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When ICE forced families into hiding, informal medical networks sprang up to deliver critical health care services.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Gabi has big brown eyes, pigtails, and a genetic condition that makes her bones brittle. They fracture easily, leaving the 2-year-old in such pain that her mother quit her job cleaning offices to stay home and cradle her in the one-bedroom apartment they share with six relatives.
When federal immigration agents descended on their city, officers deported Gabi's father and detained her aunt.
Gabi was born in the U.S. and is an American citizen. Her best chance to stand, or even walk, someday is a complex surgery on her legs and feet that was scheduled for January. But her mother, too terrified to take out the garbage let alone venture through the city to a hospital, canceled the procedure. KFF Health News agreed to only partially identify the patients and their families in this article because they fear becoming targets of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
“I want more than anything for my baby to walk,” her mother said in Spanish, as Gabi cooed and wriggled in her arms, a feeding tube snaking from her stomach to an IV pole. “But with the situation that's happening, I canceled the surgery and all the physical therapy appointments” that would have followed. “Because I'm afraid to leave.”
The Department of Homeland Security has declared an end to what it called Operation Metro Surge, carried out by officers with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies. Even so, health care workers say, immigration agents are still camping out in hospital parking lots. And drones fly overhead in agricultural areas beyond Minneapolis, where Somali and Latino immigrants have settled in recent years.
The Minnesota crackdown revealed the sweep of the surveillance and capture system the Trump administration is using to uproot immigrant communities in the United States, and the effect of its powerful brake on the medical system.
Similar health crises surfaced wherever immigration officers massed in the past year. In Dallas, public health clinics administered about 6,000 vaccinations to Latinos last August, half as many as during a similar program a year earlier. In Chicago, doctors rerouted patients daily from clinic to clinic depending on ICE activity. Across the country, crackdowns suppressed immigrants' health care visits.
In Minnesota, medical systems have reported cancellation and no-show rates of up to 60% since December.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, blamed protesters for the disruption. “If anyone is impeding Americans from making appointments or picking up prescriptions,” she said, “its [sic] violent agitators who are blocking roadways, ramming vehicles, and vandalizing property.”
While Minnesotans rose up to oppose the surge in the streets, doctors and nurses have quietly operated informal, underground medical networks, dodging detection to care for patients at home.
“I used to look somebody in the eyes and say, with good faith, ‘You will be fine at the hospital,'” said Emily Carroll, a nurse practitioner at HealthFinders Collaborative, a community clinic in Faribault, some 50 miles south of Minneapolis. “But now, I can't make that guarantee.”
As thousands of federal agents move on from Minneapolis, other communities need to prepare, said Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Alice Mann, a physician.
“I know it sounds crazy,” she said, but health care providers “need to start an underground network of how to get people care in their homes. Because letting people die at home or come close to death because they are terrified to go into the hospital, in 2026, is outrageous.”
Home visits, clinicians say, may be the only way to reach those who still feel under siege. In Los Angeles, starting last June, St. John's Community Health brought medical care to some 2,000 immigrant families too frightened to leave home during an immigration sweep after the clinic's no-show rates ballooned to more than 30%, said Jim Mangia, the organization's president.
Many of Minnesota's large health institutions have relied on telemedicine and only dabbled in home care.
Not Munira Maalimisaq, co-founder of Inspire Change Clinic in Minneapolis' Ventura Village neighborhood. After about one-third of her patients stopped showing up for appointments, “I was like, ‘We have to do something,'” the nurse practitioner said. So she called a physician friend. What if they just started seeing patients at home?
“And she's like, ‘You know what? Let's do it.'”
They now have about 150 doctors — a volunteer “rapid response” team that has made more than 135 home visits. The first call was a woman whose husband had been deported. She was home with her children, was 39 weeks pregnant, and was in labor. Maalimisaq called an obstetrician volunteer, and they rushed to the patient's house.
“She was 8 centimeters dilated,” Maalimisaq said, “and did not want us to call an ambulance. She says, ‘Can I have the baby here?'”
The woman was not a good candidate for a home birth, Maalimisaq said. They persuaded her to ride to the hospital in Maalimisaq's car, a “small Tesla, white seats. Everything that could go wrong was there.”
But they made it to the hospital in time, and the woman had a safe, healthy delivery. “If we were not there, I can only imagine what would have happened.”
Maalimisaq's caregiving follows a Hippocratic logic: “Someone was in need. I cannot just do nothing. And we cannot call an ambulance against her will and have her shoved in there. We had no choice but to do something, and that was the only thing that we could do safely.”
In other visits, she has seen “people so stressed out they pulled the hair out of their skull.” She said she met a mother who'd been rationing her child's seizure medicine despite the child having experienced “one seizure after another.”
The Trump administration says its Minnesota operation improved public safety. “Since Operation Metro Surge began, our brave DHS law enforcement have arrested over 4,000 criminal illegal aliens including vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles and incredibly dangerous individuals,” according to McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson. DHS announced last month that McLaughlin was leaving her post.
Minnesota correctional officials say many people accused of crimes were released directly to ICE by state or county prisons and jails. And only 29% of people arrested by ICE nationwide in January had criminal convictions, according to DHS data. Far fewer were convicted of violent crimes.
On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump rescinded a 2011 policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations” such as schools, hospitals, and churches.
In Northfield, about 45 miles south of Minneapolis, ICE agents have been sitting in their cars for hours at least twice a week outside the town hospital, said Carroll, the nurse practitioner. Agents have made arrests in the area almost every day, Carroll and her colleagues said.
“ICE does not conduct enforcement at hospitals — period,” McLaughlin said.
One recent morning, three ICE vehicles sat in a Baptist church parking lot across the street from an elementary school in Northfield as volunteers ferried 35 children of immigrants back and forth to the school so their parents could avoid going out, Carroll said.
“ICE is not going to schools to arrest children — we are protecting children,” McLaughlin said.
Drones that Carroll and others believe are operated by immigration agents hover most nights, and sometimes during the day, over a trailer park that mostly houses immigrants who have moved to the area to work in agriculture and manufacturing over the past 15 years. Families paper over trailer windows, Carroll said.
“You cannot feel safe anywhere,” she said. “On the way to school, on the way to clinic, you might pass ICE. The sort of crushing fear and feeling of being trapped that these families are going through is outrageous.”
That fear means patients with diabetes and heart disease are missing blood sugar and blood thinner tests. Patients aren't getting exercise, and the chronically ill are getting sicker, said Calla Brown, a Minneapolis pediatrician.
At the Faribault clinic where Carroll works, staff members deliver medicine, food, and other necessities to patients. A staffer drives 12 middle and high school kids to and from class every day in a clinic van.
Some patients are treated at home. Carroll recently diagnosed a baby with influenza, telling the parents it wasn't an immediate threat — yet.
“‘If you see the baby struggling to breathe, if the baby's not eating, if the baby isn't making wet diapers, you have to go to the hospital,'” Carroll said she told them. “‘I cannot promise it's safe. But you've got to go.'”
In Minneapolis, nurse-midwife Fernanda Honebrink spends most of her daylight hours calling, coordinating, and shuttling between a ballooning group of fearful people stuck in their homes. She prefers not to call it a medical underground.
“It's more like, that's how we function in Minnesota,” said Honebrink, a U.S. citizen who emigrated from Ecuador 23 years ago. “We're nice to each other.”
Honebrink spent a recent afternoon at the home of a family with a baby boy. His parents, Alex and Isa, desperately want him to receive vaccinations and blood tests at his one-year well-child appointment.
But they haven't left their apartment for more than a month. “You don't know what is most important: whether to go out for his well-being, or to go out and think that you might not come back,” Alex said.
The couple, who were interviewed in Spanish, entered the U.S. legally from Venezuela in 2024 under a program called Humanitarian Parole, which Trump ended in May. Since then, federal agents have detained and deported workers at a company where Alex, a mechanical engineer by training, worked in construction.
Alex and Isa have seen government vehicles outside their home. They knew of a man, they said, who had legitimate work papers but was picked up while walking to church one Sunday, flown to Texas, then put on a plane to Venezuela. It was a terrifying prospect for those who've fled that country's dictatorship and economic chaos.
“It feels like a psychological attack,” Alex said. “The possibility of being separated from your family.”
Isa, a lawyer back in Venezuela, has endured postpartum depression, cooped up for weeks in their apartment. The state program that provided health insurance to all immigrants ended Jan. 1. A therapist checks in occasionally by phone, free of charge.
She has tried to keep the family afloat by selling homemade cakes and necklaces, and babysitting.
Her worst fear is being separated from her son, who was born in the U.S. and is a citizen. The possibility hadn't occurred to her until an acquaintance urged her to sign a form to designate someone to have temporary custody if she were deported.
“It was something I never imagined,” said Isa, who sobbed as she recalled the moment. “He's my baby! He's not someone else's! What? My baby would remain here with someone?''
Honebrink suddenly piped up: “I will guarantee him. I'll sign the form.”
She later told a reporter, “I told my husband I wouldn't do that. I've already signed as a sponsor for four kids.”
As soon as she left the apartment, Honebrink jumped back on the phone and traded favors with local pediatricians, clinic schedulers, and volunteers. Within hours, she'd set up a new well-child visit for the baby and found a vetted driver to transport the family.
“A white person,” Honebrink explained.
Two days later, Honebrink sent a picture of her small victory: Alex and Isa's baby boy with a Band-Aid on his legs. “He got his vaccines,” she said via text. “I'm so happy.”
But other medical needs cannot be as swiftly addressed. One February evening, Honebrink greeted Gabi and her mother with a trunk full of donated baby wipes, diapers, and toys.
Gabi's surgery is rescheduled for August. Her mother said she hoped by then it would be safe to leave home.
“I used to take the kids to the park, but now we don't leave at all,” she said. “They grab people, they mistreat them. How I wish it would end soon!”
KFF Health News' Jackie Fortiér contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
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President Donald Trump said Thursday on social media he was firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and would name Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her.
Trump thanked Noem for her service, saying in his Truth Social post she “has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)” and that she “will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.”
He said Mullin would take over the position March 31.
Trump loves watching Mullin on TV, aides said, which played a role in the president's decision to tap him for the position. Trump has called Mullin following combative interviews to praise him and White House staffers have often dispatched the senator to do cable news hits around big moments for the administration.
Noem thanked the president in a social media post shortly after the announcement.
“The western hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security,” she said, referring to her new position. “In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security.”
Noem, who was tapped by Trump to helm DHS at the start of his administration, has faced growing scrutiny over her conduct in the position, including her alleged romantic relationship with her chief adviser, distribution of the windfall of cash the department has received — particularly for an expensive ad campaign that showcased her prominently — and her conflicting accounts over fatal incidents involving federal immigration agents.
Current and former Homeland Security officials had privately questioned how much longer the secretary would remain in the post following what they perceived as a series of missteps. Those include blindsiding the White House with a decision to pause TSA precheck during the current DHS funding lapse — a decision that was reversed within hours — and her responses during two congressional hearings this week.
Trump himself was angry with how the hearings went — particularly her assertion, which he denies, that the president was aware of her DHS ad campaign.
Since the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and Noem's controversial responses, Trump has been asking allies about what they think of her. Those close to him believed at the time that it was largely Trump being Trump — he often asks about his team and how they are doing, particularly amid backlash.
CNN has previously reported that some top White House officials have long been frustrated with Corey Lewandowski, Noem's top aide and the subject of some pointed questioning during this week's congressional hearings.
Trump dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis in January in the wake of the Good and Pretti shootings to resolve the issues on the ground there, an apparent rebuke of Noem's handling of the situation. Homan and Noem have a long simmering feud and rarely speak, according to multiple current and former officials. White House officials maintained that the two were in lockstep with each other.
GOP allies outside the administration had also grown weary of Noem — and support among GOP senators had weakened. That was evident in questions posed by Republicans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week.
“Quality matters, not quantity, quality, and what we've seen is a disaster under your leadership,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said at the hearing.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy confronted Noem about her agency's advertising campaign, which, as Kennedy pointed out, often prominently showcases Noem. ProPublica reported last year that the recipient of a lucrative advertising subcontract was the husband of a former DHS spokesperson.
While Noem argued that bids for the advertisements were properly submitted, Kennedy said his research “shows that you did not bid them out” and, in one instance, chose a company that was formed “11 days before you picked them.”
“It troubles me, quarter-fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we're scratching for every penny and we're fighting over rescission packages, I just can't agree with Madam Secretary,” Kennedy said, later asking whether the president approved the campaign which featured her prominently.
“Did the president know you were gonna do this?” Kennedy asked.
“Yes,” Noem replied.
“He did?” Kennedy pressed.
“Uh huh, yes,” Noem said.
In an interview with Reuters Thursday, Trump denied knowing about the campaign. “I never knew anything about it,” he said.
Multiple other Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Noem testified this week, wouldn't say Thursday if they back her leadership, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally.
“Time will tell,” he repeatedly answered when asked if he has confidence in the DHS secretary and if he would vote to confirm her again if he had the chance.
Homeland Security officials were stunned by the president's announcement Thursday afternoon, though some saw her ouster as inevitable.
“I think it's long overdue. She wasn't qualified for the position from the beginning,” a Homeland Security official told CNN.
Another Homeland Security official said Noem “paid the price,” accusing her of exploiting the role for personal gain.
Officials in the department have been texting one another, sharing the news and trying to game out what comes next for the department. There was frequent turnover at the top of the agency during Trump's first term.
Within DHS, officials had expressed increasing frustration — and at times, exhaustion — over the way Noem and Lewandowski, a longtime Noem confidante who was tapped early on to serve at DHS as a special government employee, run the agency.
“People are tired of their shit. Honestly, it's been unreal,” one Homeland Security official told CNN.
Lewandowski, who's only intended to serve in his role on a temporary basis, has developed a reputation at the department of reprimanding officials, directing the firings of personnel, requesting employees be put on administrative leave, calling agency leaders “to hold them accountable,” and micro-managing — including over the massive infusion of cash the department has received to ramp up deportations.
Noem downplayed his influence when asked by Republicans and Democrats about his role this week.
“His role is a special government employee. And special government employees work for the White House and the administration. There are thousands of them,” Noem said, maintaining that Homeland Security officials were following rules and regulations associated with special government employees in an exchange with Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Noem was also grilled about longstanding allegations in the media that she was in a romantic relationship with Lewandowski. She called it “tabloid garbage” during a House hearing Wednesday.
Mullin told reporters Thursday afternoon that he's spoken with Trump, but said they “still have to communicate” and “get on the same page.”
“So we'll talk about it moving forward,” he said, adding that he has “no idea” how the confirmation process will go. The president had not indicated publicly if he intended to nominate Mullin to serve as a permanent replacement.
Mullin was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving five terms in the House of Representatives.
In his tenure, Mullin has been a staunch ally of Trump and was a regular fixture in negotiations within his party, relying on his relationships across the Capitol to serve as a conduit between House and Senate Republicans. Over the summer, he was crucial in bringing Republicans together on passing the president's landmark tax legislation, securing a deal with New York House Republicans on a state and local tax deduction.
As the chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the legislative branch, Mullin has been deeply involved in helping to improve lawmaker security in a heightened threat environment. A former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, Mullin is famous on Capitol Hill for intense workouts that he used to run for House members. He is often seen bouncing a ball during a long vote series or during tense negotiations.
In January, shortly after the killing of Pretti, Mullin told CNN he “absolutely” had confidence in Noem, though he said he hasn't “had time” to see the viral videos of Pretti's death.
Mullin has been working with the White House and Senate Democrats to try and find an end to the current DHS shutdown, while arguing that he does not want Congress to pass restrictions that would inhibit agents from doing their job.
Some officials and sources close to the White House had mused, before Trump announced he was sidelining her, whether Noem would try to run for the Senate in South Dakota, challenging incumbent Sen. Mike Rounds in the GOP primary. To qualify for the ballot in South Dakota, Noem would need to gather just over 2,000 signatures before the filing deadline at the end of March.
But jumping in the race now wouldn't give Noem much of a runway to campaign. The primary is scheduled for June 2, giving the former South Dakota governor less than three months.
Trump has also already endorsed Rounds for Senate and an effort to paint him as an instigator of the president would prove challenging. In his endorsement last year, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Rounds was “an America First Patriot” who had his “complete and total endorsement for re-election.”
“He will never let you down,” Trump said.
Unlike other Republicans on the ballot this year, like Maine Sen. Susan Collins or Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, Rounds voted against convicting Trump in his impeachment trial in 2021. He voted for every one of Trump's cabinet nominees and has rarely spoken out against Trump even though he is seen in the chamber as a pragmatic and more traditional Republican.
Rounds also voted for Trump's signature tax package.
There was one notable squabble between Rounds and Trump. The president did vow back in 2022 that he may never endorse Rounds again after the South Dakota Republican called the 2020 election fair.
“I will never endorse this jerk again,” Trump said in a Truth Social post at the time.
This story has been updated with additional developments and reporting.
CNN's Manu Raju, Kaitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak and Sarah Ferris contributed to this report.
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“The American people will remember who voted to continue an illegal, unnecessary war,” said one progressive advocate.
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On Wednesday, a War Powers Resolution vote in the U.S. Senate failed to garner enough votes to end the Trump administration's war on Iran, with the Republican majority blocking its advancement.
The vote was split largely on party lines, with just one member of each party crossing the political divide. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) sided with Democrats in favor of the vote, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) voted with Republicans.
The resolution received 47 votes in favor of blocking further military action in Iran, and 53 votes opposed.
Democratic senators had framed the vote not only as necessary for blocking President Donald Trump's war on Iran — which he is waging without congressional approval, in violation of the Constitution — but also as a means for alerting voters to how their senators view the deeply unpopular war.
“Today every senator, every single one, will pick a side: Do you stand with the American people who are exhausted of forever wars in the Middle East? Or stand with Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth as they bumble us headfirst into another war?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said in a floor speech preceding the vote.
“We can't afford to hide under a desk and let any president, Democrat or Republican, send our best and brightest, our own kids, into war to risk their lives unless we have debated it, we have determined it is in the national interest, we have voted and thereby put our signature and our thumb print on the notion that it's worth sending our best and brightest to risk their lives,” said resolution author Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia).
In a press release statement, Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Cavan Kharrazian blasted senators opposed to the War Powers Resolution vote.
“The American people will remember who voted to continue an illegal, unnecessary war,” Kharrazian said. “Every senator who voted against the war powers resolution also voted against the wishes of the American people and against the safety of the servicemembers they are sworn to protect.”
“The stakes are clear and there is no more time for political games. We cannot accept anything except full opposition to Trump's war,” Kharrazian added. “This means no votes to authorize it for any period of time and no votes for spending a single penny on it.”
Although Trump has not officially declared war, he and other members of his administration have repeatedly described the U.S. military attacks on Iran as a “war.”
“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” Trump said in his message to Americans on Saturday.
Indeed, although the U.S. has conducted numerous long-term military campaigns over the past century — slaughtering and displacing millions of people and destabilizing nations across the globe — the country has not issued an official declaration of war since World War II. However, the terms of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 require presidents to seek congressional approval for military action, except in special emergency circumstances.
The law reads, in part:
The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
In previous military actions, Trump has used past authorizations for use of military force (AUMFs) to justify his actions. However, he has not cited any such authorizations in his recent war with Iran. In a letter to Congress announcing the military campaign, the administration merely cited a “responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests both at home and abroad,” but failed to cite a specific imminent threat as the law requires.
Indeed, the administration's narrative surrounding the war has shifted dramatically in the short time span since the U.S. launched its attacks last weekend. Officials have attempted to justify the war by falsely claiming that attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East (and, absurdly, in the U.S. itself) were imminent, baselessly suggesting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, and citing a supposed need for regime change.
At one point, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that attacking Iran was necessary because Iran would strike the U.S. if it were to be attacked — circular reasoning that sought to place blame for the start of the war solely on Israel, despite the U.S. and Israel jointly planning an attack on Iran for several months. Trump allies have also peddled blatant Islamophobia in attempting to justify the war, with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) claiming it is necessary because of Iran's “misguided” beliefs.
Although this War Powers Resolution vote has failed, other Senate votes could take place in the near future. Two resolutions are also set to be voted on within the House of Representatives — one that, similar to the Senate version, calls for the immediate withdrawal of military forces from the region, and another version that would allow the president 30 days to continue the war before requiring reauthorization votes to extend it.
Several organizations — including Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition, Palestinian Youth Movement, National Iranian American Council (NIAC), and The People's Forum — have planned a mass demonstration for this weekend, in multiple U.S. cities, demanding an end to the war on Iran.
🚨This Saturday, March 7th, in cities and towns around the country, stand up to say No War on Iran! Hundreds have already been killed by the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran—including over 100 children as they sat in their elementary school. The people of the U.S. overwhelmingly… pic.twitter.com/oXJBbiMeJG
In an interview with Truthout, ANSWER Coalition's West Coast coordinator, Richard Becker, decried the decision to go to war.
“This is obviously a war of choice, a war of aggression, a violation of the U.S. Constitution, and an immoral, illegal, horrendous act against a country, and against a people, who are now living under the bombs that are falling from U.S. and Israeli war planes,” Becker said. “And it has the possibility of becoming a much wider war.”
Becker also explained that mass demonstrations would be the best way to pressure Congress into holding Trump accountable.
“It's going to take the intervention of the people in the political struggle and process to bring about real change,” Becker said. “It's not going to come from Congress — it's going to come from the people.”
Becker added:
The key element is what the people do now, and not just one demonstration, but we have to build a new anti-war, people's movement, that becomes a permanent and growing feature of the whole political scene.
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TUNIS, March 5. /TASS/. Iran delivered several strikes at the US military headquarters near Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, the Iranian state broadcaster reported.
Reuters cited reports of multiple explosions heard near the airport.
Earlier, the UAE Defense Ministry said air defense systems were intercepting a missile attack from Iran.
In Dallas and Williamson counties, voters faced long lines, extended wait times and confusion about voting location
On Tuesday, Texas held its Democratic and Republican primaries ahead of the upcoming November midterms. Democratic voters chose between Jasmine Crockett, the anti-Trump firebrand congresswoman, and James Talarico, the populist state representative, in an election that attracted national attention. Crockett conceded the race and endorsed Talarico on Wednesday, but only after claiming late on election night that she wasn't ready to concede because of a voting issue in Dallas.
“We don't have any of the results because there was a lot of confusion today,” Crockett told supporters at her election-night party: “We were able to keep the polls open, but I can tell you now that people have been disenfranchised.” Crockett received 45.6% of the vote, compared to Talarico's 53.1%.
Voters in Dallas and Williamson counties faced challenges due to a change in voting location. Voting rights advocates say that the difficulties in voting amount to voter suppression – and they raise concerns about how smoothly the November midterms will go. (Republican candidates, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, and the incumbent senator John Cornyn will face-off in a run-off on 26 May.)
Denisse Molina, who worked as a poll monitor with the Texas Civil Rights Project in Williamson county, said that she saw several voters go into one precinct only to be routed elsewhere. In one large voting site, Democratic and Republican voters were lost as to where they were supposed to go because of a lack of adequate signage.
At another site, a leasing office at an apartment complex, Molina said there were only three voting machines available despite people from 13 precincts being routed to that location. About 200 people waited in line for hours – so long that voters began to leave.
“I had never experienced voter suppression like that,” Molina said. The difficulties Molina witnessed were not isolated. Across Dallas and Williamson counties, voters described classic suppression tactics: long lines, extended wait times and confusion about voting location.
The confusion came after a rule change for primary voting. For the first time in years, the Dallas and Williamson county Republican parties refused to agree to a joint primary election, meaning that Democratic and Republican voters would not vote at a centralized site, as they had done in previous elections.
“Both Dallas and Williamson county voters have grown accustomed to countywide voting, including on election day,” Crockett said in a statement on Tuesday. “This effort to suppress the vote, to confuse and inconvenience voters is having its intended effect as people are being turned away from the polls.”
Eventually Texas's supreme court stepped in – further muddying the waters. The state's highest court ordered that Dallas county separate any votes cast by voters who were not in line by 7pm.
“It does set a precedent that Republicans can continue to do this and get away with it,” Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic party said. “But the truth is this didn't happen overnight. This has been legal policy that Republicans have been pushing for years to culminate to a point that administering an election becomes unfunctional. ”
And while the chaos stemmed from a change unique to Texas, voting advocates fear it may have implications for November's midterm elections.
“What happened in Texas is a warning to the entire nation. Voters who showed up, stood in line, and did everything right were turned away because partisan officials chose conspiracy theories over countywide voting systems that worked without problems for years,” Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, said in a statement. “This is not just a Texas problem. It is a blueprint for voter suppression being tested in real time.”
Though voters across races were affected by the change and subsequent chaos, people of color and working-class voters were particularly affected.
Amber Mills, issue advocacy director of Move Texas, said that young, working-class and people of color are more likely to vote on election day, as opposed to early voting. Crockett mobilized Black voters in Dallas county, while Talarico, to whom she conceded the race on Wednesday, mobilized Latino and white voters in Williamson county. Mills said it was “very telling that these two counties were potentially targeted in some sort of way”.
“When we look at this in a pattern of the state's ongoing attempt, whether it be local elections or whether it be state leaders or local Republican parties making decisions, that ultimately causes this mass confusion and ultimate suppression, we see that as part of this larger pattern,” Mills said. “We saw that with the redistricting of them intentionally gerrymandering our communities, especially in areas like Dallas.”
While voter suppression efforts aren't new, Mills said: “They're getting more targeted at the local level. Seeing this happen in both counties in such a critical election, a primary one with breaking record turnout of young voters, of voters of color, this type of use of power can ultimately discourage participation in future elections.”
Scudder remains hopeful that the trials people experienced while voting will motivate them. He hopes that the difficulties people, especially those voting for the first time, faced to vote underscores for them “how crucial their vote is. If your vote weren't so powerful, they wouldn't be trying to take it away from you,” he said. “And nothing scares the establishment more than people who have typically not participated in the electoral process suddenly showing up.”
Without sirens or bomb shelters, Palestinians in the West Bank are witnessing the blowback to Israel's war on Iran.
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Ramallah — While the world's attention is on the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, the Israeli military has placed the West Bank under a functional lockdown.
Checkpoints in and out of most major cities are closed, and Palestinians have been left to look for other travel arrangements. Some residents who spoke with Truthout said they traveled for hours through village back roads in an attempt to reach their destinations.
At 12:00 pm on March 2, at the Qalandia checkpoint into Jerusalem from Ramallah, Israel's air alert system began to ring out, and Palestinians were pushed back from the checkpoint and onto the street, where there is no bomb shelter to protect them.
Explosions continued for the next 15 minutes, with Palestinians gazing up at the sky. The day before, an Iranian missile landed just a few kilometers from the crossing, injuring at least six people, according to a statement from the Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency service.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has alerted West Bank residents to incoming missile strikes, deploying a service similar to Home Front Command in Israel, which alerts Israeli residents with real-time updates, including when to seek shelter.
Checkpoints in and out of most major cities are closed, and Palestinians have been left to look for other travel arrangements.
Shrapnel frequently falls on the West Bank after missile interceptions, and has injured and even killed Palestinians in the past, which has led the PA to declare a state of emergency, shifting schooling to remote learning and issuing a stern statement.
The U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, which has quickly spiraled into a regional conflict after joint U.S.-Israeli headhunting strikes eliminated the upper echelons of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leadership, has created a fog of war that has allowed Israel to further cement control of the West Bank.
Khaled Abu Ahmed, who is from Ramallah but has family in Miami, told Truthout, “Trump and Netanyahu have both ruined their countries. Look at what we are living through here; someone has to stop them.”
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of May 2025, there were 849 checkpoints across the occupied West Bank, with yellow gates blocking roads comprising about a third of the total checkpoints. Many have been installed in the wake of October 7, further restricting Palestinians' freedom of movement in the occupied territory.
Human rights activist Issa Amro told Truthout that many of the gates had been closed since the first alert sounded Saturday morning.
Footage obtained by Truthout, courtesy of Sami Huraini — a human rights activist based in Hebron who founded the grassroots nonviolent resistance group known as Youth of Sumud — showed Palestinians forced to walk under closed yellow military gates on the way to the hospital, with Palestine Red Crescent Society vehicles waiting on both sides.
The U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran has created a fog of war that has allowed Israel to further cement control of the West Bank.
Yellow military gates, which allow the military to control movement in and out of villages and along main thoroughfares, are ubiquitous throughout the West Bank. They are used by both settlers and the Israeli military to close access in response to attacks from armed groups in the West Bank, or at their discretion.
Yotam Wiseman, a human rights activist with Torat Tzedek, an Israeli human rights organization working to document and prevent settler attacks in the West Bank, told Truthout, “Meanwhile, one of the exits from Mukhmas was blocked with concrete blocks, at a spot that was blocked by settlers many times in the past. This time we don't even know if this was done by the army or by settlers.”
Settler attacks continue daily undisturbed. “A Palestinian I know was injured from stone-throwing near his business in Mukhmas,” Wiseman said. “At the same time, three other activists, Palestinian residents and I were assaulted in Duma. One of us was choked, two were pepper-sprayed and kicked, a Palestinian received a head injury, and an elderly Palestinian woman was pepper-sprayed.”
Despite the terms of the ceasefire agreed to by Hamas and the Israeli government, all land crossings into Gaza have been closed indefinitely.
Despite the terms of the ceasefire agreed to by Hamas and the Israeli government, all land crossings into Gaza have been closed indefinitely. Many in the West Bank worry that the Israeli government, as it is doing here, will use the war as justification — with the international spotlight elsewhere — “to finish the job in Gaza,” as one resident described it.
Settler violence continues under the cover of war. The Israeli military recently authorized a call-up of more than 100,000 reserve soldiers due to the conflict with Iran and authorized public transportation on Shabbat for the first time since October 7, 2023.
The Jewish holiday of Purim fell on March 3, and has often correlated with attacks on Palestinian villages, which have been characterized as “pogroms.” This year on Purim, Wiseman told Truthout that the Israeli military forced him and other activists to leave Duma, the Palestinian village where they were staying, declaring it a closed military zone.
Shortly thereafter, according to footage Wiseman shared with Truthout, Israeli settlers invaded the village, destroying residents' homes and other property — shattering solar panels and tearing down building walls.
In Hebron, in the southern West Bank, Palestinians lined up to purchase gas, fearing shortages due to a prolonged conflict. Israel has imposed import restrictions on gas heading to the West Bank.
The West Bank is not the target of missiles sent by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, during the 12-day war last year, the Houthis launched a missile that landed in the occupied West Bank, injuring five Palestinians.
In the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's killing by joint Israel-U.S. strikes launched Saturday morning, Iran has fired dozens of missiles at targets in Israel and at U.S. military installations across the Middle East, setting off a U.S.-backed regional war.
President Trump said in a piece published in The Atlantic that he would be looking to return to the negotiating table with Iranian leadership, but until then, the strikes have continued.
Even if they are not the target, Palestinians are at risk of injury or death from shrapnel and falling debris. Even a small, centimeter-long piece of shrapnel is enough to kill someone, and Iran has been sending smaller but more frequent barrages that can send shrapnel miles into the air.
There isn't anywhere for Palestinians to hide. In the West Bank, there are few, if any, bomb shelters. Even in Israel, according to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, half of the Palestinian population lives in buildings without a bomb shelter.
Even if they did want to respond with alarm, Palestinians in the West Bank lack access to the infrastructure they would need to take the precautions deemed standard in Israel, where there is widespread adherence to safety guidelines issued by the Home Front Command amid the missile attacks.
In Masyoun, a diplomatic neighborhood in southern Ramallah overlooking Jerusalem, residents can hear air raid sirens from the settlement of Psagot, which lies on a hill overlooking Ramallah and from which settlers often come to attack Palestinians.
“We hear it, and we know they [Israelis in the settlement] can go to their shelters, but all we can do is watch the missiles from our balconies,” Fatme Zarour, a Masyoun resident, said.
Truthout is funded almost entirely by readers — that's why we can speak truth to power and cut against the mainstream narrative. But independent journalists at Truthout face mounting political repression under Trump.
We rely on your support to survive McCarthyist censorship. Please make a tax-deductible one-time or monthly donation.
This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the following terms:
Theia Chatelle is a conflict correspondent based between Ramallah and New Haven. She has written for The Intercept, The Nation, The New Arab, etc. She is an alumnus of the International Women's Media Foundation and the Rory Peck Trust.
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MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. The West's war against Russia is no longer hybrid, but direct and "hot," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at an embassy round table on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.
He also said the North Atlantic Alliance is being drawn into the war that the US and Israel have unleashed against Iran.
TASS has compiled the key statements made by the foreign minister.
The West wanted Russia to collapse when it unleashed a conflict against it through Ukraine: "The goal of the war against Russia that was prepared and ultimately unleashed by the West through the Ukrainian regime is to weaken, as they themselves say, to inflict a strategic defeat on our country. And there is every reason to believe that behind this lies, you know, the utmost desire to destroy our country."
The West prepared Ukraine to become anti-Russia: "And it became the spearhead of the West's hybrid war, but recently it has become not only a hybrid war, but a direct, ‘hot' war by the West against the Russian Federation."
The EU has already "outstripped" NATO in its policy against Russia: "And in its determination to militarize and sharpen its weapons against our country, it is no less persistent than the North Atlantic Alliance."
Even now, when the special operation has proven that the West's plans to defeat Russia will not come to fruition, "the stubborn Europeans in Brussels, London, Paris, and Berlin insist that NATO's doors must remain open."
Russia sees no reason to suspect that the negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement with the participation of the US are a "smokescreen": "We currently see no reason to suspect that these negotiations are also a ‘smokescreen'."
The "spirit" was not the main thing at the summit in Anchorage; the main achievement was clear understandings: "We know how our Western colleagues are able of creating an atmosphere, a spirit. But the spirit evaporates. And most importantly, in Anchorage, a clear understanding was reached on the basis of the proposals made by President [Donald] Trump and his team of negotiators."
The understandings reached at the Anchorage summit imply serious compromises on Russia's part: "Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly commented that we have accepted the proposals [of Trump and his negotiating team in Anchorage], including those aspects of the proposals that are already a serious compromise for us."
Ukraine and Europe "continue to make every effort to rework and rewrite the Anchorage understandings."
Russia is fully committed to the understandings reached at the Anchorage summit: "Our conscience is clear. We are committed to the understandings that were clearly reached at the US suggestion in Alaska."
Russia remains committed to a settlement in Ukraine and hopes that the US "will not be led astray from this true path."
Ukrainian terrorists "are actively involved in information security, engaging in cyberterrorism, targeting civilian objects such as banks, power plants, and transportation systems."
The Ukrainian trace is not even hidden in the attack on the gas tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was legally following its route: "From the shores of Libya, they destroyed gas tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was sailing completely legally, and the Ukrainian trace - by and large, they are not even hiding it."
The Kiev regime is planning attacks on the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream pipelines.
The United States and the United Kingdom have deployed infrastructure in Ukraine to carry out hacker attacks: "According to our reliable information, this infrastructure, created by the Anglo-Saxons, specialists, instructors, and military personnel from the US and Britain, is still in Ukraine and continues to engage in this criminal activity."
Major Western companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and SpaceX, led by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, openly sponsor the activities of Ukrainian hackers.
There is no doubt that one of the goals of the US and Israeli operation in the Middle East "was to drive a wedge between the countries of the region, between the countries of the Persian Gulf — Iran and its Arab neighbors, between which a positive process of normalization had been observed until recently."
The West in the Middle East operates on the principle of "divide, pit against each other, and rule."
Russia's strategic partners are suffering from the actions of the US and Israel: "We are talking about our close friends. All those who suffer from the aggression of the United States and Israel are our strategic partners."
Russia and its partners on the world stage will do everything to create a mood that would stop the hostilities: "We will do everything to work with other peace-loving members of the international community, including in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, to create an atmosphere that will make this operation completely impossible."
NATO is getting dragged into the war that the US and Israel have started against Iran: "Here, Mr. [NATO Secretary General Mark] Rutte is making some pretty strong statements. He said, ‘NATO is ready to use the collective defense clause in the US operation against Iran.'
"His statements mean: dear members of the international community, know that NATO's interests lie wherever we tell you they lie."
Negotiations between the US and Iran were close to success as early as June 2025: "Negotiations between the United States and Iran had been going on for a long time and, judging by the comments of the participants, were very close to success back in June last year, when, in the midst of negotiations, literally on the eve of the next round, the 12-day war was unleashed, then known as the first act of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The same thing has happened now."
Aggression in the Middle East must be stopped immediately: "We advocate an immediate end to aggression."
A moratorium on attacks that cause civilian casualties must be introduced in the Middle East: "Let us all stand together for the cessation of all hostilities, starting with a complete moratorium on attacks that lead to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, as is happening in many Arab countries."
Russia opposes suffering of the Persian Gulf nations in the conflict, Iran does not benefit from it, but the war must be stopped: "Politically, it is highly doubtful that Iran gains anything from this. Quite the contrary. But we also cannot accept the logic that Iran's actions are unacceptable, while everything the US and Israel do is beyond discussion."
The Persian monarchies have not condemned the actions of the US and Israel against Iran, nor the killing of the girls who died in the strike on the Iranian school.
Russia will distribute materials reflecting the Russian concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf region.
The logic behind the US' actions in the Middle East is to "finish off" the current regime in Iran.
Russia calls for "jointly stopping" hostilities in the Middle East; a UN Security Council resolution is possible.
In the context of the conflict in the Middle East, Russia finds that the role of the IAEA and its secretariat "not very clear."
The US did not respond to Russia's official proposal to use frozen assets to contribute to the Board of Peace.
The Guardian asked US readers about the military action in Iran – their responses were largely disapproving
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As hundreds of civilians and some US service members have been killed in the aftermath of the 28 February strike against Iran by the United States and Israel, the Guardian asked readers in the US what their thoughts are on the latest military action in Iran.
Their responses were largely disapproving, with some acknowledging that the Iranian regime needed to be toppled, even with a high cost.
“I don't have any love lost for the ayatollahs,” said Iraj Roshan, a 66-year-old retired cardiologist and US citizen who was born in Tehran, in an interview with the Guardian. “But these wars are won by narrative.”
Roshan fled to Turkey after the Iranian revolution, making his way to Austria and later the US, where he has lived since 1983.
Over the last decade, Donald Trump has denounced US military intervention in other countries. In December 2016, the then president-elect said: “We will stop racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about, that we shouldn't be involved with.” On the campaign trail – in 2016, 2020 and 2024 – Trump and his allies spoke against foreign intervention, painting Democrats as enablers of war. In a series of social media posts days before the 2024 election day, Trump adviser Stephen Miller repeatedly warned that a win for Kamala Harris, the then vice-president, would lead to young men being “drafted to fight” in a “3rd World War”.
Roshan argues that the US government does not have a strategy in the Middle East.
“I don't see any way this war is going to end in a way that the US can declare victory without putting boots on the ground or without arming the Iranians themselves,” he said.
“I hate to see that so many American kids are going to be eventually dragged into a war that we cannot win – at least by any definition that we could write down today.”
Meg, a 41-year-old small business owner based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, spoke about the impacts of the strike on her community, which is home to the largest Arab community in New York City – approximately 10% of the neighborhood's population.
“For a lot of my Muslim friends, this is their favorite time of year,” Meg told the Guardian, referring to the holiday of Ramadan, which began on 17 February and continues through 19 March. “So to have this renewed tragedy strike in the middle of that, as somebody on the outskirts who cares about people in my community and in my circle of friends, it breaks my heart.”
Meg also spoke of the persistent terrors that many of her neighbors have faced, first from the threat of ICE raids and then the strikes on Iran.
“That's been an ongoing drum beat of terror in my neighborhood,” she said. “How much can people take? How much suffering has to be inflicted on them for mindless reasons?”
Barb, a 74-year-old retired mental health counsellor based in North Carolina, wrote in to the Guardian: “We can be sure that Trump has launched this war for selfish purposes.
“Whether to flaunt his power, to control the headlines (away from Epstein), or to entertain himself, this needless war is not for the benefit of the Iranian people,” she continued.
While many lawmakers, US citizens and others around the world have pushed back on Trump for unnecessary US involvement in a foreign regime change, others struck a less critical tone.
“The [Iranian] regime is a very controlling and horrible thing,” Sriram Shanmugam, an 18-year-old in Texas who identifies as a Republican, shared with the Guardian. “My father escaped during the Iranian revolution, and I have many relatives in the Middle East too.”
However, Shanmugam acknowledged that the US is “not doing much to minimize civilian casualties, and that we have no real plan after we finish this operation”.
“What will replace the government of Iran, and will we have boots on the ground? Is there any guarantee that this won't be our generation's Afghanistan or Iraq?” he asked.
A 47-year-old social worker in Washington, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote about the impact that another war will have on US veterans.
“I spent 15 years working as a social worker therapist specifically with combat veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “Those wars turned millionaires into billionaires and created a lifetime of emotional pain and physical pain for those who served.”
She also pointed to the myriad of domestic issues that people in the US are facing, including an affordability crisis and fewer jobs.
“People in our country are suffering on the streets, homeless, without health insurance, without hope,” she wrote. “And this is where the government focuses its money and energy?”
This image taken from a video shows damages at the Nakhchivan International Airport following what Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said was a drone attack carried out by Iran on Thursday.The Associated Press
Azerbaijan on Thursday accused Iran of a drone attack on its territory that injured four civilians, and it vowed to retaliate as the war in the Middle East reached into another country.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building.
President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of carrying out “a groundless act of terror and aggression,” and said his military has been told to prepare and implement retaliatory measures. The Caspian Sea nation halted truck traffic across the nearly 700-kilometer (over 400-mile) border with Iran.
Iran's general staff of the armed forces denied it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan's territory. Iran has repeatedly denied targeting oil infrastructure and other civilian targets in the war, despite its drone and missile fire hitting those sites.
The incident highlighted Azerbaijan's complicated relationship with neighbouring Iran, at a time when Baku also has developed military and economic ties with Israel.
Iran has grown increasingly concerned about the U.S. and Israel potentially leveraging the Islamic Republic's various minority ethnic groups to destabilize the country as it comes under attack. Iran has a large Azeri population and Tehran has accused Baku of allowing Israeli intelligence to operate from there. Azerbaijan, in turn, has sought to give assurances that its territory won't be used for an attack on “neighbourly and friendly” Iran.
Video captures blasts when two Iranian drones struck Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan International Airport.
Reuters
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said an Iranian drone crashed near the airport in Nakhchivan, and another one hit near a school. The Defence Ministry said four drones were fired by Iran toward Nakhchivan, and while one was disabled by Azerbaijani forces, the others targeted civilian facilities – including a school where classes were under way.
It was unclear if it was deliberate or an accident.
The country's Prosecutor General's office said four people were injured.
Nakhchivan is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a swath of Armenia about 40 kilometres wide. Nakhchivan accounts for about 6 per cent of the country's territory, bordering Azerbaijan's close ally Turkey and Iran.
“We will not tolerate this groundless act of terror and aggression committed against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said at a meeting of his country's Security Council in remarks carried by the Azertac news agency. “Iranian officials must provide an explanation to the Azerbaijani side, an apology must be offered, and those who committed this terrorist act must be held criminally liable.”
He said Azerbaijan's military has been instructed “to prepare and implement retaliatory measures.”
Fighting in Lebanon expands to areas that are not traditional Hezbollah strongholds
The Defence Ministry vowed that Iran's “attacks will not go unanswered,” adding it was preparing the “necessary response” to protect “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country, ensure the safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure.” It didn't elaborate.
Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan “is not participating in operations against Iran -– neither previously nor this time -– and will not do so.”
He added: “We have neither interest in conducting any operations against neighbouring countries, nor does our policy allow it.”
The Foreign Ministry said Iran's “actions contradict the norms and principles of international law and contribute to increased tension in the region,” and summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a protest.
Baku demanded that Iran “provide an explanation and take the necessary urgent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” the statement said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Aliyev to condemn the Iranian drone attack and express support. The Turkish Foreign Ministry urged a halt to strikes that target “third countries in the region and increase the risk of the war spreading.”
Damages at a school in Julfa, Azerbaijan.The Associated Press
Azerbaijan in recent years has developed ties with Israel and the United States, with Iran's influence in the South Caucasus region diminishing. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Aliyev and other top officials at the White House last year for a three-way summit with Armenia.
Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between the countries, which included an agreement to create a transit corridor to the Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia to be called the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.”
The proposed corridor “remains a thorn in the Tehran's side, which could partially explain” the attack on the exclave, said Mario Bikarski, senior Eastern Europe and Central Asia analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
Carney won't ‘rule out' Canadian military involvement in Middle East
Without the U.S.-financed corridor, the main overland route to Nakhchivan and Turkey from the main part of Azerbaijan is through Iran, which gives Tehran leverage, Bikarski said. If the corridor materializes, Iran's regional influence would be weakened because the route would facilitate Baku's normalized trade and diplomatic relations with Turkey and Armenia, and “open up the South Caucasus to increased U.S. presence,” he added.
Aliyev also met Trump last month at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, as well as Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He later hosted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Azerbaijan and met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance last month.
