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Marquette analysis finds young people are important voting block in Wisconsin
The analysis by the Lubar Center’s John Johnson found Wisconsin’s college campuses defy the stereotype of students being overwhelmingly progressive.
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
Rogers Behavioral Health Raises $83M, Acquires Outpatient Provider
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin-based nonprofit Rogers Behavioral Health has raised more than $83.3 million in municipal bonds to fuel a multisite expansion plan
Rogers Behavioral Health Raises $83M, Acquires Outpatient Provider
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin-based nonprofit Rogers Behavioral Health has raised more than $83.3 million in municipal bonds to fuel a multisite expansion plan
Two creators went to NYU’s business school, then decided to make a show about the news
"Our videos are what we wish we could consume more of."
Federal disaster loans available for northern Wisconsin businesses impacted by drought
Small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in northern Wisconsin may qualify for federal disaster loans to help cover financial losses caused by ongoing drought conditions .
10 Dane County employers get grants for AI, manufacturing training
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced state funding for Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Quartz Health Solutions, DSG Outerwear and more in the Madison area.
No, Siri AI is not coming to the original HomePod mini
Siri AI will be exclusive to HomePod mini 2, it‘s not coming to the original HomePod mini despite a report temporarily claiming otherwise.
Finding right fit is more important in judicial clerkship hiring than politics, new study says
Law students often assume that politics decide who wins a judicial clerkship, but judges say otherwise, according to a new study based on interviews with 194 federal and state judges.
Leading Life Science Organisations Collaborate for Second London Bio-Innovation Week
One Nucleus, SLAS, and ELRIG will connect their communities through cross-event networking and partnering opportunities during London Bio-Innovation Week, taking place 7th - 11th December 2026
Make-A-Wish Iowa launches Wish Star Honor Wall
Make-A-Wish Iowa has unveiled its new Wish Star Honor Wall, an initiative recognizing individuals and organizations that support children with critical illnesses. The wall features a mural created by Urbandale High School senior Noah Small depicting a mountain rising from an Iowa cornfield, symbolizing the challenges families face when a child is diagnosed with a…
Neighborhood conditions linked to childhood cancer survivors’ long-term health
Discover how the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study uncovered community-level factors influencing chronic health condition risks, and how that can improve care.
RWJBarnabas Health Provides $1 Million Lifeline to Maintain, Expand Stable Housing for Unhoused Newarkers
RWJBarnabas Health has announced a $1 million investment in Newark-based United Community Corporation (UCC) to expand its medical respite program for individuals experiencing homelessness and support the continued operation of its emergency shelter. The funding will double the program's capacity from 10 to 20 residents, providing more patients with a safe place to recover following hospital discharge while addressing housing instability and other social determinants of health.
As data centers remain potent political issue, David Crowley offers plan to regulate artificial intelligence in Wisconsin
Crowley wants to limit AI chatbots for children under 13 and increase penalties for circulating AI-generated sexual images of minors
Kaddurah-Daouk secures $12M grant to advance brain health research
Rima Kaddurah-Daouk, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Precision Behavioral Health at UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences, has secured a five-year, $12?million grant from the National Institute on Aging to investigate how changes in the brain’s energy supply affect memory, mood, and Alzheimer’s disease risk, and explore treatments and lifestyle strategies that could help people maintain brain health as they age.
Should you turn to AI for mental health advice?
The following expert commentary can be used by journalists and media organizations in their own publications and news coverage. Please attribute all quotes to Lokesh Shahani, MD, PhD, psychiatrist and chief medical officer, UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences. The on-demand availability of artificial intelligence chatbots means that most individuals have quick, easy access to a wealth of information. The ease and accessibility of these tools may make it tempting
Heart Surgery Programs at Two MedStar Health Hospitals Earn Top Quality Ratings
WASHINGTON -- Two MedStar Health hospitals have earned the highest quality designation, a three-star rating, from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), placing their cardiac surgery programs among the nation’s best for patient outcomes and surgical care.
