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Sep 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • lung.org

Truth and Politics in the Age of Post-Truth

Get E-International Relations delivered to your inbox, free of charge. As you sign up, consider becoming a paid subscriber, or make a donation, to support our work. Subscribe This is an excerpt from Global Politics in a Post-Truth Era. You can download the book free of charge from E-International Relations. The term post-truth is by now so ubiquitous in describing the state of politics in the Western world and even beyond that the most pressing issue of the day appears to be about making democracy work in the era of post-truth rather than questioning the normalisation of the term itself in the first place. The critical turning point appeared to have occurred in 2016 when the term was chosen by the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘The Word of the Year.’ On its website, the Dictionary notes the transformation of post-truth from ‘being a peripheral term to being a mainstay in political commentary and connects ‘the spike in frequency’ directly with the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom and the election of Donald J. Trump in the United States – both occurring in 2016. Paired with the noun ‘politics,’ post-truth is defined as an adjective ‘relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.’ The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the term to a 1992 essay in The Nation by the playwright Steve Tesich as he reflected on the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal and the 1990–91 Gulf War: We are rapidly becoming prototypes of a people that totalitarian monsters could only drool about in their dreams. All the dictators up to now have had to work hard at suppressing the truth. We, by our actions, are saying that this is no longer necessary, that we have acquired a spiritual mechanism that can denude truth of any significance. In a very fundamental way we, as a free people, have freely decided that we want to live in some post-truth world (Tesich 1992, 13; emphasis added). He then continued, The Gulf War is over but the war at home goes on. The gulf between rich and destitute widens – between those of us who live in a modern post-industrial nation and those of us who live in the Third World countries of our inner cities. The present administration’s response to this internal crisis has shifted from benign to malignant neglect. The current levels of misery and decomposition of our cities and the economic gulags of our ghettos are acceptable. Since there is only so much hope to go around, there is a freeze on hope. The have-nots have now been reclassified as never-will-haves (Tesich 1992, 13). In the context of Tesich’s essay, truth includes both facts, as in what happens, and ‘moral absolutes,’ as in the ‘self-evident truths mentioned in our Constitution’ (Tesich 1992, 14). Together, these two notions of truth entail the obligation to both act and react. The two passages cited above show that even in the early post-Cold War years, Tesich was already deeply concerned that the American people are neither prepared to act on truth nor react to truth that is disconcerting, or what he calls ‘bad news’ (Tesich 1992, 12). Accordingly, Tesich’s insight as captured by the term post-truth is not that truth is irrelevant to what we know, but rather it is irrelevant to how we act. In contrast, ‘post-truth politics,’ as defined by Oxford as a term that pitches ‘objective facts’ against ‘emotion and personal belief’ such that the latter appears to have overtaken the former in shaping ‘public opinion’ and thereby, democratic politics. When Tesich’s post-truth politics and its current usage are juxtaposed, the two are in fact not identical in terms of what truth is and how it relates to politics. Against such consideration, this chapter provides a critical survey of selected historical events and theoretical considerations for the purpose of gaining a more nuanced understanding of the relation between truth and politics. Truth and Language One notable impact of post-truth politics is that language is being overtly deployed as a political weapon not only by politicians and those in power, but among the general population. It seems that once facts are irrelevant to the validity of what is being said, language becomes the platform for an all-out political contest in which what is said is no more than an act of will expressed as an assertion of power and/or an exercise in defiance. As early as in the writings of Thucydides (460–400 BCE), the vulnerability of logos – which is the human capacity for rational discourse in tumultuous times – was already noted. Thucydides belonged to a school of Greek thought which maintained that language is conventional and that the association between name and things is a result of ‘human use and habit’ rather than ‘nature or divine dispensation’ (Connor 1984, 99). The conventional nature of language means that it is incapable of providing its users with any independent criteria for judgement. In Thucydides’ study of the Peloponnesian War (431–405 BCE), the subversion of logos as seen in the manipulation of language was introduced through his account of the civil war in Corcyra (Thucydides 1972, 236-245). The war first broke out in 427 BCE between the pro-Athenian democratic faction and the pro-Spartan oligarchic faction before it spread to the rest of the Greek world. There was a general breakdown of law and order, resulting in extreme violence and death. Language underwent changes that were reflective of the events of the time. The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) translated Thucydides’ description of the situation as follows: The received value of names imposed for signification of things, was changed into arbitrary. For inconsiderate boldness, was counted true-hearted manliness: provident deliberation, a handsome fear: modesty, the cloak of cowardice: to be wise in everything, to be lazy in everything... he that had been so provident as not to need to do the one or the other, was said to be a dissolver of society, and one that stood in fear of his adversary. In brief, he that could outstrip another in the doing of an evil act, or that could persuade another thereto that never meant it, was commended (Hobbes 1839–1845, 8: 348; Thucydides 1972, 242-243). What concerned Thucydides most was that the meanings of words are no more than linguistic conventions that require logos to support them. The Corcyrean civil war was a reminder that such capacity cannot be assumed. This is why history understood as an authentic account of what happens matters. Guided by logos, the historian’s task is ‘the search after truth’, which is established through ‘the absence of the fabulous,’ including ‘the rejection of myth and unverifiable stories’ (de Jonge 2017, 2). Thus, history plays an important role in facilitating the stability of language – without which distinctions and judgements cannot be rendered communicable. Just like Thucydides, Hobbes was a nominalist who subscribed to the view that there is no inherent meaning to words. Hobbes’ state of nature, where there is no common authority, is precisely one in which distinctions cannot be made. As Hobbes put it, there is ‘no Mine and Thine distinct’ nor is there distinction between ‘the notions of Right and Wrong, Justice and Injustice’ (1968, 188; emphasis in original). This is clearly an unsustainable condition for everyone. Behind Hobbes’ famous words that life in the state of nature is ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short’ is his uncompromising argument for the ‘Leviathan’, which is described by the late American political theorist, Sheldon Wolin (1922–2015), as the ‘sovereign definer’ (Hobbes 1968, 186; Wolin 2004, 238–243). Accordingly, the social contract is importantly a ‘linguistic contract’ that binds all parties to ‘general names agreed upon’ (Peters 1979, 125; Hobbes 1968, 111). Through Thucydides and Hobbes, we can identify a line of thinking that sees politics as a contestation over the use of language, which is based on shared conventions and norms. Thus understood, politics is not a collective quest for the true nature of our being or an epistemological exercise in pursuit of true knowledge. Rather, politics is about humans living with one another by finding a shared language to communicate with one another on matters that affect them all. Truth is in that sense contingent on what is being said as opposed to