SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Force " 4,288 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Sports leagues, players associations ask for protections from sports bettors' threats
Five professional sports leagues and their players associations have aligned forces to ask for protections for players and staff who face threats and harassment from sports bettors
Air Force raises Boeing contract ceiling to $19.1B
The Air Force raised Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus contract ceiling to $19.1 billion for support of foreign military sales to Japan and Israel.
As election approaches it’s business as usual for JaCo Clerk - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2
EDIT: Late Monday afternoon, the Supreme Court ruled President Trump cannot enforce new mail-in ballot regulations before the November General Election. MEDFORD, Ore.– Only seven weeks from the November 3rd General Election, Jackson County election workers are treating it like any other election. That means they are busy preparing things like the Voters Pamphlet, which was […]
Ranking Members Markey, Velázquez, American Small Businesses Fight Back Against Trump SBA’s Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Lending Policies
More than 120 small businesses and organizations pen letter of support for Ranking Member Markey’s resolution striking down Trump’s ban on awarding SBA loans to green card holders Letter (PDF) (Washington, September 15) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today garnered additional support from Main Street small businesses for his Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s discriminatory policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. In a letter of support, more than 120 American small businesses and community organizations, led by Small Business Majority, applauded Ranking Member Markey’s efforts to overturn the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant lending ban and advocated for the passage of Ranking Member Markey’s CRA resolution in the Senate. House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7) is leading the resolution in the House of Representatives. The Trump administration’s green card holder ban is the most recent escalation of SBA’s draconian citizenship restrictions that are killing jobs and putting the American Dream further out of reach for entrepreneurs. In Fiscal Year 2025, Trump’s SBA made an estimated $5.5 billion in loans to green card holders, which supported more than 80,000 jobs nationwide. “The Trump administration’s continued attacks on American small businesses and jobs are anti-American, they’re discriminatory, and they’re dragging down our communities and our economy. Thanks to partners like Small Business Majority, countless small businesses, and community organizations, we are fighting back and holding them accountable,” said Ranking Member Markey. “I will not stop fighting to rescind this hateful policy that attacks American entrepreneurs and prevents them from pursuing the American Dream.” “Small businesses and organizations across the country are sending a clear message that the Trump administration's discriminatory lending rules are bad for business,” said Ranking Member Velázquez. “I want to thank Small Business Majority for leading this effort and amplifying the voices of the entrepreneurs who create jobs and strengthen our local economies. As Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, I will keep pushing to stop these attacks on the American Dream and ensure that every eligible entrepreneur can access the capital they need to succeed.” In the letter, the small businesses write, “Congress must reaffirm its commitment to serving those who are rightfully and legally entitled to accessing key government guaranteed loan programs in pursuit of the American Dream. Restoring access to responsible, government-guaranteed loans for such a critical segment of our economy will allow thousands of small businesses to access the capital they require to grow and invest in American communities. If Congress does not act to protect access to the very ideals that our country was founded upon by rewarding those who adhere strictly to legal immigration pathways, local economies, communities and Main Street will pay the price.” Ranking Member Markey’s CRA resolution follows his introduction of the Investing in the American Dream Act alongside Ranking Member Velázquez earlier this year. The Investing in the American Dream Act would roll back the SBA’s draconian lending restrictions and restore previous SBA lending policies for immigrant entrepreneurs lawfully in the U.S., including green card holders, refugees, and asylees. More than 100 organizations have called for the passage of the legislation and more than 60 Massachusetts state legislators have raised concerns about the impact of the citizenship restrictions in their local communities. Ranking Member Markey is fighting for small business owners and immigrants that rely on SBA loans to start and run their businesses, create jobs, and contribute to their communities. In July, Ranking Member Markey and Ranking Member Velázquez introduced a bicameral resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential SBA loans to start and grow their businesses and invest in Main Streets nationwide. In May, Ranking Member Markey highlighted the significant contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs in Massachusetts and across the country and condemned the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on immigrant communities at a Small Business Committee hearing. MIRA’s Elizabeth Sweet, who participated in Ranking Member Markey’s listening session earlier in May, provided testimony at the hearing. Also in May, Ranking Member Markey hosted a listening session at the Urban College of Boston to hear directly from several Massachusetts immigrant small business owners, lenders, and chambers of commerce how President Trump’s cruel and callous anti-immigrant policies are hurting Main Streets in the Bay State. Earlier in May, Ranking Member Markey hosted a press conference alongside Ranking Member Velázquez, Democratic lawmakers, and stakeholders to condemn the Trump administration’s harmful anti-immigrant lending policies and to introduce the Investing in the American Dream Act. In March, Ranking Member Markey released a comprehensive report detailing the harms to small business owners, workers, and consumers caused by the Trump administration’s ICE raids in communities across the country. In February, Ranking Member Markey introduced the Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act, which would provide grants to small businesses that have been impacted by the Trump administration’s violent immigration enforcement actions on Main Streets across the United States. Earlier in February, Ranking Member Markey, Ranking Member Velázquez, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) sent a letter urging the SBA to rescind their lending rule change that bars legal permanent residents from receiving SBA loans. Previously, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez released a statement condemning the actions of the SBA after it announced that small businesses with legal permanent residents will be barred from receiving SBA loans. In December 2025, Ranking Member Markey and all Democratic members of the Senate Small Business Committee sent a letter to the SBA reiterating concerns with the SBA’s citizenship requirements and highlighting a drop in SBA lending volume. In September 2025, Ranking Member Markey heard directly from SBA lenders about the issues with the citizenship verification requirements. In July 2025, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez sent a letter to the SBA expressing serious concerns with the agency’s new, draconian citizenship verification requirements that require small businesses seeking SBA loans to be 100% owned by U.S. citizens, nationals, and legal permanent residents. ###
Building the Capital Ecosystem Native Businesses Need
A Native-led CDFI is showing what happens when small-business lending receives relationship-based, culturally rooted support.
2 Morgantown business owners appear in court in $245M nationwide COVID loan fraud sweep
Two Morgantown business owners have been sentenced or entered guilty pleas in federal court for defrauding pandemic-era relief programs as part of a nationwide enforcement sweep totaling over $245 million in intended losses.
Guard Linked To Miami Heat Joins Eastern Conference Rival
After missing out on Devin Carter to the Boston Celtics, Miami must pivot to finalize their roster. The legacy prospect's move forces Pat Riley to reconsider remaining free-agent targets.
