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Sport and Politics: Strange Bedfellows or Friendly Ones?
US President Donald Trump’s relentless pursuit of media attention at the 2026 World Cup highlights the dangerous
Proposal to limit 'socioeconomic impact' business density returns to Aurora City Council
The proposal targets vape and smoke shops, pawnshops and second-hand buyers, check-cashing businesses, cannabis dispensaries, liquor stores and extended-occupancy motels.
Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Awards Winners
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-The Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Awards are presented by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Points are awarded to a school based on its finish in FHSAA State Series competition in each sport in the classification in which it has been assigned to compete. The results are in, and the points have been totaled for the 2025-26 school year. Congratulations to Winter Park (7A), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) (6A), Ponte Vedra (5A), Bishop Moore (Orlando) (4A), Bolles (Jacksonville) (3A), Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens) (2A), Victory Christian (Lakeland) (1A), and Williston (1R) for being overall classifications winners!
Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball sells for £2.5m
Maradona scored a controversial goal against England in the 1986 World Cup
£86m at 18
BBC Sport reported earlier this week that Manchester City and Lille were in advanced talks over a deal for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi to move to Etihad Stadium. An agreement for the 18-year-old to join Enzo Maresca's side is now in place, with Bouaddi set to complete his protracted move to England - Lille accepting an initial fee of £81.4m, plus £4.2m in add-ons. Bouaddi impressed at this summer's World Cup - starting five of Morocco's six matches in their run to the quarter-finals - after a starring role in Lille's Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024 announced him on the big stage.
Weekly Cupcakes: Avalanche are hoping L’Heureux brings physicality
Colorado Avalanche News News Around the League
Hale Foundation recovery program partners with art business for watercolor class
About 20 men took part in the class, using watercolor to create original pieces representing their own stories, both at Hale and in life.
Post-Supercup Reactions: Sloppy, With Hints of Promise
The result wasn’t what we wanted, but there’s reason to be hopeful for the season.
Hull City 2-0 Manchester United: Yikes!
A bad start to the new campaign for Michael Carrick’s Reds. Manchester United fell 2-0 on the road at Hull City on Saturday to kick off opening weekend with a whimper. It was reminiscent of some past tired starts to the season with a disjointed XI, returning World Cup talent, new signings still finding their […]
'Tired' start costs Ireland in World Cup defeat by Scots
Ireland coach Gareth Grundie describes the performance in the 2-1 defeat by Scotland as "not to the standard that we'd set ourselves". With an opportunity to take a big step towards a top ten finish in the World Cup with a win against a side ranked four places below them in the world rankings, Ireland produced their worst performance of the tournament. It was way below the level they’d shown when pushing the third best side in the world, Belgium, to the brink of elimination in the Pool stages. S
FA Cup: Kevin Ellison on mental health and still playing at 47
Striker Kevin Ellison, who once signed for Premier League Leicester City, opens up about playing at 47 - and why it's important to talk about mental health.
This Week in Science: Highest Radiation Occupation, a Shooting Star, And More!
Our weekly science news roundup.
Picking an EPL team based on wild generalizations, U.S. sports comparisons and niche facts
So you loved the World Cup and want to pick a Premier League team to support? Look no further...
Retail sales fall despite World Cup and hot weather boosting alcohol and drinks trade
Rolling coverage of the latest events in global financial markets, the economy and major corporate moves
Penguins Trade Proposal Sends Sidney Crosby To Eastern Rival
It goes without saying that Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby will forever be a sports legend in the Steel City.Since being selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Draft, which was famously dubbed the “Crosby sweepstakes”, Crosby has helped lead the Penguins to three Stanley Cup championships while establishing himself as one of the greatest […] The post Penguins Trade Proposal Sends Sidney Crosby To Eastern Rival appeared first on HEAVY.
Westcott Theater lawyer argues city’s entertainment license rules unconstitutional
Owner can occupy the building but licenses continue to be denied.
Westcott Theater lawyer argues city’s entertainment license rules unconstitutional
Owner can occupy the building but licenses continue to be denied.