setting the standard for it. In other words, truth is the embodiment of shareability among us. While truth as such ensures the viability of a political entity, truth by no means represents a normative standard to adjudicate among contesting actors in what they say, let alone in what they do. During Thucydides’ times, ancient China was also experiencing a tumultuous time as the ruling Zhou dynasty deteriorated into the period of the Warring States (481–221 BCE). This was when the rulers of Zhou no longer presided over the territories brought under its control through conquest. Instead of professing allegiance to the Zhou royalty, the lords of these territories became kings themselves to rule over their own land. The period was one marked by endless military campaigns as each of the seven major states aimed to conquer the rest (Lewis 1999). Yet, the period was also known for its intellectual vibrancy as different thinkers challenged the restoring of order among these warring states – including offering ideas and advice to rulers on good governance. Among these thinkers was Confucius (551–479 BCE). His thought, which came to be known as Confucianism, went on to become the state ideology of China from the Han dynasty (206 BCE–222 CE) until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911 when China became a republic. The founding text of Confucianism was the Analects, which is a collection of dialogues between Confucius and his students as recorded by them. One key concept Confucius advanced is the ‘rectification of names’. Though the term only appears in one exchange in the Analects, it is considered a major aspect of Confucius’ thought. Generations of Confucian scholars from past and present, including Western academics, have debated over its interpretation (Makeham 2003). The passage in question reads as follows: Zi Lu said: ‘The monarch of the state of Wei wants you to govern the country, what is the first thing you plan on doing?’ Confucius said: ‘First it is necessary to rectify the names.’Zi Lu said: ‘Is that really what has to be done? You are being too pedantic, aren’t you now? How will you rectify these names?’Confucius said: ‘Zhong You, you are too unrefined. A gentleman, faced with a matter that he does not understand, takes a skeptical attitude. If names are not correct, one cannot speak smoothly and reasonably, and if one cannot speak smoothly and reasonably, affairs cannot be managed successfully. If affairs cannot be managed successfully, rites and music will not be conducted. If rites and music are not conducted, punishments will not be suitable. And if punishments are not suitable, the common people will not know what to do. So, when the gentleman uses names, it is necessary to be able to speak so that people understand. If one can say it, one can definitely do it. A gentleman should not be careless with words’ (Analects 13:3 in Cao 2016, 148). This translation is offered by the contemporary philosopher Cao Feng. As Cao notes, the passage is what started the whole debate over ‘exactly what kind of names did Confucius... wish to rectify’ (Cao 2016, 148). Of the three major groups of interpretation examined by Cao, beginning with classical Confucian scholarship, one is arguably the most influential and certainly most pertinent to the issue of language and politics. This is the interpretation that was first associated with the Neo-Confucian master, Zhu Xi (1130–1200), who argued that the ‘rectification of names is simply the rectification of politics’ (Cao 2016, 149). Within this interpretive framework, rectification has the dual functions of correction and prescription by ensuring that predetermined hierarchical roles are strictly adhered to through following ‘the system of rites and propriety’ (Cao 2016, 151). In addition, the rectification of names entails ‘using names to rectify actuality’ (Cao 2016, 151). Yet Cao rejects this whole body of interpretive works by arguing that these were ideas developed later. Instead, Cao suggests the following: The original meaning of Confucius’ rectification of names may, then, be quite simple. Confucius did not mean to establish a concrete, normative system of “names”; rather, Confucius was simply the first person in history to realize or remark upon the importance of language in politics. As a politician, he noticed and foresaw the impact that the indeterminacy, ambiguity, and arbitrariness of names would have on politics. Confucius recognized the political consequences of language’s not accurately expressing meaning or not being accurately received by people. He realized the great role that names, as a means of distinguishing right and wrong and establishing norms, could play in society and politics (Cao 2016, 168). Scholarly debates aside, Cao’s view has the advantage of identifying an interpretation of this controversial exchange in the Analects that enables its readers to extrapolate from it the observation that the meaning of words depends as much on their users as on their interpreters; neither of which can be predetermined. Accordingly, a good ruler is someone who can speak without ambiguity to his subjects and make good his words through actions. Stated differently, Cao’s view on what concerned Confucius then, who was living through times of protracted political upheaval, is that language is an indispensable political tool for those in power and can be deployed by both good and bad rulers alike. To sum up, this historical survey shows that politics as a war of words is by no means a distinctive marker of contemporary politics nor the Western world. Be it ancient or current, east or west, language is subject to manipulation to serve political purposes and when there is an outright war of words that defies existing norms, it is indicative of a political situation in which people no longer share a language and truth becomes irrelevant. Accordingly, political order entails stability in language use. Truth and Politics As previously noted, current use of the term post-truth as an adjective to the term ‘politics’ suggests that once there was a time when politics aligned with truth. Indeed, if we start with Plato’s Republic as the key founding text of Western political thought, we see that the ideal polis (city-state of ancient Greece) is where truth and politics converge, and justice is achieved. Written around 380 BCE when Athens was still coping with its defeat by the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War, the Republic is a defence of the rule of the ‘philosopher king’, defined as someone who is ‘guided by the truth’ and is ‘always and in every way’ in pursuit of the truth (Plato 1974, 490a). For Plato, truth converges with virtues and hence, letting the philosopher take charge of politics is to let the wisest and the most virtuous lead the less wise and the less virtuous even if it requires compulsion (Plato 1974, 499b). In Plato’s words, ‘…until the philosophers attain power in a city there will be no respite from evil for either city or citizens…’ (Plato 1974, 501e). The uncompromising rule of philosopher-kings is made palatable by the claim that we are all ‘earth- born brothers’ with random mixtures of gold, silver, bronze and iron, but only the gold can rule (Plato 1974, 414–415). Understandably, academic debates over the interpretation of Plato’s Republic revolve around the question of whether truth as attained in philosophy can be realised in politics as action and whether such a connection is even desirable. Without getting into the details of these scholarly exchanges, I suggest that they all share the concern that truth acquired through the rigorous process of philosophical reasoning is not without problem when applied to the real world of living humans. This is because not all humans are philosophers – and indeed, in Plato’s view, not everyone is capable of becoming a philosopher given the protracted and arduous training that one needs to endure to become one. Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), a highly influential political philosopher of the twentieth century, notes that ‘Plato was the first to introduce the division between those who know and do not act and those who act and do not know’ and that such a separation has remained ‘at the root of all theories of domination’ (Arendt 1958, 223, 225). What Arendt points out in this remark is not the gap between theory and practice, but rather that Plato provides the normative ground for those who know the truth to tell those who do not know what to do. Arendt herself took on the challenge of understanding the relationship between truth and politics through her analysis of Nazism and Stalinism. Arendt’s insight, which was controversial when The Origins of Totalitarianism was published in 1951, was to identify Nazism and Stalinism as representative of a new form of political rule – totalitarianism – making it distinct from ‘other forms of political oppression... such as despotism, tyranny and dictatorship’ (Arendt 1973, 460). Arendt defines totalitarianism as a self- contained system of ideas driven by their ‘logic’ and marked by a mode of reasoning called ‘ideological thinking.’ Ideological thinking as such is a distinctive form of political reasoning defined by three characteristics. First, ideological thinking claims to provide a ‘total explanation’ of all historical happenings, encompassing the past, the present, and the future. Second, while ideological thinking is an attempt to account for ‘factual reality’ in its totality, this mode of thinking is paradoxically divorced from reality and experience. This is because experience, being rooted in specificity, is clearly limited in its claim to totality. It follows that as its third characteristic, ideological thinking aims to emancipate thought from the limitation imposed by experience through a ‘specific method of demonstration.’ The method involves arranging facts into an ‘absolutely logical procedure’ that starts from an ‘axiomatically accepted premise’. It is, in short, a ‘process of deduction from a premise’ – which is the only possible movement in the realm of logic that leads to one definitive conclusion. This is how the ‘logicality of ideological thinking’ provides the basis for total explanation and the ‘principle of action’ for totalitarian movement (Arendt 1973, 468–474). Stated differently, totalitarianism is a form of uncompromising idealism that exists in one’s head irrespective of shared reality as experienced. It is the perverse form of what Arendt later refers to as ‘rational truth’, which is the product of the ‘speculative mind’ that belongs to philosophy, mathematics and the sciences. The ‘speculative mind’ is the mind working on its way to generate axioms and theories by relying on the cognitive capacity of the human brain (Arendt 1977, 231). The presence of others has no bearing whatsoever on rational truth. In contrast, ‘factual truth’ is what happens when humans are ‘living and acting together’ (Arendt 1977, 231). Factual truth is therefore particular and temporal by definition. But more importantly, factual truth is ‘political by nature’ because it can only be validated in the context of the human community (Arendt 1977, 238). In other words, factual truth is about humans in their plurality rather than in their singularity. For factual truth to be sustainable, we need what Arendt calls ‘common sense’ – understood as ‘community sense’ (Arendt 1982, 72). There is also another distinction about truth that Arendt makes which is pertinent to understanding how totalitarianism works. The issue is whether the so-called totalitarian ideology is simply an unnecessarily cumbersome way of saying that it is an all-round and polished lie. Here, Arendt calls totalitarian ideology the ‘modern lie’ – in contrast to the ‘traditional lie’. The latter is restricted by two conditions: that it is a lie about the ‘particulars’ and that it deceives only the ‘enemy’ – which means that the liar is not engaged in self- deception. The modern lie, however, involves a ‘complete rearrangement of the whole factual texture’. It also intends to deceive everyone alike, to the extent that those who initiate the lie eventually ‘fall victims to their own falsehood’ (Arendt 1977, 249–254). This distinction between the traditional and modern lie is important. It indicates that not only is totalitarianism a lie, but the lie is in fact too big to fit into the standard meaning of the word. To tell a lie from truth, we need a common standard. In the case of a traditional lie, the common standard is precisely ‘the fabric of factuality’. As such, a lie always appears as a ‘tear’ to that fabric. Yet, modern lies require making a surrogate reality with a completely different context for facts to fit ‘without seam, crack, or fissure, exactly as the facts fitted into their original context’. Arendt notes that as long as those who concoct the surrogate reality are prepared to engage in self- deception to ‘create a semblance of truthfulness’, there is nothing to prevent ‘these new stories, images, and non-facts from becoming an adequate substitute for reality and factuality’ (Arendt 1977, 253–254). Totalitarianism therefore requires a person to stand outside of the system itself in order to make sense of it. Arendt points out that it is futile for us to argue with (for example) a Nazi or a Stalinist on race or class. To confront totalitarianism requires more than just a confrontation with specific facts. It is a more fundamental confrontation between reality as experienced and its total rejection. This means that Nazism and Stalinism are more than radical ways of conducting racial conflict or class struggle. Rather: Totalitarian politics – far from being simply antisemitic or racist or imperialist or communist – use and abuse their own ideological and political elements until the basis of factual reality, from which the ideologies originally derived their propaganda value– the value of struggle, for instance, or the interest conflicts between Jews and their neighbours – have all but disappeared (Arendt 1973, xv). Accordingly: The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (that is, the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (that is, the standards of thought) no longer exist (Arendt 1973, 474). Who then is the ‘ideal subject’ of totalitarianism? Although there is a revival of interest in Arendt’s observation on truth and politics since the onset of post- truth politics, not enough has been said about her reply to the question (Hyvönen 2018; Klinkler 2018; Lee 2019; Zerilli 2020). Yet if we take a look at Arendt’s portrait of this ideal subject, her view is even more pertinent to our current challenge. As a self-contained system of ideas that is detached from experience, totalitarian thinking offers consistency in ways that reality cannot. Arendt notes that this kind of consistency is especially appealing to those who have lost a sense of bearing in the world (Arendt 1973, 353). They constitute what she calls the ‘masses’. The ‘mass man’ is thus a highly isolated and atomised individual, who is ‘obsessed by a desire to escape from reality’ (Arendt 1973, 318, 352). In his ‘essential homelessness’ the mass man can ‘no longer bear its accidental, incomprehensible aspects’ (Arendt 1973, 352). This longing for escape from reality is a ‘verdict against the world’ in which one is ‘forced to live’ but ‘cannot exist’ (Arendt 1973, 352). Such a situation is ripe for the ‘revolt of the masses’ against ‘common sense,’ which is ‘the result of their atomisation, of their loss of social status’ and with it, the ‘whole sector of communal relationships in whose framework common sense makes sense’ (Arendt 1973, 352). In short, the masses are people who are considered to be ‘superfluous or can be spared … [who] cannot be integrated into any organisation based on common interest’ (Arendt 1973, 311). Whether one agrees with Arendt’s analysis of the social conditions in the interwar years that led to the formation of the ‘masses’, her portrait of the ‘mass man’ is a powerful account of what can happen to an individual who has become disposable to the society that they used to belong to. Hand in hand with this phenomenon is indeed the collapse of ‘common sense’ that leaves the dislodged individual scrambling for reconnection. By offering the masses a substitute reality validated by the ‘logic of an idea’ rather than by experience, totalitarianism makes it possible for them to live in a world where there is no condition of plurality. Between ‘facing the anarchic growth and total arbitrariness of decay’ and ‘bowing down before the most rigid, fantastically fictitious consistency of an ideology’, the masses will likely ‘choose the latter’ (Arendt 1973, 352). A world created by ideology, then, is more attractive to the masses not because ‘they are stupid and wicked, but because in the general disaster this escape grants them a minimum of self- respect’ by conjuring up ‘a lying world of consistency which is more adequate to the needs of the human mind than reality itself’ (Arendt 1973, 353). Moreover, it