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Michigan AD Warde Manuel to step down at end of calendar year

Warde Manuel will step down as Michigan AD at the end of the calendar year, the school announced as part of the conclusion of an investigation into the culture of athletics at the university.

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Jul 20 • 9:26 AM EDT • Sports • espn.com
How Fox News, MS NOW and CNN Are Building Beyond the Cable Bundle

Fox News, MS NOW and CNN are using profitable linear TV businesses to invest in streaming, memberships and digital products.

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Jul 20 • 9:15 AM EDT • Business • thewrap.com
AMC Entertainment stock surges after record quarterly revenue and EBITDA

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AMC) shares climbed 13.

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Jul 20 • 8:34 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com
Anthropic's $1M gift expands Memphis nonprofit's AI and computer science education efforts

The AI research and development company Anthropic is investing $1 million to help expand computer science and AI education in the Mid-South through a gift to Memphis-based nonprofit Code Crew. Accord...

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Jul 20 • 8:25 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
Netflix actress, model plead guilty to $3.4M Medicaid fraud scheme

The unusual defendants were swept up as part of a larger investigation into healthcare fraud in the Minnesota housing services program. An alleged third co-conspirator has pleaded not guilty and will take her chances at a jury trial.

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Jul 20 • 8:03 AM EDT • Health • healthexec.com
AI Researcher Receives $745K Bits to Bytes Award from Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to Create the World’s Largest Annotated Spleen Ultrasound Dataset

Principal Investigator (PI) Daniel Haehn, PhD, director of UMass Boston’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Core Facility and an associate professor of computer science, will lead SPLEEN-US: Open Annotated Spleen Ultrasound Dataset for Precision Neuromodulation.

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Jul 20 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • umb.edu
Why is AMC Entertainment stock surging today?

Why is AMC Entertainment stock surging today?

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Jul 20 • 7:24 AM EDT • Entertainment • investing.com
Accel Entertainment expands Nevada gaming operations

Accel Entertainment expands Nevada gaming operations

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Jul 20 • 7:12 AM EDT • Entertainment • investing.com
AMC Entertainment soars on record quarterly results

AMC Entertainment soars on record quarterly results

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Jul 20 • 7:10 AM EDT • Entertainment • investing.com
After 106 Years, AMC Posts Its Highest Quarterly Revenue

The results cover the quarter ended June 30, 2026; AMC’s live investor webcast is set for July 20 at 7:30 a.m. CDT, with an archive available for a limited time.

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Jul 20 • 6:55 AM EDT • Entertainment • stocktitan.net
AMC Entertainment delivers record Q2 results as summer releases boost results

AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) shares rose 11% after the movie theater chain reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations,...

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Jul 20 • 6:42 AM EDT • Entertainment • proactiveinvestors.com
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Opens Record Coaster As Investors Ask If The Stock Is A Bargain

Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) just opened Tormenta: Rampaging Run at Six Flags Over Texas, a record-setting giga dive coaster that could influence how investors think about the company’s park assets and guest appeal. See our latest analysis for Six Flags Entertainment. Despite the buzz around Tormenta: Rampaging Run, Six Flags Entertainment’s share price has softened recently, with the 30-day share price return down 29.71%, while the 1-year total shareholder return has declined 43.38%,...

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Jul 20 • 4:21 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
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Tencent Music Entertainment Group Sponsored ADR $TME Stock Holdings Increased by Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Tencent Music Entertainment Group Sponsored ADR (NYSE:TME - Free Report) by 21.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned

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Jul 20 • 3:04 AM EDT • Entertainment • marketbeat.com
Bipartisan bill would invest $25M to bolster use of key medical imaging software

The AIR CARE for Vets Act would establish a new five-year pilot program, utilizing 4D imaging software to assess the lungs of vets impacted by burn pits.

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Jul 20 • 3:00 AM EDT • Business • radiologybusiness.com
OpenAI has seen a 'resurgence' of interest in secondary markets.

For most of this year, investors couldn't get enough of Anthropic while ignoring OpenAI. Now the tide is turning following the release of new models.

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Jul 20 • 2:00 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Rebuilding the Innovation Engine: How We Got Here And What Comes Next

Federal investment in basic science built America’s innovation engine, but declining support is threatening U.S. leadership, writes Dietrich Stephan, Ph.D.

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Jul 20 • 1:38 AM EDT • Science • lifescienceleader.com
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TSMC's U.S. investment is about politics, not business: Analyst

Kirk Yang, founder and chairman of Kirkland Capital, discusses TSMC's $265 billion investment into the United States.

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Jul 20 • 12:06 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
TSMC's U.S. investment is about politics, not business: Analyst

Kirk Yang, founder and chairman of Kirkland Capital, discusses TSMC's $265 billion investment into the United States.

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Jul 20 • 12:06 AM EDT • Politics • cnbc.com
New Jersey aims to turn science into startups

The investment manager of the NJII Venture Studio says new venture infrastructure aims to turn research into startups and jobs.

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Jul 20 • 12:01 AM EDT • Science • njbiz.com
Chinese company demands compensation from U.K. over British Steel nationalization

Jingye Group, the former owner of British Steel, has demanded compensation from the U.K. government for investment losses after the company's nationalization last week.

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Jul 19 • 9:45 PM EDT • Business • latimes.com
U.S. health agency now says cyclospora finding at produce company was false positive

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on ‌Sunday that laboratory experts re-reviewed sample results ​in the Taylor Farms ​Cyclospora investigation and concluded the finding ​should be considered a false ‌positive.

