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United Turn to Alejandro Balde as Left-Back Search Intensifies
Manchester United are set to open negotiations with Barcelona over left-back Alejandro Balde, according to ESPN. Manchester City’s reported activity in the same round-up concerns a different player ...
GOP senator sues to block takeover of family's historic resort amid $289M debt dispute
A legal battle over the Greenbrier resort intensifies as the Justice family accuses creditors of deceptive tactics, while an investor alleges fraud and financial mismanagement.
Titus targets prediction markets as the battle to protect sports betting intensifies
The Nevada congresswoman introduces a bill to ban Kalshi and others from offering sports “contracts” without approval from states. Also, M Resort boosts Penn.
Trump polled advisers about replacing Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence chief
Exclusive: Pressure intensifies for Gabbard after president’s displeasure with Iran war testimony
Report: Shock Move Brewing as Liverpool Target Next Defensive Star
Liverpool Eye Daniel Banjaqui as Right-Back SolutionSearch for Alexander-Arnold Successor IntensifiesCredit to Anfield Watch for revealing Liverpool’s latest transfer thinking, as the club prepares ...
[Science Through Covers] Alpine plants in the Bernese Alps face extinction as warming intensifies
Twenty-one-year Science study links higher mountaintop temperatures to rising local extinctions above the treeline
Georgia enters October undefeated as the challenging SEC schedule intensifies
ALesik/Depositphotos Georgia enters October with a perfect record Georgia’s 2026 football schedule brings a major change as the SEC moves to a nine-game conference slate. The Bulldogs face familiar rivals, new scheduling twists, and several challenging road trips, while the annual Florida matchup temporarily leaves Jacksonville. Alabama, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Auburn, and South Carolina are…
Health care fight intensifies as Congress weighs GOP-backed insurance changes
Congressional Republicans say they are taking steps on health care — but Democrats counter that previous efforts are already costing Virginians coverage and putting hospitals under strain. Republicans have pointed to measures like the Rural Health Transformation Fund and an association health plan expansion bill that has cleared the House and is headed to the […]
Stock markets fall and oil jumps as Middle East conflict intensifies and AI boom falters
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Anti-Muslim backlash shadows Austin after downtown shooting
After a deadly downtown shooting, Texas Muslims report fear and backlash as political rhetoric intensifies and Austin’s first Muslim city council member responds.
Flutter Entertainment Reassesses Growth As FanDuel Predicts Faces Regulatory Tests
Flutter Entertainment, NYSE:FLUT, missed recent revenue expectations and issued guidance for 2026 that some investors view as cautious. The company has launched FanDuel Predicts, expanding into prediction markets at a time when regulators are paying closer attention to the sector. These moves come as competition in online wagering and prediction products intensifies, raising questions about Flutter Entertainment's next phase of growth. For shareholders, the backdrop is already challenging...
Uefa has 'lost confidence' in Fifa leadership
Uefa says it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's Fifa leadership as the fallout from the scrapped controversial investment plan intensifies.
Health care workers want ICE out of hospitals, and blue states are responding
As the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown, health care workers in multiple states say ICE is increasing its presence in health care facilities, deterring people from seeking medical care and creating chaos that jeopardizes the safety of their patients.
Novig wins CFTC approval as competition intensifies in sports prediction markets
Novig is building a peer-to-peer sports trading platform that allows users to trade directly against one another rather than bet against the house.
Jacksonville Bold for 4.8.26: Learning from mistakes
Republicans regroup for Jacksonville Mayor race as campaign season intensifies.
Singapore Alternative Lending Business Market Report 2026-2029: BNPL and Embedded Finance Market Intensifies as Atome, Grab PayLater and Shopee SPayLater Compete with Bank-Led Instalment Expansion
Key market opportunities in Singapore's alternative lending include BNPL standardization favoring accredited providers, embedding SME credit within digital ecosystems, tightening digital acquisition standards, and expanding private credit funding pathways. These shifts could enhance regulatory compliance, market reach, and investment potential. Singaporean Alternative Lending Market Singaporean Alternative Lending Market Dublin, Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Singapore Alternative Lendin
What Browns’ Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson said about working together during offseason
Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson explain how offseason workouts strengthened chemistry as the Browns' quarterback battle intensifies.