is precisely this ability to guarantee consistency that makes it possible for the leaders of totalitarian movements to demand ‘total, unrestricted, unconditional and unalterable loyalty of the individual member’ (Arendt 1973, 323). While this chapter is not a study of the social factors that led to specific contemporary developments such as the result of the Brexit referendum or the election of Donald Trump in 2016, Arendt’s ‘mass man’ seem to have found their counterparts among the supporters of Brexit and Trumpism. Studies of voters’ profiles in both events point to a disproportionate share of supporters from white male lower income backgrounds without university educations. These are individuals who have either already lost their jobs to globalisation or who are at high risk of losing their job with very little capacity to be retrained for the twenty-first century market economy of advanced industrialised states (BBC 2016; Pew Research Center 2018). In short, these displaced workers are part of the tapestry forming the modern equivalent of Arendt’s ‘mass man’ – ready to be the recruits of totalitarianism. Conclusion If we step back to take a more comprehensive approach to the relationship between truth and politics, both historically and theoretically, it is not so obvious that 2016 is a defining moment. From ancient China and ancient Greece to our so-called post-truth age, the indeterminacy of language appears to be a persistent political challenge. Language is always open to manipulation by its users to serve power. Nonetheless, the tendency these days is to single out the ubiquity of social media and the proliferation of Internet platforms as the incubator for the countless cyberwars of words that in turn fuel the real world of politics. In this context, language is no longer the conveyor of objective facts and accurate information, but rather the medium for expressing subjective opinions and feelings, as captured by the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of the term ‘post-truth politics’. In contrast, the historical approach used in this chapter shows that it is in fact too easy to point the figure at the Internet and digital communication for the political challenge that we face today. What is being suggested here is that with or without the Internet, language, be it used to convey facts or emotions, is simply a tool for communication that humans have invented. While language per se cannot adjudicate what is true or not true, what is right or wrong, it embodies such capacity when language is a shared norm. That shared norm cannot be sustained without some semblance of cohesion in any given community. Any war of words, irrespective of its platform, is indicative of the breakdown of such cohesiveness. Returning to the original context in which the term post-truth politics was first used by Steve Tesich helps to identify the important distinction between truth as the standard for knowledge and truth as the standard for action. The two do not necessarily coincide. Placed in the context of the history of political thought, this distinction is in fact at the heart of Plato’s Republic. Yet when the philosopher as the quintessential bearer of truth becomes king, the polis that he rules over is far from the ideal of a just state that it purports to be. Instead, it is one that is held together by lies and coercion. What Arendt reveals through her study of Nazism and Stalinism is that it is dangerous for the kind of truth that philosophy generates – ‘rational truth’ – to become the guide to politics. Politics guided by rational truth can only be uncompromising and follows a logic of its own that cannot afford the ambiguity and indeterminacy of reality as lived experiences of humans. A world of post-truth politics can be an opportunity for a new kind of politics if it is indeed about dismantling the idea that truth is the ideal that politics should strive for. But as it stands, the post-truth politics of today is more about invoking a past that never exists to judge the presence as a crisis in naming when the real crisis is about rebuilding a shared space that has room for all – be they of the left, right or centre; cosmopolitan or parochial; civic-minded or self-centred; liberal-minded or bigoted. Politics is and always will be about striving for that space, without which no human can thrive. References Arendt, Hannah. 1958. The Human Condition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Arendt, Hannah. 1973. The Origins of Totalitarianism. Rev. ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Arendt, Hannah. 1977. “Truth and Politics.” In Between Past and Future, 227–264. New York: Penguin Books. Arendt, Hannah. 1982. Lectures on Kant’s Political Philosophy, edited by Ronald Beiner. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2016. “Brexit vote: The breakdown.” BBC News, December 7, 2016. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-38227674 Cao, Feng. 2016. “A New Examination of Confucius’ Rectification of Names.” Journal of Chinese Humanities 2: 147–171. https://doi-org.subzero.lib. uoguelph.ca/ doi/ 10.1163/23521341-12340032. Connor, W. Robert. 1984. Thucydides. Princeton: Princeton University Press. de Jonge, Casper C. 2017. “Dionysius of Halicarnassus on Thucydides.” in The Oxford Handbook of Thucydides, edited by Sara Forsdyke, Edith Foster, and Ryan Balot. Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/ oxfordhb/9780199340385.013.17 https://www-oxfordhandbooks-com.subzero. lib.uoguelph.ca/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199340385.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199340385 Hyvönen, Ari-Elmeri. 2018. “Careless Speech: Conceptualizing Post-Truth Politics.” New Perspectives 26 (3): 31–55. https://www.proquest.com/ scholarly-journals/careless-speech-conceptualizing-post-truth/ docview/2204515132/se-2?accountid=11233. Hobbes, Thomas. 1839–1845. The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, edited by Sir William Molesworth. London: John Bohn. Vol. 8. Klinkner, Melanie. 2018. “Reasonable Truth.” International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics 14 (3): 393–99. doi:10.1386/macp.14.3.393_7. Lee, Haiyan. 2019. “When Nothing Is True, Everything Is Possible: On Truth and Power by Way of Socialist Realism.” PMLA/Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 134 (5). Cambridge University Press: 1157–64. https://doi.org/10.1632/pmla.2019.134.5.1157 Lewis, Mark E. 1999. “Warring States Political History.” In The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC, edited by Michael Loewe and Edward Shaughnessy, 587–650. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Makeham, John. 2003. “Zheng ming (Rectification of names).” In RoutledgeCurzon Encyclopedia of Confucianism, edited by Xinzhong Yao. Vol. 2: 813-814. New York: Routledge. Oxford Languages, n. d. “Word of the Year 2016.” Accessed 19 August 2017. https://languages.oup.com/word-of-the-year/2016/ Peters, Richard. 1979. Hobbes. Westport: Greenwood Press. Pew Research Center. 2018. “An examination of the 2016 electorate, based on validated voters.” Report, August 9, 2018. https://www.pewresearch.org/ politics/2018/08/09/an-examination-of-the-2016-electorate-based-on- validated-voters/ Plato. 1974. Republic. Translated by G. M. A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hackett. Tesich, Steve. 1992. “Watergate Syndrome: A Government of Lies.” The Nation: 12-14. January 6/13, 1992. Thucydides. 1972. The Peloponnesian War. Translated by Rex Warner. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books. Wolin, Sheldon. 2004. Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Westen Political Thought. Expanded Edition. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Zerilli, Linda M. G. 2020. ‘Fact-Checking and Truth-Telling in an Age of Alternative Facts.’ Le foucaldien 6, no. 1: 2, 1–22. Theresa Man Ling Lee is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Guelph (Canada). Lee is a political theorist who specializes in contemporary political thought. Her research and teaching areas include continental philosophy, Marxism and critical theory, feminism, postmodernism, philosophy of social science, psychoanalysis, multiculturalism, human rights, disability studies, modern Chinese political thought and comparative political theory. Lee has published on a wide range of subjects in these areas, including intercultural pedagogy and the challenges of teaching as a person with multiple minority designations in a Canadian university classroom.

