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EDA approves final round of business development grants for 2026
The Grand Marais/Cook County Economic Development Authority Board met Tuesday, Oct. 20, approving five business development grants and the hiring of Redpath and Company to conduct a financial audit, among other agenda items. The meeting marked the third and final round of the EDA’s 2026 business development grants, which began the year with a $200,000...
Aging for Amateurs: Putting humanity and dignity into science and medicine
Education at Medical University of South Carolina began to change decades ago by incorporating themes from classic Greek thinkers and saints about the need to uphold human dignity.
Jerry Jeudy Trade: Giants Connected to Browns WR
Jerry Jeudy is not living up to his paycheck, and one prominent NFL insider believes the Cleveland Browns could trade him despite the team's winning record. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jeudy began his career with the Denver Broncos and established himself as a good but not great pass-catching weapon. However, he …
Citigroup Begins Coverage on Melco Resorts & Entertainment (NASDAQ:MLCO)
Citigroup began coverage on Melco Resorts & Entertainment in a research report on Monday. They issued a "buy" rating and a $9.40 price objective on the stock.
Davids Urges Federal Action as Kansas Small Businesses Squeezed Out of Tariff Refunds While Large Corporations Cash In
Today, Representative Sharice Davids demanded immediate action to ensure Kansas small businesses receive the tariff refunds they are owed. Following this year’s Supreme Court ruling overturning the president’s reckless tariffs, the federal government began processing billions of dollars in refunds.
Flu season arrived months early. Get vaccinated now, experts say
Flu activity began rising in September, ahead of its typical early-November start, said Dr. Dawn Terashita with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Regional Science Consortium Researching Harmful Algal Blooms
If you've noticed large buoys or boats out on the bayfront and wondered what they were, you're not alone. The Regional Science Consortium is collaborating with Princeton Hydro on a research project funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study ways to control harmful algal blooms. Dr. Jeanette Schnars, the Executive Director of the Regional Science Consortium, explained the goal of the research."We are researching different ways to control blue-green algae, which creates harmful algal blooms and releases toxins," Dr. Schnars said.The project aims to identify potential techniques for controlling harmful algal blooms in Presque Isle Bay.Schnars explained that people may notice circular floats in the water near Perry's Landing and Liberty Park. Those floats are part of the testing process."You might see a circular float, almost like a hula hoop, that is out in the bay, near Perry's Landing and Liberty Park area, and those limn corrals go all the way to the bottom. And what we will do are some treatments within the limn corral in the bottom," Schnars said.After samples are collected, they are brought back to the laboratory at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center for analysis."A lot of those samples are coming back here. We are going to test them for the harmful algal bloom toxins before, during, and after, and see how effective the testing was," Schnars said.Sarah Magyan, an aquatic biologist with the Regional Science Consortium, explained that the team also collects samples from locations throughout the region."We pull samples every week from 30 different sites, and then we bring those back here, we preserve them and run them through the ELISA test," Magyan said.Schnars said researchers hope the results will help them develop effective ways to reduce harmful algal blooms in the future."If we can do some treatments over space and time in upcoming seasons, we may be able to reduce the number of harmful algal blooms we have in this area," Schnars said.The research is also important for public and animal safety. Magyan explained that toxins produced by certain algae can affect the skin, nervous system or liver.While toxin levels may be low for people, she emphasized the importance of protecting pets that swim in local waterways."Toxins can either be skin toxins, nerve toxins, or liver toxins. While we have low levels for people, it is important that we are keeping our pets safe because we recreate with our animals in the water, and we see hundreds and hundreds of dogs on Presque Isle and the rest of the shoreline," Magyan said.Testing began in September, and Schnars said researchers expect to conduct at least another six to eight weeks of testing to better understand the effectiveness of the treatments.
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT
Apple Watch Prime Day Deals Arrive With New All-Time Low Prices for Series 12 and Ultra 4
Big Apple Watch discounts have started arriving ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, including new low prices on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. These deals join some Apple Watch SE 3 discounts that we began tracking over the weekend, alongside other major early Prime Big Deal Days markdowns. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
From one truck stop to 69 stores: Nebraska family business expands.
What began in 1948 as a truck stop serving travelers in Grand Island has grown into a multi-state business spanning convenience stores, travel centers, hotels, restaurants and truck repair shops.
Knaus Berry Farm opens new season celebrating 70 years in business
Knaus Berry Farm customers began lining up for opening on Monday night.
With Uzbekistan open for business, investors watch reform staying power
When Nika Kurdiani began to plot London-listed Georgian lender TBC Bank's expansion into Uzbekistan around 2018, he had to bring plastic bags full of banknotes to pay restaurant bills.
Human teeth pinpoint when lead began poisoning medieval town
Dental enamel reveals the toxic metal's origins in England.
Jesse Eisenberg claims he couldn’t get ‘movie studio parts anymore’ after “Batman v Superman”
The Oscar-nominated actor, screenwriter, and director said he began penning films “just to kind of keep my career afloat.”
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic...