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Jul 19 • 9:10 PM EDT • Health • cbc.ca
Commercializing Canadian Health Research: The Case for Targeting Grants and Increasing Overall Investment

Canada should significantly expand commercialization-focused grant programs through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and increase Canada’s overall health science research investments to a scale commensurate with global competition.

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Jul 19 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • itif.org
Woman attacked, robbed at gunpoint inside business in Wicker Park, Chicago police say

Chicago police are investigating after a woman was attacked and robbed at gunpoint by multiple suspects while inside of a business Saturday night on the city's Northwest Side.

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Jul 19 • 5:47 PM EDT • Business • abc7chicago.com
Business People: Daniel Farley promoted at U.S. Bank Wealth Management

FINANCIAL SERVICES U.S. Bank, Minneapolis, announced the promotion of Daniel Farley to chief investment officer for the Wealth Management Asset Management Group. Farley has worked for U.S. Bank since 2010, most recently as Private Wealth…

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Jul 19 • 1:01 PM EDT • Business • twincities.com
Citizen Scientists Helped Decipher How Harvestmen Became Oddly Devoted Dads

Paternal care is vanishingly rare in the animal kingdom, yet one spider relative pulls it off repeatedly across thousands of species. Unlocking why required a surprising shortcut that compressed decad...

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Jul 19 • 12:00 PM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
Why a modest US interest rate rise won’t change much for most businesses

Rates may rise, but don’t be too concerned – a small increase is unlikely to change major decisions on investment or hiring

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Jul 19 • 10:00 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com
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Parking lot fight leads to fatal shooting outside Southeast Dallas business

Dallas police are investigating a fatal shooting that happened early Sunday morning after a disturbance outside a business in Southeast Dallas.

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Jul 19 • 9:50 AM EDT • Business • fox4news.com
Beloved musician dies at 17 in Nashville, police investigating

The young musician died on July 12.

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Jul 19 • 8:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • syracuse.com
Dallas psych hospital adds beds, but Texas can’t shoulder burden alone

We need more federal investment for inpatient and outpatient mental healthcare.

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Jul 19 • 6:30 AM EDT • Health • dallasnews.com
Dog Drowns at Santa Barbara Daycare Facility; Police Investigating as Business Suspends Operations

A local dog daycare and boarding facility has temporarily suspended operations after a dog drowned while in its care Thursday afternoon

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Jul 18 • 8:20 PM EDT • Business • edhat.com
Valve Reportedly Sells 12-15K Steam Machine Units Per Week

When Valve listed its Steam Machine gaming console/PC back in late June, many doubted whether the console would sell due to its high price tag. However, it turns out that Valve's sales data have reportedly been good. Some investigative journalism led to an estimate that Valve is selling anywhere...

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Jul 18 • 5:38 PM EDT • Technology • techpowerup.com
What is Cyclospora? Health officials explain symptoms, risks amid FDA lettuce investigation

Cyclospora has been making national headlines as the FDA investigates a possible link between a recent outbreak and shredded lettuce products in several northeastern states.

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Jul 18 • 3:33 PM EDT • Health • ktvh.com
The anti-aging industry promises to extend life. Here's the reality

The fear of aging is driving a wave of biohacking businesses promising to help restore youth and fight disease. Four Corners investigates the race to reverse the aging process.

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Jul 18 • 3:00 PM EDT • Science • abc.net.au
OPINION: Health investments reverberate through our Nation

At the heart of the Cherokee story is an innate commitment to community. It’s the background rhythm that connects every Cherokee Nation citizen. Gadugi, our word for working together for

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Jul 18 • 1:00 PM EDT • Health • cherokeephoenix.org
First death reported in Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City

Investigators are still trying to pinpoint the source of the outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side that has infected at least 67 people and hospitalized dozens, according to city Health Department data.

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Jul 18 • 12:00 PM EDT • Health • pbs.org
‘300-Pound Men From the Football Business Crying’ – CEO Reveals Emotional Meltdown Inside Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce’s Wedding

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding celebration has remained one of the biggest talking points across the NFL. Now, American Century Investments President and CEO Jonathan Thomas has revealed that...

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Jul 18 • 11:05 AM EDT • Business • yahoo.com
Warren Buffett's message to investors: Be careful

Warren Buffett called out widespread gambling on stocks and the huge amounts being spent on AI. He also discussed his Alphabet wager.

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Jul 18 • 5:14 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
AMC (AMC) Stock Trades At A Discount On Its 99% Five Year Slump

AMC Entertainment Holdings stock now trades around US$1.94 after a long slide in which shareholders have seen the value of their investment fall about 99% over five years, while some valuation checks still suggest the shares are not clearly expensive on current metrics. Over the past five years, AMC Entertainment Holdings has declined about 99%, which means any fresh move in the share price carries outsized importance for existing holders. Recent balance sheet moves to refinance high...

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Jul 18 • 2:26 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
High impact, high science: How First Flight is building North Carolina’s innovation future

First Flight Venture Center has spent more than three decades helping science and technology startups grow into companies that create jobs, attract investment and strengthen North Carolina’s economy.

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Jul 17 • 10:04 PM EDT • Science • wral.com
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High impact, high science: How First Flight is building North Carolina’s innovation future

First Flight Venture Center has spent more than three decades helping science and technology startups grow into companies that create jobs, attract investment and strengthen North Carolina’s economy.

