SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " FLA " 4,916 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
U.S. and U.K. soldiers participate in Armed Forces Entertainment All-Star Soccer Tour
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to V Corps subordinate units, Scottish soldiers from the U.K. army and professional soccer players touring with the Armed Forces Entertainment Heat Wave Summer Series, pose for a group photo after completing the scrimmage game during the All-Star Soccer Tour clinic at Tapa Army Base, Estonia, July 9, 2026. The AFE summer programming brings world-class entertainers, athletes, and performers overseas to connect with service members stationed around the globe. By providing unique opportunities for Soldiers to engage with professional talent, build morale, and share memorable experiences away from the mission, the program strengthens the resilience, camaraderie and sense of community that are essential to the military. V Corps is the U.S. Army's only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO allies. V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron Kaczur, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
5 of 10 questions policy researchers—and all healthcare stakeholders—should be asking this year and next
In healthcare policymaking, priorities are like flaming swords to a circus juggler. It’s easy to take on one too many—and overlook the overreach until a burn or laceration halts the show. The word picture is suggested between the lines of a peer-reviewed paper published this month.
Scientists finally solved how a common gut bacterium triggers colon cancer
Researchers solved a long-standing mystery behind how a bacterial toxin associated with colorectal cancer damages the colon. The toxin first binds to a receptor called claudin-4, giving it access to attack the cells' protective barrier. After identifying this weak point, the team designed a decoy protein that successfully blocked the toxin in mice. The discovery could pave the way for new therapies to prevent inflammation and colon tumors.
Skullcandy Crusher 1080 review: Haptic bass meets whisper-quiet ANC
Skullcandy’s new flagship Crusher 1080 headphones blend Bose audio and big bass.
AC Black Flag Resynced Update 1.04 Live Tomorrow, Patch Notes Revealed
Available from 16th July
SHE Weekend: Flavor Flav's Las Vegas celebration of women's sports
Flavor Flav has become one of the most unexpected champions of women's sports in recent years, and the inaugural SHE Weekend is his biggest show of support yet.
Pensacola Navy vet with ALS urges Congress to extend military kids' health coverage
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- ALS has stolen nearly everything from him. His ability to walk, to hug his kids, to speak out loud and kiss his wife.Navy veteran christopher
Viking Project
NASA’s Viking Project found a place in history when it became the first U.S. mission to land a spacecraft safely on the surface of Mars and return images of
THE ODYSSEY Review: Potent As Political Message, Flawed As Entertainment
Christopher Nolan's new film stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Benny Safdie, and a cast of thousands.
Bavarian Festival at Utica Maennerchor in Marcy This Weekend
Preparations are underway for the Bavarian Festival at the Utica Maennerchor, a club on Flanagan Road established by the German community in Utica.
HANDCRAFT ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH TAKASAGO TO DEVELOP FRAGRANCES, FLAVORS, AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS TO DEFINE THE WORLD OF "GLOBAL" J-POP
Handcraft Entertainment and Takasago International Corporation USA, one of Japan's largest and one of Asia's leading fragrance and flavor companies, today announced a strategic partnership to build the smell, taste, and feel of "Global" J-Pop.
Account Takeover Fraud: How to Protect Your Business
Protect your business from account takeover fraud with tested prevention strategies. Learn to spot red flags and respond effectively.
Small business optimism picks up in June, survey says
Owners reported stronger sales expectations and better conditions ahead, even as inflation and hard-to-fill jobs continued to weigh on growth.
If Mike Johnson’s Phone Could Talk…or Sleep | WSJ Politics Newsletter for July 15
Plus, economists foresee stubborn inflation with strengthened growth and employment, while the U.S. and Iran reckon with shrinking options to end the war
Researcher Drops New Windows Zero-Day PoC Hours After Microsoft Patch Tuesday
LegacyHive is a PoC for a Windows ProfSvc privilege escalation flaw that works after the July 2026 update, but the public build needs extra credential
Best international shows to stream in 2026
For six weeks, soccer made the U.S. the center of worldwide celebration. Keep the post-World Cup blues at bay by watching these 15 international series.
