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Mbappe at the double as Real Madrid sink Rayo
Kylian Mbappe struck twice to help Real Madrid smash Rayo Vallecano 4-1 on Saturday to pull level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.On Tuesday Real Madrid travel to face Elche, while Rayo Vallecano host Espanyol.
MC Lyte is taking the long way to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fa...
BLACKPRESSUSA—Long before hip-hop was old enough to have a Hall of Fame generation, MC Lyte came out of Brooklyn with a voice too enormous to belong to a teenag...
Meloni rules out electoral U-turn on Ukraine
Facing elections in 2027, Italian PM comes under pressure from far-right pro-Russian rivals
Amodei, Altman, and Musk rally around call to slow AI down
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for an AI slowdown on Saturday. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceXAI CEO Elon Musk, and others, also chimed in.
Álvarez Dispute Puts Barcelona-Atlético Ties Under Strain
Barcelona’s interest in Julián Álvarez has left the club needing to publicly clarify its position, and Barca Universal report that sporting director Deco has now explained why. Atlético Madrid ha...
Fit, Finances and Playing Time Ended Silva’s Barcelona Move
Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that Bernardo Silva wanted to join the club before he ended up signing for Real Madrid this summer, according to an interview on Spanish radio. Speaking about...
Álvarez Stays Put as FIFA Rethinks Extreme Release Clauses
Atlético Madrid’s refusal to let Julián Álvarez leave for Barcelona has apparently pushed FIFA into rewriting one of its core transfer regulations. MARCA report that FIFA will modify Article 17 o...
The politics and possibilities of ‘AI could kill us all’
I found myself fielding a lot of questions from folks who don’t usually talk much about AI this week. They were mostly along the lines of “do you think AI is going to kill us all?” or “how worried should I be about this human extinction stuff?” Motivating this wave of existential anxiety was the highly dramatic resignation of now-former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who quit his job while publicly sharing his concerns about safety practices at the leading AI companies. More specifically, he declared that almost everyone at OpenAI and Anthropic, the leading AI labs, believes that there’s a decent chance the AI systems they’re producing could “kill us all” by the end of the decade, and the companies aren’t “acting responsibly.” Other AI safety researchers, including those still employed at Anthropic and OpenAI, all confirmed that yes, Coxon is correct, they’re all worried that their company’s products might prove fatal for the entire human race as well. Two more AI employees quit and joined the chorus. Now, the warning shot has been covered everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to WIRED to the Guardian. I understand why all this sounds scary, but my response to those who have asked, has generally been: No, you don’t need to worry that AI will kill go rogue and kill us all. But that does not mean we shouldn’t worry, period. Far from it. The companies building AI products are now among the wealthiest and most powerful entities in the world. And they very much are building enormous engines of mass surveillance, extraction, and automation. They can and have allowed their AI systems to carry out felony hacks of other companies, provided the government with autonomously generated kill lists, and sold enterprise technology to firms around the world that is explicitly intended to replace jobs. But “AI” has done these things not because they have all-powerful minds of their own but, ultimately, because people have programmed, calibrated, and directed them to. In other words, it’s not AI we need to worry the most about. It’s the people and corporations working to profit from and gain power by deploying it. The technology is sophisticated, sure, and, especially in cybersecurity contexts, potentially disruptive to plenty of existing systems. But if we want to stop this predatory, profiteering, and extractive form of AI—and it’s worth noting that at this point, most people do—we absolutely can. A quick note/plea: I can only do all of this with the support of readers like you, so if you find value in independent, critical tech journalism and analysis, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I want to keep as much of this un-paywalled as absolutely possible, and I need your support to do so. Many thanks to all who continue to chip in, it’s very much appreciated. Onward. Subscribe First, some context: AI industry folks like Coxon have been discussing the prospect that AI will destroy humanity for years. Even before the beginning of the AI boom, many working in the industry, from the executive staff to the rank and file researchers, have obsessed over ‘x-risk’, or the possibility that AI will become sentient or semi-sentient and move one way or another to exterminate humanity. This is ostensibly why Elon Musk bankrolled OpenAI in the first place, and is the grounds for his lawsuit alleging OpenAI betrayed its charter by abandoning its nonprofit status to become a commercial enterprise. Many AI engineers and startup founders have calculated their own personal p(doom), or the probability that the tech product they are working on will initiate an actual humanity-extinguishing apocalypse. 