SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " temporary " 392 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Reflecting on the World Cup's complex colonial politics
The Haitian team's heroic efforts were followed by news that the U.S. Supreme Court has greenlighted the end of Temporary Protected Status.
Katie Couric suffers stroke scare, diagnosed with temporary amnesia
Katie Couric, 69, reveals she recently had a ‘freaky’ incident that turned into a stroke scare before she was ultimately diagnosed with temporary amnesia.
VA’s top health administrator departs post, temporary replacement named
Dr. Lee Payne, a retired Air Force major general and physician, will serve as acting under secretary, according to VA officials.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton reportedly considered pitching Bill Belichick a temporary takeover as head coach
Business owners near the FIFA Fan Festival prepared for crowds. Not all saw them.
Business is down at some restaurants in Brewerytown, where some owners say temporary parking restrictions are scaring regulars away.
UN rights expert warns racism and intolerance persist in sports
A UN expert warned Thursday that racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and other intolerance are entrenched across sports. Dr. Ashwani K.P., the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, ga...
A Q&A with Graham Nash
Currently on a 2026 U.S. tour, Graham Nash performs with a talented three-piece band and incorporates classics like “Immigration Man” and “Chicago” to resonate with contemporary issues and audiences.
Immigration activists react to Supreme Court decisions
The court upheld the principle of birthright citizenship for all, but enabled restricting asylum seeking and revoking temporary protected status.
Binghamton Police conduct clearing of Knights Inn encampment
The police cleared tents, tables and other temporary structures.
CMS proposes updates to home health payments for CY 2027, updates to provider enrollment and quality and value-based purchasing programs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 1 issued its calendar year 2027 proposed rule for the home health prospective payment system. The rule proposes a 2.4% update, which includes a 3.1% market basket update, reduced by a 1.0 percentage point cut for productivity, as well as an 0.3 percentage point increase related to outlier payments. In addition, the agency proposes a temporary cut of 3.0% that it states is necessary to achieve budget-neutral implementation of the Patient-driven Groupings Model.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
What older adults need to know before taking a GLP-1 medication to lose weight
Starting Wednesday, millions of Medicare-qualifying adults will have access to popular medications for weight loss at deep discounts through a temporary federal program called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge.
Former Biden WH Press Secretary on SCOTUS ruling ending temporary protected status program: ‘It’s going to be disastrous’
Those with temporary protected status fear for what's next
The Supreme Court ruled to allow the Trump administration to end TPS for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.
Medicare will start covering weight-loss drugs on July 1 for the first time.
Millions of Medicare enrollees will gain their first-ever coverage for drugs for weight loss under a temporary pilot program that launches July 1.
Medicare will start covering weight-loss drugs on July 1 for the first time. Here’s what you need to know
Millions of Medicare enrollees will gain their first-ever coverage for drugs for weight loss under a temporary pilot program that launches July 1.
AbbVie (ABBV) Wins Health Canada Approval for Boey
AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) is one of the 12 Most Profitable S&P 500 Stocks to Invest In. On June 23, 2026, Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) company, announced that Health Canada approved Boey for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe lines between the eyebrows in adults. Boey is the first and only approved botulinum […]
Leaders of effort to preserve Temporary Protected Status react to Supreme Court loss
Alito and Kagan’s telling exchange about race and politics
Both sides of the debate in the court’s case on temporary protected status could have used a little more realism.
Applications open for Hawaii County Kona low business recovery program
Eligible businesses can use the money for recovery needs, including equipment repair, temporary relocation costs and water damage.
Applications open for Hawaii County Kona low business recovery program
The reward from the county can be used for recovery needs, including equipment repair, temporary relocation costs and water damage.
Jason Rantz criticizes Seattle's FIFA World Cup 2026 cleanup as temporary political choice
KTTH Seattle radio host Jason Rantz discusses how Seattle's downtown core was 'near perfect' during the FIFA World Cup 2026 on 'Varney & Co.'
Blue state leaders erupt after Supreme Court’s decision ending TPS protections for Haitians, Syrians
Supreme Court rules 6-3 in favor of Trump administration in two key immigration cases on Temporary Protected Status and asylum, drawing opposition from blue state Democrats.
