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Apple CEO Tim Cook Explains His Relationship With Trump
Apple's CEO Tim Cook has maintained a working relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, and he touched on that in a recent interview. Cook sat down with Esquire's Ryan D'Agostino to discuss Apple's 50th anniversary, but he was also asked about how he navigates the Trump administration. Cook responded by saying that "the Trump administration is very accessible". "So you can talk with them about your point of view on things," said Cook.
Faulkingham responds to alleged labor violations
Faulkingham is an outspoken critic of Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, and many of the state agencies under her control.
Will California elect a GOP governor? Democrats are panicked
Odds of the GOP grabbing both slots in the June primary aren't high, but aren't zero. Nervous Democrats ponder options like a write-in or independent candidate.
UAH Earth System Science Center scientist selected as U.S. Drought Monitor author
A University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) scientist is stepping onto the national stage to help shape how the country understands and responds to drought. Jonathan Case, a principal research scientist for the Earth System Science Center at UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System, has been selected as one of two new NASA-affiliated authors for the U.
Pete Golding responds to Dabo Swinney's tampering claims tied to transfer LB Luke Ferrelli's recruitment
Golding offered his most direct response yet to Swinney's tampering allegations
We need a credible plan for science funding in the UK
Letters: Prof Ruben Saakyan and Prof Sheila Rowan respond to Prof Charlotte Deane of UK Research and Innovation
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney apologises and seemingly rectifies life insurance situation of laid off worker with terminal brain cancer
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, has responded online to messages about an ex-employee with terminal brain cancer that was laid off last week.
How May Türkiye Respond to Israel If Provoked?
it is plausible to argue that Türkiye may eventually be subjected to direct Israeli targeting which increasingly perceives it as a threat.
Naked man breaks into Bend business, faces multiple charges
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A 43-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after police say he broke into a business and smeared feces in two areas of the building. Jajay Allen Findley was identified as the suspect and was taken into custody. Officers responded to the location after a caller reported a naked man had forced
LMPD releases names of 2 officers who shot woman during mental health crisis call
Louisville Metro Police Department released the names of two officers who, while responding to a mental health crisis, fired shots, and a woman died.
Most say Trump administration has not done enough to ‘Make America Healthy Again’: Survey
Most Americans say the Trump administration has not done enough to “Make America Healthy Again, (MAHA),” according to a Monday poll. In the Politico poll, 52 percent of respondents said the a…
Can the CDC respond to public health threats without a director?
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis about the absence of a CDC director and the government's ability to respond to public health threats.Support NPR and hear every episode of Trump's Terms sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org.
Bluesky Users Respond With Overwhelming Disgust to Platform’s New AI
Bluesky's latest foray into AI isn't exactly sitting well with what appears to be the vast majority of the platform's user base.
How Target lost its nerve — and then lost its business
Under pressure, Target was beginning to respond to instability by amplifying it rather than by reinforcing its own identity.
Starmer to say Iran war means Labour’s values needed more than ever at local elections campaign launch
UK PM to chair meeting in Downing Street on how government responds to economic consequences of Iran war later on Monday
Londonderry planning officials ponder an orchard eatery plan
There are still questions needing answers as Londonderry Planning Board members continue to ponder a proposed farm to table restaurant plan that could operate at Mack’s Apples on Mammoth Road.
LMPD officers fatally shoot woman experiencing 'mental health' crisis
Two LMPD officers shot a woman while responding to a call about someone experiencing a \
At CPAC, the ‘America First’ crowd ponders giving war a chance
The Conservative Political Action Conference has been an America First gathering for years, but with President Trump pursuing war in Iran, organizers have tried to make a shift, with mixed results.
At CPAC, the ‘America First’ Crowd Ponders Giving War a Chance
The Conservative Political Action Conference has been an America First gathering for years, but with President Trump pursuing war in Iran, organizers have tried to make a shift, with mixed results.
Exclusive: Former Mets Ace Ponders Overhauled Roster
Al Leiter knows a few things about New York Mets overhauls. Leiter, who pitched for the club from 1998 through 2004 and ranks sixth in team history with 95 wins, was amongst the holdovers during a Mets overhaul following the 1998 season, which resulted in a trip to the National League Championship ...