The Politics of Heat, Homes, and Lobster Boats.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by First National Bank. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—The candidates’ forum focusing on House District 15 and incumbent Holly Eaton and Clifford Noyes last week spent a lot of time on the candidates’ thought of heating, communication with constituents, property taxes, education costs, and other issues. It also was a time for the community to ask their own questions and see two candidates up close and personal at the Southwest Harbor Fire Department firehouse. Jim Vallette organized the hour-long event, which was moderated by Carrie Jones of the Bar Harbor Story. Ken Rozsahegyi provided technical support for the congenial event. House District 15 serves Brooklin, Deer Isle, Eagle Island Township, Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, Marshall Island, Southwest Harbor, Stonington, Swan's Island, Tremont, and Vinalhaven. Jones advised as she began the question and answer part of the event, ”Treat everyone here like they are going to be the ones who might give you a ride in a rainstorm, pull your pet out of a burning building, or be the one grading your kids’ papers at school, okay?” She continued. “That’s it. Tonight isn’t meant to be a gotcha debate. The goal is to give people in the district a chance to get to know both candidates, hear what they care about, and understand what they’d actually try to accomplish in Augusta.” The questions and discussion throughout were kind. Eaton currently serves in the position. She’s a Democrat from Deer Isle, raised in a fishing family and has worked in nonprofits and volunteered for her school board. Noyes is unenrolled (politically) and from Southwest Harbor and currently a school board member, self employed as a mason. He focused on fiscal issues throughout the forum. Eventually, at Jones’ prompting, the candidates played “Rock, Paper, Scissors” for who would go first for their closing statements. Noyes used the opportunity to urge others to head to the ballot. “Whether you vote for me or Holly, it’s important that people vote,” Noyes said. He hoped the voter turnout in the district would be over 35 percent because that would mean people were truly engaged. Eaton stressed that she’s a Democrat, but in Augusta, her role isn’t about party. “I am a Democrat, but when I go to Augusta, I am there to represent the people of District 15. I want people to feel as though I’m accessible, that I’m responsive, and that I show up for the district,” Eaton said. Being there for others was vital, she explained. “When something comes before me in Augusta, I try to look at it through the lens of the people and the communities that I represent. How will this affect the people who live here? Does it make it easier or harder to raise a family here, to operate a small business, to work on the water, to afford a home, to keep our schools open, or provide the essential services our communities depend on?” Eaton said. Noyes spoke about fiscal responsibility and about the state being more responsive to communities and the ideas that come from them. “I feel that we desperately need to restore some fiscal sanity, a little bit. So when the legislature meets again,” Noyes said, “it could be critical for Maine residents that we don’t keep digging this hole that we’re in financially and keep raising our taxes so the struggling families struggle even more.” The two answered a series of questions from Jones, then answered questions from the audience and participants via Zoom. Jones asked what they heard the most from people about what was making their lives hard and what can the legislature in Augusta do it about those issues. Both spoke to concerns about heating oil costs. Noyes spoke to the three H’s: health, home, and heat. Eaton and Noyes spoke to the burdens of families with lower incomes, with Eaton mentioning LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program). They both were in favor of free community college and trade programs. They both supported the working waterfront. Both said that data centers—such as the one proposed in Eastport, which is out of the district—should be a local decision, but neither were in favor of it. The working waterfront was supported by both. Eaton’s served on the Maine Marine Resource Committee in the legislature. She advocated a diversity of fishing resources and less of a reliance on lobstering. Shrimp, she hoped, would make a comeback. Noyes worried about out-of-state pressure on the lobstering industry, also spoke of shrimp harvesting timings, and said he supported the lobstering industry. QUICK NOTE Carrie Jones is, obviously, the co-founder of the Bar Harbor Story, which made us have a bit of a hard time putting out this story and thinking it through and how to present it. We ended up with this article. The debate in its entirety is below, many thanks to Ken and Jim for making it publicly available. UPCOMING AND PAST EVENTS The following events are or were organized by the League of Women Voters Downeast. DISTRICT 7 DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 13 Thursday, Oct 15, 2026 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM Candidate Forum: House District 13 125 State St , Ellsworth Featuring candidates Michael Cunningham (D) and Russell White (R), moderated by Cyndi Wood, managing editor of the Ellsworth American. DEMOCRACY FORUM Friday, Oct 16, 2026 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Democracy Forum — Election 2026: What’s on Your Ballot RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website. [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ Feeling Stressed? Kids’ Corner Invites Parents, Educators, and Caregivers to Rediscover the Joy with National Speaker Raelene Ostberg Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/feeling-stressed-kids-corner-invites) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ Mainely Meat’s Pink Party for Breast Cancer Awareness is October 18! Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/mainely-meats-pink-party-for-breast) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ Conners Emerson School Announces Public Surplus Property Sale Oct 14 ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/conners-emerson-school-announces) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ Planting the Writer’s Garden 12:15 AM ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/planting-the-writers-garden) [ ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) [ Artist Maria de los Angeles explores migration and belonging in COA public lecture 12:19 AM ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) [ Read full story ](https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/artist-maria-de-los-angeles-explores) HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment
How worried should Catholics be about the pope’s health?
Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week to remove a “nodule” from his lung. The pope made the announcement at the end of his Sunday Angelus address, asking for prayers. “Dear all, recently, during some checkups, the doctors discovered a nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and was well-localized,” Leo said. “The doctors felt it was necessary to intervene, and so, following their advice, I decided to have surgery to remove it. The procedure is already scheduled for the next few days. I thank you for your spiritual support and I entrust myself to your prayers.” The Vatican press office subsequently added that Leo is scheduled to undergo surgery at the Gamelli hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The pope is expected to spend up to a week in the Gamelli recovering, after which, for the moment, he is still expected to undertake his largest and longest to-date Apostolic journey, heading to Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, beginning Nov. 6. Prayers have, understandably, poured in from dioceses around the world, accompanied by the best wishes of heads of state and international institutions. So how worried should Catholics be for the health of the pope? The Vatican’s messaging around Leo’s pending surgery is, in many ways, a new approach to papal health issues. But, despite the pope’s personal candour, the Holy See’s messaging perhaps raises as many questions as it answers. Subscribe — Leo’s decision to announce his own medical status and pending hospital stay during the Sunday Angelus is, it should be said, already something of a big deal. Traditionally, the health of popes simply hasn’t been discussed publicly or officially, until circumstances made it absolutely necessary. Memorably, in 2023 Pope Francis was rushed to the Gemelli in an ambulance, exhibiting signs of cardiac arrest according to many close to him, only for the Sala Stampa to put out a statement insisting he was merely going in for “pre-scheduled” tests. That Pope Leo has decided to announce his condition himself, with remarkable frankness, is a significant comms policy shift around the Apostolic Palace. This might reflect a deliberately more open posture, as opposed to the traditional, otiose evasiveness, and the first fruits of an American pope and American prefect of the Dicastery for Communications favoring honesty as a baseline. Equally, it must be allowed, it could be that the pope’s situation is serious enough that there would be no keeping it under wraps or playing it off, and the decision was made to be as open as possible to head off speculation about the papal health. Certainly, Leo appeared to make every effort to sound reassuring — stressing that, whatever the diagnosis is, exactly, it is “well-localized” and “early stage.” Of course, for everyone listening, talk of a “nodule” in a lung will immediately send thoughts — and prayers — running to concerns about words not used, like “cancer,” “tumor,” “begnin” or “malignant.” To be clear, none of those words may yet be medically appropriate. And there is every reason to believe and assume that Leo is giving almost as much information as he may have himself at this stage. But the context of the pope’s announcement and the timing of his surgery do reasonably raise reasonably serious concerns for Leo. We don’t know, and this isn’t to say anyone has the right to expect to know, when the routine medical checks made this discovery. It could have been last week, last month, or even earlier. As such, it isn’t really possible to say with what kind of urgency Leo is being brought in for surgery. However, there is clearly some serious urgency to the matter. Leo making the announcement and going into hospital this week, of all weeks, means he is having to miss the balance and conclusion of his global meeting of the heads of the world’s bishops conferences, which he convened