Colorado legislators abandon proposal targeting natural gas initiative
Colorado lawmakers pulled back plans to counter a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of consumers to use natural gas. The bill’s backers said the legislation would not have significantly affected the initiative’s impact, even as debate intensifies among environmental groups, the oil and gas industry and policymakers. The bill — initially planned by House […]
Iran War Intensifies, Spreads - Inside Politics with Dana Bash and Manu Raju - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Universal primary care takes center stage in VT race
Debate intensifies in Vermont over universal primary care proposals as candidates weigh potential savings against higher taxes.
Ventura County Fire highlights what it takes to fight wildfires, plan water drops
As summer temperatures heat up and the fire season intensifies, ABC7 is looking at the science that goes into fighting a wildfire.
Romania's political stalemate intensifies rating pressure before S&P review
Romania's failure to install a new government on Wednesday has intensified pressure on its investment-grade credit rating, as a five-month political impasse collides with a rapid build-up of public debt that is testing the limits of fiscal sustainability.
Homeland Security intensifies pursuit of noncitizens on voter rolls
Immigrants who said they inadvertently registered to vote while obtaining or renewing driver’s licenses are increasingly facing deportation under the Trump administration.
Debate over James Rodríguez's starting spot intensifies
The recent clásico between Atlético Nacional and Millonarios sparked debate among fans about the role James Rodríguez should take on in the team.Gradual integration and technical contributionThe mi...
Report: Brighton pushing to sign defender in £11m deal
Brighton Target Costinha as Right Back Search IntensifiesBrighton & Hove Albion are advancing talks to sign Olympiacos right back Costinha, with The Athletic reporting that discussions are centred on ...
Trump to hold Venezuela Oval Office meeting, sources say
President Donald Trump will hold a meeting at the White House on Monday evening about next steps on Venezuela, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as the administration intensifies its pressure campaign on the country.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reconsidering reelection bid, expected to announce decision Monday, sources say
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is reconsidering whether to seek reelection to a third term and is expected to announce his decision at a Monday news conference, two senior Democrats told CNN, as criticism over a welfare-fraud scandal in his state intensifies.
Doctored 2006 front page falsely portrayed as genuine article about Nigerian politician's 'madness'
As political activity intensifies ahead of Nigeria’s January 2027 election, misinformation is circulating online, including a purported 2006 newspaper front page with claims that presidential candidat...
Mayor Villalobos intensifies effort to confront ongoing issues in McAllen’s Entertainment District
McAllen’s Entertainment and Cultural Overlay District, commonly known as the 17th Street entertainment district, was created in 2005 to allow bars, clubs, and music venues to operate under special permits with added safety requirements.
Debate intensifies over Obamacare subsidies and health care costs
The ongoing debate in Congress over health care costs has intensified as Democrats push to extend pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies.
NFL authorized to hire replacement referees as threat of NFLRA lockout intensifies, per report
Replacement referees are on the way for the first time since 2012
Chinese barriers rattle K-pop entertainment agency shares
Experts cautious over volatility; hunt for megastars like BTS, Blackpink intensifies
Tech stock sell-off intensifies as markets await UK GDP report for August
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Opinion: Bad optics and bad politics with fisheries decision
A North Carolina fisheries ruling enters its remedy stage as debate intensifies over inshore net fishing, agency performance and the General Assembly’s constitu...
How NIH-Funded Science Supports US Biopharmaceutical Innovation
NIH-funded research supports the foundation for industry to develop vaccines and therapies, exemplifying deep public-private R&D complementarity. As global competition intensifies, expanding NIH funding will be key to protecting American health, supporting U.S. biopharmaceutical competitiveness, and ensuring national power and security.
Giants cut Juju Smith-Schuster as fight for wide receiver spot intensifies
One former Steeler in the door, while another departs.