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Jul 17 • 10:04 PM EDT • Business • wral.com
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First death reported in Upper East Side Legionnaires' disease outbreak as cases rise to 67

The outbreak has sickened 67 people with 12 hospitalized as investigators trace Legionella bacteria to dozens of cooling towers on the Upper East Side.

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Jul 17 • 9:31 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com
Southern Indiana health department conducting contact tracing of diarrhea-causing parasite

Federal and state health investigators say the most common thread they’re hearing right now is iceberg lettuce, including prepackaged lettuce.

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Jul 17 • 9:27 PM EDT • Health • wdrb.com
Could politics have played a part in Miami denied disaster relief?

Miami officials estimate the cost of rebuilding at approximately $60 million. The town’s annual budget is just under $3 million. Amy Cutler investigates what happened.

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Jul 17 • 9:22 PM EDT • Politics • azfamily.com
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68-Year-Old Duval County inmate dies after hospitalization for health concerns

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit is investigating the in-custody death of an inmate who died at a hospital Friday afternoon.

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Jul 17 • 9:05 PM EDT • Health • news4jax.com
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Kawhi Leonard Investigation Continues to Delay Raptors' Offseason

As the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration investigation continues, Toronto remains handcuffed.

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Jul 17 • 8:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Abbott investigates two separate cyber incidents, says no operations affected

Abbott Laboratories is investigating two cyber incidents involving unauthorized access to ​some internal systems at its cancer diagnostics business and ‌its LabCentral portal, the company said on Friday, adding that its operations were not affected.

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Jul 17 • 7:02 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Leon Black walked out of an Epstein House committee interview. Here’s what we know

Billionaire investor Leon Black, who for years paid Jeffrey Epstein for tax and financial advice, is facing scrutiny over his relationship with the late convicted sex offender after walking out of a closed-door interview with House investigators last month.

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Jul 17 • 6:44 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
White House defends Argentina team over Falklands banner

The comments could further fuel the row over the incident, which has seen Downing Street back calls for Fifa to investigate.

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Jul 17 • 6:12 PM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
UT Health San Antonio’s $1 billion multiyear investment helps meet demand for care

Healthcare is a strong economic driver in San Antonio, generating more than $43 billion annually and supporting nearly 200,000 jobs across the region, according to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. As the region's academic health center, UT Health San Antonio contributes approximately $3.2 billion annually through patient care, research, education and workforce development.

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Jul 17 • 6:02 PM EDT • Health • news.uthscsa.edu
Health officials investigate foods potentially linked to cyclosporiasis in North Carolina

North Carolina health officials continue to investigate amid a surge in cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness that can cause "explosive" diarrhea.

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Jul 17 • 5:59 PM EDT • Health • wlos.com
Health officials investigate foods potentially linked to cyclosporiasis in North Carolina

North Carolina health officials continue to investigate amid a surge in cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness that can cause "explosive" diarrhea.

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Jul 17 • 5:59 PM EDT • Health • newschannel9.com
Eversource, Blumenthal, data centers: CT politics news

Plus: Stacey Abrams in CT, a federal investigation into sexual assault handling, and education accountability metrics.

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Jul 17 • 5:30 PM EDT • Politics • ctmirror.org
New business expected to bring 100 jobs, $4m investment to Levelland

The LEDC announced a 10-year economic development partnership with Stealth Energy Services following negotiations that began in April 2025.

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Jul 17 • 5:25 PM EDT • Business • kcbd.com
As AI spending surges, return-on-investment questions mount

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is creating major opportunities while also exposing companies to significant financial risks, The New York Times reports. Larry Ellison and his son are using Oracle-generated wealth to expand into media, with control of Paramount and a potential takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Meanwhile, Oracle is facing financial pressure […]

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Jul 17 • 3:28 PM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
Will Argentina be punished at the World Cup over a political banner?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer supports a FIFA investigation into Argentina's players celebrating with a political banner on the field.

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Jul 17 • 3:13 PM EDT • Politics • usatoday.com
US Firm ABD Group Ramps Up Investment in Ivorian Health Infrastructure

ABD Group, the Africa-focused infrastructure development company, is expanding its investment in Ivory Coast’s health sector as the West African nation rolls out a new development plan.

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Jul 17 • 2:08 PM EDT • Health • bloomberg.com
51 suspected illegal slot machines seized in Columbus investigation

State investigators seized or disabled 51 suspected illegal slot machines during searches in Columbus and Westerville, officials said.

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Jul 17 • 1:31 PM EDT • Business • dispatch.com
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State warns of new "Mr. Finance" investment solicitations from man accused of running Ponzi scheme

The Illinois Secretary of State is warning a businessman known as Mr. Finance, already accused of running a Ponzi scheme, may be soliciting investments in an allegedly sketchy new business.

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Jul 17 • 11:31 AM EDT • Business • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
The future of oncology: Early-career scientists need mentorship and a new academic model

The early years of a scientific career can be unforgiving. For junior investigators, starting a lab is a high-pressure moment: Securing that first National Institutes of Health grant, publishing meaningful work, and proving they belong. It’s a period marked by uncertainty and, often, anxiety about whether it will all come together. I’ve seen that play […]

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Jul 17 • 10:50 AM EDT • Science • cancerletter.com
Industrial projects set the stage for future retail development in Ascension

Industrial investment is fueling commercial real estate growth in Ascension Parish as developers and retailers prepare for continued population and job expansion, Ascension Business Report writes. According to Charlie Colvin, president of Momentum Commercial Real Estate, major projects such as CF Industries and Hyundai’s investments are bringing new workers to the area, which is increasing […]

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Jul 17 • 10:26 AM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
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Latvia in talks with strategic investor for ailing airBaltic, PM says

The Latvian ​government is negotiating with a strategic investor for struggling state-controlled airBaltic, Prime Minister Andris ‌Kulbergs told Reuters, as the carrier seeks to shore up its finances and avert the risk of a default.