Bikarski said tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan have somewhat decreased since 2024 following the election of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has an Azeri father and a Kurdish mother. Still, Azerbaijan's close ties with Israel makes it “a plausible target of hostile Iranian actions,” he added.
In recent days, however, Baku appeared to try to assuage any concerns Iran might have over its ties with Israel and its possible role in the war, which began Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel unleashed a series of strikes and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Aliyev was among world leaders who sent a message of condolence over Khamenei's killing to Pezeshkian. On Wednesday, Aliyev visited the Iranian Embassy in Baku to offer his condolences personally to Ambassador Mojtaba Demirchilou.
On Sunday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi and expressed “serious concern over the tragic escalation of the situation in the region.” He also said he hoped for “the prompt cessation of military actions” and stressed that Azerbaijan's territory “cannot be used by any country against neighbouring and friendly Iran.”
Bikarski said in his written comments that it is unclear whether the drones “were sent deliberately, but given one of the areas hit was a regional airport, it is likely that Azerbaijan was indeed deliberately targeted.”
He added: “Azerbaijan's close ties with Israel means it a plausible target of hostile Iranian actions.”
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The White House is facing criticism for a social media video that mixed “Call of Duty” game footage with clips of American missile strikes inside Iran. CNN's Brian Stelter reports.
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A suspect wanted in connection with the deaths of three women has been arrested after authorities “tracked him in one of the victims' vehicles,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said.
The grisly discoveries of the bodies Wednesday in Wayne County spurred a multi-county manhunt, prompting schools to close and businesses to shutter while an unknown killer was on the loose.
The suspect, 22-year-old Ivan Miller of Blakesburg, Iowa, was arrested Thursday after the vehicle “was tracked through southern Utah into northern Arizona and eventually into Colorado,” Utah DPS said.
“Colorado law enforcement located the vehicle abandoned in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and after a brief search, took the individual into custody without incident,” the agency said.
“There are no ongoing threats to the public, and investigators have no outstanding suspects.”
The case started when authorities received a call Wednesday afternoon about “two deceased females located on a hiking trail” in Wayne County, Utah DPS said.
“During the course of the investigation, a third victim was located deceased at a residence in Wayne County,” the agency said.
The three women were in their 30s, 40s and 80s, Utah Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Cameron Roden said Thursday. The Department of Public Safety previously said one of the victims was in her 60s.
Wayne County, about 200 miles south of Salt Lake City, is sparsely populated with about 2,500 residents, according to the US Census. But the area is popular with hiking and outdoor enthusiasts because of nearby Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Fishlake National Forest.
Officials describe the case as a “homicide investigation,” but they have not said how the three women died.
The Utah State Bureau of Investigation and the Utah Crime Lab are processing two crime scenes in the Lyman and Torrey areas, the state's public safety agency said.
Before Thursday's arrest, authorities urged residents to be vigilant and “take extra precautions, such as locking doors, remaining at home or with others,” DPS said.
The Wayne Community Health Center, Kazan Memorial Clinic and Wayne County Courthouse in Loa closed because of the manhunt earlier Thursday, CNN affiliate KSL reported.
The Wayne County School District announced it would be closed for the rest of the week. The district said it “will also have counselors in place to support students when we are back in session next week.”
CNN's Andi Babineau, Cheri Mossburg and Sara Finch contributed to this report.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on March 5 that Moscow had neither seen nor accepted any Western security guarantees for Kyiv, contradicting an earlier claim by a top Ukrainian official.
“We proceed from the understanding that we not only did not approve these guarantees — we have not even seen them,” Lavrov said, as cited by the Russian state news agency TASS.
Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine. The President's Office did not respond to a request for comment.
"At past negotiations, the Russian side directly said that they would accept the security guarantees offered to Ukraine by the U.S.," Budanov said.
He added that Russia understands it may be "forced" to accept such guarantees.
Budanov's remarks came days after U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Feb. 26 as part of ongoing efforts to broker peace with Moscow. Russia did not participate in the talks.
The delegations reportedly discussed Ukraine's postwar recovery needs and plans for a subsequent round of negotiations that would include Russia.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Kyiv has maintained that strong, binding security guarantees from its partners — particularly the United States — are essential to any peace deal and to deterring a future Russian invasion.
It remains unclear what form those guarantees would take. Moscow has previously rejected proposals tied to Ukraine's security, including NATO membership or the deployment of European peacekeepers on Ukrainian territory — both seen as the strongest deterrents for future attacks. Russia has also sought security guarantees of its own.
Reporter
Ukrenergo told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine resumed electricity exports on March 5 for the first time since November 2025.
Zelensky's statement comes after the Financial Times reported on March 5, citing Ukrainain industry figures, that the Pentagon and at least one Gulf state are holding talks to purchase Ukrainian-made interceptors to counter Iranian drones.
Kyiv said it was an attempt to worsen Ukraine's relations with Hungary as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 he hopes the blocking of a 90 billion euro ($107 billion) European Union loan for Ukraine by "one person" will end, warning that otherwise he could give that individual's address to Ukraine's military.
Dmytruk has been charged with assaulting a soldier and a law enforcement officer in separate altercations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready to provide drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, though he did not specify which countries could be involved.
The latest report brings up the number of Russian helicopters Ukraine says it has destroyed to 349 since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed releasing 200 Ukrainian POWs in exchange for the same number of Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine, in a swap brokered by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.
Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine.
"There are no 'protected areas' for Russian military facilities," a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on March 4 claimed he has satellite imagery proving that the Druzhba oil pipeline is not damaged.
The Ukrainian citizens are among the 147 foreigners wanted by Polish law enforcement who were detained during the raid carried out on March 2 and 3, "primarily aimed at verifying the legality of foreigners' stay."
MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Moscow has not received any requests for assistance, including weapons provisions, from Iran, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a briefing.
"As for the current situation, there have been no requests from Iran. Our consistent position is well-known to everyone. It remains unchanged," he pointed out, when asked if Russia planned to provide any assistance to Iran, particularly by providing weapons, in addition to political support.
The US and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. The White House justified the attack by citing missile and nuclear threats allegedly coming from Tehran. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation, hitting targets in Israel. US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia also came under attack. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other key figures in the Iranian leadership were killed in strikes on the country.
Harp Sandhu, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager at Sandhu Wealth of Raymond James Ltd.Supplied
In the Behind the Advice series, Globe Advisor asks advisors about their relationship with money from a young age, lessons learned over the years and how their experiences influence the advice they give clients. Season 3 of the Behind the Advice podcast is now out! You can find episodes from all three seasons here.
Harp Sandhu, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager with Sandhu Wealth at Raymond James Ltd. in Victoria, talks about growing up in a small British Columbia lumber town, how he got into financial services, and why he thinks Mr. Miyagi of The Karate Kid would make a great advisor.
Describe your upbringing.
I grew up in Campbell River, B.C., the oldest of three sons born to parents who emigrated from India in 1970. My dad worked at the local lumber mill, and my mom stayed home to raise us kids. It was a fairly typical immigrant upbringing, struggling between being Canadian and the internal pressures of being Indian. My parents were pretty strict, with an emphasis on working hard and saving money.
What was your experience with money as a kid?
I started working in elementary school, with three paper routes starting in Grade 6. Then, in Grade 10, my dad got me a job at the sawmill where he worked, doing weekend cleanup. It was hard work. I learned early in life the value of money and how hard people work for it. It also made me realize I didn't want to work in a lumber mill for the rest of my life. I wanted to pursue a post-secondary education and a higher-paying job, so I could enjoy the things I wanted in life.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up, and how did you get into financial services?
I thought I wanted to be a doctor for a little while. Then, I was thinking about a management job of some kind. After graduating with a degree in economics from the University of Victoria, I began my career at Royal Bank of Canada as a personal banker and later became a mutual fund specialist at the branch. I then worked at Edward Jones and, after a couple of stops at smaller independent firms, I started Sandhu Wealth at Raymond James in early 2014.
What is the biggest money mistake you've made and what did you learn from it?
In my mid-20s, I bought a speculative stock with about $20,000 from my RRSP and lost it all. It was during the dot-com crash. I learned early on not to treat the stock market like a casino.
What's the best piece of advice you've received in your career?
A former manager once told me that being successful in this business isn't about trying to triple your clients' money every year. It's about making enough money for them to live well in retirement. It's about caring for your clients. That always stuck with me.
What advice do you wish had been shared with you early in your career?
It's not hard to get wealthy slowly. Be boring. Buy and hold very good dividend-paying stocks.
What's the hardest piece of money advice for you to follow?
Because my parents were frugal and I didn't have many things I wanted early in life, I was looser with my money than I should have been early in my career. Perhaps I was trying to catch up on things I had missed earlier in my life. I made some big-ticket purchases that, in hindsight, were not the best ideas at that stage of my life and career.
I'm at a point in my life at which I'm blessed to have more of what I want, but what's interesting is that I tend not to go after material things anymore.
I find that experiences are much more important now, such as travel. If I do want to make a more substantial purchase, I set goals to then reward myself.
A year ago, I purchased a new home after renting for almost nine years. It felt great knowing I worked hard to have it.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to enter your business?
Don't forget that you're a salesperson. It doesn't matter how good you are at wealth advisory; you still need to sell yourself to the client.
Which famous person or fictional character would make a great financial advisor, and why?
Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid franchise. He was very even-keeled, disciplined and gave good advice. He also wasn't afraid of people getting upset with how he did things. He was the expert. It's the same with advisors.
Clients hire you for a reason. One of the things I say to my clients is, ‘We're not going to co-manage your assets.' I don't want my name on a statement for investments I didn't make. And, if I get it wrong, I will own that mistake.
This interview has been edited and condensed
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The Associated Press
15:02 JST, March 5, 2026
TOKYO (AP) — Australia opened the World Baseball Classic on Thursday by beating Taiwan 3-0 on Robbie Perkins' two-run homer in the fifth inning and Travis Bazzana's homer in the seventh at the Tokyo Dome.
The two big swings were enough in a tight game dominated by pitching on both sides. Taiwan managed only three hits, and Australia had seven.
It was a critical victory for Australia, which also won its first game in 2023, defeating South Korea enroute to reaching the quarterfinals and a narrow 4-3 loss to Cuba.
Australian starter Alex Wells pitched three no-hit innings with Jack O'Loughlin negotiating the next three and allowing only two hits and setting the stage for the bullpen.
O'Laughlin got the victory with a save for Jon Kennedy. Po-Yu Chen was the losing pitcher.
Following Perkins' homer, Taiwan put two runners on in the sixth with two out but failed to score. The second to reach base was Chieh-hsien Chen who was hit by a pitch on the his right hand and left the game.
Australia loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth and failed to score when Chris Burke popped out on the second pitch from reliever Yi Chang.
Bazzana, who is expected to start in Triple A this season in the Cleveland Guardians farm system, added the insurance run on a towering shot to right field. Bazzana was the first pick in the 2024 MLB amateur draft.
Taiwan put two runners on the top of the ninth and almost tied the game on a deep flyout by Lyle Lin.
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Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are on hold due to the war between Washington and Tehran, President Volodymyr Zelensky said March 4.
"We continue to engage with the United States practically on a daily basis. For now, because of the situation with Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting haven't come yet," he said in an evening address.
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 following weeks of anti-government protests in the country. The attack came after talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia intensified over the winter and have slowed down in recent weeks.
"(A)s soon as the security situation and the broader political context allow us to resume the trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done. Ukraine is ready for it," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials met in Geneva on Feb. 26 to discuss progress toward the next stage of trilateral negotiations.
Before U.S. strikes on Iran, Zelensky said that the subsequent round of trilateral peace talks would likely take place in Abu Dhabi in early March.
Russia has continued to issue maximalist demands in peace talks as it continues to wage its war against Ukraine.
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Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Kyiv said it was an attempt to worsen Ukraine's relations with Hungary as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 he hopes the blocking of a 90 billion euro ($107 billion) European Union loan for Ukraine by "one person" will end, warning that otherwise he could give that individual's address to Ukraine's military.
Dmytruk has been charged with assaulting a soldier and a law enforcement officer in separate altercations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready to provide drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, though he did not specify which countries could be involved.
The latest report brings up the number of Russian helicopters Ukraine says it has destroyed to 349 since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed releasing 200 Ukrainian POWs in exchange for the same number of Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine, in a swap brokered by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.
Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine.
"There are no 'protected areas' for Russian military facilities," a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on March 4 claimed he has satellite imagery proving that the Druzhba oil pipeline is not damaged.
The Ukrainian citizens are among the 147 foreigners wanted by Polish law enforcement who were detained during the raid carried out on March 2 and 3, "primarily aimed at verifying the legality of foreigners' stay."
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said one drone hit the terminal building at Nakhchivan International Airport, while another landed near a school in Shakarabad, a village near the airport, at around midday local time.
Russian forces launched 155 different types of drones against Ukraine overnight, of which roughly 100 were Shahed, the Air Force said on March 5. It reported downing 136 of them.
The number includes 900 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
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The Associated Press
10:40 JST, March 5, 2026
TOKYO (AP) — It's officially named the World Baseball Classic. But for the Group C games in Japan, simply call it the world according to Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani's life-size image is all over the Tokyo Dome, and racks of Ohtani jerseys — about $125 each — dominate the adjacent merchandise center. Japan begins play on Friday against Taiwan with South Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic also in the group.
Japan is the defending champion and is expected to claim one of the two spots for the quarterfinals in the United States.
Ohtani skipped batting practice on Wednesday, surely disappointing several hundred fans who were in the stadium expecting a show. He's just saving himself and is 0-for-5 since arriving in Japan and playing in exhibition games against Japanese league teams.
“Every time I join (the Japanese team) there are younger and younger players — younger players are increasing,” Ohtani said, speaking in Japanese at a brief new conference.
“So I feel I'm getting old,” the 31-year-old superstar added.
Japan is not only a favorite to advance, it's also possible it will again meet the United States in the final in Miami. Three years ago, Japan defeated the Americans 3-2 when Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to end a dramatic game that gave the WBC a huge popularity boost.
Ohtani is expected to only bat for Japan, not pitch as the Los Angeles Dodgers want to save him for the season. But he left the door slightly ajar before leaving spring training in Arizona.
Asked if he might attempt to pitch, he replied: “It's hard to say. But if (Mike) Trout shows up, it's tempting,” he said, speaking through interpreter Will Ireton.
Trout will not be playing this time for the United States because of insurance issues, which have kept several players on the sidelines.
Travis Bazzana will be the second baseman for Australia. He was selected by the Cleveland Guardians as the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, the first from his country to occupy that spot.
Ohtani is his role model, as he is for many other younger players.
“I personally believe he is the greatest of all time,” Bazzana said. “He epitomizes the work ethic and mastering his craft in baseball. That is someone I look up to, but when it comes to that game in a couple of days — you can't focus on who's across the field.”
Japan has a powerful batting lineup led by Ohtani and other MLB big hitters: Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto and Seiya Suzuki. The pitching staff has lost some stars from 2023 including with Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Yu Darvish.
The pitching anchor will be World Series MVP and Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
“It's a chance to go up against the best team in the world and it's a special event going against Ohtani,” said Australian manager Dave Nilsson, a former all-star catcher with the Milwaukee Brewers.
“It's going to be a big moment for the fans and for Japan,” Nilsson added. “We're not going to get caught up in the sideshow.”
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RABAT, March 5. /TASS/. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Armed Forces) carried out a missile attack on the positions of Kurdish paramilitary units in Iraqi Kurdistan, the headquarters reported.
"The IRGC attacked the locations of anti-Iranian Kurdish groups in Iraqi Kurdistan with missiles," the statement said. The military specified that "three missile strikes" were carried out against Kurdish units in northern Iraq.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Noem's departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits, as well as a wave of criticism over the response to deadly Texas floods.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears for an oversight hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies during a House Committee on the Judiciary oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Jan. 14, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
▶ Follow live updates on the firing of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration's immigration crackdown and disaster response.
Trump, who said he would nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, made the announcement on social media two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.
Trump said he'll make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.
Noem took the stage in Nashville, Tennessee, to address a law enforcement event moments after Trump's announcement but made no immediate mention of her Department of Homeland Security ouster. Instead, she read from prepared remarks, including reinforcing Trump's message from the State of the Union last month.
Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump's second term. Her departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits.
Her tenure looked increasingly short-lived after hearings in Congress this week where she faced rare but blistering criticism from Republican lawmakers. One particular point of scrutiny was a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.
Noem told lawmakers that Trump was aware of the campaign in advance, but Trump disputed that in an interview Thursday with Reuters, saying he did not sign off on the ad campaign.
Her department, DHS, has also been shut down for 20 days, although many of the employees are continuing to work, often without pay.
Noem has faced waves of criticism as she's overseen Trump's immigration crackdown, especially since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis at the hands of immigration enforcement officers. The former South Dakota governor was also criticized over the way her department has spent billions of dollars allocated to it by Congress.
Frustrations over Noem's execution of the Republican president's hard-line immigration agenda — particularly her leadership after the shooting deaths — as well as her handling of disaster response, paved the way for her downfall. She faced blistering criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, in the Congress hearings this week.
Aside from immigration, Noem also faced criticism — including from Republicans — over the pace of emergency funding approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and for the Trump administration's response to disasters.
Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.
Voting in the Senate just after Trump's announcement, Mullin said he has “no idea” how quickly his nomination will move.
“The president and I are good friends. So we look forward to working closer with the White House, and obviously I'm gonna be over there a lot more,” he said.
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Kristi Noem delivers remarks in Nashville, Tennessee after reports surfaced that President Donald Trump had fired her as DHS secretary.
Kristi Noem, the former South Dakota congresswoman and governor who has led President Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security in his second term, was ousted from her position on Thursday.
Trump announced on Truth Social that he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to replace Noem, effective March 31.
"The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland.'"Trump said Mullin has done a "tremendous job" in Congress and cited his resume as a former undefeated MMA fighter.
"As the only Native American in the Senate, Markwayne is a fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities. Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN," Trump said.Mullin is the first Native American senator in decades, following Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado. He appeared just as caught off guard by the announcement as the rest of Washington.After dashing to vote for DHS funding, which ultimately failed again, and then sneaking through the back of the Senate, he held court on the steps outside the upper chamber. When asked if he was headed to the White House to meet with Trump, he said he wasn't sure."I think I need to talk to my wife first," Mullin said.Mullin currently does not serve on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the panel that will be responsible for confirming him. But, he does have a strong relationship with Trump."I've got to be honest with you, I wasn't expecting the call today, but I am super excited. And I'm more excited about just getting ready to get started," Mullin said. "There's a lot of work we can do to get our Homeland Security working, you know, working for the American people."
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., is seen after va meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 19, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Noem, 54, will likely be at least temporarily replaced by Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar, a Navy veteran and former mayor of Los Alamitos, California, in the line of succession for the agency.
Noem's tenure marked a distinct reversal of the open-border policies permitted by predecessor Alejandro Mayorkas during the Biden administration, and DHS has notched record drug interdictions totaling more than half a million pounds of illegal drugs in her first year.
Her management of Trump's mass deportation agenda has also led to more than 2 million reported self-deportations in 2025 and about 670,000 removals of illegal immigrants, a figure supporters have hailed as the most successful immigration enforcement operation in history.
Her agency has also been unafraid to hit back at high-profile critics, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.; Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz; and 2026 midterm candidate David Trone of Maryland, who accused DHS of "executing people in the streets" as he filmed a protest ad outside a Williamsport compound recently purchased for use as a detention facility.
Such criticisms of her mass deportation operations, particularly in Minneapolis, appeared to somewhat sour public sentiment on the administration's handling of the immigration issue, as U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino — a DHS subordinate — was replaced in the Twin Cities by border czar Tom Homan amid the firestorm.
Meanwhile, reports surfaced Thursday that Trump is "furious" with Noem over her performance in bicameral Judiciary Committee hearings this week, particularly over a contract for an advertisement that Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and others grilled her on.
Trump reportedly took issue with her suggesting to Kennedy that he approved a taxpayer-funded ad subcontracted to a firm connected with her inner circle, according to National Review, which also reported that Mullin was being considered a top candidate for her replacement.
A White House official confirmed to Fox News that Trump did not know about the ad and did not approve it, despite her claims to the contrary at the hearings.
"It was a combination of her many unfortunate leadership failures. From [Minnesota] to the ad campaign to the allegations of an affair," a source familiar with the situation told Fox News.
When confronted by reporters on the Capitol steps, Mullin indicated he had only short notice of Trump's decision to pick him as Noem's successor.
"No, the president and I still have to communicate so we'll talk about it moving forward," Mullin said. "The president and I have already talked – We have to talk to the president and get on the same page… I'll talk to you all [later]."
In Wednesday's House hearing, Noem was questioned by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., over rumors of an affair with DHS "special government employee" Corey Lewandowski, a top figure in Trump's 2016 campaign.
TRUMP UNLOADS ON ‘RADICAL LEFT' AS HE STANDS BY KRISTI NOEM AMID IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT UNREST
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks in front of the border wall amid political pressure and calls for her resignation. (Mikaela McGee/DHS)
Noem criticized Kamlager-Dove in response, as her husband, insurance company owner and former South Dakota first gentleman Bryon Noem, sat just feet behind her.
Kamlager-Dove asked Noem if at any time during her tenure she had "sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski," before slamming the longtime Trump aide as a "failed campaign manager" and someone lacking military experience.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., followed up, pressing Noem on Lewandowski while wearing a Justice for Cricket pin, referencing the dog Noem once wrote she had to euthanize on her farm.
"I really think you need to say the word 'no' into the record so that you can clear that up," Moskowitz said.
Noem pushed back hard on both Democrats, saying what they were implying is "offensive" and telling Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, that she was "shocked that we're going down and peddling this tabloid garbage in this committee today."
"The socialist, liberal left: you go off and you attack conservative women and you say that we're either stupid or we're sluts. That's what you do. And I will tell you sir... I am neither of those," Noem fumed at Moskowitz.
Through the recent turmoil, many Republicans remained highly complimentary of Noem's tenure.
Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., a former law enforcement officer himself, said during the hearing that he was "embarrassed by the antics of my colleagues across the aisle."
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"Madam Secretary, you inherited a disaster, and you turned it around. An astonishing 97% decrease in illegal crossings isn't a coincidence; it's leadership. Know that this committee has your back," Higgins said.
When Swalwell pressed her on the ad campaign and contract, Noem shot back that while the Alameda Democrat was "focusing on photo-ops and luxury jets, I'm focused on the fact that the Coast Guard might not get paid because your party is choosing not to fund them."
Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a session of parliament in Madrid, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain's Pedro Sánchez has once again emerged as Europe's most consistently vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, drawing his ire for refusing to allow the American military to stage operations for its attacks on Iran from Spanish military bases.
Trump lashed out at the Spanish prime minister on Tuesday, saying he would “ cut off all trade with Spain " in retaliation for the affront. The spat intensified the next day when Spain's foreign minister contradicted a claim by the White House press secretary that Spain had heard Trump's message “loud and clear” and was cooperating with the U.S. military.
While denouncing the repressive government in Tehran, Sánchez said he would not back a war that he said was an unjustified assault.
“We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone,” Sánchez said, using the slogan “No to the war” in a speech this week.
The tussle over the Spanish military bases is likely more a diplomatic question than one of military consequence. The U.S. has bases across Europe and the Middle East, and other European countries have agreed to cooperate.
Madrid and Washington have had stable, friendly and mostly low-key relations for decades, starting in the 20th century when the U.S. began sharing military bases with Spain when the latter was still under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
Sánchez, 54, first took power in 2018 and is one of Europe's most prominent left-leaning leaders.
He has stuck by the pillars of progressive politics, defending feminism, authorized immigration, human rights, the rules-based international order and the importance of climate change — all topics that have become punching bags of Trump's MAGA movement and far-right politicians in many European neighbors.
Even before the Iran war, Sánchez has stood out as an ideological rival to Trump on a number of issues.
Sánchez has been among the most vocal critics of Israel's military action in Gaza. He has consistently criticized the massive civilian causalities from Israel's campaign following Hamas' surprise attack on Israeli territory in 2023.
“This is not self-defense, it's not even an attack — it's the extermination of a defenseless people,” he said, while touring Europe and the Middle East to try to broker a peace deal.
Among NATO members, Spain was the only country to refuse to agree to commit to increasing military spending to 5% of gross domestic product. Sánchez secured a last-minute exemption in a NATO meeting last year, saying that Spain will only spend up to 2.1%, which he called “sufficient and realistic.”
Trump responded by floating the idea that Spain should be kicked out of the military bloc. That has so far remained a veiled threat.
While many European countries raised barriers at their borders and the Trump administration broadened an immigrant crackdown in the U.S., Spain is in the process of granting work and residency permits to half a million foreigners already in Spain.
Sánchez has pointedly alluded to Trump as he extolled the benefits of migration for the country's strong economy.
“MAGA-style leaders may say that our country can't handle taking in so many migrants — that this is a suicidal move, the desperate act of a collapsing country,” he wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed. “But don't let them fool you. Spain is booming.”
Under Sánchez, Spain has joined countries like Australia and France in trying to curb the use of social media among younger teens. That's in direct contrast to the Trump administration's embrace of Big Tech companies and what they consider the defense of the freedom of speech on social media.
Elon Musk, X's owner, lashed out at the Spanish leader last month, calling Sánchez “the true fascist totalitarian” after he announced a plan to prohibit under 16-year-olds from accessing social media accounts.
___
AP journalist Suman Naishadham contributed from Madrid.
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There is at least one Canadian who is a big fan of Jack Hughes despite breaking the country's heart.
Roughly a week and a half after the New Jersey Devils star gave the United States their first gold medal in men's hockey since 1980, it was reported that he and Canadian pop star Tate McRae are "exclusively" dating.
The two were spotted several times in New York City late last year, and McRae even attended one of Hughes' games in New Jersey when he returned from a hand injury back in January.
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Jack Hughes and Tate McRae are "exclusively" dating, according to Us Weekly. (Bruce Bennett, Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
"They started casually seeing each other late last year, so it's still new, but they are exclusively seeing each other," a source told Us Weekly. "She thinks he is a really cool guy and they have been having a lot of fun together. She has been so supportive of his career and has been loving going to the games and cheering him on."
McRae was born in Calgary and attended Western Canada High School.
United States' Jack Hughes (86) poses with teammates after a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Hughes became an American hockey hero when, just minutes after losing teeth from a high stick, he found the back of the net in overtime, sneaking a puck past Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington to break a 46-year drought for the United States.
In the days after, Hughes and his teammates partied in Miami and visited President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., along with an invitation to the State of the Union. In his NHL return last Wednesday, he received a standing ovation from his New Jersey faithful.
Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils skates during warm-ups before the NHL regular season game at the Prudential Center on Feb. 25, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images)
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This is not McRae's first hockey player — she dated Cole Sillinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2021 to 2023 before getting into a relationship with Australian music artist The Kid Laroi.
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Pro wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes has held a championship belt in almost every organization he stepped foot in, including most recently being a tag team champion at Ring of Honor.
Rhodes was a fan favorite in WWE, when he was known as Goldust, and was one of the first wrestlers to join All Elite Wrestling when the company started up in 2019. Outside the ring, someone else has become a show-stealer, and he's a Beast.
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Beast, a mastiff, with American professional wrestler Dustin Rhodes at Crufts 2026 on March 5, 2026. (Royal Kennel Club/BeatMedia)
Rhodes' mastiff, named Beast, has emerged as one of the top show dogs on the circuit in recent years, and he added to his resume on Thursday when he took home third place in the working group open category at Crufts in the United Kingdom – the world's largest dog show.
"It's an incredible, incredible show," Rhodes told Fox News Digital. "I guess this is the world's largest dog show, so, we decided to go big or go home. Amazing, amazing show."
Dogs in the working group are meant to assist and protect their owners.
Dustin Rhodes celebrates the AEW TNT Championship win at All In: Texas on July 12, 2025. (Ricky Havlik/AEW)
"Beast is really good with seeing somebody who has high blood pressure or low blood pressure, and we'll go check them out. He's a very smart dog," he said. "Mastiffs are amazing, amazing animals, man. I would never own another breed besides a mastiff, and I've had all kinds of dogs over my life and mastiffs are just everything – pure, loyal, loving, just crawling on your lap, hurt your bones."
Rhodes said Beast weighs more than him at a whopping 250 pounds, and with that comes a hefty diet. He revealed on X that he spends about $200 a month on food, as Beast enjoys about eight cups a day with dry food, chicken, rice and steak in his diet.
The wrestler said he "never thought" he'd ever get into the dog show business but has found immense success about two years into the endeavor. Now, he has eyes at the top of the charts.
Beast, a Mastiff, came third in the Class 234 Open Dog, with owner by American Professional Wrestler Dustin Rhodes on March 5, 2026. (Royal Kennel Club/BeatMedia)
"Go for the (best in show) record," he told Fox News Digital when asked about long-term goals. "Twenty-nine I think for mastiffs. We have 13 right now. So, we're gonna do our best in the next year and a half, two years, really campaign the dog and advertise the crap out of it. Hopefully, we'll get there."
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Rhodes' team includes his wife, Ta-rel Runnels, and handler Terry Smith.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
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ADF attorney John Bursch reacted to an argument that sex should not be defined, by ACLU attorney Joshua Block during a Supreme Court hearing on trans athletes in women's sports. (Credit: Fox News Digital/Jackson Thompson)
A law firm leading the charge in the ongoing Supreme Court case over trans athletes in women's sports has responded after a federal judge suggested the case's ruling could impact a separate case involving a similar issue.
Colorado District Judge Kato Crews deferred ruling in motions to dismiss former San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser's lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) system until after a ruling in the B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected to come in June.
Slusser filed the lawsuit against representatives of her school and the Mountain West Conference in fall 2024 after she allegedly was made to share bedrooms and changing spaces with trans teammate Blaire Fleming for a whole season without being informed that Fleming is a biological male.
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Meanwhile, the B.P.J. case went to the Supreme Court after a trans teen sued West Virginia to block the state's law that prevents males from competing in girls' high school sports.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is the primary law firm defending West Virginia in that case at the Supreme Court, and has now responded to news that Slusser's lawsuit could be affected by the Supreme Court ruling.
"We hope the ruling from the Supreme Court will affirm that Title IX was designed to guarantee equal opportunity for women, not to let male athletes displace women and girl in competition. It is crucial that sports be separated by sex for not only the equal opportunity of women but for safety and privacy. Title IX should protect women's right to compete in their own sports. Allowing men to compete in the female category reverses 50 years of advancement for women," ADF Vice President of Litigation Strategies Jonathan Scruggs said.
Slusser's attorney, Bill Bock of the Independent Council on Women's Sports, expects a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the legal defense representing West Virginia, thus helping his case.
Brooke Slusser (10) of the San Jose State Spartans, left, serves the ball during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Oct. 19, 2024. Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans, right, looks on during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. ( Andrew Wevers/Getty Images; Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
"We're looking forward to the case going forward," Bock told Fox News Digital.
"I believe that the court is going to find that Title IX operates on the basis of biological sex, without regard to an assumed or professed gender, and so just like the congress and the members of congress that passed Title IX in 1972, allowed this specifically provided for in the regulations that there had to be separate men's and women's teams based on biological sex, I think the court is going to see that is the original meaning of the statute and apply it in that way, and I think it's going to be a big win in women's sports."
The Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared prepared to rule in favor of West Virginia after oral arguments on Jan. 13.
Slusser spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court on Jan. 13 while oral arguments took place inside, sharing her experience with a divided crowd of opposing protesters.
With Fleming on its roster, SJSU reached the 2024 conference final by virtue of a forfeit by Boise State in the semifinal round. SJSU lost in the final to Colorado State.
Slusser went on to develop an eating disorder due to the anxiety and trauma from the scandal and dropped out of her classes the following semester. The eating disorder became so severe, that Slusser said she lost her menstrual cycle for nine months. Her decision to drop her classes resulted in the loss of her scholarship, and her parents said they had to foot the bill out of pocket for an unfinished final semester of college.
President Donald Trump's Department of Education determined in January that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of the situation involving Fleming, and has given the university an ultimatum to agree to a series of resolutions or face a referral to the Department of Justice.
Among the department's findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. ED claims that "SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering' the male athlete in online videos and interviews."
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SJSU trans player Blaire Fleming and teammate Brooke Slusser went to a magic show and had Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas despite an ongoing lawsuit over Fleming being transgender. (Thien-An Truong/San Jose State Athletics)
SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya told Fox News Digital in a July interview that he was satisfied with how the university handled the situation involving Fleming.
"I think everybody acted in the best possible way they could, given the circumstances," Konya said.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
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Britney Spears was arrested Wednesday night in Southern California and booked early the following morning, though the charge was not clear, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's office website. (March 5)
Britney Spears arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” on July 22, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — Britney Spears was arrested Wednesday night in Southern California and booked early Thursday, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's office, which didn't say what charge she faces.
Messages seeking comment were left with the sheriff's office; the California Highway Patrol, which was identified as the arresting agency; and Spears' representative.
Spears was arrested around 9:30 p.m. in Ventura County and released on Thursday, sheriff's office records show. She has a May 4 court date scheduled.
Spears, 44, born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, was a teen pop phenomenon who became a defining superstar of the '90s and 2000s. She rose to fame from Disney Channel's “The Mickey Mouse Club” to MTV and beyond, with such era-defining hits like “… Baby One More Time,” “Oops! … I Did It Again” and “Toxic.”
A pop icon has been arrested. AP correspondent Mike Hempen reports.
Most of her albums have been certified platinum, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, with two diamond titles: 1999's “ … Baby One More Time” and 2000's “Oops! … I Did It Again.” Her last full-length album, “Glory,” was released in 2016.
Spears became a focus of tabloids in the early 2000s, and a source of public scrutiny, as she battled mental illness and paparazzi documented the details of her private life.
Later, as cultural opinion evolved to recognize the misogynistic media coverage of the time, Spears' fight to control her life became the focus of the #FreeBritney movement. In 2008, Spears was placed under a court-ordered conservatorship, run primarily by her father and his lawyers, that would control her personal and financial decisions for well over a decade. It was dissolved in 2021. Two years later, she released a bestselling, tell-all memoir, “The Woman in Me.”
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Fox News correspondent Garrett Tenney has the latest on former Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore's fall from grace on 'Special Report.'
The University of Michigan has not renewed the contract of the female football staffer who was suspected to have been in a relationship with fired coach Sherrone Moore.
A university spokesperson confirmed the departure to Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
"Her contract expired and was not renewed," the spokesperson said.
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Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, second from right, walks with his wife, Kelli Moore, left, and his attorney, Ellen K. Michaels, right, towards the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Moore allegedly maintained an inappropriate, yearslong relationship with the staffer, despite him being married with multiple children.
Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital revealed allegations made by the staffer's attorney, Heidi Sharp, on the day that Moore allegedly entered her home without permission, which later resulted in his arrest.
Det. Jessica Welker of the Pittsfield Township Police Department testified in court that the staffer called Sharp after Moore entered the residence and refused to leave. Sharp then told emergency dispatch that Moore was inside of her client's home "attacking her."
The woman accused Moore of continuing to approach her until she was able to get her attorney on the phone, at which point he "immediately backed up and turned the knives on himself, pointing them at his neck, saying that he was going to kill himself and that she was going to watch."
Then-Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore looks on during the college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini on Oct. 19, 2024, at Memorial Stadium, in Champaign, Illinois. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Moore then left the staffer's residence and was later taken into custody by law enforcement, where he denied physically attacking the staffer.
The staffer, whose LinkedIn profile listed her as an executive assistant to the head football coach at the University of Michigan, earned just over $58,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to public payroll information. In the 2025 fiscal year, though, her salary jumped to $99,000, according to a salary disclosure report from the University of Michigan.
That's a 70.62% increase year-over-year — even higher than the figure circulating social media right now, via UMSalary.info.
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Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, center, appears in the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Moore, who faces felony home invasion, stalking and illegal entry charges, scored a legal victory last month when a judge granted a request for a hearing to learn more about the investigation that led to criminal charges against him.
Judge J. Cedric Simpson, who is presiding, expressed concern that a police detective didn't disclose Moore's employer-employee relationship with the woman when a magistrate authorized a warrant for his arrest. Simpson described it as a "glaring omission."
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
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People celebrate with Iranian, Israeli and America flags in New York City following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Police arrested a New York City education worker on charges of murdering a Bronx father in January.
The suspect, Naya Brown, was taken into custody this week in connection with the shooting death of Keon Gill, 44, as he left a restaurant with his brother where they had been celebrating the victim's birthday, according to the New York Post.
Gill was fatally shot in the chest, while his brother, 35, was shot in the knee and survived the encounter.
Brown is the second person to be arrested in the case, as police also arrested Pernell Warren, 37, in February and charged him with murder as well. Authorities are still searching for a third male suspect, who has not been named.
Naya Brown, an NYC DOE employee, faces a murder charge in connection with a fatal shooting in New York City, according to authorities. (LinkedIn)
Sources told the Post that Brown does not appear to have been the person who fired on Gill or his brother, and her role in the alleged murder is unclear.
The Post reported that Gill and his brother got into an argument with Warren, Brown and the third suspect as they were leaving the restaurant at 3 a.m.
A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Education, which employs Brown, called the charges "deeply disturbing" in a statement to the Post.
MAMDANI PLEDGED TO FIGHT FOR ALL BUT SCRAPPED ORDER JEWISH STUDENTS SAY PROTECTED THEM
"If the allegations are confirmed, we will pursue termination," the spokesperson said.
Brown's arrest comes just weeks after the NYPD arrested a teenager in connection with what officials described as a "senseless" shooting that broke out in the Bronx in February.
The Feb. 11 incident occurred in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx amid what officials and witnesses characterized as an escalating wave of violence in the borough, prompting affected family members to criticize Mayor Zohran Mamdani and law enforcement for not doing enough to keep New Yorkers safe.
HOUSE GOP LEADER RIPS 'SOCIALIST' ZOHRAN MAMDANI AFTER 18 PEOPLE FREEZE TO DEATH IN NYC
Authorities identified the slain victim as Christopher Redding, an aspiring football player at John F. Kennedy High School, who sustained a gunshot wound to the back. According to a GoFundMe page, Redding was defending his friends who were being targeted by a group of individuals.
A 17-year-old male tied to the incident was arrested days after the shooting and now faces multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a loaded firearm.
From left to right, Suspect Gusmane Coulibaly, and NYPD officers. (Credit: X/@@NYPDnews/@BGOnTheScene)
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Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said the gunfire began as a street dispute while stressing that there has been "too much violence among young adults."
"This started out as some sort of fight on the street, and it escalated," Gibson said. "And, guess what, someone had a gun. That is usually the issue."
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on X: @Hagstrom_Anders.
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Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Iran of carrying out a drone attack on its exclave of Nakhchivan. (Produced by Elaine Carroll)
Officers from Israel's Home Front Command inspect a damaged apartment building after an Iranian missile strike in Petah Tikva, Israel, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Large fire and plume of smoke is visible after, according to the authorities, debris of an Iranian intercepted drone hit the Fujairah oil facility, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
A cleric leads a group of volunteers in prayer next to a police facility struck during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Debris cover the site of Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV headquarters after it was hit in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
This satellite image provided by Vantor shows firefighting crews working to contain a fire and damage after a drone attack at Ras Tanura oil refinery, in Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 2, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For years, Iran's theocratic government warned it would blanket the Middle East with missile and drone fire if it felt its existence was threatened.
Now, the Islamic Republic is doing just that.
Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war Saturday and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has unleashed thousands of drones and ballistic missiles targeting Israel, American military bases and embassies in the region, and energy facilities across the Persian Gulf. Iranian fire has even been directed over its borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Iran's basic strategy is to instill fear about the dangers of a widening war in hopes that allies of the U.S. will apply enough pressure to halt their campaign. A protracted conflict, along with American and Israeli casualties, could also work in Iran's favor.
But the barrage-thy-neighbors strategy also could backfire.
Iran's first priority is to emerge from the war with its state institutions intact, said Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
“Iran is upping the costs for this U.S. military campaign and regionalizing it from the get-go, as they promised they would if America restarts the war again with Iran,” she said. The U.S. joined Israel last June in a 12-day war, targeting nuclear enrichment sites. Iran maintains its program is peaceful, though its officials had threatened to pursue a bomb while enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.
Iran's leaders believe that by inflicting casualties and disrupting energy production to drive up oil and gas prices, America's allies or an unsettled public back home will pressure U.S. President Donald Trump to ease back.
“The Iranians are banking on basically out-stomaching him, and exhausting him and his allies to the point where they would basically have a diplomatic off-ramp,” Geranmayeh said. Trump is unpredictable, Geranmayeh said, but for now he appears to be pressing for “unconditional surrender to his demands, rather than a negotiated settlement.”
The U.S. and Israel have carried out hundreds of airstrikes and inflicted heavy damage on Iranian government, military and nuclear targets. Despite being greatly outgunned, Iran has continued to fire ballistic missiles into Israel, killing 11 people and disrupting life for millions of Israelis. More have been killed in the Gulf Arab states, and the U.S.-Israeli campaign has killed 1,045 people in Iran.
After more than two years of war in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli public appears to have little appetite for another lengthy round of fighting. Polls suggest the U.S. public is leery of a protracted conflict.
The American and Israeli onslaught came after failed U.S.-Iranian talks over Iran's nuclear program and the West's sanctions.
Trump said Monday his four objectives were to destroy Iran's missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied armed groups.
The Iranian response has spared no one in the region — not even Oman, which mediated the latest round of nuclear talks and for decades has maintained a close relationship to Iran. In the 1970s, Iran's shah helped the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said put down a rebellion.
But now Oman has been dragged into the conflict. An Omani port and ships off its coast have been targeted by Iranian missiles. Oman's port at Duqm helped the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with pre-deployment logistics.
Saudi Arabia, which has maintained a detente with Tehran since 2023, also came in the crosshairs this week. Its Ras Tanura oil refinery has been repeatedly attacked and the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh got hit by drones — an embarrassing moment for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has worked to cultivate a close relationship with Trump.
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which also have close ties to Trump, have been repeatedly targeted, too.
There's a grim math equation at play as the war goes on. Iran has a finite number of missiles and drones, just as the Gulf Arab states, the U.S. and Israel all have a limited number of interceptor missiles capable of downing the incoming fire.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that thousands of Iranian missiles and drones have been “intercepted and vaporized” during the war. The Israeli military says it has destroyed dozens of missile launchers.
From the American and Israeli side, targeting missiles and their launchers remains key. Both countries had to shoot down Iranian missiles during the war in June and multiple times in the Israel-Hamas war.
“In simple terms, we are focused on shooting all the things that can shoot at us,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the American military's Central Command.
A senior Western official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said Iran has several days' worth of ballistic missiles if it continues firing at current rates, but it may hold some back to wage a longer campaign.
The Israeli military says there have been far fewer Iranian missiles launched in recent days as a result of the airstrikes — though warning sirens often wailed across Israel on Wednesday into Thursday.
Iran's strategy of trying to threaten energy security, drive a wedge between Gulf and Western states and raise costs is “backfiring,” said Hasan Alhasan, a Middle East expert with the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
“It's driving and pushing the Gulf states into closer alignment with the United States,” he said.
“The Gulf states can't simply sit idle and continue absorbing indefinite attacks to their critical infrastructure and to civilians in Gulf cities,” Alhasan said. They are probably trying to both acquire more weapons to intercept incoming fire and find ways to broker an end to the war, he said.
Iran's foreign minister has suggested his country's military units are now isolated and acting independently from any central government control, a possible excuse for Iran's increasingly erratic fire.
“They are acting based on instructions — you know, general instructions — given to them in advance,” Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Sunday.
But after a Wednesday phone call with Araghchi, Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, “categorically rejected” his assertion that Iranian missiles were only directed at American interests and not intended to target Qatar.
___
Keaten reported from Geneva. Associated Press writers Danica Kirka and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
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A Pakistani businessman accused of trying to hire hit men to kill political targets, including President Donald Trump, insisted that Iran forced his actions as he testified to jurors in New York on Wednesday.
Asif Merchant, 47, said Trump wasn't the only potential target of the 2024 assassination scheme, telling jurors the list included then-President Joe Biden and former presidential candidate and ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. He claimed that he only took part in the plot because Iran's powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened his family.
"My family was under threat, and I had to do this," Merchant testified through an Urdu interpreter. "I was not wanting to do this so willingly."
Merchant said he had anticipated getting arrested before anyone was killed, intended to cooperate with the U.S. government and had hoped that would help him get a green card.
This image provided by the Justice Department, contained in the complaint supporting the arrest warrant, shows Asif Merchant. (Justice Department via AP, File)
Merchant was indicted in July 2024 after he was recorded on camera outlining a plot on a napkin to kill an unnamed politician with a person who turned out to be an informant. Merchant allegedly also tried to hire two hit men and pay them $5,000, but the men were FBI agents posing as assassins.
Merchant was arrested as he was attempting to leave the country, before he could take any concrete steps to carry out a murder plan. Authorities, at the time, said he appeared to be acting at the behest of Iran.
A sketch showing Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran, appearing in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Christine Cornell)
The Iranian government has denied plotting to kill Trump or other U.S. officials.