N.Y. AG blasts SCOTUS ruling to end temporary protections for Haitians, Syrians
James led several amicus briefs opposing the termination of temporary protected status.
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end legal protections for Haitians and Syrians
The 6-3 decision overturns lower court orders and allows the Department of Homeland Security to swiftly end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries.
Supreme Court lets Trump end temporary protections for migrants
The decision could allow the government to deport hundreds of thousands of people starting this year.
Moody Center announces exhibition exploring math, science and tech rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems
Through a framing of North, Central and South America as interconnected regions, “Radiant Geometries: Vectors of Knowledge from the Indigenous Americas” brings together contemporary Indigenous and Latin American artists whose practices illuminate knowledge as a living technology, through which the mathematical, metaphysical and artistic realms converge.
Opinion | Covid Politics Don’t Have to Be Toxic
Nirav Shah is something that would seem anathema in contemporary politics: a public health technocrat who became a household name during Covid.
Biden scores temporary court victory as Trump appointed judge delays release of Hur investigation materials
Former President Biden wins a three-week injunction blocking release of audio recordings from Special Counsel Hur's classified documents investigation.
Museum
Finalists: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria, The Museum of Human Achievement, Harry Ransom Center “Free Tuesdays rock! I...
2026 World Cup billed as ‘largest entertainment attack surface in history’
As the tournament is underway across North America, Palo Alto Networks warns that temporary supplier ecosystems, vulnerable municipal infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions are creating risks fo...
Wetzel: Brendan Sorsby is done with college sports. Can local judges be next?
Can any good come from the Brendan Sorsby saga? Dan Wetzel would like to see local judges and their temporary injunctions sidelined.
Wetzel: Brendan Sorsby is done with college sports. Can local judges be next?
Can any good come from the Brendan Sorsby saga? Dan Wetzel would like to see local judges and their temporary injunctions sidelined.
Lights! Camera! Cage match! The White House lawn's Octagon is ready for Trump's 80th birthday bash
A massive UFC event is set to take over the White House's South Lawn. The temporary arena resembles a cross between a UFO and a claw game in a video
PFAS found in Montgomery County pond and stream, prompting health advisory
Red, temporary fencing is going up around a contaminated pond in Montgomery County, Maryland, as leaders warn you to stay out of nearby waterways.
Temporary Protected Status needs to be protected from political whims
Temporary may be part of the the title, but temporary protected status for immigrants shouldn't be arbitrary, write Jennica Larrison and Ben Coleman, who say a White House push to cancel TPS for a dozen countries is "nothing short of betrayal."
Mapped: Where data centers are facing bans and moratoriums
Many Americans are resisting data centers across the country. Now, some lawmakers are responding with temporary moratoriums and outright bans.
Despite gambling ban, judge says Texas Tech QB can play
A Texas judge granted Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby a temporary injunction that clears the way for him to play this fall despite being declared ineligible by the NCAA for wagering on college sports, including bets made on his own team while he was at Indiana. The decision sent shock waves across college sports since […]
Georgia, Nebraska ban teams from scheduling Texas Tech in wake of Brendan Sorsby ruling
The memo from the school's compliance director comes after Sorsby was granted a temporary injunction to play despite a history of gambling.
Brendan Sorsby granted injunction vs. NCAA, eligible to play in 2026
Texas Tech star quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA and will be eligible to play for the Red Raiders in 2026.
Hegseth warns of 'invasion' and 'dangerous ideologies' in D-Day anniversary speech
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day anniversary speech on Saturday to appear to link immigration by sea to the wartime liberation of Europe, warning that the freedom won by Allied troops could prove temporary if leaders failed to defend it.
Congress didn’t kill Trump’s $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. So where does it stand?
Senate Republicans rejected multiple attempts to kill President Donald Trump’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund amid bipartisan concerns and a temporary court ruling against it.