China's Sinopec establishes four business units in major overhaul, officials say
Sinopec is launching a major internal restructuring, setting up new business units and relocating hundreds of staff, as the world's biggest refiner seeks to lift profits amid flagging Chinese oil and petrochemicals demand, company officials said.
CISA warns admins to patch actively exploited SharePoint flaws
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned Tuesday that attackers are actively exploiting three vulnerabilities to hack Internet-exposed on-premises SharePoint Server instances.
Morningstar flags 5 undervalued stocks to buy now
It's a hectic time for markets amid a broad rotation, earnings season, and more. Morningstar says these are five undervalued stocks to buy now.
Here’s What Northcoast Thinks About Six Flags Entertainment (FUN)
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN) is one of the best small cap stocks to buy with the highest upside potential. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN) received a rating update from Northcoast on July 8, with the firm initiating coverage of the stock with a Neutral rating. For reference, in its financial results for fiscal Q1 […]
Motorola's brand-new Edge 70 Max flagship is exquisitely affordable and impressively feature-packed
Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and equipped with blazing fast magnetic wireless charging, Motorola's latest Galaxy S26 Ultra rival is fully official... in India.
How the war in Ukraine impacts the law and politics of security guarantees
The paradoxical revival of security guarantees Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has revived the concept of security guarantees. Their content and scope have been central to scholarly and political debates about Kyiv’s resistance to the Russian aggression (see here and here). Yet, this revival highlights a paradox: if existing arrangements had been effective, […]
Hillsborough doctors warn against county DOGE report proposing cuts to healthcare plan
More than 20,000 residents rely on the Hillsborough County Health Care Plan for coverage, according to the Hillsborough County DOGE Liaison Committee.
Cleveland Browns: Veteran QB schooled rookies on substance over style
Netflix series reveals Joe Flacco having some fun with Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel about life in the NFL.
Sen. Padilla tours Boyle Heights warehouse fire site amid community health concerns: LAFD chief says ammonia wasn't leaked
While it was originally thought that ammonia had leaked during the fire, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jamie Moore, who led Tuesday's tour, said the ammonia in the building was never exposed to any flames and was never a threat.
SonicWall warns of SMA1000 flaws exploited in zero-day attacks, patch now
SonicWall warns that threat actors have been exploiting two SMA1000 vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2026-15409 and CVE-2026-15410, in zero-day attacks and urges customers to install the newly released security updates.
OpenAI's First Device Will Be Movable, Screenless Speaker Built as AI Companion
(Bloomberg) -- OpenAI's much-anticipated push into consumer devices is slated to begin with a mobile, screen-free smart speaker designed to be a new type of home computer for the AI era, according to people familiar with the matter.Most Read from BloombergUS Hits Iran With Strikes, Blockade as Trump Plans Hormuz ChargeTrump Shelves 20% Fee for Hormuz Cargo After Gulf PressureA Cocaine Bust in Spain Leads All the Way to Wall StreetUS CPI Falls for the First Time Since 2020, Core Gauge Flat'We Fal
Microsoft Patches Record 622 Flaws, Including Two Zero-Days Under Active Attack
Microsoft fixes a record 622 CVEs, including two exploited SharePoint and AD FS zero-days, while a Kerberos RC4 change could break service account log
Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Stock Trades Below Fair Value Following Its 62% Slump
Flutter Entertainment has had a tough run over the past year, with the stock down 61.9%, yet current valuation checks still flag it as looking cheap against its fundamentals. High profile interest from investors such as Michael Burry has sharpened the focus on whether the market has pushed Flutter too far to the downside or is correctly pricing in regulatory and competitive risks. Over the last 12 months, Flutter Entertainment's share price has fallen 61.9%, which puts recent interest from...