Mastercard’s Dreamonomics Report Finds Small Business Owners Are Redefining Growth for a More Demanding Economy: 68% Prioritize Stability Over Speed, 89% Want More Digital Tools and 71% Say Cyber Protection Is a Priority
To support the needs of small businesses, Mastercard Collection for Business launches today bringing together business-focused benefits, protections and experiences Small businesses are looking ahead with ambition — but they are also preparing for the pressure that comes when opportunity arrives. Mastercard today introduced Dreamonomics, a new global view of the forces reshaping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceptions and approach to growth. The research shows that SMEs are redefining growth as controlled momentum: 68% prioritize stability and predictability over fast growth, 54% actively avoid unnecessary financial risk and 61% are focused on deepening customer relationships rather than reaching as many customers as possible. Studio Mouvoir Headline Findings from the new Dreamonomics Report Stability is overtaking speed: 68% of SMEs now prioritize stability and predictability over fast growth, while 54% say they actively avoid unnecessary financial risk. Customer depth
Wilder reveals that Sheffield United defender could miss Fleetwood clash
Chris Wilder revealed that Sam McCallum could miss Sheffield United’s EFL Cup clash against Fleetwood with injury.The left-back was forced off late in the game against Wolves last weekend after taki...
As WA’s economy slows, it’s boom times for government task forces
The Partnership for a Competitive Puget Sound is the third high-profile task force this year – and a sign, perhaps, that political consensus is growing for economic solutions.
U.S. acknowledges for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action"
States, cities sue over Trump rule seeking to deny green cards to immigrants
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading a coalition of 21 other states in one of the suits, said the rule would force needy immigrant families to choose between seeking assistance and seeking legal status in the country.
Carrie Hughes: Health and human services director, House Education and the Workforce Committee
Carrie Hughes knows she is somewhat of a rarity on Capitol Hill. Her first job as a congressional aide was in the office of Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.). Eighteen years later, he’s the only membe…
Opinion: Gov. DeWine celebrates Ohio’s workforce but the state needs to do far more
Ohio was recently named America’s Top State for Business. It should set its sights on becoming the best state for its workers, too.
Why becoming a LinkedIn lunatic might save your career
In today's economy, 'go direct' isn't just for founders any more. It's for the entire workforce — as long as you don't slop it up.
New health workforce data shows over 5,000 job ads for registered nurses in Southwest and Southside Virginia
The new quarterly report from the George Mason University Center for Health Workforce also indicates significant demand for other professional services that require less specialized training.
U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says
Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China.
Little Shop of Physics wins $50K grant to continue science education for kids
Inside the Little Shop of Physics workshop at Colorado State University, a hair dryer is pointed at a pinwheel rigged with color-coded LEDs. When air is shot at it with a certain force, a red light will flicker on. With greater pressure, the light turns orange, followed by blue. The miniature wind turbine was built...
Lions Could Be Forced Into RB Move After Week 1
One of the biggest questions facing the Detroit Lions entering Week 1 was how the running back work would be split and who would get the most work as the backup running back. Isiah Pacheco was on the IR, and while Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to play more, the team needs some help at backup. […] The post Lions Could Be Forced Into RB Move After Week 1 appeared first on HEAVY.
Veterans connect with resources at mobility health expo
Air Force veteran shares how local resources changed his life
Supreme Court says Trump cannot enforce new mail-in ballot regulation
The decision means a Postal Service measure that could lead to ballots not being sent to voters won’t be in effect for this November’s midterm elections.
The Allen County-Scottsville Crime Task Force offering school and business talks on variety of topics
The Allen County-Scottsville Crime Task Force is working to build relationships with the community and offer school and business talks.
Maryland cities and counties want more power to raise taxes and fees
The task force is mandated to make recommendations by Dec. 1 to the governor.
‘It’s not science fiction’: US Air Force must build trust in AI, says expert
The military must work on how to combat fast and reckless enemy AI agents that don’t necessarily operate with the same oversight, according to experts.
‘It’s not science fiction’: US Air Force must build trust in AI, says expert
The military must work on how to combat fast and reckless enemy AI agents that don’t necessarily operate with the same oversight, according to experts.
‘It’s not science fiction’: US Air Force must build trust in AI, says expert
The military must work on how to combat fast and reckless enemy AI agents that don’t necessarily operate with the same oversight, according to experts.
Hayden Panettiere death probe focusing on illegal pills from LA dealer
Federal authorities probing the death of Hayden Panettiere are focusing their investigation in Los Angeles and looking into whether the actor procured nonprescription pills from an area dealer. Drug Enforcement
Braves Get Encouraging Update on Key Reliever Before Playoff Push
Huge reinforcement could be on the way soon for Atlanta's bullpen.
DOL Mental Health Parity Bulletin 2026: MHPAEA Compliance Best Practices
On September 8, 2026, the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-03 to clarify MHPAEA compliance and nonquantitative treatment limitations. DOL enforcement will focus on blanket treatment exclusions, medical necessity/prior authorization processes, and network adequacy. Read our alert for a practical compliance roadmap.
DOL Provides Guidance on Mental Health Parity, but Gaps Remain
Although the Department of Labor identified three high-priority areas of enforcement, what constitutes a violation is still unclear.
Blue Turf Thinkers: College of Engineering builds Idaho's energy workforce
At each Boise State home football game, the “Blue Turf Thinkers” series honors outstanding groups...
Steam Deck 2 plans remain unchanged despite the ongoing memory crisis, Valve confirms
The ongoing memory crisis has forced several companies to increase the prices of existing products or rethink plans for future hardware. However, it seems it hasn't changed Valve's plans for the Steam Deck 2.
Democrat Al Green to force House-wide vote on impeaching Trump
House Democratic Rep. Al Green is mounting yet another effort to impeach President Donald Trump, he announced on Monday.