Reno City Council amended a live entertainment ordinance
The original ordinance requires businesses to have a "conditional use permit" for indoor live entertainment. The new amendment applies a temporary exception to that rule *if* a list of conditions
Quentin Tarantino rips modern movies from Hollywood's 'flavorless sausage factory,' would 'rather read a book'
Quentin Tarantino slammed contemporary movies, as he called Hollywood a 'flavorless sausage factory' — but named a few recent films he actually liked.
Iran conflict hasn’t slowed the economy, but rising inflation coaxes businesses to freeze hiring
The largest part of the economy grew faster in May even as businesses had to cope with the worst inflation in several years, but it came at a cost to jobseekers. Many companies have adopted temporary hiring freezes to offset their own rising costs.
The Politics Behind Taiwan’s Soft Power
“Taiwan Travelogue” and its Booker Prize win highlight the nuances – and controversies – of contemporary culture in Taiwan.
Temporary exhibition at Cedar Rapids Museum of Art explores artistic ‘conversation’ between father and son
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has introduced a new, temporary exhibit that showcases a “conversation” between a father and son through their own unique, artistic visions.
Dell is bringing back the XPS 13 as a MacBook Neo competitor — with a temporary discount to $599
The XPS 13 returns, and is cheaper than ever.
Heastie: State budget includes additional funding for Buffalo
State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said at least $55 million is coming to Buffalo, including $30 million in Temporary Municipal Assistance.
Camp Mystic health officer may practice nursing again under limited Texas license
The Camp Mystic chief health officer can practice nursing again under restrictions after a temporary suspension tied to the deadly 2025 flood that killed 27 girls.
Mina the Hollower Review - Refined Throwback
Mina the Hollower looks like a nostalgic throwback, and it undeniably is, but its thoughtful design and larger sensibilities make it play and feel like a contemporary video game – one that has taken the right lessons from the medium’s history.
Incipient Monopolization in Digital Streaming: Judicial Oversight of Contemporary Entertainment Consolidation — Columbia Undergraduate Law Review
On February 27, 2026, Paramount Global confirmed a $110 billion all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, creating one of the largest media mergers in U.S. history. The offer followed a bidding war with Netflix; however, Warner Bros. ultimately signed the initial offer from Paramount. Netfli
Semiconductor decoupling. Powell's politics. Industrializing Ogaden. Free trade and the Magna Carta.
Thank you for opening your Chartbook email. Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 8th Army’s Front, Italy 1944 Semiconductor decoupling Source: FT One thing that Jerome Powell deeply understood is that chairing the Fed under current conditions is a deeply political job. “Powell has successes and mistakes to his name. But he stands out as having thought more carefully about the Fed’s democratic legitimacy than any chair since Paul Volcker,” said Paul Tucker, a former deputy governor at the Bank of England, referring to the Fed chair who successfully fought the great inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. … While Powell was at the Treasury in the early 1990s, he watched Alan Greenspan build relationships within the government. That convinced Powell he needed to follow the former Fed chair’s lead and spend more time in Congress than his predecessors Yellen and Bernanke. “The accountability for the Fed runs through Congress,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed official who is now chief economist at New Century Advisors. “That’s not just about having people on speed dial — it’s answering questions, explaining policy and getting feedback.” Source: FT Ethiopia’s PM Abiy and Nigerian business tycoon, with Chinese engineering, are driving industrialization in Ogaden/Somali region of Ethiopia. - Michael Masri’s reporting for Africa Report if fascinating. Ethiopia has launched a cluster of large industrial schemes in the Somali region, laying foundation stones for a urea plant and an oil refinery in Gode while opening the first two phases of the Ogaden LNG project. Abiy Ahmed framed the push as part of a broader strategy to link energy, agriculture and industry. “These projects embody more than industrial growth,” he said. “They represent our shared responsibility to harness opportunities, strengthen co-operation and promote peace.” The Gode urea plant, backed by Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), is designed for 3m tonnes a year. Dangote owns 60%, while EIH holds 40%. Officials say Dangote’s equity totals about $2.5bn, while the state provides land and implementation oversight. Gas from the Calub fields will be piped 108km to