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Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Put In Doubt Kingdom’s Sports and Business Events

The Iran-backed group’s attacks have disrupted sports tournaments and threatened business events that the kingdom has long used to attract investment and raise its profile.

Oct 16 • 10:34 AM EDT • Business • nytimes.com

Ocasio-Cortez Transfers $1 Million to Help El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Race

The transfer represents an unusually large amount for a House member to give to a Senate race.

Oct 16 • 10:32 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Can AI solve our mental health access problem?

Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.

Oct 16 • 10:32 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologistca.substack.com

Evan Worrell builds on MAHA-inspired health push ahead of 2027 West Virginia session

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Expanding rural health care access, strengthening drinking water protections and addressing shortages of medical professionals are among the priorities House Health and Human Resources Committee Chairman Evan

Oct 16 • 9:37 AM EDT • Health • wvnews.com

Morocco health alert issued due to diphtheria: US Embassy

In the North African country of Morocco, the country’s Ministry of Health reported a small diphtheria outbreak with clusters in multiple regions in Morocco in late September. Moroccan health teams are tracing contacts and providing preventive treatment and vaccines. This has prompted the US Embassy to issue a health alert for U.S. citizens in Morocco. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. It spreads primarily from person to person through coughs and sneezes (respiratory droplets). Most Americans were vaccinated as children and have received Td or TdaP boosters as adults. The risk to U.S. citizens in Morocco remains low. U.S. Citizens may contact their local doctors if they would like immunizations. Embassy officials advise citizens to watch out for the following symptoms: Sore throat or hoarse voice, mild fever, a thick gray or white coating in the throat or nose, swollen neck and trouble swallowing or breathing. If you or a family member has trouble breathing or swallowing, please contact your local doctor. They also advise on the following actions concerning vaccines: Check your vaccination records and your family members’ records. Get a booster if you need one. Adults need a diphtheria booster (Td or Tdap) every 10 years. Make sure your children are up to date on their routine vaccines. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

Oct 16 • 9:01 AM EDT • Health • outbreaknewstoday.substack.com

Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.

The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share

Oct 16 • 8:57 AM EDT • Health • tomfrieden.substack.com

As Troy mayor vetoes Flock law, council president promises override

Mayor Carmella Mantello says the law is biased in favor of criminal defendants. Council President Sue Steele says the veto was expected.

Oct 16 • 8:53 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com

Big Tech and Big Business are spending millions to block progressives on the California ballot

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. With less than three weeks until Election Day, outside groups are pouring millions of dollars into two types of state legislative races: purple districts featuring a Democrat and a Republican, and safely Democratic districts featuring Democrats of different ideological stripes. Political action committees […]

Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • rwcpulse.com

Kordell Stewart details wild Steelers' sideline clash with Kevin Gilbride

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart recalls an intense headset confrontation with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.

Oct 16 • 5:04 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Citizen Science Groups Grapple With the Rise of A.I. Slop

Facing a flood of A.I. slop, groups bent on democratizing science create new checks and balances.

Oct 16 • 5:02 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com

Opinion | Why Is No One Doing Anything About Affordability?

Can 1990s-style politics make a comeback?

Oct 16 • 5:02 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

$137 Million in A.I.-Generated Ads Flood the Midterms

Republicans have used A.I.-generated content more often than Democrats, ranging from subtle enhancements to convincing deepfakes.

Oct 16 • 5:02 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

‘I’m on a War Footing’: Terry Tao and the Crisis in Math

The Fields Medalist and celebrated mathematician is on the front lines of a debate about artificial intelligence and the future of his field.

Oct 16 • 5:02 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com

Fish, Oil and Corruption: 6 Takeaways From Alaska’s Senate Debate

The Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, and his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, veered from serious discussion of high prices and economic challenges to blistering personal attacks.

Oct 16 • 3:28 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Denver Museum of Nature & Science Appoints Kirk Johnson as President and CEO

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science Board of Trustees has appointed Kirk Johnson as the Museum’s next president and CEO.

Oct 16 • 2:15 AM EDT • Science • yellowscene.com

Nigeria: ICRC-supported health facilities see 18 per cent rise in malnutrition cases

In north-east Nigeria, admissions for malnutrition have risen by nearly a fifth in a single year at six health centres and four hospitals supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). They went from around 17,000 cases between January and September 2025 to almost 20,000 cases over the same period this year.