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Sep 16 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com

Fair play: Elche react after Villar and Mbappé clash 📸

The tense confrontation between Gonzalo Villar and Kylian Mbappé after Real Madrid's dramatic 2-3 win over Elche is still making headlines. Far from calming things down, the Elche club reacted on soc...

Sep 16 • 5:50 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Business aviation’s next growth challenge: Making more of the aircraft we already have | Corporate Jet Investor

Turning demand into sustainable growth will depend as much on people, parts and aircraft availability as it does on new orders.

Sep 16 • 5:43 AM EDT • Business • corporatejetinvestor.com

Fair play: Elche react after Villar and Mbappé clash 📸

The tense confrontation between Gonzalo Villar and Kylian Mbappé after Real Madrid’s dramatic 2-3 win over Elche is still making headlines. Far from calming things down, the Elche club reacted on s...

Sep 16 • 5:20 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

'It's my responsibility'

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has apologised for Tuesday's limp Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Liverpool, but says it is "unfair" that his team are in "this unlucky moment". Spurs' hopes of a morale-boosting cup win to distract from their winless and goalless opening four Premier League games were short-lived, and even Conor Gallagher's header - their first goal against top-flight opposition this season - came while already trailing 2-0 and did not change the outcome.

Sep 16 • 4:18 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

FM Scorns Notion of Iran Being Defenseless

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi refuted claims that Iran is defenseless, pointing to damage inflicted on US military sites and aircraft and saying further details will be disclosed in due course.

Sep 16 • 3:23 AM EDT • Politics • tasnimnews.ir

Liverpool readying themselves to move for 41-goal sensation soon

Liverpool still have a fair few areas among their ranks that could do with upgrading. Indeed, they did welcome four new players through the Anfield doors over the summer but, even with these additions...

Sep 16 • 2:05 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Bay Area sports calendar, Sept. 16-17

Claire Hutton and Bay FC will visit Denver at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. (NWSL+)

Sep 16 • 1:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Titans Offense Receives Dismal Week 2 Prediction

The Tennessee Titans brought in Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, alongside new head coach Robert Saleh, to inject some life into the offense. The initial returns were, well, not good.The Titans fell to the New York Jets on Sunday in a boring, 23-10 affair. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward is in his […] The post Titans Offense Receives Dismal Week 2 Prediction appeared first on HEAVY.

Sep 16 • 12:09 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Start crafting your scarecrow for the Scarecrow Trail

Straw-filled fairytale characters will soon cover Canton for the annual Scarecrow Trail put on by the Pigeon River Garden Club and town of Canton. Don’t miss your chance to craft

Sep 16 • 12:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • themountaineer.com

Adam Driver & Anne Hathaway Pair Up for Amazon MGM Movie, Release Date Set

Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway will share the screen in Ron Howard’s next directorial effort for Amazon MGM Studios. The studio has now reportedly confirmed when audiences can see the pair in the true-...

Sep 15 • 11:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com

DOH holds in-person town hall on Bronx Legionnaires' cases

"Remember, there are 24 total cooling towers in this area that we are concerned about," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said.

Sep 15 • 10:22 PM EDT • Health • ny1.com

Popular So Delicious frozen dessert recalled over possible stone contamination

Small stones and hard objects within cashew inclusions prompted Danone USA to recall So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert pints.

Sep 15 • 10:10 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com

The new Boox e-ink devices get Android 16 out of the box, including Palma 3

Boox just announced three new e-ink devices on Android 16; the largest tablet is available now, but you’ll have to...

Sep 15 • 10:00 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

Malaysia talks to rival airlines as it monitors AirAsia's financial health, sources say

Malaysia's government has asked Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air ​whether they could absorb AirAsia's domestic market share, said two people with knowledge of the matter, as part of what they described as scenario planning while authorities ‌monitor the financial health of Southeast Asia's largest low-cost airline.

Sep 15 • 9:55 PM EDT • Health • reuters.com

Political Connections Florida September 15 2026

Political Connections airs each weeknight at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News.

Sep 15 • 8:45 PM EDT • Politics • baynews9.com

Press kit: Alaska Airlines unveils its international Business Class Suites experience - Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air

Alaska Airlines has debuted its all-new International Business Class, a premium long-haul experience launching this spring as the airline expands to Europe and Asia. The unveiling marks a significant milestone in Alaska’s transformation into the West Coast’s global carrier and Seattle’s new leader in international travel — one that now connects guests to over 900 worldwide destinations through the oneworld alliance. International Premium Class also has an elevated guest experience, including an amenity kit designed in collaboration with Filson.

Sep 15 • 8:32 PM EDT • Business • news.alaskaair.com

House panel recommends contempt charge for billionaire Leon Black in Epstein probe

The House Oversight Committee has voted to recommend holding billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress in the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein

Sep 15 • 8:16 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

N.Y. Senate Health Committee chair optimistic about 'New York Health Act'

The “New York Health Act” is the New York equivalent of Medicare for All.

Sep 15 • 8:12 PM EDT • Health • spectrumlocalnews.com

N.Y. Senate Health Committee chair optimistic about 'New York Health Act'

The “New York Health Act” is the New York equivalent of Medicare for All.

Sep 15 • 8:12 PM EDT • Health • spectrumlocalnews.com

Intermountain Health to convert West Valley City building into new medical campus

Nine-story Fairbourne building originally designed for healthcare use when constructed in 2012.

Sep 15 • 7:14 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com

Air Force hockey doubles down on traditional business model as new season approaches

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Heading into his 30th season at the helm of the Air Force hockey program, Frank Serratore may be looking at the best incoming class of his lengthy tenure. “We’ve got more good players, more guys that we are reasonably sure are going to be at […]

Sep 15 • 6:50 PM EDT • Business • gazette.com

Air Force hockey doubles down on traditional business model as new season approaches

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Heading into his 30th season at the helm of the Air Force hockey program, Frank Serratore may be looking at the best incoming class of his lengthy tenure. “We’ve got more good players, more guys that we are reasonably sure are going to be at […]

Sep 15 • 6:50 PM EDT • Business • denvergazette.com

Senate Overwhelmingly Supports Consideration of Protect College Sports Act Following Event with Student Athletes and Coaches - U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation

To watch Chairman Cruz’s remarks on the Senate floor, click HERE WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, with a vote of 74-24, the Senate cleared a key procedural hurdle to move to consideration of the Protect College Sports Act (S.4668), setting the stage for the bill to move through the Senate. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the […]

Sep 15 • 6:38 PM EDT • Sports • commerce.senate.gov

Meta plans to launch camera-free smart glasses for fall, The Information reports

Meta plans ​to ‌release a ​camera-free ​pair of smart ⁠glasses, ​internally ​code-named Luna, this ​fall, ​The Information reported ‌on ⁠Tuesday.

Sep 15 • 6:36 PM EDT • Technology • reuters.com

The Business of Being Relevant: Reinventing a 100-Year-Old Institution

Featuring Richelieu Dennis, Executive Chairman, Sundial Group of Companies and Kirk McDonald, CEO, Sundial Media & Technology GroupModerated by Kc

Sep 15 • 6:34 PM EDT • Business • fastcompany.com

Health officials clear part of Hastings apartment building after ricin exposure

In a letter health consultation dated Sept. 15 and addressed to Barry-Eaton County Health Department Health Officer Rebekah Condon, MDHHS concluded that first floor apartment units 101 through 113 and the connecting hallway from unit 113 to the south stairwell no longer pose an imminent danger to life and health from ricin.

Sep 15 • 6:27 PM EDT • Health • wilx.com

Meta to Launch Camera-Free Smart Glasses Amid Mounting Privacy Concerns

Meta Platforms plans to release a camera-free pair of smart glasses this fall, according to people familiar with the matter, as it looks to expand its hardware lineup amid privacy concerns about cameras on its existing offerings. The new glasses model, internally code-named Luna, has six ...