Window World 450 Race Week Entertainment: Hauler Parade, Trackside Live, Driver Autographs & Live Music
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — When race fans from around the world arrive for the first NASCAR Cup points race in 30 years at North Wilkesboro Speedway, they'll find four days of entertainment off the track before the green flag drops for the Window World 450 on July 19. Race week will include a Cup Series …
State budget keeps funding for county mental health services flat
Lancaster County Commissioner Alice Yoder and the main lobbying arm for Pennsylvania counties are expressing disappointment that the state budget signed Sunday by Gov. Josh Shapiro does not increase funding
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
Why the $9.99 price tag still rules retail
The $9.99 price point remains a powerful strategy because many consumers perceive products under $10 as noticeably more affordable than those priced at $10 or higher, even though the difference is only a penny, The Wall Street Journal reports. Companies are increasingly struggling to maintain these prices due to rising costs from inflation, fuel, tariffs […]
Microsoft July 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes massive 570 flaws, 3 zero-days
Today is Microsoft's July 2026 Patch Tuesday, and with it comes security updates for a record-breaking 570 flaws, including two zero-day vulnerabilities exploited in attacks and one publicly disclosed.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's Controversial Day 1 DLC Earned $1 Million, Just on Steam
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's controversial $85 collection of day one DLC earned Ubisoft an extra $1 million on Steam, it's been reported.
2026 NASCAR Odds: Denny Hamlin Favored For North Wilkesboro; Kyle Larson Second
NASCAR is heading to North Wilkesboro for the first points race at the track in 30 years. Who will take the checkered flag? Here are the early odds.
Shedeur Sanders catches shade from Joe Flacco for visor choice
The third season of Netflix's 'Quarterback' series showed off the funny way Joe Flacco teased then-rookie Shedeur Sanders.
AJ Dybantsa Adds Undeniable Offensive Touch to Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa's explosive scoring and elite gravity have redefined the Washington Wizards ceiling. By living at the stripe and punishing double-teams, Dybantsa flashes elite potential.
U.S. small business owners grew more optimistic in June but inflation worries are climbing
The NFIB's optimism index rose to 97.4 in June, nearing its 52-year average, as 21% of owners named inflation their top business problem
Consumer inflation cooled more than expected in June as gas prices fell
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the consumer price index (CPI) eased in June as consumer price growth slowed after a recent surge caused by the Iran war.
Microsoft Patches a Record 570 Security Flaws
Microsoft Corp. today released software updates to plug at least 570 security holes in its Windows operating systems and other software, almost triple the number of vulnerabilities the software giant fixed in its record-smashing Patch Tuesday release last month. Microsoft…
Warren Brinson's rookie stats show pass rush potential for Packers
Warren Brinson flashed real pass rush potential as a rookie, and may prove useful in a rotational role in 2026.
Big Banks Smash Earnings Records, but ‘Tectonic’ Risks Loom
The largest banks in the United States collectively raked in tens of billions of profits in the second quarter, despite the war in Iran and persistent inflation.
Pound marches higher as investors focus on UK politics
The pound rose against the dollar on Tuesday as investors took profits after the U.S. currency's recent climb to more than one-year highs ahead of key U.S. inflation data later in the day, while holding steady against the euro.
US small-business sentiment rebounds in June, inflation a major worry for many
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - U.S. small-business sentiment increased in June, but the share of owners reporting that inflation was their "single most important" problem was the highest in nearly two years, and more said they had raised average selli...
US small-business sentiment rebounds in June, inflation a major worry for many
U.S. small-business sentiment increased in June, but the share of owners reporting that inflation was their "single most important" problem was the highest in nearly two years, and more said they had raised average selling prices.
Can we predict deadly cliff collapses along the California coast? Scientists say it's possible
Scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that it is possible to predict a coastal landslide hours, sometimes days, before it happens.