How drinking tea daily may actually improve your health
After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world, and registered dietitians say drinking one cup a day can deliver real health perks.
Philadelphia, Boston or Denver? Democrats narrow their list of 2028 presidential convention sites
The party didn't specify why Atlanta and Chicago, which was the site of the 2024 convention, were eliminated.
John Swinney defends £45,000 business-class flights to World Cup
The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June.
Australia boss Walters appointed Saints head coach
Kevin Walters will leave Australia after next month's Rugby League World Cup to take up a three-year deal with St Helens in Super League.
U-20 World Cup roster set after NWSL, college teams grant releases
Since the U-20 World Cup does not fall in an international window, national team duty is not automatically excused for selected players.
Sindhu, Sat-Chi, Ayush in action in third round at BWF Worlds; Pragg misses out in Sinquefield Cup: Indian Sports LIVE, August 20
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on August 20, 2026.
Sabres Insider Reveals The Goaltender They Could Trade
It’s going to be interesting to watch whether or not the Buffalo Sabres will be able to repeat their tremendous success they enjoyed over the final two-thirds of the 2025-26 NHL season that saw them return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011, while also winning their division for the first […] The post Sabres Insider Reveals The Goaltender They Could Trade appeared first on HEAVY.
USMNT's Home World Cup: Record Interest, Same Ceiling
Hosting the 2026 World Cup produced the largest audience the USMNT has ever had inside its own borders. The team's opener against Paraguay became the most-watched football match ever broadcast in the ...
Debris Management in Gaza - Standard Operating Procedure: Health and Safety in Debris Removal and Recycling — Interim Guidance (August 2026)
Manual and Guideline in English on occupied Palestinian territory about Climate Change and Environment and Recovery and Reconstruction; published on 19 Aug 2026 by UNDP and UNEP
Tina Charles, Renee Montgomery join TNT for FIBA World Cup coverage
Tina Charles will reunite with former UConn teammate Renee Montgomery in the TNT Sports studio.
Sporting KC acquires forward Andre Luiz in club-record transfer from Olympiacos FC
Sporting Kansas City has acquired 24-year-old forward Andre Luiz in a club-record transfer from Greek club Olympiacos FC, the club announced today. Luiz, who joins Sporting as a Designated Player, has signed a five-year MLS contract through the 2030-2031 season and will occupy an international spot on Sporting’s roster, pending
🚨 Official: Le Mans sign a 2018 World Cup winner!
The last dance?It’s official: Djibril Sidibé is joining Le Mans for two seasons!The 2018 World Cup winner signed with the newly promoted Ligue 1 side this Tuesday morning.After two seasons with Tou...
Finding her place in live sports: Caroline Chang ’26
On match days at SoFi Stadium, Caroline Chang ’26 sometimes woke at 3:30 a.m., boarded a shuttle at 5:30 so she could be on-site by 6. As game time approached, she moved throughout the stadium delivering camera sheets, player lineups, and other materials
Florida holds primaries for governor and Congress, testing Trump's grip on adopted state
Florida voters cast ballots Tuesday for Republican and Democratic nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and several congressional races.
Sabres Complete Trade With Stanley Cup Champion Hurricanes
The Buffalo Sabres returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011 earlier this spring, enjoying an opening round series victory over the divisional rival Boston Bruins before falling to the Montreal Canadiens, another divisional rival, in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.But Buffalo’s chances of returning to the playoffs for a second straight […] The post Sabres Complete Trade With Stanley Cup Champion Hurricanes appeared first on HEAVY.
Sporting KC agrees to mutual contract termination with midfielder Manu Garcia
Sporting Kansas City announced today that the club has mutually agreed to terminate the contract of midfielder Manu Garcia. The club has also exercised a buyout of Garcia’s guaranteed contract, and Garcia will no longer occupy a Designated Player spot on Sporting’s roster. Garcia joined Sporting KC ahead of the
Insider Reveals the Latest on Sidney Crosby’s Penguins Future
For over two decades, Sidney Crosby has been the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise, and in that time, the team have won three Stanley Cups and have consistently competed year in, year out throughout the regular season.Throughout that time, the team have had Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang leading the charge with Crosby, but […] The post Insider Reveals the Latest on Sidney Crosby’s Penguins Future appeared first on HEAVY.