in Rome this week. That, as the Vatican has announced, has meant some serious changes to the schedule, with the newly minted dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Tagle, subbing in for the closing Mass on Wednesday, and the meeting’s organizers announcing that the final working document/summary of the meeting being delayed until Leo can read and feed into it. Those changes suggest that the timing of Leo’s surgery isn’t of his own choosing, and he is acting on the best medical advice he can get by moving urgently. Had this issue been discovered weeks ago, it seems reasonable to assume the pope would have seen it dealt with before the meeting began. And were it possible to delay it, even by a few days to allow the meeting to conclude as scheduled, the expectation would surely be he’d have opted for that. It cannot be excluded that Leo is simply having to fit in with the schedules of his medical team, but a man who occupies arguably the most important and prominent role in Italy, if not Western Europe, could generally be assumed to be the one whose calendar others work around. All this points to a very recent medical discovery leading to a “days matter” diagnosis, or at least suspected possible diagnosis. Of course, another factor weighing in the balance is Leo’s upcoming apostolic visit to three South American countries, including a return to Peru, where he spent many years as a priest and bishop. It is entirely possible that the doctors, and the pope himself, are more concerned about the potential knock-on effects of surgery, and the time needed for recovery, for a 71-year-old — even one as physically sound and actively sporty as Leo. The pope is due to depart Rome November 6 for his 10-day three-country trip, returning on Nov. 17. It may be that Leo has simply made the decision to allow maximum time for his own post-op recovery, and even allow for potentially unforeseen circumstances, so that he is at full strength for the landmark trip. While it might be an inconvenience, and clearly a last-minute wrench in the works for the Amoris meeting, it is possible that Leo simply weighs the importance of that conference more lightly in the balance than even the possibility of missing his homecoming trip to Peru, or even having to scale back his itinerary for the trip. If that is the case, it would suggest a real abundance of caution by the pope approaching his Latin American tour, and a sobering indication of where Leo ranks the non-synodal meeting currently underway in Rome. In any event, what can be said for certain is that the pope having to take this, of all weeks, out of his schedule for surgery and an extended hospital stay is extremely unfortunate timing. It is clear that this is a decision Leo has made on the advice of his doctors. Together, they clearly consider that the risks of delaying, even by a little as a few days, represents an unacceptable risk for the pope. Even expecting and allowing for Leo’s full and speedy recovery, that should be a very sobering thought for Catholics everywhere. Subscribe
New Richland Lab Could Transform How Scientists Study Microbes and Boost Regional Jobs
The BriefGroundbreaking held Tuesday: PNNL officially began construction on the M2PC lab, a 30,800-square-foot facility funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science that will study soil microbes to improve crop productivity and develop new biotechnology applications. The facility will be open to researchers from around the nation and the world.Research timelines could shrink dramatically: The facility's automation and AI capabilities could reduce experiments that currently take six months to just 72 hours, allowing scientists to explore more possibilities faster than ever before.New jobs coming to the Tri-Cities: The project is expected to create positions for automation engineers, AI experts, roboticists, technicians, and skilled craftspeople, with the facility opening in 2029.RICHLAND, Wash. — Pacific Northwest National Laboratory broke ground Tuesday on a first-of-its-kind facility that could accelerate scientific discoveries about the microscopic organisms living in soil—organisms that may hold the key to growing more food and developing new energy technologies.The Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability, or M2PC, represents a significant investment in automation and artificial intelligence to speed up research that traditionally takes years to complete. The 30,800-square-foot facility will house more than 100 connected automated instruments designed to study microbes at a pace and scale never before possible.Reshaping Agriculture's FutureThe M2PC facility will not put a new tool directly into a farmer's hands tomorrow morning, but it is actively reshaping the commercial pipeline to solve agriculture's biggest headache with biologicals: inconsistent field performance. For years, PNNL researchers have explored how microbes work and how they might help produce useful materials, advance energy technologies, and address challenges involving critical materials and minerals. But those experiments have been limited by what researchers could accomplish by hand."They can be used to provide nutrients to a plant so that the plant would grow more. So, like increasing your crop productivity, for example," said Douglas Mans, PNNL's Associate Laboratory Director for Integrated Discovery Sciences.PNNL's own research shows soil microbes can help plants access nutrients and withstand drought—benefits that could prove crucial as farmers face growing environmental pressures. The M2PC facility will allow scientists to identify and optimize useful microbes faster than ever before, accelerating the development of biological solutions that actually work consistently in the field.What Makes M2PC UniqueThe Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability differs from traditional research labs because it operates as a first-of-its-kind, AI-enabled autonomous laboratory designed to shrink experimental timelines from years down to months or weeks. The M2PC lab will connect more than 100 automated instruments to grow microbes, prepare samples, measure their behavior, and link observations to the molecular processes behind them. Artificial intelligence will help analyze results and guide the next experiments, allowing scientists to explore more questions faster.Deb Gracio, PNNL Director, emphasized the transformative potential during Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony: "Research that has taken years will become possible in months and hopefully in weeks."That acceleration is already being demonstrated. PNNL's smaller automated lab, called the Anaerobic Microbial Phenotyping Platform or AMP2, completed three experimental cycles in just 72 hours—a process that normally would have taken about six months."That normally would have taken us about six months … and we were able to do that in 72 hours," Mans said.The AMP2 laboratory is not being closed or replaced. Instead, the current 1,800-square-foot laboratory serves as an active prototype and precursor for the much larger M2PC facility. AMP2 will continue operating as a separate lab designed to run anaerobic experiments—those conducted in the absence of oxygen—while M2PC will focus on aerobic research.Broader Applications Beyond AgricultureWhile improving crop productivity is one important application, the M2PC facility is designed to support research into multiple areas critical to national priorities. The lab will advance research into biofuels, manufacturing materials, and energy technologies. It will also help researchers understand how microbes respond to environmental changes and how to design biological systems for biotechnology applications.As a flagship component of the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission, M2PC represents a significant investment in using artificial intelligence and automation to accelerate U.S. scientific discovery. Dorothy Koch, Associate Director of the DOE Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research program, highlighted the facility's importance during the groundbreaking."M2PC will accelerate biological discovery and design," Koch said, noting that the facility is expected to conduct a minimum of 500 strain experiments per week, 100 microbiome experiments per week, and take a million measurements per month.Economic Opportunity for the RegionBeyond the scientific breakthroughs, the M2PC project represents significant economic opportunity for the Tri-Cities region. The facility will require hiring automation engineers, AI experts, technicians skilled in operating robotics, and specialized craftspeople to build and maintain the sophisticated equipment."We're anticipating that type of hiring," Mans said when asked about job creation.PNNL has already begun recruiting talent nationally and internationally for positions related to the smaller AMP2 lab, bringing automation engineers from cities like Boston and San Francisco to work in the region. The M2PC facility is expected to accelerate that trend."This capability won't really exist anywhere else in the world," Mans said, suggesting the facility could become a draw for scientific talent seeking to work on cutting-edge biotechnology research.Timeline and Next StepsThe M2PC facility is expected to open in 2029. Between now and then, construction crews will level and prepare the ground, while the building takes shape. Simultaneously, Ginkgo Bio Works, the automation contractor, will build the facility's automation components off-site so they can be installed as the building is completed.In the interim, PNNL researchers and the broader scientific community will begin planning the first experiments to be conducted in the facility, ensuring research is lined up and ready to begin as soon as the doors open.The groundbreaking ceremony included representatives from the Department of Energy, PNNL leadership, and elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels, underscoring the project's significance to the region and the nation's biotechnology future. News The U.S. Department of Energy Secretary tours Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Dan Hanson, Apple Valley News Now News Beyond DNA: Scientists Explore New Frontiers in Biology Research Dan Hanson, Apple Valley News Now News TRIDEC optimistic that Hanford, PNNL will see funding in national budget Robert Desaulniers News Big picture science: monitoring the Yakima River Basin News PNNL research could shape the future of fighting fentanyl COPYRIGHT 2026 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
Mailers promoting a socialist candidate in Ohio Senate race have links to MAGA super PAC vendor
The mailers are sponsored by Enough Promises Ohio PAC and began arriving in voters' mailboxes in recent days.
