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WPR’s Larry Meiller signs off after nearly 60 years
Larry Meiller hosted his final show on Wisconsin Public Radio on June 30. The Cap Times followed him on his last day.
Euro-Zone Business Activity Revised Up to Stagnation for June
Business activity in the euro area was better than initially thought last month, with the bloc recording stagnation rather than shrinking.
Argentina vs Cape Verde: World Cup Round of 32: Messi, prediction, kickoff
Lionel Messi's Argentina, the reigning champions, face minnows Cape Verde in a last-32 clash in Miami.
Richard Hughes has the perfect midfield signing for Liverpool
Liverpool's midfield is one of their main areas that needs to be revamped. Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch both failed to meet expectations last term with their inability to run one of their ...
📝 2026 World Cup, overnight recap
Every morning, OneFootball brings you a full recap of the night’s action at the World Cup.The must-see moment of the nightDid the craziest moment of this World Cup happen last night, during the roun...
Last mail plane is end of an era for Guernsey flower business
Mail delivery to the UK will now be done by sea freight.
Huge VAR call prolongs Ronaldo's last dance but ends Modric's
Veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo gets another day on the World Cup stage after Croatia are denied a late equaliser by a huge VAR call.
Medline warehouse fire: Lawsuit filed after residents report health issues negligence
Neighbors living near the site of last month's massive warehouse fire in Tracy say they are still dealing with health concerns and the environmental aftermath.
Valve shares official 3D print files to let users build their own Steam Machine e-ink faceplate
The e-ink faceplate was first shown off alongside the Steam hardware announcement last year, and Valve has now shared the files and instructions for those who want to make one on their own.
Spring Sports Wrap Up 2025: Strong Finishes and Playoff Highlights
Written by Sergio Uriarte. Last Updated July 2, 2026 in CHS Bulldogs. As the spring season draws to a close, our student-athletes wrapped up their respective seasons with grit, sportsmanship, and impressive performances.
Something Is Going On With Mitch McConnell’s Health, and His Office Is Keeping Mighty Quiet About It
McConnell checked into a hospital last month. We don’t know why.
Thousands need medical attention from ‘already overwhelmed’ Venezuelan healthcare system: Aid worker
Claudia Manresa, Venezuela Regional Manager at Project HOPE joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the urgent humanitarian situation following last week’s twin earthquakes and the strain the disaster is putting on the country's already struggling systems.
NFL QB rankings: Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett near bottom
Even with career numbers last season, Jacoby Brissett is one of the lowest-ranked QBs in the league, per PFF.
SBA, USDA Sign MOU to Combat Lawfare Against Farmers, Ranchers, and Small Businesses
New Partnership Gives Producers a Direct Line to Report Costly Regulations and Advance Lasting ReformWASHINGTON, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to combat lawfare targeting farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and small businesses. The agreement gives America’s producers a direct line to report the regulations and rules driving up costs and impacting pro
Zuckerberg says AI agent development going slower than expected
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told an internal town hall on Thursday that AI agent development over the last four months has not "accelerated in the way we expected," according to a recording heard by Reuters.
Anfernee Simons agrees to 2-year deal with Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million contract with guard Anfernee Simons. Simons averaged 14.3 points per game last season.
Democrats demand HHS reinstate cancelled teen pregnancy prevention grants
Democrats across both chambers of Congress are demanding the Trump administration reinstate tens of millions of dollars in teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) grants that were suddenly cancelled last w…
Nike Running's a $5 Billion Business: What's Next?
Nike Running added $1 billion over the last five quarter to become a $5 billion business, leading Nike's turnaround. Can that momentum continue?
Medics Responded To ‘Cardiac Arrest’ At Mitch McConnell’s Home Last Month—What We Know About His Health
The 84-year-old senator has been hospitalized twice this year.
Former Olympic canoeist indicted by a grand jury after arrest at the Reflecting Pool
David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington, DC, Superior Court, after being arrested last month when he reached into the Reflecting Pool, a source familiar with the charges told CNN.
Negotiations between Cherriots, business leaders paused after months of meetings
Talks between the Salem Area Mass Transit District and representatives from a coalition of six business and real estate groups, and citizens were halted last week, Cherriots said in a press release. The two groups formed a task force to find a compromise after a proposed payroll tax sparked frustration last year. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the report.
How crypto, real estate and watches added up for Trump last year
The real estate mogul has become the billion-dollar crypto man.