Industry Sales Grow 2.5% in Q2 as Business Pressures Persist
Distributor growth accelerated from the first quarter, but inflation, delayed purchasing decisions and uneven performance continue to temper promo industry sales.
BP Flags $1 Billion Writedown From Gas and Low Carbon Business
BP Plc said it expects to book impairments of $1 billion related to its gas and low carbon energy business in the second quarter, as the energy giant refocuses on oil and gas.
Flash handle business against Rhythm, in OVL Baseball, Monday
Henderson is in first place, in the Ohio Valley League, as the regular season finale draws near
US National Science Foundation to ban projects with flagged Chinese institutions
Raising security fears, NSF moves from case-by-case approval to full ban on working with restricted entities and their employees.
Acute kidney injury after TAVR: Simple biomarker helps cardiologists identify high-risk patients
The CALLY index, a biomarker that examines systemic inflammation, immune system activity and nutrition, could provide care teams with significant value.
The Quintessential Trump-era Politician
In 2020, I wrote an article about collaboration and collaborators. The title was History Will Judge the Complicit, and it started with the story of two famous East Germans, Markus Wolf and Wolfgang Leonhard, who both landed in East Berlin just after the end of the war. Although they came from very similar backgrounds, the former stuck with the regime, eventually becoming its spy boss; the latter, horrified by the brutal reality of Soviet-style communism, escaped. By way of juxtaposition, I also wrote about Lyndsey Graham and Mitt Romney. These two men also made very different decisions when confronted by Donald Trump’s assault on the ideals that they had both grown up believing: A glance at their biographies would not have led many to predict what happened next. On paper, Graham would have seemed, in 2016, like the man with deeper ties to the military, to the rule of law, and to an old-fashioned idea of American patriotism and American responsibility in the world. Romney, by contrast, with his shifts between the center and the right, with his multiple careers in business and politics, would have seemed less deeply attached to those same old-fashioned patriotic ideals. Most of us register soldiers as loyal patriots, and management consultants as self-interested. We assume people from small towns in South Carolina are more likely to resist political pressure than people who have lived in many places. Intuitively, we think that loyalty to a particular place implies loyalty to a set of values. But in this case the clichés were wrong. It was Graham who made excuses for Trump’s abuse of power. It was Graham—a JAG Corps lawyer—who downplayed the evidence that the president had attempted to manipulate foreign courts and blackmail a foreign leader into launching a phony investigation into a political rival. It was Graham who abandoned his own stated support for bipartisanship and instead pushed for a hyperpartisan Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. It was Graham who played golf with Trump, who made excuses for him on television, who supported the president even as he slowly destroyed the American alliances—with Europeans, with the Kurds—that Graham had defended all his life. By contrast, it was Romney who, in February, became the only Republican senator to break ranks with his colleagues, voting to impeach the president. “Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office,” he said, is “perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” In the wake of Graham’s unexpected death on Saturday, I wrote about him again. He was, in many ways, the quintessential politician of Trump’s Washington, a man who shifted 180 degrees. Graham had been a fervent American patriot, proud reserve officer and military lawyer; he became one of the most important defenders of a president who believes soldiers are “suckers and losers” and shows no respect for law of any kind. As his politics changed, his language grew coarser and his behavior grew worse: He urged Israel to “level the place” in Gaza, and insulted the Danish prime minister in Munich, prompting a colleague, Senator Elissa Slotkin, to issue an apology. Here’s an excerpt from the article, which you can read in The Atlantic (gift link here) Like his close friend John McCain, Graham believed that America should stand at the center of a broad democratic alliance. The few times I met him were in that context, at the Munich Security Conference or at other European-American gatherings, which he once attended with great regularity. He also took seriously the practice of American democracy at home. In a 2014 conversation with The Atlantic, he described himself as a pragmatic politician who eschewed populist slogans. “I know Washington is broken, but what’s broken about it is everybody yelling and nobody