Job With Highest Risk of Radiation Cancer Revealed Out of Over 500 Occupations
It's more dangerous than you think.
'Electric up top and suspect at the back'
Hearts fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's 6-2 win over Inverness CT in the Premier Sports Cup. The entertainment value is 10 out of 10 but our defensive errors will cost us against good teams. Can't quite believe that we have such good wingers in Josh McPake, Calvin Miller (both of whom really should be getting Scotland call-ups from Pocognoli) and Sabah Kerjota.
Business Monday: Hilo baker nears goal of making 12,000 macarons for Made in Hawaiʻi Festival
For her third showing at the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, Nikki Kawahine and her team at Cupcakes, BOOM! are on the brink of baking 12,000 handcrafted macarons for the event.
Watch Arsenal Women u17s in Shanghai Cup
Arsenal’s next generation of talent will test themselves against some of Europe’s leading academies this week as the club’s Under-17 women’s side heads to Shanghai for an inaugural internation...
Nashville's statement, Houston's surge & more from Matchday 20
By Charles BoehmThe days are growing shorter, and the kids are going back to school. The FIFA World Cup is in the rearview mirror, and so is Phase One of Leagues Cup.You might not have heard a starter...
Ayush Shetty, PV Sindhu in action at BWF World Championships, Hockey World Cup continues: Indian Sports LIVE, August 17
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on August 17, 2026.
Scottie Scheffler walks away with dominant FedEx St. Jude win
Scottie Scheffler shot a final-round 66 and pulled away to extend his lead in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
U.S. Walker Cup team finalized for September matches in Ireland
The U.S. Walker Cup team was finalized Sunday evening. This year’s match is scheduled for Sept. 5-6 at Lahinch in Ireland.
Spain beat Ireland in five-goal thriller at World Cup
Ireland miss an opportunity to seize control of their World Cup future after losing 3-2 to Spain in a thrilling opening World Cup Pool C game in Wavre.
Rangers to face Celtic in Premier Sports Cup quarterfinals after Derek McInnes gets off the mark
Rangers were handed a home tie against Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarterfinal draw after getting their first win under new boss Derek McInnes at the fifth time of asking when they beat St Mirren 5-1 at Ibrox.
Barcelona want Julián Álvarez to make his Atlético stance public
Barcelona are expecting Julián Álvarez to publicly declare his desire to leave Atlético Madrid now that the World Cup has concluded, according to SPORT. The report claims the Blaugrana have set Jul...
Who Kovač is planning to use in Saturday's Super Cup
Head coach Niko Kovac provided a squad update after the game: “Maxi (Beier, editor’s note) took a knock to the knee in the last game against Arsenal, so we didn’t want to take any risks.” Carn...
Arsenal vs. Manchester City Community Shield match thread
We’ve made it, folks! Arsenal start their 2026-27 season in earnest today with the Community Shield against Manchester City. For those of you unaware, the Community Shield is the annual match played the week before the season between the Premier League Champions and the FA Cup winner. The Gunners have won the Shield the second-most […]
Rocco Reitz after debut: "It was quite a challenge"
On Saturday, Rocco Reitz was rewarded for his hard work in pre-season. In the 58th minute of the Telekom-Cup, our summer signing was brought on for Nicolas Seiwald and played his first half an hour in...
Matos spoiled for choice as Idah delivers
Adam Idah needed only seconds after coming on at Stoke to strike the blow which gave Swansea City the ideal start to the new Championship campaign. With Zan Vipotnik nursing a calf injury, Idah was Swansea's first choice up front during the majority of pre-season, and started the EFL Cup defeat to Birmingham City last weekend. Vipotnik started at the bet365 Stadium but, in truth, had little impact on the game, even if his attempt to head goalwards turned into an assist for Joseph Opoku's first-half equaliser.