Planned Parenthood, groups launch campaign against transgender ballot measures in Colorado
Planned Parenthood and other groups have launched a coalition to oppose two ballot measures that would ban transgender surgeries among children and require student athletes to only join sports teams that correspond to their biological sex. The two measures will appear in this year’s November ballot, setting the stage for a statewide debate over sports, […]
Why did Microsoft end 'This is an Xbox' marketing? Microsoft responds — "It didn't feel like Xbox."
Microsoft's controversial Xbox marketing campaign "This is an Xbox" was almost immediately ended after new CEO Asha Sharma came on board. Here's why.
Social workers accompanying Hemet police officers for mental health calls
Hemet police partnered with the Riverside University Health Systems to have licensed social workers and detectives respond to mental health calls.
Hemet PD teams up with social workers to respond to mental health calls
Olympians react to the IOC policy change to protect women's sports
Olympians including Martina Navratilova and Nancy Hogshead are responding to the IOC's decision to bar biological males from women's sports, calling it a step toward fairness.
Doc Rivers responds to NBPA's critical statement of Bucks sitting Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'He's just not healthy'
Doc Rivers responds to NBPA's critical statement of Bucks sitting Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'He's just not healthy'
Pullman Danang Beach Resort Responds to Rising Bleisure Travel with Expanded Business and Leisure Facilities
/PRNewswire/ -- As global travel patterns continue to evolve, "bleisure" travel, which combines business trips with leisure experiences, has become a...
Encouraging progress in inclusive health policies for refugees and migrants
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a major shift in how countries are responding to the health needs of refugees and migrants, with new data showing more than 60 countries—two thirds of those surveyed—now include them in their national health policies and laws.
James Talarico Responds With ‘Love’ To Hegseth Pastor’s Criticism
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas, said, “You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you.” The pastor said he was calling for Mr. Talarico’s religious conversion.
‘Beyond the Gates’: Tamara Tunie on Anita’s Devastating Cancer Low Point
Tunie opens up about the emotional and physical toll of the 'powerful' storyline, as well as how viewers have responded to Anita's cancer experience.
With Their Voter Bill Stymied, G.O.P. Leaders Ponder a Plan B
Republicans are eying a last-ditch procedural maneuver to overcome united Democratic opposition, but the chances for success are slim.
Person shot dead at business on Lockbourne Road
Columbus police responded to a shooting on Lockbourne Road early Wednesday morning.Few details were immediately available, but ABC6 confirmed the shooting t
Man in custody after report of assault with deadly weapon at Venice health center
Law enforcement officers responded Tuesday to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon outside a health center in Venice Officers, including SWAT team members in at least one armored vehicle, were at the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Wellness Center after the report of a suspect with gun. A standoff ensued before the man walked along the outside of…
Democrats’ long-shot bid to flip Alaska’s Senate seat
Democrats are hoping for an upset in Alaska’s Senate race. U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. We discuss the major issues at play, plus why Republicans are backing an effort to repeal Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and Alaska Public Media Washington correspondent Liz Ruskin.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Blog explains why context matters in discussions on health care spending
An AHA blog published March 24 responds to a recent KFF brief on the role of hospital care in recent health care spending growth.
G7 Entertainment Marketing Launches Wild by G7 to Help Destinations Turn Culture Into Travel Demand
New Venture Responds to Surging Demand for Experience-Driven Travel by Helping Destinations Create Cultural Moments that Drive Visitation, Economic Impact, and Brand Loyalty Wild by G7 is producing the Rendezvous Music Festival The Head and the Heart band performed at a past Rendezvous Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming Wild by G7 Sizzle NASHVILLE, Tenn. and JACKSON, Wyo., March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G7 Entertainment Marketing, the experiential and talent booking agency behind campaigns f
Segment: Financing Action on Extreme Heat and Maternal and Newborn Health: The Way Forward
The segment “Financing Action on Extreme Heat and Maternal and Newborn Health: The Way Forward” will examine how innovative and better-aligned financing approaches can respond to these growing risks. Discussions will highlight country experiences in mobilizing domestic resources, opportunities to unlock and scale climate finance, and the role of heat-smart innovations in building resilient health systems. Particular attention will be given to low- and middle-income countries, where exposure and vulnerability remain highest, and where integrated solutions can deliver the greatest impact.