trying to fix it,” he said. “I’m trying.” When Donald Trump first appeared in U.S. politics, Graham recognized him immediately for what he was: the spokesman for an alien ideology, one radically different from the idealistic patriotism that Graham had practiced and preached since childhood. Trump privately mocked the military that Graham loved as nothing but “suckers and losers.” He put falsehoods, cynicism, and personal greed at the center of his politics, while expressing disdain for transparency, accountability, and democracy itself. In 2015, Graham described Trump as a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” who should “go to hell.” Also as a “nutjob.” When Trump won, Graham understood, as did so many others, that he would have to make some important choices. For a while, he went silent. In the spring of 2016, I saw him at one of those conferences in Europe. He seemed too depressed to speak. But then, like many other Republicans—and, more important, like many other people who have lived under political occupation or experienced radical regime change—he made the decision to abandon his previous ideals, to bury the patriotism that was once so important to him, and to become, instead, a loud, opportunistic collaborator. As I wrote in 2020, it’s very hard to look in to anyone’s heart and to understand their motivations from the outside. But it does seem that Graham had a deep need to be relevant, to be in the game, to be a player, at any cost. And that, rather than any particular achievement, is what he will be remembered for. Continuing to monitor conflicts of interest, ostentatious emoluments, outright corruption and policy changes that will facilitate outright corruption. (Read my original article, Kleptocracy Inc and check out the SNF Agora Institute chart) June 27 Trump diverted funds from more than 900 projects nationwide—including safety upgrades at national parks—to finance beautification projects around Washington, including $700,000 used to fix a White House walkway. June 28 After a years-long Department of Justice investigation into Abbott Laboratories over its management of a baby formula facility where potentially deadly bacteria turned up enough evidence to criminally charge the firm, top department officials instead opted for a financial penalty—illustrating the department’s move away from strict corporate enforcement under the Trump administration. June 29 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stacked the Defense Policy Board—which is charged with providing independent national security recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Defense—with Trump allies, including tech billionaire Marc Andreessen, who has invested in defense contractors like OpenAI and SpaceX, after purging the panel last year. Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Axon—which makes about 90% of US tasers—two weeks before ICE solicited bids for a $220 million taser contract. The White House unveiled limited-edition US passports for America’s 250th birthday, featuring a portrait of Trump overlaid on the Declaration of Independence. June 30 Trump made around $1.2 billion from his various crypto companies last year, including more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial and $600 million from sales of his meme coin. Trump is considering issuing 250 pardons to commemorate America’s 250th birthday. These are expected to be largely doled out through the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s informal network of intermediaries. White-collar defense attorneys say they can typically win pardons for clients for $2 million. Last year, Trump administration officials awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million to Clark Construction for the White House ballroom—negotiations in which the president was directly involved. July 1 The Amazon MGM Studios documentary about Melania Trump earned the First Lady more than $10 million. Trump made hundreds of individual stock purchases worth as much as $12.8 million the day before his announcement pausing “Liberation Day” tariffs for 90 days sent the S&P 500 soaring nearly 10%—one of the largest single-day gains ever. Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral saw record surges in revenue during Trump’s first year in office, earning $77.5 million and $121.9 million respectively, compared to average annual revenues of $25 million and $75 million during Trump’s first term. Entities across the Persian Gulf paid more than $300 million to Trump’s businesses last year, including $263 million from the sale of half his stake in World Liberty Financial to a firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a top UAE royal and brother of the country’s president. Kash Patel failed to properly disclose his stock purchase of a Department of Justice contractor, MicroStrategy, worth up to $250,000 last year, despite laws requiring disclosure