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Zoe Saldaña says Taylor Sheridan gives stars two choices: 'Make sure that you don't f--k up... or you quit'

Zoe Saldaña says Taylor Sheridan gives actors two choices on his sets: accept the challenge or quit. The "Lioness" star reveals his approach.

Aug 4 • 4:20 PM EDT • Entertainment • foxnews.com

Deadline Approaching for the 2026 IAM Safety & Health Conference

The IAM Safety and Health Department is accepting registrations for the 2026 IAM Safety & Health Conference, taking place Sept. 27 to Oct. 2, 2026, at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Md. This annual conference provides IAM members with the knowledge and tools needed to address today's workplace safety and health

Aug 4 • 12:12 PM EDT • Health • goiam.org

India: Cockroach Protests Show Political Atmosphere Has Changed

If Modi responds to the Cockroach protesters with further repression, it could backfire.

Aug 4 • 11:56 AM EDT • Politics • foreignpolicy.com

Michelle Centofanti Honored as Louisville Business First Best in Finance Winner

For Michelle Centofanti, finance has never been just about numbers. It is about helping people make better decisions, solving complex challenges, and building stronger partnerships across the business. That approach has earned Michelle recognition as one of Louisville Business First’s 2026 Best in Finance honorees. During her first year at Heaven Hill, Michelle has become […]

Aug 4 • 9:42 AM EDT • Business • heavenhill.com

Freezing fire: UT San Antonio scientists discover breakthrough for green energy

A novel approach borrowed from metallurgy breaks down ceramics into powerful clean-energy building blocks.

Aug 4 • 3:00 AM EDT • Science • news.utsa.edu

BP to sell US biogas business as profits soar

Chief executive says UK oil major has had several approaches for its North Sea assets

Aug 4 • 2:23 AM EDT • Business • ft.com

Research roundup: 6 cool science stories we almost missed

Also: Cyborg diving suits for cockroaches, why sleepy sperm whales blow bubbles, Betelgeuse's companion star.

Aug 3 • 4:13 PM EDT • Science • arstechnica.com

From 4-H to environmental science: How Allie Trotter found her calling in serving South Carolina

Her agricultural background continues to influence how she approaches issues such as clean water, healthy ecosystems and safe communities.

Aug 3 • 3:39 PM EDT • Science • news.clemson.edu

If Not AOC, Then Who?

What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵

Aug 3 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com

Ipswich Town want Laurienté, Sassuolo set €30m asking price

Sassuolo winger Armand Laurienté has received an approach from Ipswich Town, claim Sportitalia, after Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor interest.The 27-year-old has been linked with an exit for se...

Aug 3 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Phillies add batting champ Arraez, reliever Raley in pair of deadline deals

The Phillies pulled off a couple of trades Monday morning as the 6 p.m. deadline for making deals approached.

Aug 3 • 10:16 AM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsphiladelphia.com

In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain-related healthcare

Specialized health care for brain-related issues can be lacking in rural areas, but collaborative, community-based approaches can help address these inequities.

Aug 3 • 8:30 AM EDT • Health • theconversation.com

‘The Democratic Party is asleep at the wheel’: Democratic socialists are strategizing for their biggest moment yet

DSA has taken a strategic approach to grow its power within the Democratic Party, picking off two House incumbents already this year and potentially a third on Tuesday in Michigan. As the group’s summit in Chicago made clear, its members see this as only the beginning of a fight against both Republicans and Democrats alike.

Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Why hybrid healthcare is a business imperative for employers in Ohio

The hybrid healthcare approach can help Ohio employers improve employee experience while managing healthcare costs.

Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • crainscleveland.com

Why hybrid healthcare is a business imperative for employers in Ohio

The hybrid healthcare approach can help Ohio employers improve employee experience while managing healthcare costs.

Aug 3 • 5:00 AM EDT • Business • crainscleveland.com

Rays Reacts Results: Winning the AL East

The trade deadline approaches tomorrow afternoon, and we’ve already seen one major domino fall in the last few hours, as the Dodgers have miraculously scooped up Tarik Skubal for just OF Zyhir Hope (ranked in the 25-50 range on MLB top prospect lists) and two throw-ins (injured RHP River Ryan and wonky RHP Brady Smith). […]

Aug 2 • 7:38 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Roach infestation shuts Arlington restaurant in latest city health inspections

The report compiled by the Star-Telegram contains data from July 12 through July 25 and 147 inspections.

