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Roundup: ExxonMobil / SBA workforce initiative / New HoganTaylor CEO
Anti-trust charges tossed: A Texas Business Court judge dismissed Clean Hydrogen Works’ antitrust claims against ExxonMobil’s Denbury subsidiary, ruling Texas courts cannot address alleged antitrust injuries occurring outside the state. Clean Hydrogen Works alleges Exxon used its control of Denbury’s 620-mile carbon dioxide pipeline network to block a planned $7.5 billion clean-fuels project in Louisiana, […]
Cityblock acquires Homeward Health to move into rural healthcare, lands $116M funding round
Cityblock Health, a company primarily focused on providing care for urban Medicaid and dual-eligible members, is acquiring Homeward Health to expand deep into rural markets, the company announced T | Combined, the two companies will serve nearly 250,000 people and are positioned to reach the120 million people receiving government-funded healthcare in the U.S., Toyin Ajayi, Cityblock Health CEO and co-founder wrote in a blog post.
‘Doesn’t wanna win’: Charlamagne Tha God bashes Hakeem Jeffries over healthcare
if a political leader as powerful as Hakeem Jeffries changes position on a major issue, voters deserve more than a pivot. They deserve the why and, more importantly, the what now.
Weekend Entertainment | Film Great Caught Buzz at Robins Theatre; Porchrokr Parties On
Chris Columbus has directed some movie blockbusters, and his moviemaking desire first took root at Robins Theatre in downtown Warren.
ESA Confirms Ariane 6 Block 3 Upgrades Have Been Shelved
ESA has confirmed that the proposed Ariane 6 Block 3 evolution, including the ICARUS lightweight upper stage, has been shelved.
The original Xbox is getting a gorgeous building block set for its 25th anniversary
To celebrate the console's 25th Anniversary, the original Xbox is getting a building block set from Mattel that's set to launch in October.
N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s history of suing the Trump administration
One of the biggest legal roadblocks preventing President Donald Trump from enacting his policies has come from Democratic state attorneys general.
Paleontologists stunned by 2024’s most jaw-dropping fossil discoveries - Futura-Sciences
France’s Show-Stopping Fossil Finds How could we kick off this year in paleontology without highlighting the three blockbuster discoveries on French soil? While France is already renowned for its fossil-rich lands, it was the finds in Hérault’s Cabrières site in the Montagne Noire range that truly wowed the scientific community...
Trump admin. attempts to stop states from regulating online prediction markets
The Trump administration is attempting to block New York and other states from regulating online prediction markets.
Cadence Design Systems CEO: 45% of our business now is companies designing chips
Cadence Design Systems President and CEO Anirudh Devgan joins 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk demand for chips, partnering with Intel, physical AI, and more.
Judge blocks the Trump administration from moving FBI headquarters out of Maryland to DC office building
The ruling is the latest development in a yearslong battle over where to house the main office for the nation's premier law enforcement agency.
Democrats seek to block a Trump-linked crypto bank
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted conditional approval for the Trump family's World Liberty Trust Co. to become a bank handling cryptocurrency and digital assets.
2 shot in Pittsburgh neighborhood, sources say; police investigating several scenes
Officers are investigating several scenes, including in the 7200 block of Frankstown Road.
The Gap Between State and Territorial AI Policies and Public Health Practice
Learn how public health agencies are utilizing state policy to craft frameworks for responsible AI use.
Everyone wants a piece of Luke Kuechly
This originally appeared in Tuesday morning’s edition of The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter with the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis. Sign up here and be the first to know everything going on in the sports media world. When Luke Kuechly walked away from the NFL at 28 years old, the prevailing assumption…
Are welfare cuts Reform’s stumbling block?
‘Extremely ambitious’ plans could risk damaging relationships with Europe, and Reform’s own voting base
Judge blocks Trump admin from moving FBI headquarters to DC office building
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ruled that the move was "not in accordance with law"
Judge blocks Trump admin from moving FBI headquarters to DC office building
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ruled that the move was "not in accordance with law"
FTC investigating Epic Systems over potential antitrust violations
The agency is looking into claims that the EHR vendor is blocking data access to its over 300 million patient records. If true, such actions would violate federal regulations.
Scientists Have Found A Surprising Number Of “Extraterrestrial Amino Acids” Never Before Seen On Earth
We call them the building blocks of proteins, but only a small fraction actually does that. At least, on Earth!