Please Stop Conflating Sports Betting Handle With Spending On Entertainment
Editor’s note: The Cashout for paid subscribers will publish on Tuesday. Every September there’s a huge uptick in how much people bet on sports with the start of football season. Which means it’s time to get ahead of a ridiculous narrative before it picks up steam on social media or in mainstream media. Subscribe Every few months I see some version of this: [ Charlie Bilello@charliebilello Americans bet over $165 billion on sports last year, which is more than they spent on movies, books, concerts and sports tickets - combined. 1:00 PM · Jun 28, 2026 · 4.1M Views 258 Replies · 674 Reposts · 4.23K Likes ](https://x.com/charliebilello/status/2071217050328895935?s=20) Fortune published this in July. The headline and start of the story tell the same narrative (emphasis added): Gambling becomes America’s favorite pastime as Americans spend more on sports bets than movies, arts, museums, and music combined: The North American box office totaled $8.87 billion in 2025, which is still 22% below pre-pandemic levels. Recorded music revenue hit a record $11.5 billion. Live music like concerts and festivals brought in $18.51 billion. Meanwhile, book publishers tracked by the Association of American Publishers reported $14.6 billion for the year. And the U.S. museum industry generated an estimated $16.4 billion. Add it up and the total comes to roughly $70 billion, which is less than half what Americans wagered on sports. The story, to its credit, goes on to tell us why sports betting is entirely different, although people who only read headlines will miss that nuance. (The tweet above definitely skips over the nuance.) I will mostly be preaching to the choir here, but it’s worth saying out loud: Wagering money on sports is not the same thing as spending on entertainment from a financial perspective. When you spend money on a movie or concert ticket, that money is gone. You exchanged money for an experience. It’s a good trade! I get to have fun for “x” dollars. (Unless the movie sucks, I guess.) When you bet money on sports, the money is not necessarily gone every time you wager it. It could be gone, but sometimes it’s not and you actually get more money back! That’s not “spending” money or something you should try to compare directly to entertainment spend. A far better comp would be how much people lose at sports betting. That number was more like $17 billion in the US last year, at least for state-regulated sportsbooks. Why are we trying to equate handle and entertainment spending? I dunno. It makes for splashy headlines, I guess. Now, people should be betting for entertainment, and not because they expect to win in the long term; no doubt about it. Anyway, here’s hoping I don’t see people saying Americans “spent” hundreds of millions of dollars on sports betting this fall. Mindway AI and DraftKings Expand Responsible Gaming Drive with Launch of Gamalyze American Football In time for the NFL kickoff, Mindway AI has expanded its partnership with DraftKings to launch Gamalyze American Football the second title in the neuroscience-based Gamalyze Sports collection. Following the success of Gamalyze Football (soccer) during the FIFA World Cup, this gridiron-themed update replaces static questionnaires with immersive, stadium-inspired gameplay. Backed by 10+ years of Aarhus University research, Gamalyze evaluates real-time decision-making to deliver instant, unbiased player risk assessments. Integrated into DraftKings’ platform and nationwide activations, it engages fans when excitement peaks. Ready to upgrade your player protection? Contact Mindway AI to try Gamalyze Sports today. Gambling news roundup 🚨The important stuff 1st NFL Sunday of Season ‘Champagne-Popping Day for Bettors’ (Covers): “The first NFL Sunday of the season was a champagne-popping day for bettors, while the book was left cleaning up the corks,” Caesars’ head of football Joey Feazel said prior to the Sunday night game. “Caesars Sportsbook reported that Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs, Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor, and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson were among the top five most-bet players to reach the end zone, and all of them cashed tickets.” [ Ben Fawkes@BFawkes22 A @CaesarsSports oddsmaker on how Week 1 has gone so far: “The first NFL Sunday of the season was a champagne-popping day for bettors, while the book was left cleaning up the corks.” ➡️8 of 10 most popular anytime TD scorers cashed 1:31 AM · Sep 14, 2026 · 276K Views 16 Replies · 16 Reposts · 615 Likes ](https://x.com/BFawkes22/status/2099310001927995849?s=20) 🔍 Are we already getting a “customer-friendly results” narrative in Week 1? NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke with CNBC about the prediction markets industry: “We think that there needs to be stronger regulations into the predictive markets,” Goodell said. “We want to see that to protect the integrity of our game. We want to make sure we’re protecting the consumers that are on those platforms for the NFL. So, we’re continuing to have conversations with them and talk to them about the things that we think they need to do to strengthen that so that they could be potential partners at some point in the future.” More on the NFL + PMs: [ Straight to the Point Quid Pro Quo The NFL has asked Kalshi and other prediction markets to remove certain easy to manipulate markets. Does a potential partnership hang in the balance… Read more 6 hours ago · 19 likes · Steve Ruddock ](https://straighttothepoint.substack.com/p/quid-pro-quo?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1472492) Kalshi was on my podcast?: Kalshi was on my podcast [ The Event Horizon Episode 32: Talking Prediction Market Enforcement With Kalshi’s Robert DeNault Kalshi? On my podcast? Yep… Listen now 5 hours ago · 6 likes · 1 comment · Dustin Gouker ](https://nexteventhorizon.substack.com/p/episode-32-talking-prediction-market-enforcement-kalshi?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1472492) DraftKings Enhances Responsible Engagement Efforts With New Customer Initiatives, Tools and Education (press release): DraftKings Inc. today announced a series of new initiatives designed to promote responsible engagement and increase awareness and use of the tools and resources to help customers make informed decisions and engage responsibly. The efforts include a new digital advertising campaign featuring Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas that promotes responsible engagement, a PGA TOUR sweepstakes that promotes customer engagement with responsible engagement features, the launch of Gamalyze American Football in collaboration with Mindway AI, and new custom cool-off options that give customers enhanced flexibility when choosing a cool-off period. The initiatives build on DraftKings’ commitment to making responsible engagement an integral part of the customer experience and providing players with accessible tools and resources that help them make informed choices about their gaming experience. “At DraftKings, responsible engagement is embedded in how we operate and is essential to building trust with our customers and our long-term sustainability,” said Lori Kalani, Chief Responsible Gaming Officer at DraftKings. “We’ve continued to invest in tools and resources that give customers enhanced access to information about their play and more choices for managing how they engage. From My Budget Builder and My Stat Sheet to player-set limits and new custom cool-offs, we’re continuing to evolve our approach while promoting awareness and use of the tools and resources available to help customers play responsibly.” … DraftKings is launching a new digital advertising campaign featuring Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas that continues the pair’s road trip and promotes responsible engagement and awareness of the tools and resources available to help customers make informed choices about their gaming experience and engage responsibly. The campaign was initially launched on Sep. 10th and will reach customers through digital channels, bringing responsible engagement messaging to fans in an engaging way. bet365 Launches “The Matchup,” a New Weekly Video Podcast Hosted by