Henderson County launches crisis response program for behavioral health emergencies
In Henderson County, officials say a new program is already working to respond when someone is in crisis, often through a 911 call.
Bird‑like robots promise greater flexibility and control than drones
A bird banking in a crosswind doesn't rely on spinning blades. Its wings flex, twist and respond instantly to its environment. Engineers at Rutgers University have taken a major step toward building bird-like ...
Politics, protests and popular culture: The University of Minnesota community responds to ICE impact through memes and music
Outside Coffman Union on March 3, The University of Minnesota’s Students for a Democratic Society protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in Minnesota and on campus, despite reports that Operation...
Crews responding to fire burning behind an Upstate business
Multiple fire departments responded to a fire behind the Tractor Supply Co. in Mauldin, SC.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Chappell Roan reacts to claims her security made Jude Law's 11-year-old daughter cry: 'I do not hate children'
Chappell Roan has responded to claims that her security guard made Jude Law's 11-year-old daughter cry after she got excited when she spotted the singer in a hotel: 'I do not hate children— that is crazy.'
Oil prices face new pressure as US and Iran trade threats
Trump said the US would attack Iran's power plants if it didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours. Iran responded on Sunday with is own threats.
Crimson Desert admits it used generative AI for "early-stage iteration" and apologises AI images were not replaced before release
Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has responded to claims its latest game used AI to generate images, admitting "2D …
‘Trump should keep his reckless mouth shut’: Jeffries responds to Trump calling Democrats America’s ‘greatest enemy’
Readers Respond to Health Insurance Chaos for Providence Customers
“Only other questions I have is who is starting the class action and where can I sign up?”
Maine progressive Senate candidate Graham Platner responds to Gov. Janet Mills’ attack on his online past
'Saturday Night Live UK' aims to take a comedy hit across the pond. The first verdicts are in
A British version of “Saturday Night Live” has debuted to largely positive reviews. The first episode of “SNL UK” was hosted by Tina Fey, a veteran of the American show, and stuck closely in...
\'Saturday Night Live UK\' aims to take a comedy hit across the pond. The first verdicts are in
A British version of “Saturday Night Live” has debuted to largely positive reviews. The first episode of “SNL UK” was hosted by Tina Fey, a veteran of the American show,
'Saturday Night Live UK' aims to take a comedy hit across the pond. The first verdicts are in
A British version of “Saturday Night Live” has debuted to largely positive reviews.
'Saturday Night Live UK' aims to take a comedy hit across the pond. The first verdicts are in
A British version of “Saturday Night Live” has debuted to largely positive reviews.
Politics: Iowa Senate majority leader outlines plans for coming weeks
Second funnel week concluded in the Iowa Legislature, meaning that lawmakers’ focus can return to funding, appropriations and other types of specific bills that don’t respond to the Legislature’s self-imposed
Trump responds to Robert Mueller's death. 'I'm glad.'
President Donald Trump has responded to the death of former special counsel Robert Mueller on Saturday, March 21. Here's what he said.