Merchant said his handler initially directed him to recruit U.S. residents willing to work for Iran — then escalated the assignment to finding a criminal to organize protests, commit theft, launder money and "maybe have somebody murdered."
"He did not tell me exactly who it is, but he told me — he named three people: Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley," he said.
Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks behind bulletproof glass during a campaign rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, Aug. 21, 2024. (Peter Zay/AFP via Getty Images)
Prosecutors argued that even after U.S. immigration agents stopped him at Houston's airport in April 2024, searched his belongings and questioned him about trips to Iran, Merchant continued with the alleged plot. He researched Trump rally locations, drafted plans for a shooting at a political event, lined up supposed hit men and scraped together $5,000 from a cousin as a "token of appreciation."
FEDS SAY PAKISTANI NATIONAL BACKED BY IRAN PLOTTED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP, OTHERS IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME
Merchant said he reported back to his Revolutionary Guard contact, sending what he now claims were fabricated updates hidden inside a book shipped to Iran through intermediaries.
He testified that he felt he had "no other option" but to cooperate because the handler indicated he knew where Merchant's relatives in Iran lived.
Prosecutors, however, noted in a court filing this week that Merchant never contacted law enforcement before his arrest and failed during FBI interviews to mention details supporting a claim that he acted under duress.
If convicted, Merchant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
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Merchant's trial comes against the backdrop of Trump launching a major combat operation in coordination with Israel against Iran, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike.
Fox News Digital's Ashley Oliver and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Fox News Digital exclusively spoke to Republican Terri DeBoer about her run for Congress in Michigan's 3rd Congressional District.
FIRST ON FOX: Longtime West Michigan meteorologist Terri DeBoer is launching a run for Congress as a Republican, hoping to represent the state's 3rd Congressional District in a campaign centered on border security, economic issues and what she called restoring "fiscal sanity" in Washington.
"I'm an outsider," DeBoer told Fox News Digital in her first interview since becoming a Republican candidate for Congress running to unseat Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., who has held the seat since 2023.
"I am a West Michigan resident, and as an outsider, I believe that West Michigan is not blue, West Michigan is not red. West Michigan is all about solving the problems that we face, no matter who has those ideas, no matter what side of the aisle they happen to sit on."
DeBoer has spent more than 30 years on West Michigan television, working at stations including WWMT-TV, WOOD-TV and most recently FOX-17 (WXMI-TV), where she returned in 2024 after a brief break.
Meteorologist Terri DeBoer, left, has launched a congressional bid in Michigan. (Fox News Digital; Getty Images)
She began her career in broadcast journalism as a news reporter before transitioning to meteorology in the early 1990s. Known to many viewers as "everyone's mom," DeBoer has been a steady on-air presence during major weather events, including the 1998 derecho and the 2022 Christmas blizzard.
DeBoer says she sees similarities between her previous position, where she was affectionately referred to by many as "everyone's mom," and helping people navigate and prepare for tough weather ahead.
DEMOCRATS NAME CANDIDATES TO 'RED TO BLUE' INITIATIVE, AIMING TO FLIP GOP MAJORITY DURING MIDTERMS
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 7, 2026. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"I am asking the people of Michigan's 3rd District to send me to Capitol Hill so that I can make a difference helping prepare people for the storms that we're facing and help steer us away from the impact of those storms," DeBoer said.
DeBoer, a wife, mother and grandmother, says her interest in politics was inspired by hearing former President Ronald Reagan speak in person during her senior year of high school. She said she thought to herself that if she ever had the opportunity to "serve my country," she would "step forward and do it."
DeBoer is the first major Republican candidate to enter the race in a district the Cook Political Report ranks as "Solid D," in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2024 and that is known for narrow margins of victory.
Additionally, when Scholten won her election, she became the first Democrat to win that seat since the 1970s.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Zach Bannon called Scholten a "rubber stamp" for the "radical far left" in a statement to Fox News Digital and said Republicans are "on the offense."
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Rep. Hillary Scholten speaks at a press conference following a House Democratic Caucus meeting. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Other priorities from DeBoer, according to a press release and her newly launched campaign website, include pushing back against the "political elite" and "open-border policies" and advocating for affordability.
"For me, I am someone who is willing to listen to all great ideas, because I know that the problems that we have to solve, we are going to face, are going to need to be tackled by everyone, and so we need to come together and the best way to come together is to send an outsider to Washington," DeBoer said. "I have loyalty to West Michigan. I don't have loyalty to a party."
Republicans currently control the House by a 218-214 majority, with two right-tilting districts and one left-leaning seat vacant. Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the midterms to win back the majority for the first time in four years.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
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Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey, left, talks with a team member as he arrives at the track ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain arrives at the track ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll of Canada arrives at the track ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Aston Martin has predicted it is unlikely to finish Formula 1's season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday without its drivers risking permanent nerve damage.
Adrian Newey, the F1 car design great who's heading into his first race as Aston Martin's team principal, said Thursday the team's Honda power unit causes vibrations which could damage the hands of drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
Neither will likely be able to tolerate even half of the 58-lap race distance and the car's race time will be “very heavily restricted” until a solution is found, Newey added.
Aston Martin had a poor preseason, often slower even than new team Cadillac and it logged the fewest laps of all 11 teams.
“That vibration (transmitted from Honda's power unit) into the chassis is causing a few reliability problems,” Newey said.
“Mirrors falling off the car, tail lights falling off, that sort of thing, which we are having to address. But the much more significant problem with that is that that vibration is transmitted ultimately into the driver's fingers.
“So Fernando is of the feeling that he can't do more than 25 laps consecutively before he will risk permanent nerve damage into his hands. Lance is of the opinion that he can't do more than 15 laps before that threshold.
“We are going to have to be very heavily restricted on how many laps we do in the race until we get on top of the source of the vibration — and to improve the vibration at source.”
Despite the long list of issues, Newey says the AMR26 car has tremendous potential as F1 starts a new era of regulations.
He argued the chassis is F1's fifth best behind the expected top teams Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull and that, following an aggressive development program, has the potential to run at the front at some point in 2026.
Alonso, though, is keeping the faith until Friday practice in Melbourne, where he believes fixes on the car might provide a sunnier outlook.
“For us, it's just vibrating everything,” the two-time F1 champion said.
“But it's not only for us. The car is struggling a little bit, so that's why we have some issues, some reliability problems that made our days slightly short.
“Since (preseason testing in) Bahrain, there were a couple of tests done and some of the solutions are implemented on the car now, so (I'm) curious to see what (happens) tomorrow (and) if we can improve.”
Its disappointing performance has been variously attributed to a compressed design time due to late arrival, Honda's need to rebuild its research and development capabilities after leaving Red Bull, the challenge of producing a new in-house gearbox, and the team running a so-far unproven fuels partner in Aramco.
But it's the side effects that will likely sideline its cars early in Sunday's race at Albert Park.
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas joked about Aston Martin's lack of form. Asked to pick title contenders, he listed Alonso and Stroll alongside Mercedes' George Russell -- who's widely considered one of the favorites -- and suggested Mercedes wouldn't catch Aston Martin until the final race of the season.
“They're going to beat Aston at the very end in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
___
This story corrects Newey quote about Aston Martin having problems with “mirrors falling off the car” and not “off the air.”
___
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AI is teaching teenagers about love now.
It's not necessarily the guys you might expect, Apollo Knapp told me.
These are 6-foot-tall high-school athletes, guys who are social and popular. “They're the type of people that are friends with everybody, who get dapped up in the hallway every two feet,” said Knapp, an 18-year-old high school senior in Ohio and a board member at sexual violence prevention nonprofit SafeBAE.
But at his school, these are the guys using AI to help them talk to girls. They'll paste their texts into ChatGPT for feedback before sending, he said. Or, they'll send their own photos to ChatGPT and ask, “am I cute?” Or, they'll simply ask for moral support when they're “too scared, maybe, to confront women.”
Girls and non-binary teens don't need to lean on ChatGPT as much, Knapp said; they're more likely to have a circle of friends ready and willing to workshop their texts. But guys are more isolated, socialized to believe it's weak to talk about their feelings.
Worse, they've grown up on a steady diet of media telling them that “if you say the wrong thing” to a girl, “she's going to accuse you of something,” Knapp said. Even if those messages aren't accurate, they get inside teen boys' heads, making them feel like they have to screen everything through ChatGPT to make sure it's okay.
The drift of boys and young men away from everyone else in American society has been an enduring theme of the last few years. The fear is that guys, especially straight guys, are getting sucked into manosphere podcasts and becoming more and more alienated from the girls and women they, in theory, want to date. This is an oversimplified narrative, and there's reason to hope that boys and men are more connected, and more interested in connection, than their most unpleasant listening material might suggest.
But in talking to teens and experts about AI and relationships, I did get the sense that boys need better outlets for their feelings than we're giving them. And while ChatGPT might help some kids in some circumstances, teens of all genders need a more reliable support system — one that doesn't require an electricity-guzzling data center to answer a question.
After all, Knapp said, “what's going to happen if you don't have power, and you have a girlfriend?”
It's hard to know exactly how many young people are talking to ChatGPT about relationship problems, since research on youth and AI is in its infancy. In one recent Pew survey, 57 percent of teens said they had used AI “to search for information,” while 12 percent said they'd used the tools “to get emotional support or advice.” It's possible to imagine dating inquiries falling in either category.
Anecdotally, experts and teens alike say young people are turning to ChatGPT with everything from low-stakes questions about texting to serious concerns about what might constitute sexual assault.
Val Odiembo, 19, mentors their fellow college students about healthy relationships. As a peer educator, they're used to getting questions like, “what do I do when my girlfriend says this?” or “is this consent?”
But recently, those questions have been tapering off. Odiembo, a nursing student and SafeBAE board member, thinks students are now asking ChatGPT, instead.
“I've had my students say to me, ‘I asked Chat what I should say to this boy,'” Odiembo told me. When that happens, “I die a little bit inside.”
Some young people are using chatbots “to test out being flirty or being romantic or being a little bit sexy and seeing how the chatbot responds to that,” Megan Moreno, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin Madison who studies technology and adolescent health, told me.
That kind of experimentation may be more common among boys, who generally engage in more risky behavior online than girls, Moreno said.
Using technology to experiment with flirting and romance isn't new. Millennial teens turned to chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger for this purpose. This could be risky — my classmates spent a lot of time catfishing each other avant la lettre — or outright dangerous if teens ended up chatting with adults.
But, as Moreno points out, at least the people you were chatting with online were real humans who could tell you to go away if you said something too gross.
Chatbots, by contrast, “are programmed to be incredibly receptive and sycophantic,” Moreno said. “Even if you say something incredibly inappropriate, the chatbot is going to respond in a way that reinforces that.”
That's even more problematic when the subject is sexual violence. Young people are increasingly turning to chatbots after sexual encounters to ask if they might have committed assault, Drew Davis, director of strategic initiatives at SafeBAE, told me. The responses he's seen have sometimes been unhelpful, he said, emphasizing legal defenses or providing reassurances instead of discussing accountability.
SafeBAE is developing an interactive tool that helps young people think about sexual situations that may have been confusing for them, such as those in which both parties were drinking, and connects them with resources to help them take responsibility and apologize if needed.
The goal is “giving them language, giving them tools to be able to do this, that's not coming from AI,” Davis said. “It's connecting them with other people.”
It's possible to imagine AI pushing young people even farther apart from one another than they already are. The big question is whether kids are using AI to practice having human relationships or to replace those relationships, Moreno said. In one recent survey, one in five high-school students said they or someone they knew had been in a romantic relationship with an AI.
It's not hard to see why teenagers (or adults, for that matter) might be drawn to a voice that always has answers but never criticizes. When talking about thorny issues like sex and consent, “I think there's a lot of shame,” Odiembo said. Teens “feel comfortable going to AI, because AI won't judge them.”
But some teens also see value in the inevitable challenge and friction of human relationships.
“You need to be called out occasionally,” Knapp, the Ohio senior, said. “That's how humans evolve.”
Some experts believe that with better guardrails — like a willingness to say, “hey, don't talk to me like that!” — AI could still be a helpful partner for teens learning to talk to each other. For example, a chatbot could be trained to help kids with social skills. Part of me wonders how much less awkward my adolescence might have been if I'd been able to workshop my jokes with a bot before taking them to the crucible of middle-school homeroom.
It's also worth noting that AI models are constantly changing and, in some ways, improving. After I talked to the SafeBAE team, I tested ChatGPT and Google Gemini by pretending to be a teenage boy concerned he'd crossed a line with a girl. Both models did a decent job, at least on first response, posing follow-up questions about the situation and encouraging me to take responsibility.
But the young people I spoke with for this story don't want better chatbots; they want to see humans get better, instead. They want teachers who are better-trained to discuss difficult issues like consent and assault. They want coaches and other adults who can model healthy masculinity for boys, rather than reinforcing stereotypes. And for all teens, they want supportive places to open up about feelings and relationships, some of the messiest and most important aspects of human life.
“I wish people were a little more comfortable having uncomfortable conversations,” Odiembo said.
Families continue to report disturbing conditions at the Texas immigration center where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was held, including a worm in a child's food, water that causes rashes and stomachaches, and staff withholding medical care.
Teens and tweens want to see more depictions of “fathers enjoying parenting” and “fathers showing love to kids” in movies and TV, according to a recent UCLA survey. In this, as in all things, the answer is Bluey.
The New York Times did a deep dive into AI slop videos aimed at kids. It is unclear as yet whether endless clips of adult mammals hatching out of eggs are harmful for children, but they are certainly bizarre.
My older kid is currently obsessed with the Ham Helsing series, graphic novels about a pig who hunts vampires.
After I wrote about kids' recent obsession with the phrase “chicken banana,” one reader wrote in to let me know about a much earlier coinage. “Perhaps it's my age (almost 80), but as teenagers, my age group regularly heard a jingle for Chiquita Bananas,” he wrote. “We naturally corrupted Chiquita banana into ‘chicken banana.'”
“Sorry to crush the illusion of today's uniqueness of Chicken Banana, but we ancient folks were using the term ‘chicken banana' a l-o-n-g time ago,” he added.
As always, if you have a question or want to share a story about kids today or in the past, you can reach me at anna.north@vox.com.
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John Andrews, a South Carolina-based chef who runs a meal delivery service, estimates he drives over 100 miles every week to deliver fresh home-cooked meals to his clients.
“The economy is killing me on food prices. And gas prices are tough now, too,” Andrews said. “It's kind of a double whammy. I'm working just as hard as ever, but I'm losing ground here.”
After several years of higher operating costs and softer consumer demand, gas prices are climbing as the war with Iran escalates. That's adding pressure on small businesses, which power the US economy and account for most of the country's jobs.
The average US gas price hit about $3.25 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA, up more than 36 cents from last month's $2.89 average. Diesel, which powers big trucks that deliver the world's goods, has risen even more: According to AAA, diesel prices are up about 11% from last week's average, surging to $4.16 a gallon from $3.76 a week ago.
For companies that rely on driving and deliveries, like Andrews', the conflict in the Middle East is already cutting into margins as gas prices climb.
Although Iran has long operated under sanctions, its oil continued flowing to buyers such as China. Disruptions to that supply are pushing global prices higher, and the impact is showing up at the pump.
Andrews, whose company offers two-portion pre-made meals, like lemon garlic chicken and pepper steak, for $17 each, said it's only a matter of time before he raises prices, something he hasn't had to do since inflation hit food prices hard two years ago.
“My clientele is more elderly than not, and I can't just keep hitting them with price increase after price increase. They're not going to accept that,” Andrews said. “But now I'm simply not making any money.”
Many small businesses were already under strain, even before the war with Iran started. In 2025, they were more likely to report declining revenues than rising ones compared with a year earlier, and expectations for revenue and hiring growth over the next 12 months have fallen to their lowest levels since 2020, according to a Federal Reserve small business report released this week.
In Burbank, California, Kim Williams, owner of the Enchanted Florist, carefully plans her flower delivery routes to save on gas. Over the past year, a few of her suppliers raised prices due to tariffs. On some occasions, she found lower-cost alternatives, but other times, she had to adjust the prices she charges.
“I think it's just normal, everything goes up,” Williams said. “All of our costs have gotten greater, like insurance and workman's comp.”
Her experience reflects a broader trend: The Fed's study found that small businesses most often cited higher expenses for goods, services, and wages as their top financial challenge, with many passing those costs on to customers.
Nearby, Hollywood Bus Tours winds through Los Angeles' famous movie lots and upscale neighborhoods, a must-do for many visitors. But founder Chris Leschinger has seen a slowdown. Fires in the area and a federal immigration crackdown last year have reduced tourism, leaving his 12 buses carrying fewer passengers.
“The bulk of people are from out of the country,” he said. “You sometimes get locals or staycationers, but most come from farther away.”
Gas is one of Leschinger's largest costs. So far, he hasn't raised ticket prices, choosing instead to absorb some of the expense.
“We're worried not just about gas, but about the global politics that come with it,” he said. “Some people just don't want to travel to the US. So the gas coupled with that is pretty scary.”
Kareem Miller began operating his Chicago-based trucking business, Strong Pact Trucking, about three years ago. Today, he has three trucks that he estimates collectively drive about 1,200 miles per day.
His vehicles, like the overwhelming majority of large trucks, run on diesel fuel.
“I've seen diesel prices fluctuate, but never spike that quick. It was bad,” Miller said.
Miller estimates the recent jump in fuel prices has already added about $100 to his gas bill this week. His company mostly hauls construction materials, and if diesel keeps climbing, he says he'll have little choice but to raise his transportation rates.
Many small businesses depend on trucking companies like his to move goods across the country. If those rates rise, the higher costs can ripple outward in the form of higher prices.
“How far is this going to go? Because that's going to affect the whole economy,” Miller said. “The trucking industry is a microcosm of the economy.”
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Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu shared a terrifying experience she had at an airport on social media early Thursday.
Liu wrote on her Instagram Stories that she was mobbed by people with cameras and for things to sign before someone "chased" her to her car. She asked fans to refrain from doing that.
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Alysa Liu of the United States competes in the women's singles short program during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 6, 2026. (James Lang/Imagn Images)
"So I land at the airport, & there's a crowd waiting at the exit with cameras & things for me to sign," she wrote. "All up in my personal space. Someone chased me to my car bruh.
"Please do not do that to me."
Liu, 20, went from Olympic hopeful to gold medalist within the span of a few months as she won the women's singles figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Games. Liu's electric performance dazzled the crowd in Italy and had Americans back home raving about her.
It was the second of two gold medals she received during the Games. She was a part of the team figure skating competition that won gold early in the Olympics.
Gold medalist Alysa Liu of the United States displays her medal after competing in the women's free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
She is far from the only professional athlete who has had to deal with raving fans at the airport. Most notably, pro wrestlers have been outspoken about similar issues.
WWE star Rhea Ripley detailed a tense airport situation in March 2023.
Ripley explained the situation to USA Network when she bumped into one fan in particular at the airport, and after declining to sign anything, she was followed, and it caused others to join in.
Alysa Liu of the United States arrives to compete during the women's figure skating free program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
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"I don't think people understand how threatening that is," she said at the time. "Especially because you don't know what's going to happen. I don't know these people."
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Officials have released the 911 call made by Caleb Flynn. He's charged with murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn. (Credit: Ashley Flynn/Facebook, Miami County Jail and Miami County Municipal Court)
The family of a woman allegedly killed by her husband has retained an attorney and is seeking information on the couple's finances, including a life insurance policy listing the accused as the "primary beneficiary."
Caleb Flynn, 39, who was once a contestant on "American Idol," was charged with murder after he allegedly killed his wife, Ashley Flynn, at the couple's home in Tipp City, Ohio, on Feb. 16. Police said Caleb Flynn "staged the crime scene," and audio from a 911 call shows him telling the operator that someone broke into his house and shot Ashley Flynn.
Caleb Flynn was charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence, but a Miami County court official told Fox News Digital that the prosecutor is considering additional charges. He has pleaded not guilty, and his bond was set at $2 million.
Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Caleb Flynn used a 9 mm handgun and staged the crime scene, which caused officers to be "led estray" [sic].
Attorneys for the family of Ashley Flynn on Wednesday filed court documents asking for information on Caleb and Ashley Flynn's financials. According to the court filing, Caleb Flynn was listed as the "primary beneficiary" on a life insurance policy. Fox News Digital is not naming the family members behind the court filing.
Caleb Flynn is charged with murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn. (Ashley Flynn/Facebook and Miami County Courts)
The court filing also asks for information on the couple's bank accounts, retirement accounts, real estate, cars and other financial records. Ashley Flynn's family said that Caleb Flynn "has the motive, opportunity, and means to dissipate these assets, to transfer them to third parties, or to otherwise place them beyond the reach of the children and the estate."
Ashley Flynn's family also asked the court to issue a domestic violence temporary protection order that would prevent Caleb Flynn from withdrawing funds from the couple's financial accounts beyond necessary living expenses.
If Caleb Flynn is convicted, under Ohio's "Slayer Statute," he would not be eligible to get proceeds from life insurance policies he's listed as a beneficiary of, and they would go to the children. The statute also applies to inheritance under a will, trust and certain other financial policies.
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Caleb Flynn's booking photo from Miami County Jail, Dayton, Ohio, Thursday, February 19, 2026. (Miami County Jail)
Caleb Flynn voluntarily agreed to talk with detectives at the Tipp City Police Department at the station, according to the case report. According to the court documents, two gun shell casings were found on the floor in a bedroom.Police also noticed that the center console of a 2024 Ford truck parked in the garage was open, which is the same place Caleb Flynn allegedly told an officer he stored his handgun.
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Tipp City police recently released video showing Caleb Flynn as police responded to the crime scene.
"Oh, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," Caleb Flynn said while sobbing in one video.
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General view of the home of Caleb and Ashley Flynn, where she was found shot dead earlier this month, in Tipp City, Ohio, Monday, February 23, 2026. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
"Is she, is she gone?" he asked. "What do I do with my daughters?"
"Mommy, she's gone. I don't know what to do," Caleb Flynn said to his mother on the phone.
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Ashley and Caleb Flynn in an undated photo with their two children. (GoFundMe)
At one point, Caleb Flynn was seen throwing up in the front yard of his home. The children's grandmother was seen comforting Caleb Flynn as he said: "The girls don't know."
The couple had two daughters, whom Caleb Flynn said were asleep at the time their mother was killed, according to the bodycam video.
In the 911 call obtained by Fox News Digital, Caleb Flynn told the 911 dispatcher that he found the door leading to the garage door "wide open" when the shooting happened.
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Body camera video shows Caleb Flynn reacting to his wife's death inside their home in Tipp City, Ohio, on Feb. 16, 2026. (Tipp City Police Department)
In a supplemental case report, a Tipp City police officer wrote that a garage side door was open, but was blocked.
"As we exited this master bedroom we walked to the garage where we observed a side door to the garage on the north side of the home that was open. As we were looking at the door we noticed the door had a large fridge in front of it that would've had to be pushed to open the door," the officer wrote.
Fox News Digital's Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
Adam Sabes is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.
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Approval for President Donald Trump's massive East Wing ballroom project – from a government commission that oversees planning for federal buildings and land in the nation's capital – is delayed after it received over 32,000 comments from the public overwhelmingly opposing the construction.
The National Capital Planning Commission was expected to take a final vote to approve plans for the ballroom on Thursday, marking the latest clearance for the project in a process that has been on a fast track since Trump suddenly demolished the East Wing last October. But the commission announced Thursday that the vote was postponed to April 2 “given the large amount of public input on the project.”
“We're going to take the time to deliberate, and we're going to have a final vote on April 2,” NCPC chairman and Trump aide Will Scharf said as the meeting began.
Some 9,000 pages of public comments to the NCPC released ahead of the meeting detailed major objections from Americans who expressed concerns about the project's size and scope, cost and destruction of history, among other complaints.
According to a CNN analysis using AI and human verification, more than 97% of the public feedback was against the construction, with the most scathing criticisms likening the proposed ballroom's aesthetic to a “brothel” or “Vegas casino.”
Objections centering around the “Trumpification” of the White House and fears that the ballroom represented “authoritarian self-aggrandizement” were a common theme among the tens of thousands of comments urging the commission to reject the plan. The much smaller number of comments in support of the construction cited the need for a larger and more modern space as reason for backing it.
Since returning to office, the president has stacked the 12-member commission with loyalists, and earlier this week, the NCPC executive director published a recommendation to “(approve) the preliminary and final site and building plans for the East Wing Modernization Project located on the grounds of the White House,” all but guaranteeing that the project will move forward.
That expected approval would come weeks after the Commission of Fine Arts, another federal agency where Trump installed political allies, voted to approve the design and days after a federal judge rejected the nation's top historic preservation group's attempt to block it.
Eventual approval by the NCPC would mean that any further attempt to halt construction would require intervention from the courts.
The most serious legal challenge comes from a case brought by historical preservationists, who argue that Trump needs congressional approval to carry out the construction. And there are already questions about the validity of the upcoming NCPC vote.
The remarkable speed with which the multi-million-dollar project has progressed has underscored an emboldened Trump's personal interest in unveiling a finished ballroom before the end of his second term, part of a broader effort to remake the White House and Washington to suit his style and taste.
The former real estate developer has been intimately involved in the plans – even referencing it at length, unprompted, this week at a Medal of Honor ceremony that marked his first public comments after launching war with Iran. Administration officials have previously said that above-ground construction will begin as soon as next month.
Part of the NCPC's review process requires a public comment period, and more than 32,000 people wrote in from around the country with digital or handwritten notes to express their opinions. These comments revealed deep unease and astonishment about Trump's ballroom plans.
Again and again, harsh terms like “gaudy,” “garish,” “ostentatious,” “glitzy,” “obscene,” “hideous,” “disgusting,” “vulgar,” “cheap,” “low class” and a “soulless hotel conference space” showed up in the feedback.
There were many concerns about how the plans run counter to what America's founders had envisioned for a humble, modest White House.
A commenter who identified herself as a longtime Washington, DC-area resident, warned that Trump's ballroom would be a “replica of his ‘gold plated lifestyle.'”
The scale of the new addition “not only demeans the building's balance but also creates an imbalance in the presentation of what America is about, undermining principles of equality and humility established by the founding fathers,” a commenter said. Another described the plans as “more reminiscent of a monarchical folly than a genuine conception of The People's House.”
Many people with relevant expertise – architects, historians and preservationists – wrote in with concerns.
Kate Schwennsen, former national president of the American Institute of Architects, said: “If any of my previous students had submitted the proposed Ballroom addition to the White House as currently designed, I would have given them a failing grade.”
Schwennsen, who is the former director of the Clemson University School of Architecture, outlined issues with the project's scale as “inappropriate for its context and site.”
CNN used artificial intelligence to evaluate the submitted comments and categorize whether each supported or objected to the East Wing ballroom project by identifying explicit sentiments expressed by the writers. Ambiguous or neutral comments were evaluated as unclear.
While AI may generate some errors, reporters manually checked a random sample of 2% of the results – over 640 comments – and found that the AI classification was 99% accurate for that sample.
Many commenters urged the commission to require Trump to rebuild the East Wing to the same dimensions it was before the demolition, or encouraged action against the Trump administration for destroying the East Wing, though the NCPC has repeatedly said it does not have authority over demolitions.
More than 8,000 comments included a suggested form statement that had spread on social media: “I oppose the spending of $300 million on this project, which was initiated without the proper authorization, permits, or design review.”
Asked for comment on the breadth of public opposition to the project, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lambasted what she described as “Trump deranged liberals” lacking taste.
“These nasty comments are clearly stemming from an organized campaign of Trump deranged liberals who clearly have no style or taste. It's a shame that some people in this country are so debilitated with Trump Derangement Syndrome, they can't even recognize or respect beauty when they see it,” Leavitt said in a statement to CNN, going on to describe the planned ballroom as “extraordinary” and emphasizing that it is being privately funded.
Following the Commission of Fine Arts' February approval and NCPC's expected eventual green light, the only potential remaining roadblocks for the project would be through litigation.
The Trump administration notched a temporary win last week after a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's attempting to block ballroom construction was rejected. US District Judge Richard Leon ruled that the Trust's choice to use the Administrative Procedure Act to challenge the project was not the appropriate argument for the suit.
The Trust filed a new lawsuit this week, now arguing that the administration is violating the separation of powers by proceeding with the project without Congressional authorization.
Separately, Public Citizen, a watchdog group, is questioning the validity of the upcoming NCPC vote. In a new report, the group alleges that Trump's installation of a trio of top allies to the commission – staff secretary Scharf as chair, Office of Management and Budget associate director Stuart Levenbach as vice-chair, and deputy chief of staff James Blair as a commissioner, violates the law. The three White House staffers, the report says, “fail to have any of the ‘experience in city or regional planning' the law requires appointees to have.”
Thursday's NCPC meeting is likely to be a lengthy one, and though it begins at 10:00 a.m. EST, discussions about the ballroom aren't expected to begin until at least 1:00 p.m. EST.
More than 100 people are registered to speak about the ballroom plans, including National Trust for Historic Preservation president and CEO Carol Quillen, historic preservationist and former NCPC member Bryan Clark Green, and DC Preservation League executive director Rebecca Miller.
The commission normally meets in-person, but Thursday's events will be online-only, which, it says, is “due to the anticipated agenda length.” Protesters assembled outside the NCPC's most recent meetings and are expected to gather again on Thursday.
The commission said in a press release that more information on plans for the vote would be announced during Thursday's meeting.
CNN's Devan Cole contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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Americans ditched veal. What replaced it may be just as bad.
The dairy industry uses cows to make two things: milk and baby cows. The milk, we know its fate. But what of those 9 million babies born to dairy cows each year?
Many get carted off — sometimes over great distances, typically at not more than a few days old — to live out their calfhoods at a place like Grimmius Cattle Company.
Spanning hundreds of acres across its two main locations in Tulare County and Kings County, California, in the heart of California's Central Valley, Grimmius provides a transient home for close to 200,000 calves at any given time in their first months of life. Seen from above, Grimmius's hundreds of identical rows sprout from the ground with the neat uniformity of an urban street grid. Each of the newborn calves that populate this miniature city occupies what Grimmius calls “apartments” — individual outdoor hutches, less than one-tenth the size of a typical parking spot.
The Central Valley is America's top milk-producing region, known for its dense concentration of mega dairies. But Grimmius isn't one of them. Instead, its work — and that of similar calf-ranching companies — is a little-known but essential component of industrial-scale dairy: It raises calves on dairy farms' behalf during the fragile infant stage in which they're too young to bring in any revenue.
Dairy farming revolves around constant reproduction, since cows, like humans and other mammals, must give birth in order to lactate. And so, on dairy farms across the country, calves are constantly being born. Some will eventually replace their mothers as dairy cows, while the male calves — and some “excess females,” too — are raised for beef. Increasingly over the last few decades, dairy farms have been outsourcing the raising of these calves, including those destined for both dairy and beef production, to specialized, large-scale facilities known as “calf ranches” or “calf nurseries.”
Grimmius is the largest such calf raiser by population in California, according to the most recent available data from the State Water Resources Control Board. It's a mega-farm in its own right, easily surpassing the size of many of the largest dairies in the US. “It is the heart of factory farming,” said Cassie King, communications lead for the animal rights advocacy group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). “It's linking so many different factory farms, so many dairies across the state, and multiple massive feedlots.”
Over the course of about six months starting last August, DxE filmed Grimmius's operations using drone cameras, documenting many of the grim realities ubiquitous in the mass production of animals for food: calves being handled roughly, hit, and pushed to the ground. But perhaps most remarkably, the footage offers a rare view of what is arguably the most overlooked form of extreme confinement of farmed animals in the US.
Farm animal advocates have, over the last few decades, successfully drawn public attention to and meaningfully reduced the caging of egg-laying hens, pregnant pigs, and calves being raised for veal. But the routine isolation of millions of dairy industry-born baby cows in their formative months of life, in crates where they are deprived of physical and social stimulation, has not received nearly as much scrutiny.
Grimmius, on its website and social media, expresses pride in its animal care. I had hoped to speak with the company about the context behind the findings in DxE's footage, but it did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls seeking an interview for this story.
The dairy business is, at bottom, organized around the hyper-optimization and commodification of one of life's most intimate processes: pregnancy, birth, lactation. The rising importance of calf ranches, where calves are confined by themselves by the hundreds of thousands, represents one particularly extreme expression of that logic. It's a stark reflection of how little dairy farming resembles the picture that many Americans have in their minds of free-roaming cows on pasture. And it is made possible by a striking lack of policy attention to the plight of these vulnerable, highly social animals.
Understanding the dairy industry can teach us a lot about how animal agriculture shapes the life cycle of animals and optimizes them for profit. Last year, I wrote a comic about the life of a dairy cow, from birth to death, exploring how cows are treated at each life stage, usually at the expense of animal welfare. Read it here!
Grimmius Cattle Company's business model, and that of calf ranches more broadly, tracks one of the most important shifts in the economics of dairy over the last several decades: As US dairy farms have consolidated into mega dairies housing thousands or even tens of thousands of cows each, they have found it more profitable to hand off calf-raising to outside companies.
To grow up on a calf ranch, newborn calves must first make the journey there — and that itself is no small obstacle. Transit is taxing for any farmed animal, and it is even more so for babies. The fragile newborn animals are loaded into semi-trailers, which can be high in disease-carrying pathogens, for hours-long journeys often without food, water, or temperature control; they're jostled around, often overcrowded, and frequently handled roughly by workers who must quickly load and unload them.
A 2024 investigation by the nonprofits Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Animals' Angels found that dairy farms across the country were shipping neonatal calves, umbilical cords still attached, to calf ranches on stressful journeys of hundreds or even upwards of a thousand miles away. California's Central Valley and the Southwestern US, which are hubs of the calf ranching industry and where summer temperatures often soar into the triple digits, are especially popular destinations, even for calves from far-flung states. Public records obtained by AWI show that in 2022, Grimmius received calves from as far away as Fair Oaks, Indiana, a more than 30-hour drive away.
In 2014, the most recent year for which USDA data is available on the subject, a majority of large dairy farms (which make up most of the industry) sent their calves to be raised at outside facilities. And since then, the calf-raising industry has, by all accounts, expanded significantly. In California today, a very large share of dairy calves are sent to be raised on calf ranches.
Lewis Bernier, an organizer for DxE who led the investigation of Grimmius, argues that the segmentation of dairy production also makes it easier to hide the nature of dairy farming from consumers. “You can tour a dairy, and you don't even think about the fact that there are babies constantly being born because you don't even see them,” Bernier said. “They're not even there anymore.”
Calf sickness and death, for example, is a routine part of calf rearing: In one clip from DxE's footage of Grimmius, sick calves are tossed in a pile and killed by rifle. “One of the first things we saw there was calves being dragged out of a truck bed and shot in the head,” King said. Killing by gunshot is an industry-standard form of euthanasia, although throwing calves is forbidden by industry calf-raising guidelines.
Calf ranches often advertise their unique ability to care for young animals. “We provide specialized care for dairy calves during their most vulnerable life stage — and we love it,” Grimmius's website reads. Because dairy farms are focused on adult, milk-producing cows, they may lack the expertise to raise calves, whereas a dedicated calf ranch can ideally provide more specialized attention.
But some of the footage of Grimmius taken by DxE shows disturbing conditions that appear to be at odds with the calf-raising industry's own animal care standards. In one clip, a worker appears to push the metal rods of a calf restraint device into the backside of a calf to get the animal to turn around in their hutch. In another, workers are seen unloading calves from a truck and moving them into hutches. The calves are hit with paddles, aggressively pulled by their ears and tails, grabbed by and hit in the face, and pushed in an effort to get them to move. One calf slips down the ramp at the back of the truck after being pushed, falls to the ground, and is grabbed by the ear in an attempt to get the animal to stand.
A handful of veterinarians and animal welfare experts I reached out to for this story, including one who was very concerned about the findings in the footage, were reluctant to comment on the record — a reflection of just how difficult it can be to have open conversations about the treatment of animals in the face of industry power. A few, however, pointed me to a manual by Calf Care and Quality Assurance (CCQA), an industry program that publishes guidelines on the appropriate treatment of calves. According to that document, hitting calves is an “unacceptable” handling practice, as is “pulling by the ears, tail, hair, neck, or a single limb.”
“Calves can be fearful, unsteady on their feet, uncoordinated, and unsure of your expectations of them…These animals must be handled calmly, gently, and with great patience,” the guidance reads.
“Loading and unloading can be the most stressful process for calves,” it continues, adding that “a zero-tolerance policy for unacceptable handling must be in place.”
In a statement, Josh White, senior executive director for producer education at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told me that “The practices seen in this video are not representative of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines and standards. The BQA program stands by our mission to guide producers towards continuous improvement, using science-based practices to assure cattle well-being, beef quality and food safety.”
The Beef Quality Assurance program, which co-created CCQA, gave Grimmius an award last year for its work.
Revelations of cruelty to dairy cows and their babies have emerged in investigation after investigation into dairy farms of all sizes and styles, including those that call themselves organic, humane, raw, and all manner of other labels. The overwhelming majority of industry workers don't want to abuse animals, but the very structure of dairy farming makes it hard to avoid because it forces them to interact with animals as commodities. Cows and calves are large, heavy animals, making it difficult for workers under pressure to move them around and get them to do what they want.
“There are so many animals on these sites, and they only have so many people that are there to take care of those animals,” Adrienne Craig, a senior policy associate and staff attorney at AWI who led the organization's research on calf transportation, told me. “These workers are under time constraints to do the work in short periods of time, and I think that that necessarily translates into rough handling in a lot of cases.”
But the greatest animal welfare problem for calves at Grimmius and across the dairy industry may be their confinement in tiny stalls where they have nothing to do and scant ability to express natural behaviors, something evident in footage of company facilities.
Cows and calves are intensely social herd animals with a hard-wired need for contact with others of their kind. But dairy farming disrupts the normal rhythms of bovine life, beginning with the near-immediate separation of mother cows from their babies after birth. Without the opportunity to nurse, be groomed, and receive round-the-clock care from their mothers, dairy calves in the US, on both dairy farms and calf ranches, are most commonly housed in solitary hutches.
And many of those hutches, especially in the Western US, really are exceptionally small. Standard wooden calf hutches provide about 13 square feet of space per calf, which is enough for them to stand up, lie down, and usually to turn around, but little else. The calves can see and make some nose-to-nose contact with other calves in adjacent hutches, but there is little to no group socializing until they are moved from their hutches to group dirt pens at around two months old. An older, archived version of Grimmius's site stated that calves are moved out of individual living areas at 60 days old, which is an industry standard and corresponds to the age at which calves are typically weaned, though there can be variation in that threshold; its site now says that calves are moved after weaning.
Many dairy operations and calf ranches use a different, plastic hutch style that provides more space, but smaller wooden hutches, like those used at Grimmius, are particularly common across California and the Southwest. Nationally representative statistics on the use of different hutch types are hard to come by, but one small survey of calf ranches in a peer-reviewed study found that about half allotted calves less than 15 square feet each.
Los Angeles-based veterinarian and animal rights advocate Crystal Heath, who spends much of her time in the Central Valley documenting the conditions of farmed animals there, has filmed many frustrated calves in wooden crates at dairies and calf ranches across the region, engaging in behaviors that signal boredom, such as rolling their tongues and licking at their surroundings. These are “well-recognized coping behaviors associated with early extreme confinement,” Heath, who is the executive director of the nonprofit Our Honor, told me. “The intense boredom, sensory and social deprivation these calves face at the critical period during brain development leads to heightened fear in new environments, social dysfunction, [and] lifelong abnormal behaviors.”
Why house calves like this? The US dairy industry began adopting individual hutch-style housing in the mid-20th century, to reduce disease spread among the youngest animals and simply to ensure each calf is eating enough. (The calves no longer have access to their mothers' milk, which is reallocated for human consumption.)
Although the industry often argues that solitary hutches are best for calf welfare because they allow them to get individual care, it would probably be more accurate to say that hutches optimize calf health exactly to the extent that it benefits the industry's bottom line. Dairy farms are businesses: They may care very much if a calf gets sick and loses value, but they may have little incentive to care if a calf is depressed from social isolation and lack of exercise.
I contacted Western United Dairies, a trade group for California dairy farming, for the industry's perspective on hutches, and received this statement from Michael Payne, a livestock veterinarian at UC Davis's veterinary school and dairy outreach coordinator for the university's Western Institute of Food Safety and Security: “Individually housing calves for the first six to eight weeks of life is an essential management tool for dairy and beef calves,” he wrote. “The practice promotes health and welfare of calves primarily by minimizing exposure to respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens from the environment, the dam [the calf's mother], and other calves. A robust body of scientific literature demonstrates that the use of good sanitation practices — including hutches — improves health, reduces morbidity and mortality, and has no effect on behavior or later productivity.”
In recent years, however, there's been a turn against solitary hutches even among many industry-affiliated veterinarians and animal welfare experts, who argue that housing calves in pairs is far better for them and does not need to come at the expense of their physical health. Research into the preferences of calves themselves has found that they value social contact so dearly that they will choose to endure conditions like heat stress to remain with their peers. And anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing calves with space to roam freely knows how eager they are to sprint and buck across open pasture.
The Dairy Cattle Welfare Council encourages housing calves in pairs or groups, and even the industry-written Calf Care and Quality Assurance guidelines state that “individually housed calves have a harder time coping with changes in housing and diet and may have cognitive and developmental disadvantages, including poor learning skills and deficient social skills.” It continues: “There are some benefits to having socially reared calves including increased body weight gain and increased feed intake.”
Calf ranches and industrial dairy farms aren't cruel to cows merely because they're big — their treatment of animals in many ways is better than the practices on small dairy farms, where it's not uncommon to tie up cows by their necks. But mega farms reflect the experiences of the overwhelming majority of animals in the dairy industry, and they show the vast scale on which animal welfare on such facilities is sacrificed to achieve economies of scale.
“Laws like Prop 12 give both the public and prosecutors a false sense that the problem of egregious harms to animals has been remedied and no further action is necessary.”
That calves are allowed to be confined in 13-square-foot hutches reflects a profound recent shift in American dairy farming — and a gap in animal welfare law hiding in plain sight.
For decades, the animal advocacy movement has focused on a singular, clear-cut goal: ending extreme confinement. This effort successfully turned “cage-free” into a household phrase and a corporate mandate. In California, that culminated in Proposition 12 — one of the most celebrated and hard-won animal welfare laws in the world. Passed by ballot measure in 2018, Prop 12 bans eggs and pork from animals raised in tiny cages, as well as veal from calves raised in “veal crates” — very small crates, often reported at around 12 square feet, that allow little room for movement. Under the law, veal calves must be allotted at least 43 square feet each. Several states have passed similar laws banning extreme confinement — part of a wave of such legislation championed by animal advocates in the 2000s and 2010s.
But while the movement successfully branded the veal crate as a symbol of cruelty, the dairy industry's business model was already shifting away from veal. Although veal was once the destiny of many male calves born into the dairy industry, it has cratered in popularity in the US, now amounting to a rounding error in the nation's overall meat production. As a result, bans on veal crates don't actually protect very many animals in practice. And, meanwhile, state crate-free laws don't offer any protection to the millions of other dairy calves kept in tiny hutches, even though they are often similar in size to veal crates.
Following the collapse of veal production, raising calves for beef has rapidly become a core part of the dairy industry's business structure, with the majority of dairy farms now cross-breeding dairy cows with Angus beef genetics to produce offspring that are more valuable on the beef market (a service that Grimmius supports by selling bull semen). Because these animals are destined for burgers rather than for veal piccata, they are legally allowed to be kept in conditions that would be illegal under Prop 12 if they were being raised for veal.
“The public is against these practices overwhelmingly,” DxE's King said. “And I think the public's just been deceived and thinks that they voted to ban this, but in reality, there's this massive loophole” for dairy calves.
In the conventional beef industry, newborn calves typically stay with their mothers and graze on pasture for their first several months of life. But the growing prevalence of beef sourced from dairy industry calves is changing that picture significantly.
Around 20 percent of US beef now comes from cattle born in the dairy industry. That includes calves born to dairy cows as dairy-beef crossbreeds, as well as dairy cows themselves, who are slaughtered after their milk productivity declines. The upshot is that, although animal advocates sometimes argue that beef is the highest-welfare type of meat that a consumer can choose, the rising share of US beef from animals that are separated from their mothers and raised in hutches is complicating that reality.
States have many other individual laws pertaining to animal health and welfare at their disposal. In November, DxE sent a criminal complaint to Sarah Hacker, the district attorney for Kings County, California, where one of the Grimmius facilities that they filmed is located. They alleged, among other things, that Grimmius's confinement of calves in hutches violates a California law, separate from Prop 12, that requires confined animals to be allotted an “adequate exercise area.” But in a letter replying to the complaint, Hacker did not reference the “adequate exercise” law. Instead, she wrote, the confinement was not illegal because “the calves are not raised for veal, meaning the specific square-footage requirements for veal production do not apply.”
In a statement to Vox, Hacker did not directly respond to a question about how an “adequate exercise area” is defined, but wrote that an investigation into Grimmius's facilities in response to DxE's complaint found that the company “maintains its calf raising program in compliance with the law and industry standards,” and that it “worked closely with veterinarians and state officials to provide a safe and healthy environment for their calves.”
