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Betting on Trump's influence? How GA-14 runoff became a testing ground as prediction markets reshape 2026 elections
Prediction markets and political betting platforms are raising new questions about democracy, regulation, and voter behavior ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced brings back the original's best gameplay quirks
Ubisoft has detailed Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced gameplay, highlight just how many classic mechanics from ACIV Black Flag will return in the remake.
Lawmakers break ground on Wyoming Business Council reform effort
by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile The Wyoming Business Council survived a Freedom Caucus-led effort to dismantle it earlier this year. Now, lawmakers are
Can a peace deal be agreed between Iran and US?
Both sides want an end to the war but on their terms – and they remain far apart
Assassin's Creed Multiplayer Leak Criticized by Ubisoft, After Fan Admits Editing Image Using AI
Ubisoft has criticized the posting of a leaked screenshot from its under-wraps multiplayer Assassin's Creed game, which had been altered using AI.
Oil prices retreat and global stocks hit record highs after Trump hails ‘great progress’ on Iran deal
US president pauses ‘Project Freedom’ to work on ‘final agreement’ with Tehran; stocks also ride high on AI euphoria
UN resolution proposal would hit Iran with sanctions for halting freedom of navigation
The draft resolution, co-sponsored by the United States and Gulf nations and obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, also demands that Iran “immediately participate in and enable” United Nations efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor in the strait to enable the delivery of vital aid, fertilizer and other goods.
$7.85M Sony PlayStation Store class action settlement
Sony Interactive Entertainment agreed to a $7.85 million class action settlement to resolve claims it violated federal antitrust laws by monopolizing the PlayStation digital game market.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Has Plenty of Blood After All — and a Gameplay Mechanic Borrowed From Assassin's Creed Shadows
Ubisoft has released a deep dive look at the parkour, stealth and combat features found in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — and most importantly, given fans a look at the game with its blood effects enabled.
'Ceasefire is not over,' Hegseth says as U.S. acts to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Hegseth said "Project Freedom" is a temporary and defensive operation meant to resume the flow of traffic through the vital waterway.
Politics & Power: Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act, reshaping redistricting battles ahead of midterms
A 60-year-old civil rights law, effectively gutted. Now, Republicans across the South are racing to redraw congressional maps — and Florida just became the first state to act, passing new lines that could flip four seats. Democrats are promising to fight back. Sean Freeder, a political scientist and analyst, joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton to discuss the pushback and the legal fights ahead.
Wake County pauses WakeMed merger with Atrium Health
Wake County Commissioners have agreed to delay consideration of a contract change that would clear the way for the proposed WakeMed/Atrium Health merger. The delay will last for at least 90 days, commissioners say. It will “provide time for the hospitals to engage with the community,” answer questions and make changes to address any concerns,” […]
Court says lies used against Wyoming legislators are politics as usual
Freedom Caucus beat a defamation case by convincing a judge its leaders believed the falsehoods they told, opines columnist Kerry Drake.
Austin music leaders rethink the idea of 'selling out' as business support becomes a necessity
Once considered evil, panelists agreed corporate support might be one of the best ways to protect the artists and venues that make Austin unique.
Phil Foden: Man City star agrees to sign new four-year deal as he approaches final year of contract
Phil Foden has agreed to sign a new contract at Man City; the 25-year-olds existing terms are due to expire in the summer of 2027
CK Hutchison Exits Vodafone Joint Venture for $5.8 Billion
Vodafone Group will take full ownership of its joint venture with CK Hutchison after the Hong Kong conglomerate agreed to sell its stake in one of the U.K.’s largest mobile operators for more than US$5 billion.
Assassin's Creed Invictus Playtests Leaks Say The Game Is "Awful"
A new leak claims that recent Assassin's Creed Invictus playtesters have said the game is awful and it could be delayed or canceled.
Rural lifeline or potential monopoly? MU Health Care plan would allow expansion even if competition shrinks
Proposed legislation would give MU Health Care broad freedom to expand across 25 mid-Missouri counties. Experts warn it may not be needed for rural hospital acquisitions and could harm competition.
Trump: US to Escort Ships Through Strait of Hormuz
Trump described “Project Freedom”, as a humanitarian effort aimed at ensuring safe passage for ships trapped in restricted waters.
BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Art in the Berkshires—now open on Castle Street
What began in 2024 as an online resource now operates a physical gallery and studio space to help further its mission—“amplifying the transformative power of art in our community by making it easier to discover, experience, and support Berkshire creativity in one welcoming place.”
Business Briefs May 4, 2025: Business news in the Berkshires and beyond
Business news from Lenox Garden Club, Greylock, MountainOne, Lee Bank, and more
Rumored PvP Assassin’s Creed's Playtest Reportedly A Letdown
The repeatedly delayed and much speculated Fall Guys-esque “Assassin’s Creed Invictus” had a reportedly rocky outing last month
Health freedom at the forefront of individual rights vs. government debate
Six years after the start of the Covid pandemic, health freedom and vaccine mandates are still major issues at the Arizona Legislature.
Trump endorses Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky Senate primary
The president urged businessman Nate Morris, a Barr rival, to drop out of the race and take an ambassadorship. Morris agreed and promptly joined Trump in backing Barr.
Everyone loves Ella Langley. Everything else about country music is up for debate.
Ella Langley's breakout Stagecoach set showed her rare cross-generational appeal even as fans across the festival disagreed on what country music is becoming.
Trump says he'll place 25% tariff on autos from EU
Trump said Friday in a social media post that the EU is not complying with a fully agreed to trade deal, though he did not flesh out his objections in the post
U.S. Meddling in European Domestic Politics Is Backfiring
Hungary’s April election was the clearest test—and failure—of Trump’s Europe strategy.
As Kentucky Derby Becomes a Bigger Business, Locals Feel Left Behind
Locals say rising ticket prices and a late start time for the Oaks race on Friday are hurting residents and restaurants. “The only thing I see is greed,” one steakhouse owner said.
‘Freedom Trucks’ deliver AI-washed history to the Lower 48
The mobile museums are the product of conservative PragerU
Mark Sanford, former governor, drops out of District 1 race
Former governor of South Carolina Mark Sanford is dropping out of the race for the 1st Congressional District to launch a nonprofit
Michigan's Dusty May provides health updates for returner, newcomers on mend
L.J. Cason (ACL), Lincoln Cosby (ACL) and Jalen Reed (Achilles) are all coming off major injuries, and Marcus Moller is receiving cancer treatment.
Greedfall studio Spiders' liquidation is a "premeditated and deliberate choice by Nacon’s management" claim union as they call for a boycott
The STJV union have released a statement alleging that Greedfall 2 studio Spiders' liquidation was a "premeditated and deliberate choice by Nacon’s management."
Research commissioner pitches EU to US scientists and investors
Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva is just back from a two-day trip to San Francisco, where she pitched the EU as the place to be for US researchers looking to move and US venture capitalists looking to invest. A Commission spokesperson told Science|Business that Zaharieva used the trip to “promote Europe as a stable, rule-based and vibrant innovation destination.” She emphasised Europe’s excellent infrastructure and predictable funding, particularly through the European Research Council (ERC) and Europe Innovation Council.These are already proving tempting, with applications from US-based researchers to ERC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls increasing substantially over the past few years. According to the Commission, the number of US-based applicants for the annual ERC Consolidator Grant call rose from 19 in 2025 to 64 in 2026, while US bids to the ERC Advanced Grant call rose from 23 in 2024 to 114 in 2025. Meanwhile, US applications to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme rose from 352 in 2024 to 998 in 2025.Pressure on US scientists to seek alternative employment has increased since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Jobs at federal science agencies have been slashed, funding cut in some research areas and international scientific partnerships turned upside down. He has also made unprecedented attempts to control university affairs.During her trip, Zaharieva made a point of highlighting the protection of academic freedom in Europe, “especially in areas like climate change, renewable energy, and health, where US funding has faced cuts,” the spokesperson said.She also underlined the EU’s “attractive long-term career opportunities and relocation support for top researchers from anywhere in the world,” especially through its new Choose Europe for Science initiative.“Transatlantic cooperation remains essential to tackle global challenges while safeguarding shared values such as academic freedom and openness,” Zaharieva wrote on social media ahead of her visit.Related articlesERC walks back stricter resubmission rules for 2027Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells EuropeHer itinerary took in Stanford University’s business school and school of medicine, where topics for discussion included entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also met with venture capital firms, including Playground Global, Forgepoint Capital and Akkadian Venture Capital, as well as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US.Other meetings included Jensen Huang, the chief executive of AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, and local business associations such as the Bay Area Council and EuroCham. European delegations in the area also received visits, including Advantage Austria and France’s La French Tech, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco.
