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4 takeaways from Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s gauntlet of congressional hearings
In his testimony to various committees in the Senate and the House over multiple days, Kennedy was tasked with defending President Donald Trump’s proposed 2027 budget, which would boost defense spending while cutting more than 12% of funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration
John Phelan is leaving the Pentagon and the Trump administration after months of infighting with senior Pentagon leaders.
Senate eyes AI expansion for congressional business - Live Updates
The Senate’s top cybersecurity official is requesting a $2.8 million funding boost to support AI expansion.
Navy Secretary abruptly leaves job as US naval blockade of Iran continues
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan is leaving his position “effective immediately,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on Wednesday evening.
Sean Plankey, Trump’s Pick to Lead Cybersecurity Agency, Withdraws His Nomination
Confirmation for the nominee, Sean Plankey, had been pending in the Senate for over a year.
Delaware business owner gives things and people a second chance with thrift store
Health Dept. report on S.F. hospital stabbing confirms Mission Local reporting
San Francisco will direct $15 million to Health Department security after fatal hospital stabbing.
Downtown boutique enhances refillable section after receiving small-business grant
A downtown Sioux Falls boutique is expanding a key part of its business after receiving a small-business grant aimed at helping retailers grow.
Apple rolls out iOS 26.4.2 to fix a flaw that allowed the FBI to access push notifications
The latest iOS update patches a security flaw that made deleted push notification data accessible on some iPhones and iPads.
State law conflict sees WIAA sink proposal to ban transgender students from girls’ sports
A proposal to bar transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports has failed for a second consecutive year in Washington, falling short of the supermajori
Microsoft issues emergency update for macOS and Linux ASP.NET threat
When authentication fails, things can go very, very wrong.
Ratings: Much-changed Atlético lose to Elche despite Nico brace
It marks Atleti’s fourth consecutive loss in LaLiga.
From The Sports Desk: Drama at the draft
Where is the second-best quarterback in the draft slated to go?
iOS 26.4.2 Patches Flaw That Let FBI Extract Deleted Signal Messages
The iOS 26.4.2, iPadOS 26.4.2, iOS 18.7.8, and iPadOS 18.7.8 updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted. A flaw with notification services allowed notifications that were supposed to be deleted to be retained on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says it fixed the logging issue with improved data redaction.
iOS 26.4.2 fixes bug that allowed deleted notifications to be retrieved
iOS 26.4.2 is available now for iPhone, with a key security fix that ensures deleted notifications can’t be retrieved or restored later.
San Francisco Directs $15 Million to Health Department Security After Fatal Stabbing
The 13-page report presented a list of recommendations for the hospital and health department in response to the stabbing at SF General.
How U.S. marijuana reclassification could help cannabis companies
The reclassification would likely reshape the pot industry by lowering tax burdens and making it easier for firms to secure funding.
Health Secy. Robert F. Kennedy Testifies on 2027 Budget Request
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on President Trump's 2027 budget request for the department.
Malicious KICS Docker Images and VS Code Extensions Hit Checkmarx Supply Chain
Malicious KICS Docker tags and VS Code versions 1.17.0, 1.19.0 enabled data exfiltration, risking exposed infrastructure secrets.
Former Steeler Jerome Bettis, NFL Commissioner view CMU’s inventions to power sports
The intersection of sports, physical fitness and technology can be found in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Green. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis and local officials toured Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Innovation Center for the university’s “Powering the Future of Sport” showcase. More than 16 CMU-related startups —
RFK, Jr. set to overhaul key committee that issues disease screening recommendations
Lawmakers grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on cuts and changes to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which focuses on preventive health screening
Apple Releases iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 With Bug Fixes
Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates are available two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified bug fixes and security updates.