Richmond Baker Combines Science and Passion in Cottage Bakery
Valeriya Romashchenko opened Cuprum Bakery in 2024, offering sourdough and other baked goods produced in her home kitchen in the Inner Richmond. The popularity of Romashchenko’s cottage bakery, lik…
How important is Community Shield to a team's season?
Premier League champions Arsenal take on FA Cup winners Manchester City in Sunday's Community Shield - but would winning suggest a successful season ahead?
How do Chivas arrive at Matchday 4 against Santos?
Guadalajara is ready to return to action in the Apertura 2026. After the Leagues Cup break, the Rebaño Sagrado will resume its Liga MX campaign this Sunday, when they visit Santos at Estadio TSM, wit...
Panthers’ Brad Marchand Announces Worrying Update On Social Media
Despite not making the Stanley Cup Playoffs because of numerous injuries to so many key players, one of the positive aspects for the Florida Panthers in 2025-26 was the play of veteran forward Brad Marchand.Marchand, who was acquired at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline from the divisional rival Boston Bruins and later helped Florida repeat […] The post Panthers’ Brad Marchand Announces Worrying Update On Social Media appeared first on HEAVY.
Bad News For Former Bruins Captain Brad Marchand
Former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand enjoyed personal success in what was his first full campaign with the divisional rival Florida Panthers, to whom he was dealt at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline and helped win the Stanley Cup.While the Panthers would ultimately miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025-26 because of numerous injuries to […] The post Bad News For Former Bruins Captain Brad Marchand appeared first on HEAVY.
Coe warns on interference in sport: Keep politicians on the bus but out of the driver's seat
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has discussed topics including track and field’s ban on Russian athletes, private equity in sports and FIFA’s credibility crisis following a controversial overturned red card at the World Cup
Praggnanandhaa at Sinquefield Cup; Vaishali, Divya, Humpy at Cairns Cup; Durand Cup continues: Indian Sports LIVE, August 14
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on August 14, 2026.
Praggnanandhaa at Sinquefield Cup; Vaishali, Divya, Humpy at Cairns Cup; Durand Cup continues: Indian Sports LIVE, August 14
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on August 14, 2026.
My Cup of IT: AI Protests, Plugs, & Politics
AI is moving from pilot project to procurement problem. The Army is already facing a protest over a $450 million contract award that allegedly relied on AI in the acquisition process. Translation: AI may be helping agencies buy technology — and soon it may be helping lawyers protest those purchases. Meanwhile, NIST wants to put […]
Google’s Gemini 3.7 Flash targets coding and agents with a 50% introductory price cut
Google's own results do not show 3.7 Flash universally displacing higher-priced competitors. They instead suggest a model that has become substantially more competitive in coding and agent workloads while occupying a lower price tier.
Q3 FY26: Largest Quarterly Audience in Global Sports Media History
In Q3 FY26, during the World Cup, ESPN Digital & Social had its best worldwide quarter of all time, pulling in 598 million global users per month,
Trip brings MBCON students, Chinese health providers together
Nursing student Lakeya Spicer-Lynch traveled a lot during her 23-year military career but a summer trip to China with her fellow nursing students was her first trip that wasn’t a […]
Sporting KC co-founder Cliff Illig to headline KC Sports Impact Panel at KU exhibition closing event
The University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design’s “Shaping the Future of Football” exhibition concludes Aug. 21 at Keystone CoLAB in Kansas City with the KC Sports Impact Panel. Featured speaker Cliff Illig, principal owner and co-founder of Sporting Kansas City, will discuss Kansas City’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opportunity, the fan experience, and the future of sports, entertainment and economic growth in the region.
Some spikes, but hospitals not overwhelmed by World Cup-related visits
State officials reported a "noticeable" jump in alcohol-related visits around games that landed on weekends.
FC Barcelona Has Another Rodri Offer Rejected By Manchester City
FC Barcelona has had another bid rejected by Manchester City for its World Cup winner and star midfielder Rodri.
NBA Reveals Full Knicks’ 2026 NBA Cup Schedule
The NBA released the full schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup, with the defending champions forced to navigate the Group of Death.