10-25% p(doom)s are pretty common. (I wrote about a long weekend I spent among these folks at one of their top conferences here, to give you an idea of their ideas and belief systems.) Sam Altman himself drove the narrative of the imminent rise of a super-powerful AI, or artificial general intelligence, to prominence by declaring that the technology he was building posed an existential risk to humanity. This idea is in other words baked into the DNA of modern AI companies and into the products they engineer. It’s also why the industry is routinely accused, by myself and others, of “doom marketing,” ie, using such proclamations and framings to impart the sheer power of the technology behind your product onto investors, partners, consumers, and the state. Some ambient understanding of this tendency may have helped prevent the press from repeating the claim every time one of the x-risk folks made it over the years, including when they quit their jobs at AI companies while doing so. Yet Coxon’s AI x-risk alarm has broken containment, as they say, and has exposed the idea to the mainstream media once again. This has happened, I think, for a number of reasons. First, when AI CEOs were going around saying AI might kill everyone in 2023, their companies were well-capitalized, but not nearly to the extent they are today. They were more easily dismissed as eccentric geeks of the sort that Silicon Valley is supposed to produce. Now, not only do their products have much greater market saturation, but people are more aware of a) the often unethical ways the executives and companies comport themselves b) the other adverse impacts of AI that have already arrived, and c) the physical cost of building these systems, particularly when it comes to data centers. Finally, toss in the constant stream of headlines in 2026 about AI models going rogue or potentially upending the world’s infrastructure. [ ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) [ With the backlash to data centers, Flock and AI glasses, a mass opposition to big tech is underway. Silicon Valley is in denial. ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) Brian Merchant · Aug 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) As a result, general sentiment was already overwhelmingly skeptical of AI and its overlords, so the table was pretty well set for someone to come along and say ‘just a reminder, the companies that are building the product that promises to take your job and leave a data center in your neighborhood also think that it might exterminate the human race’ and get a strong reaction from the media and the public. The question is: Should we understand this stuff as hype, strategically fanned to feed already swelling valuations? Is it doom marketing? Genuine cause for alarm that the infrastructure that undergirds modern life is facing a novel threat vector? Or reason to be sincerely worried that AI companies are amassing too much power, and that their products are genuinely dangerous? The answer, I’m afraid, is “yes.” Let me try to untangle all of this a bit, because arguments over how to navigate this moment are extremely heated right now, as they are essentially arguments over how to approach the politics of AI at a moment where there may be a unique opening for action. Those sympathetic to AI alignment concerns and x risk arguments—which increasingly includes a faction on the left who want to shut down AI over safety concerns—argue that people who dismiss AI as all hype have their heads in the sand. Meanwhile, critics of the x-risk narrative—which I might note includes a cadre of investors and tech folks on the right, too—argue that it is hype and can be used to further inflate valuations or for pursuing regulatory capture. The challenge is that many feel that dismissing AI as just hype or purely marketing also diminishes the urgency of taking on the AI industry as the novel and threat to labor, civil society, and the public sphere it is; others that by accepting the industry’s own terms, we imbue it with undue power and enable it. But let’s be clear: Declarations that AI is so powerful it might end the world are a kind of marketing, and anyone who says otherwise is just as off base as those who say that’s all that it is. If you don’t think that these sub-trillion dollar companies have higher-ups who noticed that when their founders talked about super-powerful dangerous AI they got spikes in media interest and phone calls from investors, or that those founders didn’t notice that themselves, and lean into certain narratives to advantage their products, then I don’t know what to tell you. Not all marketing is a Pepsi ad campaign with a celebrity spokesperson. Yet confronting the AI industry should certainly be considered an urgent project. Do I share the x-riskers’ fear that out-of-control, super-intelligent AI agents might end the world? I do not. I’ve read a good deal of AI extinction literature over the last couple of years and I have not come across a credible, step-by-step documentation of how exactly AI might move from self-recursively improving AI to killing every single human on the planet. Most of what I’ve read seems predicated on a sort of reverse Ian Malcolmian logic: Eventually, it becomes smart enough and AI, uh, finds a way (to exterminate humanity). Are the AI companies also overstating and dramatizing what their products can do? Yes, pretty much all the time. They’re in a knife fight for market share and are trying to win customers and government contracts before their investors come knocking. And yet. They have concentrated enormous amounts of compute, have extensive data collection and surveillance capacities, have inserted themselves into the state in numerous capacities, including military kill chains, and they are being run by egomaniacal billionaires who are rushing to monopolize an entire new market. The way I think about their most recent frightening-seeming exploits is not as a “swarm of rogue AI agents building a new civilization” or whatever, but as corporations with a hitherto-unimaginable amount of compute at their disposal recklessly experimenting with automation programs, completely unafraid of any repercussions because we have been unwilling or unable to impose any on them. So I think we should welcome any newfound imperative to hold them accountable. I also think that ultimately, the AI critics, Pause AI folks, leftists, doomers, effective altruists, and, honestly, most of the public, want a lot of the same things: legitimate checks and limits on AI companies’ power, actual