Oct 16 • 1:10 AM EDT • Health • icrc.org

Most of Ken Paxton’s Money Can Be Traced to One Man: Elon Musk

The world’s richest person, who has become the biggest known midterm donor, gave $158 million to a group that quickly spent that much to help Mr. Paxton’s Senate bid in Texas.

Oct 16 • 12:51 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

In Michigan Senate Race, Ocasio-Cortez Joins El-Sayed on Trail in Trump Country

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigned with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in a swath of Michigan including areas won by President Trump, making a progressive pitch in a key Senate race.

Oct 15 • 10:34 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

A CDC survey finds 4 in 5 US teenagers fall short of high heart health scores

A CDC study of 5,192 US high school students found that approximately 80% had low or moderate cardiovascular health scores based on five measures assessed in a national survey. Diet, sleep, and physical activity received the least favorable scores, with differences observed across sex, grade, and racial and ethnic groups.

Oct 15 • 10:09 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net

Buccaneers vs. Steelers: Week 6 Thursday Injury Report

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued preparations Thursday for Sunday’s Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Raymond James Stadium, with several players showing progress on the team’s latest injury report. Quarterback Baker Mayfield (right thumb) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (rib) remained sidelined for the second consecutive practice, putting their availability for Sunday’s game […]

Oct 15 • 10:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

5 Takeaways From the Senate Debate in Maine

The race’s fourth and final debate centered around whether Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent, was as independent as she claimed to be from President Trump.

Oct 15 • 9:42 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Trump Ally, Paolo Zampolli, Leaves State Department

Paolo Zampolli, a close friend and ally of President Trump’s, gained attention when his ex-wife was detained by ICE after his request.

Oct 15 • 9:13 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Recent Suicide Attempts and Prior Mental Health Hospitalization Linked to Further Risk for Attempts in Adolescents

A recent suicide attempt, prior mental health hospitalization, nonsuicidal self-injury, and hopelessness are tied to subsequent suicide attempts among teens who screen positive for suicide risk.

Oct 15 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • medscape.com

The Week in Business: What’s the Deal with That Iowa Steel Mill?

This week’s top stories from Twin Cities Business.

Oct 15 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • mspmag.com

Prichard finance committee meeting raise questions about employee health insurance and potential pay

During Thursday’s finance committee meeting, a committee member questioned Mayor Carletta Davis about confusion surrounding the city’s health insurance plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Oct 15 • 6:59 PM EDT • Health • fox10tv.com

Trump ally removed from role after report of State Department feud

A political appointee with deep ties to the Trump family has been removed from his special envoy role following a report of a feud with a top State Department official.

Oct 15 • 6:40 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

How U.S. Support to Ukraine Has Evolved Under Trump

President Trump’s latest push to end the war in Ukraine has raised questions about the future of U.S. support.

Oct 15 • 6:37 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Members speak up on healthcare

An important first step, S4438 has first committee hearing Earlier today, NJEA members made their voices heard at the NJ Senate’s State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee meeting.

Oct 15 • 6:23 PM EDT • Health • njea.org

Prichard finance committee meeting raise questions about employee health insurance and potential pay increases

Prichard finance committee meets as city budget runs more than two weeks overdue

Oct 15 • 6:20 PM EDT • Health • fox10tv.com

News Bites: Minnesota Immigrants, ICE, and Politics

A noise demonstration is scheduled in Albert Lea Sunday on behalf of a 23-year-old man with serious health issues who has been in ICE-related detention for 14 months. And Keith Ellison updates campaign volunteers on cases against ICE agents.

Oct 15 • 6:18 PM EDT • Politics • womenspress.com

Senators Demand Investigation Into Ukraine Satellite Disruption

Republicans joined Democrats in calling on the Pentagon’s inspector general to look into whether the Trump administration was responsible for the interruption.

Oct 15 • 5:01 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Tom Haberstroh joins NBC Sports Philadelphia as 76ers sideline reporter

Tom Haberstroh is back covering LeBron James. Fifteen years ago, Haberstroh was one of a trio of ESPN reporters who decamped in Miami to run the Heat Index for the Worldwide Leader, a constantly running live feed of news and content around the “Big Three” era of the Miami Heat. Haberstroh chronicled LeBron James, Dwyane…

Oct 15 • 4:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Cincinnati business leaders oppose CPS property tax levy ahead of upcoming vote

The Cincinnati Business Committee said it cannot support the proposed 7-mill property tax levy that would fund Cincinnati Public Schools.