Dozens ransack Bellflower business during street takeover, sheriff's department says
Sheriff's detectives today were investigating a burglary in which dozens of people ransacked a Bellflower business while a street takeover involving an estimated 100 to 150 vehicles blocked the surrounding roadway.
Houston appeals block on minority business contracting program
Houston’s minority business contracting program should be allowed to keep operating, city officials said in appealing a federal ruling finding the program's “racial aspect” unconstitutional.
Multiple Businesses Burglarized During Overnight Crime Spree; Juvenile Arrested
On August 17, 2026, at approximately 5:00 AM, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Communications Center received a call for service reporting a burglary in progress at a business in the 6800 block of Space Village Avenue in unincorporated El Paso County. As Patrol deputies responded, dispatchers received additional information indicating the suspect was […]
Hayden Panettiere's most memorable roles from TV and film
Revisit Hayden Panettiere's unforgettable roles spanning TV hits and blockbuster films, following her death at age 36.
Indie developer of popular stock market game says Sony is blocking a PS5 release and delisting its previous games
STONKS-9800 is no longer coming to PS5 and all of Ternox’s previous games are being pulled…
Sony Unilaterally Blocks Release of Popular Indie Game
Stonks-9800 developer Ternox Games claims they broke no rules and have been unfairly banned by Sony.
Trump says White House needs ‘military complex’ as courts block his ballroom
When Trump first unveiled his plans for the new East Wing addition, he said it was needed to host VIP guests. More recently, he is calling it a 'desperately needed National Security structure.'
Jets activate 366-pound defensive monster ahead of 2026 season
The Jets received a major defensive boost Saturday, activating 366-pound tackle T’Vondre Sweat as the centerpiece of their blockbuster Jermaine Johnson trade finally gets on the field.
A little-known protein may be fueling Alzheimer’s — and scientists found a way to block it
An experimental Alzheimer’s compound prevented damaging protein clumps from forming in the brains of mice, helping nerve cells survive longer and reducing amyloid buildup. The treatment also appeared to improve heart health and slow some signs of aging, raising hopes for an entirely new way to combat dementia.
As Trump blocks Medicaid funds, one trans teen's mom asks: What's next?
A longtime Republican living in California says the Trump administration's continuing actions to target transgender youth take a personal toll.
Which building blocks of life have been found in space, and which haven't?
So far, researchers have found many signs of the building blocks of life in space, but what exactly have they discovered, and what remains to be found?
Armenian Genocide survivors' grandson says 'political motives' block recognition
In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began the systematic deportation and massacre of its Armenian population. As many as 1.5 million Armenians were killed – widely regarded by historians as the twentieth century's…
Iran business leader admits U.S. blockade will inflict more economic damage than war, and the ‘worst thing that could happen’ is trying to evade it
The head of the Iran-China Joint Chamber of Commerce said "the consequences of the blockade far outweigh those of a direct war."
Convention Center hotel hits a roadblock: 'I'll vote against it,' Senate president says
"I'm adamantly opposed to putting anything related to Omni on next week's agenda," Senate President Cameron Henry said. "I will be there, and if it's on the agenda, I will vote against it. The financing isn't in place, and we don't have a deal that's good for the state. I've been talking to the Omni folks, but we need to keep talking to find something that works."
Scientists solve the mystery of a brain “switch” that can trigger weight loss in opposite ways
Scientists have uncovered why two seemingly opposite ways of targeting the same brain receptor can both promote weight loss. In mice, activating the GIP receptor in the brainstem reduced appetite, while blocking it in the hypothalamus removed a kind of “brake” on fullness signals. The discovery helps explain why very different obesity drugs can achieve similar results and suggests that carefully combining GIP-targeting treatments with GLP-1 drugs like those related to Wegovy and Ozempic could produce stronger effects.
Is the NFL standing down on early media rights negotiations?
This originally appeared in Friday’s edition of The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter with the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis. Sign up here and be the first to know everything going on in the sports media world. It was another active week on the NFL media rights front as the industry digested…
More, more, more: Lakers deal is the latest in sports gold rush
The blockbuster sale of the Los Angeles Lakers this week keeps alive a sports gold rush among North America's billionaire elite, with pricey media rights, skyrocketing attendance and insatiable fans helping drive prices sky-high.