StanChart Sells Some Card Business to India Lender in Pullback
Standard Chartered Bank Plc has agreed to sell part of its Indian credit card business to Blackstone-backed Federal Bank Ltd., joining a slew of US and European lenders exiting the crowded retail segment dominated by local players.
Viewpoint: A career in science is possible, and worth it
Starting a career in science is exciting, but also demanding, with researchers often faced with intense competition, long working hours and high levels of stress. A pioneer in the field of mass spectrometry, Carol Robinson has been there. She speaks with Science|Business on the importance of creating a supportive environment, particularly for women.Robinson did not wake up one day thinking that she would become a scientist. It was only late in school that she developed an interest in chemistry. “The more you work at something, the more you think, actually, this is fascinating. So, I went much further and deeper than I ever needed to pass the exam. And then I loved it,” she says. “I thought, I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to enjoy it while I’m here. But I didn’t think this would be my career for 50 odd years.”She left school at 16 to become a lab technician with the drug company Pfizer, which is where she first worked with mass spectrometry. Fascinated, she was encouraged to take a part-time degree and then a PhD. She went on to do pioneering work in native mass spectrometry, a technique that is used to study protein structures in their natural state, paving the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery. She also broke new ground by becoming the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and then the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford, her current home.She now wants to show young researchers that a career in science is worth it. “Sometimes, I believe the culture isn’t very encouraging, and that’s something I have worked on,” Robinson says.In 2021, she launched the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at Oxford, whose acronym gives a sense of what she hopes it will achieve. “Maybe it is corny,” she says. “It’s just a reminder that I would like it if we could all be kind to each other and supportive, especially for early-career researchers of either gender, because there’s quite a big attrition rate in science, and maybe it just doesn’t feel like a very friendly place to work.”And yet, a career in science comes with a lot of flexibility. “There are few careers where you have that amount of freedom, to go to conferences, to the library. Just because you didn’t see me didn’t mean I wasn’t working,” she says. “And I’m excited to come in every day. So, I don’t want people to think it’s a terrible place.”Gender equality is also important when it comes to the quality of science as a career. “The more women we have, the better it becomes,” Robinson adds.Imposter syndromeAccording to EU data, women outnumber men in university education but account for just about a third of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). And while the number of women working as scientists and engineers in the 27-member bloc is on the rise, their representation remains below that of men, at 41%. This discrepancy is even more pronounced in top-tier functions across these fields, where women fill just 20% of positions.Having supervised many young scientists, Robinson sees that women continue to have a greater propensity than men to doubt their abilities, a feeling she once shared. “When I was doing my PhD at the University at Cambridge, I really felt like an imposter,” she says. “I don’t think I ever felt I deserved to be there or owned it and was proud. I just thought I was lucky.” Later on, she adds, “I was always that person who said, I can’t apply yet because my CV is not strong enough.”She has now made it her job to encourage women to break with this imposter syndrome. For example, rather than calling for volunteers to give a lecture in the groups that she mentors or teaches, which nearly always results in men stepping forward, she goes straight to the women, “because I know they won’t push themselves forward.”But the gender gap in science is not just down to imposter syndrome. The “obvious” reason, Robinson says, and the reason that is on everybody’s mind when discussing workplace gender equality, is the balance between work and raising a family. Her own path was to choose between the two, taking an eight-year break after completing a postdoctoral training fellowship to bring up three children. And she continues to advise women not to work part-time while they raise a family. “You’ll just get half the pay and continue to work full-time because you are not able to fit everything in,” she says. “You should be able to have a family and come back to have the career that you want.”The solution is for men to also take career breaks. “That kind of evens it up, so that it’s not such a big thing for women,” Robinson says. “I always encourage men in my groups to do that. I think it’s important to take your share of the duties.”Support produces resultsAccording to the Women in Stem Network, a UK advocacy group, countries with strong childcare systems and equal pay policies retain more women in technical careers. In Europe, these are primarily found in the Nordic region and parts of central Europe.At the EU level, the European Commission asks all Horizon Europe applicant organisations to have a gender action plan in place. Since this criterion was introduced in 2021, the share of women leading consortia has increased to 31%, against 23% in Horizon 2020. Their overall participation, however, has risen just 1%, to 38%. After trying to weaken the requirement for gender action plans in 2025, the Commission now intends to adopt a plan for supporting women in research and innovation.Related articlesCommission scraps plan to water down gender requirements in HorizonHow gender balance can swing who wins Horizon Europe fundingRobinson herself has benefited from three Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. “I was extremely honoured and privileged to get those, because they really allowed me to fuel my passion,” she says. “Without that, it would have been a much harder slog.”Beyond applying gender rules, she says that more work is needed on translational enterprise, where women are, once again, largely underrepresented. The European Patent Office found that only 13.8% of applications were filed by women in 2022. “We have so many more women doing amazing science; why do they feel it’s not a thing to have a company?” she asks.She founded her own spin-out company, OMass Technologies, in 2016, and remains chair of its scientific advisory board now that it trades as OMass Therapeutics. As for research, Robinson is now studying how changes in the brain may be linked to depression, using port-mortem tissue. “We’re hoping to publish soon,” she says. “We had to consult with a lot of people who knew a lot more about the brain than we did. So, we’ve learnt a lot, and that’s always a lot of fun to learn a new thing. That’s what keeps you going.”