Oct 15 • 4:35 PM EDT • Business • local12.com

Employees of Russellville-based Arkansas Tech University to face 14% health insurance premium hike in 2027

RUSSELLVILLE -- Faculty and staff at Arkansas Tech University are set to see double-digit increases in their health and dental insurance premiums in 2027 after the hikes were presented to the Board of Trustees on Thursday.

Oct 15 • 4:21 PM EDT • Health • nwaonline.com

How BPC is Building Bipartisan Momentum on Youth Mental Health

America’s youth mental health crisis didn’t begin with COVID-19, but the pandemic dramatically accelerated it. More than 40% of teenagers reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Youth suicide attempts, self-injury, and drug overdoses climbed to alarming levels. Meanwhile, the behavioral health system meant to catch these young people remains chronically understaffed and poorly designed … Continued

Oct 15 • 4:18 PM EDT • Health • bipartisanpolicy.org

IP Saves the Day On Streaming

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.

Oct 15 • 3:32 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com

Kordell Stewart reveals surprising untold origin of 'Slash' role

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart sets the record straight on how his multi-position 'Slash' role actually began.

Oct 15 • 3:26 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Trump Administration Sues California Over Voter Rolls

The lawsuit is seeking to block the state temporarily from counting mail ballots of voters it claims are likely noncitizens, opening a new front in the administration’s legal fights with election officials.

Oct 15 • 3:21 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Nina Dietz to Discuss the Public Health Impacts of Wildfires at the Milken Institute

Image The Department of Global Health at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health will host Pulitzer Center grantee and freelance journalist Nina Dietz at a Research and Practice Seminar. On Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 2:00pm-3:00pm EST, Dietz will present on her Pulitzer Center-supported project The Toxic Side of Climate Change. The project investigates the hazards left behind by urban wildfires in Los Angeles and examines the long-term risks these toxins pose to affected communities. The project also explores what remains in the ash and debris after a fire, and how those materials impact public health. Dietz is a writer, documentarian, and journalist reporting from a background rooted in both science and the humanities. Her work has appeared in New Lines Magazine, Inside Climate News, Science Friday, and at Photoville, among others.

Oct 15 • 3:02 PM EDT • Health • pulitzercenter.org

Bucs' Todd Bowles warns defense about Steelers RB Jaylen Warren

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles urges his defense to wrap up against Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren ahead of Week 6.

Oct 15 • 2:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

California students post gains in math, science and English in 2025-26

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California students made gains across key academic and success measures during the 2025-26 school year, with test scores rising in English, math and science while the statewide graduation rate reached a record high of 87.9 percent. For the first time, the state released assessment results and California School Dashboard data together to give families and educators a more complete picture of student performance.English language arts scores increased 0.5 percentage points to 49.3 percent of students scoring proficient or advanced, while math scores rose 1.1 percentage points to 38.4 percent. Science showed the strongest improvement, jumping 3.3 percentage points to 36 percent of students scoring proficient or advanced.The statewide chronic absenteeism rate dropped 1.1 percentage points to 18.3 percent. The suspension rate declined to 2.8 percent, marking the third consecutive year of improvement."At a time when California continues to focus on accelerating learning and closing opportunity gaps, these results provide important evidence that our sustained investments are making a difference," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "The continued progress we are seeing is a testament to the hard work of students, families and educators across the state—and we will continue working to build on these gains."The percentage of students prepared for college and career increased to 55.2 percent, up 2 percentage points from the previous year. More than 54 percent of graduates completed coursework required for admission to University of California and California State University systems, an increase of 0.9 percentage points."California has made important strides in expanding student supports and opportunities, but the pace of academic improvement reminds us that our work is far from finished," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said.Eighth grade students posted the strongest score trends in both English language arts and math. Science performance improved across all tested grades, with the strongest gains at the high school level.African American students demonstrated larger-than-average improvements across English, math and science. Hispanic or Latino students showed larger-than-average improvements in English and math, with positive math score trends across all grades.Students who were socioeconomically disadvantaged made gains across all 3 subjects, including larger-than-average improvements in English and math. Students who were homeless continued to demonstrate gains across grades, with particularly strong improvements in math."We are encouraged to see students making gains across all 3 major assessments and are especially encouraged by the progress of African American students, Hispanic or Latino students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and homeless youth," said Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the California State Board of Education.The progress comes as California's public school system undergoes significant demographic change. Statewide school enrollment declined to approximately 5.73 million students in 2025-26, nearly 500-thousand fewer students over the past decade.The number of students with disabilities increased approximately 25 percent over the same period, from about 680-thousand to more than 850-thousand students. Graduation rates increased across nearly all student groups, including notable increases for American Indian or Alaskan Native students at 4.3 percentage points and students with disabilities at 3.7 percentage points.In Downey Unified School District, the rate of students demonstrating proficient or advanced grade-level knowledge increased by 2.1 percentage points in English, 2.8 percentage points in math and 4.7 percentage points in science. The district aligned graduation requirements with college admission expectations and invested in inclusive special education practices, expanded career technical education and expanded learning opportunities."The gains Downey Unified is seeing in student assessment results and on the Dashboard are the result of years of focused, consistent work across the district," Superintendent Roger Brossmer said.In Exeter Unified School District, proficiency rates increased by 4.6 percentage points in English, 2.3 percentage points in math and 3.6 percentage points in science. The district placed a strong focus on phonics and the science of reading, particularly in kindergarten through second grade."The gains Exeter Unified is seeing in student assessment results and on the Dashboard are the result of having great people who are focused on the right work, and great students who want to do well," Superintendent Melanie Dorough said.Union Elementary School District saw proficiency rates increase by 1.5 percentage points in English, 2 percentage points in math and 4 percentage points in science. Teachers regularly analyze state and local assessment data to guide instruction, supported by strong core instruction and early literacy strategies."Union Elementary School District's achievement gains reflect a focused, data-driven approach to meeting the needs of every student while fostering a strong sense of belonging, safety and connection," Superintendent Carrie Andrews said.The California Department of Education is examining local results to better understand strategies and conditions associated with stronger student outcomes. The state has made significant investments in recent years, including literacy and math coaching, tutoring, expanded learning opportunities, community schools and universal transitional kindergarten.