Downtown Chico business owner voices concerns over street closures for events
A DOWNTOWN CHICO MERCHANT IS EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE IMPACT OF STREET CLOSURES FOR EVENTS -- ON THEIR BUSINESS. ACTION NEWS NOW REPORTER BELLA BARBOSA REPORTS FROM DOWNTOWN CHICO { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "VideoObject", "name": "Downtown Road Closure Dilemma", "description": "A DOWNTOWN CHICO MERCHANT IS EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE IMPACT OF STREET CLOSURES FOR EVENTS -- ON THEIR BUSINESS. ACTION NEWS NOW REPORTER BELLA BARBOSA REPORTS FROM DOWNTOWN CHICO", "thumbnailUrl": "https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/actionnewsnow.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/47/c47e26d6-03c3-5f35-bf49-37925ab603d7/69bdedc4eb57d.image.jpg", "uploadDate": "2026-03-20T17:45:00-07:00", "contentUrl": "https://cdn.field59.com/KHSL/1774053903-6e1ef36dd09fbebf020833aee86b60da3b3cca3f_fl9-720p.mp4" } CHICO, Calif. - A downtown Chico business owner is voicing concerns about the impact of street closures for events on local shops. Leann Powell, owner of The Peddler’s Closet, expressed concern about events closing down streets downtown and bringing in food trucks and other shops’ products that directly compete with the brick-and-mortar stores in downtown Chico.Powell said an upcoming event held on a Saturday has brought up concerns for her and other business owners downtown, due to it being a busy day for businesses. "We're already struggling, and then to bring in more businesses on top of our businesses and shut our streets down is absolutely devastating," said Powell.Powell noted a decline in business during events like the Thursday Night Market, where street closures allow outside vendors to set up shop. She shared that while organizers for these types of events often offer booths to local businesses, it does not alleviate the burden."I don't really feel like that's a solution because you're bringing in other businesses, you're shutting the streets down. Yes, we can go down and set up a space, but then you've gotta pay somebody to run that space, plus run your own business for the day, and it's really not, it's really not helpful for us," said Powell.Applying for a street closure permit in Chico involves approval from the Public Works Department, the Chief of Police, and the Fire Chief. Permits can be denied only under a handful of circumstances, such as interference with first responders, previously scheduled construction, or existing permits for the same space.Mayor Kasey Reynolds addressed the issue, saying the city council has tasked staff with reviewing the municipal code for street closure permits with the goal of finding ways to minimize negative impacts on local businesses during events.Reynolds mentioned that any recommended changes might require further direction from the city council, depending on the extent of any changes recommended. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1514992'); });
Police responding to business explosion in Carroll County
According to a spokesperson for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, the explosion occurred Friday afternoon at the address of Catoctin Mountain Growers.
Microsoft confirms a major Windows 11 update with faster Explorer, reduced Copilot, and more
Windows 11 in 2026 will bring taskbar fixes, better performance, lower RAM usage, and fewer updates as Microsoft responds to user feedback.
Crimson Desert developers "doing our utmost" to respond to its various launch issues, as game still passes huge one-day sales milestone
Crimson Desert - the ambitious single player RPG spin-off from Pearl Abyss - has sold through 2m copies following its release.
New dispute emerges around Subnautica 2’s early access release
Lawyers for the ousted—and now partially reinstated—leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica 2, are crying foul over news that the game will be released into early access in May. The release announcement earlier this week was made improperly, potentially “damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community,” the lawyers said in a letter sent on Tuesday to Vice Chancellor Lori Will of Delaware’s Court of Chancery. In their letter, the lawyers also floated the idea of asking Will to find Krafton in contempt of the court’s ruling. The letter was sent just one day after Will’s bombshell ruling that publisher Krafton had breached its contract with Unknown Worlds’ executive team, when it fired them last June. The new issue isn’t necessarily the May early access timeframe, but how the news was announced. The letter and Krafton’s response have not been previously reported. A quick recap of prior events: Subnautica 2 is an unreleased, underwater survival adventure and the most-wishlisted game on Steam. Last year, longtime Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, along with studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were fired by Krafton. They swiftly sued, saying the publisher had terminated them to avoid paying out up to $250 million in potential performance-based bonuses. The studio leaders had hoped to earn that with an early access release of the game, which Krafton had blocked. The publisher argued in court that Subnautica 2 wasn’t ready, which the ousted execs disputed. On Monday, Will ruled that Krafton had violated its contract, firing the execs to avoid the performance payouts, and that it had to reinstate Gill and give him full authority over any early access release for Subnautica 2. On Tuesday, IGN