The sport of online harassment
Non-consensually posted intimate images can devastate women – and beget male bonding.The burner accounts on X loosely grouped into the “burnerverse” started by bonding over college sports – but soon took a darker turn when some of them began trying to make salacious rumors or non-consensual intimate images of young women and their names go viral. Ej Dickson investigated the burnerverse for Wired, profiling one of these women who were doxxed – and found links between these burner accounts and college fraternities. But what makes misogyny such a potent tool for men’s bonding? And with laws against non-consensually distributed intimate images in all 50 states – how is it still happening at scale?To talk more about the culture that supports this kind of harassment and the structures that keep it in place, Brittany is joined by Ej Dickson, senior culture writer at wired, and Dr. Mary Anne Franks, professor at the George Washington University Law School and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative.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.
Enterprise AI Impact Report 2026: Transforming Business, AI in the Enterprise
Artificial intelligence has moved out of the lab and into the boardroom. What began as a novelty for writing emails and summarising documents is fast becoming
Spain’s New Protest Movement Is Putting Class Center Stage
The occupation of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol by housing protesters has brought back memories of the anti-austerity revolt that began in 2011. But where the Indignados used generic populist language, this...
Willie Morgan exhibit grows as residents share their paintings
Few art exhibits grow larger after they open — but that’s exactly what happened when visitors began offering up pieces of their art collections to the “Willie Morgan: Art in
TWICE’s Jihyo Departs JYP Entertainment After 21 Years + Launches New Agency EMITHAUS
Jihyo is beginning a journey with a new company! On October 21, the TWICE member took to her Instagram to share the following handwritten letter: Hello, this is Jihyo. I’m writing today because there’s something I’d like to share with you. After 21 years, my journey with JYP Entertainment, which began when I was just a child, has come to an end. Trying to put 21 years into just a few words is harder than I thought it would be.From childhood through my teenage years and into adulthood, I’ve spent most of my life at JYP.There were good days and difficult ones, but one thing I know for certain is that every one of those moments has shaped who I am today.I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone at JYP who has been by my side and helped me grow over the years.I will always cherish the time we shared and the memories we made together. To me, independence is not so much a conclusion about the time that has passed, but a choice about how I want to live going forward.As the first step in this new chapter, I have established my own company, EMITHAUS.Just as “EMIT” means to “express or release,” I hope this will be a place where I can freely explore and bring to life even the possibilities within me that I have yet to discover.As I step away from a familiar environment and begin working in new ways, I will approach every decision and every endeavor with even greater thoughtfulness and responsibility. I also want to make it clear that this decision does not mean saying goodbye to the team I’ve been part of for so long.TWICE is an irreplaceable part of my life.Just as I cherish all the years we’ve shared, I look forward to all the moments still ahead of us.I will continue to stand on stage with my members and keep building more memories together for many years to come. Above all, I want to thank ONCE for believing in me and standing by my side for the past 11 years.I know that watching someone grow and change through so many stages of life and continuing to support them along the way is never something to be taken for granted.Thank you for giving me the courage to keep moving forward through your unwavering trust, love, and support.I will continue to fill the years ahead with choices and efforts that stay true to who I am and keep growing as an artist who lives up to all the love and support you’ve given me. Thank you. https://www.instagram.com/p/DevZGTkmTD2/ Jihyo is the third TWICE member to officially leave JYP Entertainment following Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung. Wishing Jihyo all the best on her new start!
College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building Groundbreaking a Milestone for Healthcare Education in Tennessee
A new era of healthcare education began Thursday when UT Health Sciences broke ground on the historic College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building.
12 Years Later, Canceled Kojima Game 'P.T.' Makes A Comeback
Before Hideo Kojima began developing OD for Xbox, he made an iconic PlayStation horror game meant to kick off a new Silent Hill era
Ohio State alumnus David Jacobs’ interest in investing yields high return for students
David C. Jacobs began plotting his career path early in high school. It would begin at The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing before continuing on Wall Street as a stockbroker. “It didn’t quite work out as planned,” he said. “But my time at Ohio State afforded me the opportunity to pivot quickly int...
Amazon Launches Early Prime Day Discounts on AirPods, iPad, MacBook Air, and More
Earlier this week, we began tracking early Prime Day deals on Apple-related accessories, and today Amazon has introduced major early deals on Apple products as well. This includes AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and more, all available at some of the lowest prices of the year so far. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
UAFS launches manufacturing academy
The manufacturing academy at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) began this week and has 20 participants receiving a training cycle for free that would cost almost $4,000,...
The story of how big business began shaping our understanding of reality » Yale Climate Connections
An interview with Amy Westervelt, climate reporter and author of ‘Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Public, and Broke Democracy'
Layoffs and business closures loom as tens of thousands of skill games become illegal
Joe Rocca’s business effectively ended Wednesday as the enforcement of Pennsylvania’s skill games ban began. Rocca, owner of Rite Touch Distribution...
Mountain Dreamers series aims to connect Summit County’s Latino business community
What began as an effort to help Summit County residents navigate their taxes has grown into a broader initiative to support local Latino entrepreneurs. Mountain Dreamers launched its first Café y Emprendimiento in August, inviting...