Op-ed | When mental health crises happen, New Yorkers deserve more than one option
On a recent summer morning in Queens, Jordyn encountered a neighbor she knew to be living with a serious mental health condition. He had been pacing the block
Raiders’ Latest Maxx Crosby Update Hints at Blockbuster Trade
The Las Vegas Raiders have gone through a rollercoaster offseason with superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Even now, the final conclusion to the situation doesn’t seem to be in place.Crosby entered the NFL offseason as a clear-cut trade candidate. It didn’t take long for the Raiders to agree to a deal that sent him to […] The post Raiders’ Latest Maxx Crosby Update Hints at Blockbuster Trade appeared first on HEAVY.
CRISPR roadblocks: Scientists identify genes blocking gene therapy success
Like a delivery driver navigating crowded city streets, a gene-therapy-toting lipid nanoparticle faces a gauntlet of potential detours on its journey toward a cell's nucleus. First, there's entering the ...
Cityblock Health Expands in North Carolina to Support Nearly 20,000 Dual-Eligible and Medicare Advantage Members
/PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cityblock Health announced a program to bring comprehensive, accessible care to almost 20,000 Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible...
Trump administration finalizes rule to end federal support for gender-affirming care
Move blocking funds through Medicaid and Chip to make it harder for vulnerable children to get healthcare, experts say
David Ellison is best argument to block Paramount-Warner Bros. deal
Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison faces an antitrust lawsuit over his proposed purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery. He recently threatened to move Paramount out of California if the suit is not settled.
Car crashes into business in Huntington Beach
Injuries were reported after a car crashed into a business Wednesday in Huntington Beach. The crash was reported in the 6000 block of Edinger Avenue. Details about what led to the crash were not immediately available. At least part of the car appeared to end up inside the store, one of several in the strip mall. Patients were transported to…
Rick Jackson unveils plan to revitalize historic Georgia business districts
Rick Jackson has unveiled a proposal aimed at restoring historic commercial districts in the state, including Augusta’s Golden Blocks.
Facebook ads are so hard to block that uBlock Origin stopped filtering them
Facebook ads and ad-blocking tools have been in a constant clash for years. But it looks like uBlock Origin is stepping away from that fight.
The debate over puberty blockers needs more science and less politics
There is a data vacuum in this country, even as several European countries adopt more cautious practices to treating youth gender dysphoria
The Hollywood Merger Won’t Kill Entertainment Jobs. Blocking It Might
Something besides industry consolidation is clearly to blame for Hollywood’s current contraction.
Philadelphia Eagles QB Predicted To Get Traded Before Final Cuts
The Philadelphia Eagles have a quarterback controversy, but it’s not on a major scale. Jalen Hurts is the guaranteed starter. His backup? That’s between Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee. Before the final week of the 2025 NFL regular season, nobody could’ve predicted that McKee would be seen as somebody on the chopping block, yet here […] The post Philadelphia Eagles QB Predicted To Get Traded Before Final Cuts appeared first on HEAVY.
Man stabbed in face after argument inside business
Officers said the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of South Saratoga Street.
Lakers Projected Trade Package for Klay Thompson Revealed
The Los Angeles Lakers have been somewhat unpredictable so far this offseason. Other than the Walker Kessler deal, they ditched the blockbuster trade and instead opted to prioritize complementary additions. The front office doesn’t appear to be done yet, and there is an opportunity to further increase guard depth and veteran shooting. Dallas Mavericks star […] The post Lakers Projected Trade Package for Klay Thompson Revealed appeared first on HEAVY.
US bars federal funding of gender-affirming care for low-income minors
WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The Trump administration finalized a rule on Tuesday barring two major federal health programs from funding puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries to treat gend...
Trump administration finalizes rule restricting trans healthcare for minors on Medicaid
The Trump administration on Tuesday released a final rule blocking the use of federal Medicaid dollars for transgender healthcare for minors, as well as barring Children’s Health Insurance Program …
How The Global Business Community Is Responding To Tariffs & The Strait Of Hormuz Impasse: Expert
When the Supreme Court blocked a large swath of his tariffs, Trump said his administration had "very powerful alternatives." Now we know what those alternatives are.
‘We are professionals’: Coalition of Public Service and Health Care Unions Sue to Block New Department of Education Student Loan Rule That Will Hurt Patient Care and Worsen Staffing Crises
WASHINGTON – A coalition of unions representing hundreds of thousands of public service and health care workers filed a lawsuit this week challenging the Department of Education’s new RISE rule.