Claude Mythos AI Model Uncovers 271 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Firefox
Anthropic’s latest frontier AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has identified a staggering 271 zero-day vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox marking a seismic shift in AI-powered cybersecurity defense. The findings, addressed in Firefox 150, represent the most significant single batch of security fixes in the browser’s history. The discovery didn’t happen in isolation. Since February 2026, Mozilla’s […]
Florida native Joe Johnson finishing what he started by completing business management degree online
With more than 16 years of experience at CBRE, a real estate company, and the second half of his career on the horizon, Joe Johnson knew it was time to
House Republican proposes small-business tax cut to pair with GOP federal budget package
Some congressional Republicans are hoping to tack on tax and other spending proposals to an effort to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.
Good Times
For more information about upcoming events in Citrus County this weekend and beyond, go to the events calendar at www.chronicleonline.com, events, event calendar. Also, read the daily Local section of
Shena White, Founder of Your Pocket CFO and Pretty Smart Business, Launches “Pretty Smart Money” to Help Women Turn Revenue Into Real Wealth
Denver, Colorado, USA, April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The business coaching industry has a secret: most programs excel at selling inspiratio...
Nepal’s home minister resigns, second cabinet exit in one month
Sudan Gurung steps down after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform.
CBL Scholars Program Opens Pathways to Business Law Careers - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
First-year law students and 2026 CBL Scholars Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly gain mentorship connections with leading industry professionals as they prepare for careers in business law. Created by the UC Center for Business Law San Francisco (CBL), the CBL Scholars Program aims to develop the next generation of business law leaders, supported by contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors. The highly competitive program provides funding along with academic and professional mentorship to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholars gain exposure to the Bay Area’s technology and venture capital ecosystems and access to UC Law SF’s broad network of senior legal professionals. Now in its sixth year, the CBL Scholars Program provides a scholarship and academic and professional mentorship to students entering the business law community from disadvantaged educational, economic, social, or physical backgrounds. The program is generously sponsored by the law firms Gunderson Dettmer and Goodwin Procter. Meet this year’s CBL Scholars: Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly. All three have secured summer associate positions at prestigious law firms. Deniz Masjedi: A Passion for Helping Founders Grow Companies Deniz Masjedi, who was born in Iran and moved to Southern California as a teenager, traces her interest in law to her family’s immigration journey and her desire to advocate for herself and her family. She earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied political science and sociology. At UC Law SF, she serves as a 1L representative for the Iranian Law Students Association and is active in the Business Law Society and Technology & Law Society. Next fall, she will serve as director of mentorship for the Technology & Law Society and director of professional development for the Business Law Society. She will join Sidley Austin this year as a 1L/2L summer associate. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Prior to law school, I worked in Cooley LLP’s Private Companies practice group as a corporate paralegal for three years, supporting over 100 venture-backed startups and venture capital funds. I found purpose in helping founders transform their vision into successful companies. It was incredibly rewarding being part of their journeys—from company formation and initial financing to major transactions such as M&A deals. What excites me most about this field is the potential for a small, innovative company to become the next Google or Zoom, shaping how people communicate and access information. I hope to continue supporting entrepreneurs and investors as a corporate attorney. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: As the first person in my family to attend law school in the United States, receiving this scholarship is a tremendous honor. My parents and I left everything behind so that I could enjoy the freedom to practice my religion without persecution and pursue a career in law as a woman. This award is an acknowledgment of my dedication to business law and motivates me to continue pursuing excellence in this field. It also recognizes years of hard work—learning a new language, navigating the college and law school application process, and ultimately building a career in the legal profession. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship will provide access to mentorship from leaders in the field, enabling me to develop the skills necessary to offer practical advice and effective representation to future clients. It also eases the financial burden of law school, letting me focus on my coursework and deepen my commitment to corporate law. As an immigrant, breaking into the legal profession has not always been easy, and the time that mentors have invested in me has been instrumental to my progress. This scholarship will allow me to continue building those relationships while positioning me to one day mentor others pursuing similar paths. Alvaro Flores: Inspired by Entrepreneurs The son of Mexican immigrants raised in San Antonio, Texas, Alvaro Flores says he has long been interested in how policy, markets, and culture shape society. He studied international relations and global economy at the University of Southern California, with minors in business finance and legal studies. His experiences span local political organizing, venture capital and startup work, and teaching entrepreneurship. At UC Law SF, he is involved in the Business Law Society, Technology & Law Society, and the Latinx Law Student Association. He will join Perkins Coie as a 1L/2L summer associate with the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice. Q: What draws you to business law? A: I’m drawn to stories of entrepreneurs whose simple ideas become companies that shape the economy and society. Spending time in venture capital and working directly with founders has shown me that many important decisions in the scaling process are ultimately legal ones, particularly how companies are structured and how capital is raised. Business law sits at the intersection of innovation and equity. It offers a way to stay close to the pace of technological change while also helping expand who gets to participate in it. There is something special about being part of that process here in the Bay Area, where the American Dream feels like it is reimagined in real time. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: I am truly grateful for the support and belief this scholarship represents. I see it not just as recognition, but also as alignment. The CBL Scholars Program’s focus on developing individuals who engage deeply with the business and technology ecosystem reflects the path I have been intentionally building. More than anything, it feels like an investment in that journey. I have been thoughtful about each next step–whether teaching, working in venture capital, or building multidisciplinary experiences–and this scholarship reinforces that those efforts come together in a meaningful way. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: It allows me to focus more on developing as a business lawyer, without the distraction of financial constraints. Beyond that, the mentorship and access to the Bay Area network are just as valuable. I’m especially interested in working with early-stage companies and investors, so the opportunity to learn directly from people operating at a high level in that space is huge. Tavia Pappaly: Working in the Wine Industry Sparked Interest in Business and Law Tavia Pappaly spent five years in the wine industry before deciding to pursue law school with a goal of becoming a corporate transactions attorney. Pappaly says she wants to use her legal skills to help business grow and thrive. A first-generation law student from Fairfield, California, she is a member of the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) and will serve as vice president of social planning for the UC Law SF Sports Law Society in her 2L year. She plans to work as a summer associate at Gibson Dunn in San Francisco after her 2L year. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Business law brings together many of my interests and personal experiences. As the daughter of immigrants who grew up around a family-owned small business, I saw firsthand both the opportunities and challenges of building something from the ground up. That perspective, combined with my experience in the wine industry, solidified my interest in helping businesses of all sizes tackle evolving legal challenges. I’m excited to grow within the corporate law space and develop the skills and experience to support businesses at every stage. I’m deeply motivated to give back to immigrant communities and small business owners, whose experiences often intersect. By building a strong foundation in corporate law, I hope to support those working to create generational stability and to contribute in a meaningful way to the communities that have shaped me. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: Receiving this scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me. I take great pride in my background as a first-generation student and a woman of color, so being recognized for my potential in a field that has historically underrepresented those communities is both affirming and empowering. This program will help connect me to the resources and committed mentors that will help me succeed. Beyond that, it is no secret that law school is a significant financial commitment. This scholarship helps ease both the financial burden and the stress that comes with it, allowing me to focus more on my education and long-term goals. I am incredibly grateful! Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship has already connected me with an incredible network of faculty, business law professionals, and like-minded students. The community fostered by the Center for Business Law is deeply supportive, and I’m excited to grow alongside my cohort. I truly believe this network will play an important role in helping me thrive in law school and position me for success in business law. As I have seen firsthand how impactful both financial scholarship and mentorship are, I hope to give back in this same way later in my career.
Suit against trans sports referendum dealt serious blow by Maine officials
The Maine attorney general's office, representing the secretary of state, has largely rejected arguments that signatures were wrongly validated, according to new court filings.
WATCH LIVE: Senate meets as Republicans try to secure DHS funding through budget reconciliation
With Midterms Coming Up, G.O.P. Is Bogged Down in Congress
Republican majorities are at odds on big issues as the Senate resorts to extraordinary measures to pass homeland security funding over a Democratic blockade.