Accel Entertainment (ACEL): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q1 Earnings?
Accel Entertainment trades at $12.76 per share and has stayed right on track with the overall market, gaining 12.2% over the last six months. At the same time, the S&P 500 has returned 9.3%.
Where Trump’s Business Income Came From Last Year
Read more here on the crypto bets and real estate deals that turbocharged the president's personal wealth.
Meet the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s new entertainment reporter, Brayden Garcia
North Texas has a seen an explosion in film and television production over the last few years, and Brayden is here to report on it for Fort Worth.
The first wave of Steam Machines has arrived at long last, but those without are left watching the waitlist
People are posting pictures of their fancy new gaming machine, sniffing the vents, and having a good time.
What Is Going On With Mitch McConnell’s Health?
The former Senate Republican leader has been hospitalized since last month, and new reports suggest he was likely unconscious when paramedics arrived.
What Is Going On With Mitch McConnell’s Health?
The former Senate Republican leader has been hospitalized since last month, and new reports suggest he was likely unconscious when paramedics arrived.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation store page lists multiple DLCs, including story expansion
Last month, we reported that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, the final chapter of the acclaimed trilogy that is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, could receive DLC after release. While the game is still a long way off, new evidence has surfaced suggesting that may indeed be the case. According to EpicDB, a third-party tool that tracks...
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
Mere startups when he took the oath of office, the new ventures have now eclipsed in revenue much of his vast property portfolio that took him decades to accumulate.
Students gain hands-on research skills during ASSURE summer science program
Liberty University’s ASSURE program, an annual six-week summer intensive through the School of Health Sciences’ Department of Biology & Chemistry, concluded last month with its largest participation yet, with 36 students gaining research experience under the supervision of 16 faculty members....
IRS Launches "Direct Pay for Businesses"
Internal Revenue Service, Pay Business Taxes from Your Bank Account, IRS.gov (last updated June 27, 2026), https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-business-taxes-from-your-bank-account In a long-awaited update to its electronic payment systems, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officially roll
Giants' Matt Chapman goes on injured list with abdominal strain
Matt Chapman said his abdominal area had been bothering him over the last several weeks.
Heat wave caused some 480 excess deaths in Netherlands, health authorities say
Last week's unprecedented heat wave led to around 480 excess deaths in the Netherlands, Dutch health authorities said on Thursday.
Heat Wave Caused Some 480 Excess Deaths in Netherlands, Health Authorities Say
AMSTERDAM, July 2 (Reuters) - Last week's unprecedented heat wave led to around 480 excess deaths in the Netherlands, Dutch health authorities said on Thursday. • Excess deaths in the week from June 22 to 28 were mainly among people aged 80 years and older. • Most were reported in the ...
Intel Expected To Restart Supply Of 10th, 12th, 13th, And 14th Gen Processors In Mainland China
Intel will reportedly focus more on the previous-gen processors to fulfill the current demand in the PC market. Intel is Reportedly Restarting Supply of Last Four Generation of Processors as Motherboard Vendors Ramp Up DDR4 Platform Production Roughly a month ago, we reported that some vendors are now restarting the production of DDR4 platforms, i.e., DDR4-compatible motherboards. This is to ensure the market gets DDR4 motherboards in sufficient quantity, as expensive DDR5 memory has made it unfeasible to build DDR5 systems on a budget. More reports are surfacing confirming the same report, and Intel appears to have prepared accordingly. Related […]
Celebrating 250 Years of American Small Businesses
Over the last 250 years, small businesses with big ideas have helped make the United States the largest economy in the world. This infographic shows the contribution that small businesses continue to make today, including creating two out of every th
U.S. filings for jobless aid fall to 215,000 as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for jobless aid inched down last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending…
US economy added jobs at a slower pace than expected in June
The Labor Department released the June 2026 jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy added jobs at a steady pace last month despite uncertainty over inflation.