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Jul 17 • 9:42 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Livestream: Mayor Sheffield, Detroit health chief to address wildfire smoke threat

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed, and other city officials will hold a press conference to address the ongoing health risks from Canadian wildfire smoke impacting the region.

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Jul 17 • 9:30 AM EDT • Health • clickondetroit.com
Ryan calls complaints against former BPS superintendent 'disturbing'

Ryan said the school board needs to build trust with the community through transparency and thoroughly investigate each claim against the administration.

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Jul 17 • 8:42 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Police investigate death threat against Reform's Cai Parry-Jones

Senedd member Cai Parry-Jones said the alleged threat was made against him and his family.

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Jul 17 • 8:15 AM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Following Lake Tahoe Relaunch Has Fair Value Back In Focus

Caesars Entertainment (CZR) has drawn fresh investor attention after unveiling Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino and completing a multi phase refresh of the former Harveys Lake Tahoe with updated rooms, gaming, dining and entertainment. See our latest analysis for Caesars Entertainment. Recent events, including the Lake Tahoe relaunch and a board resignation announcement, come as Caesars Entertainment’s share price has a 90 day share price return of 9.88% and a year to date share...

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Jul 17 • 7:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
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Win In Business By Showing Customers Why Your Product Is Better

A well-designed product gets you into the game. But winning in business means getting others to see your product's merit.

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Jul 17 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • investors.com
How Entrepreneurs Can Turn A $20,000 Investment Into A Growing Business

Wondering how to turn $20K into a thriving business? Compare startup ideas, costs and strategies for sustainable growth.

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Jul 17 • 6:30 AM EDT • Business • forbes.com
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SpaceX IPO earns millions for US Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler

U.S. Small Business ​Administration head Kelly Loeffler multiplied the value of her investment in Elon Musk's SpaceX after she was nominated for the ‌job, earning millions of dollars from the company's record initial public offering, a Reuters review of her financial disclosures showed.

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Jul 17 • 6:01 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Franklin club tied to sex-trafficking investigation could lose its liquor and entertainment license

The Franklin Common Council is expected to vote on revoking the license of On the Border Gentlemen's Club amid a sex-trafficking investigation.

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Jul 16 • 10:41 PM EDT • Entertainment • tmj4.com
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it

From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.

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Jul 16 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • iai.tv
Hattiesburg lands Mississippi Soccer Association State Cup, strengthening reputation as a sports tourism destination

City and tourism leaders say years of investment in athletic facilities and partnerships are paying off as Hattiesburg prepares to host the Mississippi Soccer Association State Cup for the first time in 2027.

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Jul 16 • 7:49 PM EDT • Sports • wdam.com
WSAZ Investigates | Businesses worried about Flock cameras facing their doors

Of the 17 locations for cameras, there are four businesses explicitly mentioned in descriptions for where the cameras should face.

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Jul 16 • 7:32 PM EDT • Business • wsaz.com
White House operator on leave after betting scandal investigation

Gabriel Perez, White House teleprompter operator, faces a CFTC probe for reportedly earning $100K from bets on Trump's speeches using Kalshi.

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Jul 16 • 6:12 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Iceberg lettuce investigated as possible source of cyclosporiasis outbreak

Nearly 7,000 cases nationwide are confirmed or under investigation, according to the CDC. Michigan has accounted for the bulk of cases so far.

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Jul 16 • 5:51 PM EDT • Health • nbcnews.com
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Lettuce supplier is potential source of cyclosporiasis outbreak, investigators say

Thousands have been sickened in the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, which has been largely concentrated in southeastern Michigan.

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Jul 16 • 5:06 PM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
OVG, Live Nation, SURJ Sports Investment Announce radia, JV To Develop Sports, Entertainment in Saudi Arabia

SURJ Sports Investment, Live Nation and Oak View Group (Pollstar's parent company) today announced the formation of radia, a joint venture to develop sports

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Jul 16 • 4:23 PM EDT • Entertainment • news.pollstar.com
Developer of proposed $3B Romulus sports complex charged with fraud

The man behind a proposed multi-billion-dollar development in Romulus has been charged with fraud after allegedly scamming investors out of millions of dollars.

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Jul 16 • 2:58 PM EDT • Sports • crainsdetroit.com
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A businessman promised investors to build a $3B sports complex near DTW. Feds say it was a scam

A West Bloomfield man is facing a federal charge for his alleged role in a scheme to get millions of dollars in investment funds for a proposed sports complex in Romulus.

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Jul 16 • 2:51 PM EDT • Sports • clickondetroit.com
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WATCH: Trump believes his Kalshi-betting teleprompter operator is a 'disgrace,' Leavitt says

Leavitt added that no other staffers are under investigation and that the White House counsel had no awareness of the alleged bets.