Sep 15 • 6:22 PM EDT • Technology • theinformation.com

Two House Democrats defect again on key vote for Trump agenda

House Democrats are fuming after a pair of centrist members once again defied their party leaders by voting to help advance a key White House priority — the second time in recent weeks.

Sep 15 • 6:22 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Committee Backs Second Chance for Businesses with Past Violations Seeking Entertainment Permits

The Land Use Committee also voted to keep permit appeals with a hearing officer rather than the City Council, over the dissent of its chair.

Sep 15 • 6:15 PM EDT • Entertainment • raincrossgazette.com

It's fair time! County Fair returns for 74th year

In addition to high school football and Halloween, one of the surest signs in the community that fall has arrived is the Gwinnett County Fair, now in its 74th year.

Sep 15 • 6:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • gwinnettdailypost.com

UAMS offers on-demand healthcare at XNA

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest Regional Campus said Tuesday (Sept. 15) that it has installed a telehealth booth at Northwest Arkansas National Airport, giving XNA travelers, staff,...

Sep 15 • 5:55 PM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net

Plans to artificially dim the sun have divided scientists—here's what they're actually arguing about

No, President Joe Biden did not engineer Hurricane Milton. No, the ice crystal contrails left behind by high-altitude aircraft are not "chemtrails" sprayed by governments to control the weather or manipulate ...

Sep 15 • 5:40 PM EDT • Science • phys.org

VA facilities struggle to staff mental health, nursing, safety positions, watchdog finds

More than half of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers have reported severe staffing shortages, the Office of Inspector General finds.

Sep 15 • 5:33 PM EDT • Health • militarytimes.com

📋 Fluminense named for the Libertadores quarter-final second leg

It’s time!Fluminense’s lineup is set for the second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals.Coming up shortly, from 7pm Brasília time, the Tricolor take on Platense in Buenos Aires.The match ...

Sep 15 • 5:01 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Fewer than half of Americans expect midterm elections to be 'free and fair,' poll finds

Fewer than half of Americans believe the upcoming midterm elections will be "free and fair," according to a new poll — a sharp decline from after the 2024 election.

Sep 15 • 4:19 PM EDT • Politics • latimes.com

Padres Could Be In On Top Japanese Free-Agent Pitcher

The San Diego Padres could be rebuilding their rotation entirely this offseason, and Kaira Taima might make sense.

Sep 15 • 3:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Letter: Party politics in Montgomery County are nothing new

Contributed commentary from Monica M. Meeks on the election of Rashidah Leverett to chair the Montgomery County Commission.

Sep 15 • 3:24 PM EDT • Politics • clarksvillenow.com

Polk County Women Mean Business Builds a Community Around Women Entrepreneurs

The new organization pairs traditional business networking with mentorship, mental health resources, professional clothing and a monthly market.

Sep 15 • 3:24 PM EDT • Business • lkldnow.com

Former Quality Inn on Airline sells for $1.4M

A bank-owned, distressed hotel property at the junction of Airline Highway and Interstate 12 in Baton Rouge has sold for $1,475,000. The 172-room property, formerly a Quality Inn, was built in 1968… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in

Sep 15 • 3:05 PM EDT • Business • businessreport.com

More Than 90 Businesses, One Downtown Huntsville Address

For Aaron Hase and his family, downtown Huntsville is more than a popular retail and dining destination; it is a third-generation family affair. Formerly

Sep 15 • 3:00 PM EDT • Business • huntsvillebusinessjournal.com

Thieves slam vehicles into Irving Park businesses in smash-and-grab burglaries

Chicago police are investigating a pair of smash-and-grab burglaries in Irving Park, where thieves drove SUV’s through the front of multiple businesses

Sep 15 • 2:19 PM EDT • Business • nbcchicago.com

Intermountain Health and West Valley City Unveil Plans for Major New Medical Campus That Will Significantly Enhance Access to Care for Residents in West Salt Lake County

Residents in West Valley City and west Salt Lake County will soon have easier access to healthcare services thanks to a major new medical campus planned by Intermountain.Intermountain Health has acquired the nine-story, 235,000 square-foot Fairbourne Building at 3535 Market Street, which is located on 8.5 acres in the heart of downtown W...

Sep 15 • 2:15 PM EDT • Health • news.intermountainhealth.org

Fairfax-based ITC Federal to acquire govcon business tied to ICE

ITC Federal announced Tuesday it has signed a definitive agreement to buy McLean-based Capgemini Government Solutions.

Sep 15 • 2:10 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com

They played for Celtic

Highly rated youth prospect Mark Burchill made his first team debut just a few weeks shy of his 18th birthday in a shock League Cup defeat at Airdrie, back in August 1998…Mark Burchill, Celtic FC. 2...

Sep 15 • 1:40 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

"50X50: SCIENCE ACROSS AMERICA" GOES LIVE TODAY, UNITING THE BEST YOUTUBE CREATORS IN THE FIRST-EVER STATE-BY-STATE MEDIA INITIATIVE

50x50: Science Across America, the first-ever nationwide media initiative to spotlight a YouTube creator in every U.S. state, officially launches today. The project unites a roster of creators paired with local scientists, whose channels command a combined total of more than 90 million YouTube subscribers — the biggest coordinated gathering of independent science voices ever assembled for a single campaign.

Sep 15 • 1:19 PM EDT • Science • finance.yahoo.com

Report: Iran war caused destruction to US bases, aircraft

The watchdog also found the war caused “strategic inventory shortfalls” of critical munitions and revealed resupply bottlenecks.

Sep 15 • 1:13 PM EDT • Politics • news8000.com

Logan Airport workers push Massport on health insurance

Roughly 30 percent of Logan airport service workers are uninsured, a report found.

Sep 15 • 1:12 PM EDT • Health • bostonglobe.com

Air Force raises Boeing contract ceiling to $19.1B

The Air Force raised Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus contract ceiling to $19.1 billion for support of foreign military sales to Japan and Israel.

Sep 15 • 1:04 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com

Iowa Craft Meats refreshes brand as premium pork business grows

Company’s growing profile was visible this summer at the Iowa State Fair, where 8,700 Duroc pork burgers were served at the Iowa Pork Tent.

Sep 15 • 12:40 PM EDT • Business • nationalhogfarmer.com

New Britain holds business fair geared to help small businesses come to town

Hosted by Mayor Bobby Sanchez, the city says it hopes to “fill more storefronts” and breathe more life into its community.

Sep 15 • 12:38 PM EDT • Business • nbcconnecticut.com

It’s almost time to airdrop rabies vaccines again

The USDA program uses fishmeal-coated bait bricks to lure raccoons and other animals.

Sep 15 • 12:34 PM EDT • Science • popsci.com

I used the AirPods 5 for nearly a week. They’re one of Apple’s best values ever

The AirPods 5 are one of Apple’s best values yet, offering superb sound quality, great active noise cancellation and lots of useful features for a $129 starting price.

