial Invests in Future Healthcare Access for One of Southwest Florida’s Fastest-Growing Communities
Sept. 22, 2026 – With the four-county region expected to grow from approximately 1.2 million residents today to nearly 1.8 million over the next 25 years, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) is moving forward with plans to acquire approximately 120 acres in Manatee County’s fast-growing State Road 64 corridor. Located within Sarasota Memorial’s four-county […]
Chris Rabb’s former campaign treasurer pleads guilty to defrauding him and others of $1 million
Yolanda Brown, a Florida-based campaign consultant, was accused of steering thousands of dollars worth of donations to Rabb into separate accounts that she controlled.
Treasurer for Welch political committee pleads guilty to fraud
Yolanda Brown pled guilty in a Pennsylvania federal court.
Trump Backtracks on Plan for New Controls on N.I.H. Grants
Democrats and Republicans in Congress opposed the creation of a commission with the power to veto federal research awards.
Tuchel Contemplates Senior England Training For Young Gunner Star
Thomas Tuchel could fast-track Arsenal’s record-breaking prodigy into senior sessions as injuries deplete the Three Lions’ squad, offering the teenage sensation a chance to test himself alongside some of the world's best.
Former Steelers Wide Receiver Signs with AFC Team
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed in his Wednesday press conference that wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is moving […]
Disney+ and Hulu raise prices again as Disney steers subscribers toward bundles
Ad-free Disney+ and Hulu now cost $21.49 a month each, up $2.50, while the ad-free bundle rises to just $21.99. Here's what's changing and when.
As Xi Visits Washington, Trump Plays Down China’s Actions Against U.S. Interests
Despite the rivalry between the United States and China, President Trump has repeatedly found ways to give President Xi Jinping of China a pass, portraying him more as a personal friend than a competitor.
Watch Joe Burrow's press conference ahead of Bengals vs. Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow addresses the media ahead of his team's Week 3 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
Aaron Rodgers’ brother urges fans to be patience with Steelers
Brother of Aaron Rodgers urges fans to be patient with Steelers
Opponent alleges US Rep. Ezell violated campaign finance laws. Ezell camp calls it a ‘political stunt’
The complaint focuses on the Chouest family, which owns shipbuilding company Edison Chouest Offshore. Family members donated to Ezell, who chairs the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Congress awarded the company a $950-million contract.
Steelers Sights & Sounds: JPJ Practices, Offensive Line Changes Coming?
PITTSBURGH — During Wednesday’s practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the Pittsburgh Steelers prepared for Sunday’s home matchup with […]
ICYMI: Protect College Sports Act Earns Support from Students, Coaches, ADs, Professors, University Presidents - U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Student athletes, coaches, professors, and presidents from universities and colleges from across the country have rallied behind the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), and FBS Athletics Directors Association have all offered their support. Ruben Rojas Betanzos, a student athlete […]
Sarasota Memorial approves land purchase for Manatee County campus
Board OKs nearly $60 million deal for 120 acres near I-75 and SR 64.
Teen mental health problems rise, with sharper increase among girls than boys
In the first survey period (2007–2008), around 10% of girls were above the threshold for clinically significant mental health problems. In the second survey period (2024–2025), the corresponding figure ...
Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk returns in Oct.
The Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk explores how “Winonans Just Wanna Have Fun” this year. Community volunteer actors portray people from the past in this popular annual event. Take
Logitech G Unveils Fifteen New Products at Logitech G PLAY 2026
There has never been a more exciting time to be a gamer. Today at Logitech G PLAY 2026, Logitech G unveiled fifteen new products, along with new software experiences and breakthrough designs created to elevate how competitive players, creators, and everyday gamers play. As blockbuster releases,...
Roethlisberger questions why Steelers first-round pick isn't playing
Former QB Ben Roethlisberger questioned why the Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping first-round rookie tackle Max Iheanachor on the bench.
Presidents Cup 2026: Thursday's fourball matchups, starting times at Medinah
The first session features five fourball matches, the first of which tees off at 12:35 p.m. ET.