UK economy grows by 0.4% in second quarter as some businesses helped by World Cup and hot weather
Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as GDP rises in June despite Iran war after stagnating in May
Praggnanandhaa loses at Sinquefield Cup, Divya wins round three in Cairns Cup: Indian Sports LIVE, August 13
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on August 13, 2026.
Lakers begin NBA Cup play at Warriors on Oct. 30
The in-season tournament feature six groups of five teams. The Lakers and Warriors are grouped with the Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs.
Pre-Season Team News: Manchester United vs Leeds United
Leeds United ramp up their 2026/27 Premier League preparations this evening as they take on rivals Manchester United in the BOYLE Sports Cup, hosted in Dublin.Ahead of the clash, which is the first cl...
Sports fans never sleep: Ericsson says 5G is becoming central to game-day
Fans increasingly expect seamless digital experiences before, during and after sporting events, p | The World Cup may be over, but the race to improve fan experiences is not. Advanced 5G networks are increasingly shaping everything from stadium connectivity and concessions to media production and public safety.
‘The Amazing Race’ season 39 cast features a 2-time World Cup champion
The ‘Amazing Race’ season 39 cast has been revealed, and it features a two-time World Cup champ. Also, a new twist has been added to the game.
2026 St. Jude Championship Preview, Full Field And Odds
Taking a look and previewing the field, purse, picks, and predictions for the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the St. Jude Championship.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is back for PSG in the UEFA Super Cup: Georgian missed the World Cup but might just be Europe's best
Ahead of the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa, Adam Bate reports from Salzburg on why this is a chance for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to remind everyone that this World Cup absentee was the outstanding player in European football last season...
Laver Cup: Sky Sports to show Europe vs Rest of the World from London's O2 in September
Sky Sports will show Laver Cup live between Friday September 25 and Sunday September 27 as Europe face Rest of the World; watch the ATP and WTA Tours and US Open from August 30 live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app
Who are TNT Sports' presenters, commentators and pundits for the UEFA Super Cup?
TNT Sports will bring coverage live from Salzburg as Aston Villa go head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain
Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final Decision Named Among NHL’s Worst
The Vegas Golden Knights came within two victories of another Stanley Cup championship last season.One decision from that run is drawing considerably less praise.Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz included former coach John Tortorella’s playoff choices on his list of the eight worst decisions from the 2025-26 NHL season, with his handling of the goaltending situation during […] The post Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final Decision Named Among NHL’s Worst appeared first on HEAVY.
Villa's World Cup trio will miss Super Cup
Ollie Watkins, Emi Martinez and Ezri Konsa will not face Paris St-Germain.
Prisma Health addresses technology system connectivity issues
Prisma Health is addressing connectivity issues affecting some of its technology systems Tuesday.
Wingers and defenders needed with tough season ahead
After Saturday's EFL Cup win over Swindon, we asked Cardiff City fans what manager Brian Barry-Murphy's promoted side still needs for the Championship season which kicks off against Wrexham on Monday. Mark: Unless Cardiff bring in at least another three or four players we will be in a dog fight at the wrong end of the table. Dafydd: The Championship looks really tough this year.
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA
Bangladesh and India battle to save cricket series after political turmoil
Bangladesh and India white-ball series under threat due to tensions that arose when Bangladeshi PM Hasina toppled.