Congressional Leaders Laud NASA Moon Plans, But Fight Intensifies over Science Funding
“If we weaken academia, we don’t just weaken our research capacity, we lose our workforce and we lose the innovation that fuels our economy.” —Rep. Zoe Lofgren at ASCEND 2026 Congressional leaders…
US strikes on 5 Iranian provinces kill 14, injure 78: Health Ministry
Casualty figures come as fighting between US, Iran intensifies following collapse of ceasefire | Anadolu
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those concerns are inflated and secondary to winning the AI race with China.Some Democratic lawmakers last week pressured House Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene the chamber immediately to work on AI regulation, citing what they describe as the “catastrophic risk posed by advanced artificial intelligence.” But the Louisiana Republican on Sunday resisted those calls, instead saying industry leaders should meet with lawmakers to find “balance” in any potential guardrails.“If Congress just races in and does some sort of emergency session to try to regulate AI, we will lose the race to China, and that is a threat to every single American,” Johnson said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama told Democrats to make artificial intelligence regulation a central part of their agenda during a private fundraiser Thursday, warning that the technology could be dangerous “if we don’t get on top of it.”In a fireside chat with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Obama said whoever runs in the 2028 presidential election should have a “very clear plan” on AI, adding that he saw the need for a “blueprint” on AI guardrails even at the end of his presidency a decade ago.“Certainly, if I were running for president next year, this would be one of my central agendas, and I would have a very clear plan, and I would talk about this, and I would say, ‘Here’s our plan for safety, here’s our plan for making sure our kids are not corrupted by this,’” he said, per excerpts of the remarks provided to CNN by his office. Obama’s remarks were first reported by the New York Times.Concerns over the rapid acceleration of AI reached a fever pitch after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a 3,800-word essay Saturday that the race to develop artificial intelligence is in dire need of a slowdown. The call to action came after an OpenAI test model breached the Hugging Face online platform, deepening concerns about cybersecurity.In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Saturday, Amodei called on industry leaders to work together to avoid “the wrong paths” and the possibility of AI harming humanity.One Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, resigned from the firm over worries that the industry wasn’t doing enough to prevent AI from destroying humanity by the end of the decade.Obama said Democrats need a plan to get their agenda on AI underway should they win the House majority in this year’s midterms.Speaking to Jeffries, who is presumed to be speaker of the House should Democrats prevail in November, Obama said, “Once you are speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation, and you can break it out into three or four or five issues.”Obama stressed that the framework should be centered on the reality that the technology can’t be stuffed “back into a box.”“This is something that is moving very fast in private hands, and if we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous. If we do get on top of it, I do think it’s beneficial,” Obama said, laying out examples of AI’s potential use in drug development and finding pathways to a clean energy future.“We don’t want to shut off those opportunities, but we have to understand that this is a tool,” he said.Jeffries agreed with the former president in a statement provided to CNN on Sunday.“President Obama is correct that decisive action must be taken on Artificial Intelligence,” he said, adding, “In the majority, we will move urgently on this issue with a legislative response that recognizes the importance of American companies continuing to lead in the Artificial Intelligence area, while putting in place meaningful guardrails that protect the American people from bad actors and the very real damage that can be done to humanity.”Jeffries also accused Republicans of having “abdicated their responsibility to govern” and said Democrats “will not repeat their error.”A source familiar with Obama’s thinking said the former president sees Amodei’s letter and similar reaction from other tech moguls as an encouraging development.But President Donald Trump waved off their concerns, saying he is not worried about any existential threat posed by AI, focusing instead on the US winning in its development of the technology over China.“We’re leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way,” Trump said to reporters at the Amgen Irish Open on Sunday.About the concerns expressed by Democrats and others over the technology, the president said, “I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen.”One of Trump’s top economic advisers, Kevin Hassett, also rejected the calls for slowing the technology down, saying on Sunday the bigger concern is a scenario in which a “malevolent actor has access to an AI that’s better than the one we have that can protect us.”Hassett, the National Economic Council director, said on “State of the Union” the White House may hold meetings this week about addressing Amodei’s concerns, but he did not specify whether Trump had floated greater safeguards.“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Hassett said. “We are leading China right now.”CNN’s Alison Main and Molly English contributed to this report.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Yemen: Health system faces mounting pressure as fighting intensifies
As fighting intensifies across parts of Yemen, hospitals are struggling to cope with growing numbers of war-wounded patients while an already fragile health system faces critical shortages of medical supplies, staff and specialized care.
The Packaging People Reveals 5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade to Custom Packaging
As competition intensifies across consumer and industrial markets, packaging is positioned as a strategic component of business performance rath...
Children’s health at risk in south Borneo as El Niño intensifies Indonesia wildfires
BANJARMASIN, Indonesia — Siti Sarah slept in fits and starts through August as the fires broke out around her village and surrounding peatlands. One fire on Aug. 18 at first seemed a safe distance away, but in a heartbeat the flames were within 100 meters (330 feet) of her home in Pengayuan, a village in […]
Linda Julien launches bid to succeed Oliver Gilbert on Miami-Dade Commission
Julien enters the race as speculation intensifies about Gilbert’s future in Congress.
Contributor: U.S. lead in science is shrinking fast as China, India and even Iran catch up
As global competition intensifies, the United States risks driving away the world’s brightest minds rather than drawing them in.
Search intensifies for missing Oakland mother and business owner
The search is intensifying for an Oakland mother and business owner who has been missing for almost a month.