Sep 15 • 12:02 PM EDT • Technology • cnn.com

Ranking Members Markey, Velázquez, American Small Businesses Fight Back Against Trump SBA’s Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Lending Policies

More than 120 small businesses and organizations pen letter of support for Ranking Member Markey’s resolution striking down Trump’s ban on awarding SBA loans to green card holders Letter (PDF) (Washington, September 15) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today garnered additional support from Main Street small businesses for his Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s discriminatory policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. In a letter of support, more than 120 American small businesses and community organizations, led by Small Business Majority, applauded Ranking Member Markey’s efforts to overturn the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant lending ban and advocated for the passage of Ranking Member Markey’s CRA resolution in the Senate. House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7) is leading the resolution in the House of Representatives. The Trump administration’s green card holder ban is the most recent escalation of SBA’s draconian citizenship restrictions that are killing jobs and putting the American Dream further out of reach for entrepreneurs. In Fiscal Year 2025, Trump’s SBA made an estimated $5.5 billion in loans to green card holders, which supported more than 80,000 jobs nationwide. “The Trump administration’s continued attacks on American small businesses and jobs are anti-American, they’re discriminatory, and they’re dragging down our communities and our economy. Thanks to partners like Small Business Majority, countless small businesses, and community organizations, we are fighting back and holding them accountable,” said Ranking Member Markey. “I will not stop fighting to rescind this hateful policy that attacks American entrepreneurs and prevents them from pursuing the American Dream.” “Small businesses and organizations across the country are sending a clear message that the Trump administration's discriminatory lending rules are bad for business,” said Ranking Member Velázquez. “I want to thank Small Business Majority for leading this effort and amplifying the voices of the entrepreneurs who create jobs and strengthen our local economies. As Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, I will keep pushing to stop these attacks on the American Dream and ensure that every eligible entrepreneur can access the capital they need to succeed.” In the letter, the small businesses write, “Congress must reaffirm its commitment to serving those who are rightfully and legally entitled to accessing key government guaranteed loan programs in pursuit of the American Dream. Restoring access to responsible, government-guaranteed loans for such a critical segment of our economy will allow thousands of small businesses to access the capital they require to grow and invest in American communities. If Congress does not act to protect access to the very ideals that our country was founded upon by rewarding those who adhere strictly to legal immigration pathways, local economies, communities and Main Street will pay the price.” Ranking Member Markey’s CRA resolution follows his introduction of the Investing in the American Dream Act alongside Ranking Member Velázquez earlier this year. The Investing in the American Dream Act would roll back the SBA’s draconian lending restrictions and restore previous SBA lending policies for immigrant entrepreneurs lawfully in the U.S., including green card holders, refugees, and asylees. More than 100 organizations have called for the passage of the legislation and more than 60 Massachusetts state legislators have raised concerns about the impact of the citizenship restrictions in their local communities. Ranking Member Markey is fighting for small business owners and immigrants that rely on SBA loans to start and run their businesses, create jobs, and contribute to their communities. In July, Ranking Member Markey and Ranking Member Velázquez introduced a bicameral resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential SBA loans to start and grow their businesses and invest in Main Streets nationwide. In May, Ranking Member Markey highlighted the significant contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs in Massachusetts and across the country and condemned the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on immigrant communities at a Small Business Committee hearing. MIRA’s Elizabeth Sweet, who participated in Ranking Member Markey’s listening session earlier in May, provided testimony at the hearing. Also in May, Ranking Member Markey hosted a listening session at the Urban College of Boston to hear directly from several Massachusetts immigrant small business owners, lenders, and chambers of commerce how President Trump’s cruel and callous anti-immigrant policies are hurting Main Streets in the Bay State. Earlier in May, Ranking Member Markey hosted a press conference alongside Ranking Member Velázquez, Democratic lawmakers, and stakeholders to condemn the Trump administration’s harmful anti-immigrant lending policies and to introduce the Investing in the American Dream Act. In March, Ranking Member Markey released a comprehensive report detailing the harms to small business owners, workers, and consumers caused by the Trump administration’s ICE raids in communities across the country. In February, Ranking Member Markey introduced the Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act, which would provide grants to small businesses that have been impacted by the Trump administration’s violent immigration enforcement actions on Main Streets across the United States. Earlier in February, Ranking Member Markey, Ranking Member Velázquez, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) sent a letter urging the SBA to rescind their lending rule change that bars legal permanent residents from receiving SBA loans. Previously, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez released a statement condemning the actions of the SBA after it announced that small businesses with legal permanent residents will be barred from receiving SBA loans. In December 2025, Ranking Member Markey and all Democratic members of the Senate Small Business Committee sent a letter to the SBA reiterating concerns with the SBA’s citizenship requirements and highlighting a drop in SBA lending volume. In September 2025, Ranking Member Markey heard directly from SBA lenders about the issues with the citizenship verification requirements. In July 2025, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez sent a letter to the SBA expressing serious concerns with the agency’s new, draconian citizenship verification requirements that require small businesses seeking SBA loans to be 100% owned by U.S. citizens, nationals, and legal permanent residents. ###

Sep 15 • 11:58 AM EDT • Business • sbc.senate.gov

The sinister influence of crypto billionaires on our politics

Letters: Readers respond to the news that Christopher Harborne has given £36m to Reform UK, matching a donation from Ben Delo

Sep 15 • 11:52 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Zach Leonsis named president, vice chair of Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Zach Leonsis, son of Monumental Sports & Entertainment founder and CEO Ted Leonsis, has been named president and vice chairman of MSE.

Sep 15 • 11:29 AM EDT • Entertainment • sportsbusinessjournal.com

Eligibility rules 'not particularly fair'

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says what upsets him the most regarding rules over international eligibility is the pressure put on young players to make an irreversible choice.

Sep 15 • 10:14 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Naperville All Abilities Fair celebrates disability representation in business

The event hosted businesses both owned and operated by, and created for, individuals with disabilities in the Naperville area.

Sep 15 • 10:13 AM EDT • Business • nctv17.org

HOMETOWN HEALTH: Doctors warn indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air

Dr.MacMurdo said everyday activities can add to poor indoor air quality.

Sep 15 • 9:23 AM EDT • Health • wdbj7.com

Here are the 15 Cavaliers games airing free

The 15 free games will be available locally on WUAB, WOIO and statewide on Rock Entertainment Sports Network.

Sep 15 • 9:14 AM EDT • Business • crainscleveland.com

The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made

The $20 extra for the $149 version is totally worth it.

Sep 15 • 9:00 AM EDT • Technology • theverge.com

U.S. acknowledges for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action"

Sep 15 • 8:45 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com

Cleveland Cavaliers announce free, over the air TV package for 15 games

The games, which are part of a partnership with Gray Media, will broadcast in front of the DAZN paywall.