Croatia criticised for ‘unambitious’ changes to 2022 science law
Croatia’s science ministry has been accused of a lack of ambition, and even incompetence, over proposed changes to the country’s 2022 science law. Critics say an opportunity has been missed to fix wider shortcomings in the research and universities system.“This law, like all the previous ones, will not significantly change the current state of science in Croatia,” Vlatko Silobrčić, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences, told Science Business. “A small shift here and there will not have a significant impact.”The 2022 law introduced multi-year block grant financing of research, based on results, and changes intended to boost employment and career progression for researchers and lecturers. But implementation of the law has been uneven. “It became apparent that certain of its provisions were subject to different interpretations by higher education institutions and scientific institutes,” the science ministry said in its proposal for change. “This caused legal uncertainty in the system, administrative difficulties in implementation and, in certain cases, unequal treatment of teachers, scientists and students.”Most of the proposed amendments deal with technicalities in hiring and promoting staff, such as extending the committee deadlines from 60 to 90 days, or allowing applicants to cite all of their achievements and not only those since their last appointment.Both the ministry and Croatian media highlighted changes that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years and allow part-time students 15 year rather than 10 years to finish their studies.The change to retirement age has been criticised for reinforcing a weakness in the system. According to Matko Marušić, professor emeritus at the University of Split, this will “allow unproductive teachers to advance and work longer, while hindering and discouraging productive ones.”A longtime campaigner for excellence-based meritocracy, he sees little hope in the new legislation. “I am not optimistic that things will improve,” he told Science Business. “As recent changes to the law in Croatia show, the legal framework is becoming increasingly hypocritical and harmful.”For Marušić, who analyses Croatia's university system in a recently published book, the situation is “unfavourable and constantly deteriorating” due to the criteria used for academic advancement.“The key criterion for advancement should be scientific productivity,” he said. “In Croatia [. . .] scientific criteria are increasingly lowered, and ineffective and absurd criteria such as waiting times for promotion and age limits for remaining in a job are promoted.” He would also like to see better criteria for the quality of teaching at universities. “In practice, teaching is not monitored or evaluated,” he said, estimating that up to a third of teaching simply does not take place. “Under the guise of university autonomy and bad laws, universities and faculties are allowed to earn additional money by increasing enrolment quotas that have nothing to do with the needs of the labour market.” Lack of ambitionDora Kršul, a reporter at Telegram.hr who covers science policy in Croatia, finds the rationale for changes “bizarre.” “The ministry responsible for supervising the uniform application of the law is changing the law because it is being implemented unevenly,” she said. “This primarily speaks to the power relationship in the sphere of science and higher education in Croatia, that is, the question arises as to who actually manages this system.”Rather than raising quality, she continued, the changes appear to be designed to help vocational and applied universities who have not been complying with the law.The Independent Union of Research and Higher Education Employees of Croatia said that the changes were “unambitious” and represent a missed opportunity for more important changes. “We think some of the changes are even negative,” it said in its statement on June 25. One of these is introduction of an “assistant” job title that allows people to be hired only for the duration of a project. Related articles: Elections to top science bodies test Croatia’s gender equality in researchSlovakia revises R&D approach to increase focus on competitivenessLatvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluationsThe union’s president, Tvrtko Smital, who was part of the 15-member working group tasked with drafting the changes, told the local media there was a “worrying lack of ambition” in the process, and “lack of competence” in terms of research experience and understanding the problems in the system.“There is no clear will to deal with the problems,” said Smital, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. “It’s a combination of unambitiousness and incompetence,” he went on, expressing his “deep frustration” with the situation. “There is no strategy, no clear thinking, and money is not being spent optimally.”Croatia’s science ministry has not responded to requests for comment.
iPhone Photography Awards Highlight Best Images of 2026
For the last 19 years, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) has selected the best photographs captured with an iPhone, and the 2026 award winners were announced today. The IPPA 2026 Grand Prize image features a volcano dramatically erupting in the Cayman Islands, with the photo shot by Robyn Jensen on an iPhone 15 Pro. The Gold Prize image by Gellért Gombai features two children napping on grass in the shadow of a badminton racket, with the photo shot in black and white using an iPhone X.