reported on a new memo issued that day to Unknown Worlds staff by Steve Papoutsis, the executive Krafton had put in charge of Unknown Worlds after the 2025 firings. In the note, Papoutsis said that Subnautica 2 had passed a key development milestone “last week” and that he and Krafton had determined the game “is ready for Early Access release in May.” This news appeared to catch the lawyers for Gill, Cleveland and McGuire by surprise. On Tuesday night, they sent a letter to Will expressing “serious concerns” about whether it would be possible to forge an agreement with Krafton consistent with the judge’s order. Papoutsis’ memo was a problem, they wrote. He didn’t have the authority to declare anything about Subnautica 2’s release. As of 9am ET on Monday, March 16, the effective date of Will’s order, Papoutsis wasn’t CEO of Unknown Worlds. Gill was. And, per Will’s order, only Gill could make Subnautica 2 release decisions. They continued: Krafton self-servingly announced the launch without any regard to its impact on the game, the team, or the community—let alone this Court’s Opinion. Announcing the release of a game is momentous, and it is typically accompanied by significant marketing activity, fanfare, and community coordination. And most importantly, the announcement is carefully designed to maximize excitement for the game. That entire process was supposed to be driven by Mr. Gill. However, in defiance of the Court’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, further damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community. The lawyers speculated that Krafton had “intentionally leaked” Papoutsis’ memo and then issued an official statement to confirm the leak. Game File is a reader-supported publication. My reporting is only possible through support from readers like you. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe On Wednesday, lawyers for Krafton defended their client in their own letter to vice chancellor Will, saying nothing they did violated her order nor showed contempt: Papoutsis’s message was simply celebrating the UW employees’ efforts toward a past event: Krafton’s pre-Opinion determination that Subnautica 2 was ready for Early Access release. There was nothing improper about conveying the results of the milestone review or thanking the development team for their dedication and talent. They added that Gill could still make his own call about Subnautica 2’s release: In his role as CEO, Gill will be able to assess independently his views on the state of Subnautica 2 and the appropriate release schedule; nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion. Vice chancellor Will has not responded to the letters and doesn’t necessarily have to. Both parties were previously ordered by Will to confer this week and submit a proposed judgment consistent with her ruling. The letter from Gill’s attorney’s this week doesn’t indicate whether he would or would not support a May release for Subnautica 2. But it could limit his options. And, if Gill’s lawyers are right, the lack of marketing fanfare around the leak of the May date could dull the launch of the game. Any harm to Subnautica 2’s launch is an extra sensitive issue given the context of the legal dispute: millions of dollars of payouts are on the line, tethered to the scale of the game’s initial performance. In her ruling on Monday, Will noted that there was obvious “bad blood” between Gill’s side and Krafton but that the two would need to work together: “They can—and must—act in good faith to navigate their remaining contractual relationship.” Item 2: A new kind of couch co-op game A highlight of GDC each year is the Alt.Ctrl showcase that features games played with extremely experimental controllers. Perusing this year’s offerings last Friday, I found a game controlled with giant scissors, another with big toothbrushes and one that amounted to dumpster diving. My favorite was Pivot, a co-op game about collectively maneuvering a couch. It was developed by students at the University of Utah’s masters of arts and engineering games program. Players lift and tilt the physical couch in order to control the position of a virtual one. That virtual one is moving through an obstacle course on-screen, while being pursued by a giant skull. Developer Nishant Verma told me at GDC that the couch is made of styrofoam (this became more evident as I watched!) and that the name was a riff on an episode of the sitcom Friends. Item 3: In brief… 🚫 Ubisoft is laying off more than 100 workers at its Red Storm studio, as the North Carolina location known for decades for its Tom Clancy games, ceases in-house game development, VGC reports. 👀 On Monday, Nvidia’s revealed its DLSS 5 AI-driven graphics technology that purports to improve game graphics… and it has been roasted about it by the media and the online gaming public for the remainder of the week. The tech changed the faces of characters in footage from Resident Evil Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy and EA Sports FC, drawing accusations of giving carefully art-directed games the generic look of AI “slop.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had said on Monday that “DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphics—blending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in visual realism while preserving the control artists need for creative expression.” By mid-week, Huang was telling Tom’s Hardware that the new tech’s critics were “completely wrong” because game-makers could still “fine-tune the generative AI” to suit their game’s aesthetics.