The vagueness of California's “adequate exercise” law, compared to the specific provisions of Prop 12, limits the leverage that rural county prosecutors like Hacker might otherwise have to enforce the law in animals' favor. But there is an obvious absurdity to basing an animal's right to movement not on their biological needs, but on their eventual market destination.
“Laws like Prop 12 give both the public and prosecutors a false sense that the problem of egregious harms to animals has been remedied and no further action is necessary,” Justin Marceau, a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a Vox contributor, told me. “Calves raised in hutches suffer in unconscionable ways, but Prop 12 — ostensibly the most robust animal welfare law in the country — ignores these animals entirely,” he added.
The success of state animal confinement laws, including Prop 12 and others, represented tremendous progress for millions of animals and a rare political victory for the tiny animal rights movement. The absence of calf hutches from those laws is mostly an artifact of path dependence and political pragmatism — it would have been an overwhelming feat to challenge a central practice of California's powerful dairy industry.
And now, the era of passing new anti-confinement laws has mostly passed, Josh Balk, a veteran animal advocate who was a key strategist in the state-by-state movement to ban extreme confinement, told me. Amending them to cover all dairy calves would be an enormous undertaking, and it's not clear whether it would be the best use of animal advocates' limited resources. The animal movement has largely moved on to other priorities, particularly focusing on helping animals who are raised for food in the greatest numbers and experience the greatest suffering. By that measure, it is hard for calves to compete for attention with the suffering of chickens, more than 9 billion of whom are slaughtered for meat every year in the US.
Still, that strategic math does not make it easy to ignore the misery of millions of sensitive baby cows trapped in small wooden crates. Balk himself is unequivocal about the cruelty of the practice: “It's completely shameful what they're doing to those poor calves,” he said. Their suffering represents a still-unfinished mandate in the long fight to end the worst abuses in our food system.
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Rep. Eugene Vindman is among a generation of young Democrats who ran for Congress, in part, because of their experience fighting a forever war in the Middle East.
These Democrats are some of the earliest and most vocal critics of President Donald Trump's decision to enter the US into war with Iran — a view that puts them at odds with some of the more interventionist members of their party.
“I will not be shedding a tear for the Iranian regime and the Ayatollah. I understand the threat but I also understand that wars are easy to start and hard to finish,” Vindman, a 25-year Army veteran, said Wednesday morning outside the US Capitol, standing shoulder to shoulder with a half-dozen fellow Democratic veterans. “This is a commitment of American blood and treasure to a conflict that we didn't need to be engaged in.”
“When elites in Washington bang the war drums, pound their chest, talk about the costs of war and act tough, they're not talking about them doing it,” added Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, who served three tours in Iraq.
Party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are amplifying those voices as Democrats seek to navigate the fallout from the quickly escalating war. While Vindman and his fellow Democratic veterans know they have little chance of blocking Trump's actions in the GOP-led Congress, they're trying to speak to a skeptical American public – arguing that the Trump administration has betrayed a core promise with the midterms just months away.
But it's a difficult line for Democrats to walk. Party leaders are navigating sharp divisions within their ranks, particularly among a pro-Israel bloc that is expected to defy leadership in a key House vote on Thursday that will attempt to curb Trump's military powers overseas. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, opposed a similar vote in the Senate on Wednesday – the only Democrat to do so.
For now, most Democrats are firmly condemning Trump's decision to strike Iran without first seeking congressional approval. But the party will also soon be forced to contend with the reality of supporting US troops in the conflict in Iran, including questions about whether to spend billions of dollars more to shore up US operations.
Party leaders are eager not to repeat history and sow divisions that plagued them over the Iraq war more than 20 years ago. They also know it is just the beginning of a conflict that could go on for weeks, if not months or even longer, that will test Democrats' ability to stay united.
In a closed-door meeting Tuesday night, Jeffries met with a bloc of roughly a half-dozen pro-Israel Democrats to make his case for backing the war powers measure, spending nearly an hour hearing the opposition from his fellow members, according to two people familiar with the meeting
But that meeting ended without a commitment from those members to get in line behind the measure.
“It didn't change my mind,” Rep. Greg Landsman, who was one of those who attended the meeting, told CNN.
Hours earlier, Landsman offered a surprisingly supportive assessment of the administration's initial strikes in Iran, and vowed to oppose the bipartisan resolution to curb the president's use of force in the country absent congressional approval, which he said could hamstring the military's work abroad.
“I'm more of a country-first guy, so whatever I think is best for the country and for my constituents, for the district, in this case, national security. To me, this was a no brainer. They had a window of opportunity to take out very specific military assets in order to defang the Iranian regime. We will be safer as a result,” Landsman said, though adding that Congress should have a say if the Iranian conflict “goes beyond” its current aims.
Across the Capitol, Fetterman has gone even further, accusing his party of silencing their support for Trump's operation because they're “afraid” of the base.
“Why can't we all just say, ‘The world is safer'?” Fetterman told reporters, when asked about most Democrats' opposition of the strikes. “Why can't you just acknowledge the most evil people on the face of the earth were erased?”
The views of Landsman and Fetterman, however, contrast starkly from many of their colleagues, including the bloc of national security Democrats who have argued Trump's move makes the country dramatically less safe without considering the costs to US troops.
“If I hear one more chicken hawk who's never served a single day in uniform sitting in a gold plated office in DC or Mar-a-lago or anywhere else, try to talk tough having never seen what war is about, I'm going to lose my mind,” New York Democrat Rep. Pat Ryan, a combat veteran who was deployed twice to Iraq.
Ryan is among the group of Democrats, mostly in their 40s, who were deployed throughout Iraq and Afghanistan in the roughly 25 years that the US had troops there. Vindman, who deployed to Iraq, served as an infantry officer, paratrooper and as a military lawyer. His twin brother, Alex, was wounded in an IED attack in Iraq by an “Iranian manufactured” projectile, Vindman said Wednesday.
Democratic leaders firmly dispute Fetterman's accusations that they are pandering to a liberal base.
Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, warned Democrats should be careful not to overthink the politics of this.
“I think this is a strategic mistake in the geopolitical sense, I think it's morally questionable and it's politically incredibly unpopular, so don't outsmart yourself,” he said generally about Democrats who are on the fence about the war powers resolution.
But the fight over war powers is just the beginning. It is one thing for Democrats to stay united on a question of whether Congress should have more say over initiating a conflict with Iran in the first place, it is an entirely different question for Democrats to confront the reality that a prolonged battle in Iran may force them to contend with bigger questions over supplying US forces in the region.
Already, there is a signal that Congress may need to pass legislation in the coming weeks or months to provide more funding and weapons to at the very least restock diminished ammunitions used in the conflict so far. That question could further divide Democrats just months before the midterm elections.
“I want to make sure our service members and US citizens in the region are protected to the extent we could possibly do that,” Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona and veteran said. “We gotta be able to protect our troops and there are a lot of people in harm's way right now so we will take a close look at what they propose.”
Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq, said he will have to look at any supplemental funding request closely but contends it is a difficult question for lawmakers and veterans in particular. On Saturday morning when Gallego saw the news of the attack in Iran, he had one thought: “Here we go again.”
“There is one side of me that wants to make sure that all the equipment our troops need to be protected is there, at the same time funding a war of choice for $50 billion when there is already a trillion dollar budget when they have already added another $175 billion to the DHS budget, it makes it very difficult,” he said.
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At the 2011 White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner, former President Barack Obama delivered withering jokes against then-businessman Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump is here tonight! Now, I know that he's taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald,” Obama joked. “And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter — like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
Trump sat silently as the crowd laughed at his expense. Media lore claims the 2011 dinner was the moment that led Trump to seek the White House.
Now, 15 years later, Trump will return to the dinner on April 25 as the nation's commander in chief. The moment could provide Trump a captive audience made up of the media outlets he's long lambasted as “Fake News.”
“I'm sure he'll roast the press,” said Ford O'Connell, a GOP strategist.
Matt Dole, a GOP strategist, put it even more bluntly, noting that Trump's love-hate relationship with the press has been a factor for decades.
“I think he still anticipates a tough night,” Dole said. “And so I don't think he will feel restraint in sharing what he really feels about the press corps.
“I think we could see Donald Trump speaking about the media the way Donald Trump spoke about the Democrats at the State of the Union,” Dole said, referencing Trump's notable moment forcing Democrats to either stand and clap or sit down when he called for prioritizing U.S. citizens over illegal immigrants.
Since he first became president in 2017, Trump has boycotted the dinner every year in office, claiming the media was biased against him and derisively branding reporters as “fake news.” He was the first president, since former President Calvin Coolidge attended the event in 1924, not to show up at the event.
The highlight of the dinner is almost always the comedian who is chosen to give remarks and the president's own funny take on press freedoms. The WHCA avoided controversy this year by selecting famed mentalist Oz Pearlman, not known for publicly excoriating Trump, as the entertainer for the dinner. But that doesn't mean Trump is in for an easy night.
“I don't think anybody's going to take it light on him, because he's there in person or in the coverage the next day,” Dole said. “What will be interesting is that it will certainly be the most talked about press prom in a decade.”
WHCA president Weijia Jiang said in a statement that the group is “happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him.”
But the statement belies the rough year reporters have faced under Trump's second term.
The White House has had a somewhat strained relationship with reporters after it unsuccessfully attempted to kick the Associated Press out of the White House Correspondents Association pool rotation last year. The administration also immediately took over assignment duties for press coverage inside the White House beginning last year, including adding a New Media pool, which allows newer or untraditional outlets and influencers to cover Trump.
The White House has also limited reporters' access to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's office.
Trump infamously appeared to call Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg's White House correspondent, “piggy” on Air Force One last year. The president has also sued multiple media outlets.
Yet the fact that Trump is deciding to attend the dinner indicates he is willing to enter the proverbial lion's den.
“President Trump showing up to the WHCD is the most on-brand plot twist imaginable,” added a GOP operative who has worked on past presidential campaigns. “Love him or hate him, and plenty in that room fall into the latter camp. He's the most accessible president of the modern era. And you can bet he'll remind every reporter there of it.”
The president has claimed that because the WHCA had asked him “very nicely” to attend, he would accept the invitation. Trump's attendance also comes as the White House is planning a big rollout for the 250th anniversary of the United States.
TRUMP TO ATTEND WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER FOR FIRST TIME AS PRESIDENT
“In honor of our Nation's 250th Birthday, and the fact that these ‘Correspondents' now admit that I am truly one of the Greatest Presidents in the History of our Country, the G.O.A.T., according to many, it will be my Honor to accept their invitation,” he wrote on Truth Social. “And work to make it the GREATEST, HOTTEST, and MOST SPECTACULAR DINNER, OF ANY KIND, EVER!”
Trump's insistence on making this year's 250th anniversary of the nation's founding a momentous occasion is likely a key reason he accepted the invitation, GOP strategists told the Washington Examiner. And it will likely give him a chance to blast the media, with whom he has regularly sparred.
“It's a pivotal midterm election year,” O'Connell said. “And he is the nation's marketer in chief, and he recognizes that this is an opportunity to not only showcase his influence, but shake the national conversation while celebrating a milestone in a high-level event.”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Tina Peters, former Mesa County, Colo., clerk, listens during her trial, March 3, 2023, in Grand Junction, Colo. (Scott Crabtree/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel via AP, Pool, File)
Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., speaks at an event at the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
DENVER (AP) — Colorado's Democratic governor, facing a pressure campaign from President Donald Trump, is signaling his openness to granting clemency to a former county clerk who was convicted in a scheme that attempted to find proof of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
A social post by Gov. Jared Polis brought swift rebuke Wednesday from the state's attorney general, secretary of state and the association representing local election officials, who said such an action by the governor would send the wrong message to anyone seeking to interfere with elections ahead of this year's midterms.
In his post on Tuesday, the governor compared the case of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence, to that of a former state lawmaker who was recently sentenced to probation and community service after being convicted of one of the same crimes. Polis was echoing a concern he raised in January that the sentence for Peters, who didn't have a criminal history, was “harsh.”
“Justice in Colorado and America needs to be applied evenly, you never know when you might need to depend on the rule of law. This is the context I am using as I consider cases like this that have sentencing disparities,” Polis wrote on the social platform X.
On Wednesday, Polis told KUSA-TV that whether Peters apologizes for her actions would be an important factor in his decision.
“What she would have to show in any successful clemency application would be appropriate contrition, apology. That's the kind of thing I would be looking for,” he said.
Peters has not expressed remorse for her actions, instead defending them as necessary to investigate possible fraud.
Peters' lawyers welcomed the governor's initial comments and hoped they would lead to her sentence being reduced to the nearly 17 months she has already served. They want her to be released from prison while they continue to try to get her convictions overturned in the state appeals court.
“Action takes real courage,” said one of her lawyers, John Case.
He said he could not discuss whether he had any conversations with the governor or his office about clemency because he said the process is confidential.
Peters has become a hero to many who support Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, especially those who have been pushing unfounded conspiracy theories.
Trump threatened “harsh measures” against Colorado unless the state releases Peters, and his administration has cut off funding to the state.
Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat who is running for state attorney general, said Polis' comments were “shocking and worrisome” and that he was wrong to make a comparison between the case of Peters and former state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis. Lewis and Peters were each convicted of attempting to influence a public servant, but also convicted of additional, different crimes.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office helped prosecute Peters, said Peters has not demonstrated any remorse for her actions.
“Clemency should be based on remorse, rehabilitation, and extenuating circumstances — not on political influence, favor, or retribution,” Weiser, a Democrat who is running to succeed the term-limited Polis, said in an emailed statement.
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who is hoping to replace Polis as governor, also said Peters shouldn't be pardoned or have her sentence commuted.
“Donald Trump may be seeking revenge on Colorado, but surrendering to his political pressure will not make our state stronger or safer,” the Democrat said.
Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said there are few similarities between Peters' and Lewis' cases.
“It seems he's tying himself in knots trying to find a way to commute her sentence,” he said of the governor.
He also said he worried that an early release would send the wrong message before this year's midterm elections.
“The signal is it's OK to work to undermine our elections because, whether it's President Trump or Jared Polis, you'll get a get-out-of-jail free card,” Crane said.
In response, a Polis spokesperson, Shelby Wieman, said the governor has been skeptical of Peters' sentence and was comparing it with the one given to the former state lawmaker who was sentenced Friday.
In contrast to some other Democratic governors, Polis, who prides himself on being a political iconoclast, has taken a sometimes accommodating stance toward Trump. As Trump entered office, Polis praised the idea of the Department of Government Efficiency, then run by billionaire Elon Musk, and the nomination of vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Services.
He also has criticized Trump's stance on tariffs and immigration, among other issues.
Peters and Lewis were both convicted of attempting to influence a public servant, a crime that involves using deception or a threat to try to get a public official to act in a certain way.
Lewis was convicted of one count of that and three counts of forgery. Prosecutors said she forged letters of support in the middle of a legislative ethics investigation over whether she had mistreated her staff. Her attorney, Craig Truman, declined to comment on her case.
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county's election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021. A photo and video of confidential voting system passwords were later posted on social media and a conservative website. She said she had a duty to preserve the information as clerk.
Peters was found guilty of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state.
Peters' lawyers said the judge violated her First Amendment rights by punishing her with a stiff sentence for making allegations about election fraud. The judge called her a “charlatan” and said she posed a danger to the community for spreading lies about voting and undermining the democratic process.
Appeals court judges seemed sympathetic to the free speech argument during oral arguments in January.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The Department of War has identified the remaining two American service members killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait on March 1, completing the release of the names of all six troops who died in the deadly retaliatory attack.
The War Department identified Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, as one of the casualties, and believed Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, to be the other casualty, but a medical examiner will need to confirm his identity.
The soldiers were killed when a drone struck a tactical operations center at Port Shuabia, a logistics hub in Kuwait used by U.S. forces to move equipment and supplies across the region. The attack also wounded at least 18 other service members.
Their names were released a day after the Pentagon identified four other soldiers killed in the strike: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20.
All of the Army Reserve soldiers killed as a result of the strike were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa.
The soldiers were killed in the opening hours of the conflict after Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the region following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. The drone struck a command-and-control building at the port facility where U.S. personnel were operating.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth acknowledged on Monday morning that the U.S. air defenses did not stop it, nor did the center's fortifications save the service members inside.
COUNTER-DRONE DEFENSE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER DEATHS OF US SERVICE MEMBERS IN KUWAIT
In the release, the War Department said the incident is still under investigation.
Senior military officials offered their condolences to the families of the fallen service members, describing them as dedicated soldiers whose sacrifice will not be forgotten.
The Department of Justice has quietly closed an investigation into former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen to sign official documents, according to multiple reports citing officials familiar with the matter.
DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin, the former “weaponization” czar, opened the investigation while he was serving as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The inquiry examined whether aides may have used the signature device without Biden's full knowledge or authorization as his cognitive abilities declined late in his presidency.
The New York Times first reported the development, citing three officials and saying the investigation surrounded whether Biden and his aides broke any laws using the autopen to sign presidential documents, before it was later reported by NBC News on Thursday. That report said the inquiry was wound down under Jeanine Pirro, the current U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., and a longtime ally of President Donald Trump.
NBC also noted the autopen case was never presented to a grand jury, underscoring the difficulty prosecutors faced in pursuing a criminal case over the issue.
A source familiar with the matter told the Washington Examiner that Pirro's office was expected to release additional information about the reported development in the near future. However, a spokesman for Pirro's office complicated the matter after indicating it is still under an active investigation, saying “we cannot comment on ongoing investigations.”
Trump ordered a sweeping review of Biden's use of an autopen in June, directing the DOJ to investigate whether aides used the device to conceal what he described as Biden's “cognitive decline.” Trump has repeatedly claimed that some executive orders signed with an autopen should be considered invalid.
Last year, the House Committee on Oversight and Reforms spent months dragging former White House officials into closed-door testimonies to press them about the former president's use of the autopen and whether they observed signs of his cognitive decline.
The committee released a 90-page report in October finding that Biden's staff exercised presidential powers without authorization, and referred three key members of Biden's Cabinet, including his physician Kevin O'Connor, for a DOJ investigation.
It remains unclear how frequently Biden used an autopen during his presidency, as there is no official government record tracking when the device is used. However, a group that shed light on Biden's autopen use, the conservative nonprofit group known as the Oversight Project, said last year it identified three distinct signatures Biden used throughout his term as president and claimed it was used on eight separate dates in 2022 while the former president was staying at the White House.
Notably, a 2005 DOJ memo found that presidents can use the autopen for official documents, though it was previously rarely used by presidents until former President Barack Obama used it to sign legislation in 2011 while he was abroad.
Biden denied the allegations of his widespread autopen use in a June statement responding to Trump's claims.
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,” Biden said. “I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false.”
On Wednesday evening, the Oversight Project released a statement to X criticizing the closure of the investigation.
The allegations from the @NYT that @DOJ @USAO_DC that were unable to move forward with a criminal prosecution into illegal autopen usage are disappointing. We will wait for the facts to emerge, but accountability for the "scandal of the century" is desperately needed and… pic.twitter.com/uCRPm0jlad
FLORIDA ARRESTS FELON RELEASED THROUGH BIDEN AUTOPEN COMMUTATION
“The report from New York Times that the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington D.C. were unable to move forward with a criminal prosecution into illegal autopen usage are disappointing,” the group said in a statement posted on X. “We will wait for the facts to emerge, but accountability for the ‘scandal of the century' is desperately needed and deserved.”
The development comes as some Republican officials continue exploring legal avenues tied to Biden's late-term clemency actions. In February, Florida authorities arrested a repeat offender whose federal prison sentence had been commuted in the final days of Biden's presidency.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The White House, including the West Wing and construction of the new ballroom, is seen from the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)
Artist renderings and diagrams of the new White House East Wing and Ballroom, briefly posted on the National Capital Planning Commission's website ahead of a March 5, hearing, are photographed Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
President Donald Trump speaks about the new ballroom construction before a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump 's White House ballroom project is way too big and should be scaled back, an architect and member of the board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation said Wednesday — one of a number of changes he has suggested for a project he says could permanently alter the nation's most recognizable historic home.
David Scott Parker, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects whose firm specializes in residential design and historic preservation, shared his views with The Associated Press as a key federal agency, the National Capital Planning Commission, prepared to meet Thursday to vote on whether to approve the 90,000-square-foot (8,361-square-meter) project. A separate federal panel, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, approved the project at its February meeting.
“Everything here feels inflated,” said Parker, who has been an architect for more than 35 years. “The net effect of this is to adversely impact what is the most important historic — the most identifiable historic — house in the entire United States. This is permanent, what it will do to the White House.”
Trump announced last summer he would be add a ballroom to the White House, citing the need for space other than a tent on the lawn to entertain important guests. He demolished the East Wing in October with little warning and underground construction to prepare the site has been underway since then. White House officials have said above-ground construction would not start before April, at the earliest.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, nonprofit group, asked a federal judge to temporarily halt construction until the White House submitted the construction plans to both federal panels and to Congress for approval, and allowed the public to comment. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected the request last week, and the Trust has said it plans to file an amended lawsuit.
Parker's architectural analysis was based on renderings and other information the White House submitted to the fine arts commission last month.
The ballroom itself takes up about 22,000 square feet (2,043 square meters) of the total space, and Parker said that is far larger than needed for the 1,000 guests Trump has said it would accommodate. The industry standard for a ballroom allots 15 square feet (1.4 square meters) per person, Parker said. By that measure, Trump's ballroom could be 47% smaller — or no bigger than 15,000 square feet (1,394 square meters), he said.
The proposal includes a 4,000-square-foot (372 square meters), south-facing porch and staircase. Parker said these are unnecessary since they don't provide guests with direct access to the interior of the building. He said the porch doesn't comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The White House said Wednesday that the ballroom will comply with the federal law requiring accommodations for people with disabilities, but did not provide further comment on Parker's critique.
The proposed portico is significantly larger than the portico on the south side of the White House and the south side of the Treasury Department building nearby.
Concerns about the project's size have followed it from the start. At nearly twice the size of the main White House itself, which is 55,000 square feet (5,110 square meters), critics have argued the addition would overwhelm the mansion and throw off the symmetry of the complex.
Parker said his other main concern is that the addition would stick out just enough so that it impedes the line of sight along Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol as it was purposely designed hundreds of years ago by Pierre L'Enfant, who was hired by George Washington to lay out the U.S. capital.
“It's hard to fathom that ... one addition could have so many adverse impacts, symbolically, architecturally and historically,” Parker said. “This literally violates the Founding Fathers' intentions.”
Parker is listed among more than 100 people registered to speak at Thursday's commission meeting, which is scheduled to be conducted online, according to the agency's website. Thousands of people submitted comments in advance and many were opposed to Trump's project.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) will not run for a third term in the Senate, a shock decision that came minutes before the filing deadline in Montana.
Daines, who served a single term in the House before his election to the Senate in 2014, announced on Wednesday that he will retire in January, giving another Republican a chance to vie for his Senate seat. He quickly endorsed Kurt Alme, a U.S. attorney for Montana who filed to run shortly before the 7 p.m. ET deadline.
“Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career, and I am grateful to God for allowing me to serve,” Daines said in a statement. “After wrestling with this decision for months, I have decided I will not seek re-election. It is time for … new leaders like Tim Sheehy to spearhead the fight for Montana in the United States Senate.”
The decision is a surprise turn of events in Montana's Senate race, where Daines, 63, was facing challenges from several Democrats and one independent. Polling favored Daines in the race, and as recently as this week, he was sending fundraising appeals for his campaign. He beat his 2020 competitor, Steve Bullock, by 10 points.
It's also the latest departure for Senate Republicans. So far, seven GOP senators have announced their retirement. On the Democratic side, that tally is five. His decision comes two days after another Montana Republican, Rep. Ryan Zinke, announced he would step down at the end of his term.
President Donald Trump quickly rallied behind Alme, joining Daines and Montana's other senator, Tim Sheehy (R-MT), in offering his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” Senate Republicans voted to confirm Alme as the U.S. attorney for the District of Montana in October.
“Kurt Alme is an exceptional person, and will do a fantastic job as your next United States Senator from the Great State of Montana — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The timing of Daines's withdrawal from the race drew immediate comparisons to the succession plan Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL) orchestrated when his chief of staff filed for his seat an hour before the Illinois filing deadline. The move was criticized as an undemocratic attempt to bar other Democrats from competing for the seat.
Days later, the House voted to reprimand Garcia after a fellow Democrat brought a censure resolution to the floor.
STEVE DAINES CARVES OUT SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY LANE AS ASIA EXPERT FOR TRUMP
Daines made his mark in Washington as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2024, helping Republicans retake the Senate and unified control of government with Trump at the top of the ticket.
He worked for more than two decades in the private sector before entering politics, leveraging his time in China to advocate on behalf of the president on foreign policy. Daines is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) on Tuesday confessed to having an affair with his staffer who died by suicide, calling it a “lapse in judgment.”
The admission comes as Gonzales is under investigation by the House ethics committee for engaging in sexual misconduct with Regina Santos-Aviles, his married former staffer who died after setting herself on fire in September 2025.
“I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment,” Gonzales said in an interview. “I take full responsibility for those actions.”
Gonzales said he has made amends with his wife and asked God to forgive him, “which He has.”
When sexually explicit text messages were released by Adrian Aviles, the widower of Santos-Aviles, Gonzales said they did not reflect the full picture and called it blackmail.
In his Wednesday interview, Gonzales alleged that when Santos-Aviles died, her widow reached out to the representative's offices to ask about death benefits and retirement funds.
“It was eerie, it was creepy, but that was the beginning of this was about money,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he had cut ties with Santos-Aviles in June 2024, over a year before her death, and denied having anything to do with her death.
In defending his innocence in relation to his staffer's passing, Gonzales said, according to police reports, Santos-Aviles stated that “her husband is gay and having an affair with her best friend” to first responders on the scene.
“I wonder if that had something to do with her tragic passing,” Gonzales said.
The scandal arose as early voting began in Texas, with Gonzales vying for the Republican candidacy for his district in the primaries.
The embattled congressman is now headed to a runoff election, as neither he nor his opponent received more than 50% of the vote.
Several members of Congress have called for Gonzales to resign over the affair, but he said he was committed to serving his district effectively.
HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO TONY GONZALES OVER AFFAIR ALLEGATIONS
Prior to Gonzales's admission, an effort spearheaded by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to release all the records regarding congressional sexual harassment investigations failed in the House.
Gonzales's affair was a boiling point for Mace, as she announced her plans to introduce the resolution after text messages between the congressman from Texas and his staffer surfaced.
In this article
The online mortgage platform Better has partnered with OpenAI to launch an app within ChatGPT that the companies said will dramatically reduce the time it takes to underwrite a mortgage or home equity loan, CNBC has learned exclusively.
The app, to be announced later Thursday, takes Better's mortgage engine and combines it with OpenAI's models to speed up the underwriting process for loan officers working at banks, mortgage brokers and fintech firms, Better CEO Vishal Garg said in an interview.
"Taking the mortgage underwriting process, which so many of us have experienced personally, from 21 days to as little as 47 seconds and enabling it via ChatGPT is a huge unlock for everyone," Giancarlo Lionetti, OpenAI's chief commercial officer, said in a statement provided to CNBC. "OpenAI is proud to partner with Better to build technology that revolutionizes the mortgage industry and makes it cheaper, faster, and easier for American families to finance a home."
For decades, creating a mortgage has been one of the most time-consuming corners of American finance, with lenders relying on dozens of steps that can take weeks to complete. After the 2008 financial crisis, big banks like JPMorgan Chase receded from the U.S. mortgage market, leading to the rise of non-bank players including Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage.
Better stock jumped as much as 5% on the news, while Rocket Mortgage shares fell more than 6% and UWM shares dropped nearly 4%.
Now, in an era where the leading artificial intelligence firms are targeting inefficiencies across the corporate landscape, it's possible that AI agents could reshape a U.S. home-loan market that originates more than $1 trillion in mortgages a year.
Garg said the new app is part of Better's pivot from being primarily a lender to consumers to also becoming a "mortgage-as-a-service" tech platform for other mortgage players.
The companies are taking direct aim at the dominant mortgage players by enabling competitors to move faster, Garg said. According to Better, lenders can save 21 days of time on average, reducing the costs to underwrite loans and ultimately saving consumers money as well.
"AI is now doing mortgages," Garg said. "Rocket, UWM, Pennymac, a bunch of guys that are large public companies, make their money by effectively charging a tax of one and half percent to underwrite mortgages. … That's $20 billion that's paid by the American public in a typical year."
OpenAI's models, fed with Better's mortgage data, save time by simultaneously running parallel workflows on dozens of checkpoints, including appraisals, title reports, income, credit reports and other metrics, Garg said.
"It's not a simple tool call. It's a multiple tool call with a super long, extended logic tree and a very large context window," Garg said.
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Iran's foreign minister said Thursday that his country is "not asking for a ceasefire" from the United States and Israel, "and we don't see any reason why we should negotiate" after nearly a week of war.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told NBC News in an exclusive interview that Iran is "confident" that it can confront the U.S. military if President Donald Trump decides to invade the nation with ground troops.
"And that would be a big disaster for them," Araghchi told NBC.
He also said that after six days of war against Iran, "It is clear that the U.S. has failed to achieve its main goal, which was clean, rapid victory."
"They failed to achieve that, and now they are trying to justify why they did attack us. And they have, you know, presented so many different reasons, but none of them worked," Araghchi said. "And now they are talking about, you know, plan B. And I, I believe that, you know, plan B would be even a bigger failure."
Araghchi's comments indicate Iran is in for a longer war with the U.S. after Trump has said he foresees it lasting four to five weeks. Trump has criticized his Democratic predecessors for engaging in protracted conflicts in the Middle East.
The war "is not our war," Araghchi said. "This is a war of choice by the United States."
"We are not asking for a ceasefire, and we don't see any reason why we should negotiate," he said.
"Negotiate with the U.S. when we negotiated with them twice, and every time they attacked us in the middle of negotiations? he asked.
"So there is no request for a ceasefire by us, and there is no request for the negotiation with the U.S. from us."
Aragchi, when asked why Iran has launched attacks against nearly a dozen neighboring Arab counties during holy Islamic month of Ramadan, said, "We have not attacked our neighbors. We have not attacked Muslim countries."
"We have attacked Americans, targets and American bases, American installations, which are unfortunately located in the soils of our neighbors," he said. "So we have made it clear for them, I have been in touch with their foreign ministers, and I have explained that 'we are not targeting you. We have no problem with you. We have only, are only targeting the American installations.' "
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New York Attorney General Letitia James and the top prosecutors of 23 other states once again sued to block President Donald Trump's global tariff regime, just days after a landmark Supreme Court decision struck down his previous effort.
Their lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Court of International Trade, seeks to deem Trump's latest tariffs illegal and order refunds to states.
Last month, the Supreme Court invalidated most of Trump's sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs implemented last year, saying that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose duties was improper.
But the president sought to keep his signature policy alive by immediately announcing a new wave of tariffs, these based on another law, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. That global tariff rate is currently set at 10%, but the Trump administration has said it plans to raise it to 15%.
"After the Supreme Court rejected his first attempt to impose sweeping tariffs, the president is causing more economic chaos and expecting Americans to foot the bill," James said in a statement provided to CNBC.
"President Trump is ignoring the law and the Constitution to effectively raise taxes on consumers and small businesses," she said.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
The move from the coalition of state attorneys general — most of whom were part of the successful effort to block Trump's original tariffs — adds to the ongoing international uncertainty created by the president's tariff policies. On Wednesday, a federal court ruled that companies that paid tariffs struck down last month by the Supreme Court are due billions of dollars in refunds.
In their lawsuit, James and the coalition argue that Trump is misusing Section 122 of the 1974 trade act, which they say was designed to address specific monetary imbalances possible when the U.S. was under the gold standard, rather than to combat trade imbalances.
The attorneys general also contend that the tariffs violate the Constitution's separation-of-powers principle giving Congress the power to impose duties, and that Trump's levies violate the 1974 trade act's requirements that they be applied consistently across countries.
The effort is "a clear attempt to escape the Supreme Court's ruling in the case against the tariffs imposed under IEEPA," according to James.
Last year, James and 11 other states sued the Trump administration to halt his original round of tariffs. That effort was eventually combined with suits from small businesses affected by tariffs in the Supreme Court case that handed Trump one of the biggest legal setbacks of his second term.
Trump and James have had their own legal entanglements.
His administration's Justice Department indicted James in October on two counts, bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
James, however, faces no charges after a judge threw out her indictment and two grand juries separately declined to revive those efforts.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the timing of the lawsuit from James and other state attorneys general.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James and the top prosecutors of 23 other states are planning to once again sue to block President Donald Trump's global tariff regime, just days after a landmark Supreme Court decision struck down his previous effort.
Their lawsuit, expected to be filed Thursday in the Court of International Trade, will seek to deem Trump's latest tariffs illegal and order refunds to states.
Last month, the Supreme Court invalidated most of Trump's sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs implemented last year, saying that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose duties was improper.
But the president sought to keep his signature policy alive by immediately announcing a new wave of tariffs, these based on another law, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. That global tariff rate is currently set at 10%, but the Trump administration has said it plans to raise it to 15%.
"After the Supreme Court rejected his first attempt to impose sweeping tariffs, the president is causing more economic chaos and expecting Americans to foot the bill," James said in a statement provided to CNBC.
"President Trump is ignoring the law and the Constitution to effectively raise taxes on consumers and small businesses," she said.
The move from the coalition of state attorneys general — most of whom were part of the successful effort to block Trump's original tariffs — will add to the ongoing international uncertainty created by the president's tariff policies. On Wednesday, a federal court ruled that companies that paid tariffs struck down last month by the Supreme Court are due billions of dollars in refunds.
In their lawsuit, James and the coalition will argue that Trump is misusing Section 122 of the 1974 trade act, which they say was designed to address specific monetary imbalances possible when the U.S. was under the gold standard, rather than to combat trade imbalances.
The attorneys general will also contend that the tariffs violate the Constitution's separation-of-powers principle giving Congress the power to impose duties, and that Trump's levies violate the 1974 trade act's requirements that they be applied consistently across countries.
The effort is "a clear attempt to escape the Supreme Court's ruling in the case against the tariffs imposed under IEEPA," according to James.
Last year, James and 11 other states sued the Trump administration to halt his original round of tariffs. That effort was eventually combined with suits from small businesses affected by tariffs in the Supreme Court case that handed Trump one of the biggest legal setbacks of his second term.
Trump and James have had their own legal entanglements.
His administration's Justice Department indicted James in October on two counts, bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
James, however, faces no charges after a judge threw out her indictment and two grand juries separately declined to revive those efforts.
Correction: The lawsuit from James and other state attorneys general is expected to be filed Thursday. A previous version misstated the timing.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took subtle swipes at rival Anthropic on Thursday and said he thinks it's "bad for society" if companies start abandoning their commitment to the democratic process because "some people don't like the person or people currently in charge."
"The government is supposed to be more powerful than private companies," Altman said during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei criticized Altman's relationship with the Trump administration in a memo to employees on Friday, according to a report from The Information. Amodei reportedly wrote that Anthropic has not given "dictator-style praise to Trump," while Altman has.
The Department of Defense has clashed with Anthropic in recent weeks over how the agency can use its artificial intelligence models. Negotiations escalated, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security" in a post on X on Friday.
President Donald Trump also directed every federal agency in the U.S. to "immediately cease" all use of Anthropic's technology.
Hours later, Altman announced that OpenAI had formed its own agreement with the DOD. The company has faced criticism for announcing the deal so soon after Anthropic was blacklisted, and Altman conceded that it looked "looked opportunistic and sloppy."
He said Thursday that the company's intention was to de-escalate the situation.
"It is complicated, we are busy with other things," Altman said. "But last week, when things started to get into a fight, it became increasingly clear to us that there was a chance things were going to go very badly."
OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit research lab in 2015, and it exploded into the mainstream following the launch of its chatbot ChatGPT in 2022. The company has ballooned into one of the fastest growing commercial enterprises on the planet since then, and it announced a $110 billion funding round at a $730 billion pre-money valuation last week.
As of February, ChatGPT supports more than 900 million weekly active users, up from 800 million in October. But the company is engaged in a fierce competition with rivals like Anthropic and Google as they race to win even more users and market share.
OpenAI's annual revenue run rate (ARR) recently topped $25 billion, while Anthropic has crossed $19 billion, according to sources familiar with the companies' financials who requested anonymity because the details are confidential.
--CNBC's Kate Rooney contributed to this report
WATCH: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says $30 billion OpenAI investment ‘might be the last'
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Joaquin Garcia spent 24 of his 26 years with the FBI working undercover. "I've done over a hundred undercover investigations," he told Business Insider.
His investigations spanned the Italian Mafia, Mexican and Colombian cartels, Russian and Asian organized crime groups, police corruption rings, jury bribery schemes, murder-for-hire setups, and large-scale narcotics operations.
Of all the criminal organizations he infiltrated, Garcia fears one above the rest. "Mexican cartels are just simply brutal," he said. See Garcia's interview with Business Insider in the video below and keep reading to learn why he fears the cartel most.
From 2002 to 2005, Garcia embedded himself inside the Gambino crime family as "Jack Falcone." New York's five Italian Mafia families — the Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo, and Bonanno — follow a strict chain of command: boss, underboss, consigliere, captains, soldiers, associates, Garcia explained.
Garcia became the driver and close confidant of Gambino captain Greg DePalma. The role required complete cultural immersion.
Garcia created a Sicilian backstory and went through an informal "mob school," learning how to pronounce Italian food correctly and practicing in Little Italy. He even went to a cemetery and identified a deceased Mr. and Mrs. Falcone to use as his "parents" if anyone asked to visit their graves.
His work with the cartel was different.
His cartel investigations focused on narcotics trafficking and large-scale drug transactions, where he often posed as an importer or trafficker, he said.
His credibility was more about what he could do than about his heritage. What mattered more was: Could he move kilos of drugs? Could he move money? Those transactions could sometimes shift quickly.
In one deal, Garcia said nine additional men showed up unexpectedly during a cocaine setup. He stepped inside a nearby diner and phoned the FBI, which was stationed nearby and ultimately shut the operation down and made arrests.
With the mafia, there was total accountability, Garcia said. They needed to know where he was at all times. If he missed a call, for example, they wanted to know why.
"You had to make sure your i's were dotted, and your t's were crossed because one slight move, then you're in the back of a trunk of a car," he said.
While there was no shortage of violence within the mafia, it did not compare to what he witnessed from the Mexican cartel, Garcia added.
He saw cartels cut people's heads off and put them on a spike. Hang people from bridges. "They'll come after your whole family," he said.
The cartels' core business is cocaine and heroin trafficking via international distribution networks that generate revenue far beyond traditional mafia rackets. "The mob doesn't even come close to any of that kind of money," Garcia said.
"You should be more afraid of drug traffickers," Garcia said, adding that when he was still with the FBI, "I had to worry about the cartels more than I do with the mob."
Garcia had planned to stay with the FBI for 30 years, but after 26 years, he said it was enough. Agents who remain for 30 years receive a small gold ring, and he didn't see a reason to stay longer just for that milestone. He retired in 2006.
Moreover, his daughter was 6 years old at the time, and he wanted to be present in her life. He describes driving her around everywhere and enjoying being home — something he couldn't fully do while living undercover.
"It felt good to just be around family," he said.
After leaving the Bureau, he briefly returned as a contractor to work on a Boston police corruption case but declined to continue undercover assignments, saying it was time for younger agents to take over.
He later co-wrote a memoir, "Making Jack Falcone: An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family," which became a New York Times bestseller.
In 2024, he received the FBI Agents Association Distinguished Service Award. Even in retirement, he said, he carries a firearm for protection.
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U.S. crude oil prices on Thursday topped $80 per barrel as the escalating Iran war disrupts global fuel supplies, with traffic in the Strait of Hormuz at a standstill due to attacks on tankers.
The price of West Texas Intermediate oil surged 8.51%, or $6.35, to close at $81.01 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent rose 4.93%, or $4.01, to settle at $85.41 per barrel. U.S. oil prices have surged about 21% this week.
Retail gasoline prices in the U.S. have jumped nearly 27 cents since last week to $3.25 per gallon on average, according to the motorist group AAA. The last time gas prices made a similar jump was in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, the group said.
Iran claimed to have struck an oil tanker with a missile, according to a state media report. Iran's Revolutionary Guard ordered a closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week and threatened to attack tankers passing through it, according to state media.
The British Navy on Thursday reported a large explosion at a tanker at anchor in Iraqi territorial waters. The ship's master reported seeing a small vessel flee the scene. The crew is safe and no fires were reported.
Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a standstill since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began, as ship owners are worried about the volatile security situation. About 20% of global oil consumption is exported through the strait.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for tankers passing through the strait. Trump said the U.S. Navy would escort ships through the Persian Gulf if necessary.
The Trump administration does not have a timeline for when the strait will be safe for commercial shipping again, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday.
"I don't want to commit to a timeline, but certainly it's something that is being calculated actively by both the Department of War and the Department of Energy," Leavitt said when asked during a briefing.
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The chief executive of German defense firm Renk said the escalating war in the Middle East could boost its business in the region.
"The current crisis in the Middle East, the Iran war, this might lead overall, and this is really a gut feeling, to overall increasing demand for defense capabilities in this region," CEO Alexander Sagel said Thursday on a call with analysts.
A day earlier, Sagel said the company received its first orders … for prototypes for a new Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) from "a Gulf state," which should be developed in the next two to three years. "It's a kind of indication," he added.
The Gulf states have been in the firing line of the war, facing Iranian ballistic missiles that have targeted U.S. bases on their territory, as well as energy facilities, civilian infrastructure and cities.
Renk reported fourth-quarter and full-year earnings before the bell on Thursday. While the earnings covered a period before the war in the Middle East, analysts had questions about Iran.
"I think this conflict could drive further defense spendings, not only on air and not only on ammunition, and not only on air defense systems, but also on ground-based," Sagel said.
Renk specializes in military drivetrain technology, including IFVs, and many larger defense firms count Renk as one of their suppliers.
The German mid-cap defense firm reported full-year revenue that grew 19.8% year-on-year, with adjusted earnings before interest and tax expanding 21.7%.
Order intake was up 9% over the year, and the order backlog came in at a record high of 6.68 billion euros, compared with 2024's 4.96 billion euros.
Guidance for this year, however, came in below consensus, and shares in the Frankfurt-listed company were down over 4% in midday trading. The company sees 2026 revenue of at least 1.5 billion euros, about 3% below consensus at the low point.
Renk shares have almost tripled in price since their initial public offering in February 2024.
European defense stocks have rallied amid heightened geopolitical tensions and the war in Ukraine, which prompted European governments to raise spending on defense. Larger peer Rheinmetall is due to report earnings next week.
Renk's largest and most important unit, Vehicle Mobility Solution, drove the 2025 growth, with profitability up nearly 28%.
Its Marine & Industry unit also posted double-digit growth on both the top and bottom line, and CEO Sagel sees an opportunity for the naval unit to benefit from U.S. President Donald Trump's push for expanded U.S. defense budgets, noting the lower-than-historical number of U.S. vessels.
"If you see the geopolitics in, especially in Asia, or when you see the number of vessels to aircraft carriers striking groups now in the Middle East, they need to build up and to ramp up through frigates, destroyers, and whatever," said Sagel.
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After more than 25 years building Palo Alto Networks into a $125 billion security giant, billionaire Nir Zuk is making a contrarian bet again.
His new startup, Cylake, is rejecting the cloud-based model he once championed, instead building an AI-powered, hardware-based security system for governments, defense contractors, and other highly regulated customers that can't move sensitive data off-premises.
Backed by $45 million from Greylock, the same firm that funded Palo Alto in its early days, Zuk is betting that a third of the market has been left behind in the rush to the cloud.
"The industry has overrotated toward delivering everything in the cloud, and that has left many of the most important customers stuck 20 years behind," Zuk told Business Insider in an exclusive interview unveiling the new startup for the first time.
He's been here before. When he started Palo Alto Networks in 2005, he recalled, people told Zuk, "You're crazy, nobody's going to use the cloud to consume cybersecurity services."
Now, he said, he's hearing a familiar refrain: "You're crazy. Nobody starts a hardware company to run on premises in 2026 in any space, not just in cyber security."
Palo Alto Networks is now the biggest standalone cybersecurity company in the world. Zuk's stake is estimated at $1.4 billion, according to Forbes. After serving as chief technology officer for more than two decades, he announced his retirement last year.
Just as he was seen as a contrarian for starting a cloud-based cybersecurity company in 2005, he relishes going against the grain in 2026.
"I like to be crazy," he said. "I know there's a market out there."
As threats skyrocket because of the growth of bad actors using AI, cybersecurity startups are booming. They raised nearly $14 billion in 2025, according to Pinpoint Search Group. That represented a 47% increase from 2024 and the most funding since 2021.
Experts have warned that the war in Iran will lead to more attacks this year.
It's not unusual for Silicon Valley VC firms to back a founder on their second or third company.