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Jul 16 • 2:26 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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Women’s Health Week report shows equity investments increased 41% in 2025

Women’s Health Week report shows equity investments increased 41% in 2025

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Jul 16 • 2:06 PM EDT • Health • qz.com
Arvest to open first Texas location

Fayetteville-chartered Arvest Bank will open a loan production office in Frisco, Texas, later this year. It will be Arvest’s first Texas location. The new office will be in a new...

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Jul 16 • 1:46 PM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net
$3B Motown sports project near Detroit airport is a scam, feds say

Developer Kenneth Bardwell is charged with blowing investor money on strippers, vehicles and luxury goods for himself, his wife and girlfriend.

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Jul 16 • 1:30 PM EDT • Sports • detroitnews.com
West Valley reinvents itself as entertainment destination

The West Valley is transforming into Arizona’s newest entertainment destination with major investments in dining, retail and attractions.

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Jul 16 • 12:35 PM EDT • Entertainment • azbigmedia.com
Senate Weighs How to Measure Science Edge Over China

Senate committee investigates how the U.S. tracks scientific progress and maintains competitive edge against China. Discover implications for research funding.

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Jul 16 • 11:21 AM EDT • Science • legis1.com
Keir Starmer Calls For FIFA To Investigate Argentina Over Controversial Falklands Banner

After beating England, the Argentinian team unfurled a banner that read “Malvinas are Argentinian,” a reference to the British-administered Falkland Islands.

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Jul 16 • 10:18 AM EDT • Politics • forbes.com
Wayne County Fair gears up for another year of family entertainment

The Wayne County Fair returns Thursday through Sunday, July 23-26, with a mix of livestock shows, motorsports, live music and family entertainment, highlighted by country music star Trace Adkins’ performance

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Jul 16 • 9:44 AM EDT • Entertainment • norfolkdailynews.com
Large funding rounds help boost digital health investment in H1

Venture capital funding deals worth $100 million or more made up nearly half of all money invested so far this year, according to Rock Health.

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Jul 16 • 6:47 AM EDT • Health • healthcaredive.com
More chief sustainability officers are taking on risk management, survey finds

3 top priorities for chief sustainability officers: risk management, cost savings and customer acquisition and retention.

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Jul 16 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • trellis.net
ZeniMax Online Studios leadership to exit as part of Xbox cuts

There are major changes happening atop Maryland-based ZeniMax Online Studios, developer of the Elder Scrolls Online, Game File has learned. Joe Burba, a 14-year veteran of the studio who was appointed to run it last July, is departing, along with ESO executive producer Susan Kath, studio game director Rich Lambert and production director Ala Diaz. Their roles were listed among hundreds of others cut last week from the Maryland offices of ZeniMax, in a WARN letter sent to the state by ZeniMax and obtained today by Game File. Tonight, BUrbam Kath, Lambert and Diaz notified Zenimax Online Studios workers of plans to “transition” to a new leadership team consisting of promoted ZOS veterans. That transition will occur “over the next few months,” they told workers, according to a copy of the notice reviewed by Game File. “We will remain in place during the transition period to help ensure a smooth handoff.” Last week, Microsoft laid off of 1,600 workers across its vast gaming teams in locations around the U.S. and abroad. Just who has been impacted and how hard various studios have been hit has been emerging day by day. Game File reported last week that Microsoft/ZeniMax notified officials in Maryland that 379 gaming jobs were being cut across the state. They tallied cuts in two locations: one for ZeniMax Media Inc. (covering Elder Scrolls/Starfield/Fallout-maker Bethesda Game Studios and central Bethesda game publishing) and one for ZeniMax Online Studios (Elder Scrolls Online). More than 200 jobs were cut at the latter. Last week’s totals did not reveal job titles, nor did Microsoft announce any leadership changes in the ZeniMax group. That has now happened. Earlier today, Game File obtained from Maryland officials a breakdown of the 379 impacted roles, which, extraordinarily, included “studio head.” Microsoft later confirmed to Game File which studio head that referred to: ZeniMax Online Studios’. Microsoft has since has notified studio employees and internally announced new leadership. ZOS will now be run by Josh Henderson, previously head of business operations at the studio, and Nick Giacomini, who was promoted to game director for ESO last August. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my journalism, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Last week’s news of 200+ cuts at ZeniMax Online Studios generated public sympathy for those workers and questions about the long-term viability of the Elder Scrolls Online. ESO is a massively multiplayer online game that inherently persists on the strength of new content being developed for it. Earlier today, fans and workers in Maryland protested the cuts at the ZeniMax teams in a rally organized by the Communication Workers of America, the union that represents many of the impacted employees. Regarding concerns around the game, a community manager stated on Saturday: “The plan is still to deliver great content, and we will hopefully have an update soon.” In their note to the studio today, the outgoing leaders of ZeniMax Online Studios predicted “growth” for the game: We have tremendous confidence in Josh and Nick, the future of this studio, and the continued growth of ESO. With exciting experiences still ahead for our players as we wrap up work for Update 51 and beyond, we believe that your passion, creativity, and commitment to each other and the community will continue serving as the heartbeat of ESO. The list of jobs cut in the ZeniMax WARN notice in Maryland includes several very senior roles, including: Studio Head Studio Operations Director Studio Game Director Studio Audio Director Studio Art Manager Vice President and Controller VP, Global Sales & Business Development While some of those job descriptions match the exiting ZOS leadership team, Game File couldn’t verify if all were from that studio. The full list of cut roles shared by Maryland officials also covers workers at Bethesda Game Studios and its central publishing office. The following is an excerpt: The list of 379 eliminated ZeniMax jobs in Maryland also includes: four animators three bilingual CS (community service) leads for Chinese, Italian, and Japanese a creative director for the Elder Scrolls Online Player Life Cycle two food service workers seven producers more than 60 senior QA testers. and many others The WARN notice states that almost all of the 379 workers were notified of their layoff on July 6. In fine print, it states: “Approximately 9 employees were notified of the elimination of their position prior to July 6, 2026.” A 2021 mega-merger scaled back Microsoft announced in 2020 that it intended to buy ZeniMax and its network of game studios in 2020, and closed the $7.5 billion deal in March 2021. The purchase, which preceded Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, added several award-winning studios to Microsoft’s portfolio, including Bethesda (Elder Scrolls, Fallout), Arkane (Dishonored), and id Software (Doom). The studios’ output since then included a 2024 Game of the Year contented from MachineGames in the form of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle along with Starfield from Bethesda and the poorly-received Redfall from Arkane Austin. In recent years, a Microsoft repeatedly in cutback mode closed ZeniMax’s Tango Gameworks (which was reconstituted by Krafton) and closed Arkane Austin. The Xbox cuts last week have hit the ZeniMax group hard, with 158 jobs eliminated in Texas, many of them at id, and 379 from the ZeniMax teams in Maryland. Xbox also said last week that it would be entering a consultation process around Arkane Lyon, a process expected to end in a sale, shutdown or other form of divestment. The Lyon team has been working on a game tied to Marvel’s Blade vampire-hunting super-hero.