within 45 days of the trade. July 2 Trump has been directing administration officials to steer more government contracts—so far worth more than $2.4 billion—to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin aerospace firm, after Amazon gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, donated to the White House ballroom project, and reached a $40 million deal to license a Melania Trump documentary. Alongside the billions he made from cryptocurrency last year, Trump earned millions of dollars from real estate licensing fees, including $21 million from organizations in the UAE and $9.2 million in Saudi Arabia, along with smaller sums from merchandise sales, including $4.7 million from Trump Watches and $35,920 from 45 Guitar, a guitar brand endorsed by the president. House Democrats accused consultants tied to the Trump administration of financial fraud, alleging they gave prospective donors to America250—the bipartisan committee created by Congress to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial—the banking and routing numbers for Freedom 250, the White House’s fund for events like the UFC cage fight. Democrats also allege that Freedom 250’s CEO traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos to solicit donations from foreign government officials and business leaders. The Trump administration’s proposed rollback of gun regulations would lift the prohibition on mailing handguns to individuals, a significant win for GrabAGun—the direct-to-consumer firearm retailer on whose board Donald Trump Jr. sits and in which he holds a 1.1% ownership stake. GrabAGun currently must rely on a middleman to transfer firearms to customers. Trump’s financial disclosure revealed that he made more than 21,000 securities trades during his first year back in office, growing his investment account to at least $858 million across stakes in around 1,600 companies, compared to the 13 total trades Joe Biden made during his entire presidency. July 4 Nearly 1 million people who bought the president’s meme coin—Trump Coin—collectively lost $3.8 billion on the token, while he walked away with $636 million. July 6 Shares of Dell closed up 4.4% after Trump recommended people buy the firm’s computers during a speech announcing the launch of Trump investment accounts for children, boosting the more than $1 million worth of shares the president owns in the company. July 9 Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh named crypto investor and Trump ally Marc Andreessen to a task force aimed at modernizing the Federal Reserve, including rethinking its approach to inflation—a key factor keeping interest rates elevated. Palm Beach International Airport has officially changed its name to Trump International Airport—a move that will require Florida to pay royalties to the president’s family for licensing his name. I was there a few months ago, during a trip to Barcelona. The sculptures were a revelation, I’d never seen so many together before. Each one has its own personality. Enjoy the good weather, if you are lucky enough to have it. History Will Judge the Complicit The Quintessential Politician Autocracy Inc Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Handheld Performance Review
Whether you thought the original needed a remake or not, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is here, so let's see how it performs on some of the most popular handheld PCs on the market, including MSI's new Arc G3 Extreme Claw 8 EX.
3 key reasons 'Moana' flopped at the box office
The new "Moana" movie fell flat in its box-office debut, and analysts say a few factors contributed to the weak performance.
THE WEEK OF JULY 13, 2026
- NSF tightens collab rules - Grantmaking rule comments close - Skeptic to lead next climate report
Paramount Says States' Effort To Block WBD Deal "Will Only Harm Entertainment Workers"
Paramount hit back at an antitrust lawsuit filed Monday by attorneys general of 12 states seeking to block the company's pending $110 billion merger.
A first look at Mike Flanagan's ‘Carrie,’ a Stephen King adaptation coming to Prime Video this fall
Showrunner Mike Flanagan's bold reinvention of Stephen King's classic novel arrives on Prime Video this fall.
Roundup: Cocoa demand / ‘Funflation’ / Data center utility demand
Market instability: Cocoa demand is showing signs of recovery after a period of weakness, but the market remains unstable as prices continue to swing sharply amid uncertainty over supply and consumption. Chocolate makers are still adjusting to elevated cocoa costs, while traders are watching factors such as crop conditions, weather risks and shifting consumer behavior. […]
‘Carrie’ TV series first look reveals Mike Flanagan’s modern twist (exclusive)
‘Carrie’ exclusive first look: Mike Flanagan discusses how the Flana-fam gives the Stephen King classic a modern TV twist.
How Unaffordable is Health Care and What Can We Do About It?