Oct 15 • 1:54 PM EDT • Science • actionnewsnow.com

McWane’s quirky critters show Birmingham how curiosity keeps science alive

If you’ve ever thought the animal kingdom is all about speed, strength and sharp teeth, a new exhibit at Birmingham’s McWANE Science Center is here to (slowly)

Oct 15 • 1:37 PM EDT • Science • abc3340.com

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield appears out Sunday against Steelers

Baker Mayfield walked out to practice Thursday as a spectator. That most likely means he will be watching Jalon Daniels do his job as the Bucs quarterback Sunday against the Steelers.

Oct 15 • 1:11 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Annual CCAC Summit focuses on trust, equity and responsive care - Welcome to San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County Behavioral Health presents the sixth annual Cultural Competency Advisory Committee (CCAC) Summit on Oct. 27. The San Bernardino County Behavioral Health Department invites community members, behavioral health...

Oct 15 • 12:17 PM EDT • Health • main.sbcounty.gov

I’ve Tested Echo Shows and Nest Hubs. Here’s How Apple’s HomeView Display Stacks Up

Apple’s new HomeView faces steep competition from Amazon and Google’s well-established smart displays. Here’s what I think, based on my past reviews.

Oct 15 • 12:00 PM EDT • Technology • cnet.com

Two decades of publications reveal research institutions becoming more alike worldwide

Where researchers go, their knowledge goes. And that shapes where innovation happens. "Recruiting researchers is one way institutions gain new knowledge and steer their research in particular directions," ...

Oct 15 • 11:20 AM EDT • Science • phys.org

Sega Pulls Disastrous Total War: Shogun 2 Remaster From Sale Following Backlash

Creative Assembly and Sega have pulled Total War: Shogun 2 — Complete Edition from Steam after a raft of complaints about the quality of the remaster.

Oct 15 • 11:09 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com

James Talarico Raises Quarterly Record of $64 Million in Texas Senate Race Against Ken Paxton

The amount is the most that a Senate candidate has ever raised during that period, his campaign said, eclipsing his opponent in Texas, Ken Paxton.

Oct 15 • 11:07 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Our View: Vote for Charleston County school leaders who will do business in public

or the last four years — especially in 2023 and 2024 — the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees has been a pure mess.

Oct 15 • 10:57 AM EDT • Business • charlestoncitypaper.com

Yankees would be wasting Cody Bellinger at first base

Seventeen home runs aren’t enough to make everyone happy with a $162.5 million contract. Cody Bellinger’s glove deserves a much […]

Oct 15 • 10:47 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Scientific expertise does not guarantee greater credibility in public debates, survey suggests

A study of more than 6,000 people in the U.K. and Sweden suggests that although scientists are generally regarded as credible, their status as experts is more contested when they discuss issues such as ...

Oct 15 • 10:40 AM EDT • Science • phys.org

How Germie Bernard earned Aaron Rodgers' trust in team meetings

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Germie Bernard details how Aaron Rodgers tests his preparation during weekly offensive meetings.