Super Bowl Champions Chris Harris Jr. and Emmanuel Sanders (press release): "bet365, a global leader in online sports betting and gaming, today announced the launch of “The Matchup,” a new weekly video podcast hosted by former Super Bowl Champions Chris Harris Jr. and Emmanuel Sanders. Featuring current and former NFL players, the original series marks a significant, intentional investment in football as bet365 works to become a go-to destination for U.S. bettors throughout the season. “The Matchup” premieres September 10, with new episodes released weekly in both video and audio formats. Full episodes will be available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever podcasts are available, with clips and additional content rolling out across YouTube, X, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and TikTok. The show is being produced by Last Row Digital Media. Each week, Harris and Sanders will be joined by guests from across the game to break down the biggest NFL matchups, unpack the latest league news and share perspectives that go beyond the box score. By bringing together two former players with distinct perspectives and firsthand experience, “The Matchup” will give audiences timely context and a deeper understanding of the teams, players and storylines shaping the week ahead. “Every great football conversation starts with a matchup—who has the edge, what everyone is overlooking and what could change the game,” said Chris Harris Jr. “Emmanuel and I have experienced the game from different perspectives, and we want the audience to feel like they are part of the conversation and leave every episode knowing more about the week ahead.” Today’s iGaming companies face new litigation threats as expansive consumer protection statutes spark lawsuits with sky’s-the-limit aspirations, sometimes backed by private funders. Clients of Ifrah Law have a staunch defender in Robert Ward – an agile litigator and case tactician who responds to the changing state of play with creative legal defenses and efficient case-closing strategies. Robert draws on federal clerkship experience and appellate defense work to advise iGaming clients on litigation exposure, white-collar risk, and regulatory defense across multiple jurisdictions. Read More: Robert Ward on Helping iGaming Clients Outmaneuver Lawsuit-Obsessed Adversaries 🔮 Prediction markets Update on legal action in Connecticut: [ Daniel Wallach@WALLACHLEGAL Connecticut says gaming service license holders which received subpoenas over sports prediction markets “are not under investigation” by the @CTDCP but may possess information that could assist the state “in evaluating the conduct of prediction market platforms.” 2:31 PM · Sep 13, 2026 · 844 Views 5 Likes ](https://x.com/WALLACHLEGAL/status/2099143914271670576?s=20) American Gaming Association Opposes CFTC Bid to Block New York Prediction-Market Enforcement (DeFi Rate): “The brief points to the Ninth Circuit’s Aug. 28 decision in KalshiEX LLC v. Assad, which the AGA says supports New York’s authority to regulate sports contracts as gambling. It also cites Kalshi advertising, product comparisons and reporting on Kalshi’s sports volume to argue that the economic product resembles a sportsbook wager more than a conventional financial hedge.” [ Daniel Wallach@WALLACHLEGAL AGA intervenes in CFTC v. NY case to oppose CFTC request for preliminary injunction, says the CFTC’s arguments “obfuscate a simple truth: prediction markets offer sports betting.” Highlights CA9 decision, @DustinGouker (6x), and $1.32 billion in OSB taxes for NY (0 from PMs). Daniel Wallach @WALLACHLEGAL High stakes hearing on Monday in CFTC v. New York State. If SDNY judge Lorna Schofield denies the CFTC’s motion for preliminary injunction, the New York AG would have a clearer path for securing a state court geofencing order against Kalshi, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan. 2:08 AM · Sep 13, 2026 · 4.78K Views 1 Reply · 2 Reposts · 8 Likes ](https://x.com/WALLACHLEGAL/status/2098957043474280584?s=20) Gaming Commission remains member of gambling council after questions raised over ties to Kalshi (Mass Live): “The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will not follow the leads of gaming regulators in Ohio and Michigan and drop ties with the National Council on Problem Gambling over its new association with Kalshi.” Sponsor’s messageTrusted Voices: Conversations About Betting is designed to equip adults, including parents and coaches, with tools and resources to talk to young people about gambling, including information on warning signs, risks and proxy betting. The program is led by retired professional basketball player Randy Livingston and his wife, basketball agent Anita Smith, who share their personal stories related to problem gambling, with the hope of preventing others from experiencing similar harms. Learn more and join the conversation here. 📣 Industry news Gaming M&A: Latest Mergers, Acquisitions and Deals (SBC Americas): “But what else is happening in the world of gaming mergers, acquisitions, investments, and partnerships? Here, we round up some of the news you might have missed.” BetMGM Named Official Sports Betting and Online Casino Partner of the Minnesota Vikings in Canada (press release): BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, announced a multi-year partnership with the Minnesota Vikings, naming it the Official Sports Betting Partner and Online Casino Partner of the team in Canada. The agreement gives BetMGM rights to use Vikings marks across approved sports betting, online casino and marketing activities in Canada. In addition, Vikings Big Kick LuckyTap™, a casino game by Design Works Gaming, is available now exclusively at BetMGM Casino in Alberta and Ontario. “Vikings fans bring a level of passion and loyalty that extends well beyond game day,” said Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer at BetMGM. “As the home of one of the largest collections of sports-themed casino content in North America, BetMGM is uniquely positioned to combine sports fandom with iGaming. We are eager to start football season off strong with another fantastic partnership especially as we expand our reach in Canada to Alberta.” Martin Nance, Minnesota Vikings Chief Marketing Officer, said, “As we continue to deepen our connection with Vikings fans across Canada, we’re proud to welcome BetMGM as the team’s official sports betting and online casino partner in Canada. Their commitment to innovation and fan engagement aligns well with our organization, and we’re excited to create memorable experiences that celebrate Vikings football and connect with Canadian fans in new and meaningful ways.” Caesars Entertainment Launches Ball Rush Jackpots™ in New Jersey,the Latest Proprietary Online Title from Empire Creative™ (press release): Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) today announced the launch of Ball Rush Jackpots™, a new ball-and-peg style online casino game developed by Empire Creative™, the Company’s in-house game development studio. Now live in New Jersey across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino, Ball Rush Jackpots is expected to become available in additional jurisdictions where Caesars offers online casino gaming following regulatory approval. The title expands Caesars’ growing portfolio of proprietary online casino titles, following the successful launch of Ca$hline™ earlier this year and further diversifying the Company’s lineup beyond traditional slots and table games. Ball Rush Jackpots follows the traditional ball-drop gameplay experience where players drop a ball down a board filled with pegs to land in a prize slot. As balls navigate independently through a field of pegs, every drop creates new opportunities to collect feature symbols, unlock bonuses and pursue jackpots, delivering a different experience with every round. “Ball Rush Jackpots delivers a different kind of casino experience for our players, combining easy-to-understand gameplay with meaningful customization, exciting bonus opportunities and jackpot potential,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital. “As we continue expanding our proprietary content portfolio, we’re focused on creating games that are simple to pick up, rewarding to revisit and designed