Aug 1 • 10:16 PM EDT • Health • star-telegram.com

Science Inquiry Comes Alive for Jacket Middle Schoolers

Snails, sidewalks and Double Stuff Oreos... At Partnership Middle School, instructors are finding innovative ways to help students connect the classroom to what they see in the real world every day. By integrating hands-on experiences and scientific investigations into weekly lessons, 6th and 7th grade science teachers push their classes to explore the curriculum standards through the lens of critical thinking, communication with their peers, experimentation, and scientific inquiry. Last week, two different approaches for two different grade levels saw Jacket teachers ignite the same spark for learning. On Tuesday, 6th graders in Lydia Jones' science class took their lessons outside as they explored the school grounds to identify living and non-living things. Despite the warm temperatures, they engaged in discovering unexpected objects on the campus and connecting that to what they learned in class about the criteria for what qualifies a thing as "living". Ms. Jones tasked students with walking the grounds and listing as many living and non-living things they could find in just a few minutes. Students spotted a fire hydrant, construction vehicles, grass, trees, soccer equipment, rocks, sidewalks, and even a snail hidden in the plants. After they finished the exploration, students returned to the regular classroom to discuss their results and whether their objects were classified correctly. On Thursday, 7th graders in Omini Parks' science class participated in their first lab of the semester as they explored and identified the physical properties of a favorite snack -- Oreos. Ms. Parks identified the class objective before the lab activity began by writing the academic standard on the dry erase board in a declarative statement: "I can collect and evaluate qualitative data to describe substances using physical properties." Students watched a video about how Oreo sandwich cookies are made, and then engaged in a question and answer discussion to give observations on the manufacturing process, review various types of physical properties and their scientific terminology, and talk generally about how the lab inquiry would work. The Q&A ended with a predictable question from students... "Will we be able to eat the Oreos?" The hands-on lab exercise required the 7th grade scientists to observe and record the differences between regular Oreos and the Double Stuff variety based on their physical properties. They followed the instructions in their lab brief to chart a comparison between the two types of cookies by observing properties with their magnifying lenses, measuring the height and diameter of both, and weighing the cookies with and without their filling. The activity let students put their lessons about physical properties into practice with real objects while also practicing vocabulary and writing skills to record their observations and using math skills from the last school year like taking measurements and calculating averages. Of course, they ended the lab by charting the taste of the cookies as well! These types of activities allow students to see the science standards they are learning come to life in the real world and engage with the content in new ways. Beyond that, they serve as a foundation for encouraging and growing scientific inquiry. Later in the school year, students will use the scientific method they are learning to complete science projects that require real research and the ability to explain and answer questions about their process and results. At the school-level competitive Science Fair last year, 41 Partnership students earned a place in the 2026 regional Science Fair held at MSU. From there, 14 advanced to the State Science Fair conducted at Northeast Mississippi Community College in April.

Aug 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • starkvillesd.com

Construction's new approach: Protecting margins with risk management

Mid-market construction firms face margin pressure from cost volatility and labor shortages, making proactive risk management key to profitability.

Aug 1 • 2:00 AM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com

Cowboys’ Brian Schottenheimer Gives Emphatic George Pickens Warning

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer gave a strong statement on the approach of George Pickens this week at training camp. The post Cowboys’ Brian Schottenheimer Gives Emphatic George Pickens Warning appeared first on HEAVY.

Jul 31 • 3:27 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Todd Blanche’s Loyalty to Trump Is Putting His Attorney General Confirmation at Risk

Todd Blanche’s approach has collided with the jury-of-two reality in the Senate that has, thus far, kept him from the prize he covets: the stability and status conferred by a Senate confirmation.

Jul 31 • 2:44 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Beyond 'healthy' obesity: New framework weighs organ damage and daily limitations

A new approach to defining obesity could help physicians better determine which patients need more intensive treatment by focusing on the effects of excess adiposity on organs and tissues rather than ...

Jul 31 • 2:20 PM EDT • Health • medicalxpress.com

Ice Ice Maybe: New Ways to Search for Frozen Water on the Moon

Scientists used a unique vacuum chamber that mimics moon conditions to design an approach for ice prospecting with seismic waves. The work could help future Artemis missions find water.

Jul 31 • 2:07 PM EDT • Science • newscenter.lbl.gov

Jets coach Aaron Glenn turns to analytics, science and rest to reshape training camp schedule

Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets have taken a different approach to training camp by incorporating analytics and sports science

Jul 31 • 12:36 PM EDT • Science • washingtonpost.com

College Football Playoff Expansion Remains Stalled As Season Approaches

Week 1 games begin Sept. 3 ahead of Labor Day weekend.