Oct 15 • 10:10 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Fixing Call of Duty: Inside Activision’s Modern Warfare 4 comeback plan

Oct 15 • 9:00 AM EDT • Technology • thegamebusiness.com

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation Welcomes New Trustee, Trustees in New Roles at Affiliated Boards Across New Jersey

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, the philanthropic division of Hackensack Meridian Health, is thrilled to announce a new trustee joining the Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center Foundation Board and a new board chair for Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation.

Oct 15 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • newswise.com

Shook Research Changes Name to Veritant After Forbes Scandal

The company, known for its rankings of wealth advisers, sped up a rebranding after its founder acknowledged a secret $6 million payment to the top editor of Forbes.

Oct 15 • 8:45 AM EDT • Business • nytimes.com

8 Ways to Boost Your Oral Health With Sjögren’s Disease

This autoimmune condition reduces saliva production, leaving teeth and gums vulnerable to decay. Stay on top of your oral health with these expert tips.

Oct 15 • 8:18 AM EDT • Health • healthcentral.com

GTA 6 Will Make The Game Awards Cutoff Date for Eligibility by the Skin of Its Teeth, Confirming It Has a Chance at 2026 Game of the Year

GTA 6 is officially in with a chance of winning the 2026 Game of the Year award at this year’s The Game Awards, after the show confirmed the cutoff date for eligibility.

Oct 15 • 8:05 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com

Is the EU research budget actually increasing?

Is a Horizon Europe budget of €158 billion a 10% cut or a significant increase to the EU’s support for research and innovation? What would seem like a question of fact has divided opinion in Brussels since the Irish presidency of the EU Council presented its negotiation box on October 10. The answer depends on factors such as how you adjust for inflation, whether you account for increases in overall EU wealth and if you care about absolute or proportional figures. The €158 billion budget in current prices, proposed by the Irish presidency of the EU Council, was quickly criticised by university lobbies and rejected by the high-level expert group led by former Portuguese science minister Manuel Heitor. It was also decried by the four pro-European political groups in the European Parliament. “How can Europe close its competitiveness gap while cutting the European Competitiveness Fund by 13% and Horizon Europe by nearly 10%?” asked a joint statement by the European People’s Party (EPP), Renew Europe, the Socialists and Democrats and the Greens/European Free Alliance. Together, these parties hold 63% of seats in the Parliament.In stark contrast, Irish foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee said that the proposal “significantly increases investment in competitiveness, research and innovation,” Meanwhile, a presidency press release said that, compared to the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the proposal would “double the volume of competitiveness related programmes.” So, who is right? That depends on how you make the calculation.Compared to the Commission figure or the previous budget?The first thing to notice is the difference in baselines. When the MEPs say the Irish presidency will cut Horizon Europe by “nearly 10%” they are using the European Commission proposal for the MFF from July 2025, which allocated €175 billion in current prices to Horizon Europe. However, when the Irish foreign affairs minister said the research and competitiveness budget is increasing significantly, she is comparing it to the 2021-27 MFF, which had a Horizon Europe budget of €84.9 billion in 2018 prices.Her point holds when accounting for inflation. Applying a 2% annual inflation rate, the calculation method used by the Commission, the 2021-27 Horizon Europe would have a budget of €97.5 billion in 2025 prices. In comparison, the Irish presidency’s €158 billion figure in current prices translates to €140 billion in 2025 prices. Does the ECF count?But there is more to the dispute. In its statements, the Irish presidency lumped the research budget in with the overall budget for competitiveness. The Parliament statement, however, kept the two separate. This matters because the next MFF includes plans to add a new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) to fund programmes meant to boost the continent's competitiveness. The Irish negotiating box allocated €245 billion in current prices to this programme.When this is added to the €158 billion for Horizon Europe, as well as programmes such as the EU education programme Erasmus+, the total for “competitiveness, prosperity and security” in the Irish proposal becomes €514 billion in current prices. But it is still uncertain how big a share of this competitiveness budget would go to research. The Commission proposal of July 2025 for the MFF included clear links between the ECF and Horizon Europe, indicating some ECF money will go to research. At the same time, the structure of the ECF is still being negotiated, and a substantial part of its budget is expected to support non-research activities such as defence manufacturing, decarbonisation and digital infrastructure. Related articlesCouncil floats 9.6% budget cut to next Horizon EuropeResearch community to appeal to national governments over planned EU budget cutEU own resources ‘essential’ for future research budget, says leading MEPSo, it is by looking at competitiveness rather than research, or combining the two, that the Irish presidency can claim that its proposed budget will significantly increase investment in competitiveness, research and innovation.According to the Irish presidency proposal, Horizon Europe and other competitiveness-related programmes in the current multiannual budget received €221 billion in current prices. However, since this money is being distributed from 2021 to 2027, it is not directly comparable to the €514 billion in current prices which will be distributed from 2028 to 2034.Research as a proportion of the MFFBut the relative rise in competitiveness-related programmes points to another important distinction: whether you look at the research budget in absolute terms or as a share of the overall MFF. Here, too, the size of the research budget has risen, although only slightly. In the 2021-27 MFF, Horizon Europe accounted for 7% of the total budget. In the Irish presidency’s proposal, it amounts to 8.7%. The share for the total competitiveness envelope went from 17.7% in the current MFF to 28.1% in the Irish presidency proposal.This proportional share may seem irrelevant to universities looking for research funding, but it is becoming significant as budget negotiations between the Parliament, the Commission and the Council begin. On October 2, a group of 17 southern and eastern European countries sent out a statement calling for the EU agriculture and cohesion budgets to be protected. The Parliament’s co-rapporteur on the budget, Siegfried Mureșan of the EPP, has also said that the research envelope is likely to be cut disproportionately as the budget is slimmed down during negotiations.