transparency into what the companies are doing, and for more of AI to be under public control. (Ultimately, a lot of what animates the x-risk fears are rooted in just that: a fear of losing control.) How we move towards all this, exactly, is the question of the day, and while there’s much to be argued over in terms of building a viable political platform to challenge the AI industry’s power, I do want to cast a vote against one particular approach. Not to pick on Chris here, as there are a lot of folks out there proposing stuff like this, and the policy ideas actually stem from AI safety groups. But not only would this be challenging to land politically (I can already hear the ‘China will beat us to AGI’ calls) and all but unworkable in practice, this approach is a) far too limiting, b) fails to address the current harms caused by AI and c) would likely only wind up serving Anthropic and OpenAI; it’s what regulatory capture looks like in action. Full model transparency is the floor for what should be on offer here. If these companies believe their products will kill us, the very least we deserve is to know how. It’s in the public interest. I would also argue we might get a lot of the way to stopping any currently envisioned robot apocalypse simply by forcing AI companies to assume liability, and to submit to the full brunt of the law. If Sam Altman were liable to be charged with a felony for approving the hack on Hugging Face1, if Google was forced to pay defamation fines each time it published a false and injurious AI Overviews, these companies might suddenly find cause to restrain their models’ output, and we might hear less about rogue AI. We would need to introduce new frameworks and available tools for tracking automated lawbreaking, to be sure, but I’d wager that little would frighten the AI companies more than actually being held accountable for what their products enable. To that end, Illinois has passed an AI liability law, which the industry fought tooth and nail, and Florida is considering one. The next steps would be towards moving AI under public control; again, it’s only reasonable, since everyone, not just AI insiders, should get a say over how a technology whose developers say might kill us is developed and deployed. Dismantling the whole industrial project as currently structured should be on the table, too, pending democratic input. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice to say that while I won’t be losing any sleep about an AI-enabled extinction event, Mr. Coxon and co. have given us an opportunity to underscore the urgency of the clear and present damage AI companies are doing, the extreme power they wield and the extent to which they hold themselves unaccountable, and the abundance of political capital there is out there for taking them on. Subscribe 1 Purely speculative! I do not know if he did or not.
Judge Releases 1999 Murder Defendant Amid Health Issues
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt granted a homicide defendant’s unopposed motion for release on Sept. 11. George Mudd, 72, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, with aggravating factors of being especially heinous or cruel while committing or attempting to commit a robbery. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the […]
Watch: Barcelona star nets stunning training ground goal
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal conjured up a moment of individual magic en route to finding the net in the club’s latest training session on Friday morning.Winger Lamine is of course in the midst of no...
Laurel police charge man with hiding camera in business bathroom
The man was charged with two counts of violation of privacy, felony charges, following his arrest.
Barcelona star labelled ‘the Lamine Yamal of defenders’
Barcelona sporting director Deco has this week made known his appreciation for the talents of Blaugrana starlet Pau Cubarsí. This of course comes fresh off a spectacular last few months for the young...
Elon Musk's PAC adds Maine 2nd District race to electioneering bid
Musk's America PAC is already spending on the high-profile Maine U.S. Senate race. Now it's sending text and phone messages hoping to boost Republican Paul LePage in his contest against Democrat Matt Dunlap.
New Study Examines Americans’ Relationship With Science
The study found that most Americans are interested in science and value it, but many don't trust scientists or feel like they belong in the scientific community. Researchers say citizen science could help bridge those gaps.
BAR Investigation Leads to Suspension of Business License - California Statewide Law Enforcement Association
“The State employees who investigate fraudulent activity associated with car repairs often go unnoticed by the motoring public, but their work helps to keep us safe out on the roads. Their work also protects consumers from financial harm.” CSLEA President Alan Barcelona SACRAMENTO – On September 3, 2026, the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR)announced […]
Alejandro Balde: Man United’s hopes of landing Barcelona star skyrocket
1Manchester United’s former transfer target Alejandro Balde is yet to play a minute for Barcelona this season after the Red Devils attempted to sign him on loan during the summer window.The Manchest...
Elon threatens to sue over new 'Musk' doc. But festival crowd loves it
Elon Musk and Elizabeth Holmes are unwitting film fest stars as documentaries about problematic tech titans have dominated news coming out of prestigious film festivals.
From NATO to Shanghai: Why Türkiye Sits at Both Tables
It is becoming increasingly difficult to measure Türkiye’s diplomatic weight simply by asking which alliance it belongs to.
🗞️ Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and the Cesc effect: Friday's covers
The sports newspaper front pages this September 11 are packed with big names, continental surprises, and tensions handled in global boardrooms. Barcelona’s takeoff, Como’s European debut, and the ...