around the features players enjoy most.” Bally’s Corporation Secures New Financing to Support the Development of the Bally’s Bronx Project (press release): Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY) (“Bally’s” or the “Company”) announced today that it secured new financing led by WhiteHawk Capital Partners, LP to fund further development of the Bally’s Bronx project and general corporate purposes. The new financing comprises closing date term loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of $400 million and delayed draw term loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of $160 million (together, the “Facilities”). … Bally’s Chairman of the Board, Soo Kim, commented, “This important financing allows us to progress the pre-construction planning process so that we are ready to complete the remainder of the capital raise and remain on schedule. Furthermore, the additional liquidity provides us greater flexibility for other capital opportunities.” WORLD JAI ALAI LEAGUE LAUNCHES CENTENNIAL SEASON AND ENTERS NEXT CHAPTER IN MIAMI (press release): The World Jai Alai League will open its 2026 fall season on Tuesday, September 15 at Miami’s JAM Arena, beginning a milestone season that marks 100 years since professional Jai Alai first arrived in Miami. Season X, the tenth season of the Battle Court team-based competition launched in 2022, will also be the first since entrepreneur and sports asset investor Rob Gough acquired the World Jai Alai League in August 2026. The acquisition marks the beginning of a new chapter for the league. World Jai Alai League will maintain the existing Battle Court competition and operating format, with Chief Operating Officer Scott Savin overseeing Season X. Gough and his team will use the coming months to listen to players and fans, evaluate opportunities across the league, and execute plans for a broader evolution of Jai Alai’s presentation, live experience, media, marketing and commercial strategy beginning in 2027. “This is a really unique moment for Jai Alai,” said Rob Gough, Owner of the World Jai Alai League. “We have a sport with more than 100 years of history in Miami, extraordinary athletes and incredible speed, but I also believe there is enormous untapped potential.” bet365 reveals most popular online slots in 3 US states in August (SBC Americas): “In its monthly Gaming Insights and Performance report, growing online casino operator bet365 tracks player trends and game performance in online slots across its North American online casino markets.” The Closing Line is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Building tomorrow's rural healthcare workforce
Middle school students from rural communities visited ETSU's Academic Health Sciences Center to explore healthcare careers through hands-on experiences.
Far-left attack backfires spectacularly as radical online personality whines after attacking female Trump aide
Aaron Rupar faces White House backlash after attacking a female press wrangler in a C-SPAN clip from President Trump's Ireland departure.
Tourism task force closes in on draft of management strategy
“The bottom line is tourism’s here to stay, and the residents are here to stay,” said J.E. Austin’s president, Joe Lowther, who led the discussion in person at the meeting.
UC Irvine selected as new home of UC Global Health Institute
Move reinforces leadership of Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health
Arsenal 28yo struggles with groin injury
Ben White appears to be struggling with a groin injury, but Arsenal will be hoping the problem is simply tightness rather than a strain.Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesBen White was forced off...
Europe's endocrine community calls for policy action as growing demand puts hormone health workforce under pressure
The Prague Declaration and accompanying white paper, "Endocrine Workforce 2026: Recommendations for a Healthier Endocrine Future," set out 29 recommendations informed by ESE's State of Endocrinology surveys, ...
Trump wants Bombardier out of U.S. market. In CT, the company employs hundreds
Trump’s Bombardier jet sales ban threat could affect the Canadian jet maker’s Connecticut workforce, aerospace partners and Bradley Airport operations.
Reform UK accuses government of stifling legitimate political opposition
Britain's Labour government was accused of attempting to back-date lectoral law to force rival Reform UK to hand back a record $97.1 million donation.
Why Big Bend businesses should partner with 4-H clubs
Beyond farming 4-H is a vital network for youth leadership and workforce development in the Big Bend region.
Iranian Kurdistan Political Coalition Calls for Strike on September 16
The Coalition of Iranian Kurdistan Political Forces has called on the public to participate in a general strike on Wednesday, September ...
A Generation of Kids Suffer as Trump Destabilizes Immigrant Families
Children in immigrant families are facing health threats from President Donald Trump’s policies: separation from parents detained or deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, economic and housing instability, withdrawal from health and nutrition programs, and an overarching environment of fear.
In the Air Force he helped Americans flee Afghanistan. 5 years later he went back, on a motorcycle.
South Carolina Sen. Ed Sutton was one of the last Americans to leave Afghanistan after control of the country was handed to the Taliban. Five years later, he returned to see what happened.
NVIDIA Unveils RTX PRO 5500 "Blackwell" Workstation GPU with 84 GB GDDR7 Memory
NVIDIA today quietly added another card to its pro-viz product lineup with the RTX PRO 5500 "Blackwell" workstation GPU edition. Featuring 84 GB of GDDR7 memory, it is equipped with a GB202 die that includes 21,760 CUDA cores. This is the same CUDA core count as the consumer GeForce RTX 5090 SKU,...
€25m Real Madrid deal moves forward closer to Liverpool
Liverpool didn’t get the reinforcements they might have wished for on the right wing and up top in summer. Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz were both recruited as wide forward - but each of them pre...
Kansas Faces Growing Demand for Nurses as Workforce Trends Reshape Healthcare Needs
Aging populations, rural care gaps, and workforce shortages drive demand for nursing education and career advancement across the state.Kansas Ci...
Sydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction ad
Olympic athletes have come out in force to condemn a sports betting advert featuring actor Sydney Sweeney in various states of undress
Air Force needing quicker starts in games ahead
(U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY)- The Falcons ran a total of six plays by the time 16 minutes had passed in their 38-32 loss to North Dakota State. That put them in a deficit they could not come back from and is something each player and coach knows can’t happen if Air Force wants to have […]
440,000 Forced Out of Advantage Bought Medigap. Their Health Questions Were Waived. Their Claims Came With Them.
Your Plan G premium just jumped and you filed no claims, changed nothing, and did nothing wrong. The reason traces back to 440,000 people who landed in Medigap blocks across the country, and understanding it changes what you do next.
440,000 Forced Out of Advantage Bought Medigap. Their Health Questions Were Waived. Their Claims Came With Them.
Your Plan G premium just jumped and you filed no claims, changed nothing, and did nothing wrong. The reason traces back to 440,000 people who landed in Medigap blocks across the country, and understanding it changes what you do next.
Trump warns against slowing down AI but he is not against some guardrails
President Trump said there were "negative forces" predicting things that he says won't happen.
Trump warns against slowing down AI but he is not against some guardrails
President Trump said there were "negative forces" predicting things that he says won't happen.
Trump downplays the need to check AI development and says he doesn't want to cede edge to China
While acknowledging the need for some regulation, Trump provided no specifics about potential rules and attributed warnings about the technology moving too quickly and with little oversight to “negative forces” he did not identify.