the site. Construction is slated for 40 months, with operations targeted for 2028. Ethiopia imports most of its fertiliser, spending more than $1.2bn a year for 1.5m–2m tonnes. Usage was roughly 1.7m tonnes in 2023, almost half of it urea, and demand for 2024–25 is put above 2.4m tonnes. If delivered on time, the Gode plant could cover domestic needs and allow exports to neighbours. Brook Taye, chief executive of EIH, called the venture “a significant milestone in the journey toward industrial self-sufficiency”. Dangote told the groundbreaking crowd that the complex would be integrated with gas supply and a polypropylene unit to support local inputs. He pointed to Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), with a capacity of more than 5,000MW, and noted his group’s cement operations and expansion plans. The Gode refinery is being developed by Golden Concord Group of China. It is designed to process 3.5m tonnes a year of crude and condensate from the Hilala field, with associated storage. Backers say it will ease foreign-exchange pressure from fuel imports and anchor further industrial activity, including a proposed steel smelting site in Dire Dawa. GCL’s chair, Zhu Gongshan, cast the project as “a key step in Ethiopia’s path to energy sovereignty”, underscoring the Beijing–Addis ties. Financing details are still being finalised, but the refinery is central to the government’s energy-security narrative. Source: The Africa Report Dangote’s Ethiopian vision: Dangote began with cement. His crown jewel, Dangote Cement, dominates Nigeria’s market and has 10 operations in other nations in Africa. The formula has been consistent: identify sectors with chronic shortages – cement, fertiliser, sugar – commit massive local investments, and scale up to serve regional demand. Ethiopia was a natural extension of that model. In 2015, Dangote launched the Mugher Cement Plant outside Addis Ababa at a cost of $600m, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The investment gave him a firm foothold in one of Africa’s fastest-growing construction markets. But success came with risks. In May 2018, violent unrest led to the killing of Dangote’s country manager and temporary shutdowns at Mugher. While other investors might have retreated, Dangote doubled down. Today, he is preparing to spend $400m to expand Mugher’s capacity to 5 million tonnes, alongside a new grinding unit near Addis Ababa. Cement is just one market Dangote is targeting. Ethiopia’s enormous state-controlled sugar industry, long plagued by inefficiency and debt, has struggled for years to reform. Its Omo Kuraz Sugar Development Project, touted as one of the continent’s largest initiatives, continues to face delays and mismanagement. … The most ambitious venture of all is the planned fertiliser production complex in Gode, Somali region. Publicised on 28 August 2025, the Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) deal plans one of the world’s largest single-site urea manufacturing plants. The project costs an estimated $2.5bn and has an estimated capacity of 3 million metric tonnes annually, a rate that would not only render Ethiopia independent, but even a net exporter of fertiliser. EIH, the state wealth fund of Ethiopia, will hold 40%, while 60% is held by Dangote Group. … For Dangote, Ethiopia is a trifecta: Cement demand is projected to grow by 10% annually, its sugar consumption is growing with rapid urbanisation, and fertiliser demand is all but insatiable, given that farming supports the livelihood of 70% of Ethiopians. Source: The Africa Report The stakes for Abiy are high: For Addis Ababa, the $4bn fertiliser project in Ethiopia’s Somali region is no longer simply a manufacturing investment. It is increasingly being framed as a strategic state project tied to food sovereignty, import substitution and the government’s broader attempt to build economic resilience under mounting fiscal pressure. “Becoming self-sufficient in food is our main agenda,” Abiy says during the visit. “Land is needed; we have it. Water is needed; we have it. Human resources are needed; we have it.” The scale is enormous even by African industrial standards. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce three million metric tonnes of urea annually, potentially making it one of the continent’s largest fertiliser complexes. Ethiopian officials say the project now includes a 110km gas pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant. For a government grappling with chronic foreign exchange shortages, ballooning import bills and pressure on agricultural productivity, the numbers matter politically as much as they do economically. The decision to anchor the project in Gode is deliberate. Long viewed as peripheral to Ethiopia’s industrial economy, the Somali region is now being repositioned by the federal government as a future irrigation and agro-industrial corridor. Officials argue that the area’s vast land reserves and access to water could eventually