Barcelona label double Ballon d’Or snub ‘a worldwide scandal’
Barcelona sporting director Deco has this week made public the collective disbelief at the club regarding the exclusion of Blaugrana pair Raphinha and Pedri from the Ballon d’Or shortlist.The subjec...
Political ads with made-up trans people are being used to bash Democrats
Elon Musk’s super PAC dropped dozens of ads this week in key Senate races, and the majority of them focus on trans people.
Healing, community take center stage at Madison's Mental Health Warrior Film Festival
Festival headliner, “Afterglow,” is a documentary about a group of parkour athletes from Beloit that explores trauma, belonging and the power of movement.
🤑 LaLiga reveals wage limits for the top two divisions
LALIGA has made public the Squad Cost Limits for all First and Second Division clubs for the 2026-2027 season. Real Madrid tops the table with €832.79 million, followed by FC Barcelona with €582.7...
Gabriel Jesus Details Ugly Arsenal Exit: Forced to Train Alone
Gabriel Jesus has revealed how the final days at Premier League side Arsenal took an unexpectedly cold turn, claiming he was suddenly told to train away from his teammates before completing his deadline-day move to Barcelona. The Brazilian forward’s comments offer a rare glimpse behind the polished language that usually surrounds major transfers and suggest […] The post Gabriel Jesus Details Ugly Arsenal Exit: Forced to Train Alone appeared first on HEAVY.
A Three-Year Memory Helped Casado Choose Deportivo Loan
Marc Casado has explained his reasoning behind leaving Barcelona on a season-long loan for Deportivo, according to Barca Blaugranes. The midfielder completed the switch right at the end of the summer ...
Gordon a better fit for Barca than Rashford
Barcelona sporting director Deco says Anthony Gordon's style was a better fit for Hansi Flick's side than Marcus Rashford's as the club strengthened their squad this summer.
UPS Just Reorganized Its Global Business Around 2 Opposing Ideas. That Is the Point
Effective organizational design is often less about choosing between competing demands than deciding where each one belongs.
Mississippi Science Fest brings hands-on STEAM fun to Meridian Sept. 19
The family-friendly event features interactive exhibits designed to spark curiosity and inspire a lifelong love of learning for children of all ages.
United Turn to Alejandro Balde as Left-Back Search Intensifies
Manchester United are set to open negotiations with Barcelona over left-back Alejandro Balde, according to ESPN. Manchester City’s reported activity in the same round-up concerns a different player ...
Barça coach Flick: Yamal deserves the Ballon d'Or
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick believes his star winger Lamine Yamal is the clear favourite to win the Ballon d'Or as the planet's best male footballer. The ceremony is on October 26 in London where the Spain World Cup winner will be up against the likes of Harry Kane, Lionel Messi, Rodri and Kylian Mbappé.
Barca's Rodri apologises over Valencia 'weak' comments
Barcelona midfielder Rodri says he has apologised to the entire Valencia squad after television cameras appeared to catch him describing the La Liga strugglers as "very weak".
Here's what to look for at this year's Toronto International Film Festival
The spotlight at the 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival will belong to Rocky Balboa, KPop superstar Lisa, late disability rights pioneer Judy Heumann and many more when North Amer...
I flew business class on a budget flight—and it was better than some legacy airlines
A firsthand look at JetBlue's new Boston-to-Barcelona flight, from lie-flat seats to food, service, and what's actually worth it.
Barcelona star issues public apology to Valencia
Barcelona star Rodri has on Wednesday sent a public apology message the way of all associated with La Liga rivals Valencia.This of course comes after the summer arrival in Catalunya’s capital sparke...
💎 Lamine Yamal, Champions League's third-youngest free-kick scorer
Lamine Yamal makes it 4-0 for Barcelona against Feyenoord with his first direct free-kick goal in the Champions League. The stat is confirmed by MisterChip: at 19 years and 58 days old, the winger bec...
🤝 Van Persie heritage continues in the Champions League
Despite Feyenoord's struggles in Barcelona this evening, one special moment added a shine to the event. The Dutch side trailed the LaLiga giants 3-0 heading into the final stages at the Camp Nou on a ...
Does Kentucky Have Any Chance to Upset Alabama?
Let’s get one thing out of the way. Alabama should beat Kentucky. The Crimson Tide are around 10.5-point favorites , have considerably more talent and looked dominant in their 48-10 Week 1 victory over East Carolina. But does Kentucky have a chance? Absolutely. Make Keelon Russell Look Young This is the biggest key. Keelon Russell…
Americans prefer getting bitten by a mosquito or stubbing their toe than today’s politics
Respondents still prefer today’s politics over billionaires, telemarketers, health insurance companies, artificial intelligence, Elon Musk and root canals.
Barcelona vs Feyenoord, Champions League: TV & Streaming, Live Thread
Join us for the first Barcelona European adventure of the season!