"When one's had a success as large as Palo Alto, that's a high bar," said Asheem Chandna, a partner at Greylock who has known Zuk for 30 years and served on Palo Alto Networks' board for 17 years. "The bar is not a small or medium outcome. The bar is, can we build something even larger?"
Chandna sees "a hundred billion dollar plus opportunity," pointing to what he estimates as a third of customers like defense, regulated industries, and sovereign nations that can never use the cloud for sensitive data. He calls Zuk "a magnet for talent," and "a brilliant technologist who's very competitive and very customer-centric."
Joining Zuk as cofounders at Cylake are Wilson Xu, who led the engineering team at Palo Alto Networks, and Udi Shamir, who co-founded SentinelOne.
Zuk said he got the idea for starting Cylake years ago and finally decided to strike out on his own again when he reached a point last summer at which he felt his work at Palo Alto Networks was complete after it acquired CyberArk, an identity security platform, for $25 billion.
"I heard from customers over the years that they wish they could use the products that we were pitching to them, but they couldn't because they were in the cloud," he said. "It's not something that a company that's built around delivering everything that it has from the cloud can solve."
At 54, already a billionaire, he says starting a new company is not about the money. "First, I like to build things," Zuk said. "And second, if I didn't do it, nobody would do it."
Jump to
With about six weeks until the April 15 tax deadline, some filers are turning to artificial intelligence chatbots for help with returns. But tax experts urge filers to use caution.
"Grok can help with your taxes," Elon Musk said in an X post on Tuesday. Developed by Musk's startup xAI, Grok is a generative AI chatbot that has been integrated with X.
Musk's message quoted another X post from xAI's James Burnham, which mentioned someone who Burnham said had used Grok to double-check tax returns and received a bigger refund.
"Disclaimer: This/Grok is not tax advice so always confirm yourself too," wrote Burnham, who works as general counsel for xAI and X.
However, uncovering a bigger refund doesn't necessarily mean your return is correct, according to Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals.
You should always review previous years' returns to understand why refunds or balances due are different from year-to-year, said O'Saben, who is also an enrolled agent, which is a tax license to practice before the IRS.
This season, filers have multiple AI options to help with taxes, including tools like Grok, ChatGPT or Claude, as well as chatbots integrated in popular tax prep software platforms.
But taxes could be more complex this season amid the 2025 changes enacted via President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill," and some consumers are hesitant to use AI when filing returns.
In 2026, only 37% of filers said they would consider trusting AI over a tax professional, compared to 43% in 2025, according to a survey from software platform Invoice Home. The company polled roughly 2,000 filers in January.
Amid changing tax laws, it can be difficult to rely solely on AI for more complicated questions, according to tax experts.
"Each of the areas have some nuance," said certified public accountant Michael Deering, a partner and tax services leader at accounting firm Mowery and Schoenfeld.
For example, Trump's new tax breaks have phase-outs, which can reduce or eliminate the benefit, depending on your income.
Plus, it could be hard for AI to interpret how each tax break may impact the various parts of your return, Deering said.
Some tax professionals also have data privacy concerns.
O'Saben, with the National Association of Tax Professionals, uses AI to boost efficiency in his own tax practice. But he said he only recommends using the software for generic queries, without inputting personal data, such as your Social Security number and other sensitive information.
It's important that your return is accurate, whether you use AI or not.
"You're ultimately responsible for all of the entries on that return, and you sign a statement at the bottom" saying it's correct to the best of your knowledge, he said.
CNBC's Ryan Ermey contributed to the reporting for this story.
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Fast-food chicken sandwiches may look similar on the surface, but not all sandwiches deliver the same crunch, flavor, or value.
To find out how popular chains compare, I ordered chicken sandwiches from McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Popeyes, and Bojangles and compared them based on taste, texture, toppings, and price.
From classic Southern flavor profiles to more flaky filets, each sandwich brought something different to the table.
Here's how the five chicken sandwiches ranked from worst to best.
McDonald's crispy chicken sandwich, aptly named the McCrispy, was released amid the 2021 chicken sandwich wars and is available in classic, spicy, and — as of January 27 — a new, limited-edition hot-honey flavor.
It cost $7.69, excluding tax, at my local chain in Brooklyn, New York.
When I opened it, I noticed the sandwich had a very light smattering of mayonnaise. As someone who loves condiments, this was a little disappointing.
I was eager to see how it would affect the taste.
The sandwich was moist but almost soggy. The bun tasted pretty artificial but held the sandwich's contents together perfectly, and in terms of size, I thought McDonald's nailed the bun-to-chicken ratio.
I'd order it again, but it didn't blow me away.
It came wrapped in paper and cost $8.99, excluding tax, at my local Wendy's in Brooklyn, New York.
The lettuce looked a little limp on first inspection, and there also wasn't much of it. However, the chicken filet was large — it was practically spilling out of the bun.
While this sandwich impressed me in terms of size, the texture of the chicken filet let it down. It wasn't nearly as crispy as I would have liked, and it bordered on soggy.
The toppings also lacked flavor, though the bun was soft and buttery, which I enjoyed.
Burger King offers a few different chicken sandwiches — this classic Royal Crispy chicken sandwich, a spicy version, one with bacon and Swiss cheese, and its older original chicken sandwich, which is served in a longer bun with just lettuce and mayonnaise.
The classic Royal Crispy chicken sandwich costs $7.99, excluding tax, at my local Burger King in Brooklyn, New York.
This was different than the more Southern flavor profiles served at chains like Popeyes, McDonald's, and Chick-fil-A.
The amount of toppings was generous, I thought. Thick slabs of tomato and lettuce leaves covered the entire chicken filet, and there was plenty of mayonnaise smeared on the top of its fluffy potato bun.
The tomato tasted a little limp, and the lettuce lacked a distinct crunch. However, the chicken itself really impressed me — it was thick and tender, with a rich, briny flavor that I enjoyed. I also liked the bun, which was fluffy but sturdy enough to hold the sandwich together.
I was left wishing the sandwich came with just mayonnaise and pickles, so the chicken could really shine through.
Popeyes practically invented the chicken sandwich wars after it introduced its signature sandwich in 2019, sparking fistfights, lengthy lines, and a ton of online discourse.
The sandwich may not be as talked about as it once was, but it's still a fan favorite. It cost $6.49, excluding tax.
Popeyes puts mayonnaise on both buns, with pickles layered under the chicken filet, which sets it apart from other chains.
The chicken filet crunched and flaked with every bite, and the thick pickle slices were actually tart — they certainly weren't just for show.
The sandwich was also moist and tender, without being a soggy mess.
Overall, I was impressed. However, another chain clinched the win.
The sandwich, which the chain updated in the aftermath of the chicken sandwich wars, features a large filet of fried chicken on a buttery brioche bun. Its flavor profile is classically Southern, built around fried chicken, pickles, and mayonnaise.
The chicken sandwich cost $8.81, excluding tax.
Like the other chicken sandwiches, Bojangles' chicken sandwich was topped with mayonnaise, but it was thicker than the mayonnaise from other chains. It also came with two crunchy pickle slices.
Bojangles' process of marinating its chicken helped to infuse flavor deep into the meat rather than just coating the surface.
The filet was hand-breaded and fried in-store, creating an extra-crispy, craggy coating that delivered a satisfying crunch with every bite. The pickles added even more crunch, with a bright, briny flavor that cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
The sandwich also had a subtle kick from the marinade — it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, but it was enough to add flavor and keep each bite interesting.
Together, the crispy breading and flavorful filet created a layered texture and flavor profile that set the sandwich apart from its competitors.
While it was the most expensive sandwich, I thought it was worth the price considering the extra work that went into making it and the fact that it hit all the marks of a truly great chicken sandwich.
The chicken sandwich wars are over — for me at least. I declare this sandwich the winner.
Jump to
A bipartisan group of Washington, D.C., lawmakers plans to reintroduce a bill on Thursday that would update a federal anti-poverty program that millions of Americans rely on to provide for their basic needs.
Supplemental Security Income is a federal program that provides monthly benefits to adults and children who are blind, disabled or age 65 and older who have limited income and financial resources. Approximately 7.4 million Americans receive SSI benefits.
The forthcoming bill, called the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act, would expand and strengthen SSI benefits at a time when everyday costs are increasing, bill sponsor Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in a statement.
Of the bill's 30 House and Senate supporters, most are Democrats — including Warren and Reps. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. They are joined by Republican Rep. James Moylan of Guam, and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
"SSI is a critical lifeline for millions of Americans — but the program is five decades out-of-date, leaving people behind and even punishing them for trying to save up," Warren said.
SSI was created in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed it into law. It was implemented to help keep individuals out of poverty. Yet because the program has not been meaningfully updated since the 1970s, poverty rates among SSI beneficiaries are more than double the national poverty rate, according to new research from the Roosevelt Institute, a liberal think tank, student network and nonprofit partner to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Many individuals on SSI experience deep poverty, with children, racial minorities and residents of the South most vulnerable, according to the Roosevelt Institute's research.
In 2026, the maximum monthly SSI payments are $994 for individual beneficiaries and $1,491 for eligible married couples, according to the Social Security Administration. That amounts to almost $12,000 per year for individuals and $18,000 per year for couples, according to the agency.
Many individuals who are on the program have severe mental, physical and cognitive disabilities that limit their ability to work, said Stephen Nuñez, director of stratification economics at the Roosevelt Institute.
"It's not like these are people who are in some way abusing the system," Nuñez said. "They're just living a bare bones, threadbare existence because basically people forgot about them."
SSI recipients are currently limited to $20 per month in non-employment income, such as Social Security benefits or a pension — an amount that hasn't been adjusted since 1974. If income is higher, the Social Security Administration may reduce benefits or restrict eligibility.
That threshold would be updated to $158 per month under the new bill, according to the text CNBC reviewed.
Another provision proposes adjusting another threshold, the earned income exclusion, that currently makes it so an SSI recipient's first $65 in earnings does not count as income — which was meant as a work incentive when it was set at that level in 1972.
The new bill would update that level to $512 per month.
It also calls for updating resource limits for beneficiaries — currently set at $2,000 per individual and $3,000 per eligible couple — that apply to certain assets like cash, bank accounts and investments. Those thresholds would be raised to $10,000 per individual and $20,000 per eligible couple, which the proposal says would better enable beneficiaries to save for emergencies.
All the new thresholds would be indexed to inflation and adjusted annually.
The benefit rate would also be raised to 100% of the federal poverty level. A marriage penalty would also be eliminated, as the proposal calls for setting the benefit rate for couples at twice the individual rate. Currently, married couples who receive SSI receive 25% less than they would if they were not married.
The proposal would also eliminate other penalties for in-kind support, such as food or shelter provided by friends or family.
Notably, the bill would also make SSI benefits available to eligible residents of U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.
"Modernizing this program and extending it to Guam and the other territories is about economic fairness and ensuring that every American community receives the basic security SSI was meant to provide," Moylan said in a statement.
Lawmakers previously introduced other versions of the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act. The previous attempt, introduced in the House in January 2024, was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, and later that year, the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare.
For the latest proposal to move forward, lawmakers would have to agree to the cost, which would be about $61 billion annually based on that 2024 version of the proposal, according to the Roosevelt Institute's calculations. That would be about equal to the cost of a single tax provision in the "big beautiful" tax legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law last year, according to the think tank. Fully funding the reforms in the bill would reduce poverty among SSI recipients by 60%, the Roosevelt Institute estimates.
"As we get further and further from the original purpose and helping seniors and people with disabilities stay out of poverty, there just have to be changes," said Tracey Gronniger, managing director of economic security at Justice in Aging, a national organization dedicated to fighting senior poverty. "We can't just leave the program to kind of just wallow because we don't want to spend any money."
Other, less comprehensive proposals to update certain features of SSI may come with less expensive price tags. For example, the Roosevelt Institute estimates that just increasing benefits would cost $33.8 billion annually.
Another bipartisan proposal from 2025, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, calls for adjusting the asset limits for beneficiaries up to $10,000. The Congressional Budget Office has not come up with an estimate for the cost of the latest version of that bill.
Two former Social Security Administration executives — Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, and Jason Fichtner, executive director of the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute, a research initiative within insurance trade association LIMRA — called SSI reform "far more cost-effective than fighting poverty through Social Security," in a February op-ed published in The Hill.
Expanding SSI would help lift Americans ages 65 and over out of poverty, and thereby help clear the way for lawmakers to have a "rational debate over retirement policy," particularly Social Security reform, wrote Biggs and Fichtner.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to label Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security" on Friday resulted in more questions than answers.
"It's all very puzzling," Herbert Lin, a senior research scholar at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation, told CNBC in an interview.
Anthropic is the only American company ever to be publicly named a supply chain risk, as the designation has traditionally been used against foreign adversaries. But the company hasn't received any official declaration beyond social media posts.
A formal designation will require defense vendors and contractors to certify that they don't use Anthropic's models in their work with the Pentagon.
The dispute centered around how Anthropic's artificial intelligence models could be used by the military. The Department of Defense wanted Anthropic to grant the agency unfettered access to its Claude models across all lawful purposes, while Anthropic wanted assurance that its technology would not be tapped for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance.
With no agreement reached by Friday's deadline, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to "immediately cease" all use of Anthropic's technology, and said there would be a six-month phaseout period for agencies like the DOD.
Experts told CNBC the supply chain risk designation is highly unusual, especially since the U.S. and Israel began carrying out strikes in Iran just hours later. A group of retired defense officials, policy leaders and executives wrote to Congress on Thursday, defending Anthropic and calling the Trump administration's designation a "dangerous precedent."
Anthropic's models are still being used to support U.S. military operations in Iran, even after the company was blacklisted, as CNBC previously reported.
Talks between Anthropic and the DOD are now reportedly back on, according to the Financial Times, but there are still big questions hanging over the issue as of Thursday.
Stanford's Lin doesn't understand why the DOD is still using Anthropic's models in sensitive settings if they pose such a threat. If the Trump administration really sees Anthropic as a risk to national security, he said, it wouldn't make sense to phase out the models over an extended period of time.
"OK, wait a minute, they're a really dangerous player for U.S. national security, so you're going to use them for another six months? Huh?" Lin said.
Michael Horowitz, a senior fellow for technology and innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations, said it's "especially notable" that Anthropic's models were used to support the U.S. military action in Iran. He said "there's no clearer signal" of how much the Pentagon values the technology.
"Even in a situation where there is this intense feud between the company and the Pentagon, they are using their technology in the most important military operation that the United States is conducting," he said.
Transitioning away from Anthropic toward a new vendor takes time and comes at a significant cost in terms of efficiency, said Jacquelyn Schneider, a Hargrove Hoover fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
Until recently, Anthropic was the only AI company approved to deploy its models across the agency's classified networks. OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI received clearance, but their systems can't be deployed or adopted overnight.
By designating Anthropic a supply chain risk, the DOD is suggesting that the company is "really bad" for U.S. national security, Lin said. But he stressed that the agency hasn't clearly outlined what kind of threat the company poses.
"They don't point to any technical failing, they don't point to any hack," Lin said. "They say things like 'They're arrogant,' and 'We don't want you telling the DoD what to do in some hypothetical situation that hasn't happened yet.'"
Lin said the other punishment that Hegseth was threatening to impose on Anthropic, invoking the Defense Production Act, also contradicts the idea that the company threatens national security.
The Defense Production Act allows the president to control domestic industries under emergency authority when it's in the interest of national security. It could essentially compel Anthropic to let the Pentagon use its technology.
Horowitz said he thinks the clash between Anthropic and the DOD is "masquerading" as a policy dispute.
Months earlier, venture capitalist and White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks criticized the company for "running a sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering," after an essay published by an executive, and conservatives have repeatedly accused Anthropic of pushing "woke AI."
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei took a different approach than other tech executives, avoiding getting cozy with the Trump administration in its early days.
"This feels to me like a dispute that is about politics and personalities," Horowitz said.
Anthropic hasn't been designated a supply chain risk by any official measure, and there's an open question as to if or when the company should expect one. Defense contractors have to decide whether they will follow Hegseth's directive on social media or wait for more formal guidance.
Several executives told CNBC that their companies are moving away from Anthropic's models, and a venture capitalist said a number of portfolio companies are switching "out of an abundance of caution." But others, including C3 AI Chairman Tom Siebel, said he doesn't see a "need to mitigate" the technology "until it gets litigated."
Schneider said businesses are rational, and if they think it's high risk to work with Anthropic, whether it's formally declared a supply chain risk or not, they're going to hedge and look for other partners.
"There's all sorts of decisions that have been made within the Trump administration that, by law, require more codification," Schneider said. "Even the example of moving from DoD to [Department of War]. That by law needs more codification, but all the contractors are using DoW."
Even so, Samir Jain, vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said social media posts likely aren't enough to actually cause a designation.
"There's a process that the statute requires, including an actual finding that Anthropic presents national security risks if it's part of the supply chain," he said in an interview. "I don't think, factually, that that predicate could possibly be met here."
Anthropic said in a statement Friday that it will challenge "any supply chain risk designation in court."
For Schneider, the war in Iran now looms large over the spat between Anthropic and the DOD. She said she's left wondering whether the two conflicts were happening in parallel, or if they were somehow related.
"Obviously, you're not going to walk away from technologies that are deeply embedded in your wartime processes right before you go to war," Schneider said.
She said planning a military operation of that magnitude would have required "a lot of sleepless nights," so she was surprised the DOD was willing to spend such a "remarkable amount of energy" on a public clash ahead of the initial attack.
As the war in Iran stretches into its sixth day, Anthropic's path forward with the DOD remains a big mystery.
Horowitz said he would bet that the six-month off-boarding period will become a "a locus for some re-examination" within the Pentagon, especially since members of Congress and broader public markets have shown so much interest in the dispute.
Lin expressed a similar sentiment, and said he wouldn't bet on Anthropic's models being out of the DOD a year from now.
Schneider is less convinced.
"I wish I had a more definitive thought about where this is all going to go, but everything is so unprecedented," she said. When it comes to historical examples or analogous cases, Schneider said: "I don't have those. It's just super limited."
The DOD declined to comment. Anthropic didn't provide a comment.
WATCH: Anthropic tops $19 billion in annual revenue rate
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Payouts to unnamed bettors after the ouster of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the U.S. attack on Iran put prediction markets in the spotlight. Now, lawmakers are trying to block elected officials from getting rich off them.
A previously unreported bill led by Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., being introduced on Thursday would ban the president, vice president and members of Congress from trading event contracts — which allow users to wager on the outcome of specific events. It would also limit prediction market activity for senior executive branch officials and impose fines starting at $10,000 for violators.
"Members receive all sorts of tips and advice," Merkley said in an interview. "The actual demonstration of insider trading is too difficult to be sufficient to address the problem. The problem becomes both real corruption … and the appearance of corruption and conflict of interest."
The new legislation is unlikely to become law in the Republican-controlled Congress, but it may serve as a regulatory building block for the nascent industry.
Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are surging in popularity and allow users to place bets on the outcome of a wide-range of events. Some are trivial, like basketball games and Oscars best picture winners. Others are weightier, like who will win specific political races and whether or not the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.
The platforms have come under scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in recent months, particularly after wagers were placed on Polymarket on the fate of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran last weekend.
A New York Times analysis of Polymarket activity leading up to the Iran strikes found a surge of bets that an attack would happen by the next day.
"There was a suspicious amount of new activity, people making a very specific bet on Friday that we would go to war with Iran on Saturday," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said in a video posted to X on Wednesday. Murphy has said he would introduce legislation to ban trading on government action, though his office did not provide information on timing on Wednesday.
"Obviously there are people close to Donald Trump who on Friday knew what was happening on Saturday. and it is very likely, probable even, that the people that placed those bets were people with inside information," Murphy said. "We need to raise hell about a new corruption scandal, another one, inside the White House."
A White House official noted via email that gambling while on government property and insider trading are already illegal but did not directly respond to Murphy's claims.
Even before bettors cashed in on the Iran attack, skepticism was growing among the Democratic ranks.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and five other Democratic senators sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Michael Selig urging him to prohibit event contracts that involve betting on physical injury, death, or war.
They cited recent bets on the possible explosion of a NASA spaceship launch, Russia's invasion of a Ukrainian town and the fate of Maduro.
Merkley's concerns about prediction markets were exacerbated by the activity around the Iran strikes. But he initially became suspicious after one anonymous Polymarket user made more than $400,000 by correctly predicting the U.S. would invade Venezuela and remove its authoritarian leader.
"That was a case where you had the secretary of State saying 'we didn't notify Congress the way we're supposed to under the law because we were too concerned about a leak,'" Merkley said. "So you're talking about an incredibly tightly held piece of information. It seems extraordinarily likely that somebody in that tight group conveyed information to someone who traded."
The bill was introduced after consultation with Kalshi, Merkley said. Kalshi — which is one of the world's largest prediction markets and is regulated by the CFTC — in a statement offered its support for federal regulation generally.
"We support Congress and regulators taking action to police insider trading, and keep prediction markets onshore and under federal regulation," a spokesperson said via email. "In the past few months, we've had outreach from policymakers about work they're doing to ensure market integrity, and we're in talks with many of them, including Senator Merkley."
The proposal also comes days after the launch of a new trade group called Gambling Is Not Investing, which is led by former Trump White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and is pushing for tighter state regulations on prediction markets.
But in Congress, at least, GOP lawmakers have not signaled their support for Merkley's or similar proposals, which means the new measure would be hard to pass into law in a Republican-controlled Congress.
Merkley and Klobuchar's bill, as introduced, does not have any Republican co-sponsors. Schiff, along with fellow Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, have all signed on.
"At the same time that prediction markets have seen huge growth, we have seen increasing reports of misconduct," Klobuchar said in a statement. "This legislation strengthens the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's ability to go after bad actors and provides rules of the road to prevent those with confidential government or policy information from exploiting their access for financial gain."
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., introduced similar legislation in January in the U.S. House after news of the Maduro-related bets broke. His bill would bar elected officials and employees of the federal government from placing prediction market bets on government policy, government action or political outcomes. It does not address enforcement.
"There's a ban on insider trading in every market, so why should prediction markets be an exception?" Torres said in a brief interview at the Capitol last month. "Prediction markets should be held to the same standard of integrity that governs the rest of the financial system, the rest of the economy."
Forty-one Democrats and zero Republicans have co-sponsored the Torres proposal, though he said he believes the GOP will eventually buy in.
"I suspect it will have the same trajectory as the ban on stock trading — that it will begin as a Democratic priority but over time will become bipartisan," Torres said. "For me it's not a question not of if but when. The prediction markets are facing heightened scrutiny and for me a ban on insider trading is the logical place to start."
Congress has not passed a ban on stock trading by lawmakers.
— Garrett Downs contributed to this story.
Disclosure: CNBC and Kalshi have a commercial relationship that includes customer acquisition and a minority investment.
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Zoey Gong, a Chinese medicine food therapist, was days away from boarding an Emirates flight from Paris to Shanghai via Dubai, United Arab Emirates, when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday.
Gong, 30, had her flight plans derailed as a result, and she told CNBC that she had to pay $1,600 to get to Shanghai, more than double the price of her original ticket.
She's one of millions of travelers swept up in war and other conflicts from Iran to Mexico this year, problems that are threatening the global tourism industry that's worth an estimated $11.7 trillion to the world's economy, according to industry group World Travel & Tourism Council. It's showing that people who are far from falling missiles, drone attacks and other geopolitical flashpoints aren't immune to ripple effects.
The U.S.-Israel attack on Iran set off massive aviation, travel and safety crises.
More than a million people around the world were stranded because of airspace closures that have grounded over 20,000 flights since Saturday, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Some were also stuck on cruise ships. Inquiries for more expensive "cancel for any reason" travel insurance policies surged 18-fold this week, said Chrissy Valdez, senior director of operations for Squaremouth, an online insurance marketplace.
Since Saturday, Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on the United Arab Emirates — home to Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passenger traffic, according to Airports Council International — as well as Qatar, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus. The back-and-forth attacks have left airlines with little recourse to repatriate travelers.
Days after the attack, the U.S. State Department told citizens in a large part of the region to leave immediately, with few options at hand. The department said it is organizing charter flights for U.S. citizens who want to return from Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Qatar.
"This has spiraled into an aviation quagmire," said Henry Harteveldt, a former airline executive and founder of travel consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group.
Other sectors of the travel industry are also dealing with the war's impact. Debris rained down near Accor's Fairmont The Palm Hotel in Dubai over the weekend. The company said four people were injured, but none were guests, visitors or staff. Meanwhile the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel had a fire earlier this week after it was hit by debris from an Iranian drone.
MSC Cruises' more than 6,300-passenger MSC Euribia ship has been stranded in Dubai and the company is trying to get flights for affected guests, it said. "We are requesting priority for our guests from our partners," the company said in a statement.
"In order to speed up the repatriation, we are working on other options such as chartering flights" from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE, or Muscat, Oman, but the situation on board "remains calm," the cruise company said.
Earlier this week, MSC said it would cancel its remaining sailings from Dubai for the winter. "We understand that this will be disappointing, but we are sure that guests impacted will understand this decision," it said.
Putting aside the Covid-19 health crisis that ground most international travel to a halt, Harteveldt called this week "the most chaotic event we've seen frankly since 9/11 when the U.S. chose to close its airspace. We haven't seen anything that has had such a long and geographically widespread impact on travel."
The Iran war is the most severe military conflict this year, but it's one of a series of obstacles that have threatened travel demand and profits for hotels, airlines and cruise companies, as well as local economies that depend heavily on travel, especially international tourists, who tend to spend more than local visitors.
Three days into 2026, the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. The attack prompted the U.S. to close airspace throughout the Caribbean, stranding travelers, many at pricey resorts and home rentals they had booked for the holidays.
Then in February, flights were grounded in parts of Mexico, including in the coastal resort city of Puerto Vallarta and in Guadalajara, after violence broke out following the Mexican army's killing of a cartel leader.
Executives have already had to make costly changes: rerouting or cancelling sailings, issuing flexible booking and refund policies, grounding planes and changing flight plans altogether, or discounting hotel rooms.
The cost of these conflicts is still being tallied, including for fuel, one of the biggest expenses for cruise companies and airlines along with labor, and are usually passed along to consumers, so that means pricier tickets and stays could be in the cards.
Australian carrier Qantas, for example, told CNBC that its flight from Perth, Australia, to London will now travel a route that requires it to stop to refuel in Singapore, though that will also allow it to pick up another roughly 60 passengers.
Travel executives started off 2026 as they often do: upbeat. Some airline executives, including those at the most profitable U.S. carriers, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, forecast record earnings this year.
The war and other incidents erupted as the travel industry has been leaning on premium options to woo wealthier customers, who make up a greater share of spending overall. Losing the base for more expensive trips could be extra disadvantageous to those companies and local economies.
In Mexico, for example, tourism makes up close to 9% of the economy and international tourist arrivals rose 13.6% last year to 98.2 million people, who spent close to $35 billion, according to the country's Tourism Ministry.
Now, airlines are pulling back on traveling to Puerto Vallarta, at least from the United States in the near term. Delta cut routes from April 3 through the end of the month to the city, except for once-daily flights from Los Angeles and Atlanta, according to the Cranky Network Weekly newsletter, which covers the airline industry's network changes. Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines also cut service in March.
"Perhaps people will forget about the PVR [Puerto Vallarta International Airport] concerns now that headlines will shift to the Middle East and bookings will rebound, but we will be watching capacity changes as leading indicators," Brett Snyder and Courtney Miller, the newsletter's authors, said in the March 1 edition.
The recent issues also come three months ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which is set to be hosted by cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Some hotels in Mexico are starting to notice a change, too.
Victor Razo, manager at the Rivera del Rio hotel in Puerto Vallarta, told CNBC that bookings are down around 10% compared with last year.
"We've had some promotions given what had happened," he said, adding it brought down rates between 10% and 20% ahead of the busy spring break and Holy Week period in the coming month.
He added that the hotel wasn't near the problems, which included road blockades, and that bookings have since stabilized.
"It's not like the beginning of the pandemic," he said. "There is no comparison."
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Berkshire Hathaway said Thursday it has resumed repurchasing its own shares for the first time since 2024 and separately new CEO Greg Abel bought $15 million worth of stock himself, an amount equal to his after-tax annual salary.
Abel told CNBC he will continue using his full salary amount to purchase Berkshire shares every year.
The Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate disclosed in a regulatory filing that it began buying back its Class A and Class B shares on Wednesday. Berkshire's stated policy allows the company to repurchase stock whenever the chief executive — after consultation with the chairman of the board, Warren Buffett —believes that the repurchase price is below Berkshire's intrinsic value, according to its annual report released over the weekend.
"I absolutely talked to Warren," Abel told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Thursday. "So how I approached it was, obviously looking at the value, having a view of intrinsic value [and then] consulted with Warren relative to the value and the timing."
Abel said normally the company wouldn't disclose the start of the repurchases. "We felt it was important to communicate to our shareholders, our partners, our owners, with the transition of leadership," he said.
Abel, 62, took over for Buffett, 95, at the start of January. Shares of Berkshire have fallen 3% this year and 10% from their record high last May. The stock came under pressure earlier this week after the firm reported a near 30% decline in its operating earnings for the fourth quarter, due in large part to weakness in the insurance business.
The last time Berkshire repurchased shares was the second quarter of 2024 and some investors since then have been clamoring for the company to deploy its $373.3 billion cash hoard in some way.
Berkshire B shares added 1% in early trading Thursday following the news.
In a separate filing, Abel disclosed that he personally purchased $15 million worth of the conglomerate's stock. The transaction increases his personal stake in Berkshire at a time when some investors have questioned whether Buffett's successor has comparable "skin in the game."
Buffett owns about 37.5% of Berkshire's Class A shares and has no intention of selling his stake aside from his charitable giving. He has previously said the conglomerate represents roughly 99.5% of his net worth.
"Absolute alignment with our shareholders, our partners, our owners, is critical," Abel told CNBC. "I already have some shares, but the goal was to continue to demonstrate alignment with them. ... As the CEO, I absolutely, obviously, believe in Berkshire, with the transition from Warren, and I inherited a company that has an incredible foundation."
Before the latest purchase, Abel, a longtime Berkshire executive who previously oversaw the company's noninsurance operations, owned $164.4 million worth of Berkshire stock, according to FactSet.
The CEO said he was committed to doing this every year with his after-tax salary for as long as he is leading Berkshire, which Abel said he hopes is "20 years."
Abel has emphasized continuity with Buffett's investment philosophy since taking the helm. He used his first annual shareholder letter over the weekend to reassure investors that the conglomerate's culture of financial conservatism and disciplined investing will continue "into perpetuity."
While some investors were heartened to know Abel will continue to run the company using Buffett's principles, some were disappointed there were not more bold moves made out of the gates by him. Wednesday's announcements may assuage those investors.
CNBC's Becky Quick asked Abel what Buffett and the board had to say about his salary reinvestment plan.
"Both were obviously very supportive," said Abel.
According to the CEO, they said "This is so Berkshire."
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In this article
The war in Iran has caused oil prices to spike, prompting concerns about a resurgence of inflation. That has led Federal Reserve officials to raise the possibility that they may pause the Fed's recent efforts to lower interest rates, or potentially even raise rates.
But that is the Fed as it's now known. The central bank is likely to soon have a new leader who sees inflation very differently. Kevin Warsh, if confirmed by the Senate, would almost certainly be comfortable lowering rates despite a spike in oil prices.
Warsh is President Donald Trump's nominee for the next chair of the Federal Reserve. He would replace Jerome Powell, whose term expires May 15. Trump officially sent Warsh's nomination to the Senate on Wednesday.
Warsh said in the run-up to his selection that he believed interest rates should be lower than the current federal funds rate of 3.5% to 3.75%, and Trump has made clear he chose Warsh because they share a desire for lower rates.
A surge in inflation could be a difficult challenge for a nominee who needs to thread the needle of Senate confirmation while retaining the president's support.
A barrel of Brent crude sold for about $72.50 on Friday, before the U.S.-Israeli military campaign unfolded. By Wednesday evening, it was trading for more than $82. Gas prices have risen, raising the specter of higher prices across the economy as Republicans look to hammer an affordability message in the midterm elections.
A lasting $10-a-barrel increase in the price of oil could add as much as a tenth of a percentage point to the so-called core inflation measure that the Fed focuses on, Daleep Singh, chief global economist for asset manager PGIM Fixed Income, wrote in a note to clients late Tuesday.
In that scenario, "the most likely response from the Powell Fed would be to validate an extended pause," wrote Singh, who advised then-President Joe Biden on national security.
These issues may turn out to be academic. The Trump administration says it has plans to help reverse the rise in oil prices, and the war may be over by the time Warsh takes office in May or June.
Some of the Fed's voting members have said they are worried about how Iran will negatively affect the economic outlook, showing more concern than Warsh likely would as chair.
"I had a lot of confidence up until a couple of days ago," Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said at a Bloomberg event in New York on Tuesday. Now, he said, he needs to see more data to make a judgment about what should happen to interest rates.
New York Fed President John Williams said at an event in Washington on Tuesday that he wanted to see "how persistent this is."
This is business as usual for the Powell Fed. It has paid close attention to how conflicts affect oil prices and inflation more broadly. Powell warned in 2022 after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine that the "surge of prices in crude oil" was "creating additional upward pressure on inflation."
Warsh sees it differently. "The Fed leadership blamed inflation on Putin," Warsh told Fox Business' Larry Kudlow in July.
The Fed's "core theory of inflation" is "mistaken," Warsh told Barron's in the fall. The institution tries to constantly fine-tune its assessments of how supply and demand are affecting prices. But the post-Covid inflation surge is clear evidence, in Warsh's view, that the Fed has been looking at the wrong factors.
"At the core, I think inflation comes about when the government spends too much and prints too much," Warsh said then.
Modest fluctuations in oil prices don't count for much in that worldview. He believes he can reduce the long-term interest rates that matter most to consumers by ridding the Fed of some of the $6.5 trillion in financial assets it has acquired in recent years and by generally restoring faith in the Fed's credibility.
Warsh also expects advances in artificial intelligence to make the economy more productive and believes rate hikes would put those gains at risk.
The Fed declined to comment. Warsh hasn't spoken publicly since Trump announced him as his pick on Jan. 30. Warsh declined to comment for this story.
The chair of the Fed has just one vote among a dozen on its rate-setting committee, but dissents against the chair are rare.
The Fed was designed by Congress to be free of political influence, but the president has leverage in deciding who to nominate. Trump has insisted that rates should be 1% or lower.
Warsh's theory of inflation is designed to make an essentially bulletproof case for cuts in this economy, unless something changes drastically. Even an all-out air war with a major global oil producer likely won't change that.
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Eli Lilly on Thursday launched a new program designed to help more employers cover obesity drugs in the U.S., targeting a major barrier to access for patients.
Lilly and its chief rival, Novo Nordisk, have moved to slash the cash prices of their popular obesity injections for those who want to pay entirely out of pocket. But employer coverage of obesity drugs remains uneven due to high costs, leaving roughly half of people with commercial insurance unable to start or stay on treatment, Lilly said in a release. List prices for Lilly's weight loss and diabetes treatments, Zepbound and Mounjaro, top $1,000 per month.
Nearly one-fifth of firms with more than 200 workers, including 43% with 5,000 or more workers, said they cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss as of October, according to a survey by the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.
"I think we'll learn in the coming months ahead, if this is a solution that maybe enables some employers who have been sitting on the sidelines to opt into obesity coverage for their employees," Kevin Hern, senior vice president of Lilly Employer, said in an interview. He added that some employers could opt to add coverage in the upcoming months, while others could wait until 2027.
Eli Lilly's new "Employer Connect" platform gives employers more flexibility in how they cover obesity treatments, aiming to broaden employee access to the drugs at low out-of-pocket costs, while also limiting expenses for companies. Hern said the program addresses some of the "core tensions" for employers when considering coverage of obesity drugs, including transparency around drug prices, flexibility in benefits design and the ability to choose among independent administrators.
Through the program, employers can pay a net discounted price of $449 per month for a new multi-dose form of Zepbound across all doses, Hern said. He added that the arrangement does not involve rebates, and that the net price gives employers clearer visibility to determine whether they can offer the drug.
Instead of relying on traditional benefit designs, employers can use Lilly's platform to connect with more than a dozen different third-party program administrators that help manage obesity treatment benefits and costs.
"Every employer is different. They all want to design things according to their unique needs and workforce," Hern said.
Employers can choose among more than 15 administrators to design benefits that fit their budget and workers' needs. Some of the administrators may focus on administering the obesity benefits to employees, dealing with core functions such as enrollment, eligibility, claims and more. Other administrators may specialize in comprehensive obesity management, offering telehealth, nutrition and lifestyle support for patients.
Lilly plans to expand the number of program administrators on the platform. The administrators already on the platform are GoodRx, Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Co., Sesame, Teladoc Health, 9amHealth, Andel, Calibrate Health, Crux Health, eMed, FlyteHealth, Form Health, Goodpath, Ilant Health, Onsera Health, ReviveHealth, Salta Direct Primary Care, Transcarent and Waltz Health.
"Our goal was to kind of create a platform where these firms could compete ... with the value of their services for the employers," Hern said. All of the administrators are offering the same medicine at the same price, so employers will determine "who can provide me the best service in terms of administering this program as I define that."
Those with government insurance could also see easier access to obesity drugs: Under landmark deals that Lilly and Novo struck with President Donald Trump, Medicare will cover those medicines for the very first time later this year.
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If Ben Zabihi had started his career five years ago, his workday would have looked very different than it does today.
A few years ago, he might have spent much of his time formatting code and writing documentation. Now Zabihi, who has been working as a software engineer at a small New York City startup since December, said a good portion of his day is spent using AI tools — not just to write code, but also as a research assistant to better understand his industry and business terminology.
The 23-year-old entered the profession at a time when companies and workers are actively testing and debating the extent to which AI is helpful and what still requires a human touch.
Though Zabihi said that relying too much on AI at the start of his career could result in a weaker foundation for his learning in the long term, he also knows he has to use the technology and optimize his workflow.
The tasks that used to keep entry-level engineers busy might not be as important as they once were, he said.
Instead, he's focusing on the bigger picture: work like understanding business goals, system architecture, scaling, and security risks, which once were the domain of more senior engineers.
While many recent grads see AI as a way to gain superpowers quickly, some industry veterans worry that the technology erodes a formative stage of learning that builds judgment and problem-solving skills — a gap that may only become clear as today's engineers advance.When 36-year-old engineer Georgian Tutuianu entered the field a few years ago, he said 95% of the job was painful. For today's junior engineers, though, there are many shortcuts — and he's worried those can come at the expense of deeper understanding.
For example, a core part of his job is managing codebases through pull requests, where engineers submit code for review before it's merged into the system. Tutuianu said he used to review around 100 to 500 lines of code in a pull request. Now, with LLMs, it's easily over a thousand, and he said he sees workers often add layers of complexity they don't understand.
"It's super concerning because then you have just a pile of terribleness that you have to contend with," Tutuianu said. "It's literally just pollution."
He said he worries that junior engineers may be outsourcing the hardest part of the job — wrestling with what they don't understand — to LLMs.
Zabihi and Tutuianu's differing experiences reflect a wider shift in the industry. As one of the fastest sectors to adopt AI, software engineering is being transformed — and entry-level roles, which were once the training grounds for mastering the complexities of the job, are fundamentally changing.
With that comes risk, but also opportunity.
There's no crystal ball to predict where the industry is headed, but one thing is clear: Junior developers are navigating a murky employment market as the industry undergoes a tectonic shift. That means they'll need to move quickly to stay relevant.
The shift in focus may also force a rethinking of the fundamentals of the job. If AI can handle much of the code itself, the value of an engineer might lie less in perfecting syntax and more in gaining a broader expertise in defining problems and architecting solutions.
"The question then is, how do the requirements of the job and the skills change?" Matt Kropp, managing director and senior partner and chief AI officer of BCG X, the tech division of Boston Consulting Group, told Business Insider. "If you're a junior engineer, how do you make sure that you meet those skills in the market?
Keith Ballinger, Google's vice president and general manager of Developer & Experiences, told Business Insider that "nothing beats doing it."
"You don't need to ask for anybody's permission to do something significant and meaningful," Ballinger said. "Just put together a cool app and post it on a website."
Ballinger said that most software engineers didn't enter the field to write code in a specific language or framework. A developer's job is to use technology to solve problems and apply engineering techniques, he said. Great engineers have always known how to break down problems into smaller ones, and now agents can help handle the rest, Ballinger said.
"That's a skill that we can teach and that people can pick up, but now it's more important than ever, and certainly more important than memorizing how an API works," Ballinger said.
As entry-level hiring opportunities shift, Mohit Bhende, the CEO and cofounder of engineering hiring platform Karat, said aspiring engineers should seek out organizations committed to training junior talent. Those opportunities may increasingly lie outside traditional tech, he said.
Bhende said he expects more talent to move to sectors like finance and healthcare, where AI adoption is slower, and security concerns elevate the value of human oversight.
He said CTOs are also increasingly seeking engineers who understand the business side of their work. Bhende said that aspiring engineers should prioritize developing domain knowledge, whether through on-the-job training or formal education.
"Maybe you're graduating not just with the computer science degree, but you're graduating with that, plus a business degree," Bhende said, adding that he thinks "the jobs of the future are going to merge those two."
Zabihi, for one, is bullish about what the rapidly evolving tech will mean for his career. He said his output is significantly higher because of AI — and ultimately, that's what he's being paid for.
"As a junior dev, you've never gotten a better bang for your buck," Zabihi said.
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In the aftermath of the Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran, American allies in the Persian Gulf are hearing a sound that Ukrainian soldiers have long come to dread: the foreboding hum of the Shahed-136 'kamikaze' drone.
First designed in Iran, the Shahed has already become a fixture of modern warfare, with Tehran's strategic partner, Russia, utilizing the technology in its years-long invasion of Ukraine.
Now, the drones — the most advanced of which is the long-ranged Shahed-136 — have become central to Iran's retaliation strategy against the U.S. and its regional allies, with thousands unleashed so far.
At first glance, the Shahed is unremarkable compared with cutting-edge weapon technologies, with analysts sometimes referring to it as "the poor man's cruise missile."
But while American allies have managed to intercept the vast majority of incoming drones with the help of U.S.-provided defense systems such as the 'Patriot' missile, many Shaheds have still managed to hit their targets.
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that out of 941 Iranian drones detected since the start of the Iran war, 65 fell within its territory, damaging ports, airports, hotels and data centers.
Analysts say the key to their effectiveness lies in the numbers. The drones are relatively cheap and easy to mass-produce, especially compared to the sophisticated systems used to defend against them.
Those factors make the drone ideal for swarming and overburdening aerial defenses, with each drone intercepted also representing a more valuable defense asset expended.
"The Shahed‑136, among other unmanned aerial systems, has allowed states like Russia and Iran a cheap way to impose disproportionate costs," said Patrycja Bazylczyk, analyst with the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.
"They force adversaries to waste expensive interceptors on low‑cost drones, project power, and create a steady psychological burden on civilian populations."
U.S. government reports describe the Shahed-136 as a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle produced by Iranian entities tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Compared with ballistic missiles, the drones fly low and slow, deliver a relatively modest payload, and are limited to mostly fixed targets, Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told CNBC.
Public estimates suggest individual Shahed drones can cost between $20,000 and $50,000. Ballistic and cruise missiles, by contrast, can cost millions of dollars each.
In that sense, the Shahed and its equivalents "basically serve as 'the poor man's cruise missile' offering a way to strike and harass adversaries "on the cheap," said Taleblu.
For Iran, which faces both international sanctions and limitations on acquiring advanced weapons, that cost advantage is significant.
Meanwhile, air defense systems used by Gulf states and Israel can cost between $3 million and $12 million per interceptor, according to U.S. Department of Defense budget documents.
This cost discrepancy raises a serious issue for Iran's enemies: Air defense systems have finite numbers of defense missiles, with each target intercepted representing a valuable asset expended.
Thus, in a war of attrition, the drones could be used by Tehran to wear down air defenses, opening them up to more damaging attacks, analysts say.
"The logic is to expend drones early while preserving ballistic missiles for the long haul," said CSIS's Bazylczyk.
She added that Iran's ability to sustain mass‑drone use will depend on its stockpiles, how well it can protect or restore its supply chain, and whether the U.S. and Israel can meaningfully disrupt the flow of components or production sites.
The U.S. has long sought to disrupt Iran's production of the Shahed-136, and recently imposed new sanctions targeting suspected component suppliers across Turkey and the UAE.
However, Russia's production of Shahed drones shows that such systems can be manufactured at scale during wartime and amid targeted sanctions.
U.S. officials claim Iran had launched over 2,000 drones in the conflict as of Wednesday. However, the country is understood to have large stockpiles and may be capable of producing hundreds more each week, military experts reportedly told The National newspaper.
"Gulf countries are at risk of depleting their interceptors unless they are more prudent about when it fires those interceptors," said Joze Pelayo, a Middle East security analyst with the think tank Atlantic Council.
"The depletion is not imminent, but it remains an urgent issue," he said. However, attacks on multiple fronts by Iranian allies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis could put stockpiles at risk of being depleted within days, he added.