Week in cartoons (opinion): Religion and politics mix with ink
Religious controversies involving President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the pope inspire political cartoonists.
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
Inspired Entertainment Secures Alberta iGaming Supplier Registration, Expands North American Presence
NEW YORK, April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspired Entertainment, Inc. (“Inspired” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: INSE), a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems and solutions, today announced that it has been approved by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) and has obtained registration as an iGaming Goods or Services Supplier – Critical Gaming Systems (IGCS). This approval positions Inspired to support operators in Alberta’s soon to launch regulated iGaming market,
Report: Washington State’s Life Sciences Industry Outpaces National Life Science and State Private Sector Job Growth for 5th Consecutive Year
Life Science Washington, the state’s industry trade association, today released its annual Economic Impact Report which reveals Washington’s life sciences in...
AI revolution hits medicine: SandboxAQ targets health, cyber breakthroughs
SandboxAQ CEO Jack Hidary joins 'Mornings with Maria' to discuss AI breakthroughs in healthcare, cybersecurity, and science, plus Dell’s $750M investment in a new AI medical campus.
How creepy crawlies can unlock science curiosity for young learners
Insects and bugs can provide an inroad to lessons on nature while helping students — and sometimes teachers — overcome fears in the process.
How creepy crawlies can unlock science curiosity for young learners
Insects and bugs can provide an inroad to lessons on nature while helping students — and sometimes teachers — overcome fears in the process.
DeFi Technologies' Asset Management Business, Valour, Secures US$11 Million in Institutional Investment into Hedera ETPs, Including US$10 Million on Börse Frankfurt and US$1 Million on Sweden's Spotlight
Two separate institutional transactions, based on execution value at the time of purchase and originated through DeFi Technologies' Abu Dhabi symposium,...
Elevance Health Profits Eclipse $1.7 Billion Despite Elevated Costs
Elevance Health reported $1.7 billion in first quarter net income as cost issues continued to drag on earnings of the nation’s second-largest health insurer.
NFL Draft targets for teams without a first-round pick in 2026
If your favorite team doesn't have a first-round pick, don't worry, we have the best targets for your second or third round picks.
Fermat's Last Theorem: still a must-read about a 350-year maths secret
Simon Singh's exploration of mathematical proof – in particular Pierre de Fermat's last theorem – remains an absolute treasure, almost three decades after it was first published
RFK Jr. faces Senate health committee in final, decisive hearing for MAHA movement
All eyes are on Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican who has been critical of the Health and Human Services secretary’s vaccine policy.
'You've worked every day for this one moment'
This time last season, Freddie Woodman was sidelined with injury for Preston North End as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship. Fast forward a year and he was thrown into a crucial Merseyside derby after Giorgi Mamardashvili was injured in the second half of Liverpool's win at Everton.
The ‘groundbreaking’ case of the cyber experts who allegedly broke bad and worked with criminals
US companies in the retail, hospitality and medical sectors trusted Angelo Martino to negotiate with hackers who were trying to extort them. Instead, he made the extortion worse, federal prosecutors allege.
RFK Jr. set to face Cassidy in back-to-back Senate hearings
Cassidy cast the key vote to confirm Kennedy last year after securing a series of promises from Kennedy. The health secretary has not kept those promises.
RFK Jr. is on a congressional hearing blitz, after a long absence from Capitol Hill
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. caps off seven budget hearings in as many days, the first time he has testified before Congress since September.
Microsoft releases emergency patches for critical ASP.NET flaw
Microsoft has released out-of-band (OOB) security updates to patch a critical ASP.NET Core privilege escalation vulnerability.
LSBF Singapore Achieves Fourth Consecutive Win at Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026
The London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Singapore Campus has clinched its fourth consecutive win at the Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026 (Education category), reinforcing its position as one of Singapore's most consistently recognised private education institutions.