support large-scale commercial farming capable of reshaping Ethiopia’s food economy. The government is simultaneously building housing infrastructure for about 5,000 residents near the plant, while officials project broader industrial expansion along the corridor. Abiy goes further, comparing the long-term revenue potential of the Gode development zone with Ethiopia’s flagship state enterprise. “The investments we are making in this Gode area, combined, will generate high revenue for Ethiopia, at par with Ethiopian Airlines,” he says. Source: The Africa Report Feliks Topolski 1907-1982 Topolski’s Chronicle, ‘Nazi Revival’, Vol. 8, Is. 1-2, 1960 HEY READERS, THANK YOU for opening the Chartbook email. I hope it brightens your day. I enjoy putting out the newsletter, but tbh, what keeps this flow going is the generosity of those readers who clicked the subscription button. Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash If you are persuaded to click, please consider the annual subscription of $50. It is both better value for you and a much better deal for me, as it involves only one credit card charge. Why feed the payments companies if we don’t have to. Subscribe Grim vision of drone warfare by Sylvie Kaufmann For contributing subscribers only. Subscribe The state of the art in Colbert-studies. Jean-Baptiste Colbert was Louis XIV chief minister from 1661 to 1683 and traditionally seen as an architect of absolutism and mercantilism. Alexander Hamilton later cited him as an inspiration in 1782. Now his legacy is disputed. Daniel Dessert, the chief critic, sees Colbert as the orchestrator not so much of an absolutist state as of an elite cabal. Would be great to have a good English-language review of this important debate. Source: lhistoire Didn’t know that the Magna Carta included free trade provisions Fighting for the right to the beach in Oregon in 1967: Source: Research Gate RAF Station – British and Polish Flags, c. 1940-45, The Ingram Collection Feliks Topolski, 1907-1989 ink and wash If you’ve scrolled this far, you know you want to click: Subscribe
Carolyn Hax: High-schooler is an artist but feels pressure to keep up with sport
Teen may want her temporary break from water polo to become permanent — but what will her dad and coach say?
Temporary casino to open as work begins on new Naskila Casino Resort
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held June 18 for the new Naskila Casino Resort near Livingston.
Lightning in a Bottle festival brings big boost to Bakersfield businesses, owners say
For one weekend every year, thousands of people pour into Kern County for the Lightning in a Bottle festival, turning Buena Vista Lake into a temporary city of
Training cops to handle mental health crises is key, experts say. One SC man's story explains why.
Sending South Carolina police officers to a five-day crisis intervention course can be a drain on agencies’ manpower. But proponents say it’s worth the temporary hit to staffing and logistics,
The largest generational divide in American politics is about Israel
For Jewish communal leaders and philanthropists, a critical question looms: Is Israel’s current unpopularity in the United States a temporary reaction to wartime images, or does it reflect a deeper transformation in American political culture? The most recent Gallup data released...
How China Could Wield Its Control of Rare Earths Against Trump
A central question hanging over the summit this week is whether China will agree to extend a temporary postponement of even tougher rare-earth export controls.
Clemson Rural Health announces temporary relocation of on-campus clinic
Clemson Rural Health’s Clemson Community Primary Care, home of the Joseph F. Sullivan Center, will be relocating during renovations to Edwards Hall.
Post-pandemic allowances for telehealth claims have not triggered runaway healthcare spending
If Congress doesn’t act soon, CMS’s flexible funding of telemedicine visits—a temporary holdover from the COVID era—will dry up next year. A new study may help persuade fiscally cautious representatives not to let that happen
Companies are increasingly favoring temporary staff over permanent hires
Employers across the U.S. and Europe are increasingly relying on temporary workers to keep their businesses going, holding off on permanent hires because of economic instability and artificial intelligence-driven disruptions.
US job growth likely slowed in April as boost from temporary factors fades
U.S. job growth likely slowed in April as the boost from warmer weather and return of striking health workers faded, but that would not signal a material change in labor market conditions, with the unemployment rate expected to have held steady at 4.3%.
Crooked Letter Sports: The Makoka brothers
Hancock High’s basketball playing brothers Max and Israel Makoka are back home after temporary detention by ICE. Rick tells the story and opines on SEC baseball, a little football and those red-hot Atlanta Braves.