Luxury second-home tax survives temporary court block, for now
The tax applies to second homes worth more than $5 million.
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA
Updown Getdown live music series returns to Marion
The Uptown Getdown music series returns to Marion this month, with live music scheduled every Thursday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. in City Square Park. Also, 3rd Street Block
GOP senators rally behind 9/11 families in push to ban Mamdani from anniversary ceremony: 'He's a disgrace'
Republican senators back 9/11 families' petition to block Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero.
Blocked storm drains blamed for Ringgold flooding, but some businesses remain uncertain
Downtown Ringgold business owners were able to get some answers Monday night as they continue to recover from two flooding incidents last week.Questions remain
Mountain View fire causes $5K in damage to business
(BCN) — Mountain View firefighters stopped a fire from spreading into businesses at a Grant Road shopping center Monday morning. Crews responded to the 1300 block of Grant Road after a 911 ca…
Celtics Newcomer Named X-Factor After Blockbuster Jaylen Brown Trade
The Celtics’ return for Jaylen Brown enters next season carrying an X-factor label and the pressure to keep Boston among the East’s elite. The post Celtics Newcomer Named X-Factor After Blockbuster Jaylen Brown Trade appeared first on HEAVY.
Pied-à-terre tax rollout blocked temporarily by Staten Island judge
The next hearing is set for Aug. 31.
Pied-à-terre tax rollout blocked temporarily by Staten Island judge
The next hearing is set for Aug. 31.
Judge pauses pied-à-terre tax rollout after homeowners allege botched launch
Staten Island Judge Wayne Ozzi heard arguments on a motion for a temporary restraining order to block the rollout of the pied-à-terre tax.
Saber's newest game trailer takes a shot at Gearbox's CEO, if you look closely
The first hint that something might be up with the recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s Rideshare Stimulator is an unusual choice of words—aside from that second one in the game’s title. “Don’t take your passengers too seriously,” the trailer’s narrator says, as he describes this upcoming game. It a car game about the gig work of driving eccentric people to their destinations, a riff on Crazy Taxi. And then, he says: “When I think I’ve met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in.” “Randiest”? That suggests “randy,” which usually means having strong sexual desire. Yet none of the oddball backseat occupants featured in the trailer seem particularly lustful. One is an old man who considers his grandson a failure, another shares the theory that birds might control traffic lights, another says he’s banned from an aquarium. A little later, there’s a license plate, shown 63 seconds into the trailer, on the front of an SUV: USB DRV It’s a Texas plate. The symbol between those letters is a cog wheel. If you know, you know. That’s a reference to Texas-based Borderlands game development studio Gearbox Software (their logo features a cog wheel). More specifically, it’s a reference to Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, who in 2018 found himself explaining the nature of video he’d saved on a USB drive that was found at a Medieval Times restaurant before being returned to the studio: “It was ‘barely legal’ porn. This girl’s handle was ‘Only 18.’” The “girl” in the video had committed a solo sex act that Pitchford, an avid practitioner of magic, found remarkable. “I realized, this is not a sex worker…This is a fucking magician.” Back then, the USB drive was central to competing lawsuits against Gearbox by the studio’s former lawyer and by Gearbox against him. A settlement in late 2019 “exonerated” Pitchford, per the Hollywood Reporter. The USB story has resurfaced at times, now in a trailer from a company that not long ago was corporate brethren with Gearbox. Saber vs. Gearbox The head of Saber told Game File that the reference is payback. “The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Saber CEO Matt Karch told me when I asked him about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.” Having interviewed Karch during a cross-country flight in late 2024, I can confirm that Karch was unimpressed with Pitchford during their time both working in the Embracer group. I’d approached him not out of surprise that there was animosity but that it was manifesting publicly now. Gearbox was founded in 1999, worked on a port of Halo early on, and developed hit series such as the loot-based sci-fi shooter Borderlands before it was purchased by The Embracer Group in early 2021 for $363 million (with a possible earn-out of over $1 billion, if certain targets were hit by 2027). Saber was founded in 2001, worked on a remaster of Halo early on, had a big hit with zombie shooter World War Z and was purchased by Embracer in early 2020 for $150 million, with a potential earn-out of up to $375 million. For a few years, the Embracer group was a voracious acquirer of game studios. Then, as investment dried up, it choked. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber to an investment company controlled by Saber CEO Matt Karch, and it sold Gearbox in an all-stock deal to long-time Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive. Other studios were shut down. Hundreds of developers were laid off. Gearbox didn’t say much about their Embracer experience, nothing too direct, at least. In the summer 2024, Pitchford told reporter and occasional Game File contributor Nicole Carpenter that Borderlands 4’s story was in some way thematically connected to Gearbox’s experience at Embracer: “There’s this cultural and emotional shift in me, personally, and at the studio. What does it mean to trade some autonomy for organization?” When Borderlands 4 came out, there was something stranger: the matter of “Embracer’s Bluff,” a location in the game featuring an AI-powered toilet and a large trash dump, according to a detailed Kotaku account of the place. Gearbox never commented on it; Take Two never got back to me about it when I asked them last year. By contrast, since Saber exited Embracer, Karch has been one of Embracer’s biggest defenders, casting their management as well-meaning and supportive despite the layoffs and studio closures that resulted from their excessive expansion. Like others, Saber’s Karch saw Embracer’s as a shot. With Rideshare Stimulator’s trailer, he’s returned fire. “It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch told Game File. A rep for Gearbox did not comment by press time. Game File is a reader-supported publication. Your backing makes my reporting—including any coverage of trailer-based beefs—possible. Good news! I’m currently running Game File’s first big sale of 2026. You can get a one-year subscription for 23% off. Click here to take advantage of the limited-time offer. And thank you for your support! Item 2: In brief… 🚫 Wal-Mart has laid off the staff of Restart, a games media outlet launched in 2024, Aftermath reports. 🟥 A GTA VI preview is on the way, at last, via an “extended look” that will premiere, unusually, on Netflix at 3pm ET on August 27, then officially go live elsewhere six hours later. Last week, Game File noted that Take Two label Rockstar Games is overdue for showing off GTA VI, based on the timing of the initial hands-off previews of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. During a call with investors, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders for GTA VI were “unprecedented and astonishing,” but added the company can’t predict how many of those pre-orders represent bonus sales vs. sales that otherwise would have been made at launch. During the same call, Zelnick was noticeably bullish on the future of playing games over streaming cloud connections (predicting wider adoption in three or so years). He sounded unbothered by Sony’s plans to stop making discs for new games (he said the business is 90% digital already and predicted that there could still be limited edition physical editions of games “in the same way there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business.”) 👀 Take Two wrote off $43 million in their spring quarter after deciding “not to proceed with further development of an unannounced title in its pipeline from a third-party developer.” 🤔 Some rare age-demographics from a big publisher: Capcom recently told investors that “users in their 20s account for approximately half of the users of both Pragamata and Resident Evil Requiem.” Item 3: The week ahead Tuesday, August 11 Game releases: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Switch 2; already out for PC, PS5, Xbox) continues the Bethesda strategy of putting Elder Scrolls games on everything; Royalty Free-For-All is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring public domain characters such as Mother Goose brawling with Oliver Twist in a stage based on the original Little Shop of Horrors movie. Wednesday, August 12 Game release: Pro Jank Footy (PC, console) is an arcade-style Australian Rules Football game with increasingly ridiculous rules, the more you play (I enjoyed the Steam demo) Thursday, August 13 Game release: Super Mario Sunshine (Switch 2, originally released in 2002 on the GameCube) is released for Switch 2’s Nintendo Switch Online service. This game is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It’s the successor to the breakthrough Super Mario 64 and the rare Mario game built around a single (vacation resort) theme. Mario’s got a water-spraying backpack, a Yoshi pal and a lot of blue coins to collect.
Trump order aims to cut number of diseases all children should be vaccinated against from 18 to 11
The order reaffirms the dramatic overhaul to the vaccine schedule that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced earlier this year. Those changes have been blocked in court.
Someone Made a Terrific Deal in the Peacock/YouTube Premium Partnership…But Who?