Helmsley Charitable Trust awards $3M toward Tel-Hai University science building in the North
Donation brings Helmsley's total support for the Galilee school to $18 million
BUSINESS UPDATE: All About Cannabis
SUNY Oswego’s cannabis studies prepares for growing business opportunities By Mary Beth Roach [caption id=attachment_11114 align=alignright width=383] Marthinus (Martin) Koen is associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. He and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, created the program.[/caption] As the cannabis industry in New York state continues to grow, so do the business opportunities. New York’s legal cannabis market is projected to hit $3 billion in annual sales this year and more than 600 licensed dispensaries are operating across the state, according to budpedia.com. It’s estimated that New York will add about 16,160 new cannabis jobs in 2026, according to the 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report. SUNY Oswego, realizing the potential, now offers two programs to acquaint both matriculated and non matriculated students with aspects of this multi-billion-dollar business. Its cannabis studies microcredential came out last year and a minor was introduced this fall. The microcredential allows traditional students to add electives to their degree. Students who are not enrolled in the college can sign up to take classes to learn more about the field, growing the crop and managing or opening a dispensary, according to Marthinus (Martin) Koen, associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. The classes are designed to give those who wish to pursue business opportunities in the field a much broader understanding of cannabis and a more overall perspective of the various aspects of running a business, such as supply chain management, customer service and best practices. “When you’re trying to market it, when you’re trying to make sales, you’re understanding will be a lot more vast and nuanced,” he said. “The last 10 years especially, the hard science on cannabis increased and we have a lot more nuanced understanding right now that hasn’t yet permeated the pop culture,” he added. Koen’s team is also hoping to develop an independent study class that will help somebody who wants to apply for a license. That the classes fill up quickly should come as no surprise. “I think there’s a lot of people who are excited about it because it’s a new industry,” he said and they see an opportunity to make some money. Matriculated students may look at it as fun to learn about and stack on top of their existing major or minor. According to the college’s website, students interested in a microcredential would take cannabis law and policy and cultivation of cannabis, along with two other electives. For the first elective they could select either the economics of cannabis or manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of cannabis; and the second elective would be either cannabis science, analysis, and well-being or cannabis and society. The idea for a microcredential in cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego began in 2023, Koen said, as SUNY statewide was advocating for these types of initiatives. Koen and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, began brainstorming on ideas. Catching their attention was the legalization of full recreational marijuana use in New York state in 2021 and the problem-riddled rollout of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management. Guy and Koen created a Criminal Justice Elective called CRJ 420, called cannabis and society, to see if there was any interest. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there was interest —a lot of it. Further discussions led to the microcredential, cannabis studies, which incorporated science, business and anthropological perspectives, Koen said. They were allowed to create their own prefixes for the classes, such as CAN 310; CAN 320; and CAN 420. Yes, the 420 was intentional — it’s a slang term and symbol used to refer to cannabis consumption and counterculture — but it’s also meant to reflect that the course, being on the 400 level, is “very academically involved,” Koen explained. The term 420 was coined in 1971 by a group of California high school students as a secret code to meet at 4:20 p.m. at a campus landmark to search for an abandoned cannabis crop nearby. The phrase has evolved, to say the least. It is now associated with cannabis use worldwide. For more information, visit ww1.oswego.edu/academics/microcredentials/cannabis-studies.
Challenging the Conventional Wisdom of Climate Politics | Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
Title“Climate Fault Lines: The New Political Economy of a Warming World” Authors“Climate Fault Lines: The New Political Economy of a Warming World” PublisherPrinceton University Press
How a Madison doctor is saving the smallest lives
Preterm birth is the leading cause of death for Black infants in Wisconsin. This neonatal doctor and her team are working to give them a fighting chance.
Rogers Behavioral Health charged with labor law violations for firing workers in union drive
The NLRB complaint alleges Rogers fired six employees and took other actions to discourage employees from organizing a union.
ACCEPT 2026 announces registration dates
Volunteers and committee members with Atascosa County Christmas Elderly Project Target 2026, otherwise known as ACCEPT, would like to send out a special thank you for all the support given
Schneck Health Experts to Share Tips for Healthy Aging
The Schneck Foundation invites the community to a special event, Live Well, Age Wisely, designed to empower individuals with practical tips and proven strategies for staying healthy, active, and feeling their best as they age. Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Jennings County Public Library, located at 2375 IN 3 North Vernon, IN […]
Viewpoint: How the anti-abortion movement twists medical facts and promotes science misinformation
Misinformation and junk science about abortion are spreading at alarming rates and are becoming key components in legislation and litigation as well as in
Breast Cancer Previvor Shares Her Health Journey with Monmouth Medical Center High Risk Breast Cancer Program
After genetic testing revealed she had a greater than 40 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, Rumson resident Lisa Craven chose to undergo a preventive double mastectomy at Monmouth Medical Center. Now, she is sharing her story to raise awareness about genetic testing, early risk assessment and the importance of proactive breast health care.