Exclusive | Spring Health to Buy Alma in Merger of Mental-Health Startups
Venture-backed digital-health startups are using mergers and acquisitions to expand offerings as AI competition intensifies.
The AI doomsday debate intensifies
In this Sunday edition of Business Insider Today, we're talking about the AI industry's existential angst, and its plan to slow everything down.
Scrutiny of WNBA intensifies as disarray looms over All-Star festivities
Discussions about race, gender and sexuality overshadow Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game, as league lurches into disarray.
Moving Beyond Cost Shifting: A Bipartisan Framework for Health Care Affordability
As bipartisan attention on health care affordability intensifies—amid fiscal pressures and increasing consumer frustration—Congress and the administration must act
Colombia-Ecuador trade collapsing as tariff war intensifies, business groups say
RUMICHACA BRIDGE, Colombia/Ecuador, May 1 (Reuters) - The flow of goods between Colombia and Ecuador is drying up, industry groups on the South American countries' border say, as high tariffs resulti...
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those
Doctor warns of health risks as Massachusetts heat wave intensifies
Massachusetts faces a dangerous heat stretch, and a South Shore Health doctor warns the heat can strain the heart and other organs.
OpenAI to double workforce as business push intensifies
The $730bn start-up plans to increase staff to 8,000 by end of 2026 in bid to close gap with rival Anthropic
A ballot fight over corporate money in Michigan politics is coming to voters
Voters will decide whether to upend campaign finance in Michigan when they head to the polls in November as outrage over money in politics intensifies pressure for reform.
War powers debate intensifies after Trump orders attack on Iran without approval by Congress
Key members of Congress are demanding a swift vote on a war powers resolution that would restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran
Trump returns to correspondents’ dinner after shooting disrupted April event
The president will address a smaller, heavily secured gathering Friday as his administration intensifies its legal and rhetorical attacks on journalists.
Global inventory race intensifies: Shadow of Iran war
The global rush to stockpile manufactured goods on fears of an energy-supply crunch will again overshadow business surveys in the coming week.
Papa Johns shuts down dozens of locations across 17 states as fast-food competition intensifies
Papa Johns follows through on plans to close 300 stores, targeting franchise-owned locations generating less than $600,000 in annual sales by 2027.
Opinion: Bad optics and bad politics with fisheries decision
A North Carolina fisheries ruling enters its remedy stage as debate intensifies over inshore net fishing, agency performance and the General Assembly’s constitu...
PAHO: Strengthening El Niño raises growing health risks across the Americas
Drought, food insecurity, dengue, wildfires, and flooding are already affecting several countries across the region as El Niño intensifies.Washington, D.C., September 18, 2026 (PAHO) – El Niño continues to strengthen and could have significant public health impacts across the Americas in the coming months, according to the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) first regional situation report on the phenomenon.
Trump administration social posts amid Minnesota immigration tensions seen as appealing to far right
As its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis intensifies, the Trump administration is leaning into messaging that borrows from phrases, images and music about national identity that have become popular among right-wing groups.
AI boom will produce winners and ‘carnage,’ says tech boss; dollar sinks to four-year lows after Trump comments
Cisco chief executive says technology ‘will be bigger than the internet’ but current market is probably a bubble; dollar selling intensifies, gold climbs through $5,200 an ounce to new record high
AI regulation debate intensifies as Whoop CEO Will Ahmed discusses health tech
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Vice President JD Vance push for AI self-regulation. Plus, Whoop Founder and CEO Will Ahmed discusses utilizing artificial intelligence to track fitness, sleep and stress.
More capacity, fiercer competition: the E&S battle begins
As capacity returns and competition intensifies, E&S players are being forced to sharpen their game
Search intensifies for missing Oakland mother and business owner
The search intensified for an Oakland mother and business owner who has been missing for almost a month.
Dispute Between Pentagon and Anthropic Intensifies as Deadline Looms
Defense officials criticized the A.I. firm after it rejected their latest offer. Anthropic has until 5:01 p.m. on Friday to give them unrestricted access to its model.
Entering War’s Third Week, Trump Faces Stark Choices
As the conflict with Iran expands and intensifies, President Trump’s options — to fight on, or to move toward declaring victory and pulling back — both carry deeply problematic consequences.
Urban Climate: The Science behind Resilient Cities under Changing Climates
More than 6 in 10 humans now live in cities. As urbanization accelerates and climate change intensifies, cities have become the critical frontier where weather, climate, and human resilience intersect.