The Shahed‑136 was first unveiled around 2021 and gained global attention after Russia began deploying the Iranian-supplied weapons during its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Kremlin has since received thousands of the drones and begun producing them based on Iranian blueprints, highlighting their replicable and scalable design.
Some analysts have suggested that Iran has drawn from Russia's extensive battlefield experience with the drones, including modifications such as anti-jamming antennas, electronic warfare-resistant navigation, and new warheads.
Those warheads typically carry 30 kg to 50 kg of explosives and can pack a punch, particularly when used in large swarms, with advanced versions capable of a range of up to 1,200 miles.
Michael Connell, a Middle East specialist at the Center for Naval Analyses, said that the Shahed-136 has proven so effective that the U.S. has reverse-engineered it and deployed its own version on the battlefield against Iranian targets.
In its Iran attacks over the weekend, the U.S. Central Command confirmed that it had used its drones modeled on the Shahed for the first time in combat.
With unmanned attack drones becoming a fixture of the modern battlefield, methods for dealing with them are also evolving.
According to Taleblu from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Ukraine has found some success in downing drones with fighter jet cannon fire, a more sustainable deterrent than missile interceptors.
Ukraine also recently pioneered the development of cheaper mass-produced interceptors, which Kyiv claims can stop the Shahed.
Gulf states are also expected to adopt more sustainable approaches. The Pentagon and at least one Gulf government are reportedly in talks to buy the cheaper Ukrainian-made interceptors.
Meanwhile, Qatar's Ministry of Defense says it is using its air force jets to intercept Iranian attacks, including Shahed drones, alongside ground-based air defenses.
Electronic warfare targeting the Shahed's GPS, as well as short-range missiles and directed-energy systems such as Israel's Iron Beam, are also significantly cheaper to operate than traditional interceptors.
Still, Gulf states currently lack fast, high-volume anti-drone capabilities, and developing and deploying such systems will likely take years, said Atlantic Council's Pelayo.
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Spain has pushed back against the White House's claim that it agreed to cooperate militarily with Washington amid the conflict with Iran, doubling down on its anti-war stance despite the U.S. president's threat to sever trade ties.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that Madrid's position of refusing to allow the country's military bases to be used in the ongoing Iran war had now changed.
"With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president's message yesterday loud and clear, and it's my understanding, over the past several hours, they've agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military," Leavitt told reporters.
"The president expects all of our European allies, of course, to cooperate in this long sought-after mission, not just for the United States but also for Europe, to crush the rogue Iranian regime."
Spain swiftly and "categorically" rejected Leavitt's assertion, however.
"The Spanish government's position on the war in the Middle East ... and the use of our bases has not changed at all," Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told private radio station Cadena Ser, according to Reuters.
The chaotic messaging between two NATO allies comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to cut off all trade with Madrid, calling Spain "terrible" and repeating his criticism of Spain's defense spending.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez responded on Wednesday by describing the sprawling Middle East crisis as a "disaster" and summarized his government's position in just three words: "No to war."
Sánchez has emerged as one of the European Union's leading critics of U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, having also been an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza.
Arancha González, former foreign minister of Spain, told CNBC on Thursday that Trump's attacks on Sánchez were not the first time the U.S. president has criticized a European leader.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen have all previously been singled out by Trump.
"What do they all have in common? They have said 'no' or they have questioned motives by the U.S. president," González said. She added that political leaders who stood firm were more likely to be in a better position over the long term.
González, who now serves as the Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po, also issued a warning to Washington over Trump's threat to sever trade ties with Madrid.
"Let me say that it would be foolish of the U.S. to have a trade embargo on a country with which it has a trade surplus. The U.S. has a trade surplus with Spain. President Trump always complains about imbalanced trade relationships. Well, here is a great trade relationship where he is a winning," González told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday.
Trump's threat to punish Spain on trade is widely thought to be a challenging prospect to deliver on, given that the 27 EU nations negotiate trade agreements collectively.
"Spain does not have an autonomous trade policy. Spain's trade policy is the European Union's trade policy," González said. "Let's keep calm. Cool heads. This is not the first time that we have seen threats of this kind."
Spain's Ibex 35 index was the top performer among Europe's major bourses on Thursday afternoon, up around 0.7%. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index, meanwhile, was last seen up 0.2%.
"I'm actually very positive on the fact that there has been solidarity with Spain. There has been clearly a united position that it is unacceptable to try to bully individual countries into specific political positions," said Guntram Wolff, senior fellow at Bruegel, a Brussels-based economic think tank.
"The U.S. president can disagree with them, and you know also among Europeans we can disagree on substance, but what is not acceptable is that an individual European ally gets singled out and gets bulled," Wolff told CNBC's "Europe Early Edition" on Thursday.
"Europeans have learned the lessons and know that they need to stick together," he added.
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US trade groups are pressing President Donald Trump and his administration to quickly pay tariff refunds to small businesses.
In a joint press release, the Consumer Technology Association and the US Chamber of Commerce said they had filed a brief on Wednesday in V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump, a lawsuit by small businesses seeking refunds from Trump's sweeping tariffs.
"The brief argues that an efficient, orderly process to deliver refunds is in the best interest of all parties — the Administration, the courts, and American businesses," the press release wrote.
"On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of businesses, especially small businesses, that are now owed refunds, the Chamber and CTA are asking the court to establish an efficient, orderly process to deliver refunds en masse," Neil Bradley, the Chamber's executive vice president, said in the release.
He added that the trade organizations were concerned that other parties might try to benefit from the refund process, and "the last thing our system needs is for the trial bar to be profiting off refunds owed to small businesses."
"While this matters for every American company, refunds are existential for the many smaller businesses and startups who shouldered the tariff burden," Ed Brzytwa, CTA's vice president of international affairs, said in the release.
The trade groups' filing comes after the Supreme Court ruled, in a 6-3 decision in February, that Trump's tariffs were illegal and that his justification for invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act was invalid.
And on Wednesday, Judge Richard K. Eaton of the US Court of International Trade ruled that US businesses that were subjected to tariffs are "entitled to the benefit" of the Supreme Court ruling.
Even before Eaton's ruling, companies had started demanding refunds. Major companies like Costco, Toyota, BYD, and FedEx filed lawsuits against the administration, seeking billions of dollars in tariff duties since they were imposed last April.
Representatives for the Trump administration did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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Editor's note: As of late Wednesday, some US embassies in the Middle East have begun providing links for American citizens to request assistance departing the region. Check our updated coverage for more.
American citizens across the Middle East are attempting to follow official advice and evacuate as conflict escalates in the region following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday.
But multiple US embassies have said they were unable to help citizens trying to leave.
"The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel," the US Embassy in Jerusalem said in a post on X on Tuesday.
The embassy shared that the Israeli Ministry of Tourism was operating shuttles to a border crossing between Egypt and Israel at the town of Taba.
"If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the US government cannot guarantee your safety," said the US embassy, adding that they were sharing the information "as a courtesy to those wishing to leave Israel."
President Donald Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Tuesday why evacuations hadn't been planned beforehand, and whether he would charter planes to evacuate Americans from the region.
Trump largely didn't address the question, other than to note how quickly the conflict broke out.
"It happened all very quickly," Trump said. "I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked."
Dylan Johnson, the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, wrote on X on Tuesday that the State Department is "actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East" and has been in contact with "nearly 3,000 Americans abroad."
Later on Tuesday, a fire broke out at the US consulate in Dubai after an Iranian drone struck an adjacent parking lot, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"Our embassies and our diplomatic facilities are under direct attack from a terroristic regime," Rubio told reporters at the Capitol.
Karen and Bob Carifee, a married couple from Texas who are stuck in Dubai after their cruise got canceled, said they haven't been able to get any help from the US consulate in the UAE city.
"We did everything we were supposed to. We registered like we were supposed to," Karen Carifee told Business Insider. "I've not heard anything of anyone. I watched the news, and we have not heard them saying, 'We're going to work to get the Americans out of there.'"
Carifee said she tried calling the State Department hotline for Americans in the Middle East, but that she got a pre-recorded message that said there was no help available. She said the only instructions they've gotten were to "shelter in place."
"I've been doing that," she said. "I want to know an exit plan."
Business Insider also called the hotline on Tuesday afternoon and got a 45-second pre-recorded message that told Americans to check the embassy website, shelter in place, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to get updates.
"Please do not rely on the US government for assisted departure or evacuation at this time," the message said. "There are currently no United States evacuation points."
In Qatar, where Iranian retaliatory strikes have hit key energy facilities, the country's US embassy issued a travel advisory on Tuesday, also warning American citizens they were unable to help them evacuate, saying that they should "take advantage of commercial transportation options."
The US embassy in Qatar advised Americans who chose to stay to create a contingency plan, but said that "these alternative plans should not rely on the US government for assisted departure or evacuation."
Most US embassies in the region have suspended normal operations as staff shelter in place, and some have shut down entirely due to heightened security risks.
On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a stark warning to citizens to stay away from its consulate in Dhahran, a coastal city in the east of Saudi Arabia, due to "a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks" over the city.
"Do not come to the US Consulate," the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia said.
The US Embassy in the United Arab Emirates similarly issued an update on Tuesday that said its embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai were closed and that "services cannot be provided in those facilities until further notice."
"For now, please do not approach the embassy or consulate for any reason," its statement said, adding that US citizens should leave the UAE if they think they can do so safely.
International airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were still operating a small number of flights on Tuesday, but have told people not to approach unless directly contacted by their airlines.
On Monday, the US Embassy in Jordan announced that all its personnel had temporarily departed the Embassy compound "due to a threat." It did not specify the threat.
Iran has launched a barrage of retaliatory missiles against US allies in the region, hitting sites including US military bases, Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel, and the US embassy in Riyadh.
The list of countries Americans are being urged to depart from immediately is as follows: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have closed their airspaces.
As of Tuesday, Dubai International has resumed limited flight services but continues to instruct travelers not to come to the airport unless their flight has been confirmed.
Wealthy travelers and expats in the UAE have turned to private jets and chauffeured drivers to help them flee the region, but many have been caught up in lengthy border crossings amid the rush to Saudi Arabia and Oman, where some flights were still departing.
Monica Marks, a professor at NYU Abu Dhabi, posted on X, wondering how Americans are supposed to leave the Middle East without government help.
Launch a war that jeopardises the safety of over half a million Americans from Jerusalem to Dubai? ✅Send a histrionic alert after the fact telling them all to “DEPART NOW?” ✅Pause to ensure that we have the capacity to evacuate our own citizens? ❌❌❌ https://t.co/LU91fwdnfF
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Oil prices have surged after fresh conflict in the Middle East raised fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz — a move that would normally be a windfall for Russia.
But this time, it may not be enough, according to an analyst.
"The current temporary spike, filtered through sanctions discounts and an unfavorable exchange rate, is unlikely to change the fundamental arithmetic," wrote Alexander Kolyandr, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, in a Wednesday post.
International benchmark Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate were more than 3% higher, trading around $84 and $77.50 per barrel respectively late on Wednesday. Both grades are around 35% higher this year.
Russia is one of the world's largest energy exporters, and its federal budget — and by extension President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine — relies heavily on oil and gas revenue.
Yet Moscow does not receive international benchmark prices for its crude. Its Urals oil trades at a sanctions-driven discount, and the strong ruble means each dollar of oil revenue converts into fewer rubles for the budget.
As a result, Brent above $80 does not automatically deliver the revenue Russia needs.
Oil and gas revenues plunged 50% in January from a year earlier, falling to levels last seen during the pandemic shock in 2020. Meanwhile, the federal budget ran a deficit of 1.72 trillion rubles — about 0.7% of GDP, according to Russian Finance Ministry data.
"Unless oil prices stay higher for longer and the ruble weakens significantly, the Kremlin's budget problems are here to stay," Kolyandr wrote.
Kolyandr's analysis comes as investors weigh whether the latest Middle East escalation will trigger a sustained oil shock, particularly for Asian countries that are reliant on heavily reliant on Middle Eastern energy.
China and India — now two of the biggest buyers of Russian crude — still source a large share of their oil from the Middle East, leaving both exposed to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could shift trade flows, potentially increasing scrutiny on whether Asian importers turn further to discounted Russian oil.
Markets have been volatile following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran over the weekend. On Wednesday, stocks in Asia slumped on energy security fears before rebounding on Thursday.
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US embassies in the Middle East are changing their language about helping US citizens evacuate from the region.
Previously, multiple embassies said they were unable to assist citizens in leaving, urging them to evacuate by commercial means. The embassy in Jerusalem said in a notice on Tuesday: "The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel."
However, they are now issuing notices telling Americans that government assistance is available.
In an X post late on Wednesday, the US Department of State said, "Today, a Department of State charter flight of American citizens departed the Middle East in route to the United States, as part of our ongoing efforts to assist Americans return home."
Today, a Department of State charter flight of American citizens departed the Middle East in route to the United States, as part of our ongoing efforts to assist Americans return home.Additional flights will be surged across the region and American citizens in UAE, Qatar, Saudi… pic.twitter.com/4egntuuWy3
It added that "additional flights will be surged across the region."
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The post did not say which Middle Eastern country the charter flight on Wednesday had departed from. The State Department post included photos showing consular staff standing next to US Embassy banners at an airport, with the country's name blurred on the signage.
The embassy in Jerusalem said in a late Wednesday notice that the US government is "ready to help Americans leave the Middle East if you choose to take advantage of the options available."
A security alert by the US embassy in Kuwait communicated the same message.
In the notice, the embassy added a link to a crisis intake form, which included the option, "I am seeking U.S. government departure assistance."
The US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said in an X post on Wednesday that "Americans trying to get home from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, or Qatar," should fill out the crisis intake form.
The Wednesday notice from the embassy in Doha, Qatar, however, said it's "currently exploring options to assist U.S. citizens in reaching a safe destination," but did not provide a link to the crisis intake form.
The State Department said on Monday that Americans in the following countries should vacate: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
In a Monday X post, the US Department of State Consular Affairs shared three steps for US citizens in the region to follow:
1) Enroll in http://step.state.gov for security updates from the nearest US Embassy.
2) Follow @travelgov on social media or the WhatsApp channel "U.S. Department of State - Security Updates for U.S. Citizens."
3) For emergency assistance, call:
Meanwhile, commercial air travel remains disrupted. Most airports in the region, such as Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, are telling customers not to come unless their airlines have confirmed their flights. Travellers in the region spoke to Business Insider about feeling stranded and terrified.
Some Emirates flights have resumed, prioritizing travelers with earlier bookings. The airline said in a Wednesday X post that it continues to operate a "limited flight schedule," and data from FlightRadar24 shows that Emirates has scheduled flights on Thursday to Warsaw, San Francisco, Chicago, Tokyo, and other destinations.
Representatives for the State Department did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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A federal trade judge on Wednesday cleared the path for refunds on President Donald Trump's tariffs, applied through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, after the Supreme Court recently struck them down.
In the ruling, Judge Richard K. Eaton of the US Court of International Trade said that US importers who were subject to those tariffs are "entitled to the benefit" of the Supreme Court ruling.
Eaton also ordered the US Customs and Border Protection — the agency responsible for collecting import duties — to "liquidate" import entries without regard to the tariffs Trump imposed through the IEEPA, a national emergency law that gives a president broad authority to regulate economic transactions.
The judge is essentially ordering the government agency to calculate the final bill for certain shipments entering the US as if the IEEPA tariffs never applied. Any accounting on goods that have already been calculated, or "liquidated," but are not legally final, needs to be redone without the duties, the judge ordered.
Importers generally have 180 days after goods are liquidated before the accounting is legally finalized.
The move is another blow to the Trump administration, which sought to raise government revenue through taxes on imports. Trump applied double-digit tariffs through an executive order on nearly every country in April 2025, calling it "Liberation Day."
On February 20, the Supreme Court struck down, in a 6-3 ruling, Trump's IEEPA duties, stating that the national emergency law does not give the president the ability to unilaterally impose tariffs. The ruling made no explicit mention of refunds.
In the Wednesday order, Eaton indicated he will serve as the sole judge overseeing cases involving refunds of IEEPA duties.
The exact dollar figure for refunds remains unclear. The Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates that the tariff reversals could generate up to $175 billion in refunds.
Spokespeople for the White House and CBP did not immediately return a request for comment.
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This as-told-to essay is based on an interview with Nguyen Thị Thanh Thơ, aka Hana Nguyen, 36, founder of Hana's Coworking in Da Nang, Vietnam. It has been edited for length and clarity
I never planned to work with digital nomads. In fact, three years ago, I didn't even know what "coworking" meant.
I was born in the countryside of central Vietnam and, in my teens, moved to Da Nang with my family for college. I first studied business administration, and later trained to become a pharmacist.
After graduating in 2016, I found a job in a local pharmacy. It was the typical job for many Vietnamese graduates: stable but low-paying; not especially challenging but also very boring.
I couldn't get excited about it, and I didn't see a future for myself there.
In 2023, I met a foreigner on an online forum who wanted to go hiking in the Marble Mountains, a group of cave-like temple structures in southern Da Nang. I decided to join.
At that time, I was curious about foreigners, but my English was poor, and I didn't really know how to connect with people from other countries.
That small encounter changed everything. A few days after visiting the mountains, my new foreign friend took me to a coworking space. I had never seen anything like it before — people from all over the world working on laptops, speaking in English, and sharing ideas.
Something clicked immediately.
I didn't have money or experience, but I had motivation. In early 2024, I spoke to a friend who owned a hotel with an unused floor.
I offered to manage a coworking space there. I told her that I could try working there for two months for free. If it worked out, we could talk about money. If it didn't, we could both move on.
After a few months, the project really took off, and I got some good exposure from Vietnamese TV and visiting content creators.
I worked there full-time for more than a year, doing everything myself — managing the space, cleaning, talking to customers, and organizing events. I negotiated a salary of about $250 a month, which wasn't much, but I loved it.
Eventually, I realized I was building something valuable and with potential — but I didn't own it. I began feeling exhausted and knew it wasn't sustainable. Around the same time, my dad fell ill with cancer. I knew I needed to make more money to help my family, so when another friend offered me a space inside his bar — unused during the day — I said yes.
That was the first coworking space where I felt some ownership.
I didn't have to pay rent, which worked because I had very little money — I couldn't even afford to hire staff. But still, I managed to build the community. I organized events, beach trips, yoga, dinners — anything that helped people connect.
Since I wasn't paying rent, I knew this arrangement could only be temporary, so I worked up the courage to ask my parents if we could convert one of the floors in our three-story family home into a coworking space. I explained that I'd need to borrow money from family members and spend a few months renovating the house.
It wasn't easy. I was working nonstop and felt stressed, but the top floor, which can seat 18, filled up quickly, so I expanded the coworking space to other parts of the house. I can now fit 30 people and charge $76 a month.
I still manage everything myself. I don't have employees. My father is a guard at the entrance, and my mother cleans the place, so it's still very much a family business.
Many people ask me why there are so many digital nomads in Da Nang. I think it's because the city is friendly, affordable, and super convenient. You have the beach, mountains, urban life, and an international airport close by.
Da Nang is the kind of place where you can go for a walk along the beach in the morning, work during the day, swim in the sea in the afternoon, and eat great food in the evening — and it's not expensive.
The biggest challenge I've seen among digital nomads is loneliness. Many people arrive alone, without friends, and everything feels unfamiliar — the culture, transportation, and daily life. That's why community is so important. Everyone researches online before they come, but a real connection only happens in person. That's exactly what I'm trying to foster with my coworking space.
At my events, around 20% of participants are Vietnamese. Many come to practice English, but they also learn about different ways of working and living. Some locals have even found freelance work with nomads in design, tech, and marketing. That makes me proud.
I'm still learning. I don't have a big master plan. I just know I love connecting people, and I believe community can change lives — including mine.
Do you have a story to share about living abroad? Contact the editor at akarplus@businessinsider.com.
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A U.S. federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against crypto lender BlockFills in a lawsuit brought by Dominion Capital, temporarily freezing assets tied to the dispute, according to a filing seen by CoinDesk.
In a complaint dated February 27, Dominion alleged that BlockFills misappropriated and unlawfully retained millions of dollars' worth of customer crypto assets, commingled client assets and concealed heavy losses.
Dominion claimed BlockFills concealed the misuse of customer funds and refused to return the company's assets after suspending withdrawals in February. As part of the complaint, the investment firm sought an asset freeze to protect its crypto trapped on Blockfills' platform, which was granted by the court.
In an order filed March 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil barred the firm from transferring or disposing of 70.6 bitcoin BTC$71,043.86 allegedly belonging to Dominion, or moving assets outside the United States while the case proceeds.
The court also ordered Blockfills, which is backed by trading giant Susquehanna, to account for and segregate customer funds, including Dominion's bitcoin, pending a hearing on a possible preliminary injunction.
CoinDesk reported last month that the crypto lender had incurred losses of around $75 million during the recent market downturn, and was looking for a buyer or emergency funding
BlockFills is a Chicago-based crypto trading and lending firm that provides liquidity, financing and risk-management services to institutional clients. Its platform facilitates crypto lending and borrowing, derivatives trading and over-the-counter (OTC) execution for hedge funds, asset managers, market makers and mining companies.
A Blockfills spokesperson said as a matter of policy the firm does not comment on pending litigation. Dominion Capital declined to comment.
A temporary restraining order in the U.S. is an emergency court order that temporarily stops someone from taking a specific action until the court can hold a full hearing. It's commonly used in legal disputes involving money, assets or financial activity to prevent immediate harm.
The TRO was issued without notice to BlockFills, with the court citing a risk of “immediate and irreparable injury,” noting the firm had suspended client withdrawals and that insolvency could be imminent.
BlockFills must respond by March 17, when the temporary order is set to expire unless extended by the court.
Dominion Capital is a New York-based private investment firm and family office that invests across private equity, structured finance and digital assets, including backing bitcoin mining companies such as Bitfarms (BITF).
Blockfills said it was halting customer withdrawals and deposits on Feb. 11 due to recent market and financial conditions.
The firm said at the time that it was working with investors and clients to reach a swift resolution and restore liquidity to the platform. CoinDesk subsequently learned that the crypto lender had incurred losses of around $75 million in the recent market downturn and was seeking a buyer or emergency funding.
CoinDesk also reported that Nicholas Hammer, co-founder and CEO of Blockfills, has stepped down from his leadership role. The firm's website now lists Joseph Perry as the interim CEO.
Blockfills said it processed over $60 billion in trading volume in 2025, a 28% increase from the prior year, and is among the more active institutional crypto lending and borrowing desks. It serves about 2,000 institutional clients, including hedge funds, asset managers and mining firms.
"The company is now hurtling towards bankruptcy," according to insolvency professional Thomas Braziel, founder of 117 Partners.
“After something like this, no serious institution is touching the platform," Braziel said. "They are going to have to file for bankruptcy."
The New York Law Journal first reported news of the Dominion complaint on Monday.
Read more: Blockfills co-founder and CEO Nicholas Hammer has stepped down
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
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Illicit cryptocurrency activity surged to a record $154 billion in 2025, driven largely by a sharp increase in sanctions evasion by nation-states using blockchain networks, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.
The report finds that funds flowing to sanctioned entities jumped 694% year over year, making sanctions evasion the fastest-growing category of crypto crime.
But even excluding sanctioned activity, 2025 would still mark a record year for illicit on-chain transactions as criminal activity rose across most categories, Chainalysis said.
Despite the surge in illicit volumes, crypto crime still represents less than 1% of total crypto transaction activity, the report notes, underscoring how criminal use remains small relative to the broader ecosystem.
The most striking development is the growing involvement of governments and state-aligned actors in crypto crime infrastructure.
Chainalysis says sanctioned jurisdictions increasingly use digital assets to bypass financial restrictions and move funds globally. Russia, for example, launched a ruble-backed token called A7A5, which transacted over $93 billion in less than a year and was used to facilitate sanctions evasion.
Meanwhile, North Korea remained the most prolific state-linked hacking group, stealing roughly $2 billion in crypto during 2025, including a nearly $1.5 billion exploit of the Bybit exchange, the largest digital asset theft on record.
Iranian networks have also increasingly used crypto to facilitate oil sales, arms procurement, and money laundering, moving more than $2 billion through wallets tied to sanctioned entities, according to the report.
Together, these trends signal a shift in the crypto crime landscape from isolated cybercriminals to state-aligned financial ecosystems operating on-chain.
Stablecoins have become the primary vehicle for illicit crypto activity.
According to Chainalysis, 84% of illicit crypto transaction volume now involves stablecoins, reflecting their growing role across the broader crypto economy due to their price stability and cross-border usability.
The shift mirrors the wider market, where stablecoins increasingly serve as the core settlement asset for trading, payments, and international transfers.
Another key finding is the rise of Chinese-language money laundering networks (CMLNs), which have emerged as a central hub in the global crypto crime ecosystem.
These networks provide “laundering-as-a-service” infrastructure, processing funds from scams, hacks, and sanctions-related activity. Chainalysis estimates they now account for about 20% of known illicit crypto laundering flows, handling billions of dollars annually.
The networks operate through a variety of mechanisms—including money mule networks, informal over-the-counter brokers, gambling platforms, and discounted “Black U” markets for illicit stablecoins—often coordinating activity through Telegram marketplaces.
Fraud remains one of the largest categories of crypto crime. Chainalysis estimates scammers received at least $14 billion in crypto in 2025, with the figure potentially exceeding $17 billion as additional illicit addresses are identified.
Impersonation scams surged the fastest, rising more than 1,400% year over year, as criminals increasingly use AI tools and phishing-as-a-service infrastructure to scale attacks.
These operations have become highly professionalized, with separate vendors providing phishing kits, victim databases, messaging tools, and laundering services.
Taken together, the findings point to a crypto crime landscape that is becoming more structured and industrialized.
State actors, organized crime groups, and specialized service providers now operate large-scale on-chain infrastructure, offering everything from laundering services to cyberattack tools.
While blockchain transparency still allows investigators to trace many of these activities, Chainalysis warns that the increasing intersection of geopolitics, cybercrime, and crypto finance raises the stakes for regulators and law enforcement.
“On-chain illicit activity is increasingly interwoven with sophisticated, state-aligned ecosystems that exploit crypto's global reach,” the report notes, highlighting how crypto is reshaping the financial infrastructure used by both criminals and sanctioned states
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An estimated 38% of altcoins are now hovering near all-time lows, which is worse than the post-FTX market crash, according to CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost.
The current market is “unfavorable” for risk-on assets, and the crypto markets are the first to absorb this risk-off posturing, he said, adding:
Examples of altcoins, cryptocurrency that typically serves as an alternative to Bitcoin BTCUSD, include Cardano's ADA (ADA), which is hovering at about $0.10 above its all-time low of $0.17. Polkadot DOTUSD reached an all-time low of $1.13 in February, but is now up 33% from there, and Polygon MATICUSD is trading at about $0.02 off its all-time low of $0.08.
Liquidity is being siphoned from altcoins and into equities and commodities, Darkfost said. Daily trading volume reached a high of over $417 billion on Oct. 10, the day of the historic crypto market crash, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
For comparison, daily trading volumes ranged from $49.4 billion to $268 billion in February and March 2026.
The altcoin drawdown represents the “largest regression” recorded during the current market cycle, he said, and could present a buying opportunity for investors, he concluded.
Related: $209B exited altcoins over the last 13 months: Did traders rotate into Bitcoin?
Altcoin social activity drowned out by Bitcoin
The analysis comes as mentions of altcoins on social media platforms dropped to two-year lows, according to crypto market sentiment analysis platform Santiment.
Google worldwide search volume for altcoins also dropped to the yearly low of 4 out of 100, according to data from Google Trends.
“Altcoins are suffering from a ‘liquidity drain,' where even minor shifts in sentiment trigger outsized sell-offs,” Jimmy Xue, co-founder of liquidity platform Axis, said in a message shared with Cointelegraph.
This is because altcoins lack the same institutional support and the “digital gold” narrative enjoyed by Bitcoin, he added.
Analysts have cited several reasons for the decline in altcoins, including too many tokens competing for limited investor capital, and the launch of BTC exchange-traded funds (ETFs), altering market dynamics by trapping liquidity in traditional financial vehicles.
There are more than 36.8 million different crypto tokens listed on CoinMarketCap at the time of this writing.
Magazine: Brandt says Bitcoin yet to bottom, Polymarket sees hope: Trade Secrets
Select market data provided by ICE Data Services. Select reference data provided by FactSet. Copyright © 2026 FactSet Research Systems Inc.Copyright © 2026, American Bankers Association. CUSIP Database provided by FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2026 TradingView, Inc.
Global trading giant Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) began a strategic partnership with cryptocurrency trading firm OKX to introduce tokenized stocks and crypto futures products.
ICE, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, also made a strategic investment valuing the San Jose, California-based company at $25 billion, according to a press release. The terms of the investment were not disclosed.
The deal is not ICE's first foray into crypto trading platforms. It is a long-time backer of digital asset firm Bakkt (BKKT) and, more recently, invested $2 billion in crypto-powered prediction market Polymarket, valuing the platform at up to $10 billion.
“Our strategic relationship with OKX will expand global retail access to ICE's pre-eminent regulated markets and accelerate our plans to offer on-chain infrastructure and tokenized assets to U.S. investors,” said Jeffrey C. Sprecher, ICE chair and CEO.
OKX's native token, OKB, jumped as much as 58% in the hour after the news was released. Bakkt's NYSE-traded stock rose 0.74% as of 9:40 a.m. in New York.
The deal will see ICE license OKX's spot crypto prices for crypto futures products, and OKX offer ICE futures and tokenized equities, the companies said on Thursday. ICE will also secure a board seat on OKX's board of directors.
The venture will aim to advance clearing and risk-management products, multichain custody and wallet architecture, the companies said.
The relationship brings together the operators of two high-performance matching engines and transparent order books, said Star Xu, founder and CEO of OKX, “to help build a more reliable market structure that bridges digital assets and equities, strengthens cross-market price formation, and meets institutional standards for risk and compliance.”
UPDATE (March 5, 14:11 UTC): Rewrites headline.
UPDATE (March 5, 14:47 UTC): Adds ICE existing crypto forays in third paragraph, OKB token surge, Bakkt shares in fifth.
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
Dubai, UAE, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pepeto confirmed this week that the cross chain bridge connecting Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana is approaching its final testing phase, bringing the full exchange closer to launch than at any point since development began. The bridge is designed to move assets between the three largest trading ecosystems in crypto without fees, and the team stated that internal testing on transaction speed and security validation is progressing ahead of schedule.
That development push is landing at the exact moment every bitcoin price prediction on the market is turning aggressively bullish, with Arthur Hayes projecting $250,000 by year end and $500,000 to $750,000 by 2027, and $1.4 billion flooding into spot Bitcoin ETFs over five days confirming that institutional capital is already positioning for what comes next. When exchange infrastructure reaches this stage of development during a market recovery, the window between now and listing is where the biggest early positions get locked in.
Crypto News: Pepeto Bridge Development Accelerates While Bitcoin Price Prediction Targets $750,000 Fortune reported that Bitcoin surged past $73,000 in its strongest session since January, with $110 million in short positions liquidated in a chain reaction that cleared every resistance level holding prices down for months. Hayes doubled down on his bitcoin price prediction citing the Iran conflict draining government budgets and forcing the Federal Reserve toward rate cuts that follow the exact playbook from the Gulf War through the Global War on Terror.
As CCN covered, $1.4 billion in spot Bitcoin ETF inflows confirmed that the largest asset managers on the planet treated the recent correction as a buying opportunity. When every credible bitcoin price prediction from Saylor at $150,000 to Hayes at $750,000 aligns in the same direction, the cycle pattern shows that the altcoin wave following Bitcoin is where the most explosive returns happen, and projects with real infrastructure approaching launch are the ones that capture that wave hardest.
Pepeto Bridge Nears Completion as Exchange Infrastructure Takes Shape Ahead of Listing The bridge approaching final testing is one piece of a larger exchange ecosystem that Pepeto has been constructing since the presale began. The full platform is designed to bring cross chain swapping, asset bridging, and zero fee transfers into one verified system where every cryptocurrency trades under a single roof, not just meme tokens, which means the market it serves covers the entire crypto industry.
The reason that matters right now is that traders lose money every single day not from picking the wrong tokens but from platforms that overcharge on every swap, break under volume, and force them to manage positions across five different apps that were never built to work together. The Pepeto exchange eliminates that friction by putting bridging, trading, risk scoring, and portfolio management into one interface, and the bridge entering its final testing phase means the most complex piece of that infrastructure is approaching readiness.
Over $7.5 million has flowed into the presale during one of the most volatile stretches the market has seen in months, and that capital came from wallets that understand what most people will only recognize after the listing permanently reprices everything. A SolidProof audit backs every smart contract, a Pepe ecosystem cofounder who already scaled a token past $7 billion leads the development, and 209% APY staking compounds every holder's position daily while the exchange launch draws closer.
The presale conviction at this stage tells you something important, because serious capital does not flow at this pace into projects that are still guessing about their product. The bridge nearing final testing, the exchange interface advancing, and the staking already running all point to a project that is building on a timeline, not a promise.
Altcoin Season Approaches The bitcoin price prediction upgrades keep coming as BTC clears $73,000, and the recovery signals stacking this week suggest the altcoin wave that historically follows Bitcoin breakouts is closer than most people realize. But even the most aggressive bitcoin price prediction only delivers another 2x to 3x from here for BTC holders, and for anyone searching for the kind of returns that actually reshape a portfolio this cycle, the real math sits in an exchange presale approaching launch at a price that permanently disappears the moment listings begin.
Final Takeaway Every bitcoin price prediction from every serious voice in the industry points higher, and when that rally fully arrives the listing reprices Pepeto permanently so the entry available today simply ceases to exist. The bridge approaching final testing means the exchange is closer to launch than it has ever been, and the gap between where this project sits right now and where it trades after listing is the entire opportunity. Allocations fill faster with each passing week while 209% APY staking compounds in your wallet right now, and the crypto news cycle has barely started covering what happens once the exchange goes live and real trading volume flows through the platform. Visit the Pepeto official website and lock in your position before this stage closes and the price you see today becomes the one you wish you had acted on.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
What is the latest bitcoin price prediction? The latest bitcoin price prediction from Hayes projects $250,000 by end of 2026 and $500,000 to $750,000 by 2027, while Saylor targets $150,000 and $1.4 billion in ETF inflows confirm institutional conviction.
What is the latest Pepeto development update? The latest Pepeto development update confirms the cross chain bridge connecting Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana is approaching final testing, bringing the exchange closer to launch. Visit the Pepeto official website.
Why is Pepeto the leading crypto presale right now? Pepeto is the leading crypto presale because it combines a complete exchange approaching launch with cross chain bridging, 209% APY staking, and a SolidProof audit during a market where every bitcoin price prediction signals a recovery.
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In today's newsletter, Nick Ducoff, head of institutional growth at the Solana Foundation, draws a parallel between tokenization's ability to democratize investment access and how the Internet facilitated access to banking over fifteen years ago.
Then, in Ask an Expert, the CoinDesk Research Team answers questions about stablecoin and tokenization trends from their February 2026 Stablecoins & Tokenization Assets Report. Read the full report here.
- Sarah Morton
Fifteen years ago, over 60 million Americans were “unbanked,” shut out of basic financial services because traditional banks found them unprofitable. Then Chime, Revolut, and other fintech pioneers brought banking to smartphones, eliminating legacy barriers like minimum balances and penalty fees. Today, we face an even larger exclusion problem: billions of people are effectively “unbrokeraged,” with no access to capital markets and the investing opportunities to build generational wealth.
Enter Internet Capital Markets: global, always-on infrastructure where assets are born digital, traded mobile-first and available to anyone with a smartphone 24/7. With blockchain technology, Internet Capital Markets are poised to do for investing what fintech did for banking. And the opportunity is immense.
The scale of financial exclusion
The “unbrokeraged” encompasses two distinct but overlapping populations: those who lack brokerage accounts entirely, and international investors who can't efficiently access high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated assets. Consider Pakistan, where, according to Bilal Bin Saqib, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, only 300,000 people hold brokerage accounts while 40 million have cryptocurrency wallets. The infrastructure exists, but financial products remain overwhelmingly inaccessible.
Even when access to U.S. markets exists through local brokers, international investors often pay significant premiums, to mention nothing of the large minimums and investor accreditation that the private markets require. These aren't products accessible for the global middle class — they are built to serve the already-wealthy.
Tokenization expands the playing field
Blockchain tokenization transforms these dynamics by enabling fractional ownership, eliminating intermediary costs and operating 24/7 with instant settlement. The result: dramatically lower minimums and global accessibility. Consider Hamilton Lane, a leading alternative asset manager. Through Republic Crypto, investors can now access Hamilton Lane private market exposure for as little as $500. That's a thousand-fold reduction in the entry barrier compared to traditional private fund minimums, and a signal of how internet-native market infrastructure can finally make fractional access more readily available.
The recent BitGo IPO also shows tokenization's democratizing potential. When BitGo went public on the New York Stock Exchange, tokenized representation of BitGo stock was simultaneously tradable on Solana, allowing anyone globally with a Solana wallet to purchase BitGo stock immediately. This evolution toward real-time, global accessibility is now being validated by the world's largest asset managers: BlackRock and Franklin Templeton have launched tokenized money market funds on public blockchains, allowing for 24/7 liquidity and transparency.
Why this infrastructure matters
Tokenization expands access rather than competing with traditional markets. The blockchain operates continuously, enabling investors in Jakarta, São Paulo, or Lagos to buy assets the moment they become available, not when their local markets open. Settlement happens instantly against stablecoins, eliminating the multi-day clearing processes and currency conversion fees that hinder retail investors outside of the U.S.
Speed and cost matter. High-performance blockchains like Solana, along with Layer 2 scaling solutions on Ethereum, can process thousands of transactions per second for fractions of a penny, making the economics of fractional ownership actually work. This is the foundation of “universal basic ownership,” where anyone with a phone can now have a stake in the global economy's growth, even across asset classes like pre-IPO stocks and private credit, once strictly gatekept to institutions and the ultra-wealthy.
The advisor's edge: strategy and accessibility
For financial advisors, this transition represents a strategic exposure play. Accessibility is now streamlined through regulated vehicles like spot Solana ETFs (e.g., SOEZ, QSOL, BSOL) and European ETPs, alongside user-friendly digital custody tools such as Phantom or Ledger wallets. Now, advisors can utilize sub-cent transaction costs to offer sophisticated, fractionalized portfolios to a much broader client base. This infrastructure lowers the “cost to serve,” making institutional-grade diversification available to the middle-class “mom and pop” investors through their financial advisers.
From unbrokeraged to universally invested
The fintech wave of the 2010s proved that financial exclusion is a design problem. Tokenization represents the next chapter in this story. A software developer in South Korea shouldn't face barriers to investing in U.S. equities or accessing private credit returns. A small business owner in Argentina shouldn't pay premium prices for the same stocks available cheaply to American investors. Sophisticated investment strategies shouldn't remain exclusively in wealth management channels serving the top 1%.
The technology rails have been built, and regulatory pathways are becoming clearer. What remains is scaling this infrastructure and ensuring it serves its highest purpose of extending wealth-building opportunities to the billions currently locked out. While the work of banking the unbanked is far from done, it offers a blueprint for what we're about to see: transforming the unbrokeraged into the universally invested.
- Nick Ducoff, head of institutional growth, Solana Foundation
Q: What are stablecoins and why are they important?
Stablecoins are a type of digital currency designed to maintain a stable value. This is usually achieved by “pegging” the stablecoin to a traditional asset, such as the U.S. dollar. Unlike other cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin or ether, which may experience wide fluctuations in price, stablecoins are designed to allow users to hold or trade digital assets without exposure to price swings. Other use cases of stablecoins include serving as primary trading pairs, cross-border payments, decentralized finance (DeFi) lending and borrowing, and inflation hedging. The GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act), enacted in July 2025, creates a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for U.S. dollar-backed payment stablecoins.
Q: What is the current stablecoin landscape?
After rising for twenty-five consecutive months, the growth of the total stablecoin market capitalization has slowed over the past four months, though it continues to hover near its all-time high of $310 billion. CoinDesk's latest research report indicates that as digital asset prices generally trend lower, the market dominance of stablecoins has surged. In February, Stablecoin market dominance surged to 13.3% (up from 11.2% in January), driven by the decline in price action of digital assets. Tether's USDT continues to lead the sector with a 59.1% market share, while Circle's USDC ranks second with 24.6%.
Q: What is the current traction for tokenized assets, and how quickly is the market for tokenized real-world assets growing?
Tokenized real-world assets are continuing to gain meaningful traction in global financial markets, with the total tokenized market capitalization reaching a new all-time high of $23.4 billion by the end of February. This represents a 22.9% month-over-month increase from $19 billion in January, underscoring the accelerating pace of adoption across multiple asset classes. Much of this growth has been driven by tokenized Treasuries, which expanded 15.1% to $10.5 billion and now account for roughly 45% of the entire tokenized market. Meanwhile, tokenized commodities have emerged as a major secondary growth engine, surging 27% to $6.6 billion and representing 28.4% of the market. Other segments are also steadily developing. The Stocks & ETFs sector reached $804.7 million by late February, marking a 3.1% monthly increase and maintaining a 3.4% share of the overall tokenized ecosystem.
- Jacob Joseph, Specialist, Research, CoinDesk
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Litecoin (LTC), down 2.8% since yesterday, joined Stellar (XLM) as an underperformer.
Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
AI advancements are set to revolutionize crypto security, potentially eliminating critical vulnerabilities in smart contracts.
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Alpin Yukseloglu is an Investment and Research Partner at Paradigm, a research-driven crypto venture firm with over $12.7 billion in assets under management. Previously, he served as a protocol engineer and product lead at Osmosis, bringing deep technical expertise in blockchain systems. He co-authored the EVMbench benchmark with OpenAI, an evaluation framework that measures how AI agents detect, patch, and exploit smart contract vulnerabilities—work that revealed AI's capability to identify over 70% of critical fund-draining bugs.
AI advancements are set to revolutionize crypto security, potentially eliminating critical vulnerabilities in smart contracts.
Share
Alpin Yukseloglu is an Investment and Research Partner at Paradigm, a research-driven crypto venture firm with over $12.7 billion in assets under management. Previously, he served as a protocol engineer and product lead at Osmosis, bringing deep technical expertise in blockchain systems. He co-authored the EVMbench benchmark with OpenAI, an evaluation framework that measures how AI agents detect, patch, and exploit smart contract vulnerabilities—work that revealed AI's capability to identify over 70% of critical fund-draining bugs.
© Decentral Media and Crypto Briefing® 2026.
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Crypto exchange OKX's native token is the best performing asset over the past day after surging on news that the New York Stock Exchange's parent company, Intercontinental Exchange, had invested in the digital asset firm.
OKB bolted upwards by 53% to nearly $118 on the news, according to CoinGecko. It's now trading at close to $108 — a 39% rise over the past 24 hours.
The Ethereum-based token is up nearly 40% over the past week, making it the biggest winner over that timeframe. Bitcoin and Ethereum, by comparison, are up 1.2% and 1.6% respectively over the past 24 hours. They are up just under 7% and 2.5% respectively in the same week.
ICE's NYSE-listed stock rose on the news too.
In a joint statement Thursday, OKX and ICE announced they were working together on a deal that values the cryptocurrency exchange at $25 billion.
“Our strategic relationship with OKX will expand global retail access to ICE's pre-eminent regulated markets and accelerate our plans to offer on-chain infrastructure and tokenized assets to US investors,” Jeffrey C. Sprecher, ICE chair and CEO, said in a statement.
OKX CEO and co-founder, Star Xu, added that the deal will help “build a more reliable market structure that bridges digital assets and equities, strengthens cross-market price formation, and meets institutional standards for risk and compliance.”
ICE will get a seat on OKX's board and will license the exchange's spot crypto prices, as well as debuting regulated futures contracts.
OKX last year pleaded guilty to violating US money laundering laws. Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd, which operates the exchange, settled with the US Department of Justice by paying over $500 million worth of penalties for serving American customers without a money transmitter license.
ICE last year said it was investing up to $2 billion in crypto-powered prediction market, Polymarket, in a deal to become the platform's global data distributor.
Mathew Di Salvo is a news correspondent with DL News. Got a tip? Email at mdisalvo@dlnews.com.
The first phase of bitcoin's BTC$72,578.05 recent drawdown has not triggered panic among institutional investors, according to crypto asset management firm CoinShares.
Professional allocators reduced exposure modestly but largely maintained their positions compared with last year. Advisors trimmed holdings while hedge funds scaled back alongside the broader leverage unwind and shifting opportunities in other markets, the crypto investment manager said in a Tuesday report.
Longer-duration investors kept accumulating. "Endowments, pensions, and sovereigns continued to build quietly," wrote analyst Matt Kimmell.
Bitcoin has struggled to regain momentum since hitting a record high near $125,000 in early October. The world's largest cryptocurrency was trading around $72,370 at publication time.
Crypto markets have delivered muted performance in recent months as a mix of macro and market-specific pressures weighed on prices. Higher interest rates and a stronger dollar have dampened appetite for risk assets, while leveraged positions built earlier in the rally have been unwound. At the same time, profit-taking from long-term bitcoin holders and uneven flows into spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have limited momentum, leaving the sector struggling to regain a sustained upward trend.