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) I hope everyone around the world suffering from record heat waves is doing okay. The temperature is already up in Southern California, but obviously not nearly as bad as parts of Europe. With a super El Nińo coming this year, I worry it will get even worse. Yes, we know what’s causing this heat—it’s the carbon, duh—but we really aren’t making enough progress. I’m not “environmental strategy guy”, but if I were, I’d have some ideas of what I’d try. Honestly, for years I’ve been intrigued by the work of the folks at MEER—whose plan, super simply, is to put up mirrors to reflect heat (while continuing the important work of decarbonization)—but I’m frustrated this idea hasn’t made more progress. (Other geo-engineering groups seem to get better press.) With heat like this—cancelling events, hurting economies and, most importantly, killing people—it seems like the time to push solutions! The “mirrors on the ground” solution has barely been tried.1 While entertainment companies may not “feel the heat”, lots of outdoors/experiential industries—concerts, theme parks and so on—will. Even movie theaters could benefit, since mirrors could help lower AC costs, which I imagine is not an insignificant expense, especially in the hotter areas of the country. So I do think the entertainment industry should prioritize this issue. Anyways, let’s get back into the entertainment strategy. I was about to write, “Hey, this week we don’t have any mergers and entertainment news to dive into,” but that’s not really true, since we had more updates on Paramount-Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery. But the big story of the week involves a streamer and a Big Tech platform bundling their respective streamers. So I’ll write about the updates on Paramount buying Warner Bros., Versant making some moves, and a whole lot more. But we start with a surprising deal: Peacock licensing their content to YouTube Premium. Let’s dive in! Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Peacock’s Pricey Premium Partnership The story of the week is Comcast’s2 NBC-Universal’s Peacock making a deal with Google’s YouTube’s YouTube Premium subscription product to embed their content. And I’ll say this up front: Someone made a terrific deal. The question is who. And I’ll be honest: I don’t know. Let me explain why, including why this deal exists, the pros and cons for each side, the biggest unknown, and what that says about the streaming wars. Customers Love Bundles (But YouTube Has Its Own Issues) 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… Why customers love bundles… But why I’m worried about YouTube’s integration... How Peacock is trading scale for control… And the reason they likely made this deal... The odd budget math for this deal... Whether or not I think the Paramount-Skydance/WBD deal is more likely after the latest settlement... Versant making moves and why that’s good for Hollywood… Another distributor going out of business… ...and a whole lot more! ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
White House Attempt To Control Science Grants Is Blocked - For Now
The plan by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to subject all United States research grants to political oversight has been halted by the
Scientists Release Biggest 2D Map of the Universe
Key Takeaways The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys combined more than 263,000 telescope exposures to make the largest 2D map of the universe in visible and near-infrared light. Astronomers can pair the Legacy Surveys map with their own observations to explore our universe and search for rare phenomena. The 2D map serves as the foundation for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument survey to measure the universe in 3D and investigate dark energy. Hold on to your telescopes: the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys team has released the largest-ever 2D color map of the universe. The 5.6-trillion-pixel map contains nearly 4 billion celestial objects, primarily stars and galaxies. The data is available for all to use and publicly viewable through the Legacy Survey Sky Viewer. Astronomers and citizen scientists can explore the map or combine it with their own observations to better understand our universe. Researchers can search for rare phenomena like gravitational lenses, observe fleeting events like supernovae, and investigate two of physics’ biggest mysteries: dark matter, the invisible substance that accounts for most of the mass in our universe, and dark energy, the force driving our universe’s accelerating expansion. The new map builds on earlier versions from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys that have already proved invaluable. To date, more than 1,800 science papers that reference the Legacy Surveys data have been published. “It’s part of the fabric of astronomy research now,” said David Schlegel, a co-lead of the Legacy Surveys and scientist at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). “When you’re working with astronomical objects today, you often start by pulling up the Legacy Imaging Viewer to see what you’re looking at.” Covering roughly 75% of the sky in visible and near-infrared light, the updated map provides a deep view of the extragalactic universe not blocked by the dust and stars of our own Milky Way. Researchers expect it will remain the most comprehensive 2D map of our universe for years to come. More than 160 scientists contributed to data collection for the project, and a team of 20 produced the final dataset released today. It was built by combining 263,407 telescope exposures from three ground-based sky surveys: the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) at NSF Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the Mayall z-band Legacy Survey (MzLS) at NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory, and the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS) at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory. That was supplemented by years of data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) satellite mission and additional public data. “For our team, these data are fundamental to our investigation of the expansion history of the universe and the formation of our galaxy,” said Arjun Dey, co-lead of the Legacy Surveys and an astronomer at NSF