Female athletes hit back at Sydney Sweeney’s sexualized ‘Just Sports’ ad
Olympians and other athletes say the mostly nude ad reinforces the sexualization they have spent decades fighting in their push to be recognized for their talent.
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.
Georgia Southern and Shimadzu to host second annual forensic science symposium
Georgia Southern University’s College of Science and Mathematics is partnering with Shimadzu Scientific Instruments for the second annual Forensic Science Symposium on Sept. 30. The event will bring together students, law enforcement, and experts to discuss the multi-disciplinary field of forensics.
Is Darius Garland a Realistic Trade Candidate for Clippers?
Garland said he got his joy back in Los Angeles, but the Clippers' draft penalty and salary situation could force a difficult decision.
Evolution Might Not Be as Random as We Thought, New Study Finds
There's a hidden force on organisms.
Evolution Might Not Be as Random as We Thought, New Study Finds
There's a hidden force on organisms.
Confirmed 2. Bundesliga lineups: VfL Osnabrück vs. Hertha BSC
Timo Schultz makes one change from the victory over Braunschweig as Leonhard Münster comes in for Ismail Badjie. Stefan Leitl is forced into swapping the suspended Paul Seguin for Pascal Klemens. Ol...
Federal science funding cuts push young U.S. researchers to consider moving abroad
Abrupt cuts to federal science funding are threatening the American research workforce. A new survey indicates that early career scientists face severe professional disruptions, pushing many to consider leaving the country or abandoning research entirely.
AI doomer psychology: Why researchers warn of death but keep building
Why do AI researchers keep building technology they believe will kill? Inside the commercial, ethical, and psychological forces driving doomers.
Don't fear an AI-driven wipeout of white-collar jobs, Morgan Stanley says
Economists at Morgan Stanley say that veterans of the white-collar labor force actually stand to benefit most from the productivity gains delivered by AI.
Key Takeaways From The Notre Dame Defense vs The Rice Owls
Chris Ash’s unit silenced the Owls with a historic shutout, fueled by Bryce Young’s breakout dominance and a relentless, deep rotation that forced four critical turnovers.
Walters: California’s political hopefuls remain silent on state’s job losses, unemployment
California has lost jobs and its workforce. By many measures, it has some of the highest unemployment and underemployment rates in the country.
Pezeshkian: Economic Resilience Impossible without Security
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said economic resilience cannot be sustained without security, calling on BRICS to play a more effective role in defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the prohibition of the use of force.
Tennessee football takes down Georgia Tech on the road
ATLANTA, GA. (WATE) — The Tennessee football team went on the road and defeated Georgia Tech 45-24 to stay unbeaten on the early season. It was the first Power Four matchup for Tennessee following their 56-9 opening week victory over FCS opponent Furman. Georgia Tech received the opening kickoff and Vols defense forced a quick […]
Arkansas Department of Health announces workforce reduction plan
The Arkansas Department of Health is reducing its workforce, starting Nov. 1.
Houston-area restaurant forced to add fees as inflation strains business, owner says
The owner of Lankford's, a staple Houston restaurant, said he has implemented a 3.5% surcharge on credit card purchases because of rising costs for goods and services.
World’s largest shark discovered: what scientists found left them speechless
Off the Atlantic coast, a great white shark pulled onto a research vessel stopped scientists cold and forced them to rethink what they thought they knew about the species. What Ocearch's team measured...
Texas A&M Buries Arizona State With 24-Point Fourth Quarter
Texas A&M forced four turnovers and scored 24 unanswered fourth-quarter points to pull away from Arizona State for a 48-20 victory at Kyle Field.
Key injury concern for Swans before Lincoln
Swansea City have fingers crossed that Josh Key has not suffered a significant injury after the right-back was forced off during Saturday's 3-1 win over Burnley. Key has featured in all but one of Swansea's games this season, having shared right-back duties with Filip Lissah. "It wasn't worth the risk [to keep him on the pitch against Burnley] when we have Fil, who came on and did a good game, again."
ASU suffers many 1st-half miscues at Texas A&M
Two special teams miscues teed up 10 points for the Aggies, which led 17-10 at the half after ASU's defense forced three three-and-outs.
Immigration reporting measure fuels debate over Colorado’s role with ICE
A coalition of advocacy groups and several district attorneys rallied outside the Colorado Capitol on Thursday to oppose a ballot measure that, if approved by voters in November, would require state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Backed by Advance Colorado, Proposition 81 would require local law enforcement agencies to notify […]
America In Focus: inflation accelerated in August, home sales weaken and diesel prices soar
The economy, inflation and how those forces could impact the lives of Americans were front and center over the past week. Trips to the grocery store and gas station are more painful than they were last year, and rising costs are impacting the decisions of both households and businesses.
Betsy Davis Joins Ascend Indiana as Chief Operating Officer
Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), has announced Betsy Davis as Chief Operating Officer. Betsy joins Ascend …
Mike Elko is 'excited' about transfer Ryan Henderson's emergence
After recording a sack and forced fumble in just four snaps, transfer Ryan Henderson is turning heads at Texas A&M.