Packers News: Jayden Reed contract extension details drop
Green Bay receiver Jayden Reed received $20 million in full guarantees on his $50.25 million deal
The Emergence of the High-IQ Political Attacker
In a shift from the past, more accused violent assailants have striking academic records. “We’re seeing a new breed of individual.”
King Charles visits New York after Trump says UK monarch ‘agrees with me’ on Iran
US president said UK monarch agreed Tehran should not be allowed nuclear weapons
Health Professions and ZagsConnect
Gonzaga Health Professions Pathways and ZagsConnect
Olive’s Story: From a Class Assignment to the Seattle Storm
Olive’s Story: From a Class Assignment to the Seattle Storm
Mercy Medical Center to join Baystate Health under new agreement
Two of the region’s healthcare systems have agreed to join forces and integrate one system into the other.
Philly’s Liberty Museum shows what the World Cup and the First Amendment have in common
“In the Arena” demonstrates how sports exemplify the U.S. Constitution’s Freedom of Assembly.
State Treasurer John Fleming proudly waves the MAGA flag as he campaigns for Senate
John Fleming plays up his White House role in President Donald Trump’s first term and the fact that he is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus. Can he unseat Sen. Bill Cassidy?
Astorg buys Thermo Fisher Microbiology business
Astorg has agreed to acquire Thermo Fisher Scientific’s microbiology business, creating a standalone diagnostics platform backed by private equity investment.
Cleco’s owners have agreed to sell the company. See who is buying it.
The owners of Cleco Power have reached an agreement to sell the electric utility to Stonepeak Energy and Bernhard Capital Partners in a deal that will keep the firm headquartered
Cleco’s owners have agreed to sell the company. See who is buying it.
The electric utility company with over 300,000 Louisiana customers has been sold.
Supreme Court takes up appeal from Trump administration over living conditions for migrant farmworkers
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether the US Department of Labor is empowered to enforce working conditions for foreign farm laborers, delving into an immigration program that the Trump administration is attempting to expand.
Netflix Co-Founder Sees Entertainment Resisting AI
Netflix (NFLX, may be less vulnerable to artificial intelligence disruption than many firms but its greater risk could be changed viewing patterns.Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings said the entertainment industry will likely be one of the least disrupted sectors because customers care about human c…
Thermo Fisher to sell its microbiology business to Astorg for about $1.08 billion
April 27 () - Thermo Fisher Scientific said on Monday it has agreed to sell its microbiology business to a pan-European private equity firm Astorg for about $1.08 billion, consisting of cash and a $50 million seller note.
Thermo Fisher to sell its microbiology business to Astorg for about $1.08 billion
Thermo Fisher Scientific said on Monday it has agreed to sell its microbiology business to a pan-European private equity firm Astorg for about $1.08 billion, consisting of cash and a $50 million seller note.
Dynamic pricing adding to ‘dystopian’ 2026 World Cup, ex-Liverpool CEO says
Peter Moore accuses FIFA of undermining the spirit of the World Cup through extortionate ticket prices and greed.