Drought Intensifies Across Puerto Rico
Rainfall deficits and high temperatures have created unusually dry conditions and have spurred water shortages on much of the tropical archipelago.
Mbappé Exit Talk Grows as Real Madrid Criticism Intensifies
Criticism of Kylian Mbappé’s conduct and situation at Real Madrid is intensifying in France, with MARCA reporting on 8 October that L’Équipe and RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riolo have raised con...
Taiwan Tests Doomsday Invasion Scenario as China Pressure Intensifies
The drills represent a shift from Taiwan's previous emergency exercises, which had often been criticized as overly scripted and symbolic.
Bond sell-off intensifies around the world as oil prices rise above $91 a barrel, stoking inflation fears
Renewed fighting in Middle East weighs on financial markets
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those concerns are inflated and secondary to winning the AI race with China.
Trump says U.S. ground troops in Iran 'possible'
Trump declined to rule out the possibility of sending U.S. forces inside Iran, saying it could “possibly happen” as the conflict intensifies.
Schumer: Democrats will block funding unless $64.4bn for homeland security removed
Announcement comes as anger toward DHS – which oversees ICE – intensifies after Alex Pretti fatally shot
Opinion: Bad optics and bad politics with fisheries decision
A North Carolina fisheries ruling enters its remedy stage as debate intensifies over inshore net fishing, agency performance and the General Assembly’s constitu...
Cole Palmer receives firm warning over his World Cup chances
Cole Palmer, Thomas Tuchel and England: Fight for World Cup Place IntensifiesPressure builds on Palmer in England setupThe conversation around Cole Palmer, Thomas Tuchel and England national team spea...
From Pandemic Prevention to Pharmaceutical Resilience: Why Health Security Should Be Part of US-Taiwan Economic Security Cooperation
As strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region intensifies, Washington increasingly views Taiwan as both a reliable partner for democracy and regional stability, and as a critical contributor to supply-chain resilience and technology security. However, one important area has room for improvement: health security and pharmaceutical resilience.
Canada Imposes New Tariffs on U.S. Goods, as Trade War Intensifies
The duties are a retaliation against President Trump’s recent tariffs, raising concerns about further escalation.
Fight for the Black vote intensifies in Michigan, a voting bloc El-Sayed can’t afford to lose
Bipartisan leaders gather to discuss challenges to American leadership at 2026 McCain Institute Sedona Forum
As global instability intensifies and political divisions deepen at home, the 2026 Sedona Forum convened some of the world’s most influential policymakers, military leaders, journalists and business voices to address a defining question: What will it take to sustain American leadership in a rapidly changing world?
Hall of Fame GM Expresses Concerns About Extending Vita Vea
As a lucrative "hold-in" intensifies, Bill Polian warns that committing massive capital to an aging nose tackle could backfire for a Tampa Bay roster already in transition.
Andrew Copp Puts Red Wings Roster on Notice
Andrew Copp says only a small group of Red Wings forwards have cemented roles as competition intensifies throughout training camp.
RFK Jr.'s AI claims spark physician backlash as debate over medical AI intensifies
Robert F. | Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence can provide patients a second opinion that is "much better informed than any doctor in the country."
The Watch: Drought-Flood Whiplash Intensifies As Climate Warms
Frequent extreme shifts in weather challenge communities’ preparedness…lagging protections pose health risks as data centers boom…nearly half of all young Medicaid users could lose coverage under new policies…and more
Florida Loses 4-Star Defender to Bitter SEC Rival
Elite safety Adryan Cole chooses home-state Georgia over Gainesville, testing the Florida Gators' top-10 recruiting class as the fierce SEC battle for secondary dominance intensifies for 2027.