Despite bitcoin falling about 23% during the period, global bitcoin ETF flows remained positive, suggesting the sell-off in the fourth quarter was driven more by long-time holders taking profits than by new institutional money exiting the market, Kimmell said.
Historically, crypto bear markets have redistributed supply from short-term traders to long-term holders. According to Kimmell, the emergence of ETFs now offers a new way to observe whether institutional capital follows the same pattern.
So far, the data points in that direction. A roughly 25% quarterly drawdown did not trigger broad institutional capitulation, the report said, with most declines in assets under management reflecting price moves rather than large investor outflows.
Still, CoinShares cautioned that the sample size remains small. The firm said the real test may appear in upcoming regulatory filings, which will capture institutional behavior during sharper moves, including bitcoin's slide toward $60,000 and a single-day 17% drop.
Bitcoin and the broader crypto market moved higher this week, rebounding after weeks of choppy trading. The rally was driven in part by renewed risk appetite across markets and steady demand for bitcoin ETFs, helping the largest cryptocurrency regain momentum and lift major altcoins alongside it. Traders also pointed to short covering and positioning resets following the recent sell-off as factors behind the move.
Read more: CEO of crypto investment firm Keyrock says bitcoin is undervalued, entering ‘transition year'
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
The Digital Euro Conference 2026 (DEC26) is happening on March 26, 2026, and promises to be one of the most important gatherings of the year for anyone engaged with digital money innovation. This hybrid event brings together industry leaders, policymakers, central bankers, regulators, fintech innovators, and technology providers to shape the future of digital finance. It explores topics from Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins to commercial bank money tokens (CBMTs) and real-world infrastructure implementations.
DEC26 features thought-provoking discussions with leading voices across finance, technology, and policy — covering adoption, interoperability, privacy, infrastructure, and Europe's evolving digital money stack. Whether you're focused on CBDCs, stablecoin regulation, tokenization, or next-generation payment technologies, DEC26 offers valuable insights, strategic connections, and forward-looking perspectives.
DEC26 will explore some of the most pressing issues in digital finance, featuring inspiring sessions across three dedicated tracks: Main Stage, Innovation Room, and Roundtable Room. Some of the key sessions include:
You can access the full agenda by clicking here!
We are proud to welcome an exceptional lineup of speakers, including:
These distinguished experts will give attendees critical insights into the evolving digital finance ecosystem.
DEC26 is made possible thanks to the support of our esteemed sponsors:
Join Us at DEC26 – Be Part of the Future of Finance
DEC26 is more than just a conference; it's a platform where the future of digital finance takes shape. Don't miss your chance to be part of this pivotal event.
Registration is now open! Secure your spot today and join us on March 26, 2026, for a day of learning, networking, and innovation.
For more information and to register, visit https://dec26.eventbrite.de
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Partnerships and collaborations are in no way an endorsement of partner ideologies, products and services, nor political regimes.
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CMC Markets has begun using blockchain technology to
transfer cash and settle payments instantly through a collaboration with
Kinexys Digital Payments, part of J.P.Morgan's blockchain business
unit. The system is live following successful testing and allows near real-time
settlement through a network of Blockchain Deposit Accounts.
The move follows J.P.Morgan's launch of JPMCoin last year, a
blockchain-based deposit token for institutional clients. The token enables
transactions to settle in seconds, 24/7, rather than during traditional banking
hours, and is issued on the public blockchain Base via Kinexys infrastructure.
Lord Peter Cruddas, Founder and CEO of CMC Markets, said the
company is seeing “enhanced capital efficiency and operational flexibility”
from the collaboration.
The solution allows institutions to move funds across
currencies and regions instantly, reducing settlement
Settlement
Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2
Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2
Read this Term risk, operational
friction, and costs while maintaining security levels similar to traditional
payment rails. The initiative supports CMC's strategy to enhance its global
technology infrastructure and improve capital efficiency across international
operations.
Zack Chestnut, Global Head of Business Development for
Kinexys Digital Payments
Payments
One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl
One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl
Read this Term, said the team is working with clients to “unlock the
power of 24/7/365 on chain settlement and programmable payments.”
The CMC Markets rollout follows broader Kinexys activity at
JPMorgan. In May last year, the
bank completed its first blockchain transaction connecting private and
public networks. The deal involved tokenized U.S. Treasuries, with funds moved
on Kinexys to settle treasuries listed on a public blockchain run by Ondo
Finance.
Chainlink was used to link the private and public systems. Previously,
JPMorgan's blockchain work was limited to internal networks, with earlier
trials, such as a 2024 pilot with Siemens, remaining experimental. Tokenized
treasuries are blockchain-based versions of money market funds providing
exposure to government debt.
CMC Markets has begun using blockchain technology to
transfer cash and settle payments instantly through a collaboration with
Kinexys Digital Payments, part of J.P.Morgan's blockchain business
unit. The system is live following successful testing and allows near real-time
settlement through a network of Blockchain Deposit Accounts.
The move follows J.P.Morgan's launch of JPMCoin last year, a
blockchain-based deposit token for institutional clients. The token enables
transactions to settle in seconds, 24/7, rather than during traditional banking
hours, and is issued on the public blockchain Base via Kinexys infrastructure.
Lord Peter Cruddas, Founder and CEO of CMC Markets, said the
company is seeing “enhanced capital efficiency and operational flexibility”
from the collaboration.
The solution allows institutions to move funds across
currencies and regions instantly, reducing settlement
Settlement
Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2
Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2
Read this Term risk, operational
friction, and costs while maintaining security levels similar to traditional
payment rails. The initiative supports CMC's strategy to enhance its global
technology infrastructure and improve capital efficiency across international
operations.
Zack Chestnut, Global Head of Business Development for
Kinexys Digital Payments
Payments
One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl
One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl
Read this Term, said the team is working with clients to “unlock the
power of 24/7/365 on chain settlement and programmable payments.”
The CMC Markets rollout follows broader Kinexys activity at
JPMorgan. In May last year, the
bank completed its first blockchain transaction connecting private and
public networks. The deal involved tokenized U.S. Treasuries, with funds moved
on Kinexys to settle treasuries listed on a public blockchain run by Ondo
Finance.
Chainlink was used to link the private and public systems. Previously,
JPMorgan's blockchain work was limited to internal networks, with earlier
trials, such as a 2024 pilot with Siemens, remaining experimental. Tokenized
treasuries are blockchain-based versions of money market funds providing
exposure to government debt.
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Last summer, Haider Rafique flew out to Atlanta to meet with the chairman of the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange. What was supposed to be a 30-minute chat turned into a four-hour marathon conversation, recalled Rafique, the global managing partner of corporate affairs at OKX, one of the world's largest crypto exchanges.
Fast-forward a few months and what started as an informal chat became a series of meetings, intense due diligence, and eventually a mammoth deal. Intercontinental Exchange, the publicly-traded parent of the New York Stock Exchange, has invested in OKX at a $25 billion valuation and will take a seat on OKX's board, the two firms announced on Thursday. Rafique declined to specify how much money Intercontinental Exchange put into OKX or the terms of the investment, but did tout the firms' shared vision of the future.
“There was great chemistry in how we looked at the world and the future of tokenized securities, how derivatives should make it to the global stage, how TradFi [and] digital assets should merge together,” said Rafique, referring to his initial sit down with Jeffrey Sprecher, the chairman of Intercontinental Exchange.
The tie-up isn't a pure venture play. OKX will provide Intercontinental Exchange with a live price feed of cryptocurrencies tradeable on its exchange. But even more significantly, OKX will let its users trade tokenized stocks and derivatives listed on the New York Stock Exchange in a feature likely to launch in the latter half of 2026. Tokenization refers to the process of taking financial assets and putting them into blockchain wrappers, which proponents say can reduce transaction fees, among other benefits. “This is not just a very casual investment,” said Rafique.
The injection of capital into OKX is a big commitment from the owner of the world's marquee stock exchange, but it isn't the first move that Intercontinental Exchange has made to keep pace with the rapidly shifting landscape in how people trade. In November, the trading giant said it would invest $2 billion into the prediction market Polymarket in a deal that valued the startup at $9 billion. And in January, Intercontinental Exchange announced that it was developing its own blockchain-based trading infrastructure for tokenized securities.
The trading giant also isn't the only veteran financial company to make a bet on a crypto firm as trading habits shift. In November, the market maker Citadel Securities invested $200 million into Kraken in a deal that valued the digital assets exchange at $20 billion.
“The competitors in the future for firms like Intercontinental Exchange won't necessarily look like traditional institutions like CME or NASDAQ. They might look like DeFi protocols or super apps,” said Michael Blaugrund, the vice president of strategic initiatives at Intercontinental Exchange, referring to the likes of Robinhood and Uniswap, the DeFi platform that recently announced a tie-up with BlackRock.
In an interview, Blaugrund declined to give more specifics on how his company was building a blockchain-based trading platform. That initiative and the plan to let OKX users trade tokenized stocks are “complementary projects, but they're not a single project,” he said.
For OKX, the partnership with Intercontinental Exchange is part of the company's push to refashion its image from an offshore exchange in East Asia into a global trading hub that plays by the rules in the U.S.—especially as its competitor Binance has come under recent fire for its compliance program. “We are the sober ones in the industry in many ways,” claimed Rafique.
In April, OKX relaunched in the States two months after it reached a $500 million settlement with the Department of Justice in which it pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Rafique said that he plans to relocate up to 2,000 of his exchange's 5,000 employees to the U.S. but declined to give a timeline. ”Especially to support this product, I think we would absolutely invest a lot in the U.S.,” he said, referring to the plan to let OKX users trade tokenized stocks and other assets from Intercontinental Exchange on its platform.
And Rafique hopes that that plan isn't the last time OKX works with Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE. “We're a three-letter company. They're a three-letter company,” he said. “And my aspiration is that maybe there's a much bigger relationship.”
See you tomorrow,
Ben WeissX: @bdanweissEmail: benjamin.weiss@fortune.comSubmit a deal for the Term Sheet newsletter here.
Correction, March 5, 2026: Clarified Jeffrey Sprecher's role in connection to the New York Stock Exchange.
Joey Abrams curated the deals section of today's newsletter. Subscribe here.
- Crossover Markets, a New York City-based digital asset trading technology firm, raised $31 million in Series B funding. Tradeweb Markets led the round and was joined by DRW Venture Capital, Ripple, Virtu Financial, Wintermute Ventures, and others.
- Reclaim Security, a New York City-based cybersecurity platform, raised $20 million in Series A funding. Acrew Capital led the round and was joined by QP Investors and Ibex Investors.
- Photoncycle, an Oslo, Norway-based energy storage company, raised $17 million in funding from NordicNinja and Voima Ventures.
- UnityAI, a Nashville, Tenn.-based developer of an autonomous platform designed for health care operations, raised $8.5 million in Series A funding. Third Prime led the round and was joined by Nashville Capital Network, Whistler Capital Partners, Max Ventures, Company Ventures, and existing investors.
- AgriPass, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based developer of AI-powered sustainable agriculture tools, raised $7.5 million in seed funding. Harbor Venture Consulting led the round and was joined by existing investor E44 Climate Ventures and others.
- Artemis, a Houston, Texas-based AI platform designed to help solar and home energy contractors design, sell, and finance projects, raised $6 million in funding. Long Journey Ventures and Copec WIND Ventures led the round and was joined by Ludlow Ventures, Shrug Capital, Coalition Operators, Plug and Play Ventures, and others.
- Diligent AI, a London, U.K.-based developer of AI agents designed to automate risk and compliance workflows for fintechs and banks, raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Speedinvest led the round and was joined by Shapers, and angel investors.
- TPG invested approximately $250 million in Findhelp, an Austin, Texas-based social care technology platform.
- Royal Cup, a portfolio company of Braemont Capital, agreed to acquire Farmer Brothers Coffee Co., a Fort Worth, Texas-based coffee roaster, wholesaler, and distributor, for $1.29 per share.
- Enverus, backed by Blackstone, agreed to acquire Spatial Business Systems, a Littleton, Colo.-based AI-powered design automation platform designed for electric and gas utilities, telecommunications providers, and engineering teams. Financial terms were not disclosed.
- Southern Home Services, a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, acquired Dunn's HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical, an Anniston, Ala.-based provider of heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
- Bessemer Venture Partners, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, promoted Aditya Nidmarti to vice president.
- Brenton Point Capital Partners, a New York City-based private equity firm, hired Evan Weinstein as partner, Greg Martinsen as COO and CFO, and Alexandria Haggar as senior associate. Weinstein was previously with Incline Equity Partners, Martinsen was with InTandem Capital Partners, and Haggar was with Sterling Investment Partners.
Ben Weiss is a crypto reporter at Fortune.
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The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has announced a new monitoring programme examining 10 popular mobile games to assess how well they protect children's personal data. With around 90% of UK children playing games on digital devices, the regulator is extending its Children's Code work into the mobile gaming sector, which it considers potentially “especially intrusive” for young users.
This follows progress the ICO has already secured across social media and video sharing platforms. The new review will assess games' compliance with the Children's Code and UK GDPR, focusing on:
Recent ICO research shows high parental concern around data collection, exposure to strangers, and ad targeting in mobile games - reinforcing the regulator's intervention
Gaming is now firmly in scope: The ICO is extending Children's Code enforcement beyond social and video platforms. Mobile game developers, publishers and ad tech partners should expect scrutiny.
High privacy defaults are essential: Services accessible to children should ensure that privacy settings start at the most protective level.
Geolocation remains high risk: Location tracking functions require clear justification, strong controls and transparency.
Age assurance remains a priority: The ICO expects proportionate and effective measures where platforms are likely to be accessed by under 18s.
Enforcement is active: Recent investigations and penalty notices show the ICO's willingness to act.
The ICO's initiative signals a continued tightening of expectations around children's online privacy. Mobile gaming - often overlooked compared to social platforms - is now a regulatory priority.
Key implications for organisations include:
Overall, organisations that proactively adopt child friendly design, strong privacy defaults and transparent data practices will be best placed to meet the ICO's expectations and manage regulatory risk.
The content of this page is a summary of the law in force at the date of publication and is not exhaustive, nor does it contain definitive advice. Specialist legal advice should be sought in relation to any queries that may arise.
Author
Associate
We are proud to have been named Law Firm of the Year at the prestigious Legal Business Awards 2024!
Legal Business is the market-leading monthly magazine for the UK and global legal market. Its readership spans the UK, Europe, Asia and the US, and the awards celebrate the very best in the legal profession.
This win is absolute recognition for all the hard work across the firm over the past year.
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The release of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) "Tech Futures: Agentic AI" report marks a definitive watershed moment for the global regulatory community. It signals a transition from the reactive governance of generative models toward the proactive oversight of autonomous systems.
As of February 2026, we have moved beyond chatbots that simply "talk" to agents that "do." This comprehensive assessment provides a foundational roadmap for organisations grappling with software that plans, reasons and executes multi-step workflows with minimal human oversight.
To regulate Agentic AI, one must first understand how it differs from the Generative AI of 2023-2024. The distinction lies in the "scaffolding" that surrounds the core model. While a standard generative system produces content based on immediate input, an agentic system leverages the reasoning capabilities of a Large Language Model (LLM) to orchestrate external tools and databases to achieve high-level goals.
The ICO decomposes this architecture into five critical components, each introducing specific regulatory risks:
The core tension in the report is between agentic autonomy and human accountability. The ICO identifies a "Complexity Cliff", a threshold where the complexity of a task causes model accuracy to collapse, necessitating human intervention.
In an agentic workflow, accuracy is not just about output quality; it is about data integrity. If Agent A hallucinates a debt and stores it in persistent memory, Agent B (the collections agent) acts on that false premise.
For example, in high-stakes environments like recruitment, even a 0.5% error rate in screening CVs can result in thousands of qualified candidates being unfairly excluded, triggering systemic discrimination liabilities.
Thresholds for meaningful human control
The ICO mandates that human oversight must be substantive, not a "rubber stamp."
Strategic Recommendations
For Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and CIOs, the "Tech Futures" report necessitates an immediate shift from ad-hoc experimentation to structural governance.
The era of "deploy and disregard" software has arrived, but it brings with it the imperative of "monitor and validate." As the ICO moves toward a statutory code of practice later in 2026, organisations that adopt a privacy-by-design architecture, segmenting memory, constraining tools and maintaining sovereign oversight will be better positioned to compete in the agentic economy.
If you would like to get in touch in regards to any of the content featured in this legal article, please get in touch with Conor McDonagh.
The content of this page is a summary of the law in force at the date of publication and is not exhaustive, nor does it contain definitive advice. Specialist legal advice should be sought in relation to any queries that may arise.
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Associate
We are proud to have been named Law Firm of the Year at the prestigious Legal Business Awards 2024!
Legal Business is the market-leading monthly magazine for the UK and global legal market. Its readership spans the UK, Europe, Asia and the US, and the awards celebrate the very best in the legal profession.
This win is absolute recognition for all the hard work across the firm over the past year.
Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let's start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
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As we predicted in our Lewis Silkin's data, privacy & cyber team
watch outs for 2026 "Children's data remains a
global priority. There is a clear expectation that platforms
popular with children will demonstrate end-to-end accountability by
mapping child journeys, evidencing proportional age-assurance
measures and aligning content safety controls with UK GDPR duties,
OSA and DSA obligations".
The ICO certainly agrees and has kicked off 2026 with a clear
message to online platforms: get your house in order when it comes
to children's data, or face the consequences. First there was
the MediaLab fine earlier this month – for more information
see The ICO steps up on protecting children online
– and now on 24 February 2026, the ICO announced a
£14.47 million fine against Reddit for failing to protect
children's personal information.
Why was Reddit fined?
Despite Reddit's policy prohibiting users under the age of
13 from accessing its platform, the company failed to implement any
age verification measures until July 2025. Even when measures were
finally introduced, Reddit relied on self-declaration age
assurance, when accessing mature content, during the account
creation process. The ICO had warned Reddit that self-declaration
is "easy to bypass" leaving children at
risk.
The ICO found two key failures:
The result? Children were potentially exposed to inappropriate
content, and the ICO was not impressed. The ICO signalled that
platforms must do better and urged the wider industry to reflect on
their age‑assurance practices and make necessary improvements
as a matter of urgency.
What's the bigger picture?
Information Commissioner John Edwards made his position crystal
clear: simply asking users to declare their own age is not good
enough. The ICO is now actively monitoring platforms that rely
primarily on self-declaration methods.
This fine is part of a broader push under the ICO's Children's Code strategy, which reported
"strong progress" in December 2025. The
regulator is clearly willing to use its enforcement powers where
platforms fall short.
What should organisations do?
If your organisation operates an online service likely to be
accessed by children, now is the time to review your approach to
age assurance. The ICO expects organisations to match the rigour of
their age verification methods to the level of risk on their
platform. Self-declaration alone is unlikely to cut it where
children may be at risk.
With two significant fines in quick succession and the ICO
promising continued focus in this area, 2026 looks set to be the
year of children's data protection enforcement.
Children under 13 had their personal information collected and
used in ways they could not understand, consent to or control. That
left them potentially exposed to content they should not have seen.
This is unacceptable and has resulted in today's fine. Let me
be clear. Companies operating online services likely to be accessed
by children have a responsibility to protect those children by
ensuring they're not exposed to risks through the way their
data is used. To do this, they need to be confident they know the
age of their users and have appropriate, effective age assurance
measures in place. John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
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China has focused on tackling core underlying technologies in the field of blockchain, making breakthroughs that have led to the creation of a trusted digital infrastructure with a "Chinese core," said Dong Jin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and director of the Beijing Academy of Blockchain and Edge Computing (BAEC), on Thursday.
"Blockchain is one of the most critical digital infrastructures in the development of the digital economy," Dong said when meeting the press and taking questions at the Deputies' Corridor.
China has built a national-level homegrown blockchain network that functions as a "trusted digital Great Wall," powered by the world's first 96-core accelerator chip designed specifically for blockchain to boost performance by up to 50 times, according to Dong.
Before 2019, due to a lack of core technologies, the majority of China's blockchain applications were built on foreign technologies. That year, BAEC was established to focus on fundamental research in frontier digital technologies, particularly blockchain.
Dong said BAEC has since developed the world's first software-hardware integrated blockchain operating system. Its 3 million lines of code have been made open-source and are available for free public use, greatly expanding the technology's social impact.
The team also developed the world's first 96-core accelerator chip designed specifically for blockchain, which improves performance by up to 50 times and addresses computing bottlenecks in large-scale networks.
The domestically developed blockchain system is now used by 16 central government departments and 27 centrally administered state-owned enterprises, according to Dong.
In the tax sector, hundreds of millions of digital invoices are now processed annually on China's own blockchain network, ensuring traceability and authenticity.
In cross-border trade, the system connects critical data across industries and regions, dramatically improving customs clearance efficiency. More than 300,000 enterprises have joined the network, with the value of cross-border trade facilitated by the blockchain reaching one trillion yuan (around $138 billion).
In global payments, the technology has been integrated with the central bank's digital renminbi to create a new channel for cross-border transactions, Dong said.
February 28, 2026
2 min read
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS captured speeding through the solar system by Jupiter-bound spacecraft
This mysterious interstellar visitor is on a whirlwind journey through our solar system
By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron
A camera on the European Space Agency's (ESA's) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) captured Comet 3I/ATLAS last November.
ESA/Juice/JANUS
Join Our Community of Science Lovers!
In late 2025 a mysterious comet flew between the orbits of Earth and Mars and reached a speed of more than 150,000 miles per hour during its closest approach to the sun. The rare interstellar guest to our solar system captured astronomers' attention, and many trained their observations onto it in a bid to understand what exactly it is, why it is here and where it might be going.
Every new piece of data offers a glimpse at the space beyond our solar system. And as the comet, called 3I/ATLAS, speeds through our cosmic neighborhood, space agencies have coopted spacecraft to observe it as it goes. The European Space Agency's Jupiter-bound spacecraft is no exception: a new image of the comet captured last November by the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, reveals it to be almost egg-shaped, with a cloud of gas veiling its central core, or nucleus.
Comet 3I/ATLAS, as seen from ESA's JUICE.
ESA/Juice/JANUS
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“While 3I/ATLAS is a visitor from interstellar space, travelling from outside the Solar System, its behaviour is completely in line with that expected from a ‘normal' comet,” the agency said in a statement.
“No one knows where the comet came from,” said David Jewitt, director of the Institute for Planets and Exoplanets at the University of California, Los Angeles, in a statement last year. “You can't project that back with any accuracy to figure out where it started on its path.”
The trajectory of Comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Comet 3I/ATLAS has puzzled and excited scientists since it was first spotted in July 2025. Its extraordinary speed at the time—137,000 miles per hour—and strange trajectory indicated that it must been traveling through interstellar space for possibly billions of years, according to NASA. Just three interstellar objects have ever been discovered passing through our solar system. And despite the scramble to observe it as it goes, Comet 3I/ATLAS remains very much a mystery.
“It's like glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second,” Jewitt said in the same statement.
Jackie Flynn Mogensen is a breaking news reporter at Scientific American. Before joining SciAm, she was a science reporter at Mother Jones, where she received a National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications in 2024. Mogensen holds a master's degree in environmental communication and a bachelor's degree in earth sciences from Stanford University. She is based in New York City.
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There's a billion-year gap in Earth's geological history. A new study seeks to explain the mystery.
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Here's what you'll learn when you read this story:
The 4.6-billion-year-long history of our planet is interpretable in large measure through the sprawling story of the geologic layers folded beneath Earth's surface. But sometimes that story can read more like a mystery than a history. One of the greatest examples of such a geological enigma is known as the “Great Unconformity.” Although its name might seem be better suited to awkward teenage years than to a geology lesson, this rocky conundrum—found throughout the world but particularly prevalently throughout the southwestern U.S., including the Grand Canyon—concerns a missing geological layer between Cambrian and Precambrian rocks representing roughly a billion years of missing Earth history.
Since the unconformity's discovery in the mid-1800s, geologists have come up with a few intriguing suspects for what caused it. One of them is called “Snowball Earth,” a period of Earth's history some 700 million years ago that essentially carved away these layers via geological forces unleashed by prolonged, intense global cold. Another possible suspect is the formation around one billion years ago of the supercontinent Rodinia, which lifted up older rocks, exposing them to weathering. Now an international team of scientists says it's made a startling discovery by analyzing five sites in North China where the Great Unconformity is exposed. Their results show that the rock layer's destruction actually predates both of those events. The results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
“The Great Unconformity…represents a globally important interval of continental exposure and erosion that is notable also for the first appearance of all major animal phyla on Earth,” the authors write. “The most pronounced erosion evident in both the thermochronologic record and geochemical indicators of continental weathering is shown to correspond with development of Earth's first true supercontinent.”
While the supercontinent Pangea is fairly well-known, that's far from the Earth's first continental smash-up. In fact, there have been at least four true supercontinents, the oldest being Columbia, which formed around two billion years ago and began its big breakup some 400 million years later. By looking at rocks on the older side of the Great Unconformity divide, scientists analyzed radioactive elements that could pinpoint how much time elapsed after the rocks cooled down to a certain point, according to Science.
This timeline showed that the lion's share of erosion occurred long before either “Snowball Earth” or the formation of Rodinia. Northwest University's Liang Duan, lead author of the study, tells Science that the geological forces at work in these other events may have played some role in the Great Unconformity, but they're not the main reason that a billion years of rock went missing.
This conclusion, if it holds up to scrutiny, is perplexing in more ways than one. Previous theories identified the Great Uniformity as a significant erosion event that flooded the ocean with the nutrients and minerals that potentially kickstarted the Cambrian Explosion, a rapid evolutionary event around 540 million years ago. The new timeline certainly complicates that narrative. The data suggest that a major erosion event must have occurred during a period that's also known as the Boring Billion—a chunk of Earth history around 1.8 to 0.8 million years ago that's considered, well, geologically boring.
Of course, what good is any mystery without a few plot twists?
Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough.
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Nature Reviews Microbiology
(2026)Cite this article
The Asgard archaea are a clade of archaea that was first discovered through metagenomic surveys of marine sediments. The past decade has witnessed a substantial expansion of their genomic diversity, revealing diverse metabolic repertoires and providing insights into their ecological interactions and function. Notably, comprehensive phylogenomic analyses, together with the identification of numerous eukaryotic signature proteins in Asgard archaeal genomes, have provided compelling evidence that Asgard archaea had a central role in the emergence of eukaryotes. Studies have reported the characterization of cultured Asgard archaeal representatives, uncovering unique cell biological characteristics hinting at thus far undescribed lifestyles. Here, we review the current state of the research field focusing on these intriguing microorganisms and outline future research directions aiming to resolve their ecology, cell biology and evolution.
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Stephan Köstlbacher
Present address: AITHYRA, Research Institute for Biomedical Artificial Intelligence of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Kassiani Panagiotou, Patricia Geesink, Stephan Köstlbacher, Gerben H. de Zwaan & Thijs J. G. Ettema
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volume 11, pages 747–758 (2026)Cite this article
Asgard archaea played a key role in the origin of the eukaryotic cell, with extant genomes encoding relatives of diverse eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs) involved in cellular organization. However, their often punctuated distribution and the absence of detectable homologues for many eukaryotic proteins limit our ability to reconstruct the cellular complexity of the Asgard archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes. Here we used de novo protein structure modelling and sequence similarity detection across an expanded Asgard archaeal genomic dataset to build a structural catalogue of the Asgard archaeal pangenome. We identified 908 ‘isomorphic' ESPs—Asgard archaeal proteins with statistically enriched structural matches to eukaryotic proteins, often bridging deep sequence divergence. These isomorphic ESPs are enriched in information storage and processing roles and contain key components of the eukaryotic Vault (MVP) and Commander (COMMD) complexes, with potential roles in cellular compartmentalization and endosomal processing. These findings expand the repertoire of eukaryotic-like proteins in Asgard archaea and suggest a higher degree of eukaryote-like cellular complexity in the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes.
The origin of the eukaryotic cell, with its complex and compartmentalized features, is regarded as the biggest evolutionary discontinuity since the advent of cellular life on Earth1,2. Yet, many key details regarding eukaryogenesis, the series of evolutionary events that led to the emergence of the eukaryotic cell from prokaryotic ancestors some 2 billion years ago3,4, remain elusive. The eukaryotic cell is the result of a symbiosis comprising an archaea-related host cell5,6 and a bacterial endosymbiont, the mitochondrial progenitor7,8. While the identity of the endosymbiont was traced back to the Alphaproteobacteria several decades ago9,10, the archaeal host remained elusive until recently. This changed with the discovery of Asgard archaea (phylum Asgardarchaeota11), which were shown to represent the closest prokaryotic relatives of the archaeal host cell from which eukaryotes evolved12,13,14,15. Analysis of Asgard archaeal genomes revealed the presence of numerous homologues of proteins previously deemed eukaryote-specific—so-called eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs)16. Intriguingly, many of these ESPs represent fundamental building blocks of eukaryotic cellular complexity, including proteins essential for vesicular biogenesis and trafficking, as well as for the dynamic eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Recent work has indicated that several Asgard archaeal ESPs function similarly to their eukaryotic counterparts17,18,19,20, suggesting that Asgard archaea might display eukaryote-like cellular features beyond the dynamic actin cytoskeleton observed in the first enrichment cultures21,22. However, the detailed cellular characteristics and level of complexity of present-day Asgard archaea and the Asgard archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes remain unclear.
The definition, identification and characterization of ESPs are crucial for reconstructing the ancestral Asgard archaeal lineage and understanding its contributions to eukaryogenesis. Yet, the identification process is currently limited by several factors. Defining ESPs has proven challenging as increasingly sensitive homology search algorithms and improved sampling of genomic diversity across the tree of life have facilitated the discovery of ESP homologues in diverse prokaryotes13,15,23, including Asgard archaea12,13,15,23. While this has clarified the prokaryotic origins of many proteins in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, it has also reduced the set of strictly eukaryote-specific proteins. Therefore, a more relaxed definition of ESPs has been adopted, referring to proteins associated with conserved key eukaryotic processes6, or more specifically related to cellular complexity22. Furthermore, many eukaryotic proteins, especially those absent in common model organisms, remain poorly characterized. This, coupled with the limitations of sequence homology detection, makes it difficult to identify ESPs. Given the extensive divergence between present-day Asgard archaeal and eukaryotic proteins, reliable homology detection remains challenging. It becomes increasingly difficult to infer homology between two proteins with decreasing sequence similarity24. As the stem separating eukaryotes from their archaeal relatives represents one of the longest branches in the tree of life14,15, sequences from present-day Asgard archaea and eukaryotes have diverged extensively. Therefore, homology between these two groups might not even be detected, even when using sensitive methods24. However, protein structure is several times more conserved than protein sequence25, and structural information has been shown to increase the sensitivity of sequence homology inference26. Recent advances in de novo protein structure prediction using AlphaFold27 and related tools enable the large-scale generation of high-quality protein structure models. Combined with new methods to efficiently search large databases for similar structures28, it has become feasible to identify highly divergent homologues by using structural information29,30. This is particularly useful for non-model organisms, for which very few protein structures have been resolved. For example, the Protein Data Bank currently contains fewer than 50 Asgard archaeal protein structures (accessed on 31 March 2025).
Here, we explore these recent advances in protein structure prediction and comparison tools to expand the identification and characterization of ESPs in Asgard archaea beyond sequence similarity. By analysing an extended Asgard archaeal pangenome, we identified 908 new structure-based ‘isomorphic' ESPs (iESPs), more than tripling the overall number of reported Asgard archaeal ESPs. Our structural catalogue of the Asgard archaeal pangenome reveals a marked increase of Asgard archaeal ESPs involved in information storage and processing, and in cellular processes and signalling, suggesting that the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes was more eukaryote-like than was previously assumed.
To generate structural models of representative proteins encoded by the Asgard archaeal pangenome, we analysed a diverse set comprising 936 Asgard archaeal draft genomes (Fig. 1a and Supplementary Data 1), including 497 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that were compiled and described in a recent study31. In addition to the previously sampled Asgard archaeal diversity11,15, this expanded dataset encompasses MAGs from Atabeyarchaeia32 and Ranarchaeia31, two additional deep-branching clades (Extended Data Fig. 1a). We grouped protein sequences encoded by these Asgard archaeal genomes by combining reference-based clustering into previously established Asgard archaeal clusters of orthologous genes (AsCOGs)23 with de novo gene clustering (Fig. 1b). This resulted in 96% of Asgard archaeal proteins grouped in 37,313 clusters of at least 5 proteins, including 22,609 de novo clusters (Fig. 1b). For computational feasibility, we selected one evolutionary representative protein sequence per cluster (Methods) to generate a high-quality structural model (Fig. 1c).
a, The number of Asgard archaeal draft genomes per group in the database used for pangenome-wide structural analyses (also see Extended Data Fig. 1a). Fill colour indicates publicly available genomes (grey) and newly added Asgard archaeal draft genomes (blue), respectively. b, Protein sequence clustering into existing Asgard archaeal COGs and de novo clustering with unassigned proteins. The x axis indicates the number of proteins and the y axis the number of respective clusters. Fill indicates protein sequences from publicly available genomes (grey) and added Asgard archaeal draft genomes (blue), respectively. c, Workflow for the pangenome-wide prediction of Asgard archaeal protein structures. d, Scatter plot depicting pLDDT scores of structure predictions of 100 randomly selected Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum proteins computed with the default (x axis) and the Asgard archaea-enriched (y axis) ColabFold database, respectively. The diagonal black line indicates x = y, and the purple line indicates linear correlation fitted to the data. e, The distribution of average pLDDT scores of 37,223 predicted Asgard archaeal protein structures. MSA, multiple sequence alignment.
To determine an efficient and effective approach for de novo structure prediction, we modelled structures for 100 randomly selected proteins of the Asgard archaeon Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum (Supplementary Data 2). As AlphaFold relies on homology information to predict protein structure, it tends to perform poorly if few homologues are found within its reference sequence database27. To solve this issue, we used ColabFold33, an accelerated AlphaFold workflow, with an expanded database containing all available Asgard archaeal protein sequences. In addition, we used ESMfold34, a prediction tool based on a protein language model that circumvents the time-consuming sequence homology search. We classified predictions as high quality if they had an average predicted local distance difference test (pLDDT) score of at least 80. We found that incorporating the Asgard archaeal proteins to the ColabFold homology search database led to better models for some proteins (Fig. 1d and Extended Data Fig. 1b). Overall, we obtained the most high-quality structure predictions when combining protein language model and sequence alignment-based techniques (Extended Data Fig. 1c). To optimize workflow efficiency, we predicted structures for each representative protein sequence using the fast ESMfold algorithm, and only if the average pLDDT score was below 80 did we employ the more time-consuming ColabFold method (Fig. 1c and Extended Data Fig. 1c,d). This approach resulted in 37,223 predicted structures with a median pLDDT of 82 (interquartile range (IQR) 71–86), covering 99.8% of all clusters (Fig. 1e).
Using sensitive sequence and structure-based annotation methods, we identified homologues for nearly half of the Asgard archaeal protein clusters (Fig. 2a). Structure-based searches enhanced the detection of homologues (Fig. 2b), particularly for clusters with high divergence, recovering significant hits in the SwissProt database for 47% of clusters (n = 17,309) versus 29% using sequence homology detection (n = 10,681). Of note, almost half of the protein representatives with both a highly confident (sequence-based) cluster of orthologous genes (COG) and structural hit displayed less than 20% sequence identity to their best structure hit (n = 4,263; median 18.6%, IQR 14.2–28.0%), falling below the ‘twilight zone' of sequence identity (the zone between 20% and 35% sequence identity where homology becomes challenging to predict with regular algorithms)24. To illustrate the ability of our approach to annotate protein clusters even in cases of low sequence identity, we recovered the recently discovered distant Asgard archaeal homologue of Vps29 (ref. 15), a component of the eukaryotic retromer and retriever complexes, with sequence similarity searches (best structure hit amino-acid identity = 27.5%, HHsearch P = 99.8), as well as with local and global structural alignment (Foldseek E-value = 1.9 × E−20, DaliLite Z-score = 30; Fig. 2c). Extended analyses of these annotations, including domain-specific enrichment and sequence divergence patterns, are detailed in Supplementary Information (also see Supplementary Fig. 1).
a, Workflow to annotate Asgard archaeal proteins based on homology using sequence and structural similarity (also see Supplementary Fig. 1). b, Venn diagram depicting the number of clusters or cluster representing protein structures annotated using sequence homology detection with HHsearch against the COG/KOG database (orange) and structural similarity searches against AF2 SwissProt (violet), respectively. The intersection of both techniques is marked in pink. c, Structure prediction of Vps29 Asgard archaeal representative (left), its most similar SwissProt prediction (right; Cattle Vps29, Q3T0M0) and their overlay with the eukaryotic protein in violet (bottom). AA-identity, amino acid identity to best structure hit; P, hhsearch probability.
Next, we used structure-based similarity searches to identify novel iESPs in Asgard archaea (Fig. 3a). We define an iESP as an Asgard archaeal protein structure that exhibits either exclusively eukaryotic hits, or a statistically significant overrepresentation of eukaryotic protein structures in (1) all hits or (2) the top 95% bit-score quantile of hits (Fig. 3b; Methods). This structure-based approach refines previous ESP classifications by incorporating a quantitative enrichment threshold rather than relying solely on presence/absence criteria. Unlike earlier definitions, which varied in their strictness or permissiveness, our method applies a standardized framework for assessing the overrepresentation of eukaryotic homologues for the investigated protein. This ensures that ESP identification remains systematic, biologically relevant and statistically justified.
a, Workflow to cluster protein structures and identify iESPs. b, Identification of Asgard archaeal iESPs based on structural similarity. c, Bar chart summarizing the clustering of previously described ESP and iESP protein structures into structural clusters, respectively. d, Sankey diagram displaying functional categories of newly identified iESP clusters and clusters containing previously established ESPs. Categories are inferred from the best SwissProt hits EggNOG annotation. ‘Multiple' indicates an association of a structural cluster with multiple functional categories. e, Subgraph of protein structure similarity network, highlighting small GTPase (black outline) and Argonaute proteins. P, probability.
We identified 1,319 iESPs that have thus far not been identified as Asgard archaeal ESPs (Fig. 3b). Of note, we captured only 46% (611 proteins) of the 1,323 previously established Asgard archaeal ESPs, indicating that previous definitions for ESPs have been rather permissive (also see above; Fig. 3b and Supplementary Data 3). For example, 40 AsCOGs containing roadblock/LC7 domains were considered ESPs in a previous study, and Asgard archaeal proteins have been shown to form similar structures to their eukaryotic relatives35. However, only four Asgard archaeal roadblock/LC7 clusters (cog.000673, cog.000921, cog.006948 and cog.008459) are enriched in eukaryotes in our study. The marked change in coverage of previous ESPs is caused by our enrichment-based approach, which, rather than simply relying on sequence-based homology, is based on the overrepresentation of eukaryotic hits in structural similarity searches. Indeed, roadblock/LC7 domain (PF03259) containing proteins are common in prokaryotes with 24,892 and 2,494 such proteins encoded by bacterial and archaeal genomes, respectively, compared with 5,724 proteins in eukaryotes (Pfam database accessed 12 June 2024). While roadblock/LC7 domain proteins have important functions in eukaryotic cells, their widespread presence in prokaryotes suggests that previous studies may have overestimated the Asgard archaeal provenance of these proteins.
To reduce redundancy, and to obtain an overview of the structural connectivity within the (i)ESP landscape, we clustered the 37,223 predicted Asgard archaeal protein structures on the basis of their similarity, which we amalgamated into 19,775 structural clusters (Methods; Fig. 3a and Extended Data Fig. 2a). In total, the 1,319 newly identified iESPs and all 1,323 previously identified ESP protein structures are contained in 908 and 425 structural clusters (Fig. 3c), respectively, indicating that our structure-based approach more than triples the potential number of Asgard archaeal proteins that entered the eukaryotic stem lineage. A high-level functional assessment revealed remarkable differences between iESP and ESP structural clusters (Fig. 3d and Supplementary Data 3), despite the largely sparse distribution across Asgard archaeal genomes (Extended Data Figs. 3 and 4). For example, 64% of previously identified ESP clusters (336 of 425) have functions in cellular processing and signalling, including a hub of 59 clusters collectively encompassing 932 Asgard archaeal small GTPase protein representative structures (Fig. 3e), which are known to have undergone extensive duplication in both eukaryotes and Asgard archaea12,13,23,36,37. By contrast, only 28% of iESP clusters' eukaryotic counterparts (258 of 908) are involved in cellular processing and signalling functions (when including clusters containing multiple functional categories). Among these, we identified a single cluster containing eight Argonaute-related Asgard archaeal iESPs (Extended Data Fig. 2). Argonautes are involved in DNA and RNA interference in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively38. Recent studies indicate that some Asgard archaeal Argonautes appear to exhibit similar functions to their eukaryotic counterparts39,40. We obtained the best structural hits to eukaryotic AGO and PIWI proteins (Fig. 3e and Extended Data Fig. 2), illustrating their higher structural conservation despite their high level of sequence divergence38.
We also retrieved many iESP clusters specific to metabolism (Fig. 3d, n = 137), which was thus far poorly represented among previously found ESPs in Asgard archaea (n = 24; Extended Data Figs. 3 and 4). For example, we identified diverse iESPs, including best hits to proteins of the eukaryote-type mevalonate pathway (phosphomevalonate kinase, Swissprot accession: Q2KIU2), the oxygen-dependent degradation of prenylated proteins (PCYOX1, Q5R748), and reactive oxygen species defence (SOD1, P80566). As an outstanding feature, we identified many (n = 271) iESP clusters involved in information storage and processing functions, of which 169 are related to translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, a function in eukaryotes that is known to have an archaeal provenance41. iESPs identified within the latter functional category included best structural hits to eukaryotic elongation factor 1A lysine methyltransferase 1 (EEF1AKMT1, Q17QF2) and the malignant T-cell-amplified sequence 1 that is involved in translation re-initiation (MCT-1, Q2KIE4) (Supplementary Data 3). Altogether, our structure-based and functionally unbiased approach identified hundreds of new ESPs, bearing relevance for efforts to reconstruct the physiology and cell biological features of both extant Asgard archaea as well as the archaeal ancestor or eukaryotes.
The emergence of intricate cellular compartments has been a hallmark process of eukaryogenesis, yet the origins of many genes responsible for the formation of these compartments remain elusive42. To identify Asgard archaeal proteins potentially involved in cellular compartmentalization, we investigated iESPs with robust structural assignment but limited ‘twilight zone' sequence similarity (Fig. 3d) and examined their relationship to their evolutionary eukaryotic counterparts. By using targeted sequence-based searches with iterative refinement guided by structural similarity, we could link several iESPs at the sequence level, after which we constructed multiple sequence alignments and performed phylogenetic analyses (Methods).
One of the eukaryotic complexes with a role in cell compartment biology and lacking a clear prokaryotic ancestry is the vault, the largest reported ribonucleoprotein complex conserved in diverse eukaryotes. This complex has been suggested to be involved in transport between cellular compartments, signal transmission, cellular stress protection and immune response43. Vaults are primarily composed of two symmetric cups, each consisting of 39 molecules of the major vault protein (MVP)44. While prokaryotic homologues of MVP have so far been described in only a few Bacteria45, we identified an Asgard archaeal protein structure with a reciprocal best hit to Xenopus laevis MVP (Q6PF69; Extended Data Fig. 5). In total, we found ten Asgard archaeal MVP homologues, half of which in our phylogenetic analysis affiliate with a clade including eukaryotic MVPs (Fig. 4a and Extended Data Fig. 5a). The representative Asgard archaeal MVP displays a predicted structure similar to the resolved rat MVP, including the cap helix, shoulder and repeat domains, even though the Asgard archaeal homologue contains only five instead of nine repeat domains present in the rat protein46 (Fig. 4b). While estimating multimeric stoichiometries remains a computationally challenging task in the absence of experimental data, here we used structural modelling to build a first model of the Asgard archaeal vault. Multimer structure modelling suggests a closed cup with ten Asgard archaeal MVP molecules (interface predicted template modelling score (ipTM) = 0.525, average pLDDT = 71.4; Extended Data Fig. 5). While the role of MVP homologues in Asgard archaea remains unknown, our findings support a prokaryotic—possibly Asgard archaeal—origin of eukaryotic MVP.
a–f, Asgard archaeal proteins related to eukaryotic MVPs (a–c) and COMMD-containing proteins (d–f). a, Phylogeny of prokaryotic and eukaryotic full-length MVPs. See Extended Data Fig. 5a for tree based only on the shoulder domain. b, Rat MVP complex46 next to Lokiarchaeial MVP (predicted structure) indicating the cap helix, shoulder and repeat domains (R). c, Biological assembly of the rat MVP cap (left) next to a multimer model of the Asgard archaeal homodecamer (right). d, Human COMMD2 next to Lokiarchaeial homologue indicating the HN and COMM domains. e, Phylogeny of prokaryotic and eukaryotic COMMD-containing proteins. f, Resolved human COMMD heterodecamer47 next to a multimer model of the Asgard archaeal homodecamer. g,h, Identification of Asgard archaeal iESPs of eukaryotic Ufm1 (g) and CINP (Hodarchaeales clade indicated with grey background) (h). Asgard archaeal query protein structure, best-scoring SwissProt target structural model and phylogenetic analysis of related protein sequences are indicated in the left, middle and right panel, respectively. Structural models exclude long terminal disordered regions. Additional data include Foldseek E-value, Dali Z-score, enrichment of eukaryotic structures (Fisher's exact test, Bonferroni-corrected P value, ‘p-EukEnr') and amino-acid identity to best structure hit (‘AA-identity'). Phylogenetic analyses highlight sequences for query and target structures, input MSA positions and substitution model. Scale bar, 1 amino acid substitution per position. Multimer model confidence measures (pLDDT, pTM and ipTM) are indicated. pTM, predicted template modelling score.