The politics and possibilities of ‘AI could kill us all’
I found myself fielding a lot of questions from folks who don’t usually talk much about AI this week. They were mostly along the lines of “do you think AI is going to kill us all?” or “how worried should I be about this human extinction stuff?” Motivating this wave of existential anxiety was the highly dramatic resignation of now-former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who quit his job while publicly sharing his concerns about safety practices at the leading AI companies. More specifically, he declared that almost everyone at OpenAI and Anthropic, the leading AI labs, believes that there’s a decent chance the AI systems they’re producing could “kill us all” by the end of the decade, and the companies aren’t “acting responsibly.” Other AI safety researchers, including those still employed at Anthropic and OpenAI, all confirmed that yes, Coxon is correct, they’re all worried that their company’s products might prove fatal for the entire human race as well. Two more AI employees quit and joined the chorus. Now, the warning shot has been covered everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to WIRED to the Guardian. I understand why all this sounds scary, but my response to those who have asked, has generally been: No, you don’t need to worry that AI will kill go rogue and kill us all. But that does not mean we shouldn’t worry, period. Far from it. The companies building AI products are now among the wealthiest and most powerful entities in the world. And they very much are building enormous engines of mass surveillance, extraction, and automation. They can and have allowed their AI systems to carry out felony hacks of other companies, provided the government with autonomously generated kill lists, and sold enterprise technology to firms around the world that is explicitly intended to replace jobs. But “AI” has done these things not because they have all-powerful minds of their own but, ultimately, because people have programmed, calibrated, and directed them to. In other words, it’s not AI we need to worry the most about. It’s the people and corporations working to profit from and gain power by deploying it. The technology is sophisticated, sure, and, especially in cybersecurity contexts, potentially disruptive to plenty of existing systems. But if we want to stop this predatory, profiteering, and extractive form of AI—and it’s worth noting that at this point, most people do—we absolutely can. A quick note/plea: I can only do all of this with the support of readers like you, so if you find value in independent, critical tech journalism and analysis, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I want to keep as much of this un-paywalled as absolutely possible, and I need your support to do so. Many thanks to all who continue to chip in, it’s very much appreciated. Onward. Subscribe First, some context: AI industry folks like Coxon have been discussing the prospect that AI will destroy humanity for years. Even before the beginning of the AI boom, many working in the industry, from the executive staff to the rank and file researchers, have obsessed over ‘x-risk’, or the possibility that AI will become sentient or semi-sentient and move one way or another to exterminate humanity. This is ostensibly why Elon Musk bankrolled OpenAI in the first place, and is the grounds for his lawsuit alleging OpenAI betrayed its charter by abandoning its nonprofit status to become a commercial enterprise. Many AI engineers and startup founders have calculated their own personal p(doom), or the probability that the tech product they are working on will initiate an actual humanity-extinguishing apocalypse. 10-25% p(doom)s are pretty common. (I wrote about a long weekend I spent among these folks at one of their top conferences here, to give you an idea of their ideas and belief systems.) Sam Altman himself drove the narrative of the imminent rise of a super-powerful AI, or artificial general intelligence, to prominence by declaring that the technology he was building posed an existential risk to humanity. This idea is in other words baked into the DNA of modern AI companies and into the products they engineer. It’s also why the industry is routinely accused, by myself and others, of “doom marketing,” ie, using such proclamations and framings to impart the sheer power of the technology behind your product onto investors, partners, consumers, and the state. Some ambient understanding of this tendency may have helped prevent the press from repeating the claim every time one of the x-risk folks made it over the years, including when they quit their jobs at AI companies while doing so. Yet Coxon’s AI x-risk alarm has broken containment, as they say, and has exposed the idea to the mainstream media once again. This has happened, I think, for a number of reasons. First, when AI CEOs were going around saying AI might kill everyone in 2023, their companies were well-capitalized, but not nearly to the extent they are today. They were more easily dismissed as eccentric geeks of the sort that Silicon Valley is supposed to produce. Now, not only do their products have much greater market saturation, but people are more aware of a) the often unethical ways the executives and companies comport themselves b) the other adverse impacts of AI that have already arrived, and c) the physical cost of building these systems, particularly when it comes to data centers. Finally, toss in the constant stream of headlines in 2026 about AI models going rogue or potentially upending the world’s infrastructure. [ ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) [ With the backlash to data centers, Flock and AI glasses, a mass opposition to big tech is underway. Silicon Valley is in denial. ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) Brian Merchant · Aug 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) As a result, general sentiment was already overwhelmingly skeptical of AI and its overlords, so the table was pretty well set for someone to come along and say ‘just a reminder, the companies that are building the product that promises to take your job and leave a data center in your neighborhood also think that it might exterminate the human race’ and get a strong reaction from the media and the public. The question is: Should we understand this stuff as hype, strategically fanned to feed already swelling valuations? Is it doom marketing? Genuine cause for alarm that the infrastructure that undergirds modern life is facing a novel threat vector? Or reason to be sincerely worried that AI companies are amassing too much power, and that their products are genuinely dangerous? The answer, I’m afraid, is “yes.” Let me try to untangle all of this a bit, because arguments over how to navigate this moment are extremely heated right now, as they are essentially arguments over how to approach the politics of AI at a moment where there may be a unique opening for action. Those sympathetic to AI alignment concerns and x risk arguments—which increasingly includes a faction on the left who want to shut down AI over safety concerns—argue that people who dismiss AI as all hype have their heads in the sand. Meanwhile, critics of the x-risk narrative—which I might note includes a cadre of investors and tech folks on the right, too—argue that it is hype and can be used to further inflate valuations or for pursuing regulatory capture. The challenge is that many feel that dismissing AI as just hype or purely marketing also diminishes the urgency of taking on the AI industry as the novel and threat to labor, civil society, and the public sphere it is; others that by accepting the industry’s own terms, we imbue it with undue power and enable it. But let’s be clear: Declarations that AI is so powerful it might end the world are a kind of marketing, and anyone who says otherwise is just as off base as those who say that’s all that it is. If you don’t think that these sub-trillion dollar companies have higher-ups who noticed that when their founders talked about super-powerful dangerous AI they got spikes in media interest and phone calls from investors, or that those founders didn’t notice that themselves, and lean into certain narratives to advantage their products, then I don’t know what to tell you. Not all marketing is a Pepsi ad campaign with a celebrity spokesperson. Yet confronting the AI industry should certainly be considered an urgent project. Do I share the x-riskers’ fear that out-of-control, super-intelligent AI agents might end the world? I do not. I’ve read a good deal of AI extinction literature over the last couple of years and I have not come across a credible, step-by-step documentation of how exactly AI might move from self-recursively improving AI to killing every single human on the planet. Most of what I’ve read seems predicated on a sort of reverse Ian Malcolmian logic: Eventually, it becomes smart enough and AI, uh, finds a way (to exterminate humanity). Are the AI companies also overstating and dramatizing what their products can do? Yes, pretty much all the time. They’re in a knife fight for market share and are trying to win customers and government contracts before their investors come knocking. And yet. They have concentrated enormous amounts of compute, have extensive data collection and surveillance capacities, have inserted themselves into the state in numerous capacities, including military kill chains, and they are being run by egomaniacal billionaires who are rushing to monopolize an entire new market. The way I think about their most recent frightening-seeming exploits is not as a “swarm of rogue AI agents building a new civilization” or whatever, but as corporations with a hitherto-unimaginable amount of compute at their disposal recklessly experimenting with automation programs, completely unafraid of any repercussions because we have been unwilling or unable to impose any on them. So I think we should welcome any newfound imperative to hold them accountable. I also think that ultimately, the AI critics, Pause AI folks, leftists, doomers, effective altruists, and, honestly, most of the public, want a lot of the same things: legitimate checks and limits on AI companies’ power, actual transparency into what the companies are doing, and for more of AI to be under public control. (Ultimately, a lot of what animates the x-risk fears are rooted in just that: a fear of losing control.) How we move towards all this, exactly, is the question of the day, and while there’s much to be argued over in terms of building a viable political platform to challenge the AI industry’s power, I do want to cast a vote against one particular approach. Not to pick on Chris here, as there are a lot of folks out there proposing stuff like this, and the policy ideas actually stem from AI safety groups. But not only would this be challenging to land politically (I can already hear the ‘China will beat us to AGI’ calls) and all but unworkable in practice, this approach is a) far too limiting, b) fails to address the current harms caused by AI and c) would likely only wind up serving Anthropic and OpenAI; it’s what regulatory capture looks like in action. Full model transparency is the floor for what should be on offer here. If these companies believe their products will kill us, the very least we deserve is to know how. It’s in the public interest. I would also argue we might get a lot of the way to stopping any currently envisioned robot apocalypse simply by forcing AI companies to assume liability, and to submit to the full brunt of the law. If Sam Altman were liable to be charged with a felony for approving the hack on Hugging Face1, if Google was forced to pay defamation fines each time it published a false and injurious AI Overviews, these companies might suddenly find cause to restrain their models’ output, and we might hear less about rogue AI. We would need to introduce new frameworks and available tools for tracking automated lawbreaking, to be sure, but I’d wager that little would frighten the AI companies more than actually being held accountable for what their products enable. To that end, Illinois has passed an AI liability law, which the industry fought tooth and nail, and Florida is considering one. The next steps would be towards moving AI under public control; again, it’s only reasonable, since everyone, not just AI insiders, should get a say over how a technology whose developers say might kill us is developed and deployed. Dismantling the whole industrial project as currently structured should be on the table, too, pending democratic input. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice to say that while I won’t be losing any sleep about an AI-enabled extinction event, Mr. Coxon and co. have given us an opportunity to underscore the urgency of the clear and present damage AI companies are doing, the extreme power they wield and the extent to which they hold themselves unaccountable, and the abundance of political capital there is out there for taking them on. Subscribe 1 Purely speculative! I do not know if he did or not.