David Bowie fantasy classic coming to Turlock theater — with a special live twist
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the cult classic.
Watertown Christmas parade donations at half of goal; frustrated business proposes alternative
Donations for the Watertown Christmas parade sit at half of what’s needed, as a Lewis County business that offered to pay for it says it’s frustrated and is now proposing its own celebration.
I grew my side gig into a $2M business after 20 years at IBM
Becky DeGrossa, 66, worked at IBM and then became a therapist before opening CounselingWise as a side gig. It's now her full-time, $2M business.
Health officials suspect new measles outbreak, this time in Rock County
The cases are linked to each other but separate from a large ongoing outbreak in southwest Wisconsin.
USDA Rural Business Development Grants Program has awarded over 1 million dollars
In a major effort to stimulate economic growth and expand job opportunities across rural Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Director Andrew Iverson announced $1.024 million in investments through the USDA Ru…
The DNR has released the Sustainability and Business Support section’s 2025–2026 report
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has released the Sustainability and Business Support section’s 2025–2026 report, showcasing how forward-thinking businesses are voluntarily exceeding reg…
Greta Gerwig unveils 'Narnia' trailer, addresses CS Lewis' faith, legacy: 'These books created me'
An emotional Greta Gerwig reflected on the influence of C S Lewis, the role of faith in her filmmaking and the daunting responsibility of bringing the beloved Chronicles of Narnia to a new generation
Andre Tippett, Julian Edelman Set for Induction into International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Two Patriots Hall of Famers will add another honor to their distinguished careers as Andre Tippett and Julian Edelman join the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
What the science of memory tells us about sexual assault cases
The investigation into the report of a gang rape at Cornell University has reopened a national discussion on sexual assault — in particular raising questions about how authorities respond to allegations and how well those who go to investigators remember details of their assault.
Talking Trade with DATCP Export and Business Development Bureau Director Ira Frydman
In the latest episode of "Talking Trade," host Sandi Siegel interviews DATCP Export and Business Development Bureau Director Ira Frydman about the agency's success in expanding markets for Wisconsin agricultural exports.
GOP Focuses on Fraud, Seeking To Redirect Voters’ Ire Over Healthcare Costs
By Stephanie Armour | KFF Health News Heading into the midterm elections, high healthcare costs rank among voters’ biggest concerns. But lately, there’s a twist giving the issue new momentum on campaign agendas: a focus on fraud in government health programs. The administration of President Donald ...
Lexington Health plans new emergency departments, urgent care sites
Lexington Health is expanding emergency and urgent care services in White Knoll and Northeast Columbia, with four new or relocated facilities planned for the growing Midlands communities.
Mamdani rolls out debt relief program for unpaid city fines
The new “Debt Demolisher” program is expected to net $25 million in unpaid fines the city says may have never been collected otherwise.
Federal USDA grant spurs 11 rural Wisconsin business development projects, creating jobs
The USDA announced $1.024 million in investments in 11 rural business projects through USDA’s Rural Business Development Grants Program.
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute Among Only Six Health Systems Nationwide to Earn ASTRO APEx Accreditation for Excellence in Radiation Oncology Care
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute have earned systemwide accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), becoming one of only six health systems nationwide to achieve APEx accreditation across 10 or more locations. This prestigious recognition underscores our commitment to delivering the highest standards of safety, quality and patient-centered radiation oncology care.
Hillary Clinton and Kara Swisher to release weekly midterms podcast
The weekly podcast, “High Stakes,” will aim to dissect the election and its aftermath, Vox Media said.
Debra Lienhardt, RWJBarnabas Health Executive Vice President, Chief Business Development and Legal Officer, Named Finalist for New Jersey Legal Awards
Debra Lienhardt, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Development and Legal Officer at RWJBarnabas Health, has been named a finalist in the “In-House Impact” category of the 2026 New Jersey Legal Awards, presented by the New Jersey Law Journal. The recognition highlights her strategic leadership, innovative approach to legal and business development, and contributions to advancing healthcare across New Jersey.