For decades, the cost of medical care, prescription drugs and health insurance has consistently risen faster than general inflation and wage growth, posing financial challenges for government, businesses and people.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Performance Benchmark Review
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced breathes new life into the classic with modern graphics, gameplay improvements and full ray tracing support. In our performance review, we examine its graphical fidelity, VRAM usage, upscaling options, and how well it runs across a wide range of modern GPUs.
Despite having an offline mode, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced was unplayable when Ubisoft Connect went down
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced players on PC were shocked to find that a Ubisoft Connect outage has locked them out of playing the game.
Businesses brace for years of inflation as new costs pile up
Companies blame tariffs, energy prices and demand from AI data centers, raising concerns that inflation above the Fed’s target rate could persist.
Northwest Montana’s growing entertainment economy
The Flathead has built a strong network of places where people gather around music, food and community.
Sophie Cunningham flaunts all-American outfit for Fever game
Sophie Cunningham grabbed headlines on Saturday when she served as a UFC ring girl. She grabbed headlines again the following day for her pregame outfit for the WNBA regular-season game between the Indiana Pacers and Las Vegas Aces. The veteran…
Scientists discover a hidden heart valve risk linked to gum disease
Researchers found that bacteria linked to gum disease may help drive the development of calcific aortic valve stenosis by triggering inflammation and calcium buildup in the heart valve. The early findings suggest that keeping gums healthy could play a role in reducing the risk of this serious heart condition.
Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Flames Former First-Round Pick
The Chicago Blackhawks have made it clear that they want to take a step forward next season. Their most notable move so far this offseason was when they traded this year’s 4th overall pick, 45th overall pick, and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for star blueliner Bowen Byram and winger Jordan […] The post Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Flames Former First-Round Pick appeared first on HEAVY.
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Launches Tormenta, Is The Stock Still Undervalued?
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) is in focus after Six Flags Over Texas opened Tormenta: Rampaging Run, a record-setting giga dive coaster, paired with the new Rancho de la Tormenta themed village and festival. See our latest analysis for Six Flags Entertainment. Despite the fanfare around Tormenta: Rampaging Run and a new COO appointment, Six Flags Entertainment’s recent momentum has been mixed, with a 1 day share price return of 4.34% at US$19.46, but a year to date share price return of...
Orlando Magic Summer League Standout Turning Heads
Lester Quinones flashes high-level shot-making and elite defensive potential, as Noah Penda’s clutch rim protection fuels a gritty victory over rival Miami in Las Vegas.
Lindsey Graham's humor defused political tension, even with Trump
Chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram discusses Senator Lindsey Graham's humor, showing a flashback clip of President Donald Trump sharing Graham's phone number and Graham's comical response.
Pixel 11 Pro Fold in ‘Pine’ leaks & could Pixel Glow just be the camera flash?
With the launch event one month away, the Pixel 11 leaks are picking up, and we now have a look at the “Pine” color for the 11 Pro Fold.
Businesses hit by Carlisle city centre flash floods
Sudden downpours caused flooding and forced some shops to shut, businesses say.
After taking 1,000 photos, I uncovered the Pixel camera settings for flawless image quality
Some hidden tweaks gave my Pixel camera a serious boost
Leaked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra footage shows off a crease you can barely see
With the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, it feels like foldable flagships have peaked.
Why the Trillion-Dollar AI Buildout Is Quietly Squeezing Small-Business Owners
New York Fed President John Williams says AI-driven demand is now one of the inflation risks he is watching most closely. The stakes are high for small-business owners.
This ultrasound treatment may help stop arthritis before it starts
A simple, non-invasive ultrasound treatment could one day help injured joints heal instead of remaining trapped in a cycle of damaging inflammation. Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville found that continuous low-intensity ultrasound encouraged key immune cells called macrophages to shift from an inflammatory state toward one that supports tissue repair.
49ers 1st-Round Pick Flagged After ‘Subpar’ Rookie Season
PFF's Bradley Locker put "subpar" 49ers edge rusher and 2025 1st-round pick Mykel Williams on list of players under Year 2 pressure. The post 49ers 1st-Round Pick Flagged After ‘Subpar’ Rookie Season appeared first on HEAVY.