Jul 31 • 10:55 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Hamilton County families urged to get school vaccines before classes begin

With the first day of school approaching, the Hamilton County Health and Social Services Division is encouraging parents to schedule their children's required v

Jul 30 • 10:59 AM EDT • Health • newschannel9.com

After Hobbes vs Rousseau: Politics must move beyond human nature

Since the great debate between Hobbes and Rousseau, our political theory has been organised around a single question: is human nature essentially good or essentially corrupt? Graham Harman, the philosopher behind object-oriented ontology, argues that this is simply the wrong question to be asking. The real forces governing our collective fate - climate change, artificial intelligence, geography, and pandemics - are non-human; therefore, questions about human nature are not the central ones. Instead, Harman proposes a politics reorganised around our relationship to non-human objects and environments, in which quasi-government institutions incentivise and deter actions with the aim of extending the survival of the human race. “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” This has become one of the most popular phrases among twenty-first-century intellectuals. Often misattributed to Fredric Jameson, it has been warmly embraced by such influential authors as Slavoj Žižek and the tragically departed Mark Fisher, and has fueled the notion that the major problem with the political Left is that it simply needs to become more speculative and creative. Naturally, this is never a bad idea in any human pursuit. But what if the political distinction between Left, Right, and Center itself results from a failure of imagination? SUGGESTED READING Hobbes vs Rousseau: are we inherently evil? By Robin Douglass This particular division has been with us only since the summer of 1789. During the simmering prelude to the French Revolution, it referred originally to the physical position in the National Assembly of radical figures on one side and loyal monarchists on the other. These positions are linked with two entirely different camps of modern political theory. On the Left we find a series of authors ranging from the moderate (Locke) to the supercharged (Rousseau) to the truly radical (Marx), all of them contending that exploitation of the many by the few justifies revolutionary overthrow of the existing order. On the Right they are countered by the likes of Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Schmitt, a group of thinkers convinced that corrupt human nature can be tamed only by force. In the words of the Nazi supporter Schmitt: “One could test all theories of nature and state and political ideas according to their anthropology and classify these as to whether they consciously or unconsciously presuppose [humans] to be by nature evil or by nature good.” This is the division we continue to face today, even in the daily retail politics of Western democracies.___Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims.___The most refreshing feature of David Graeber and David Wengrow’s 2021 book The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity was their awareness that the forced choice between Rousseau and Hobbes (as they put it) is no longer sufficient. Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims. Far from being stationed “beyond good and evil,” we seem to be fully entangled with both. We are not naturally good or evil, Graeber and Wengrow contend, but naturally experimental and imaginative. They rest their case on the archaeological record, which seems to bear witness to numerous episodes of seasonally shifting governments and festivals, which vacillate in the same society (even in the same year) between the egalitarian and the dictatorial. Such praise of political experiment makes a good fit with the generally anarchist position defended by these authors. Yet it is also what I find most disappointing in their position. Although they are right that the forced choice between Hobbes and Rousseau falls short of what our new situation requires, the authors simply replace it with praise for the human being as a political tinkerer and performer. In other words, they give us just another theory of human nature, one that would not have been out of place in the sixteenth or seventeenth century. What other options might we have?___The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature… We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them___One fresh approach would be to treat politics within a broader framework than human nature, given that the polis does not exist in a vacuum filled exclusively with people. When Bruno Latour went to observe the baboons of Kenya with the San Diego anthropologist Shirley Strum, they jointly concluded that these primates were more socially interdependent than our own species. Each baboon is so reliant on the dynamics of the group that they find themselves locked into constant surveillance of their potentially dangerous peers. The group structure turns out to be inherently volatile. Humans, by contrast, are able to stabilize their societies to a large degree through the mediation of inanimate objects. Although one’s position in society may seem to fluctuate over time, considerable stability is produced through such items as apartment keys, wedding rings, and identification cards, all of them serving to secure us a place distinct from that of our fellows. The Italian philosopher Maurizio Ferraris has written at length about the crucial role of documents in establishing social relations, making him a hero among notaries in his country. Proper names and license plates cement our position amidst other humans, as do symbolic achievements such as graduation from a top university or distinguished wartime service with its various medals and ribbons. None of this is found among baboons, despite their closeness to us on the evolutionary tree: after all, we did share a common ancestor just 25 to 30 million years ago. SUGGESTED VIEWING The goodness paradox With Richard Wrangham The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature, whether understood in the manner of the Left or of the Right. We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them. But initially, it is true, we face non-human things primarily in the form of constraints. It would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to form a human civilization underwater, deep underground, atop Mount Everest, or in outer space. Human dependence on the non-social background takes on subtler form in discussions of political geography, especially unloved on the more idealistic Left. Consider the luckless position of Poland during World War II, sandwiched between Hitler on one side and Stalin on the other. By contrast, note the good fortune of the United States in not having a military peer positioned on any land border. Anglo-American geopolitics, since the writings of the American naval commander Alfred Thayer Mahan and the British geographer Sir Halford Mackinder, has been wedded to the notion that one or more liberal offshore naval powers should prevent any authoritarian “heartland” regime from gaining effective control of Eurasia. That remains the case whether the opponent is the impatient Napoleon, the swashbuckling German Kaiser, the villainous Hitler, the murderous Stalin, or the industrial juggernaut Chinese. In their current Foreign Affairs article “Heartland vs. Rimland,” Michael Beckley and Hal Brands analyze the current and coming state of the world on the basis of these same rather durable principles. In recent years a similar outlook has been embraced, in inverted form, by the Putin-loving Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, an icon of the Rightist intellectual underworld. For Dugin, the Anglo-Saxons are an evil force bent on destroying the spiritually superior people of the land: much like Athens in its failed war with Sparta, or Carthage in its eventual collapse against Rome. But the shared notion on both sides is that any strategy that fails to take geography into account is likely to end up as a defeated form of excessive optimism.___When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole.___More striking for us today than geography is the non-human object called climate, which threatens rimland and heartland equally. Even if we contend that humans are one hundred percent responsible for triggering the climate crisis, it remains non-human in the sense of being an independent force beyond our effective control. In a major work published just before his death in 2002, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, the American paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould noted the tendency of evolutionary theorists to focus too closely on the fate of individuals in view of their successful or failed adaptation to circumstances. With climate change, however, we confront a force that goes well beyond the scope of any individual life. Whereas Richard Dawkins extended evolutionary questions downward from individuals to the sub-individual gene, Gould pushed it upward, speaking of entire species or clades as impacted by environmental change. The asteroid that struck the Yucatán 66 million years ago is only the most famous example of this sort. In the wake of that catastrophe, large animals needing abundant supplies of food were at a fatal disadvantage by contrast with the smaller birds and mammals of the planet. When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole. The effect is to shift our attention away from individual beings towards the survival of the group.In the United States in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked considerable backlash among those who asserted a nearly absolute degree of individual freedom. In California I encountered those who demanded that their businesses be allowed to reopen, that it was enough to cover their mouths but not their noses, or that they should have the right to enter any public area despite refusing vaccination. Yet public health is probably the clearest argument against libertarianism, which often merely asserts the autonomy of individuals against any claims of the commons. In normal times the individual is worth defending; under conditions that threaten the survival of part or all of our species, compulsion may be our only resort, as with perfectly reasonable blackouts and rations in wartime. To rebuild human society under the constraints of climate change will be one of the great challenges of the century to come, as will our improvised grappling with artificial intelligence. Such phenomena pose existential risks for humanity, and leave far less room for tolerance of individual brattiness. Cases are mounting of devastating wildfires caused by arson. Recently it was reported that there is even a website where one can bet on the location of coming wildfires, raising the specter of deliberate blazes set to collect on wagers. The death penalty has steadily lost support in a world where many stress the infinite value of human life. But if we focus instead on entire ecosystems, those who purposely burn the forests may begin to look worse than serial murderers.___The politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere.___So far I have spoken of force, authority, and punishment: measures sure to have greater appeal to those who identify with what we know as the Right. But other implications of the post-anthropocentric world are likely to have different backers. If non-human objects are seen as structuring political space, it stands to reason that they can no longer be introduced solely by the pace of technical breakthrough. Fields ranging from cybernetics to energy will demand increased politicization once they are reconceived not just as products of individual human investment, but as renovations of collective political geography. This need not involve world government, with its inherent risk of tyranny, but may involve quasi-governmental enforcers of prestige along the lines of a less corrupt FIFA or International Olympic Committee, punishing deviant states not with violence but with less tangible incentives.Politics will never lose its historic links with conflict and faction. But rather than factions aligned by differing theories of human nature, the politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere. This will prove just as incommensurable with the modern Left/Right spectrum as a globe is with a two-dimensional map.