Saber's newest game trailer takes a shot at Gearbox's CEO, if you look closely
The first hint that something might be up with the recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s Rideshare Stimulator is an unusual choice of words—aside from that second one in the game’s title. “Don’t take your passengers too seriously,” the trailer’s narrator says, as he describes this upcoming game. It a car game about the gig work of driving eccentric people to their destinations, a riff on Crazy Taxi. And then, he says: “When I think I’ve met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in.” “Randiest”? That suggests “randy,” which usually means having strong sexual desire. Yet none of the oddball backseat occupants featured in the trailer seem particularly lustful. One is an old man who considers his grandson a failure, another shares the theory that birds might control traffic lights, another says he’s banned from an aquarium. A little later, there’s a license plate, shown 63 seconds into the trailer, on the front of an SUV: USB DRV It’s a Texas plate. The symbol between those letters is a cog wheel. If you know, you know. That’s a reference to Texas-based Borderlands game development studio Gearbox Software (their logo features a cog wheel). More specifically, it’s a reference to Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, who in 2018 found himself explaining the nature of video he’d saved on a USB drive that was found at a Medieval Times restaurant before being returned to the studio: “It was ‘barely legal’ porn. This girl’s handle was ‘Only 18.’” The “girl” in the video had committed a solo sex act that Pitchford, an avid practitioner of magic, found remarkable. “I realized, this is not a sex worker…This is a fucking magician.” Back then, the USB drive was central to competing lawsuits against Gearbox by the studio’s former lawyer and by Gearbox against him. A settlement in late 2019 “exonerated” Pitchford, per the Hollywood Reporter. The USB story has resurfaced at times, now in a trailer from a company that not long ago was corporate brethren with Gearbox. Saber vs. Gearbox The head of Saber told Game File that the reference is payback. “The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Saber CEO Matt Karch told me when I asked him about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.” Having interviewed Karch during a cross-country flight in late 2024, I can confirm that Karch was unimpressed with Pitchford during their time both working in the Embracer group. I’d approached him not out of surprise that there was animosity but that it was manifesting publicly now. Gearbox was founded in 1999, worked on a port of Halo early on, and developed hit series such as the loot-based sci-fi shooter Borderlands before it was purchased by The Embracer Group in early 2021 for $363 million (with a possible earn-out of over $1 billion, if certain targets were hit by 2027). Saber was founded in 2001, worked on a remaster of Halo early on, had a big hit with zombie shooter World War Z and was purchased by Embracer in early 2020 for $150 million, with a potential earn-out of up to $375 million. For a few years, the Embracer group was a voracious acquirer of game studios. Then, as investment dried up, it choked. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber to an investment company controlled by Saber CEO Matt Karch, and it sold Gearbox in an all-stock deal to long-time Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive. Other studios were shut down. Hundreds of developers were laid off. Gearbox didn’t say much about their Embracer experience, nothing too direct, at least. In the summer 2024, Pitchford told reporter and occasional Game File contributor Nicole Carpenter that Borderlands 4’s story was in some way thematically connected to Gearbox’s experience at Embracer: “There’s this cultural and emotional shift in me, personally, and at the studio. What does it mean to trade some autonomy for organization?” When Borderlands 4 came out, there was something stranger: the matter of “Embracer’s Bluff,” a location in the game featuring an AI-powered toilet and a large trash dump, according to a detailed Kotaku account of the place. Gearbox never commented on it; Take Two never got back to me about it when I asked them last year. By contrast, since Saber exited Embracer, Karch has been one of Embracer’s biggest defenders, casting their management as well-meaning and supportive despite the layoffs and studio closures that resulted from their excessive expansion. Like others, Saber’s Karch saw Embracer’s as a shot. With Rideshare Stimulator’s trailer, he’s returned fire. “It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch told Game File. A rep for Gearbox did not comment by press time. Game File is a reader-supported publication. Your backing makes my reporting—including any coverage of trailer-based beefs—possible. Good news! I’m currently running Game File’s first big sale of 2026. You can get a one-year subscription for 23% off. Click here to take advantage of the limited-time offer. And thank you for your support! Item 2: In brief… 🚫 Wal-Mart has laid off the staff of Restart, a games media outlet launched in 2024, Aftermath reports. 