Debra Lienhardt, RWJBarnabas Health Executive Vice President, Chief Business Development and Legal Officer, Named Finalist for New Jersey Legal Awards
Debra Lienhardt, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Development and Legal Officer at RWJBarnabas Health, has been named a finalist in the “In-House Impact” category of the 2026 New Jersey Legal Awards, presented by the New Jersey Law Journal. The recognition highlights her strategic leadership, innovative approach to legal and business development, and contributions to advancing healthcare across New Jersey.
Wisconsin candidate for governor Tom Tiffany accepted political donation from dead Texas man
Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor Tom Tiffany received more than the max contribution from one donor and has accepted the max from a person who has died.
Brett Fischer, Kelly Jones, Chris Lee, Maruf Rahman, RWJBarnabas Health Leaders, Named Becker’s 2026 Rising Stars
Four rising leaders at RWJBarnabas Health have been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 Rising Stars: 188 Healthcare Leaders Under 40 list! Congratulations to Brett Fischer, Kelly Jones, Christopher Lee and Maruf Rahman on this national recognition of their leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing healthcare.
Hillary Clinton, Kara Swisher to Launch Political Podcast
The partnership with Vox Media will kick off Oct. 14 to catch a wave of election interest; future collaborations are anticipated.
Australia: NSW Health warns against handling bats due to lyssavirus
NSW Health is advising the public not to handle, or otherwise handle bats, following a recent increase in people being bitten or scratched across the state. In the two weeks from 28 September to 10 October, 43 people were assessed by NSW Health after being bitten or scratched by bats. This includes in coastal areas in Hunter New England, the Mid North Coast, Northern NSW, and the Central Coast. This is a significant increase when compared with 10 reported cases of bat bites or scratches for the same two-week period in 2025. Keira Glasgow, Director in Health Protection at NSW Health, said, “We want people to assume that any bat could carry Australian bat lyssavirus, which is a close relative to the rabies virus and very dangerous to humans.” “If you see a bat that is injured or in distress, call your local wildlife rescue service and do not touch it. Only trained, protected and vaccinated wildlife handlers should interact with bats. “It is incredibly rare for Australian bat lyssavirus to transmit to humans, but once symptoms of lyssavirus start in people who are scratched or bitten by an infected bat, sadly there is no effective treatment. “If you are bitten or scratched by a bat, urgent medical assessment is crucial.” Rabies virus and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) belong to a group of viruses called lyssaviruses. These viruses transmit via a bite from an infected ("rabid") animal. They all cause a similar illness known as rabies, which affects the central nervous system and is usually fatal. Rabies and ABLV infection cause similar symptoms. The early symptoms are flu-like, including headache, fever and fatigue. The illness progresses rapidly to paralysis, delirium, convulsions and death, usually within a week or two. Rabies cases and the three known human cases of ABLV infection have shown a wide variability in the time it takes for symptoms to appear following exposure to an infected animal (from several days to several years). The best way to protect yourself from infection is to not touch bats. If you see a bat in distress, injured or trapped on the ground, do not try to rescue it. Instead, contact trained experts. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Today’s irreverent politics ignore ancient wisdom: The need to know your limits
Many Americans have decried today’s politics as ‘shameless.’ The antidote, a political philosopher argues, may be more reverence – awe at just how difficult democracy is.
Today’s irreverent politics ignore ancient wisdom: The need to know your limits
Many Americans have decried today’s politics as ‘shameless.’ The antidote, a political philosopher argues, may be more reverence – awe at just how difficult democracy is.
Today’s irreverent politics ignore ancient wisdom: The need to know your limits
Many Americans have decried today’s politics as ‘shameless.’ The antidote, a political philosopher argues, may be more reverence – awe at just how difficult democracy is.
DNR Releases 2025-2026 Sustainability And Business Support Report
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources today announced the release of the Sustainability and Business Support (SBS) section's 2025-2026 report. The report highlights the many ways forward-thinking businesses, in partnership with SBS, are voluntarily outperforming regulatory requirements while achieving both superior environmental outcomes and operational efficiencies.
Varying Water Clouds Detected Beyond The Solar System For The First Time – And They’re Not Around A Planet
Just a few times larger than Jupiter, with water clouds? It sounds like WISE 0855 is applying for honorary planet status.