Jul 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • iai.tv

How Community Safety is Grounded in Access to Mental Healthcare

Law enforcement is often the default response to a mental health crisis. This approach to crisis response, however, is leaving communities without the support systems they truly need. Communities greatly benefit when mental and behavioral health services and alternative response options are prioritized. This Minority Mental Health Month, the Center for Policing Equity examines what it takes for every person to receive the appropriate care they need, from investments in equitable access to healthcare to expanding affordable and culturally responsive care.

Jul 30 • 1:28 AM EDT • Health • policingequity.org

Aaron Boone Grows Frustrated Over Giancarlo Stanton’s Injury Timeline

As the MLB trade deadline approaches on August 3, the New York Yankees are beginning to search for options to fill the hole of their current injured superstars.Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Carlos Rodón are several of Yankees down with injuries. Stanton’s return has been weary since he hit the injured list at the […] The post Aaron Boone Grows Frustrated Over Giancarlo Stanton’s Injury Timeline appeared first on HEAVY.

Jul 30 • 12:17 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Plane Jane reads Law Roach after ‘Project Runway’ exit: ‘Bus driver wig!’

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ alum Plane Jane reads Law Roach after her ‘Project Runway’ elimination, during which the ‘Drag Race’ judge dragged Plane’s look that she originally wore to the season 16 premiere.

Jul 29 • 6:37 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com

Health Institute at Hardy fosters the future of healthcare professionals in Philadelphia

This Philadelphia high school is taking a healthcare-focused approach while building the next generation of professionals.