Small Business Spotlight: Guitar shop aims to strike a chord
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN STRING THEORY GUITARS INC.? ALLISON & LEE WILLIAMS: “We are lifelong musicians with a passion for playing. We love Wilmington and the live music scene here, and we wanted a way to be a part of the music community without having to start work at 9 p.m. We also want to be a destination for residents and musicians performing in and around the downtown area.” WHAT DOES YOUR BUSINESS PROVIDE, AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT HELPS CUSTOMERS? We love Wilmington and the live music scene here, and we wanted a way to be a part of the music community without having to start work at 9 p.m. We also want to be a destination for residents and musicians performing in and around the downtown areaTHE WILLIAMSES: “We’re a true basics-to-boutique destination. If you’re someone who’s just starting out, we can set you up with high-quality, brand-new equipment at a great entry-level price point. When you’re ready for your dream guitar, we can help you design and create a fully custom electric or acoustic guitar to your specifications. We have a broad selection of both guitars and amplifiers for players of every level. We also have a community board in the store to connect bands, students, instructors, repair technicians, and anyone providing a service to the local music community.” WHAT PAST EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT LED YOU TO CREATE STRING THEORY GUITARS? THE WILLIAMSES: “Lee has played guitar for almost 40 years, from middle school band to gigging rock bands. Allison has a background in orchestra and musical theater, as well as retail management. We worked together as a husband-and-wife team in manufacturing for many years prior to moving to Wilmington. Having shopped in countless music stores over the years, we set up our shop with the goal of being welcoming and inviting. Our philosophy is ‘if it’s on display, it’s for play.’ No instrument or amplifier is out of reach in our store.” WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR GROWTH? THE WILLIAMSES: “We would love to grow the bluegrass and folk instrument segment of our business. We carry banjos, mandolins, resonator guitars, ukuleles and related accessories. We’ve seen and heard plenty of talented bluegrass and folk musicians around Wilmington, and we look forward to expanding our selections to support this growing segment of the local music scene.” WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR BUSINESS? THE WILLIAMSES: “Getting the word out about our brand and some of the unique brands we represent is a challenge for any new business. Online exposure through the Cargo District, Wilmington Downtown Inc. … and our online following is steadily growing. Our other challenge is the logistics of our streets. Our neighborhood is amazing, and you could spend the entire day walking around the Cargo District. As the District continues to grow, we’re seeing more pedestrian traffic, particularly in crossing 16th and 17th streets. We’ve seen some improvements in traffic calming, but the sooner we can improve safety with crosswalks and pedestrian signals, the more welcoming our neighborhood will be.”
Barcelona’s Gabriel Jesus has Champions League score to settle
The striker is yet to taste glory in the competition.
Barcelona vs Feyenoord – Match preview and team news
Barcelona will aim to register their fifth straight victory this season when they kick off their UEFA Champions League campaign on Wednesday against Feyenoord at the Camp Nou.Barcelona vs Feyenoord �...
Barcelona vs Feyenoord – Predicted lineup and team news
Barcelona will be chasing a fifth consecutive win of the season as they begin their UEFA Champions League journey on Wednesday, hosting Feyenoord at the Camp Nou.FC Barcelona arrive in the competition...
Missy Woods sentenced Tuesday
The former high-profile CBI analyst got a decade in prison on four counts A Jefferson County district court judge on Tuesday sentenced a disgraced former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA analyst to a decade in prison. Jefferson County District Judge Andrew Poland sentenced Yvonne “Missy” Woods to 10 years on the most serious felony charge, […]
AZ's R&D chief Barr touts internal 'science success story' after IL-33 antibody's stellar showing in COPD
With a detailed data drop that AstraZeneca’s R&D chief described as an internal “science success story,” the British Big Pharma has secured an FDA priority review for what it believes could become a flagship biologic in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In detailed results from the late-stage Oberon and Titania trials—first teased in March and detailed in full at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona this week—the drugmaker laid out the extent of its IL-33 inhibitor’s potential to reduce moderate and severe exacerbations in a wide range of COPD patients still struggling with those “lung attacks,” as AstraZeneca’s Sharon Barr, Ph.D., called them, despite using standard-care inhaled therapy. In the headline results, a 300 mg dose of tozorakimab given once every four weeks curbed those moderate and severe exacerbations in the studies’ primary population of former smokers by 29% in the Oberon study and 34% in Titania. In the overall population of both current and former smokers, these reductions were 30% and 29%, respectively, versus placebo and inhaled standard of care. The benefits also extended to clinically meaningful exacerbation reductions in all prespecified patient subgroups and specifically turned up promising signals in patients across a range of blood eosinophil counts, with Barr telling Fierce that “it’s the details that make this even more exciting than the high-level results that we’ve already shared.” In fact, during AZ’s tozorakimab