Lawsuit seeks to block new NC mail-in ballot processes
A coalition of left-leaning groups is suing to block new absentee ballot guidelines approved by the State Board of Elections, arguing that mail-in voters could be disenfranchised.
Lawmakers seek AG probe after audit finds problems with North Dakota business financing program
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) - A legislative audit committee voted Tuesday to urge the full Legislature to ...
Video: Jane Fonda Criticizes Both U.S. Political Parties for Climate Inaction
The actor and activist Jane Fonda said the U.S. is facing “two existential crises — climate and democracy.”
Good, Bad, Ugly from Week 2
Welcome to Steelers Morning Rush, our new daily short-form podcast with Alan Saunders, giving a longer perspective on a single […]
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek feels mounting pressure
Amid calls for boycotts, resolutions from the Board of Trustees and fans wearing bags on their heads, Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek feels the pressure.
New Mexico behavioral health committee closes in on goal of approving 13 regional health plans
The committee tasked with rebuilding New Mexico’s behavioral healthcare infrastructure has approved 11 of 13 regional plans.
New Study Illuminates Bats’ Murky Origins
The largest analysis of bat genomes and fossils suggests that the first bats emerged in Europe roughly 65 million years ago and that echolocation evolved early.
Cameron Heyward refuses to hide behind Steelers defensive stats
Pittsburgh Steelers captain Cameron Heyward demanded accountability from the front seven, citing run-defense lapses after losing to New England.
Brewers postseason tickets: Milwaukee guaranteed home NLDS games
The Brewers clinched a first-round bye in the 2026 MLB playoffs. NLDS tickets in Milwaukee are on sale now, here's everything you need to know:
Steelers Lose ‘Ballhawking’ Safety to Lions
Mike McCarthy and the Pittsburgh Steelers saw the Detroit Lions poach safety Bishop Fitzgerald off their practice squad this week. The post Steelers Lose ‘Ballhawking’ Safety to Lions appeared first on HEAVY.
Cam Heyward calls out Steelers O-line miscommunication
Pittsburgh Steelers captain Cameron Heyward highlighted O-line miscommunication as a critical issue after Aaron Rodgers faced heavy pressure.
Teen mental health may be turning a corner, CDC survey finds
In 2025, 1 in 3 high school students experienced “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.”
Scientists Discovered an Inexplicable New Kind of Ice. It Gets Hot Enough to Melt Steel.
There are dozens of types of exotic ice, but this one could help solve an outstanding astrophysics mystery in the outer solar system.
US must protect chip technology from China, expert warns
Rep. John Moolenaar warns that the U.S. must win the AI arms race against China. The House China Select Committee chair urges the U.S. to restrict Chinese access to advanced chip-making technology to protect national security.
School's back in session. Let's talk mental health.
So how equipped are our schools to address mental health?
Billionaire-led California PAC raises staggering $91M since August
The political action committee set up by billionaires angry about the proposed wealth tax in California has raised $91 million in the last seven weeks from wealthy individuals.