Jul 29 • 5:09 PM EDT • Health • 6abc.com

TNT Sports & DAZN to Present Championship Boxing as "The Fight" Returns Saturday, Aug. 1 Featuring Lamont Roach Jr. vs. William Zepeda Title Bout

The Fight returns to TNT Sports and DAZN on Saturday, Aug. 1, with an action-packed championship fight card live from Las Vegas.Headlining the evening,

Jul 29 • 2:05 PM EDT • Sports • press.wbd.com

Deadline approaching for the San Angelo business plan competition 2026

SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — With one week remaining before the entry deadline, local entrepreneurs and business owners are encouraged to apply for the San Angelo Business Plan Comp…

Jul 29 • 1:00 PM EDT • Business • conchovalleyhomepage.com

High-powered lasers can wirelessly charge drones mid-flight

Chinese researchers have successfully charged a drone using just a laser, in a breakthrough that could change how we approach unmanned flight

Jul 29 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com

Escape Works Denver Reduces Ticket Prices to Make Entertainment More Affordable

As rising costs continue to affect household budgets across the country, EscapeWorks Denver is taking an unexpected approach:…

Jul 28 • 2:50 PM EDT • Entertainment • 303magazine.com

Detroit Tigers Make Major Tarik Skubal Trade Decision

With the MLB trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Detroit Tigers continue to find themselves at the center of speculation surrounding […]

Jul 28 • 2:14 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Report: College Sports Commission opens inquiry into UNC football

The College Sports Commission has approached North Carolina’s football program about a potential investigation, with GM Michael Lombardi placed on paid leave following an HR complaint, per sources cited by The Athletic.

Jul 28 • 11:46 AM EDT • Sports • sportsbusinessjournal.com

Claude chats exposed in Google searches – another endorsement of Apple privacy

We’ve long cautioned against disclosing sensitive personal data in AI chatbot sessions, given that most companies use these as training...

Jul 28 • 8:16 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com

Deadline approaches for Barcelona’s offer for Julian Alvarez

FC Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has reached a crucial stage after club president Joan Laporta confirmed that the offer made for the Atletico Madrid striker would not remain valid indefinite...

Jul 28 • 7:45 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

A Cockroach 'Collective Memory' Emerges From Their Social Networks, Study Suggests

Even cockroaches have peer pressure.

Jul 28 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencealert.com

The 99 Percent Funding Rule Every Founder Should Know Before Borrowing Money

Every funding approach has its purpose. The key is to find the approach that's best for what you need.

Jul 28 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • inc.com

An entirely new kind of drug will help us treat the untreatable

The first of a new generation of drugs that works in a completely different way to existing ones has been approved. Columnist Michael Le Page says this approach could transform treatments for all kinds of conditions

Jul 28 • 4:00 AM EDT • Health • newscientist.com

As Duke Health implements AI, oversight initiatives try to ensure ethical practices

At the center of Duke Health’s approach to an ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare is the flagship ABCDS Oversight Initiative, which evaluates and governs any algorithms, including AI ones, that are used in patient care.

Jul 27 • 10:13 PM EDT • Health • dukechronicle.com

How vaccine skeptics use storytelling to create powerful and medically inaccurate messaging

Recognizing the stories behind people’s concerns with vaccines can help public health advocates build a more inclusive approach to healthcare.

Jul 27 • 10:09 PM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

[AIDS 2026] Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Lancet report recommends paradigm shift in care for older adults with HIV

The report recommends health systems caring for older individuals with HIV should move beyond the standard ART to a more comprehensive, healthy-aging approach.

Jul 27 • 9:35 PM EDT • Health • eatg.org

Inside Genesis Mission’s ‘All of Government’ Approach to AI for Science

There are now 20 different government agencies participating in the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission project to advance science and engineering through AI. During the Genesis Mission Summit last week, representatives from the NIH, NASA, NSF, and Department of War discussed what they hope to get out of the project, and the contributions they hope […]

Jul 27 • 8:53 PM EDT • Science • hpcwire.com

Twisted laser light can tell mirror-image molecules apart

Scientists have created twisted laser beams that interact differently with right-handed and left-handed molecules, revealing their identity through the fragments they produce. The approach could provide a faster, simpler, and more sensitive way to analyze important molecules used in chemistry and pharmaceuticals.

Jul 27 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Three Position Groups To Monitor Early In Packers' Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers kick off training camp on Wednesday, July 29, as the start of the 2026 NFL season rapidly approaches. The Packers are looking to bounce back from yet another premature playoff exit in 2025, with stars throughout the roster facing elevated expectations coming into the year. Green Bay's coaching staff will have several position battles to monitor, answering questions that will present themselves early in training camp.

Jul 27 • 6:33 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

In the Grip of Politics

All of us, from academics to fishermen, have now internalized a practice of reading the social world as a field of political or latently political signs. TV watching habits, food choices, clothing, interpretive approaches to 19th-century British literature: Everything becomes an opportunity to take a political stand, and to position yourself in relation to others taking political stands—and in a profession where discourse is everything, such opportunities abound.