Bonus 236: A Term of Self-Inflicted Wounds
Within minutes of the Supreme Court handing down the birthright citizenship ruling on Tuesday and rising for its summer recess, its defenders were pointing to that decision (alongside the late-arriving mail-in ballots ruling on Monday and the tariffs ruling from February) as decisive proof that the Court really is “above politics,” and that criticisms of the justices for behaving more like politicians in robes than like judges are thus unfair. For a particularly thoughtful version of this claim, see Professor Will Baude’s opening response to the latest New York Times written roundtable about the Court with Baude, Professor Kate Shaw, and me. In that roundtable, I already offered one of the two major arguments against this thesis—that it’s an assessment of the numerator without regard to the denominator, and that a full account of the Court’s behavior throughout OT2025 suggests that the Court behaved even more politically during the current term than during even the previous (highly politicized) one. Just to take one of many data points, last term (OT2024), there were six rulings in argued cases in which all six Republican-appointed justices were in the majority and all three of the Democratic appointees were in dissent (along with a slew of such rulings on the emergency docket). This term, there were … 13. (Along with two 6-3 summary reversals and 10 rulings on the emergency docket from which the three Democratic appointees all dissented.) Today’s bonus issue addresses the flip side of that coin. In particular, below the fold, I identify four different moments in which the justices could have acted in ways to specifically defuse charges of political behavior—and opted instead to lean all the way in. As much as end-of-term narratives focus on what the Court did, and on the takeaways from individual rulings, consider today’s post an attempt to identify opportunities that the Court missed, as well. At least in the examples discussed below, by opting for the outcome that made the Court look more transparently political, the Court inflicted a series of (unnecessary) credibility wounds on itself. For those who aren’t paid subscribers, we’ll be back Monday with our regular coverage of the Court. For those who are, please read on.
"PS5 Will Be My Last Console": After 45K Votes, 86% of DF Viewers Say Sony Should Reconsider Killing Physical Games
That's just under 40,000 people writing in to oppose Sony's plans.
Computer science society creates new research integrity role to address case backlog
AndreyPopov/iStock Over the last five years, the Association for Computing Machinery has been dealing with a rapid rise in allegations of research misconduct that have created a backlog of cases to…
Hervé Koffi set to leave RC Lens
Hervé Koffi confirmed his exit from SCO Angers on Wednesday. The goalkeeper excelled on loan from RC Lens last season. However, Le SCO, due to imposed financial restrictions, couldn’t make the mo...
Yankees express hope, while club's losing streak rises
After winning nine of their previous 12 games from June 7-19, the Yankees are now riding a seven-game losing streak, dropping 10 of their last 12.
Daniel Cormier at last recalls why Brock Lesnar superfight collapsed
Daniel Cormier has revealed that a business decision prevented him from fighting Brock Lesnar.
Imai Implodes Again, Astros Blasted by Twins 8-3
It’s never a good sign when your first mile feels like you’ve already run a full marathon. For Tatsuyi Imai, the outing was quick and ugly. Twins 8 Astros 3. Imai’s early game struggles were on full display before an announced crowd of 29,179. In the opening several minutes, Trevor Larnach […]
Accel Entertainment (ACEL): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q1 Earnings?
Accel Entertainment trades at $12.76 per share and has stayed right on track with the overall market, gaining 12.2% over the last six months. At the same tim...
EMS recording shows emergency response for ‘unconscious’ person at Sen. McConnell’s house on same day he was hospitalized
An EMS audio recording published by an independent journalist indicates that emergency responders were called to the Washington, DC, home of Sen. Mitch McConnell for an “unconscious” person the same day he was hospitalized last month.
New requirements for sports agents in Louisiana aim to protect student-athletes
The launch of the online portal comes after a state law went into effect last month, increasing regulatory oversight of endorsement contracts and sports agents.
Matt Miller's serious car accident has sparked scrutiny over his business dealings
Last week's shocking news that ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller was involved in a serious car accident that resulted in the amputation of his left arm, along with other significant injuries, prompted an outpouring of support for him — both with words and, after his family created a GoFundMe effort, money.
Following High-Court Victory, Bayer Separates Roundup Business
The Supreme Court handed Bayer a massive win last week in its attempts to beat back lawsuits alleging its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. Now, the German company is separating Roundup into its ow
Microsoft stock suffers worst month since 2000
Microsoft's stock price fell by 19% last month, capping off a fiscal year for the company during which it's lost over $800 billion in market value.
Raskin helps Belgium stage comeback to book last-16 place
Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin helped inspire Belgium to a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to defeat Senegal and book a place in the last 16 of the World Cup. The Belgians were trailing to goals from Diarra and Sar when Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia threw on Raskin and Dodi Lukebakio for Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku after 55 minutes at Seattle Stadium.
McConnell was found 'unconscious' in home last month as condition remains unknown
Sen. Mitch McConnell was reportedly found unconscious at his D.C. home before being hospitalized, and his recovery timeline is still unclear.
Mitch McConnell Was Reportedly Found Unconscious Last Month—What We Know About His Health
The 84-year-old senator has been hospitalized twice this year.