Reform and the UAE – a threat to British politics
By Alex Carlen The United Arab Emirates likes to present itself as part of the solution to the climate crisis. The oil-rich Gulf state has committed to Net Zero by 2050, hosted COP 28, and even declared “championing climate action” as one of three strategic objectives for this week’s session of the United Nations General Assembly. But behind the scenes the UAE has quietly built one of its closest political relationships in Europe with the party most hostile to climate action in Britain: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. There is no evidence that the UAE is funding Reform. But a new FairSquare report, Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat, published today, documents a growing political relationship that should concern anyone interested in the integrity of British democracy. Reform’s leaders have embraced the UAE’s political model and promoted positions that align closely with the Emirati government’s priorities, while the UAE has given Farage and his party unusually warm access and public backing. What is emerging is not simply a relationship between British politicians and a wealthy Gulf state, but a channel through which an authoritarian government can cultivate political influence here, and abroad. Democracy for Sale relies on its readers. If you already support us, thanks so much. If you don’t, sign up to support fearless independent investigative journalism. Subscribe Back in January, Nigel Farage appeared at a GB News event in Dubai. On the 50th floor of a tower overlooking the luxury resorts and upscale residences of Palm Jumeirah, the Reform leader declared: “I want Clacton to look like this.” At the event – which Farage never declared on his official register of interests – senior Emirati officials mixed with British expats. Farage was keen to flatter. “We recognise you are our friends”, he said, assuring them that “a Brexit London, a Reform London, will remember you.” Controversy surrounding Reform’s finances and its susceptibility to foreign influence have centred around high-profile donations from billionaire crypto donors, and the jailing of Nathan Gill, Reform’s former leader in Wales, for accepting bribes to give pro-Russia speeches. Far less attention has been paid to Reform’s blossoming new alliance with the UAE, an oil-rich authoritarian state with a track record of ruinous anti-democratic interventions. Farage wasn’t always so fond of the UAE. Back in 2023 he called it an “absolute monarchy with an abysmal human rights record.” Now Reform’s hierarchy calls the UAE home. Deputy leader Richard Tice splits his time between his constituency and Dubai and has called on the UK to learn from the UAE. The party’s treasurer Nick Candy runs a firm which has been in partnership with a UAE-state linked firm since 2024. Nadhim Zahawi sits on the board of an Abu Dhabi think tank alongside an array of the most senior UAE officials and is reportedly close to three brothers of the country’s despotic ruler Mohammed Bin Zayed. Reform’s leading lights have effusively praised the UAE’s governance model, defended it from criticism, and advanced its political agenda in the UK. GB News, whose two major shareholders – the Legatum Foundation and Paul Marshall – have strong links to the UAE, has been more than happy to broadcast UAE propaganda and was forced to pay damages in 2025 after airing a false claim about a UK charity by the UAE “disinfluencer” Amjad Taha. The UAE has responded in kind. When the UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs conducted an official visit to the UK in May, Farage was the only non-government figure granted an audience. UAE state media publicised the meeting, and said that they discussed “the strategic relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in a manner that serves mutual interests.” For the UAE these ‘mutual interests’ largely concern its paranoia over political Islam, and in this regard the UAE-Reform alliance is part of a broad and troubling pattern. Following a crackdown on dissent at home in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, the UAE has offered material and political support to a range of violent and authoritarian actors willing to oppose the Muslim Brotherhood with no regard for the consequences. Its meddling in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and most notably Sudan, have been devastating. The UAE’s strategy of seeking out partners on the political fringes who it believes will advance its interests is not unique to Britain – it extends beyond the Middle East to Europe and the US. In France, it has offered clandestine support to Marine Le Pen through secret meetings, as well allegedly funding trips to the region after which Le Pen returned with a renewed focus on the UAE’s perceived enemies – Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood. Left-wing opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has accused the UAE of smearing him and of “encouraging discrimination, hatred or violence”. In the US, the UAE actively supported the rise of Donald Trump, establishing itself as a key ally during both his first and second terms. Around these relationships sits a wider ecosystem of figures willing to amplify UAE narratives, that even extends to Andrew Tate and Tommy Robinson. Subscribe In Britain, the UAE has used a combination of aggressive diplomacy and illicit, disruptive tactics to achieve its policy goal of eliminating any perceived threat from political Islam. In 2012, for instance, it threatened to block billion-pound arms deals with the UK and stop inward investment if David Cameron did not act against the Muslim Brotherhood and rein in the BBC’s coverage of the group – going so far as to suggest, with no supporting evidence, that the group had infiltrated the BBC. It has financed smear campaigns against a high-profile UK charity and funded a mercenary to secretly surveil, and possibly assassinate, a British national on British soil. In Reform UK, the UAE has finally found an ally willing to not only ban the Muslim Brotherhood, but to publicly vilify the group and repeat the UAE’s claims that dangerous Muslims are a fifth column in British society, a narrative that aligns with the Islamophobia and anti-immigration sentiments that underpin Reform’s populist politics. The Rycroft review into foreign interference concluded that “hostile states and non-state actors have a clear incentive to attempt to undermine UK democracy.” The UAE’s network and alliance with Reform must be understood within that framework. It is a powerful, disruptive and deeply authoritarian actor with the resources and networks to intervene in our politics, and a track-record of doing so in a multitude of other countries. The evidence of the threat the UAE poses is overwhelming. The question is whether parliamentarians are willing to call the UAE out and demand action using the tools that the government has to respond. Placing the UAE on the “Enhanced Tier” of the Foreign Registration scheme alongside Russia and Iran would send a powerful signal to the UAE that its meddling will no longer be tolerated, and would place Farage’s next trips to the UAE under the scrutiny they deserve. Alex Carlen is research and advocacy manager at London based human rights organisation FairSquare and author of its new report Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat. Subscribe
Health insurance costs to rise again in Pennsylvania
New rates bring another year of steep increases for people buying health coverage on Pennie.