Jul 27 • 6:05 PM EDT • Politics • nplusonemag.com

‘Both approaches ultimately run into the same obstacle’

Opinion, comment and editorials of the day

Jul 27 • 11:42 AM EDT • Politics • theweek.com

On Demand: Bridging Community and Clinical Approaches ─ Region 7 Maternal Health ECHO® Session 2

Session 2 of the Region 7 Maternal Health ECHO series explored ways to strengthen maternal care by connecting community support with clinical expertise.

Jul 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • khi.org

K-pop Fanomenon awards show in Seoul aims to generate $680 million

A Culture Ministry-backed 11-day event led by Korea’s four biggest agencies will debut in 2027, with awards honoring fandoms and a projected economic impact approaching 1 trillion won.

Jul 27 • 5:48 AM EDT • Entertainment • koreajoongangdaily.com

Jaguars 53-man roster projection as training camp approaches

How will the Jaguars' 53-man roster shake out? We take a look ahead of the start of training camp.

Jul 27 • 5:02 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

AI mental health chatbots feel empathetic, but safety evidence still lags

Immune dysregulation may contribute to depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and anxiety through chronic inflammation, altered neuroimmune signaling, genetic susceptibility, and stress-related epigenetic changes. Evidence also suggests that biologically defined patient subgroups may benefit from more precise, immune-informed approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Jul 27 • 12:36 AM EDT • Health • news-medical.net

Sean McVay: Outside expectations won't change the Rams' approach

Jul 26 • 10:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Hands on science lessons for Independence students

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Youngsters in Independence schools have enjoyed a whole new approach to learning science over the past year.

Jul 26 • 5:35 PM EDT • Science • cleveland.com

United reportedly approached Delta Air Lines about a potential merger

The reported tie-up would have combined two of the nation’s largest airlines, but the preliminary discussions did not advance and both carriers ultimately moved on.

Jul 26 • 4:34 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com

United quietly pursued a merger with Delta last year: report

The Wall Street Journal reports Chicago-based United Airlines approached Delta last year about a merger, but talks ended before advancing.

Jul 26 • 2:32 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com

Exclusive | United Approached Delta Last Year About Merging Airlines

United Chief Executive Scott Kirby called Delta’s CEO to discuss a potential deal but the talks didn’t progress, according to people familiar with the matter.

Jul 26 • 2:12 PM EDT • Business • wsj.com

Darryn Peterson’s Summer League Approach Sent Strong Message to NBA

Facing relentless traps and physical defensive schemes, Utah’s top pick is embracing the grit. Peterson aims to flip the script by using his foul limit to establish a dominant defensive identity.

Jul 26 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Brewers' Arnold Taking Responsible Approach to Deadline

Milwaukee Brewers President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold will not be reckless at the upcoming MLB Trade Deadline.

Jul 25 • 8:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Staff Focus: Kellen Moore and the coordinators

Evaluating the Saints coaching staff as we approach this season

Jul 25 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Beyond Self-Care: Workplace Approaches to Mental Health

Across law, medicine, construction, aviation, and other fields, mental health efforts are shifting from self-care toward healthier systems.

Jul 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • psychologytoday.com

Mets Continue To Keep All Paths Open As Deadline Approaches

Jul 25 • 7:57 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Materials-Driven Fusion Approach Opens New Era for Nuclear Science

Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits.

Jul 25 • 7:49 AM EDT • Science • azom.com

Trump’s $200 Billion Research Reset Funds Scientists, Not University Systems

By removing university bureaucracies from their role as middlemen, this new approach to funding will speed up scientific research.

Jul 25 • 6:30 AM EDT • Science • nationalreview.com

California health officials stress vaccinations as school year approaches

As the school year approaches, California health officials are urging parents to update their children's routine vaccinations to comply with state requirements and prevent disease outbreaks.

Jul 24 • 11:26 PM EDT • Health • kcra.com

Universities are out, AI is in under new Trump plan for science funding

Trump's science advisor laid out a lengthy blueprint this week to overhaul the country's approach to science funding.

Jul 24 • 7:41 PM EDT • Science • bostonglobe.com

Patrick Graham's New Steelers Approach Could Fix Defense's Biggest Weakness

As training camp approaches, one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers' sweeping offseason changes is the defense. One area in which the Steelers consistently excelled was forcing turnovers. One insider believes new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will change the Steelers' defensive approach for the better.