Oct 15 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

Four wide receiver trades the Steelers should make

Four WR trades the Pittsburgh Steelers should make.

Oct 15 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Yankees’ Former Teenage Standout Dies After 12-Year Baseball Career

The New York Yankees received news that a former high school signing has died following a long and productive professional career.

Oct 15 • 7:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Letter: Anthony Constantino will stand up for the Second Amendment

I am an outdoorsmen and gun owner here in the North Country, and I've spent years helping hunters and sport shooters exercise a right that's guaranteed to every one of

Oct 15 • 6:45 AM EDT • Politics • nny360.com

CPMI and IOSCO final report on FMIs’ management of general business risks and losses

On 14 October 2026, the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)

Oct 15 • 6:01 AM EDT • Business • regulationtomorrow.com

Inside the Plague Research Labs at the Heart of a Russian Mystery

A Russian researcher, who died from an unknown illness, worked at a remote anti-plague facility. Few foreigners have visited these labs, which dot the former Soviet states, and are shrouded in secrecy.

Oct 15 • 5:04 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com

Lessons From a New Widow on the Life After

As people think about living longer, a New York Times writer reflects on the recent death of her husband and what helps life go on.

Oct 15 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • nytimes.com

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:CZR) Stock Has Average Target Price of $30.71

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:CZR - Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of "Hold" from the nineteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, sixteen have assigned a h

Oct 15 • 2:29 AM EDT • Entertainment • marketbeat.com

Cover to Cover: ‘Hollywood, Ending’ offers a witty, compassionate critique of the entertainment industry

In his long-awaited return to fiction, John Green tackles art, love and celebrity culture with his signature empathy and humor in his new novel, “Hollywood, Ending.” Published Sept. 22, “Hollywood, Ending” is Green’s first adult novel after a career of primarily writing teen classics like “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Looking for Alaska.” The...

Oct 14 • 11:57 PM EDT • Entertainment • dailynorthwestern.com

Vance’s Talarico Attacks Show His Penchant for Personal Broadsides

At a rally in Texas, the vice president suggested the Democratic Senate nominee is gay, a comment criticized as homophobic.

Oct 14 • 9:38 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Katie Zacharia Is Trump’s New Press Secretary. But Is She a Lawyer?

Katie Zacharia told The New York Times that the confusion over her legal credentials was the result of one big misunderstanding.

Oct 14 • 8:45 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Travis Kelce reveals terrifying Steelers Combine meeting detail

Mike Tomlin explained how the Pittsburgh Steelers used Hall of Famer Mean Joe Greene during draft combine meetings to test incoming prospects.

Oct 14 • 8:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

San Diego Rules Committee advances campaign to increase transparency in local politics

The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee Wednesday advanced proposals intended to increase transparency in local politics.

Oct 14 • 7:49 PM EDT • Politics • nbcsandiego.com

Justices grant Trump administration’s request to pause lower court ruling in political ad rate dispute

The Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for political parties and joint fundraising committees to continue to receive favorable advertising rates in the run-up to the 2026 election. In a five-…

Oct 14 • 7:47 PM EDT • Politics • scotusblog.com

Idaho lawmakers tee up bill to reform prior authorization, and more health insurance issues

A panel of Idaho lawmakers that studied issues in the health insurance market formalized plans to draft legislation on a range of issues.