poster presentation at the ERS 2026 Congress this past weekend, attendees were so enamored by the data that event organizers had to encourage people to clear the room and look at the other presentations on offer, Barr said in an interview. “I think it really speaks to the fact that there is a lot of buzz around these data because the entire respiratory community has been so desperate for new therapies for these patients,” she explained. The respiratory disease continues to represent a “staggering unmet medical need,” Barr said, highlighting the COPD exacerbations that the Oberon and Titania studies homed in on, which she added carry a greater mortality risk than a heart attack. “When a patient has a severe exacerbation, only about half of them are still alive within three and a half years,” she pointed out. As for tozorakimab specifically, Barr christened the molecule “an AstraZeneca science success story,” harkening several years back to the point at which researchers began to explore IL-33 as a driver of respiratory disease, and COPD in particular. At the same time, “there was still so much that wasn’t understood,” she admitted, highlighting the insight that IL-33 signals through both ST2 and EGFR through the RAGE pathway, a discovery Barr attributed to AstraZeneca's own scientists. Understanding the need to tackle both pathways in COPD—and aware of competitor candidates in the hopper, including one that bound ST2—the company ultimately had to make some “courageous decisions,” Barr said. These included taking a prior COPD molecule offline and going back to the drawing board to reinvent its potential IL-33 label “to make sure that we had a molecule that could block signaling through both arms of the pathway, through both the reduced form and the oxidized form, knowing that we wouldn’t be first, but striving to be best.” “When we put [tozorakimab] into the clinic, we firmly believed that we had a differentiated molecule, and we saw the other molecules blocking just ST2 or partially blocking IL-33, unable to deliver two positive pivotal studies in COPD,” Barr explained. “We kept marching forward because we believed our molecule was differentiated, and now I think we have the clinical validation that supports that.” Ultimately, AstraZeneca finds itself on much better footing these days when it comes to potential biologic rivals to tozorakimab in COPD. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, for instance, is approved to treat COPD exacerbations in patients with high eosinophil counts, but not low ones. Meanwhile, the future has become cloudier for other next-gen IL-33 candidates from Sanofi and Regeneron, as well as Roche, which have suffered trial flops in recent years. One other potential ingredient for AstraZeneca’s success in its duo of studies was that the company was “ambitious in the trial design, willing to look at an all-comers population,” Barr said, “and willing to enroll the most severe patients.” Prior studies for would-be biologics rivals in COPD “avoided enrolling” those patients, she pointed out. She also highlighted the Big Pharma’s painstaking design of exacerbations in its trial, which “gave us a very rigorous readout,” and pointed to “the extra effort and investment” the company put in to understand the effect of mucus plugs in patients. Barr described mucus production as a “key feature in disease diversity,” noting that mucus plugs—obstructing clumps of mucus that block patients’ airways—are associated with worse outcomes in COPD. In its data announcement, AstraZeneca noted that an integrated analysis of Oberon and Titania found tozorakimab “demonstrated a reduction in patients’ mucus plug score,” with the pharma claiming its biologic is the first to deliver such results in a broad COPD population. “So being able to reduce those mucus plugs, we expect, is an important part of driving benefit for patients who are living with COPD,” Barr said. Again touching on the breadth of the study populations, Barr added that tozorakimab “worked across all eosinophil levels in both current and former smokers across all levels of lung function,” which she suggested “really simplifies decision-making for clinicians, and it allows them to offer therapy to the broadest possible patient population.” In the highest patient eosinophil count group, tozorakimab helped chart a 43% reduction in exacerbation risk, which Barr stressed were “unprecedented data.” In the mid-level group, AZ’s drug delivered a 23% reduction and, in the lowest group, a 34% reduction in eosinophils, which Barr said suggests efficacy “in all patient subgroups.” As for AZ’s recent guidance upgrade on the medicine’s sales opportunity, the lift from a $3 billion to $5 billion range to $5 billion plus was informed by multiple factors, Barr said, including the fact that “in 2024, there were multiple competitors, and there aren’t anymore.” Additionally, “we know that this is a massive unmet medical need, and this is a really incredible set of data that we think will be very convincing to the clinical community,” Barr said. Looking ahead to a potential evolution of the COPD treatment landscape, Barr noted that most patients start treatment in the community with an option like a triple therapy, and for them, having an option like AstraZeneca’s inhaler Breztri will remain a “really important part” of that journey. But of the patients uncontrolled on triple therapy, which Barr described as “about half of them today,” just a “small fraction” are currently eligible for biologic therapy, which she emphasized AstraZeneca is working to change. Understanding that COPD is not a “one-size-fits-all” disease, AstraZeneca is also looking at its antibody drug Tezspire for patients with T2-driven disease, and the company continues to think about new mechanisms for tackling COPD through both systemic and inhaled drugs, Barr said.