Discord’s Controversial Age Checks Are Back: Here’s What the Backlash Changed
The restriction will roll out to all users from today, marking you as either a teen or an adult.
How Scientists Contained a Threat That Could Have Destroyed Humanity
A half-century ago, scientists and lawyers agreed to strict self-regulation in DNA research to avoid catastrophe. But it took enforcement to really stop them.
Opinion | New Matrix, Meet the Old Matrix
The railroads were once the octopus that A.I. is now.
CDC survey finds mental health and suicide risk among U.S. teens has improved
The CDC's latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey highlights students' diets, sleep and nutrition, which are priorities for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Euro zone business activity posts surprise upturn in September, PMI shows
Business activity across the euro zone accelerated this month at its fastest rate in over three years, confounding expectations for a slowdown, but firms faced a steeper rise in operating costs, a survey showed.
Lions Predicted to Trade Jameson Williams for Two Steelers Stars
The Detroit Lions could trade wide receiver Jameson Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a pair of star players. The post Lions Predicted to Trade Jameson Williams for Two Steelers Stars appeared first on HEAVY.
Large areas of China's Loess Plateau are green again. A scientist behind its recovery won Volvo's 2026 prize.
The prize includes SEK 1.5 million. Fu's research helped steer restoration toward sustainable land management; he will receive it in Stockholm on Nov. 2.
Your weather app runs on satellites, supercomputers and a retired science teacher who walked to his rain gauge at 7 a.m. every day for 50 years
The forecast on your phone has a secret ingredient: 8,700 volunteers with a thermometer. Meet the Frenches, a family in Gouverneur, N.Y. Ray monitored the stats for 50 years before his son took over. The 11-year-old granddaughter is next.
Aaron Rodgers Ranks Almost Last in Key NFL QB Stat
Aaron Rodgers is not off to a great start in what appears to be his final NFL season. The Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller does have the team at 1-1 in the standings, but his production has been the problem. That is, the lack of production.Rodgers has one touchdown pass through two games, averaging 204 yards per […] The post Aaron Rodgers Ranks Almost Last in Key NFL QB Stat appeared first on HEAVY.
'We're excited.' Xavier Musketeers basketball begins fall practice
Xavier head coach Richard Pitino discusses his team as the Musketeers begin fall practice at Cintas Center.
Dispute Over Missouri’s Congressional Map Again Returns to Supreme Court
A federal appeals court sided with Republicans seeking to use district boundaries redrawn last year to give the G.O.P. an advantage in the upcoming midterms.
Steelers sign former Giants wide receiver
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins to their practice squad.
Stephen A. Smith Shares Harsh Career Advice for Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is a very outspoken individual who doesn’t shy away from controversy. That also makes him a target when his play on the field isn’t up to par.The 42-year-old had a rough game Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the New England Patriots by a 20-3 final score. Rodgers finished 23/39 for 187 […] The post Stephen A. Smith Shares Harsh Career Advice for Aaron Rodgers appeared first on HEAVY.