Politicization of science is leading American researchers to foreign universities
More than a year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes to U.S. scientific research, many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities offering stable funding and academic
This Week in Politics: Military Moves
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, formerly Secretary of Defense, delivered his second annual “State of the Force Address,” which outlined the administration’s strategic goals and initiatives for the United States military. Addressing hundreds of military officers and service members at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth began by...
Layne Riggs Tops NASCAR Truck Series Practice at Charlotte
Layne Riggs, who finds himself behind the eight ball, err, the No. 11 truck of Kaden Honeycutt — in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings, began his quest to reclaim the point lead by pacing practice for Friday night’s Ecosave 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With a lap time of 30.132 seconds (179.211 mph), […] The post Layne Riggs Tops NASCAR Truck Series Practice at Charlotte appeared first on TobyChristie.com.
Kordell Stewart reveals surprising untold origin of 'Slash' role
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart sets the record straight on how his multi-position 'Slash' role actually began.
The Raptor that Didn’t Return Home: Norman Powell
It’s February 1, 2026, one week before the newly implemented formula of the 2026 All-Star Game takes place. 12-minute quarters, four games in one night, and three teams: USA Stars, USA Stripes, and Team World. The rosters became official that same day, and debates among individuals and analysts began. However, one All-Star stood out above …
Michael Penix Injury Update: Falcons QB’s Week 6 Status Revealed
Michael Penix left Week 5's loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a rib injury, but the former first-round pick should return to the field for Week 6. The eighth-overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penix began his career on the bench before taking over for an ineffective Kirk Cousins towards the end of his …
‘Demon Hunters’ India-Taiwan Action-Comedy Sets Netherlands Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)
“Demon Hunters,” Mei-Juin Chen’s India-Taiwan action-comedy, will open in cinemas across the Netherlands on Oct. 29 via LAX Entertainment, extending a run that began theatrically in Taiwan and continu...
Goodbye joint replacements? Stanford scientists found a way to regrow cartilage and stop arthritis
Scientists have found a surprising way to regrow damaged knee cartilage by blocking a protein that becomes more abundant with age. In old mice, the treatment restored naturally lost cartilage and also helped prevent osteoarthritis after ACL-like knee injuries, while human cartilage taken from knee replacement patients began producing new, functional joint cartilage after exposure to the same inhibitor.
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago | Talk 1370
KIII 3 News
KIII 3NEWS is the ABC affiliate in Corpus Christi, Texas, operating to serve, inform and improve communities in the Coastal Bend. The station began broadcasting in South Texas on May 4, 1964. Today, KIII 3NEWS dominates one of the fastest-growing markets in Texas. The station’s service to the community and commitment to local news and weather coverage has consistently made it the Coastal Bend's news leader for decades.
Head of the class: URI quantum physics students work as teaching assistants for Brookhaven National Laboratory
KINGSTON, R.I. – Oct. 20, 2026 – As a sophomore at the University of Rhode Island three years ago, Morgan Beck ’26 began diving deep into the world of quantum physics, wanting to learn more about the branch of science that studies matter and energy at the most fundamental level. At that time, Beck—a 2025 […]
Anderson and Guéhi help England to comfortable Czechia win
Elliot Anderson and Marc Guéhi both featured as the Three Lions beat Czechia 3-0 to complete the October international break.The night at Wembley began with Harry Kane forcing the own goal from forme...
Who’s afraid of a 6-hour documentary about exiled Russian journalists?
Julia Loktev has released a new documentary, “My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile,” capturing the lives of Russian journalists who fled the country after Russia invaded Ukraine. Loktev began
Attorney returns to firm where his career began; high school's CFO hired by Archdiocese
Take a look at some of the recent promotions and new hires announced at south Louisiana businesses.
Are Bank Lobbies Still Relevant?
Local banking leaders say technology is changing the way customers use their banks — and their lobbies By Deborah Jeanne Post [caption id=attachment_11109 align=alignright width=300] Steve Gorczynski is M&T Bank Central New York regional president.[/caption] When was the last time you entered the lobby of your bank? If it’s been a while, you’re part of a trend of eschewing the lobby in favor of ATMs, drive-thrus, online banking and remote deposit. A 2025 study performed by the American Bankers Association revealed that only 9% of consumers use bank branches as their preferred way to do banking and 76% prefer mobile banking. The trend away from the lobby reflects consumer behavior in other areas of doing business, including online shopping instead of perusing the mall, ordering fast food at a kiosk, not at the counter and selecting curbside pick-up rather than walking into the restaurant. Consumers want convenience and going in the lobby adds another layer to the task. It also places consumers face to face with one or more representatives of the business, something less favorable to people feeling burned out from interpersonal interactions. Nixing or at least minimizing the size of the lobby isn’t necessarily negative for banks. Fewer people passing through their doors reduces overhead for building maintenance, staffing and furnishing. Greater reliance on virtual banking can mean closing brick and mortar locations and hiring fewer staffers to cover roles like teller and lending officer. “Our focus is on meeting customers where they are and giving them flexibility in how they bank,” said Steve Gorczynski, M&T Bank Central New York regional president. “While many everyday transactions can be supported digitally and through ATMs, branches remain important for more complex financial needs, offering face-to-face guidance and a more personal banking experience.” Talking with a commercial lender or working on a home mortgage are two examples where meeting face-to-face is more desirable for many people. They can receive immediate feedback to questions and can possibly reach their goals more quickly. But there’s little need to have a large seating area, long counters and numerous tellers for routine banking that’s quicker to handle virtually. Online banking can also help people on the go more readily complete banking tasks such as depositing checks, transferring funds among accounts and checking balances. [caption id=attachment_11135 align=alignright width=300] Tina M. Stephens is the vice president branch administration for Fulton Savings Bank.