Canaries force winner-take-all Game 3 in Kansas City
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (CANARIES) — Facing elimination Friday night, Nicholai Arbach tossed six strong innings and Michael Curialle knocked in a pair of runs to help the Sioux Falls Canaries top Kansas City 3-1 at Legends Field. The Birds left two runners in scoring position in the top of the first inning and the Monarchs […]
Remembering 9/11: What it was like with President Bush on Air Force One
Pre-World Cup Forecast Projected $135M in Lost Naming-Rights Value
A June 2026 Navigate analysis projected up to $135M in lost naming-rights media value at U.S. World Cup stadiums, ahead of the tournament.
Public Health Strike Force at Iowa hosts safety event 25 years after 9/11
The Public Health Strike Force at Iowa hosted the Be Ready Bash: For 9/11 event to promote safety and emergency preparedness in Iowa City and on the University of Iowa campus. After 25 years since the events of 9/11, the Be Ready Bash, funded by the 9/11 Day of Service Grant, provides students and...
Meet ARMI's Christy Johnson
Christy Johnson, director of education and workforce development for ARMI, says there’s no upper limit for educating people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Modified GeForce RTX 5090 with 96 GB Memory Shows Up on Alibaba for Nearly $4,000
A Chinese manufacturer is now selling a modified GeForce RTX 5090 with 96 GB of memory, three times the 32 GB on the retail card. Shenzhen Suqiao Intelligent Technology, an OEM/ODM with over a decade of experience building graphics cards, motherboards, and servers, listed the card on Alibaba for...
Federal court rejects Trump administration order keeping Michigan coal plant open
In a defeat for the Trump administration, a federal court on Friday ruled that the Energy Department exceeded its authority when it forced a Michigan coal-fired power plant to stay open past its scheduled retirement date last year.
Prosecutor brought in to lead investigation of Trump foes tells AP that he has resigned
An ally of President Donald Trump said Thursday that he has resigned from his post leading a Justice Department investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against the Republican president.
Iowa public universities see enrollment bump, but challenges loom
Undergraduate enrollment at Iowa’s three state universities increased slightly this fall, a trend that is unlikely to continue because of the anticipated decline in the traditional pool of college-age students. The slight bump in enrollment is partially due to improved retention rates, targeted tuition incentives for out-of-state students and curriculum aligned to workforce needs, university…
How AI is helping many small businesses hire, not fire
AI is often linked to job losses, but new research suggests it may actually help small businesses expand their workforces, Inc. reports. A Gusto survey of roughly 2,000 small businesses finds that 64% are experimenting with AI, and nearly two-thirds of those businesses say the technology is making it easier to launch or operate their […]
Home Health Workforce Adds 11,000 Jobs In August
Home health care employment continued to climb in August, accounting for most of the job growth across the broader healthcare sector. The home health
Patriots Add Former Bills Starter in $6M Deal: Report
The New England Patriots are expected to sign veteran defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported this Friday afternoon.Jones most recently played for the Buffalo Bills last season. He recorded 22 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, and 21 pass rush pressures. He was a valuable depth piece for a loaded […] The post Patriots Add Former Bills Starter in $6M Deal: Report appeared first on HEAVY.
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 11, 2026
New forces in RI politics: Foulkes, Morales and Greenman
Immigration‑reporting measure fuels debate over Colorado’s role with ICE
A coalition of advocacy groups, community members, and several district attorneys rallied outside the Colorado Capitol on Thursday to oppose a ballot measure that, if approved by voters in November, would require state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Backed by the interest group Advance Colorado, Proposition 81 would require law […]
Arkansas Department of Health getting rid of 71 positions in new restructuring plan
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) said Friday that they are implementing a reduction of work force effective Nov. 1.
BAR Investigation Leads to Suspension of Business License - California Statewide Law Enforcement Association
“The State employees who investigate fraudulent activity associated with car repairs often go unnoticed by the motoring public, but their work helps to keep us safe out on the roads. Their work also protects consumers from financial harm.” CSLEA President Alan Barcelona SACRAMENTO – On September 3, 2026, the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR)announced […]
Wellness Health Fair Today
Local first responders and medical professionals are joining forces today to commemorate the events of 9/11, and promote healthier lifestyles for both public safety personnel and the general public. Whiteville Police and Fire, the sheriff’s office and the Highway Patrol with Columbus Regional’s Donayre Cancer Center to host the event from 1-4 p.m. at Vineland…
Benjamin List, Nobel laureate: ‘Chemists have always been seen as a dark force’
The discoverer of asymmetric organocatalysis defends the discipline’s potential to solve humanity’s greatest problems