Marion County leaders blast 'unnecessary' OHA rules, demand rescission
Marion County leaders are asking the Oregon Health Authority to rescind recent rule changes they say endanger patients, staff and the community.
Supreme Court makes health policy
The Supreme Court handed down its last decisions of its 2025-26 term this week, including in an immigration case that could result in the loss of hundreds
Crypto, real estate, watches: How Trump made over $1 billion last year
The latest disclosure report listing President Trump's financial holdings shows he took in about $1.2 billion last year from crypto holdings, overshadowing a real estate business that first brought him fame.
Google rolling out Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 for Pixel
Following last week's release, Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 is rolling out today for Pixel devices...
Trump's crypto earnings far outpace the businesses he spent decades building
NPR's Scott Detrow talks with Bernard Condon of the AP about how President Trump and his family raked in more than a billion dollars last year through crypto ventures.
Cavs sign rookie Meleek Thomas to a four-year deal
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was selected 34th overall by the Cavs last week in the 2026 NBA Draft. Thomas played 37 games with Arkansas last year as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.8 rebounds as a 6’3” sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited […]
Colorado’s Diana DeGette concedes defeat to Democratic socialist Melat Kiros
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette — the dean of Colorado’s congressional delegation — conceded defeat in the race for the 1st Congressional District a day after losing to Democrat rival Melat Kiros in their party’s primary contest. “I want to congratulate Melat Kiros for her victory last night, and I want to wish her all the […]
How cryptocurrencies are changing global politics
Despite once dismissing them, Donald Trump made over $1 billion from cryptocurrency sales last year. But the digital currencies, and their lobbyists, are having an effect on policy and politicians around the world.
Johnny Manziel Unloads On Critics Of His 'Hate' For Cleveland
If you're going to insult Johnny Manziel, do it at your own risk. Back in the September of last year, Manziel ripped the Cleveland Browns while on Shannon Sharpe's “Nightcap” podcast. The former Heisman Trophy winner said he wanted the Browns to go 0-16 during the 2025 season. "I think I will ...
Trump admin blasts Machado's "grotesque political opportunism" after Venezuela quakes
Machado's attempts to return to Venezuela have saddled the State Department with "extra needless drama," an official said.
UC Davis to Set Standard for Measuring Airborne Nanoplastic Health Risks
UC Davis researchers have received a nearly $4 million grant NIEH to develop the world’s first standardized method for measuring and describing the neurotoxicity of airborne nanoplastics.
U-M’s Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project leans into AI to support small businesses
In the last 10 years, the program has expanded significantly. In addition to consulting projects, DNEP now offers accounting assistance, community technology support, AI workshops and specialized programming office on helping business owners strengthen their financial and digital skills.
Wright State President Sue Edwards Named to Dayton Business Journal’s Power 100
One hundred area leaders are being recognized for helping shape the Dayton region’s growth over the last 25 years. Continue reading →
OtherSide Entertainment lays off 18 from Thick as Thieves team
OtherSide has now laid off 36 employees in the last month.
Here comes your last chance to catch this huge Modesto music show. When, where
It’s just one of the many entertainment options coming up in the Modesto and Mother Lode regions.
Microsoft to cut 2.5% of its workforce in yet another round of layoffs
More than 5,000 people will likely lose their jobs pretty soon. It seems like Microsoft continues its series of layoffs, with the last one being in July...
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2b from crypto businesses last year
President Trump got more than $500 million from his World Liberty Financial business selling new crypto products, according to the annual disclosure report with the Office of Government Ethics.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
Symphonic Blast launches orchestra season
The Spirit of ’76 will burst from the Crapo Park bandshell at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11, as the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra launches its 76th season with Symphonic Blast.
Dolphins most interesting games
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina – Predicted lineup and team news
San Francisco Bay Area Stadium hosts the World Cup last 32 on Thursday morning as USA take on Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a place in the round of 16 against Belgium or Senegal at stake.Mauricio Pochettin...
85% of hospitals experienced ‘vendor disruption’ in last year, as most brace for cyberattack inevitability, report shows
An analysis from cybersecurity consultancy group Omega Systems reveals that most healthcare practices place too much trust in their third-party vendors to secure patient data, neglecting their own IT systems in the process.
Yankees’ Nightmare Week Should Worry New York Fans
The New York Yankees were looking like the best team in the American League by a wide margin this time last week. However, since all of the optimism, even with Aaron Judge and others injured, things have collapsed.