[/caption] “The traditional bank lobby is certainly being evaluated by most institutions today, as the typical large, open and cavernous spaces do not necessarily meet the needs of today’s customers,” said Tina M. Stephens, vice president branch administration for Fulton Savings Bank. “Traditional lobbies often bisect traditional teller stations and customer service areas, which adds confusion, especially for the demographic who routinely use online banking and only access the lobby for customer service needs.” Despite the rollback in physical locations across the industry, Fulton Savings Bank began modernizing its six branch offices in Oswego and Onondaga counties about three years ago and have finished four offices so far in Baldwinsville, Fulton, Constantia, and Phoenix. “We made the decision to build a new branch across the street from our current office in Brewerton which will be completed by the end of 2026, and we will begin the retrofit of our Central Square office in early 2027,” Stephens said. “Our efforts specifically address where we think customers will be in the next three to five years and have greater flexibility to make changes out into the future.” The bank may be onto something, as numerous reports state that screen-weary Gen Z young adults crave more in-person interactions than virtual ones. If the pendulum continues to swing in that direction, it’s hard to see all physical bank areas disappear, even if they change somewhat. Fulton Savings Bank has also consolidated its teller and customer service representative areas to larger “universal banker” areas, where the bank representative can address all customer retail needs. A one-stop-shop experience appeals to busy banking customers who want to perform a few different banking tasks in one visit. Stephens also said that Fulton Savings Bank made additional technology and security enhancements and created flex spaces to accommodate bank meetings throughout the two-county branch footprint. At Solvay Bank, Elizabeth Lavier, vice president marketing and communications manager, lauded digital and online services as convenient and flexible for managing finances; however, “technology is not meant to replace what matters most: the relationships behind every account that have always been at the heart of community banking,” she said. “Even in today’s digital-first world, people of all ages still value the opportunity to sit down with a trusted banker for personalized guidance. We understand that some of life’s biggest moments call for more than a screen.” Lavier views digital banking as another way for the organization to serve customers rather than a replacement for branches, tellers and lenders, which tend to serve customers better for transactions like buying a first car, purchasing a home, saving for a child’s education, or planning for retirement. “Those conversations, built on understanding, experience and personal guidance, are what community banking is all about,” Lavier said. “At the end of the day, banking is about more than transactions. It’s about helping our customers achieve their goals and being there for them every step of the way. By combining the convenience of digital banking with the care, commitment, and personal service of a local community bank, Solvay Bank offers customers the best of both worlds.” Are Paper Checks Destined to Disappear? With the ubiquity of debit cards, online payments, virtual checks and peer-to-peer payment platforms like Venmo, Zelle and PayPal, will paper checks become passe? “In my view, paper checks are unlikely to disappear in the near future,” said Tina M. Stephens, vice president branch administration for Fulton Savings Bank. “They continue to serve a practical purpose by providing a clear paper trail and tangible proof of payment.” According to the American Banker, a leading trade publication that covers the banking and financial industry, in 2024, checks accounted for 65% of all payment fraud losses. Paper checks should be phased out, according to the publication. “The phrase, ‘The check’s in the mail’ probably sounds strange to younger people because the era of paper checks is rapidly drawing to a close. Put bluntly, checks are an expensive, insecure legacy that is a drag on the U.S. economy. Rather than wait for them to vanish slowly, the pragmatic choice is to strategically accelerate the transition to paperless payments.”
Kirill Marchenko Sends Message to Blue Jackets Fans Booing Him
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Kirill Marchenko sent a clear message to the Columbus Blue Jackets fans for booing him.For the first time since he was traded the day before the season began, Marchenko played in Nationwide Arena in Columbus as a member of the Maple Leafs. Marchenko was traded to Toronto in exchange for Matthew […] The post Kirill Marchenko Sends Message to Blue Jackets Fans Booing Him appeared first on HEAVY.
Auroras appear in broad daylight in Smile spacecraft's eerie first images of Earth — Space photo of the week
The joint European-Chinese Smile satellite officially began its science operations this week, sharing a ghostly image of Earth's sunlit North Pole ringed by giant auroras.
Legends Radio spotlights JB Berkow’s lifelong art passion
JB Berkow is the founder of Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts in Lake Worth Beach. LEGENDS RADIO / COURTESY PHOTO This week's Legends Radio Local Artist Spotlight shines on accomplished artist and passionate advocate for the arts, JB Berkow. For more than five decades, JB Berkow has dedicated her life not only to creating art but also to making sure art has a place to thrive. Her work has been exhibited throughout the country in galleries, museums, and universities, and is held in permanent collections, including the Vatican’s Contemporary Art Collection in Italy, Boston University, and Palm Beach International Airport. Her passion for supporting other artists began early. At age 26, Berkow founded Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C., which became a highly successful cooperative gallery. She later brought that same entrepreneurial spirit to South Florida, founding Frenchman’s Art Gallery and Studios in Juno Beach in 1995. She opened Rosetta Stone Fine Art Gallery in 2003. In 2015, JB took her commitment to arts education even further by founding the nonprofit Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts. The 15,000-square-foot facility in Lake Worth Beach is home to Florida’s largest publicly accessible glassblowing hot shop and offers instruction in glassblowing, fusing, flameworking, and glass casting. The center also provides free classes to approximately 1,000 underserved children and young adults with disabilities each year. Its “Fragments Reimagined” art therapy program for veterans with PTSD recently received a $100,000 Impact 100 grant. In addition to her work as an artist and advocate, Berkow has authored four books, including Shades of Love and What They Didn’t Teach You in Art School. For JB, art has always been about more than creating something beautiful. It’s about opening doors, inspiring others, and making creativity an important part of life.That is why JB Berkow is in this week’s Legends Radio Local Artist Spotlight.
As AI Learns to Write, Tuhin Chakrabarty Studies What Humans Stand to Lose
As AI models are able to generate increasingly convincing prose, what began as an experiment—can AI write something that sounds plausibly human?—is becoming a commercial reality, with blog posts, YouTube video scripts and even bestselling novels bearing AI’s fingerprints. But the speed of that shift brings unique challenges, including questions of copyright infringement and an
Trump's moves to boost diesel supplies have not yet lowered prices
US diesel prices remain at near record highs, up 70% since the US-Israeli war on Iran began despite two high-profile recent moves by President Donald Trump to boost supplies of the fuel: pressuring allies to release emergency reserves and expanding access to tax-exempt red-dyed diesel.
Northwestern Football Ranked for First Time Since 2021
Northwestern football is back in the national spotlight. The Wildcats return to the AP Top 25 for the first time since the final poll of the 2020 season, ending a wait that began in January 2021.
El-Sayed, Rogers trade barbs over Iran war, gas prices in Michigan Senate debate
What began as a debate over Michigan families’ rising costs quickly turned into a heated political showdown Thursday night, as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers traded personal attacks in their race for the U.S. Senate.
Stressed out by politics? You’re not alone. Political stress is rising, therapists say
After several years as a clinician helping couples and individuals navigate the struggles of daily life, therapist Amity Heyborne began noticing a new source of distress among her clients: political polarization.
How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy
Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.