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Jul 15 • 7:42 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news
Chico City Council approves entertainment zones for downtown and Meriam Park

CHICO, Calif. - Chico City Council voted 6 to 0 to approve an ordinance creating entertainment zones in downtown Chico and Meriam Park.The ordinance, taking effect September 18, 2026, will allow customers to carry approved alcoholic beverages and walk around outside within those designated areas."I feel like the downtown could use all the help it could get right now," said Celeste Cramer, general manager of Downtown Chico Business Association. "In the other areas where they have been doing the entertainment zones and throughout California, it has increased their sales. They haven't seen an increase in violence, or tickets, or anything like that. It's a good thing to try out."Numerous other cities around California such as Redding, Sacramento and San Francisco have put their own entertainment zones into effect and have had success.Action News Now stopped by both designated locations and spoke with organizers and bar owners."I'm super excited, I think this is an opportunity for us," said Scott Baldwin, owner of Argus. "We can get a booth at the farmers market. You can order a cocktail from that booth and then we'll have it ready for you at the door as you walk through. Think of it as a picnic situation. You can grab some tacos, you can get a Kentucky Buck. You can sit down anywhere in the entertainment zone and enjoy Argus outside of Argus."Chico's Chamber of Commerce hosted community stakeholder meetings and community engagement sessions to tailor the ordinance to the city's needs as a university town and rural area.The ordinance will allow people 21 and older to walk around with open containers of alcohol within the entertainment zones as long as they have a wristband, stamp or another visible marker showing they're allowed to do so."To us it's more than an ordinance," said Jen Rothenwander, marketing manager at Meriam Park. "It's an opportunity to invest back into the community, and to continue to do what Chico does well – which is to create the spaces for people to stick around and gather, and shop and spend."The Meriam Park entertainment zone will be enclosed by Springfield Drive, Alcott Avenue, Notre Dame Boulevard and E. 20th Street.The Downtown Chico entertainment zone will span mostly from Highway 32 to Lost Park.Chico Chief of Police Billy Aldridge spoke with Redding Police and was informed they had zero problems with their entertainment zone.Chief Aldridge endorses the ordinance in Chico. freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "actionnewsnow-com_blox_yup-rectangle-one", slotId: "actionnewsnow-com_blox_yup-rectangle-one", targeting: { "pos": "yup-rectangle-one" } });

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Jul 15 • 7:37 PM EDT • Entertainment • actionnewsnow.com
The ’Gay’ Attacks on Lindsey Graham Are All About Politics

Was Lindsey Graham gay? As the author of a book about the history of gay Washington, D.C., it’s a question I’ve been asked frequently for years, and even more so since his sudden death last weekend. The South Carolina Republican’s lifelong confirmed bachelorhood, vocal intonation, and Southern dandy demeanor (if not sartorial choices) prompted many to conclude that he was, as they say in that part of the country, “light in his loafers.” Graham’s repeated attestations to the contrary had zero effect on those invested in the narrative that he was. Only about the matter of J. Edgar Hoover’s rumored cross-dressing (for which there is much circumstantial but no direct evidence) am I questioned more. Whenever I’ve been asked to speculate upon Graham’s sexuality—and speculate was all that I or anyone else could do—I always answered the question honestly. While my personal sense is that Graham was probably gay, as a journalist and a historian I cannot rely on my intuition to make factual assertions. (Gaydar hasn’t yet been scientifically perfected.) Given the absence of any known female or male romantic interests, Graham may very well have been a heterosexual unlucky in love. He might also have been asexual. Barring the highly unlikely postmortem emergence of a personal diary or some other unassailable evidence attesting to Graham’s innermost yearnings, we will never know the answer. As is depressingly the case these days when a public figure dies, a chorus of voices reveled in Graham’s passing, many of them making light of his presumed homosexuality.