Spurs 'have more chance than they had last week'
The wisdom of crowds is sometimes overlooked - and it was again on Saturday in a crucial moment during the Tottenham v Brighton game. Up 2-1 in the 95th minute, the ball fell to Tottenham's Kevin Danso in his own box. Danso dithered, Jan Paul van Hecke nipped in, and seconds later two crucial points evaporated on the altar of progressive ideology.
Vodafone Business Launch New AI and Cybersecurity Solutions to Accelerate Small Business Digital Transformation in Partnership with Google Cloud
/PRNewswire/ -- Cloud Next '26 -- Today Vodafone Business and Google Cloud announce an expansion of their strategic partnership with two new solutions to equip...
Vodafone Business Launch New AI and Cybersecurity Solutions to Accelerate Small Business Digital Transformation in Partnership with Google Cloud
Cloud Next '26 -- Today Vodafone Business and Google Cloud announce an expansion of their strategic partnership with two new solutions to equip small-and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with advanced cybersecurity and agentic AI.
White Sox stay hot vs. Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks
The start of Tuesday's Diamondbacks game took the wind out of Chase Field pretty quickly for the second straight game with the White Sox in town.
Mythos found 271 Firefox flaws – but none a human couldn’t spot
: Mozilla CTO says AI means developers finally have a chance to get on top of security
High school sports results for Tuesday, April 21, 2026
TUESDAY’S RESULTS Baseball CITY LEAGUE Obama Academy 12, Carrick 0 (5) Westinghouse 13, Perry 8 WPIAL CLASS 6A Section 1 Butler 2, Central Catholic...
Medical Scans Reveal Hidden Secrets Inside Ancient Egyptian Mummies
Thousands of years later.
Why President Trump extended his ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump huddled with his national security team Tuesday afternoon at the White House facing a major decision: what to do next with Iran.
Vodafone offers small businesses cybersecurity, AI capability with Google tie-up
European mobile and broadband operator Vodafone said it would offer its small business customers advanced cybersecurity and agentic AI through its $1 billion strategic tie-up with Google Cloud agreed in October 2024.
On Capitol Hill, RFK Jr. defends vaccine policies, ongoing shakeups
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another long day on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with lawmakers questioning him on his vaccine views, agency shakeups and a proposed budget that would slash HHS spending on medical research and public health.
‘Prolific’ PDX business burglar gets 5 years, DA says
Prosecutors said the man stole at least $3,000 from a liquor store, bong shop, game store and storage unit.
Adios to Another Member of Trump’s Esteemed Cabinet
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces multiple misconduct allegations, further disproving that the president has hired “nothing but the best people.”
Republicans launch a new effort to fund the Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted on Tuesday to launch a new effort to reopen the Department of Homeland Security and end the longest partial government shutdown in history. The 52-46 vote was the first step in a budget process that Republicans hope will unlock the funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. […]
Analysis: Fans have turned on Rosenior
It marked radical new low point in a bleak run of five consecutive league defeats without a goal for Chelsea - their worst such sequence in more than a century and one that few supporters have witnessed in their lifetime. Given the club's success over the past 25 years, it is perhaps understandable that patience is thin for a head coach appointed just three months ago from Chelsea's partner club, Strasbourg. There were early signs that the night might not unfold as Rosenior had hoped.
Mozilla: Anthropic's Mythos found 271 zero-day vulnerabilities in Firefox 150
CTO says new AI model is "every bit as capable" as world's best security researchers.
D.H.S. Will Run Out of Money for Paychecks in May, Secretary Says
The issue threatens to renew chaos at airports as lawmakers remain divided over a deal to end the two-month shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
Key GOP senators push back on Trump’s plan to cut NIH, reorganize HHS
Lawmakers seem poised to reject cuts to biomedical research and public health spending for a second straight year.
U.S. Abruptly Rescinds Subpoenas in John Brennan Inquiry
The vacillation came after the Justice Department replaced a career prosecutor with a loyalist to President Trump in the administration’s effort to charge the former C.I.A. chief with a crime.