BUSINESS UPDATE: All About Cannabis
SUNY Oswego’s cannabis studies prepares for growing business opportunities By Mary Beth Roach [caption id=attachment_11114 align=alignright width=383] Marthinus (Martin) Koen is associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. He and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, created the program.[/caption] As the cannabis industry in New York state continues to grow, so do the business opportunities. New York’s legal cannabis market is projected to hit $3 billion in annual sales this year and more than 600 licensed dispensaries are operating across the state, according to budpedia.com. It’s estimated that New York will add about 16,160 new cannabis jobs in 2026, according to the 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report. SUNY Oswego, realizing the potential, now offers two programs to acquaint both matriculated and non matriculated students with aspects of this multi-billion-dollar business. Its cannabis studies microcredential came out last year and a minor was introduced this fall. The microcredential allows traditional students to add electives to their degree. Students who are not enrolled in the college can sign up to take classes to learn more about the field, growing the crop and managing or opening a dispensary, according to Marthinus (Martin) Koen, associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. The classes are designed to give those who wish to pursue business opportunities in the field a much broader understanding of cannabis and a more overall perspective of the various aspects of running a business, such as supply chain management, customer service and best practices. “When you’re trying to market it, when you’re trying to make sales, you’re understanding will be a lot more vast and nuanced,” he said. “The last 10 years especially, the hard science on cannabis increased and we have a lot more nuanced understanding right now that hasn’t yet permeated the pop culture,” he added. Koen’s team is also hoping to develop an independent study class that will help somebody who wants to apply for a license. That the classes fill up quickly should come as no surprise. “I think there’s a lot of people who are excited about it because it’s a new industry,” he said and they see an opportunity to make some money. Matriculated students may look at it as fun to learn about and stack on top of their existing major or minor. According to the college’s website, students interested in a microcredential would take cannabis law and policy and cultivation of cannabis, along with two other electives. For the first elective they could select either the economics of cannabis or manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of cannabis; and the second elective would be either cannabis science, analysis, and well-being or cannabis and society. The idea for a microcredential in cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego began in 2023, Koen said, as SUNY statewide was advocating for these types of initiatives. Koen and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, began brainstorming on ideas. Catching their attention was the legalization of full recreational marijuana use in New York state in 2021 and the problem-riddled rollout of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management. Guy and Koen created a Criminal Justice Elective called CRJ 420, called cannabis and society, to see if there was any interest. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there was interest —a lot of it. Further discussions led to the microcredential, cannabis studies, which incorporated science, business and anthropological perspectives, Koen said. They were allowed to create their own prefixes for the classes, such as CAN 310; CAN 320; and CAN 420. Yes, the 420 was intentional — it’s a slang term and symbol used to refer to cannabis consumption and counterculture — but it’s also meant to reflect that the course, being on the 400 level, is “very academically involved,” Koen explained. The term 420 was coined in 1971 by a group of California high school students as a secret code to meet at 4:20 p.m. at a campus landmark to search for an abandoned cannabis crop nearby. The phrase has evolved, to say the least. It is now associated with cannabis use worldwide. For more information, visit ww1.oswego.edu/academics/microcredentials/cannabis-studies.
On the barricades with wheelie bins and shopping trolleys: Paris students rage at politicians and police
Unprecedented protests that began in low-income banlieue are turning ugly, with investigations under way into police brutality
Bridges explores Mary L. Good's impact on science, technology
Mary L. Good's story began in Grapevine, Texas, but her impact on science and technology was felt across the U.S. and beyond.
Gears of War: E-Day - Surviving the First Night of Emergence
Today marks the worldwide launch of Gears of War: E-Day, now available on XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, Game Pass and Steam. One of XBOX’s most iconic sagas returns to where it all began, taking players back to the opening hours of Emergence Day and the catastrophic event that changed the world of Sera […]
Bridges explores Mary L. Good's impact on science, technology
Mary L. Good's story began in Grapevine, Texas, but her impact on science and technology was felt across the U.S. and beyond.
Didn't Pre-Order an iPhone Duo Yet? Wait Times Are Significant Now
iPhone Duo pre-orders began today in the U.S. and many other countries. If you have yet to place a pre-order on Apple's online store, however, wait times are longer now. The first customers who pre-ordered right when pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time today will have their devices delivered on Friday, October 23. By just 5:20 a.m. Pacific Time though, select configurations on Apple's online store in the U.S. are now showing delivery estimates into late December for new orders.
Pennsylvania warns of rise in congenital measles and infection during pregnancy
State health officials said that 66 pregnant women have gotten measles since the outbreak began in April.
Launch Family Entertainment Names John Palumbo VP of Franchise Development
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PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago | KNSS Radio
Chesapeake Bay gets a C+ in overall health, Va. and Md. leaders say work to protect it must continue
The Chesapeake Bay earned a C+ on the annual report card that calculates improvements or losses in key indicators of health and conditions in the estuary and surrounding areas. This is the highest the Bay has ever scored since the record-keeping began in 2006. At the announcement in Woodbridge on Tuesday, Virginia leaders said the […]
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes
Washington’s Physicality Gap Amplified in Iowa Loss
Elijah Brown’s second-half performance struck life into the Washington offense, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the hole it dug itself against Iowa in the first half. The Huskies began the game with five straight punts. In what Jedd Fisch called a measuring stick game against the Hawkeyes, his team failed to measure up to …
Scientists finally understand why Antarctica froze long before the Arctic - Futura-Sciences
The research shows that the creation of an escarpment, plateau, and mountain region in East Antarctica produced the high terrain needed for snow and ice to build up. The process began when Antarctica and Africa started pulling apart during the Jurassic Period, between 201 and 143 million years ago. Powerful...
As flag football becomes official sport in Oregon, Salem-Keizer coaches, players hopeful about future
The decision is particularly meaningful for some Salem-Keizer Public Schools teams that have been invested since the sport began gaining popularity in 2023.
A South Shore father-daughter birdhouse project became a business
What began as a project for an 8-year-old and her dad grew into a home-based business selling assembled birdhouses and DIY kits
Antarctic Sea Ice Grows to Its 2026 Maximum
The ice reached its third-lowest maximum extent since satellite observations began.
Microsoft is now scaling back Copilot in Windows 11 amid Microslop backlash, pulling 8 AI actions from File Explorer and calling it “simplifying”
Microsoft says it's retiring "Copilot actions" from the File Explorer context menu, which it recently began rolling out.
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes
New York declares first US measles disaster emergency since 2025 surge
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, the first such declaration by a U.S. state since cases began surging in 2025.
‘It Has Definitely Been Frustrating’ – Warriors’ Kristaps Porziņģis Breaks Silence on Health Issues, Pushes Back Against ‘Internet Doctors’
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis posted an update on his recovery Wednesday, minutes after the team announced he will remain out indefinitely with the health-related matter that has sidelined him since before training camp. The posts were his first public comments since the absence began more than two weeks ago.