Jul 24 • 2:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

WV Superintendent of Schools Launches First AI and Digital Science Framework in the Nation

Charleston, W.Va. - West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt will share the state’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Science Framework with educators during professional development sessions at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Monday through Wednesday, July 27-29, 2026. The Framework, the first of its kind in the country, outlines an approach for digital science and AI literacy education that equips students with the knowledge, skills and credentials to succeed in this rapidly evolving workforce. It also offers educators a way to increase efficiencies in their work and better personalize learning for students.Earlier this year, Superintendent Blatt appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee to share the state’s strategy on addressing the use of AI while also protecting students, their data and educational integrity. The Framework is the result of years of planning, collaboration and development. Digital science encompasses the evolving fields of computer science, AI literacy, data reasoning, cybersecurity awareness, media literacy and the practical application of digital technologies. The framework equips educators to prepare students with the AI and digital science knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the workforce of the future.The West Virginia AI and Digital Science Framework establishes a statewide structure for sustained success. From policy to educator development and student learning, it defines how the state will implement digital science and AI readiness at scale. It serves two priority goals:Respond to the rapidly changing technology landscapeEstablish best practices as a leader for rural models of AI readiness, workforce development and digital science educationWith three statewide commitments, educators will be equipped with understanding and the tools to support implementation. These commitments are:Student Access - Every student will have access to AI literacy learning experiences and digital science instruction before graduationEducator Capacity - All counties will sustain local AI training capacity through a train-the-trainer modelWorkforce Alignment - Every approved pathway will connect to employer demand, postsecondary alignment, and portable or verified credentialsNext week, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will launch the framework during three educator and staff development sessions. These sessions include unique opportunities for new county central office hires, the Support, Appreciate, Invest, and Learn (SAIL) Conference, and the West Virginia Middle Schools: Bridging the Future Initiative launch. Each session is designed to meet the needs of K-12 educators, professionals, paraprofessionals, service personnel and others who serve in the education community.West Virginia is a national leader in developing a framework for AI and digital science education. We are determined to elevate our model because it prepares students and educators for the future. Our partners at Prodigy Learning and Microsoft understand this commitment and believe, as do we, that our work has national implications for accessibility and scalability because we are building systems that address learning at all levels that lead to post-graduation success.Michele L. Blatt, State Superintendent of SchoolsAs part of the partnership, Prodigy Learning is providing West Virginia educators, at no additional cost, their in-person and virtual training on all products and the materials required for license renewal.

Jul 24 • 1:34 PM EDT • Science • wvde.us

2026 Health Policy Leadership Forum

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practicesconvened state and territory governors’ health policy advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina, July 8-10 for the 2026 Health Policy Leadership Forum. Through a discussion-based format, the forum provided governors’ advisors, NGA Partners and invited guests with an opportunity to exchange perspectives, share implementation strategies, and discuss emerging policy challenges shaping state and territorial health systems. Discussions focused on advancing governors’ health priorities in a rapidly evolving policy and fiscal environment while highlighting innovative approaches and peer-informed solutions from across the country.

Jul 23 • 1:34 PM EDT • Health • nga.org

As the 2026 Midterms Approach, Economy Is Front and Center

Americans are now almost evenly split over which party they most agree with on economic policies: 37% say the Democrats, while 36% say the GOP.

Jul 23 • 12:55 PM EDT • Politics • pewresearch.org

When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter

Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### 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.

Jul 23 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • newscenter.lbl.gov

Cigna expands chronic care management, projects $200M savings

Cigna Healthcare is broadening its AI-enabled care management programs to reach more customers with emerging, complex and chronic health needs. The expanded approach is expected to support 20% more customers across areas including behavioral health, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease and high-risk pregnancy. The initiative combines predictive analytics with AI-enabled tools to help identify customers […]

Jul 23 • 10:10 AM EDT • Health • beckersbehavioralhealth.com

Could increasing omega-3 intake boost recovery and long-term health in elite athletes?

As the Commonwealth Games approach, athletes chasing every extra edge on the track, court or in the pool might not find it in training, but on their dinner plates. In a study published in Sports Medicine—Open, ...

Jul 23 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • medicalxpress.com

Landmark Aging Study by UT Health Sciences Researcher Published in Nature

A University of Tennessee Health Sciences researcher has published findings that could reshape how medicine approaches aging, longevity and late-life health, including the prospect of personalized interventions that keep people healthier longer.

Jul 23 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • news.uthsc.edu

Despite Old School Approach, Steelers are far From 'Unserious'

One of the biggest criticisms of the Pittsburgh Steelers over the years has been their old-school way of doing business. What is clear, however, is that the Steelers are committed to winning, even if others disagree with their approach. Vic Tafur of The Athletic discussed the Steelers in his review of every NFL team's betting line.

Jul 23 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Teladoc Health unveils new virtual care model for employers, health plans that ties payment to results

Teladoc Health unveiled a new virtual care model for employers and health plans designed to offer a more coordinated, personalized approach for members, while tying payment to clinical and financia | Teladoc Health unveiled a new virtual care model for employers and health plans designed to offer a more coordinated, personalized approach for members, while tying payment to clinical and financial outcomes.

Jul 23 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • fiercehealthcare.com

Lewis Hamilton Celebrates Ferrari’s Biggest Weakness Being Fixed

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has brought a ton of change to the Italian powerhouse, both in approach and personnel, and they seem to be paying off.