NOIRLab. “But the skies belong to everyone, and this survey gives everyone the chance to explore the sky and marvel at its wonders.” Here be galaxies The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys were originally conducted to prepare for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey. The Legacy Surveys’ 2D map is essentially a deep photograph of the sky; it records where galaxies and stars appear and how bright they appear. This crucial step enables DESI to select objects and measure their light in different wavelengths to determine their distances, building the largest high-resolution 3D map ever made. Scientists study the way galaxies have clustered at different ages of the universe to track dark energy over time. In April 2026, DESI completed its original five-year survey ahead of schedule and with vastly more objects than expected. The early results have shown surprising hints that dark energy’s impact may be weakening over time — a paradigm shift that could potentially shape the predicted fate of our universe. DESI expects to publish improved results using their first five years of data in 2027 and is continuing observations into 2028. DESI was so efficient at observing galaxies, the Legacy Surveys map needed to expand. Early on, “it became clear we might run out of galaxies to look at and run out of sky, and we better start doing something about that,” said Schlegel, who also works on DESI. The new Legacy Surveys map has been used to select DESI targets since June 2026 and will guide the telescope’s operations over the coming years. Computing the cosmos Merging hundreds of thousands of images taken on 2,285 nights, each with unique atmospheric and telescope conditions, was a massive computational effort. It took about a year to develop the computer code and eight weeks to process all the images at the Perlmutter supercomputer at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at Berkeley Lab. Beyond supporting DESI, the Legacy Surveys will be a foundational reference for the next generation of telescopes. As new observatories like the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory (jointly funded by NSF and DOE’s Office of Science) and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope come online, researchers can compare their observations with one of the deepest and most comprehensive views of the sky ever assembled. The Legacy Surveys data will also help scientists train artificial intelligence tools to analyze petabytes of astronomical data and accelerate new discoveries. It will be among the datasets used in an astrophysics pilot project within the American Science Cloud, part of the DOE’s Genesis Mission. The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of High Energy Physics; the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science user facility; the U.S. National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences; and the partner institutions. DESI is supported by the DOE Office of Science and NERSC. Additional support for DESI is provided by the NSF; the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA); the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI) of Mexico; the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain; and by the DESI member institutions. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15.
Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15. The lawsuit, filed July 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, challenges a new provision in the state budget that will eliminate an exception for products containing more than 2 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per package when they also contain at least 25 times as much cannabidiol (CBD).
In a competitive Maine Senate race, women voters could be the deciders
The race between Susan Collins and Troy Jackson is one of this year's most high-profile Senate contests. To win, both candidates will need support from an especially powerful voting bloc: Maine women.
Mirror cells could threaten life on Earth. Why are we building them?
For people with two hands, one is usually dominant. On a molecular level, earthly life takes this to the extreme. All of the DNA in living things twists to the right, whereas the protein building blocks favor a kind of left-handed chemistry.The rules of life are based on this chemistry.In recent years, scientists have worked toward a kind of mirror version of life. Currently, the technology doesn't exist to make mirror life at the cellular level — and likely won't for at least a decade. Still, a group of scientists is concerned enough about the possibility that they've published a 299-page technical report calling for a stop to the science.In this encore episode for our Tech Camp series, host Regina Barber talks to Carl Zimmer, a science reporter at The New York Times, about his reporting on mirror cells — and why creating them could lead to devastating consequences for life on Earth.Check out Carl's full article.Curious about other controversial research? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
Is social media addiction real? Law, science collide in blockbuster suit
Several states allege Meta intentionally designed its products to addict kids and repeatedly lied to the public about it.
Business Owners Can Dabble in Bitcoin Mining for Just $49.99
Monitor progress from the built-in touchscreen display.
Business Briefcase: Open-air downtown farm market underway
SHENANDOAH — Schuylkill County’s longest running seasonal outdoor downtown farm market is continuing its run from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays through November along the east side of the first block of South Main Street. Launched in …
FULL SHOW: Inside INdiana Business 8/9/26
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Lakers' Austin Reaves' future in limbo after Walker Kessler's blockbuster trade, says NBA insider
The Los Angeles Lakers have had added a lot of new talent this summer. However, it could very well put Austin Reaves future in LA on the line.
Santa Monica Block Fest brings much-needed boost to downtown businesses
The block fests happen every second Saturday of the month from 5 p.m. to midnight and are free to the public.
Ella’s Top Corral celebrates 50 years of business
Ella’s Top Corral hosted a community block party to celebrate the original owner’s birthday and the legacy built over 50 years.