Science Hill advances as four local teams fall in state volleyball tournament
Five local teams began their bids for state volleyball titles Tuesday in Murfreesboro, with Science Hill earning a five-set win to advance to the Class 3-A semi
Dévy Rigaux’s aggressive summer approach has helped revitalise Feyenoord
Dévy Rigaux didn’t take long to begin making sweeping changes at Feyenoord. The former Club Brugge Sporting Director had barely been in post when he began making signings and replacing Robin Van Pe...
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago.
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago | 1010 WINS
Kilmar Ábrego Garcia is set to be back in court as he battles deportation to Liberia
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kilmar Ábrego Garcia on Tuesday will be back in federal court, where the federal government will continue its attempt to deport him in an 18-month saga that began when he was mistakenly sent to El Salvador last year. The government is moving to vacate a preliminary injunction put in place by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining and deporting Ábrego Garcia to the West African
Francis Halzen wins Nobel Prize in physics for work on ghost particles
The Nobel Committee praised his work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, where he began studying neutrinos in the 1980s
Defense focuses on mental health after state rests in Rodney Hinton murder trial
The defense began calling witnesses Tuesday in the murder trial of Rodney Hinton, shifting the focus to his mental health after he watched video of police shooting and killing his son.
Businesses targeted in burglary spree in Dundalk, Rosedale
Baltimore City police and Baltimore County officers began investigating multiple commercial crimes in the Dundalk area early Saturday.
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes
Current and Historical Public Opinion on Medicare-for-All and Other National Health Plan Proposals
This chart pack summarizes KFF polling data on public opinion on Medicare-for-all and other national health plan proposals. The latest update finds that two-thirds of the public supports Medicare-for-all, while support changes drastically as respondents hear arguments from proponents and critics.
Puka Nacua has a "pre-hernia"
With Rams receiver Puka Nacua having "core muscle" issues during training camp and then a hip/groin problem that caused him to miss two games, it began to seem as if Nacua might have a hernia.
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high
A new study from PEN America reveals that there were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, the highest since tracking began five years ago | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
Police chase ends in Oakland, damaging cruiser and nearby business
A police chase that began outside city limits ended in Oakland, causing damage to a smoke shop and a Pittsburgh police cruiser, with multiple people taken into custody.
Michael Penix Injury Update: Falcons QB Suffers Rib Injury
Michael Penix left Week 5's loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a rib injury, but the former first-round pick could return to the field sooner rather than later. The eighth-overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penix began his career on the bench before taking over for an ineffective Kirk Cousins towards the end of …
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes
Students Use Forensic Science Skills in Escape Room
Hundreds of students from across the region put their problem-solving skills to the test this week during the Regional Science Consortium’s annual Forensic Science Escape Room. Elementary school students had just a few hours to figure out how someone died as part of a forensic science escape room activity. The Regional Science Consortium partnered with Mercyhurst University for the 10th year of the event, which is taking place at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. It began Monday and runs through Thursday.Throughout the week, more than 250 students are working to solve murder mysteries using real forensic science techniques. Students must analyze the evidence, piece together clues and solve the crime before time runs out.Organizers said the event gives students interested in pursuing forensic science in college a firsthand look at what a career in the field could entail.Sarah Skelton, Special Gifts Coordinator at Iroquois, said the activity provides students with an opportunity to develop skills that can sometimes be difficult to practice in a traditional classroom. "It really helps them to work in teams and on critical thinking skills. Which, not that they don't get these opportunities, but it's hard sometimes in the classroom to develop those higher-level thinking skills”, said Skelton.Students also get a chance to learn how forensic science is used in real-life investigations. As Skelton explained, "What are the real-life applications? What would you actually see in a crime scene? How would you handle these types of forensic investigations? So it's really cool our kids get to see what opportunities are out there and possibly a career field one day."The popular event has grown over the years, with some students returning year after year. Organizers said watching those students grow and develop their interests is one of the highlights of the program.Jeanette Schnars, the Executive Director of the Regional Science Consortium said it's rewarding to see how students' interests evolve as they get older. According to Schnars, "How they have grown and matured and where their interests are going and maybe they aren't going into forensics, but if they are going into sciences or different disciplines, so it's really fulfilling to see how they have matured."One student who continues to enjoy the event is sixth-grader Mia Harvey of Iroquois. Harvey hopes to pursue a career in medicine and says the forensic science activities are helping her explore her interests, "One day I want to become a neurologist, and learning about the bones is probably going to help me."Harvey said her favorite part of the event is the real-life application of what she's learning. "While you are trying to find the clues, they teach real stuff that you would need to know”, said Harvey.Event organizers said if students are learning while having fun, then the program is accomplishing its goal. "Not only are they learning the science, but they are having fun with it too”, said Schnars.Adults will also have a chance to take part in the experience this Saturday during an adult version of the escape room, which will feature food, drinks and entertainment. For more information, click here.The Forensic Science Escape Room has become one of the Regional Science Consortium’s most popular events, with teachers signing up their students as soon as registration opens in August.
What to do with Aaron Glenn?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jets fans and fans across the country. This season has taken a difficult turn for the New York Jets and their fans. A year that began with a promising win over the Tennessee […]
Awbury enters Japan’s credit insurance market
Bermuda-based Awbury Insurance Ltd.’s Awbury Syndicate 2025 has expanded into Japan and began underwriting credit and financial risks on Oct. 1, The Royal Gazette reported.
Boise to hold celebration and ribbon cutting for McDevitt Youth Sports Complex
New Features at Charles F. McDevitt Youth Sports Complex. Photo: Courtesy Boise Parks and Recreation Visitors to Boise’s Charles F. McDevitt Youth Sports Complex (5101 N. Eagle Rd.) will find a number of new amenities now open to the public as city leaders celebrate the completion of a renovation project that began back in 2025. […]
How a controversial lift on 'Dancing With the Stars' and a reference to Will Smith's Oscars slap led to pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy's suspension
The controversy began when judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson that their routine included a move that is not allowed in traditional samba.
Francis Halzen wins Nobel Prize in physics for work on ghost particles
The Nobel Committee praised his work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, where he began studying neutrinos in the 1980s
Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump's funding cuts and politicization of science
Many American scientists are being recruited by foreign universities holding out offers of stable funding and academic freedom. It began last year after the Trump administration began making seismic changes
Miami Heat Could Be Tim Hardaway Jr Breakout Season
Tim Hardaway Jr. has long been due for a breakout, and this year with the Miami Heat could be his chance. His NBA career, which began in 2013 with the New York Knicks, has featured dynamic seasons with multiple teams over the last 13 seasons. But there has been something missing until now. About to …
Tawas City Library Friends celebrating 20 years
TAWAS CITY – Tawas City Library Friends (TCLF) are celebrating 20 years of supporting the Tawas City Library and the community. The group began in October 2006 with a few