Jul 23 • 5:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

‘Unacceptable’: San Francisco Officials Question Kaiser’s Approach to AI in Mental Health

In a hearing, therapists decried Kaiser’s proposed contract terms during labor negotiations, which they argued would undermine mental health services. The largest health insurer for city employees said it remains focused on providing timely, high-quality mental health services.

Jul 22 • 7:20 PM EDT • Health • kqed.org

Wyss Institute receives Massachusetts Life Science Center award to advance metabolomics and lipidomics research across Massachusetts ecosystem

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — The Wyss Institute at Harvard University has received an award from the Massachusetts Life Science Center (MLSC), enabling it to host a next-generation metabolomics and lipidomics analytical platform. The platform will allow its researchers to creatively pursue new approaches to biomarker and drug discovery across multiple health challenges the Institute...

Jul 22 • 10:03 AM EDT • Science • wyss.harvard.edu

Inside the "We Buy Houses" Business

Have you ever gotten a text asking if you'd sell your house? Or maybe someone called out of the blue wanting to buy a property you didn't even know was connected to your name. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Shades of Gray, Dani and Chelsey sit down with Rhen Bartlett, CEO of Heartland Buys, to answer the questions so many homeowners have. How do these companies find you? Why do they target certain properties? And when does selling directly to a home buyer actually make sense? From inherited homes and rental properties to fixer-uppers and probate, Rhen pulls back the curtain on an industry most people know very little about. He also shares red flags to watch for and practical advice to help homeowners make informed decisions when they're approached about selling.

Jul 22 • 8:10 AM EDT • Business • fox10tv.com

India’s ‘cockroach’ protests: a rare political opening for the opposition?

Analysts say Congress’ failure to be fully in sync with the movement reveals a missed opportunity to connect with India’s Gen Z.

Jul 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • scmp.com

From Paper to Action: How Systematic Monitoring Can Help Health Benefits Packages Deliver on Their Promise

Health Benefits Packages (HBPs) can be a strategic tool to advance Universal Health Coverage. But their impact depends not only on the services included, but also on whether people effectively receive those services with adequate quality and financial protection. It also depends on the factors behind implementation gaps. While there is no shortage of guidance for using evidence-informed priority-setting approaches, less attention has been paid to monitoring whether, how, and why HBPs deliver (or not) in the real world. This gap matters, particularly in the context of stagnating progress towards Universal Health Coverage, because it leaves policymakers in the dark: Are HBPs delivering on the promise made to the population? If not, why, and what corrective action can be taken?

Jul 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • cgdev.org

Ken Kollman to succeed David Campbell as Democracy Initiative director in January

As the University of Notre Dame’s Democracy Initiative approaches its fourth year, Inaugural Director David Campbell, the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy, is preparing to transition leadership of the initiative to renowned political scientist Ken Kollman, the Dr. William M. Scholl Professor of Politics in the Department of Political Science and the Keough School of Global Affairs. Kollman began a six-month term as director-designate on July 1 and will formally take over as Democracy Initiative director on Jan. 1.

Jul 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • news.nd.edu

Pixar reportedly loses 150 jobs in new round of Disney layoffs

Pixar absorbed a large share of Disney’s latest studio layoffs, according to industry reports, even as “Toy Story 5” approaches another major box-office milestone.

Jul 21 • 1:10 PM EDT • Entertainment • sfchronicle.com

Nintendo explains why it's coming out with Splatoon Raiders instead of Splatoon 4

Rather than releasing Splatoon 4, the next entry in the series is Splatoon Raiders. Nintendo recently explained why it chose to release that title now. After more than a decade or core Splatoon gameplay, producer Seita Inoue explained in a new interview that the team “thought it might be interesting to create something with a slightly different approach to gameplay,...

Jul 21 • 9:17 AM EDT • Technology • nintendoeverything.com

Nintendo keeps making shooters more friendly and approachable

A fresh take on looter shooters.

Jul 21 • 9:00 AM EDT • Technology • theverge.com

Democratic senator proposes expanding Medicare to cover children

The approach represents a potential way forward on a priority issue for Democrats if the party regains power in the future.

Jul 21 • 7:50 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Patriots training camp preview: O-Line seeks further improvement

Sizing up New England’s offensive line with summer practices approaching.

Jul 21 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Tuesday letters: Voter outreach, farewell, Roan Plateau drilling and national politics

Get out the vote As the November elections approach, we are reminded that democracy depends on active participation. Voting is one of the most important ways citizens can make their voices heard and help shape...

Jul 21 • 6:15 AM EDT • Politics • postindependent.com

The Sewer Knows What You Ate

During the Covid-19 pandemic, wastewater testing became a virus warning system. Now, scientists are using the approach to understand how communities eat.

Jul 20 • 3:00 PM EDT • Science • nytimes.com