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes.
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes | KNSS Radio
Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney on AI and the dangers of Elon Musk
A new documentary about Elon Musk uses an AI avatar to simulate an interview with him, using real quotes.
Message for Mbappé? Lamine Yamal: title winners all press
Lamine Yamal has spoken at a press conference ahead of Barcelona-Feyenoord. The Champions League as a challenge"There is no greater motivation for me than winning the Champions League, it’s the most...
CT ranks fifth for union membership among labor force
Connecticut had the nation's fifth-highest union membership rate in 2025, with 16.1% of workers belonging to unions and 63% of public workers unionized.
Barcelona forward’s adaptation progressing slower than his fellow summer arrival
FC Barcelona summer signing Anthony Gordon has made an excellent start to life at the club.Signed for €70 million plus add-ons from Newcastle United, the England forward has hit the ground running i...
Scientists found two bat species never known to science in Cameroon’s rainforest after studying bats that looked almost identical
Deep inside the rainforests of southeastern Cameroon, scientists have identified two bat species that had never been formally recognised by science. The discoveries came from surveys in and around Lobéké National Park and the Dja Biosphere Reserve, where researchers examined a small collection of forest bats belonging to the genus Glauconycteris.
15 years of our home: where we belong
The first time you step inside your own home is a moment you can never forget. There’s a unique feeling in the air, that scent of something new combined almost immediately with the sense that, at la...
How will Barcelona line up against Feyenoord?
Hansi Flick’s possible XI for Wednesday’s clash
An Elon Musk documentary and a Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem thriller premiere at Venice
The Venice Film Festival is showcasing several high-profile films Tuesday, including Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary, a thriller with Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and a drama from Casey Affleck.
An Elon Musk documentary and a Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem thriller premiere at Venice
The Venice Film Festival is showcasing several high-profile films Tuesday, including Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary, a thriller with Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and a drama from Casey Affleck | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
An Elon Musk documentary and a Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem thriller premiere at Venice
The Venice Film Festival is showcasing several high-profile films Tuesday, including Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary, a thriller with Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and a drama from Casey Affleck | WWL
Hansi Flick sent strong Jose Mourinho message by Barcelona
Don’t get drawn into the circus.
Three Things We Saw in Notre Dame’s Win Over Wisconsin
Lambeau belongs to the Irish, but questions remain
Champions League Is Back! TV Channels, Live Stream, Kickoff Times
The UEFA Champions League is back, and this midweek belongs entirely to Europe’s biggest club competition. With the Europa League and Conference League still waiting to begin their league phases, the Champions League takes over three days — Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — for a packed 18-game opening Matchday. UEFA’s official 2026-27 Champions League schedule […] The post Champions League Is Back! TV Channels, Live Stream, Kickoff Times appeared first on HEAVY.
How Gabriel Jesus turned rejection to acceptance from Barcelona
Gabriel Jesus completed his move to Barcelona in the final days of the last transfer window, but it was a move that had been in the making for a long time.The Brazilian was one of the players struggli...
DeAPlaneta on its New and Fast-Growing IPs
Based in Barcelona, Spain, DeAPlaneta Entertainment hints at what is to come from their current and new IPs.
Barcelona youngster could be handed minutes vs Feyenoord
An up-and-coming member of the attacking ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona could yet be afforded minutes off the bench in the club’s European season opener.This comes amid confirmation that Jesse Bi...
Barcelona forecast €1.195 billion in revenue for 2026/27
FC Barcelona have now announced their financial figures ahead of the upcoming General Assembly, providing full access to the club members now about the economic situation.The accounts for the 2025/26 ...
Healthy Aging Awareness Month focuses on lifelong wellness
A Baptist Health physician says healthy aging starts with regular screenings, staying active, and paying attention to memory or mobility changes.
Elon Musk begins to spend money ahead of competitive midterm election
A look at spending for the midterm elections in November.
Record revenue! Barça tops €1 billion 💰
FC Barcelona has already made public the figures for the 2025-26 season and the forecasts for 2026-27. Members will vote to approve this balance sheet at the Ordinary General Assembly next Saturday, S...
Amending Virginia: Virginians may change the voter rights restoration process for felons
Watch the fourth episode of our limited series on constitutional amendments now.
🥐 Barça romp, Diomande case... 5️⃣ stories to start Monday
FC Barcelona strengthened their grip on top spot after thrashing Valencia at Mestalla, while tension has taken over the Valencian club’s surroundings and Madrid are gearing up for their European deb...
🗞️ Monday’s front pages, Barça masterclass, crisis at Valencia...