Oct 14 • 7:04 PM EDT • Health • idahocapitalsun.com

SD rules committee advances campaign finance, `Dark Money' reform packages

The two separate proposals, the Ending Perpetual Fundraising Ordinance and Exposing Dark Money and Banning Shadow Campaigns, follow the previously advanced Follow the Money Ordinance, which the Rules Committee advanced in August.

Oct 14 • 6:14 PM EDT • Politics • kpbs.org

The Supreme Court sides with GOP again in political ad rates dispute

The ruling gives the FCC more time to review a policy that would extend discounted campaign ad rates to political committees.

Oct 14 • 5:47 PM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com

Lawyers for Federal Reserve's Lisa Cook say White House hearing set up by Trump is 'biased'

Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook's lawyers say that a committee set up by the White House last week to investigate an accusation against her is “demonstrably biased," though they did not close the door on the possibility that she would appear before the panel.

Oct 14 • 5:46 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

Supreme Court Again Sides With Republicans in Political TV Ad Fight

The Trump administration had filed an emergency application asking the justices to intervene in a long-running dispute over political ad rates.

Oct 14 • 5:17 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Volunteers build Habitat Collier’s newest community

Physicians Regional Healthcare System and FC Naples joined Habitat for Humanity of Collier County for a volunteer build day at Las Palmas, Habitat Collier’s newest affordable homeownership community in North

Oct 14 • 5:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • floridaweekly.com

Battle Over the Pierre Ends in Defeat for the Buyer Pushed by Lutnick

Motasem Khashoggi, who hails from a prominent Saudi family, missed a Tuesday deadline to deliver a $100 million deposit to purchase the Manhattan landmark.

Oct 14 • 5:12 PM EDT • Business • nytimes.com

At WSU in Pullman, Murray Launches Public Health for America Working Group, Delivers Address to Chart What Comes Next After Trump & RFK Jr., and Discusses Key Public Health Challenges with Local Leaders and Experts

READ MORE: Senator Murray announces members of new public health initiative NYT: A Public Health-Minded Senator Asks: What Comes After Trump and Kennedy? ***LIVESTREAM OF DISCUSSION FROM KHQ HERE*** Pullman, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate […]

Oct 14 • 5:07 PM EDT • Health • murray.senate.gov

Nominations open for 2026 Iowa Business Hall of Fame

The Greater Des Moines Committee is accepting nominations for the 2026 Iowa Business Hall of Fame, which recognizes business leaders whose leadership, accomplishments and service have made a lasting impact on Iowa’s economy and communities. Nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. Nov. 13 and may be submitted by members of the Greater Des Moines…

Oct 14 • 4:55 PM EDT • Business • businessrecord.com

Jalen Ramsey out of Steelers practice, Jamel Dean limited

Oct 14 • 4:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions

Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”

Oct 14 • 4:31 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

Rico Dowdle a limited participant Wednesday

Steelers RB Rico Dowdle listed as limited for first practice of week

Oct 14 • 4:19 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

County budget review off to a tense start

ELLSWORTH — As the Hancock County Budget Advisory Committee launched its work on the upcoming annual budget Oct. 7, one member voted in opposition to nearly every vote. Paul Bissonnette

Oct 14 • 3:48 PM EDT • Politics • mdislander.com

D.C. is spending billions on sports venues. Experts say the financial return isn't guaranteed

D.C. has already invested billions into building a new football stadium and renovating Capital One Arena. As the District considers new projects, George Mason University Professor Terry Clower explains why sports stadiums aren't always a sure bet.

Oct 14 • 3:43 PM EDT • Sports • wamu.org

Midterm Election Ad Spending Topped $10 Billion, and It’s Still Rising

The campaign is set to be more expensive than the 2024 presidential election cycle, and has already exceeded the ad total booked by the N.F.L. last season.

Oct 14 • 3:08 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

KISS Expands Halloween Collection

New branded tees, posters – including The Starchild inflatable – joins the holiday line-up.

Oct 14 • 3:08 PM EDT • Entertainment • licenseglobal.com

Cam Heyward reveals legendary Vince Williams trash-talk vs Bengals

Pittsburgh Steelers DT Cameron Heyward recalled former linebacker Vince Williams' legendary trash talk before facing the Cincinnati Bengals.