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Jul 15 • 7:30 PM EDT • Politics • thefp.com
'I'm disappointed': Midtown neighbors continue to push for Costco to stay open, reject business center plans

Kansas City's Midtown Costco still has its sights set on transitioning to a business center, investing $20 million into improvements needed to change its business model.

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Jul 15 • 6:26 PM EDT • Business • kshb.com
Japanese business delegation tours Wood County industrial sites in economic development push

Region's industrial leaders hope visits lead to new business investment

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Jul 15 • 5:15 PM EDT • Business • wtap.com
Sunscreen gets an upgrade | Investors Lab

There are hundreds of brands of sunscreen available in the United States, but not one of them contains an ingredient we all need. Bemotrizinol, a highly effective, broad-spectrum chemical ultraviolet ray blocker, has been available in Europe for decades but absent from U.S. shelves. The regulatory bottleneck was driven by a 2011 U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy classifying sunscreens as drugs. While the classification remains, consumers and innovators can welcome the news that the FDA has officially approved bemotrizinol, effective August 9, 2026. Science News's Meghan Rosen provides the coverage.

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Jul 15 • 5:15 PM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org
The opioid offensive: Fighting fentanyl | Investors Lab

As the clinical-stage biotech sector tackles this multibillion dollar public health imperative, a mix of established players and venture-backed innovators are making strides:

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Jul 15 • 4:52 PM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org
The States Try to Topple WarnerMount…Thus Begins the Local Antitrust Era