'Ceasefire is not over,' Hegseth says as U.S. acts to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Hegseth said "Project Freedom" is a temporary and defensive operation meant to resume the flow of traffic through the vital waterway.
F1 Miami Grand Prix 2026: Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen recover from poor starts as anticipated rain does not fall
Formula 1 returns to the track after a five-week hiatus with its first of three trips to the United States this weekend for the Miami Grand Prix. The race, now in its fifth year, takes place on a temporary circuit that envelopes the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium.
F1 Miami Grand Prix 2026: Early chaos results in safety car, four retirements
Formula 1 returns to the track after a five-week hiatus with its first of three trips to the United States this weekend for the Miami Grand Prix. The race, now in its fifth year, takes place on a temporary circuit that envelopes the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium.
Fine chandeliers are a specialty for New Orleans business | Home/Garden
Michael Melesurgo and Ricardo “Rico” Mencia purchased Classic Chandelier from the business’s founder, Peter Sather, in 2023, when he decided to retire. The business partners rebranded the company as Vintage Chandelier and relocated it to 455 Philip St. in the Irish Channel in December 2025.The company offers a variety of services including cleaning, moving, restoration, installation, pick-up, delivery and general maintenance of light fixtures, with a specialty in fine antique chandeliers.Additional specialties include the installation and restoration of mirrors and artwork, with pick-up and delivery included. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-1'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-1'); }); “We mainly focus on older fixtures, but we have also worked on newer ones, especially with installation,” Melesurgo said. “We aim to be able to work on almost anything within reason. But chandeliers are the meat and potatoes of the business.” googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-1'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-1'); }); The team at Vintage Chandelier has worked on some of the best-known chandeliers in New Orleans, at hotels including the Ritz-Carlton and the Hyatt Regency, the Milton H. Latter Memorial branch of the New Orleans Public Library and several prominent homes.Inside Out sat down with the duo to discuss the identification and care of fine chandeliers. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-2'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-2'); }); What are some of the hallmarks of a fine chandelier?Melesurgo: Some of the finer points of elegant chandeliers are pristine crystal, clean craftsmanship, original pieces and parts and stamped pieces to ensure authenticity. Everything should be clean and working.How should you clean a fine chandelier?Melesurgo: The material in question determines the methodology for cleaning. Crystal chandeliers should be cleaned by hand, crystal by crystal, to ensure the best outcome, and to avoid deterioration of metal wiring typically used in connecting pieces together. Spraying cleaners can, over time, sit on the metal and end up rusting connections that compromise the connections. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-2'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-2'); }); What in your backgrounds led you to this business?Melesurgo: I have an electrical background. I started as an electrical apprentice in the local union (IBEW 130) in 2005. Then Katrina hit. I ended up going back to school and getting a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism and graduating in 2011. I started working for Peter (Sather) at Classic Chandelier & Mirror in 2012, which was supposed to only be temporary, but I ended up staying for a lot longer. I have always enjoyed working with my hands and being creative. This allows me to be creative and keep a lot of beautiful history alive. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-4'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-4'); }); Rico, you worked as a draftsman alongside an engineer at YKM Consulting. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-3'); }); Mencia: The job was interesting, especially working on the Ochsner expansion, but staring at two monitors all day became unbearable. I went to work for Peter (Sather), which opened a new world to antiques and chandeliers that I find fascinating. Vintage Chandelier, 455 Philip St., (504) 309-8983, @vintagechandelier.504 on Instagram googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-4'); });
ENTERTAINMENT: Ballet Arkansas creates ‘Origins’ in North Little Rock; Helena hosts Jazz on the River
Ballet Arkansas has moved its season-closing contemporary production, “Origins,” to the new North Little Rock Event Center, 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
Supreme Court leans in favor of Trump's bid to end protections for Syrian, Haitian migrants
Trump's lawyers say Congress gave the Department of Homeland Security, not judges, the power to end Temporary Protective Status granted earlier.
Supreme Court hears arguments over temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian migrants
The court’s decision could affect hundreds of thousands of people who benefit from Temporary Protected Status.
Critical cPanel Authentication Vulnerability Identified — Update Your Server Immediately
cPanel patches authentication flaw across supported versions, prompting Namecheap port blocks and temporary access limits.