How Luke Fickell, Wisconsin football retain recruits who could flip
After Kingston Allen's Ohio State offer, here's how Luke Fickell and Wisconsin try retaining verbal commits who have opportunities elsewhere.
Prisma Health Midlands Foundation’s Walk for Life set for Saturday in Columbia
The Prisma Health Midlands Foundation’s annual Walk for Life & Famously Hot Pink 10k and 5k is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, outside Segra Park in Columbia.
In rural Wisconsin, politics is still about meeting voters. Online, it’s getting weird
Rebecca Cooke is taking her campaign directly to rural Wisconsin communities, all while an AI-fueled online fight w
Republican US Rep. Glenn Grothman faces Democrat Brad Smith in race for Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District
Democrat Brad Smith of Mequon, a National Guard veteran and political newcomer, is trying to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman of Glenbeulah, who has represented Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District for more than a decade.
Tom Tiffany's conservative record dates back years in state and federal politics
As he runs for governor, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany has introduced himself to voters as a get-along kind of conservative, but his lengthy record in the state Legislature and Congress tells a different story.
Givaudan bolstered by its fragrance business over nine months
Swiss group Givaudan, which specialises in fragrances and flavours, reported better-than-expected nine-month revenue on Tuesday, driven by its perfumery activities.
CSU Theatre brings haunting tale of Dracula to life with a feminist twist
This fall, Colorado State University Theatre’s play was the classic tale of “Dracula,” written by Bram Stoker, but told with a feminist twist. Written by Kate Hamill and directed by Saffron Henke, CSU associate professor of theatre, “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” brought a whole new message to the original Gothic horror story, emphasizing women’s...
Paul Bettany says Marvel transformed his life after he was told his career was over
By Francesca Halliwell LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - British actor Paul Bettany said Marvel has transformed his career and personal life after an unlikely twist of fate over a decade
Week 7 Nebraska volleyball grades
Nebraska volleyball notched another perfect week with wins against Indiana and Wisconsin. Sports writer Danny Berg highlights the best parts from the perfect week.
Kara Swisher: I don’t think anyone wants to see Elon Musk in politics
Physicists discover “astonishing” property of light that defies expectations
Scientists have uncovered a surprising hidden ability of light that allows it to develop spinning, twisting behavior as it travels through empty space, without special lenses, mirrors, or materials. Researchers discovered that light’s internal geometry can naturally produce left- and right-handed patterns, challenging long-standing assumptions about how light behaves. By carefully arranging a beam’s structure, scientists can control where and how these spinning patterns emerge, unlocking a new way to manipulate light.
UW-River Falls to Offer Halloween Carnival and “Haunted Lab” Science Demonstrations ⋆ 715Newsroom.com
Two special Halloween-themed events are planned at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Tuesday, Oct. 20, including a Halloween carnival and “Haunted Labs” science demonstrations. Children in 4K through fifth grade are invited to attend the annual “Halloween in the Halls” event from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., hosted by UWRF Residence Life. Instead of trick-or-treating through residence halls, Residence Life will host carnival activities, such as cornhole, apple bobbing, an egg walk, a bouncy house, crafts and sticker activities. The carnival will be held behind Grimm and Parker Halls, in front of Hathorn Hall and between Johnson and May Halls.
How worried should Catholics be about the pope’s health?
Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week to remove a “nodule” from his lung. The pope made the announcement at the end of his Sunday Angelus address, asking for prayers. “Dear all, recently, during some checkups, the doctors discovered a nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and was well-localized,” Leo said. “The doctors felt it was necessary to intervene, and so, following their advice, I decided to have surgery to remove it. The procedure is already scheduled for the next few days. I thank you for your spiritual support and I entrust myself to your prayers.” The Vatican press office subsequently added that Leo is scheduled to undergo surgery at the Gamelli hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The pope is expected to spend up to a week in the Gamelli recovering, after which, for the moment, he is still expected to undertake his largest and longest to-date Apostolic journey, heading to Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, beginning Nov. 6. Prayers have, understandably, poured in from dioceses around the world, accompanied by the best wishes of heads of state and international institutions. So how worried should Catholics be for the health of the pope? The Vatican’s messaging around Leo’s pending surgery is, in many ways, a new approach to papal health issues. But, despite the pope’s personal candour, the Holy See’s messaging perhaps raises as many questions as it answers. Subscribe — Leo’s decision to announce his own medical status and pending hospital stay during the Sunday Angelus is, it should be said, already something of a big deal. Traditionally, the health of popes simply hasn’t been discussed publicly or officially, until circumstances made it absolutely necessary. Memorably, in 2023 Pope Francis was rushed to the Gemelli in an ambulance, exhibiting signs of cardiac arrest according to many close to him, only for the Sala Stampa to put out a statement insisting he was merely going in for “pre-scheduled” tests. That Pope Leo has decided to announce his condition himself, with remarkable frankness, is a significant comms policy shift around the Apostolic Palace. This might reflect a deliberately more open posture, as opposed to the traditional, otiose evasiveness, and the first fruits of an American pope and American prefect of the Dicastery for Communications favoring honesty as a baseline. Equally, it must be allowed, it could be that the pope’s situation is serious enough that there would be no keeping it under wraps or playing it off, and the decision was made to be as open as possible to head off speculation about the papal health. Certainly, Leo appeared to make every effort to sound reassuring — stressing that, whatever the diagnosis is, exactly, it is “well-localized” and “early stage.” Of course, for everyone listening, talk of a “nodule” in a lung will immediately send thoughts — and prayers — running to concerns about words not used, like “cancer,” “tumor,” “begnin” or “malignant.” To be clear, none of those words may yet be medically appropriate. And there is every reason to believe and assume that Leo is giving almost as much information as he may have himself at this stage. But the context of the pope’s announcement and the timing of his surgery do reasonably raise reasonably serious concerns for Leo. We don’t know, and this isn’t to say anyone has the right to expect to know, when the routine medical checks made this discovery. It could have been last week, last month, or even earlier. As such, it isn’t really possible to say with what kind of urgency Leo is being brought in for surgery. However, there is clearly some serious urgency to the matter. Leo making the announcement and going into hospital this week, of all weeks, means he is having to miss the balance and conclusion of his global meeting of the heads of the world’s bishops conferences, which he convened in Rome this week. That, as the Vatican has announced, has meant some serious changes to the schedule, with the newly minted dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Tagle, subbing in for the closing Mass on Wednesday, and the meeting’s organizers announcing that the final working document/summary of the meeting being delayed until Leo can read and feed into it. Those changes suggest that the timing of Leo’s surgery isn’t of his own choosing, and he is acting on the best medical advice he can get by moving urgently. Had this issue been discovered weeks ago, it seems reasonable to assume the pope would have seen it dealt with before the meeting began. And were it possible to delay it, even by a few days to allow the meeting to conclude as scheduled, the expectation would surely be he’d have opted for that. It cannot be excluded that Leo is simply having to fit in with the schedules of his medical team, but a man who occupies arguably the most important and prominent role in Italy, if not Western Europe, could generally be assumed to be the one whose calendar others work around. All this points to a very recent medical discovery leading to a “days matter” diagnosis, or at least suspected possible diagnosis. Of course, another factor weighing in the balance is Leo’s upcoming apostolic visit to three South American countries, including a return to Peru, where he spent many years as a priest and bishop. It is entirely possible that the doctors, and the pope himself, are more concerned about the potential knock-on effects of surgery, and the time needed for recovery, for a 71-year-old — even one as physically sound and actively sporty as Leo. The pope is due to depart Rome November 6 for his 10-day three-country trip, returning on Nov. 17. It may be that Leo has simply made the decision to allow maximum time for his own post-op recovery, and even allow for potentially unforeseen circumstances, so that he is at full strength for the landmark trip. While it might be an inconvenience, and clearly a last-minute wrench in the works for the Amoris meeting, it is possible that Leo simply weighs the importance of that conference more lightly in the balance than even the possibility of missing his homecoming trip to Peru, or even having to scale back his itinerary for the trip. If that is the case, it would suggest a real abundance of caution by the pope approaching his Latin American tour, and a sobering indication of where Leo ranks the non-synodal meeting currently underway in Rome. In any event, what can be said for certain is that the pope having to take this, of all weeks, out of his schedule for surgery and an extended hospital stay is extremely unfortunate timing. It is clear that this is a decision Leo has made on the advice of his doctors. Together, they clearly consider that the risks of delaying, even by a little as a few days, represents an unacceptable risk for the pope. Even expecting and allowing for Leo’s full and speedy recovery, that should be a very sobering thought for Catholics everywhere. Subscribe
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