(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Well, it looks like it’s time for another strategy column. Can I finally avoid writing about M&A? No, it seems I cannot. Admittedly, I’m a week early with this column, since I usually put it out every other week. But this news couldn’t wait. This will make three “Most Important Stories” in a row with a merger or acquisition as its centerpiece. First, Roku-Fox (an acquisition), then Comcast-NBCUniversal (a divestment!), and now the State AGs and the WGA’s lawsuits against Paramount’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery (antitrust). M&A is usually the “most important” topic any given week, simply because a giant company merging or breaking up (or preventing those outcomes) can have the biggest impact on the streaming board. If you think about these companies as players in a game, changing the number of players is one of the biggest changes you can make. I shouldn’t really complain, either, since this lawsuit is very good news for customers and suppliers (econ speak for talent, workers and indie studios in Hollywood). So let me answer some questions about this potential trial, along with (shudder) making some heavily caveated predictions. I’ll also look at whether Hollywood must consolidate, whether or not the states can win, trouble at X-Box, Netflix’s YouTube binge, and more. Plus, I have five images that visualize this merger and the harm, including three brand new data looks you’ve never seen before. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Can The States and the WGA Stop Hollywood’s Consolidation (Crisis)? If every other newsletter and news outlet is writing about the same story, I try to avoid writing about it as well, but I can’t ignore a story this consequential. The story of the last year was the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery, and this development potentially extends that saga into 2027. As I tried to figure out my angle, I realized, like my last column, I’m again faced with a series of questions. These questions, though, are much more forward-looking. Will the states win? Will the WGA win? If so, what happens to Warner Bros. Discovery? Either way, will this chill the market for future mergers? So you know what that means: predictions. About the future, no less, the hardest thing to predict.1 Just remember: nothing here comes with a guarantee. And the more confident someone is in their predictions, the less you should trust them. This situation is incredibly fluid, nuanced, uncertain and tenuous. So let’s try to explain what may happen. Question: Why File this Lawsuit? I’ll admit, a few months back, I was fairly pessimistic about the fate of this lawsuit. Rumors had started bubbling up that the state Attorneys General (in particular California) wanted to settle with either some minor divestments (usually CNN) or behavioral remedies. And that tracked for me: the states usually settle lawsuits, like the recent John Deere right-to-repair suit. Yet, they plan to fight this. (As they did the LiveNation-Ticketmaster monopolization trial and the Nexstar-Tegna merger.) Honestly, that also makes a ton of sense. Frankly, this move is just good politics for these State AGs. Most are still running for higher and higher office in blue states—some folks have emphasized that only Democratic AGs joined this suit, but given the Ellison/Trump ties, and fears of retribution, that tracks—and a high profile case like this will help them move up the electoral ladder, especially since Paramount and its leadership (the Ellisons, father and heir) have sided with the other side of the political aisle. That makes them unsympathetic to Democratic voters and Hollywood workers in particular. Why did this lawsuit happen? In addition to the very real concerns about industry consolidation, this is why. That said, I don’t think we would have seen this lawsuit for Netflix and Warner Bros., simply because they’re more sympathetic and aligned with Democrats. But those consolidation concerns are real. The “town”—meaning Hollywood and such—really is seeing the damage of mergers on this industry. That’s why the WGA also filed its own lawsuit in defense of workers as well. (Wildcard: What about Europe? Will they try to stop the deal, too? There have been some rumors out of the UK they may try to fight the deal, and UK enforcers just stopped a Getty Images-Shutterstock tie up, so there is precedence. This argument could go either way, though. On one hand, the EU doesn’t need to step in, cause they states are handling it. On the other hand, this could make the EU’s case easier. Just imagine if both sides coordinated. I’ll simply say, “We’ll see!”) Question: Will The State AGs or the WGA Win? Can the state AGs play David to Paramount-Skydance’s Goliath here? That’s really the whole thing, isn’t it? If you know this result, you could make a lot of money. When things are uncertain, it’s tempting to shrug and say, “Eh” meaning it’s a 50/50 proposition. I wouldn’t, though. When in doubt, you should expect that the merging parties succeed. AT&T did successfully buy Warner Bros., after all, and Disney bought Fox without any challenges. Many judges are extremely sympathetic to mergers, and I’d bet the state AGs get a judge who will allow the merger. (Even Obama-appointed judges often allow mergers.) As I understand it, we’ll see two main attacks. First, theatrical films. The AGs are arguing that, when it comes to share of box office and the number of both “wide releases” and blockbuster (or “tentpole”) films, the merging parties will have over 27% market share. Now, the Supreme Court once ruled from on high that any merger that exceeds 30% is presumptively illegal, but that’s guidance, not an ironclad bar. Still, the states will have to argue that this is close to having too much power, and with that power, this will likely further worsen the theater/studio splits in particular. Indeed, as Matthew Stoller pointed out, “just five studios are responsible for 95% of all blockbusters; if this merger goes through, then Paramount and Disney will control 60% of that.” So yes, movie studios will be very concentrated after this merger. Want me to visualize some of that? Well, here’s the share of films that grossed over $200 million at the domestic box office since 2022. (Note: this isn’t all films released in over 3,000 screens, but it is a good look at market power.) First, here are the 43 films by studio: Notice all the blue (Disney), orange (Universal), and purple (Warner Bros)? Yeah, those studios are powerful, and this combines Paramount with one of them. Here’s the look by studio and share of the films that grossed over $200 million: Now, if you look at that and also think, “Huh, should we break up Disney?” I’m with you. I’ve seen some folks poo-poo this idea that this is a real category, but it is! For an upcoming article, I’ve been pulling data on the share of top 100 films at the box office as a share of total box office, and it’s massive. Here’s the chart: (This analysis looks at The-Number’s top 100 films and total domestic box office each year.) To be clear, tentpoles make up 80.7% of the box office each year, so I do think it’s a genuine market. (To be clear, films grossing over $50 million make up 80% of the domestic box office, and films grossing over $100 million make up 64.1%.) I mean, the top 100 films at the box office make up 95% of each year’s grosses. Worse, the combined studios will likely cut output to flex that market power. Everyone can just look at what happened to Disney and Fox to see the precedent. (With fewer films, the remaining theaters have to give more for those few films that remain.) Here’s an image I’ve used a lot, the share of wide-release films from Disney and Fox over time: The AGs will also argue that this consolidation will also impact the cable industry. In this case, the consolidation is actually worse, but that environment is…complicated. Paramount will argue that the cable industry is shrinking. That said, predictions that cable will “go to zero” also don’t look very well supported by the data, as the declines are shrinking, meaning “cable” or “vMVPDs” will likely stabilize at some point. Can the state Attorneys General win on those two main arguments? I honestly don’t know. Again, I’d bet no, since history in general supports that, but it depends on the judge/jury and how they interpret the arguments. Notably, Paramount won’t face accusations about monopoly power in other areas, like streaming, news, sports rights, or vertical integration. I tend to disagree with leaving out sports rights, but I also see the appeal for a simpler case. The states also aren’t really pushing novel theories about labor harm either, which should help. (By the way, Sean McNulty at The Ankler wrote a great run through of potential options, and Capitol Forum also wrote a great paper on theatrical consolidation. Both these pieces predated the lawsuit. Matthew Stoller is also out with his analysis of the pros and cons of the case too.) In some ways, the WGA’s case is even stronger. Quoting Sean McNulty’s summary: “The WGA is citing WARNAMOUNT as crossing a 30% market share in multiple sectors, a number that the Supreme Court has precedent for deeming “presumptively anticompetitive” in a market. According to the WGA numbers, WARNAMOUNT would have represented: - 35% of film writing jobs between 2021 and 2024 - 36% of TV writing projects between 2022 and 2025 - 38% of overall deals between 2021 and 2024” Notably, antitrust enforcers did win recently in the Penguin-Simon & Schuster merger by focusing on labor impact, so don’t count this thinking out. (Wildcard: Will the states try to get a jury trial? Most likely no, they’ll let a judge handle it. If I’m them, though, I’d try to put this in front of a jury. Juries tend to understand monopoly power in a more realistic way than judges faced with legions of economists.) Question: What if They Win? What if They Lose?

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Jul 15 • 4:48 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
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Growing debt creates growing risks for American workers

The national debt is growing rapidly, and this trend could create serious challenges for future economic growth, job opportunities and wages, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation reports. As debt increases, the cost of paying interest on that debt takes up more government resources and can limit investments in areas that support economic growth. Rising debt […]

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Jul 15 • 3:23 PM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
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WATCH LIVE: Trump touts battlefield technology investments at Army War College in Pennsylvania
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Jul 15 • 12:44 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Former Obama White House attorney says ‘it was a mistake’ to deal with Epstein and she regrets it

Former Obama White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler said she regrets interacting with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and believes now it was a mistake, according to opening remarks she delivered to House committee investigators as part of a closed-door interview.

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Jul 15 • 12:32 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Stock Still Looks Like A Bargain Despite Earnings Risks

Flutter Entertainment stock is coming off a steep share price decline over the past year while valuation checks still lean cheap, and that contrast is now front and center for investors watching renewed interest following high profile buying from Michael Burry. Over the last 12 months, Flutter Entertainment shares have fallen 63%, which puts the focus squarely on whether the current price already reflects the recent pain. Michael Burry’s long position and the wider debate around how tighter...

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Jul 15 • 10:12 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com