Democratic Governor Candidates Break with Mills on Data Centers
Four out of five candidates running to replace Janet Mills said she was wrong to veto a temporary moratorium.
Supreme Court will hear Trump's bid to end legal protection for up to 1.3 million immigrants
Since President Trump returned to office last year, his administration has repeatedly revoked or sought to deny the extension of temporary protections for immigrants from numerous countries.
Small business owners concerned about proposed pause in South Carolina liquor liability law
Business owners think the law's temporary change will hurt business
Allied Gaming backer says no share sales through 2026—with no lock-up
Primo said it will not transfer or sell Allied shares through Dec. 31, 2026. The company said the commitment is non-binding and has no written lock-up.
As state, Maui Health decide future of damaged Kula Hospital, another long-term care facility nears capacity
Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green said the options for the damaged Upcountry hospital could include a mobile unit designed for disasters or a temporary modular clinic like the one Kaiser built in Lahaina after the 2023 wildfires.
Ocean Casino Resort unveils $20M upgrades for summer entertainment
Among the additions is a temporary “America’s Birthday Bar” planned for June at the resort’s 1927 Lounge.
Gallia County Fair announces 2026 entertainment lineup
GALLIPOLIS, Ohio — Organizers have announced the full entertainment lineup for the 2026 Gallia County Junior Fair, bringing a mix of contemporary Christian, gospel and country music acts to the
Temporary Entertainment Zone On Hilltop Drive
This year for the first time, you can buy and drink alcoholic beverages in a 'Temporary Entertainment Zone" as long as you have a wristband from a participating business.
Christmas concert announced for Hershey’s Giant Center
The concert will include classic and contemporary holiday songs performed by Christian music icons, along with worship and celebration.
Oceanfront businesses participating in ‘Take Back Our Beach Day’ following curfew by offering $9.30 specials on Saturday
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — More than 80 businesses along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront are planning a Take Back Our Beach Day Saturday as the temporary emergency curfew for everyone comes to an end....
Oceanfront businesses participating in ‘Take Back Our Beach Day’ following curfew by offering $9.30 specials on Saturday
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — More than 80 businesses along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront are planning a Take Back Our Beach Day Saturday as the temporary emergency curfew for everyone comes to an e…
Stanford Health Care and the American Cancer Society plan a Hope Lodge for patients and family members
Stanford Health Care commits $10 million to help the American Cancer Society build a new Hope Lodge to provide temporary lodging for cancer patients traveling to the Bay Area for treatment.
Ecco the Dolphin Complete announced, containing the first two games and a new ‘contemporary’ game
The collection’s development is being led by Ecco creator Ed Annunziata…
Atlanta City Council approves entertainment district for World Cup fans
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches this summer, the Atlanta City Council has approved designating parts of downtown as a temporary “Public Entertainment District” for fans.
3 business owners file lawsuit to end Oceanfront curfew
Five Oceanfront businesses joined together on Monday to file a temporary restraining order in Virginia Beach Circuit Court to block the enforcement of the Virginia Beach City Council’s curfew. The com...