WATCH: Padilla Slams Energy Secretary Wright on Cuts to Science Funding in Proposed Budget, Political Cancellation of California Hydrogen Hub Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned Energy Secretary Chris Wright about President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 proposed budget for the Department of Energy and its drastic cuts to science funding. “Your budget cuts the Office of Science’s funding by $1.1 billion. […]
United Q1 earnings top estimates as premium business partly offsets fuel price surge
United Airlines will report first quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday, capping off a stretch that whipsawed the sector, and the airline, on oil prices, merger talk, and broader questions about the health of the consumer.
Stanford's sports teams capture an NCAA championship for a 50th straight year
Stanford just captured an NCAA championship for a 50th consecutive year.
WATCH: Axios Future of Health Summit 2026
On Wednesday, May 13 at 2:30pm ET, tune in to Axios Live's second annual Future of Health Summit.
Mozilla Used Anthropic’s Mythos to Find and Fix 151 Bugs in Firefox
The Firefox team doesn’t think emerging AI capabilities will upend cybersecurity long term, but they warn that software developers are likely in for a rocky transition.
RFK Jr.’s followers will help the GOP in midterms, Kennedy adviser tells POLITICO’s Health Summit
Calley Means said the health secretary and Trump are working in “lockstep.”
Mining investors jittery about politics in Peru as vote count drags on, analysts say
Investors in Peru's copper and gold mines are worried about the country's presidential vote count that has been slowed by allegations of irregularities, yet analysts expect the sector to weather the election with limited direct impact.
GOP strategists required to sign NDAs at meeting on midterm plans
The unusual secrecy surrounding the Waldorf Astoria meeting has frustrated some looking for funding clues as Trump’s popularity has dropped to near historic lows.
Visiting Fulbright scholar from Poland joins INL researcher to study actinide physics, unlock atomic secrets
For Adam Piotr Pikul of the Polish Academy of Sciences, there is always more to understand about the basic physics of uranium atoms. That’s why Pikul, a professor at the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research in Wrocław, is studying actinide quantum materials at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on a Fulbright Senior Award. Actinides are a group of 15 radioactive elements, including uranium.
How to get last-minute tickets to FIFA Men’s World Cup
Grab your laptop, coffee and get ready to be patient. That is, if you want to try and secure some men's World Cup tickets Wednesday morning.
NYC business group slams proposed second home tax and city's wasteful spending
Chartwell Strategy Group managing director Joe Borelli sounds the alarm on wasted school spending and the potential fallout from new NYC tax hikes on 'Varney & Co.'
Pentagon makes flu shot optional for troops, rescinding requirement
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the US military will no longer require the annual flu vaccine for troops.
Seven Key Moments: Hearing with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ways and Means Committee Republicans emphasized the importance of expanding access to health care for Americans – particularly...
Flu vaccine no longer mandated for US troops, Hegseth says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. military will no longer mandate the flu vaccine for American troops.
'Sports come second': Student-athletes work to balance between classroom, competition
For many college athletes, balancing academics and athletics isn’t achieved through last-minute emails or excuses about missed assignments.
Markey at POLITICO Summit: Ready for ‘battle’ with Trump on health care
The Massachusetts Democrat also called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign.
The Power of the Hyphen: Building Business, Impact, and the Future of Entertainment with Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria breaks down how she built Hyphenate Media Group, scaled the Eva Longoria Foundation, and uses creative ownership to sit at the intersection of culture, commerce, and lasting social impact.
The Power of the Hyphen: Building Business, Impact, and the Future of Entertainment with Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria breaks down how she built Hyphenate Media Group, scaled the Eva Longoria Foundation, and uses creative ownership to sit at the intersection of culture, commerce, and lasting social impact.
Recapping Indiana politics headlines in 60 seconds
IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer recaps the top politics headlines in 60 seconds from the week of April 13.
'Citadel' Season 2 premieres May 6 on Prime Video—here's how to watch
The second season of ‘Citadel’ features the return of Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Stanley Tucci.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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