W Sports Bar's Uncertain Future, Cavs Lose Game 4: CLE Daily
Also in our daily news roundup for April 27, a shooting at a Strongsville Costco and Southwest Airlines launches a new winter nonstop.
Magical Abilities Removed From Upcoming Assassin's Creed Hexe, Leak Suggests
Fresh leaks point to a major change for the upcoming witchcraft-themed Assassin's Creed Hexe, and expectation of an Assassin's Creed 1 remake.
Benoit Richer, Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe game director, leaves Ubisoft
In-development title loses third major team member as Richer becomes game director at new studio Servo Games
Apollo Acquires Forvia’s Auto Interiors Unit for €1.82 Billion
Apollo Global Management Inc. agreed to buy Forvia SE’s auto interiors business for an enterprise value of €1.82 billion ($2.1 billion), according to an announcement Monday.
Assassin's Creed 1 Remake To Follow Black Flag Resynced
With Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced now officially confirmed and virtually around the corner, a new leak from @xjØnathan on X, Ubisoft is also working on a remake of Assassin's Creed 1. The leak allegedly stems from someone within Ubisoft, although not much else is known about the AC1 remake....
BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES: BerkShares Business of the Month is Hart GB
"I made the sweater I’m wearing right now, and I like to be making things and repairing things, so whether that is craft or art doesn’t matter so much to me," said Jamie Goldenberg, owner of Hart GB. What does matter is that I’m using my mind and my hands to figure out the world around me by interacting with it."
FORVIA to Sell its Interiors Business Group to Apollo Funds
FORVIA, a global automotive technology supplier listed on Euronext Paris, today announced that Apollo-managed funds (“Apollo Funds”) have agreed to acquire the FORVIA Interiors business group, based on an enterprise value of €1.82 billion (the “Transaction”).
Community Spotlight: The Impossible Science Festival
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — The Macon Piatt Regional Office of Education is hosting an event in Decatur at the start of May that combines STEAM learning with stage-performance magic. Jill Reedy, R…
Asha Sharma Explains What 'Open' Means for Xbox Future
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma shares her vision for an open platform, focusing on player freedom, creator tools, and customizable gaming experiences.
Assassin’s Creed Hexe Game Director Benoit Richer Exits Ubisoft Just Months After Departure of Previous Creative Director
Ubisoft’s mysterious Assassin’s Creed Hexe project seems to be going through a rough patch, as game director Benoit Richer has announced his departure from Ubisoft.
The Declaration of Independence was America’s first founding bet. Business leaders must build on it
Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250, launches a Fortune series connecting the entrepreneurial spirit of 1776 to the decisions facing business leaders in 2026.
Crymelight is a Hades-esque roguelike that sends the white rabbit chasing Alice to hell to face her sins and fight for her freedom
There's a lot to unpack here.
PS5 Players Craving Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, the Best-Selling Pre-Order in the USA, UK Already
Doing the business on PS Store
US agrees Venezuelan government can pay Maduro’s legal fees, ending standoff
The US has agreed to allow the Venezuelan government to fund the defense of ousted President Nicolás Maduro, ending a legal standoff.
Close watch on how Trump and journalists will get along at White House correspondents' dinner
Donald Trump is expected to make his first appearance as president at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington. The annual event is designed to celebrate press freedoms. But...
'Medical freedom' on Special Session agenda. But it comes with political risk
The House didn't hear it during the Regular Session, and polls said that might have been the right move.
‘This is very transformative for the business’: Lyft’s head of growth on taking a big step into London’s black cab sector
The ride-hailing giant has agreed to acquire Gett UK, making it the largest app for London's iconic black cabs. Lyft's EVP for global growth, an Arsenal fan, is excited.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake Dev Promises Lots Of Blood
Assassin's Creed fans have been picking over the reveal footage with lots of questions
Reed Hastings says entertainment industry will be least affected by AI
Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings shared his thoughts on how AI in the entertainment industry on an April 22nd episode of the "Possible" podcast.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced "launch edition" is a European exclusive, skips US
AC Black Flag Resynced's "launch edition" is a European exclusive, which means US players won't be able to get the 34-page artbook or other extra goodies.
Sutherland takes UFC Perth fight on week's notice
Tai Tuivasa's homecoming bout at UFC Perth is back on after Briton Louie Sutherland agreed to take the fight on short notice.