Mason County Fair announces 2026 entertainment lineup featuring national acts
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — The Mason County Fair has unveiled its entertainment lineup for the 2026 event, bringing a mix of contemporary Christian and country music talent to the stage
U.S. Delivers Maternal Health Equipment Across Madagascar - U.S. Embassy in Madagascar
U.S. Delivers Maternal Health Equipment Across Madagascar U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Stephanie Arnold today provided critical maternal and newborn health equipment that will reach healthcare facilities across Madagascar, demonstrating how U.S. foreign assistance builds a safer, healthier world by helping recipient countries build self-reliant health systems in line with the America First Global Health Strategy. Under President Trump’s America First foreign assistance policy and the America First Global Health Policy, U.S. support serves as a tool of strategic engagement – not global charity. Every U.S. taxpayer dollar is subject to rigorous oversight to ensure measurable results, maximum efficiency, and accountability, with zero tolerance for fraud, waste, or abuse. Through the bilateral Global Health Memorandum of Understanding with Madagascar’s Ministry of Public Health, both governments agreed on shared priorities and responsibilities, including a strong focus on maternal and newborn health and Madagascar’s increasing co-investment in its own health system. Madagascar continues to face major challenges in maternal and newborn health, including high maternal mortality rates and significant gaps in access to quality delivery care. In rural regions, many women still give birth at home or in facilities without adequate infection-prevention supplies. Through the U.S.-funded Momentum Country and Global Leadership Project, the United States is providing essential equipment to healthcare facilities nationwide: calibrated reusable drapes for infection prevention in approximately 1,000 community health centers (CSBs), single-use calibrated drapes for 35 hospitals, and management tools for health workers to improve data collection and care coordination. “U.S. foreign assistance makes America safer by preventing instability and strengthening health systems that can detect and contain infectious diseases before they cross borders,” said Chargé d’Affaires Arnold during the handover ceremony. “Our support is temporary and targeted, designed to help Madagascar build greater self-reliance and reduce long-term dependence on U.S. taxpayer resources.” This U.S. support will help standardize safe delivery practices, strengthen infection prevention, and improve data management systems. Used effectively, these materials will contribute directly to reducing maternal and newborn deaths, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas where access to quality delivery care remains limited. From major hospitals to remote health centers, U.S.-funded equipment is already delivering results. The nationwide scope of this support ensures that women and newborns across Madagascar benefit from improved infection prevention and safer delivery practices. This targeted assistance helps save lives today while supporting Madagascar’s transition toward a self-sufficient health system, ensuring that today’s U.S. support leads to Madagascar’s future independence from foreign assistance.
Known in New Orleans, multimedia artist will take the world stage in Venice Biennale
For decades, the 73-year-old conceptual artist has been creating art that explores the universe’s most pressing questions. Now she’s preparing for what is arguably the contemporary art world’s most important show.
Davidson Community Players stage contemporary plays
'The Lifespan of a Fact,' and 'Actually' at Armour Street Theatre
Cher files for conservatorship of son Elijah Blue Allman again after arrests: 'His drug dependency is at its worst'
Cher has filed to place her 'gravely disabled' son Elijah Blue Allman under a temporary conservatorship after he was arrested in New Hampshire: 'His drug dependency is at its worst.'
Ohio Judge Temporarily Pauses Hemp Product Ban For Two Businesses
“The judge here is concerned about retailers that have made big investments in inventory, and they can’t move it, they can’t transport it, they can’t sell it.” By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal A Franklin County judge granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) to allow two smoke shops to sell off their products less than […]
Virginia Beach Oceanfront curfew raises concerns for local businesses
Visitors and locals alike enjoyed a picturesque morning at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, hours before the temporary emergency curfew takes effect.
26 Cheap And Easy Home Upgrades And Projects To Do
"It was supposed to be a temporary solution until I saved some money — but I like it so much I still haven't changed it three years later."
Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, nominated to be next CDC director by Trump
The Atlanta-based CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats, has been in turmoil since Trump returned to office more than a year ago, with a succession of mostly temporary leaders.
Raskin v Moore: what do the stats say?
Midfielder Nicolas Raskin and on-loan Tottenham winger Mikey Moore have split opinion among fans over who should be Rangers player of the year. Raskin, who was phased out under previous boss Russell Martin, has become a key player in Danny Rohl's team as Rangers continue their push for the league title. Moore, at just 18 years old, has also been impressing since joining on a temporary spell from the English Premier League outfit.
House considers bill to protect Haitian immigrants, in pushback against Trump administration
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare bipartisan moment, the House has agreed to consider legislation that would extend temporary protections for Haitian immigrants, pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to end the program. The bill expected for a vote Thursday would require the Trump administration to extend for three years Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which would allow hundreds of thousands of qualifying immigrants to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. House
Boone Health, Missouri Heart Center progress toward split
Boone Health withdrew its request for a temporary restraining order against its contracted private cardiology provider.
Inside Gaming: Strip room rates gradually increasing, analyst says
Plus, a temporary restraining order blocking the enforcement of Arizona gaming laws against prediction markets has been ordered in U.S. District Court in Arizona.