Oct 14 • 2:54 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Bleached Coral Rebounded After Touching Healthy Coral, Study Finds

After sick corals were placed in direct contact with healthy ones of the same genetic make-up, they recovered at “incredible” speed, scientists found.

Oct 14 • 2:00 PM EDT • Science • nytimes.com

Choctaw Nation Doctor Appointed to Health Tribal Advisory Committee

Overview: The Chief of Staff of Choctaw Nations Health Service has been appointed to a federal tribal health advisory committee. Dr. Amanda Chisum-Price has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Tribal Advisory Committee as an At-Large Delegate. She currently serves […]

Oct 14 • 1:47 PM EDT • Health • nativenewsonline.net

TENNESSEE VOLS BASKETBALL: Exhibition with Xavier opens season

The Tennessee men's basketball team is set to take the floor at Food City Center for the first time in the 2026-27 season Thursday as it hosts the Xavier Musketeers in a preseason exhibition contest. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

Oct 14 • 1:34 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Obamacare enrollment fell to 20.5 million people as of June, KFF says

NEW YORK, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Affordable Care Act enrollment fell by 18% to 20.5 million members ‌in June, according to health policy research firm ‌KFF, marking the steepest annual decline since 2015 ...

Oct 14 • 12:19 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com

Cam Heyward singles out Gabe Rubio after key Steelers performance

Pittsburgh Steelers captain Cameron Heyward praised rookie defensive lineman Gabe Rubio for stepping up during a thin rotation against Indianapolis.

Oct 14 • 12:10 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

🚨 Iraola makes four changes to Liverpool's XI against LASK

Liverpool return to the demands of European football away at LASK after losing to Manchester City in the Premier League. A guaranteed win?Today's match takes place at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, wit...

Oct 14 • 11:34 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

How the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake changes the classic game’s script

At the start of the iconic 1998 Nintendo 64 game The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, our playable hero Link wakes up in his tree cabin, heads outside and is greeted by his friend Saria. “Yahoo! Hi, Stotil!" she says. In other people’s copies of the games, she might say “Hi, Link!” or “Hi, Brick!” or use whatever other name the player was allowed to input when first launching the game. The more important point is that she starts with a “Yahoo!” In Nintendo’s 2011 remake of Ocarina of Time for the 3DS handheld, Saria greets Link with that same word. But for the 2026 Switch 2 re-remake of Ocarina of Time, out November 5, Saria’s salutation has changed: “Hello, Link!” she exclaims. There’s no “Yahoo” to be heard. Last month, in an official Nintendo video preview, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma described the remake as a “faithful interpretation using modern technologies.” Faithful means the gameplay hasn’t changed much. Dungeons, quests, and just generally what you do in the game doesn’t seem to have changed, not based on what Nintendo has shown nor the hour of the game I played in New York City a couple of weeks ago. The graphics have been overhauled. The controls have been tweaked. Players can now manually control the camera and make Link jump with the press of a button, both notable differences from the original 1998 design. But Link’s journey appears to take the same path, with the same obstacles in its way. The remake’s biggest alteration to Ocarina of Time that I’ve spotted so far just might be the script. About the game’s story, Aonuma said in September, “We’ve added quite a lot of new dialogue for the characters, so that their personalities shine even more.” Earlier this month, I played a chunk of the Ocarina of Time remake at a Nintendo showcase. In the game’s earliest moments, I made a point of talking to characters and recording what they said. I found the script to be more colorful, more natural in its phrasing, more careful to establish its characters, and certainly more wordy even with the removal of that one “Yahoo!”. I’ve got some very early-game examples, so you can judge the new writing for yourself.

Oct 14 • 11:32 AM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

I'm a teen who built a 'can cooler' business

Mike Satterlee, 19, is the CEO and founder of CruiseCup, a business that sells 3D-printed and stainless steel can coolers that reload from the top or the bottom. CruiseCup sells its products on its website, TikTok shop and Amazon. It brought in $808,000 in 2025 gross revenue, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Satterlee runs the business out of a warehouse in Clifton Park, New York.

Oct 14 • 11:24 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com

HBO Max to premier Kordell Stewart documentary

HBO Max has released the trailer for the Kordell Stewart trailer, documenting the career of a Steelers QB ahead of his time.

Oct 14 • 11:16 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Operation Airdrop Mobilizes Bizav Volunteers for Hurricane Isaias Relief

Volunteer pilots, ground crews and donors are supporting Operation Airdrop’s response in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaias.

Oct 14 • 11:14 AM EDT • Business • nbaa.org