Sep 15 • 8:43 AM EDT • Entertainment • cleveland.com

September 15 Playbook: Mail Voting Returns to Status Quo

✌️ It’s Tuesday. 49 days until the midterms 🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Birthday. The Beatles PA Weather☀️ Blairsville | Sunny, 80🌤️ Mansfield | Mostly Sunny, 69☀️ Palmyra | Sunny, 77 PA Sports ⚾ Phillies (83-67, +1.5 GB WC) | Atlanta 9-4 | Tue at Washington⚾ Pirates (75-75) | Chicago…

Sep 15 • 8:14 AM EDT • Politics • politicspa.com

Traditional Culture Finds New Expressions of the Times at CIFTIS

BEIJING, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With crisp autumn air and bright autumn sunshine, walking into Shougang Park in Beijing, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services

Sep 15 • 8:03 AM EDT • Entertainment • caledonianrecord.com

How myth-busting science changed cerebral palsy

Research from Adelaide continues to play a major role in changing the world's understanding of cerebral palsy, tracing its causes back to genetics and reducing costly litigation against obstetricians. ...

Sep 15 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • medicalxpress.com

CHATTER: This week with Regents

The Higher Education Research Security Council meets tomorrow in the Governor’s Press Room at 9 a.m. to discuss...

Sep 15 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • pro.stateaffairs.com

Arizona men’s basketball slated for pair of Big Monday games

Arizona continues to be must see TV in the eyes of ESPN and the Big 12. The Wildcats have been selected for two of the league’s five Big Monday games for the 2026-27 season, it was announced Monday. The UA will host TCU on Feb. 8 and visit BYU on Feb. 22, with both games […]

Sep 15 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

BCA launches 'Coach Means Business' effort in support of Tuberville

The Business Council of Alabama on Monday launched a new website and billboard campaign in support of Tommy Tuberville's bid for governor.

Sep 15 • 7:48 AM EDT • Business • aldailynews.com

Vega launches two Earth science satellites

A Vega C rocket successfully launched a pair of Earth observation satellites for the European Space Agency and the European Commission on Sept. 14.

Sep 15 • 7:39 AM EDT • Science • spacenews.com

Experts warn indoor air pollution poses hidden health risks

Common household activities like cooking, cleaning and burning candles can lower indoor air quality.

Sep 15 • 7:36 AM EDT • Health • wbay.com

Is collagen a lie?

Collagen powders, gummies and pills have boomed in popularity in recent years boosted by claims that they smooth wrinkles, promote glossy hair and help with joint pain. Amid the noise it can be hard to figure out whether there’s any actual science behind the promise of looking younger for longer. Luckily Dr Xand van Tulleken has spent the past three years writing Make me well: a quest to understand the confusing world of wellness, and his chapter on collagen dives deep into the evidence. He tells Madeleine Finlay what collagen does in the body, how we can get it without splashing out on expensive supplements, and why getting to the truth behind wellness claims can be so hard

Sep 15 • 7:32 AM EDT • Science • theguardian.com

Political donors could face tougher residency rules

It comes after Reform received donations totalling £72m from two British crypto-billionaires who have both recently lived abroad.

Sep 15 • 6:55 AM EDT • Politics • bbc.com

Peculiar land bridge separates a pair of colorful lakes in Patagonia

A 2020 astronaut photo shows the unusual point where two contrastingly colored Patagonian lakes meet. The duo was originally a single body of water but was split by a narrow land bridge.

Sep 15 • 6:47 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com

Get a look at the 'Disney on Ice' show playing the 2026 Oklahoma State Fair

'Disney on Ice' is skating into the Oklahoma State Fair Sept. 17-20 at the OG&E Coliseum.

Sep 15 • 6:25 AM EDT • Entertainment • oklahoman.com

Etihad Unveils New Cabins for Airbus A330 Aircraft

Interiors will be introduced beginning in September 2027

Sep 15 • 5:36 AM EDT • Business • businesstravelexecutive.com

Kleppinger Intern puts political science studies into practice in Harrisburg

Political science student Nikolas Papoutsis spent this summer learning about legislation and government affairs with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, supported by the Kleppinger Internship Program.

Sep 15 • 4:42 AM EDT • Politics • psu.edu

U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says

Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China.

Sep 15 • 3:29 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Little Shop of Physics wins $50K grant to continue science education for kids

Inside the Little Shop of Physics workshop at Colorado State University, a hair dryer is pointed at a pinwheel rigged with color-coded LEDs. When air is shot at it with a certain force, a red light will flicker on. With greater pressure, the light turns orange, followed by blue. The miniature wind turbine was built...

Sep 15 • 2:07 AM EDT • Science • collegian.com

Macklemore says he's off Ed Sheeran tour after Robert Kraft pressure

Macklemore said he's off Ed Sheeran's tour after pressure from billionaire Robert Kraft over comments the rapper made onstage.

Sep 15 • 1:25 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

BRAVO TO BUSINESS: 25 Area Businesses Up For E.C. Chamber Awards

The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual business awards event, Bravo to Business, will celebrate its sixth year from 4:30-9pm on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Florian Gardens Conference Center (2340 Lorch Ave., Eau Claire). There, the winner of each of Bravo to Business’s five categories –

Sep 15 • 1:00 AM EDT • Business • volumeone.org

A new class goes into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame

The 2026 class includes the Deseret News’ own Lee Benson, along with Shannon Bahrke, Blair Buswell, Cody Jensen and Ben Kjar.

Sep 15 • 12:45 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

‘OMG Not the Scientology King,’ ‘STAY AWAY’ — NFL Fans React As Taylor Swift Sits With Tom Cruise While Supporting Travis Kelce at Broncos-Chiefs

Taylor Swift’s return to Arrowhead Stadium came with a different backdrop this time, as she watched Travis Kelce play his first game of the season as her husband. The pop star was joined in the suite by Tom Cruise, creating a celebrity pairing that soon became one of the biggest talking points surrounding the Chiefs’ matchup with the Denver Broncos.

Sep 15 • 12:41 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Kansas State Fair crowds drive business spike in Hutchinson

Sep 14 • 11:51 PM EDT • Business • yahoo.com

Kansas State Fair crowds drive business spike in Hutchinson

The event will last through Sunday, drawing thousands of visitors to Hutchinson — many of whom will venture into the city to see what local businesses have to offer.

Sep 14 • 11:51 PM EDT • Business • ksn.com

Kansas State Fair crowds drive business spike around Hutchinson

The Kansas State Fair is officially underway after kicking off over the weekend. The event will continue over the next seven days, drawing thousands of visitors to Hutchinson — many of whom will venture into the city to see what local businesses have to offer.

Sep 14 • 11:50 PM EDT • Business • ksn.com

ESPN to give air time to opponent of Protect College Sports Act ahead of vote

ESPN received backlash for allowing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to promote a college sports senate bill on "College GameDay" on Saturday.

Sep 14 • 10:38 PM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com

Taylor Swift and Tom Cruise steal the spotlight at Chiefs’ first game of 2026 vs Broncos

Taylor Swift and Tom Cruise stole plenty of attention during the Kansas City Chiefs’ first game of the 2026 NFL season after the pair were spotted chatting inside a suite at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift was back in the stands to support her husband Travis Kelce as the Chiefs hosted the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, marking her first game appearance since the couple got married over the summer.

Sep 14 • 10:17 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Mitch McConnell returns to US Senate after 3-month health absence

Frail-looking 84-year-old Kentucky Republican returns in a wheelchair following his June hospitalisation.

Sep 14 • 8:40 PM EDT • Health • scmp.com