KCPD: one man shot and killed at a business in the 3900 block of Main
Kansas City, Missouri Police are investigating a homicide in the 3900 block of Main. No one is in custody.
Protect Your Business With This 2-Part AdGuard Bundle, on Sale for $40
Two days left: Get five years of VPN protect and a lifetime without ads.
Food Tank’s Weekly News Roundup: U.S. Restores Health Aid, Companies Block Action on UPFs, New Tool Boosts Water Security
This week, the U.S. restores some health aid, corporations slow action on public health, and a tool boosts water security for women farmers.
Column: Back to blockbusting
At least part of the magic of the movies comes from community — the communal experience of gathering in one place together with others and letting the story wash over
NFL Exec Thinks Bills Could Explore Blockbuster $27 Million Trade
The Buffalo Bills put together a strong all-around NFL offseason. Heading into the 2026 NFL season, they are once again viewed as a team who could make a run all the way to the Super Bowl. Over the last few years, Josh Allen and company have had those same expectations. However, they have come up […] The post NFL Exec Thinks Bills Could Explore Blockbuster $27 Million Trade appeared first on HEAVY.
Avon farm owner says road construction project threatens nearly 175-year-old business
The fifth-generation owner of Pickering Hill Farms says a road construction project on Detroit Road has blocked access to his parking lot for more than 100 days, cutting into business during the farm’s peak season.
MURKOWSKI CONGRATULATES INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE DIRECTOR MARK CRUZ ON SENATE CONFIRMATION
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, congratulated the Senate’s confirmation of Mark Cruz to serve as Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an en bloc package of nominations on August 7, 2026. “I congratulate Mark […]
Microsoft Edge is about to lock out older ad blockers, just like Chrome did
No more uBlock Origin on Edge.
Science Wins A Skirmish
Thank heaven for small favors: Senators on the Appropriations Committee on Sunday released a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown by Oct. 1 and temporarily block a White House proposal that would fundamentally change how the federal government awards and manages grants. In late May, the Office of Management and Budget released … Continue reading "Science Wins A Skirmish"
Take-Two sticks to annual bookings outlook, says on track for 'GTA VI' November launch
Take-Two Interactive maintained its annual bookings forecast on Friday, but reiterated the November 19 launch date for its highly anticipated title "Grand Theft Auto VI", bringing the blockbuster release one step closer to fans.
Virginia businesses sue to block new THC regulations set to take effect this month
Starting on Aug. 16, hemp products in Virginia cannot exceed more than 2 milligrams of THC per package. Supporters say it's a safety issues, but some local businesses the new regulations could force them to take massive amounts of products off the shelves.
EXCLUSIVE: Oversight Project sues to block Maryland Democrats’ redistricting measure backed by Gov Moore
A redistricting lawsuit alleges Maryland officials missed mandatory deadlines for HB 2100 and used a last-minute clause to bypass certification rules.
Michigan Supreme Court is asked to block money-out-of-politics question
A business-backed group is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to invalidate a campaign finance petition over a dispute about signature certification.
Business owner and attorney deliver demand notice to Savannah leaders over liquor license dispute
The owner of a Savannah event venue and her attorney have sent city officials a 14-page legal demand, requesting $500,000 in lost revenue and a formal review of the West Savannah alcohol overlay that has blocked the business from obtaining a liquor license.
Multiple East Texas fire departments extinguish fire at business in Gun Barrel City
Multiple East Texas fire departments worked to extinguish a fire at a business Wednesday in the 700 block of West Main Street in Gun Barrel City.
Trump wins last-minute reprieve temporarily blocking BBC access to his business records
Trump sued the BBC for $10 billion, alleging its 2024 “Panorama” documentary about the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack defamed him.
Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Penguins’ $30.75M Star Winger
The Chicago Blackhawks have made it clear with their roster moves this offseason that they want to be better in 2026-27. They most notably acquired Bowen Byram in a blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Sabres and also reunited with Patrick Kane. The Original Six also added other players to their roster this summer, like Ian […] The post Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Penguins’ $30.75M Star Winger appeared first on HEAVY.
Iran says it's in final stages of draft agreement with Oman on Strait of Hormuz
The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports
Student-Produced Beehive Block Party Opens Doors to Live Entertainment Careers
South Los Angeles students gained hands-on entertainment industry experience by producing the Live Nation-backed Beehive Block Party, the culminating event of the SoLa Live Accelerator Program.