German Health Minister Nina Warken and WHO Hub in Berlin highlight 2025 achievements
Germany’s Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken, visited the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin today to review progress and launch its 2025 Annual Report. The report highlights advances in using artificial intelligence, data science and pathogen genomics to strengthen global preparedness for future pandemics.In 2025, the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with more than 160 Member States and over 190 partners to help countries and organizations develop new systems and tools to detect and understand new public health threats as quickly as possible, whenever and wherever they occur.BMG to confirm whether they wish to contribute a quote. “Detecting outbreaks early is one of the most effective ways to save lives and prevent epidemics from becoming global crises,” said Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken. “Germany is proud to host and support the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. Its work strengthens our safety at home and helps protect people worldwide.”Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the detection of outbreaks. In 2025, the Hub launched an upgraded version of the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system, which uses enhanced AI functions to scan global online information in real time and help experts quickly identify unusual health events. The system is now used by 120 countries.To better anticipate health threats, countries need information beyond traditional health data. The Hub supports countries in implementing Collaborative Surveillance, which integrates data on climate, animals, travel, and population movement to provide a more comprehensive and real-time understanding of health threats.The Hub also expanded global access to pathogen genomics, which helps scientists detect new pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, understand how they spread and how dangerous they may become. Through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), the WHO Hub in Berlin worked with 309 partners in 101 countries to expand access to these technologies.“We are in a new era of global health threats, and we need new tools to face tomorrow’s challenges,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “The WHO Hub in Berlin helps countries use data and technology more effectively so they can identify risks earlier and respond faster. No country can address these threats alone. Strong cooperation remains our best defence.”“Berlin offers an ideal environment for our work. We collaborate closely with world-leading institutions such as the Robert Koch Institute and the Charité Center for Global Health,” said Dr Oliver Morgan, Head of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. “Germany has supported the WHO Hub since its establishment, and we are pleased to welcome Federal Minister Nina Warken to the Hub today. This strong partnership helps us advance innovation in pandemic and epidemic intelligence and better support countries to prepare for future health threats.”The Hub is expanding the use of advanced analytics and mathematical modelling to forecast how outbreaks may develop and to assess which response measures are most effective. Through its Collaboratory, the Hub connects modelers and analysts with governments to ensure their work addresses real public health needs. In 2025, the community grew to 1300 members from 50 countries and 200 institutions. An AI-powered pandemic simulator, currently in the prototyping phase, will help decision-makers compare outbreak scenarios and help identify effective disease control measures.
Lebanon: Israel must halt attacks on healthcare workers, medical facilities and first responders
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Watch: Affordability Plagues Health Care in Its Shift From Nonprofit to Profit Machine
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Trump says NATO's refusal to help on Iran is 'very foolish mistake'
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Krafton responds to Subnautica 2 legal ruling: "we are evaluating our options as we determine our path forward"
Krafton has issued a statement in response to a legal ruling yesterday, which pushed for CEO Ted Gill to be reinstated to the Subnautica 2 studio.
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Sen. Schmitt accuses Democrats of playing ‘petty politics’ as DHS funding fight continues
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How Investors May Respond To Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Earnings Miss Amid New US$250 Million Buyback
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2nd annual mental health summit focuses on support, resources for first responders
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8 hospitalized during Temple Israel attack in West Bloomfield, Henry Ford Health says
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These swing voters don’t like or understand the reason for the war in Iran
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Anthropic’s Claude AI can respond with charts, diagrams, and other visuals now
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Rochester police fatally shoot man while responding to mental health crisis call, officials say
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Millions of Americans are skipping meals or cutting back on utilities to afford health care
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'Teen Mom 2' star Jenelle Evans' son checked into mental health facility: report
Evans' son Jace allegedly threatened to kill himself and his grandmother last month and officers responded to a "troubled teen disturbance."
'Teen Mom 2' star Jenelle Evans' son checked into mental health facility: report
Evans' son Jace allegedly threatened to kill himself and his grandmother last month and officers responded to a "troubled teen disturbance."