This Monday’s sports press places FC Barcelona’s emphatic thrashing at Mestalla (0-5) at the center of attention, a commanding win that cements the Blaugrana as the sole leaders of LaLiga. In cont...
Documentarian Alex Gibney on the power and influence of Elon Musk
Alex Gibney's new documentary “Musk” premieres this week at the Venice Film Festival. The nearly four-hour film explores the power and influence of Elon Musk. Gibney says that Musk's power
Documentarian Alex Gibney on the power and influence of Elon Musk
Alex Gibney's new documentary “Musk” premieres this week at the Venice Film Festival. The nearly four-hour film explores the power and influence of Elon Musk. Gibney says that Musk's power
Bacteria found in classroom dust may affect children’s respiratory health
Common bacteria found in classroom dust are associated with reduced lung function in children according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
When Man City call you don't say no
New £60m Manchester City signing Iliman Ndiaye says playing in the Champions League is where he belongs.
Pair of linked spacecraft draw closer to Mercury after nearly decadelong voyage
A linked pair of Mercury-bound spacecraft are in the homestretch of their nearly decadelong voyage to the tiny planet nearest the sun.
Scientists found a fungus never seen before growing in giant panda poop; DNA analysis confirmed it was a new species
Scientists have identified a previously unknown species of fungus after isolating it from the faeces of a giant panda. Named ‘Mucor melanoleucus,’ it belongs to a group of fungi commonly found in soil and decaying organic material.
The best Rhode Island town to visit in the fall, from local: Day trip
As a lifelong local, my favorite Rhode Island town to visit in the fall is Middletown. There's a local farm for apple picking, a vineyard, and more.
Yamal hits double as perfect Barca thrash Valencia
Lamine Yamal struck twice for Barcelona as they demolished Valencia 5-0 on Sunday to maintain their 100 percent start in La Liga.The reigning champions moved three points clear at the top of La Liga, after Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday.
Alabama Might Have Found Its Next Superstar
t’s only one game. And yes, it was East Carolina . But Alabama fans have every reason to be excited about Keelon Russell right now. The sophomore made his first career start Saturday and immediately showed why Kalen DeBoer handed him the keys to Alabama’s offense. Russell completed 18 of 30 passes for 256 yards…
Barcelona star forced off during Valencia clash
La Liga giants Barcelona have on Sunday been dealt a potential blow on the personnel front. This comes owing to developments in the Blaugrana’s latest outing on the domestic front.Hansi Flick’s tr...
Alabama Fans Should Be Worried About This
Alabama couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the season. The Crimson Tide destroyed East Carolina 48-10 , Keelon Russell looked impressive in his first career start and Alabama finished with nearly 500 yards of offense. But there was one problem that looked very familiar. Ryan Coleman-Williams is still dropping passes. Coleman-Williams struggled…
Confirmed: Barcelona starting line up to face Valencia
Barcelona are looking for their fourth consecutive victory this season as they take on Valencia at the Mestalla this afternoon.Ahead of this clash, Barcelona have unveiled their starting eleven that w...
Away games offer Julian Alvarez a route back at Atletico
Julian Alvarez is going nowhere, at least until January. But the Argentina forward’s public preference for a move to Barcelona over the summer has left Diego Simeone with a delicate problem that no ...
Valencia vs Barcelona, La Liga: TV & Streaming, Live Thread
Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!
Florida-FAU game brings writer's college football journey full circle
A lifelong UF fan and FAU alumnus reflects on watching the two programs that shaped his relationship with college football play on Saturday.
King Harald V remembered as Norway’s ‘Sports King’ in never-before-seen photo
Norway shares a never-before-seen photo of King Harald V as it remembers the late monarch’s remarkable Olympic career and lifelong passion for sports.
Barcelona XI vs Valencia – Predicted lineup and team news
Barcelona are set to face Valencia in their upcoming La Liga fixture on Sunday, aiming to extend their impressive winning streak at the start of the new campaign.Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have made a ...
Barcelona squad named for Valencia
Hansi Flick has called up 24 players for Sunday’s clash
Valencia vs Barcelona, La Liga: Preview
A chance for an early statement in the title race
Barcelona star to be left out of squad vs Valencia
One member of the squad called upon by La Liga giants Barcelona for their upcoming meeting with Valencia will be omitted from the club’s official matchday list. This comes owing to an overbooking in...
Athletic Bilbao crush Simeone's flat Atletico
Athletic Bilbao thumped Atletico Madrid 3-0 in La Liga on a miserable Saturday afternoon for Diego Simeone's side.On Sunday, La Liga leaders Barcelona visit Valencia looking to move clear of Real Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday, among other fixtures. rbs/pb/dmc
Barcelona must decide what to do with additional €60m
Funds are available ahead of the January transfer window.