🟥 A GTA VI preview is on the way, at last, via an “extended look” that will premiere, unusually, on Netflix at 3pm ET on August 27, then officially go live elsewhere six hours later. Last week, Game File noted that Take Two label Rockstar Games is overdue for showing off GTA VI, based on the timing of the initial hands-off previews of GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. During a call with investors, Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders for GTA VI were “unprecedented and astonishing,” but added the company can’t predict how many of those pre-orders represent bonus sales vs. sales that otherwise would have been made at launch. During the same call, Zelnick was noticeably bullish on the future of playing games over streaming cloud connections (predicting wider adoption in three or so years). He sounded unbothered by Sony’s plans to stop making discs for new games (he said the business is 90% digital already and predicted that there could still be limited edition physical editions of games “in the same way there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business.”) 👀 Take Two wrote off $43 million in their spring quarter after deciding “not to proceed with further development of an unannounced title in its pipeline from a third-party developer.” 🤔 Some rare age-demographics from a big publisher: Capcom recently told investors that “users in their 20s account for approximately half of the users of both Pragamata and Resident Evil Requiem.” Item 3: The week ahead Tuesday, August 11 Game releases: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Switch 2; already out for PC, PS5, Xbox) continues the Bethesda strategy of putting Elder Scrolls games on everything; Royalty Free-For-All is a Smash Bros.-style fighting game featuring public domain characters such as Mother Goose brawling with Oliver Twist in a stage based on the original Little Shop of Horrors movie. Wednesday, August 12 Game release: Pro Jank Footy (PC, console) is an arcade-style Australian Rules Football game with increasingly ridiculous rules, the more you play (I enjoyed the Steam demo) Thursday, August 13 Game release: Super Mario Sunshine (Switch 2, originally released in 2002 on the GameCube) is released for Switch 2’s Nintendo Switch Online service. This game is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It’s the successor to the breakthrough Super Mario 64 and the rare Mario game built around a single (vacation resort) theme. Mario’s got a water-spraying backpack, a Yoshi pal and a lot of blue coins to collect.
Watch Disney Entertainment Television's Multiplatform Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of September 11, 2001
Disney Entertainment Television unveils powerful multiplatform commemoration of the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001.
The Sydney Super Cup: a fan(?) perspective, Pt. 5
Hello to Roberto De Zerbi; goodbye to Sydney
Off-campus student housing is big business, especially in the shadows of LSU
Some of the highest rents, occupancy rates and sales prices in the state are for high-end apartment complexes catering to students in the shadows of LSU.
'Big decisions are on the horizon for Blackburn'
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor Andy Bayes reflects on the EFL Cup win at Burton and says big decisions are on the horizon.
Nashville SC's Cristian Espinoza returns with a flourish
Forward, who hadn't played since May due to injury, scored twice for Boys in Gold in 4-1 Leagues Cup victory
Michael Brennan wins Wyndham Championship and qualifies for PGA Tour postseason
The victory moves Brennan from No. 105 to No. 47 in the FedEx Cup to be among the top 70 who advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs.
EFL Cup: Mansfield Town v Sheffield United
Follow live text commentary, score updates and match stats as Mansfield Town take on Sheffield United in the first round of the EFL Cup.
Ashford embracing return to central Cardiff role
Cardiff City forward Cian Ashford is enjoying playing in a more central role following his eye-catching performance in the Bluebirds' Carabao Cup win over Swindon. The 21-year-old assisted Yousef Salech for the second goal in the 3-2 win and was also denied by the crossbar. Ashford spent many years playing in a central role with Cardiff's academy but his minutes for the first team have almost exclusively come on the wing.
Dinosaurs became giants — so why did they never become tiny?
Dinosaurs conquered the land at enormous sizes, but strangely, they almost never evolved into truly tiny animals. New research suggests that physiology alone can’t explain this missing miniature end of the dinosaur spectrum—and that early mammals may have been partly responsible. While dinosaurs kept mammals from becoming large, small mammals may have returned the favor by occupying ecological niches that could otherwise have supported mouse-sized dinosaurs.
Without Messi, Inter Miami falls to Monterrey in Leagues Cup
Lionel Messi returned to his native Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge, earlier in the day. It is not known when he will return.
Everyone wants what one minor league baseball team put out as a hilarious tribute to the Carolina Hurricanes
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers unveiled a Carolina Hurricanes tribute jersey that simply reads "PECKERS" across the front, and fans are loving it.
Bromley 1-1 Reading (4-5 Pens): A Scattergun Start
A mixed performance but good result as Reading make it through to the second round of the League Cup.
Nottingham Forest set to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP for €40m
Diomande represented Ivory Coast at the World Cup this summer, alongside Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.