4 Drawbacks Of Buying A Nintendo Switch 2
Generally, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a great console. Are there any drawbacks to buying one now? Our expert weighs in on the cons of buying Nintendo's flagship.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced opens to 2 million sales on launch day
Ubisoft tends not to share sales figures publicly – which means we can't even compare it to the sales of prior Assassin's Creed games, let alone its peers.
An anti-inflammatory diet may protect against dementia in some older adults
Recent research suggests that healthy eating habits matter, even when people are already at increased risk of cognitive decline.
What Smart Glasses Can (and Can't) Do: I Wore the Top Models So You Don't Have To
From AI assistants and built-in cameras to AR displays and wearable private screens, smart glasses come in more flavors than you might think. After testing every major type, here's how they differ—and which features actually matter.
AC Black Flag: Resynced Records Two Million Sales in Opening Day Booty
Offers redemption code for in-game rewards
Barnett & Company Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in Six Flags Entertainment Corporation $FUN
Barnett & Company Inc. lifted its holdings in Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN - Free Report) by 203.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 80,478 shares of the company's stock after acquiri
Is Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced worth the 13 year wait?
The BBC's Tom Gerken plays the much-anticipated pirate game which has been remade from the ground up.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Sales Reach 2 Million on Day 1
Ubisoft has announced that Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has passed 2 million copies sold in its first day since launch.
White House appoints climate science critic to lead key climate program
Matthew M. Wielicki will now oversee the nation’s flagship report on the climate.
Trump taps climate skeptic to run US government’s flagship climate report
Matthew Wielicki frequently criticizes established climate science online, including in videos from rightwing PragerU
This sell signal for stocks just hit most extreme level in 5 years
Bank of America's Bull & Bear Indicator is flashing a "sell" signal as investor bullishness looks to be unshakeable.
Iran needs to see that we mean business: GOP lawmaker
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., discusses concerns over a clause regarding the Strait of Hormuz in the MoU, reports of Iran-made drones in Cuba and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani meeting a Cuban delegation.
‘Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’ review: Remake hits choppy waters
The remake of "Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag" isn't perfect, but it's a good enough excuse to play the phenomenal "Black Flag" again, writes our reviewer.
Wayfair built its business online. Now it’s betting on massive stores.
With flagships in Chicago, Atlanta and Columbus, retailer Wayfair eyeing national expansion — but not yet in Michigan.
Mamdani official's planned meeting with Iran envoy shut down by State Department
A Mamdani administration official planned to meet Iran's UN ambassador before the State Department intervened and canceled the diplomatic encounter.
YGOrganization | [Chronicles] Magistus Ep 4 Teaser & Some Sinful Spoils
Total Spellcaster Domination The teaser for episode 4 of the Magistus arc of The Chronicles is now available: “The demon god “Zoroa, the Magistus of Flame”, finally completing his revival…
iPhone 18 Pro Max Component Costs Could Rise Nearly $300
The bill of materials for the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to rise by nearly $300 compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to a new Counterpoint Research analysis. The estimate covers the 1TB storage model. NAND flash costs for the device are said to exceed $250 on their own, a figure that would cover roughly half of the iPhone 17 Pro Max's entire estimated component cost.
What chronic inflammation is and how it could affect your health
There is a difference between inflammation from an injury and chronic inflammation. Learn what it is, when it’s helpful and when it can become a long-term health problem.
Mamdani’s preening arrogance will ultimately prove his downfall
The democratic socialist balloon deflated this week.
Study of 281 Free Android VPN Apps Finds Traffic Leaks, Unencrypted Data, and Tracking
Researchers tested 281 free Android VPN apps and found DNS leaks, plaintext traffic, weak tunnels, and flaws across apps with 2.4B installs.