Alex Vindman: If union-busting bill passes in the Legislature, Florida workers will be the losers
Florida union fight intensifies as Senate Bill 1296 advances
Tracking tsunamis triggered by extreme weather
As much of Western Europe faced record-breaking temperatures and extended drought this summer, Croatia experienced another weather event that could also set a worrisome precedent.Over the course of two weeks, a series of meteorological tsunamis (meteotsunamis) struck Croatia’s Adriatic coast, alarming both residents and tourists. Social media posts showed flooded seaside promenades and people walking through knee-deep water. Fortunately, no deaths or major damage were reported.In a world where natural disasters seem to be increasing, meteotsunamis — tsunamis caused by rapid weather changes – rarely make headline news. But warming sea temperatures and changing atmospheric conditions may help explain why these phenomena could become more common, especially in shallower seas and inland lakes with wide coastal shelves.“We have definitely become more aware of them, and there have been a lot more reports of these events in the last 10 years,” says Jadranka Šepić, an associate professor of environmental physics at the University of Split whose research focuses on efforts to track meteotsunamis in real time. She is also one of Croatia’s ambassadors for Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded programme aimed at making research more accessible to the public.Šepić sees two possible reasons for the apparent increase in meteotsunamis. One is that photos and videos shared on social media are providing more empirical evidence, while rising air and sea temperatures could also play a role. The geophysicist “cannot say with certainty” that warming is a contributing factor because research is still ongoing. “But I can say that previously in Croatia we might have had one exceptionally strong event every 10 or 15 years, and one strong event every five years, and within 15 days this summer we had five strong events,” Šepić notes. “This is not typical.”‘A fist against the sea surface’Unlike tsunamis that are triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanoes, meteotsunamis are caused by sudden changes in atmospheric pressure combined with other rapidly developing weather events, such as thunderstorms. The effect “is like pushing a fist against the sea surface,” Šepić explains. The resulting oscillation intensifies as it reaches shallower water, and “can be far more destructive than a wind-driven wave because meteotsunamis are accompanied by very strong currents than can penetrate much deeper inland.” The meteotsunami, she continues, “then behaves the same as a tsunami — they slow down and grow as the sea shallows, and then grow further in places like harbours due to further shallowing and narrowing. When they come ashore, they can be very destructive — taking everything with them out to sea and then taking it back.”Croatian research institutions have tracked such sea oscillations since the 1930s because the relatively shallow Adriatic Sea is prone to meteotsunamis. The strongest recorded so far was in June 1978, according to the Adriatic Meteotsunami Catalogue, which is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), Croatian Science Foundation and the country’s leading research institutions. During that event, six-metre-high waves flooded the coastal town of Vela Luka on Korčula Island, causing major damage.Other meteotsunami “hotspots” in Europe include the Mediterranean Sea as well the Atlantic coastal shelves off France, Portugal and Spain. In June 2006, a meteotsunami with five-metre-high waves swept through the harbour of Ciutadella in Spain’s Balearic Islands, causing widespread damage to boats. Several less powerful events were reported in the Balearics and off the coast of Spain this summer, leading to some beach closures.Forecasting is challenging because of how quickly meteotsunamis can develop and their uncertain trajectory. Šepić is involved in two ERC-funded research projects — SHExtreme and MeD-Track — aimed in part at strengthening monitoring and real-time data collection. Access to accurate and immediate information is essential for early-warning systems.Early exposure to meteotsunamisŠepić first learned about meteotsunamis from her parents while growing up in Croatia. She later had the opportunity to investigate these events during her master and doctoral studies in geophysics at the University of Zagreb. The geophysicist has also conducted research at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split, the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca and the Institute of Ocean Science in the Canadian province of British Columbia.Projects like SCTT are important to raise awareness about research and inspiring young people to pursue studies and careers in science, notes Šepić. She credits her colleagues at the University of Split and the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries for their community outreach and engagement in the European project, which includes partner universities and institutions in Brest (France) and Kiel (Germany). As an example of town-gown collaboration, Šepić highlights her own university’s ‘Oceanographers on the Island’ programme. This initiative offers workshops and hands-on learning for children living on numerous Croatian islands.“It is a great privilege for Split to be involved in a project like Science Comes to Town, which is the first of its kind in the European Union," Šepić says. As for encouraging new generations of scientists, “This is a great effort, and I hope that we will see an effect in a few years.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Whole Hog Politics: ObamaCare intensifies Trump slump
The latest poll from The Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago asked its usual slate of questions about voters’ views of President Trump’s job perfo…
NAIC Intensifies AI Regulatory Focus: What Health Insurance Payors Need to Know
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is intensifying its oversight of how insurers use AI — and the pace of regulatory activity shows no signs of slowing. Over the past several…
CHA board chair weighs run for mayor amid clash with Johnson: report
CHA board chair Matthew Brewer is considering a run for Chicago mayor as his public feud with Mayor Brandon Johnson intensifies, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
U.S. Warns China Over Iranian Oil as Sanctions Fight Intensifies
China told its independent refineries to disregard U.S. sanctions over their purchases of Iranian crude.
Wilson Building Bulletin: Pepco and politics
Also: The fight over the youth curfew in D.C. intensifies, and the council overrides Bowser.