Ubisoft Confirms "Original" Assassin's Creed Black Flag Will Still Be Available
Resynced is a "2026 take on the original legend"
“Leaving Neverland” director says Michael Jackson was 'worse than Jeffrey Epstein,' fans want to forget abuse claims
"How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?" Dan Reed asked.
'Leaving Neverland' director says Michael Jackson was 'worse than Jeffrey Epstein,' fans want to forget abuse claims
'Leaving Neverland' director Dan Reed slammed the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' for ignoring allegations of child sexual abuse, and opined that the late 'Thriller' singer was 'worse than Jeffrey Epstein.'
WATCH: Trump announces Israel and Lebanon have agreed to 3-week ceasefire extension
Owning the stage: Look past Live Nation's legal troubles to see a growing, high-margin venue business
Live Nation's stock hasn't caught up to the possibility that the company, once freed from its legal overhang, can capture more fan dollars.
Welcome Back, Captain – Here’s What’s New in Assassins Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced revitalizes a fan-favorite adventure with state-of-the-art visuals, gameplay upgrades, and new content. Set sail July 9.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced's Collector's Edition Includes a Gorgeous Statue and Is Available for Preorder Now
Everything you need to know to preorder Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, including pricing, availabilibty, release date, and more.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Out July 9: Everything You Need to Know
Get all the details on Resynced including release date, PC specs, new content, the different editions available, and more.
4 WVU students named Goldwater Scholars, a University first
For the first time, West Virginia University has four recipients of the Goldwater Scholarship — Caden Ginter from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Mason Powell from Canaan Valley, Cloe Ratliff from Morgantown and Camndon Reed from Watertown, Massachusetts — who were chosen for their strong commitment to continuing careers in research.
Lyft to Buy Gett’s UK Taxi Business, Marking Its Third International Acquisition
Lyft Inc. has agreed to buy London black cab app Gett, its third acquisition in the past year, as the company works to expand its presence beyond the US.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Has a $200 Collector's Edition
Ubisoft's pricing for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has leaked ahead of the game's official unveiling — and the game will also arrive with a $200 special edition.
Black Flag Resynced Price Details Revealed
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Price details are out for the launch and collector's editions. Here are more details.
Mathews: Mississippi must keep slowing CWD spread until science catches up
I first got involved with the chronic wasting disease issue not long after I started SuperTalk Outdoors. At the time, deer breeders were pushing hard to open
Gov. Evers responds to calls for action by Ridglan Farms protesters
Animal rights activists called for Gov. Tony Evers to shut down a Dane County beagle breeding and research facility.
FHU graduate program adds Master of Science in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology
Freed-Hardeman University will offer a Master of Science in applied sport and exercise psychology beginning in Fall 2026, becoming the only university in West Tennessee to offer a master’s degree in this discipline. This distance education program meets educational requirements for the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
FHU graduate program adds Master of Science in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology
Freed-Hardeman University will offer a Master of Science in applied sport and exercise psychology beginning in Fall 2026, becoming the only university in West Tennessee to offer a master’s degree in this discipline. This distance education program meets educational requirements for the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
Journalists urge protest of Trump at correspondents' dinner
A coalition of 200-plus journalists and press freedom groups urged the White House Correspondents' dinner organizers to call out Trump at the event.
Walnut Creek City Council Agrees to Downtown Entertainment Zone
On Tuesday, the Walnut Creek City Council agreed on a two-year pilot that would allow for a “entertainment zone” in the downtown area.
This is the surprising science behind the potato breed in your bag of chips
Michigan professor David Douches explains why the perfect chipping potato is so hard to find.
Child Health Poll: Vast majority of Tennessee parents say their kids get regular immunizations, support school-based immunization requirements
Roughly 8 in 10 parents surveyed across the state said they are concerned about communicable diseases like measles if others are not immunized and agreed that immunizations are important to protect their children from serious infections.
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.
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.
Sisters, Science, and Spirit
Sisters Danielle, Adrienne, and JoJo Safranski, chose Gonzaga to prepare for careers in the health sciences.
Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future
M. Gessen encourages the audience to embrace their freedom in a UCSB Arts & Lectures series talk.
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
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
"We know you know, but how about we tell you some more now?" - Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced worldwide reveal announced for this week
Ubisoft will officially unveil Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced with a dedicated showcase later this week.