Trump made more than $1bn from crypto in first year back in office
It compares with more than $600m in total income that Trump reported in his last financial disclosure.
Trump took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year, financial disclosure shows
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Tuesday shows, locking in profits while his investors were socked with losses.
Trump took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year, financial disclosure shows
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Tuesday shows, locking in profits while his investors were socked with losses.
Trump made hundreds of millions from cryptocurrency ventures in first year back in office
President Donald Trump collected billions of dollars through an array of cryptocurrency holdings, royalty payments and property investments last year, according to his latest annual financial disclosure released on Tuesday.
Trump earned over $1 billion on cryptocurrency and coin ventures last year
In almost 1,000 pages of financial disclosure forms, the president’s earnings from crypto, settlements and resorts far outpaced his $600 million total income in 2024.
The Lasting Consequences of Bad Climate Science
The retirement of flawed baseline emissions scenarios will initiate changes across energy policy, regulation, and law.
Wimbledon: The Serena comeback was beautiful, thrilling and probably impossible
Four years after we last saw her on a singles court, it was hard to tell whether Williams' return to Wimbledon was the beginning of a new chapter or an attempt to author a different end.
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows.
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows.
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows.
Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year
President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows.
Anthropic Launches Claude Science AI Workbench for Scientific Research
June 30, 2026 — AI has the potential to dramatically accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and the development of healthcare interventions. Since launching efforts in the life sciences last fall, […]
LeBron On The Move
For the last few years, LeBron James’ name has popped up as someone who might be on the move in the NBA off-season. But few truly believed the future Hall of Famer would actually bolt from the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, it appears he actually won’t be playing for the Lakers in 2026-27. The source: ...
The Roberts court knocks down one of the last campaign finance rules
Another win for billionaires. Another loss for democracy.
Politics: High Cost Of Healthcare And The Political Fallout
Americans are grappling with a rising cost in healthcare. For the first time in five years, fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare. That’s according to the latest data from Gallup. The cost of healthcare in the US remains higher than any other large, wealthy country. According to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services, five million fewer people are enrolled in marketplace plans for 2026, compared to last year. That’s as average premium costs rose about 58%.With health care costs increasingly becoming a stress for Americans, voters are now making the issue a top priority at the ballot box. And it’s an issue that crosses party and geographic lines. According to new polling from The Century Foundation, 71% of Democrats, 66% of Republicans and 75% of rural voters agree that reigning in hospital costs should be a top priority for lawmakers. While new polling from Ipsos and Axios suggests that a majority of Americans say they’re more likely to vote for candidates in November who will lower their health costs.How will the issue of healthcare shape the midterms? And how are Americans grappling with the cost of their health?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Politics: High Cost Of Healthcare And The Political Fallout
Americans are grappling with a rising cost in healthcare. For the first time in five years, fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare. That’s according to the latest data from Gallup. The cost of healthcare in the US remains higher than any other large, wealthy country. According to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services, five million fewer people are enrolled in marketplace plans for 2026, compared to last year. That’s as average premium costs rose about 58%.With health care costs increasingly becoming a stress for Americans, voters are now making the issue a top priority at the ballot box. And it’s an issue that crosses party and geographic lines. According to new polling from The Century Foundation, 71% of Democrats, 66% of Republicans and 75% of rural voters agree that reigning in hospital costs should be a top priority for lawmakers. While new polling from Ipsos and Axios suggests that a majority of Americans say they’re more likely to vote for candidates in November who will lower their health costs.How will the issue of healthcare shape the midterms? And how are Americans grappling with the cost of their health?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Cruis'n Blast has been delisted from the Nintendo Switch eShop
Out of nowhere, Cruis’n Blast has been delisted from the Nintendo eShop. As far as we’re aware, the arcade racer has been available since launching on Nintendo Switch almost five years ago. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case as of today. Looking the game up on the Nintendo eShop now provides zero results. We checked both the North American store...
New England Patriots 2026 NFL Season Preview
It’s no secret that the New England Patriots exceeded expectations last season. While many of their top players will be returning, they also lost some key talent during free agency as well as adding some additional depth. The Patriots dealt with a lot of talk about strength of schedule last year, and that will once again be a part of the conversation, but this time it’s at the opposite end of the difficulty spectrum.
Blue Origin still doesn't know why its New Glenn rocket blew up last month
But the company is still claiming that New Glenn will return to flight this year.