Another eukaryotic complex with an elusive origin is Commander. This complex is required for endosomal recycling of diverse transmembrane cargos and is composed of 16 subunits arranged into the CCC and retriever subcomplexes. While some retriever components have been reported in Asgard archaea before (Vps29, Fig. 2c; Vps35)47, the CCC (named after its components CCDC22, CCDC93 and COMMD) subunits, including the heterodecamer-forming COMMD proteins, thus far lacked prokaryotic homologues47. Our structure-based searches retrieved an Asgard archaeal iESP that displayed the characteristic COMMD protein structure, that is, an α-helical N-terminal (HN) and a C-terminal COMMD domain48, while displaying extremely low sequence identity (8.5%) (Fig. 4d). Subsequent sensitive HMM-based searches yielded homologues in diverse Asgard archaea (Lokiarchaeales, Helarchaeales and Heimdallarchaeia) and some other prokaryotes. In our phylogenetic analysis, eukaryotic COMMD proteins (COMMD1-10) form a near-monophyletic group (Fig. 4e), confirming that eukaryote-specific gene duplications gave rise to the COMMD heterodecamer47,49. While our phylogenetic analyses failed to resolve the origin of eukaryotic COMMD, multimer modelling of an Asgard archaeal homologue suggests that 8, 10 or 12 molecules may form a homomultimeric complex with high confidence (homomultimeric n = 10 in Fig. 4f; ipTM = 0.889, pLDDT = 88.4; see other homomultimers in Extended Data Fig. 5d,e).
In addition to homologues of eukaryotic proteins involved in cellular compartmentalization, we newly identified some proteins uniquely shared between eukaryotes and Asgard archaea. Despite limited sequence similarity, Ubiquitin fold modifier 1 (Ufm1) exhibits structural similarities to ubiquitin50 and is implicated in DNA damage and endoplasmic reticulum stress responses, although it has not been characterized extensively51. We identified Ufm1 homologues in nine of the major Asgard archaeal clades, but not in any other prokaryote (Fig. 4g), indicating an Asgard archaeal provenance of Ufm1 in eukaryotes. Similarly, no prokaryotic homologues have yet been reported for the cyclin-dependent kinase 2-interacting protein (CINP), a protein involved in DNA replication complex and DNA damage control52,53 that was recently also implicated in eukaryotic ribosome biogenesis54. Our sequence similarity searches revealed it is present in five major Asgard archaeal clades, but not in other prokaryotes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that eukaryotic sequences are monophyletic and cluster with Hodarchaeal sequences with good support (Fig. 4h, UFBOOT: 99%), suggesting that eukaryotes inherited this protein from their Heimdallarchaeial ancestor15.
This study leverages state-of-the-art structural prediction tools to uncover a broader spectrum of ESPs in Asgard archaea. Large-scale analyses of the protein structure universe are becoming powerful approaches to predicting the origins and functions of proteins beyond the capabilities of standard sequence-based homology searches55,56. Here, we explored the potential of these tools to gain insight into the archaeal provenance of the eukaryotic cell. By building and analysing a structural catalogue of the Asgard archaeal pangenome, we improved the annotation of Asgard archaeal proteins lacking significant sequence similarity. Our approach revealed many Asgard archaeal protein families, iESPs, that are structurally most similar to those of eukaryotes. As in previous studies that relied on sequence similarity searches to identify ESPs12,13,15,23, we identified iESPs involved in cellular processes and signalling, including many that participate in intracellular trafficking, secretion and vesicular transport. However, our extended analyses retrieved many iESPs involved in additional processes, such as information storage and processing. This observation is in line with the general conception that many eukaryotic proteins involved in translation, transcription, replication and DNA repair have an archaeal provenance57. Furthermore, we found that iESPs are also relatively enriched in metabolic functions, which contrasts with previous work indicating that metabolic functions in eukaryotes predominantly are of bacterial origin58,59. The underlying reason for this observation is unclear. Yet, in congruence with recent work showing that eukaryotic central carbon metabolic pathways are in part of Asgard archaeal origin60, these metabolic iESPs represent ancient homologues of eukaryotic proteins that have evolved beyond the limit of reliable sequence similarity detection. Given the scale of our dataset and the inclusion of high-confidence structure predictions independent of domain annotations, we anticipate that future studies will uncover novel domain architectures or previously uncharacterized folds among these proteins. Altogether, our analyses suggest that a thus far underappreciated fraction of the eukaryotic metabolic repertoire is of Asgard archaeal provenance. We point out that iESPs do not necessarily represent eukaryotic proteins that were directly inherited from Asgard archaea. Instead, they are Asgard proteins whose closest structural matches—often highly similar—are disproportionately found in eukaryotes. This pattern of enrichment suggests functional and evolutionary relevance, but not necessarily direct ancestry. Phylogenetic analyses to investigate the exact evolutionary relationship between iESPs and eukaryotic proteins are often hampered due to limited sequence similarity.
While several studies have revealed that some previously identified ESPs, such as small GTPases, actin homologues and several subunits of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT complex), are nearly universally distributed across Asgard archaeal genomes, many ESPs display a rather patchy distribution13,15,23. This patchiness is evident, for example, for Asgard archaeal homologues of adaptor proteins, Golgi-associated retrograde protein, homotypic fusion and protein sorting, and class C core vacuole/endosome tethering complexes15. A similar observation can be made for iESPs, which predominantly display patchy distribution patterns across Asgard archaeal taxa. These patchily distributed ESPs and iESPs probably represent ancient protein families that were already present in the Asgard archaeal lineage from which eukaryotes emerged, and were subject to multiple loss events or horizontal gene transfers among Asgard archaeal lineages. Overall, given their patchy distribution, combined with the evolutionary distance between present-day Asgard archaeal and eukaryotic proteins, it remains unclear to what extent Asgard archaeal iESPs are functionally equivalent to their eukaryotic counterparts. While structural conservation has been shown to be tightly linked to protein function, even at high levels of sequence divergence61, future studies are needed to corroborate the functions of Asgard archaeal iESPs and ESPs. Biochemical studies and high-resolution structural analyses will be crucial in determining whether these iESPs operate in cellular contexts analogous to their eukaryotic counterparts. Such efforts will provide deeper insights into the transitional features of eukaryotic common ancestors and refine our models of early eukaryotic evolution.
To construct a representative initial dataset, we retrieved all publicly available Asgard genomes from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)62 up to 6 October 2022. This collection also included the recently published Asgard archaeal MAGs from refs. 31,32. To ensure data quality, MAGs were evaluated using CheckM v1.2.1 (ref. 63). Those MAGs with estimated completeness below 50% and estimated contamination exceeding 10% were identified as low-quality and consequently excluded from the initial dataset. Taxonomic classification of the initial dataset was conducted using GTDB-Tk v2.3.2 (ref. 64) with default parameters. The final dataset comprised 936 genomes (Supplementary Data 1) covering all known Asgard archaeal lineages. Gene prediction was performed using Prokka v1.14.6 (ref. 65) (options ‘--metagenome --kingdom Archaea').
To obtain an adequate outgroup dataset for inferring the phylogenetic relationships among the different Asgard archaeal lineages, we downloaded genus-level representatives of other archaeal lineages from the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB), release 214 (ref. 66). We based our selection on genome quality score (GQS), defined as GQS = completeness (%) − 5 × contamination (%), as described in ref. 67. In cases where two genomes had equal GQS, a random selection was made between the two. The final outgroup dataset included 311 genus-level representatives classified as members of the Thermoproteota (excluding Korarchaeia, to avoid artefacts derived from their uncertain affiliation68 and their strong thermophilic compositions15), Methanobacteria B and Hadarchaeota lineages.
To infer the species tree, we performed phylogenomic analysis based on 47 non-ribosomal proteins, which were selected from a set of 200 markers previously identified as core archaeal proteins69 (Supplementary Data 1). Homologous sequences within the final genome dataset were recruited using PSI-BLAST70 v2.10.0+ (‘-evalue 1e-10'). All recruited sequences per taxon per protein marker were selected, aligned using MAFFT L-INS-i71 v7.453, followed by trimming with trimAl72 v1.4.rev22 (‘-gt 0.5') and removal of sequences with more than 60% gaps. We constructed the individual protein phylogenies using IQ-TREE73 v2.1.3, incorporating model selection from ModelFinder74. The best-fitting model was selected among the combination of the LG, Q.pfam and WAG models by adding the mixture model C20 with rate heterogeneity (+R4 or +G4) (‘-mset LG+C20,Q.pfam+C20,WAG+C20 -mrate G4,R4 -mfreq "'). We assessed branch robustness for each marker with 1,000 ultrafast bootstraps75 and Shimodaira–Hasegawa-like approximate likelihood ratio tests (SH-aLRT)76. From the resulting phylogenies, we removed sequences indicative of contamination, paralogy or horizontal gene transfer events and realigned and trimmed the remaining sequences as described above. The curated alignments were then concatenated into a supermatrix containing 1,244 sequences. To mitigate effects related to compositional bias, we performed heterogeneous site removal using χ2 trimming77 where the 50% most heterogeneous sites were removed, resulting in an alignment of 8,068 amino acid positions. We inferred a species phylogeny for the χ2-trimmed alignment using ModelFinder within IQ-TREE v2.1.3 to select among the LG + C10, Q.pfam + C10 and WAG + C10 models and rate heterogeneity components (+R4 or +G4). A posterior mean site frequency (PMSF) approximation78 of the best-fitting model (WAG + C10 + R4) using the resulting tree was then employed to reconstruct a final tree with 100 non-parametric bootstrap pseudoreplicates.
The dataset of 936 Asgard archaeal genomes comprised 2.68 million proteins. We assigned AsCOG domains23 to 2.1 million Asgard archaeal proteins according to the best hit to an AsCOG member using MMseqs2 (ref. 79) with ‘-e 0.001' and ‘-s 9' and at least 80% of the best hit had to be covered. Unassigned proteins (0.6 million) or protein fragments (0.2 million) of at least 60 amino acids were clustered de novo using MMseqs2 (ref. 80) v14.7e284 at 20% sequence identity and a coverage of 50%. We built sequence profiles for 14,467 (2,084,964 represented proteins) AsCOGs and 22,846 (448,812 represented proteins) de novo clusters with at least 5 members. To select an evolutionary representative sequence per cluster, we searched members of the 37,313 clusters with at least five members against their respective cluster profile using MMseqs2 (‘mmseqs search'), ranked them based on their bit-score and selected the highest-ranked sequence per cluster as the representative sequence79.
Protein structure prediction using AlphaFold2 (ref. 27) has been shown to generally perform poorly if few sequences can be aligned to the target sequence27. We therefore wanted to evaluate whether adding our Asgard archaeal protein dataset to the ‘genetic search' workflow of ColabFold33, an accelerated adaptation of AlphaFold2, would increase overall prediction quality. To this end, we implemented a version of the ‘genetic search' workflow of ColabFold that queries the Asgard archaeal protein dataset (‘enriched') in addition to the default databases (‘default'). For the enriched workflow, we added a third MMseqs2 sequence search step against the Asgard archaeal protein database as after the searches against the two default ColabFold databases with the same parameters.
To evaluate performance of different structure prediction algorithms as well as the ColabFold ‘default' versus the ‘enriched' database, we created a test set of 100 Asgard archaeal proteins (Supplementary Data 2). We downloaded 100 randomly selected proteins of a reference Asgard archaeal proteome, P. syntrophicum, from UniProt (Supplementary Data 2; Proteome ID: UP000321408; accessed on 17 January 2023). We first predicted structural models from the primary sequences using the protein language model based ESMfold v2.0.0 (ref. 34) with option ‘-r 12'. To measure the quality of predictions, we used the average pLDDT score, ranging from low to high confidence (0–100). We considered predictions with an average pLDDT ≥80 as high-quality, as a compromise between the suggested pLDDT ≥90 for ‘high accuracy' and pLDDT ≥70 for ‘general correct backbone' according to ref. 27. Second, we generated multiple sequence alignments with the ‘genetic search' module of ColabFold v1.3.0 (ref. 33) with default and enriched database, respectively. We then ran the ColabFold prediction workflow on each alignment using the default ‘exhaustive' setting and a premature stopping rule (‘early-stop') designed to reduce computation time; specifically, the algorithm terminates if a pLDDT of at least 85 is reached or if the first prediction yields a pLDDT below 50 (‘--stop-at-score 85 --stop-at-score-below 50'). The ‘genetic search' module was run on a computer equipped with two AMD EPYC 7H12 processors (64 cores each, 2.6 GHz, 280 W) and 1 TiB of memory, whereas the ‘prediction' module was run on a system with four NVIDIA A100 graphics processing units (40 GiB HBM2 memory each).
Based on the highest ratio of high-quality proteins and lowest computational resource demands for our 100 test proteins, we opted for a hybrid approach of using protein language model- and multiple sequence alignment-based prediction algorithms. We first used ESMfold v2.0.0 (ref. 34) with ‘-r 12' to calculate structural models for each representative Asgard archaeal protein. Second, structures with an average pLDDT <80 in ESMfold were predicted again using ColabFold v1.3.0 (ref. 33) with the enriched database and the ‘early-stop' settings. Large proteins that could not be folded with ESMfold v2.0.0 and ColabFold v1.3.0 because of exceeding memory demands were attempted to be folded with ColabFold v1.5.2.
We searched Asgard archaeal structures reciprocally against SwissProt predicted structures (downloaded 8 July 2022) using FoldSeek v6.29e2557 (ref. 28) ‘foldseek search' with ‘--max-seqs 10000'. To ensure robustness in structural comparisons, we use the default local structural alignment via Foldseek rather than relying on global fold similarity (for example, TM-score). This mitigates potential biases introduced by differences between ColabFold and ESMFold models, as functionally relevant local motifs remain detectable regardless of global conformational variations. We retained the highest bit-score non-overlapping hits along the query sequence to accommodate fusion proteins and checked for reciprocal best hits. We mapped the annotation of the SwissProt best hits to each query protein. As described above, but unidirectionally, we searched Asgard archaeal structures against the Protein Data Bank and UniProt50 databases (downloaded 9 February 2023).
Proteins representing the best SwissProt hits were mapped against EggNOG v5 (ref. 81) with the emapper user interface (http://eggnog-mapper.embl.de/) with default parameters, and we extracted root non-supervised orthologous group (NOG) and eukaryotic NOG identifiers and functional categories.
For each Asgard archaeal predicted structure, we collected the best 10,000 hits of predicted UniProt50 structures (downloaded 9 February 2023), which contains proteins from all domains of life, ensuring that our ESP identification pipeline inherently considers homologues across bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Per Asgard archaeal protein representative, we performed a one-tailed Fisher's exact test with the function ‘fisher.test' and the ‘alternative=less' parameter with Bonferroni correction with the function ‘p.adjust' in R v4.2.1 (ref. 82) on the domain-level taxonomy of hit UniProt proteins to test for a statistical enrichment in eukaryotic sequences. To test for eukaryotic enrichment in only the most similar proteins, we also performed the same statistical test using only the top 5% bit-score percentile of the hits. Structures with an enrichment in hits to eukaryotic proteins were classified as candidate isomorphic (i)ESPs, that is, proteins that look structurally similar to proteins that are overrepresented in eukaryotes. We clustered all Asgard archaeal structures with Foldseek ‘foldseek cluster' into clusters of isomorphic protein structures and identified structural clusters uniquely added with iESPs.
We created multiple sequence alignments for each Asgard archaeal protein cluster using FAMSA v2.2.2 (ref. 83) with ‘-refine_mode on'. We performed profile–profile searches with the HHsuite3 (ref. 84) program HHsearch v3.3.0 with parameters ‘-glob -M 50' against the profile COG–eukaryotic orthologous groups (KOG) database (ftp://ftp.tuebingen.mpg.de/pub/protevo/toolkit/databases/hhsuite_dbs/COG_KOG.tar.gz)85.
To identify conserved protein domains in the proteomes of the Asgard archaeal dataset, we used InterProScan v5.57-90.0 (ref. 86) with default parameters and using hidden Markov models (HMM) from the databases AntiFam v7.0 (ref. 87), CDD v3.18 (ref. 88), Coils v2.2.1 (ref. 89), Gene3D v4.3.0 (ref. 90), MMobiDBLite v2.0 (ref. 91), PANTHER v15.0 (ref. 92), Pfam v35.0 (ref. 93), PIRSF v3.10 (ref. 94), PRINTS v42.0 (ref. 95), SFLD v4 (ref. 96), SMART v7.1 (ref. 97), SUPERFAMILY v1.75 (ref. 98) and TIGRFAM v15.0 (ref. 99).
We then identified the AsCOG and de novo cluster protein domains containing at least 80% of the length of a Pfam or Interpro domains reported as ESPs15.
To illustrate how iESP confer information about the origins of eukaryotic functions and their proteins, we selected several iESPs for phylogenetic analysis, based on the following criteria: the Asgard archaeal query structure is well covered (>80% of protein length) by its alignment to its best structure hit; the best (eukaryotic) structure hit reciprocally has the Asgard archaeal query structure as its best hit; eukaryotic structures are overrepresented among the hits (Fig. 3b); the eukaryotic hit structures are consistent (are evidently homologous to one another); they comprise eukaryote-relevant functions; neither the query nor the hit appears to embody particularly complex evolutionary histories (for example, they do not contain repeat domains or highly composite multidomain architectures); and the Asgard archaeal query is unlikely to represent contamination, as it is found in more than one Asgard archaeal taxon. Finally, we required that the candidates lack a well-scoring sequence-based hit to eukaryotic sequences, as determined by HHsearch; consequently, they fall into the ‘twilight zone' of sequence homology (Fig. 3c).
Subsequently, we found that the iESPs, although divergent, retain sequence signals that connect them to the eukaryotic proteins they match structurally. For this, we sought to gradually expand the homologue set of the iESP via manually supervised, iterative HMM searches. In each round, we checked the newly hit proteins before adding them to the multiple sequence alignment, as we ensured these are genuine homologues by inspecting both their sequences and (predicted) protein structures. We executed these profile HMM-based searches using online tools (HHpred and HMMer web server) as well as local hmmsearches onto our local databases (see description below). Note that, in addition to eukaryotic and Asgard archaeal sequences, we included bacterial and other archaeal sequences in the search database, as they may also have homologues that could help link the iESP and related Asgard archaeal sequences to their eukaryotic structural hits.
We made use of three sequence datasets for retrieving sequences for the phylogenetic analysis. First, we subsampled our in-house Asgard archaeal set, including only a single representative protein set per species. This representative for a given species was selected based on the quality of the predicted proteomes, as reflected by their predicted completeness and contamination, measured by CheckM63. Note that ‘species' here signifies groups of genomes that can be clustered at the 95% average nucleotide identity level. Second, we used a subsampled version of an in-house eukaryotic dataset100, including 25 eukaryotic taxa of all of the major eukaryotic groups, taking the taxon with the best, most complete, predicted proteome quality, as measured by BUSCO101. Third, we used a subsampled version of GTDB (r207)66, of which first the Asgard archaea were removed, and then we selected the best assembly for each family, which was also based on the CheckM quality parameters. Using the final, most inclusive yet accurate profile HMM obtained, and our manually determined bit-score cut-offs (described above), we employed hmmsearch onto these three datasets and retrieved all sequences meeting the cut-off. Because COMMD and CINPL comprised virtually full-length hits, both at the structural comparisons as well as in our sequence similarity searches, we extracted the entire protein sequence of each hit protein. For Ufm1, we observed that some hits in our sequence searches were not full-length, and others contained multiple hit regions; in these cases, we extracted only the protein segment corresponding to the best-scoring hit. For the MVP, in addition to the smaller full-length phylogeny (Fig. 4a), we performed a broader phylogenetic analysis of the shoulder domain only, which is a type of Band 7 domain found in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins45,102, and which are united in the SPFH (for stomatins, prohibitins, flotillins and HflK/C) family ‘clan' (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/set/pfam/CL0433/entry/pfam/).
For each family, we inferred gene trees using multiple sequences alignments generated by MAFFT (v7.505, mode L-INS-i)71 and the web server of PROMALS3D103. For the latter, we used the default options, except for detecting and using homologues with three-dimensional structures (included DaliLite v5 (ref. 104)), pairwise alignments between input three-dimensional structures (included DaliLite) and aligning sequences within groups in the first alignment stage (PROMALS instead of MAFFT). We supplemented PROMALS3D with predicted protein structures from diverse sequences in the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database, as well as with structures from our own predictions (described above), including those of the iESPs and, where available, other Asgard archaeal homologues. Before inferring the gene trees, we trimmed the multiple sequence alignment using BMGE v1.12 (settings: ‘-m BLOSUM30 --h 0.6 -g 0.7 -b 3')105, which selects good-quality aligned positions. However, in some cases (for example, COMMD MAFFT alignment), this produced very short alignments, prompting us to switch to trimAl (v1.4.1, mode ‘gappyout')72. For phylogenetic inference in a maximum-likelihood framework, we used IQ-TREE v.2.0.3 (settings ‘-B 1000 -m MFP -mset LG,JTT,Q.pfam,WAG,LG+C20,LG+C40,LG+C60,LG+C20+R+F,LG+C40+R+F,LG+C60+R+F,WAG+C20,WAG+C40,WAG+C60,WAG+C20+R+F,WAG+C40+R+F,WAG+C60+R+F,JTT+C20,JTT+C40,JTT+C60,JTT+C20+R+F,JTT+C40+R+F,JTT+C60+R+F,Q.pfam+C20,Q.pfam+C40,Q.pfam+C60,Q.pfam+C20+R+F,Q.pfam+C40+R+F,Q.pfam+C60+R+F')73 to first select the best evolutionary model using ModelFinder74 and then infer a phylogeny with 1,000 ultrafast bootstraps75. For each iESP/family, we subsequently selected the phylogeny displaying the most informative and probably accurate tree, which entailed post-hoc selecting the alignment algorithm (MAFFT-L-INS-i versus PROMALS3D) (based on ultrafast bootstrap support values at key branches, and monophyly of expected monophyletic sequence groups). We coloured the branches in the tree according to the species group the sequences belong to: Eukaryota, Asgard archaea, Archaea (other) and Bacteria. We also annotated the eukaryotic clades with the names of their proteins, specifically labelling each clade reflecting a single gene in the last eukaryotic common ancestor. Trees were visualized using iTOL106.
Structural models were either visualized in ChimeraX v1.6.1 (Fig. 4b–f)107 or in R with the ‘r3dmol' package v0.1.2 (Fig. 4g,h) (https://github.com/swsoyee/r3dmol)108.
No statistical method was used to predetermine sample size. No data were excluded from the analyses. The experiments were not randomized. The investigators were not blinded to allocation during experiments and outcome assessment. For benchmarking structure prediction methods (Extended Data Fig. 1b–d), 100 proteins were randomly sampled from the proteome of P. syntrophicum (UniProt ID: UP000321408; Supplementary Data 2). Each protein was evaluated once per prediction condition; no technical replicates were performed. This sample size was selected to provide a representative yet computationally feasible comparison.
Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.
Asgard archaeal genome data were obtained from NCBI GenBank (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucleotide), and identifiers can be found in Supplementary Data 1. Archaeal outgroup proteomes were downloaded from Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) release 214 (https://data.gtdb.ecogenomic.org/releases/release214/214.0/genomic_files_reps/gtdb_proteins_aa_reps_r214.tar.gz) and proteins for gene phylogenies from release 207 (https://data.gtdb.ecogenomic.org/releases/release207/207.0/genomic_files_reps/gtdb_proteins_aa_reps_r207.tar.gz). The Asgard protein database and all predicted structures, original multiple sequence alignments and IQ-TREE outputs are available via figshare at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26057632 (ref. 109). The uncollapsed phylogenies can be found via the iTOL106 website at https://itol.embl.de/tree/62145192210399341699888333 (CINP; Fig. 4a), https://itol.embl.de/tree/13722425212199811699868285 (COMMD; Fig. 4c) and https://itol.embl.de/tree/62145192210319901699902102 (Ufm1; Fig. 4d).
Custom code is available via GitHub at https://github.com/stephkoest/structural_genomics.
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We thank F. Homa and V. de Jager for technical assistance and SURF (www.surf.nl) for supporting the use of the National Supercomputer Snellius, facilitated through a grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO-2021.059, T.J.G.E.). This work was supported by the European Research Council Consolidator and Advanced Grants 817834 and 101142180, respectively (T.J.G.E.), the Dutch Research Council VI.C.192.016 (T.J.G.E.) and VI.Veni.212.099 (J.J.E.v.H.), the Volkswagen Foundation Grant 96725 (T.J.G.E.) and the Simons Foundation as part of the Moore-Simons Project on the Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell (Grant 73592LPI; https://doi.org/10.46714/735925LPI) (T.J.G.E. and B.J.B.). Computational resources were provided by the SURF Cooperative, grant no. EINF-2953.
Stephan Köstlbacher
Present address: AITHYRA GmbH, Research Institute for Biomedical Artificial Intelligence of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Valerie De Anda
Present address: Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Stephan Köstlbacher, Jolien J. E. van Hooff, Kassiani Panagiotou, Daniel Tamarit & Thijs J. G. Ettema
Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Daniel Tamarit
Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
Valerie De Anda, Kathryn E. Appler & Brett J. Baker
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
Valerie De Anda & Brett J. Baker
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S.K. and T.J.G.E. conceptualized the study. S.K. led orthology assignment, protein modelling and sequence homology searches, with support from J.J.E.v.H. Structural genomics analyses were performed by S.K. and J.J.E.v.H. Genome data generation and curation were carried out by K.E.A., B.J.B. and V.D.A., while phylogenetic analyses were conducted by J.J.E.v.H., S.K. and K.P. Data interpretation involved S.K., J.J.E.v.H., K.P., K.E.A., D.T. and T.J.G.E. Supervision was provided by T.J.G.E. S.K., J.J.E.v.H. and T.J.G.E. wrote the original draft, and all authors (S.K., J.J.E.v.H., K.P., D.T., K.E.A., V.D.A., B.J.B. and T.J.G.E.) contributed to reviewing and editing the paper.
Correspondence to
Stephan Köstlbacher or Thijs J. G. Ettema.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Microbiology thanks Damien Devos, Robert Robinson and Rui Zhao for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
a, Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree of 935 Asgard archaeal genomes, using Euryarchaeota and Thermoproteota archaeal representatives as outgroup. The tree is based on 47 concatenated non-ribosomal proteins (8,068 sites and 1,244 taxa), using IQ-TREE under the WAG+C10+R4 model. PMSF approximated non-parametric bootstrap support ≥70 is indicated on branches. Scalebar represents the average expected substitutions per site. b-d, Evaluation of different aspects of the structure prediction workflow in the following panels were performed on a set of 100 proteins of Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum (n = 100; see Methods). b, Number of aligned reference sequences (x-axis) and average structure model pLDDT (y-axis) with default (blue) and enriched (purple) database. Each dot represents a structure prediction for one of the 100 randomly selected proteins from Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum. Lines show linear regression between pLDDT and the number of aligned sequences with shaded 95% confidence intervals. c, Number of high-quality structure predictions (pLDDT ≥80) based on different predictions strategies. d, Inference times of ColabFold prediction modules with different inference strategies, including the default setting and database, or the enriched database with either default settings or an early stop criterion (see Methods). Boxes represent the interquartile range (IQR), with the centre line showing the median. Whiskers extend to the most extreme data points within 1.5×IQR from the box. Outliers are shown as individual points.
a, Subgraph complementing the protein structure similarity network depicted in Fig. 3, once again highlighting Argonaute proteins. b, Distribution across Asgard archaeal groups of eight Asgard archaeal Argonaute-related iESPs contained in a single structural cluster.
Complementing Fig. 3d, this heatmap displays the presence of ESPs (green) and iESPs (purple) across Asgard archaeal genomes. Genomes (y-axis) are grouped by taxonomy, and structural clusters (x-axis) are sorted by conservation across genomes and functional categories.
Presence of eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs) and isomorphic ESPs (iESPs) across Asgard archaeal genomes grouped by taxonomy (y-axis). Structural clusters are ordered by functional category (x-axis). Each column represents a distinct structural cluster, categorized based on predicted functional annotations. Functional categories (x-axis labels) follow COG annotations, reflecting major biological processes, including information storage and processing, cellular processes and signaling, and metabolism. Asgard archaeal genomes are grouped into taxonomic lineages (abbreviation on y-axis). Black lines demarcate major Asgard archaeal clades. ESPs (green) and iESPs (purple) show distinct patterns of conservation across taxonomic groups and functional categories. This extended dataset builds on the high-level summary in Fig. 3 and Extended Data Fig. 3, providing deeper resolution into functional distributions of ESPs and iESPs. Functional categories follow COG annotations and are labeled by their letter codes, including: J, Translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis; A, RNA processing and modification; K, Transcription; L, Replication, recombination and repair; B, Chromatin structure and dynamics; D, Cell cycle control, cell division, chromosome partitioning; T, Signal transduction mechanisms; M, Cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis; Z, Cytoskeleton; W, Extracellular structures; U, Intracellular trafficking, secretion, and vesicular transport; O, Posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones; C, Energy production and conversion; G, Carbohydrate transport and metabolism; E, Amino acid transport and metabolism; F, Nucleotide transport and metabolism; H, Coenzyme transport and metabolism; I, Lipid transport and metabolism; P, Inorganic ion transport and metabolism; Q, Secondary metabolites biosynthesis, transport and catabolism; and Multiple, for clusters assigned to more than one category.
a, Protein domain phylogeny based on Band 7, MVP and related shoulder domains. The depicted phylogenetic tree is based on 90 aligned positions and was generated under the LG+C60+R7 model (see Methods). b, ipTM score of Asgard archaeal MVP homopolymers modeled with different numbers of subunits with local optima highlighted. c, Multimer model of Lokiarchaeial MVP with different number of subunits. d, ipTM score of Asgard archaeal COMMD homopolymers modeled with different numbers of subunits with local optima highlighted. e, Homo-multimer model of Lokiarchaeial COMMD-containing protein with different number of subunits.
Supplementary Discussion and Fig. 1.
Supplementary Data 1. Spread sheet with genome information of the outgroup genomes used for Extended Data Fig. 1a and the dataset of 936 Asgard archaeal draft genomes. Supplementary Data 2. Spread sheet of UniProt protein IDs and annotations of sampled Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum. Supplementary Data 3. Spread sheet including the annotation of structures in the of ESPs and iESP structural clusters, as well as ESP and iESP proteins in Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum.
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Köstlbacher, S., van Hooff, J.J.E., Panagiotou, K. et al. Prediction of eukaryotic cellular complexity in Asgard archaea using structural modelling.
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Injections that reduce weight and treat diabetes could also cut the risk of dying from substance-use disorders.Credit: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg/Getty
Blockbuster GLP-1 medications might help people to avoid becoming addicted to drugs, including alcohol, cocaine and opioids, a massive study1 suggests. It also found that, for those already dealing with addiction, the treatments are linked to a 50% reduction in the risk of dying from substance abuse.
The findings, published today in The BMJ, come from an analysis of electronic health records from more than 600,000 people in the database of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides care for millions of military veterans. The study is the latest suggesting that GLP-1 drugs — which mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 and are mainly prescribed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes — can also play a part in curbing addiction.
Why do obesity drugs seem to treat so many other ailments?
Why do obesity drugs seem to treat so many other ailments?
The study's large number of participants is unique and allowed researchers to evaluate the effect of GLP-1 drugs on the risk of several substance-use disorders. “The consistency of effect across multiple substances, which have different mechanisms of action, was quite a revelation,” says Ziyad Al-Aly, a co-author and a clinical epidemiologist the VA St Louis Health Care System in Missouri.
The observational study confirms what physicians are seeing in their clinics and the results of some small clinical trials2. But larger clinical trials are still needed to demonstrate whether the drugs could truly help people with substance-use disorders, specialists say.
“We have our patients telling us, ‘I don't feel like I want to smoke any more. I don't really have the interest in drinking any more,'” says Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist at the University of Toronto in Canada. “There's no question this is real and there are responders. But, so far, we don't have a really robust, randomized, controlled clinical trial.”
Intrigued by people's reports of reduced alcohol cravings while taking GLP-1 drugs, Al-Aly turned to the VA's database of electronic health records. “It's a colossal data system and it creates a great opportunity,” he says.
Al-Aly and his colleagues used the database to compare two groups of people with type 2 diabetes: the treatment group, which had been prescribed GLP-1 drugs, and the control group, which had been prescribed a different class of diabetes medication, called sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2). They were followed for up to three years after they began taking either medication.
Anti-obesity drug has life-changing benefits for arthritis
Anti-obesity drug has life-changing benefits for arthritis
Among the GLP-1 users with no history of addiction, the risk of developing a substance-use disorder over the three-year period was 18% lower for alcohol, 14% lower for cannabis, 20% lower for cocaine, 20% lower for nicotine and 25% lower for opioids than among those in the control group.
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Researchers from several international institutions have uncovered new details about how the malaria parasite grows and spreads. Their work has identified a specialized protein that the parasite needs in order to survive and move between hosts, making it a promising target for future antimalarial drugs.
The discovery focuses on a molecule known as Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1). In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists from the University of Nottingham, the National Institute of Immunology (NII) in India, the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, the Francis Crick Institute, and other collaborators found that ARK1 functions like a cellular traffic controller during the parasite's unusual process of growth and division.
Understanding Malaria Parasite Growth
Malaria continues to rank among the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. It is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which rapidly multiply inside both human hosts and mosquitoes. Learning how these parasites divide and reproduce is critical for finding ways to stop the disease.
The malaria parasite divides very differently from human cells. Instead of following the typical pattern seen in human biology, it uses a more unusual and complex method of growth. The researchers discovered that ARK1 plays a central role in organizing the spindle, the cellular structure that separates genetic material so new parasite cells can form.
Disabling ARK1 Stops Parasite Development
When scientists disabled ARK1 in laboratory experiments, parasite development quickly broke down. Without the protein, the parasites failed to build proper spindles, which prevented them from dividing correctly.
As a result, the parasites could not continue their life cycle. They were unable to fully develop inside either the human host or the mosquito, effectively blocking the chain of transmission that allows malaria to spread.
"The name 'Aurora' refers to the Roman goddess of dawn, and we believe this protein truly heralds a new beginning in our understanding of malaria cell biology," said Dr. Ryuji Yanase first author of the study from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham.
A Potential Target for New Malaria Drugs
Because the malaria parasite moves through different stages in both humans and mosquitoes, understanding its biology requires collaboration across many research groups.
"Plasmodium divides via distinct processes in the human and mosquito host, it was well and truly a team effort, which allowed us to appreciate the role of ARK1 almost simultaneously in the two hosts and shed light on novel aspects of parasite biology," said Annu Nagar and Dr. Pushkar Sharma from the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC)-NII, New Delhi.
Researchers are particularly encouraged by how different the parasite's ARK1 system is from the equivalent proteins found in human cells.
"What makes this discovery so exciting is that the malaria parasite's 'Aurora' complex is very different from the version found in human cells. This divergence is a huge advantage," Professor Tewari added. "It means we can potentially design drugs that target the parasite's ARK1 specifically, turning the lights out on malaria without harming the patient."
By revealing how this unusual molecular machinery operates, the research provides a clearer roadmap for developing drugs that disrupt the parasite's life cycle and ultimately prevent malaria transmission.
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An experimental therapy for children with a severe and difficult to treat form of epilepsy appears to be both safe and highly effective at reducing seizures, according to results from an international clinical trial led by UCL (University College London) and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The findings suggest the treatment could significantly improve the health and daily lives of affected children.
The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that children with Dravet syndrome experienced seizure reductions of up to 91 percent while regularly receiving an investigational drug called zorevunersen.
Researchers also reported early evidence that the therapy may help ease some of the disorder's effects on thinking and behavior. Over a three year period, children participating in the study showed improvements in quality of life, and most reported side effects were mild.
Understanding Dravet Syndrome
Dravet syndrome is a rare and severe genetic epilepsy that causes frequent seizures that are often difficult to control. The condition is also linked to long term neurodevelopmental challenges, feeding problems, movement difficulties, and a higher risk of premature death.
For many families, treatment options remain limited. Existing medications fail to fully control seizures in many patients, and no currently approved therapies directly address the cognitive and behavioral complications associated with the disorder.
How the Drug Targets the Underlying Genetic Cause
Zorevunersen (produced by Stoke Therapeutics in collaboration with Biogen) is designed to address the root cause of Dravet syndrome by acting on a faulty gene.
Most people carry two copies of the SCN1A gene. In individuals with Dravet syndrome, one copy does not produce enough of a protein needed for proper nerve cell signaling.
The drug works by increasing production of this protein from the healthy copy of the SCN1A gene. By boosting protein levels, the therapy aims to restore more normal function in nerve cells.
Clinical Trial Results and Ongoing Research
The latest findings come from the initial trial and follow up extension studies, which together involved 81 children with Dravet syndrome in the United Kingdom and the United States.
These early studies were primarily designed to assess the safety and tolerability of zorevunersen. Researchers also monitored how the treatment affected seizure frequency, cognitive function, behavior, and overall quality of life. A larger Phase Three trial is currently underway to further evaluate the drug.
Lead author Professor Helen Cross, Director and Professor of Childhood Epilepsy at the UCL Institute of Child Health and an Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Neurology at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), said: "I regularly see patients with hard-to-treat genetic epilepsies with impacts that go beyond seizures and it's heart-breaking when treatment options are limited. This new treatment could help children with Dravet syndrome lead much healthier and happier lives.
"Overall, our findings showed that zorevunersen is safe to use and well tolerated by most patients and supports further evaluation in the ongoing Phase Three study."
Details of the Trial
A total of 81 children between the ages of two and 18 participated in the initial clinical trial. Before starting treatment, these patients experienced an average of 17 seizures each month.
Participants received doses of up to 70mg of zorevunersen through a lumbar puncture. Some children received a single dose, while others were given additional doses two or three months later during a six month treatment period.
Seventy five of the children later continued into extension studies, where they received the medication every four months.
Among those who received the 70mg dose during the first stage of the trial, seizure frequency dropped between 59 percent and 91 percent during the first 20 months of the extension studies compared with the number of seizures recorded before treatment began.
Hospitals Involved in the Study
Nineteen participants were treated at hospitals in the United Kingdom. In addition to Great Ormond Street Hospital, participating centers included Sheffield Children's Hospital, Evelina London Children's Hospital, and The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
At GOSH, the study took place at the National Institute of Health and Care Research's Clinical Research Facility, a specialized center dedicated to running experimental clinical trials involving children.
Dravet Syndrome UK Chair of Trustees Galia Wilson said: "We regularly see the devastating impact that this condition has on the lives of families. That's why we're so thrilled about these latest results from the initial zorevunersen clinical trials.
"We're now looking forward to the Phase Three clinical trials taking place to see if the early promise we see here will translate into real hope for all those families currently affected by Dravet Syndrome."
Patient Story
Freddie, an eight year old patient from Huddersfield who receives care through Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, participated in the trial.
After starting the treatment in 2021, Freddie's seizure pattern changed dramatically. He went from experiencing more than a dozen seizures during the night to having just one or two brief seizures lasting only seconds every three to five days.
His mother Lauren said: "The trial has completely changed our lives. We now have a life we didn't ever think was possible and most importantly it's a life that Freddie can enjoy."
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Medications designed to promote weight loss by mimicking GLP-1 may also help limit additional heart damage after a heart attack. A new study led by researchers at the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL) found that these drugs could reduce the risk of serious complications that occur in up to half of heart attack patients.
The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs might offer a new strategy to improve recovery after a heart attack.
Earlier research has already shown that GLP-1 weight-loss medications can lower the likelihood of major heart problems. Notably, these benefits appear regardless of a person's existing health conditions or how much weight they lose while taking the drugs.
Scientists Investigate How GLP-1 Drugs Protect the Heart
To better understand why these medications benefit the heart, researchers examined the biological processes involved. Their earlier work had shown that small contractile cells called pericytes tighten coronary capillaries during the early stages of ischemia, a condition that occurs when the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen-rich blood.
In the new study, the team explored whether GLP-1 drugs could counteract this process and reopen the tiny blood vessels that become blocked.
Dr. Svetlana Mastitskaya, Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences (THS) and the study's lead author, explained: "In nearly half of all heart attack patients, tiny blood vessels within the heart muscle remain narrowed, even after the main artery is cleared during emergency medical treatment. This results in a complication known as 'no-reflow,' where blood is unable to reach certain parts of the heart tissue.
"Our previous research has shown that this narrowing of blood vessels contributes significantly to 'no-reflow,' a complication that increases the risk of death or hospital admission for heart failure within a year of a heart attack. But our latest findings are surprising in that we have found GLP-1 drugs may prevent this problem."
GLP-1 Drugs Improve Blood Flow in the Heart
Experiments using animal models revealed that GLP-1 drugs improve blood flow in the heart after a heart attack. The medications activate potassium channels, which relax pericytes and allow previously constricted blood vessels to widen. As a result, blood can reach heart tissue more effectively, lowering the chance of additional damage.
Professor David Attwell, Jodrell Professor of Physiology at UCL, and the study's co-lead, added: "With an increasing number of similar GLP-1 drugs now being used in clinical practice, for conditions ranging from type 2 diabetes and obesity to kidney disease, our findings highlight the potential for these existing drugs to be repurposed to treat the risk of 'no-reflow' in heart attack patients, offering a potentially life-saving solution."
Dr. Svetlana Mastitskaya is funded by the British Heart Foundation.
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Ferroptosis, a major mechanism of non-apoptotic programmed cell death, critically regulates the homeostasis and functionality of peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells1,2,3,4,5,6. Here we demonstrate that in mouse, resistance of T cells to ferroptosis depends critically on the composition of standard rodent diets, and that dietary effects on ferroptosis (DEFs) have a crucial role in regulation of T cell homeostasis and immune responses. DEFs are microbiota-independent and are driven by variations in dietary polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs and MUFAs) that lead to variations in abundance of lipid species in lymphoid tissues and T cells. Consistently, ferroptosis resistance of human T cells also correlated with plasma lipid profiles across multiple healthy cohorts, exhibiting negative associations with PUFA/MUFA ratios in major lipid classes. DEFs dictate T cell resilience in the absence of the essential lipid peroxide scavenger GPX4 and broadly modulate T cell-dependent humoral immunity and T cell-mediated anti-tumour immunity, including in chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy. Mechanistically, ACSL4, which preferentially biosynthezises PUFA-containing phospholipids7, is highly expressed in T cells and underpins DEF-mediated regulation of follicular helper T (TFH) cell generation and function. Our findings reveal the physiological significance of lipid metabolism in driving DEFs in immunity and suggest strategies targeting lipid metabolism to enhance vaccine efficacy and T cell-mediated immunotherapy.
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All of the data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author. RNA-sequencing and scRNA-seq data described in the article have been deposited in the EMBL-EBI database and are accessible via accession number E-MTAB-16107 (bulk RNA-seq) and E-MTAB-16518 (scRNA-seq). Publicly available normalized and batch-adjusted RNA-sequencing data were obtained from GSE137122 (mouse TFH cells and non-TFH cells post-immunization). Source data are provided with this paper.
No new algorithms were developed for this Article. Processed data and analysis code are available from the corresponding author.
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The authors acknowledge the Translational Research Institute (TRI), the Biological Research Facility (BRF) and the Flow Cytometry Core Facility (L. Leveque-El Mouttie, D. Khalil, Y. Ding, A. Wu and S. P. Narla) for providing the excellent research environment and core facilities that enabled this research; the technical assistance of the TRI Gnotobiotic Facility for germ-free dietary studies; The UQ Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (R. Parton and J. Rae); X. Zhou, T. Chen, X. Liu and S. Yang for technical help in experiments; P. Canete and K. Tuong for scientific discussion; L. You, Z. Yu and F. Liu for help with animal experiment; and the Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility (MPMF) for the provision of technical support and infrastructure, which was enabled by Bioplatforms Australia (BPA) and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). D.Y. is supported by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants (GNT1147709 and GNT2009554), Medical Research Futures Fund (MRFF) National Critical Infrastructure Initiative (NCRI000155), a Bellberry-Viertel Senior Medical Research fellowship and fundings from Children's Hospital Foundation, the Australia and New Zealand Society for Immunology (AbbVie New Horizon Award) and Tour de Cure (RFP-660-2023, RSP-585-2024 and RSP-616-2024). Z.C. is supported by an NHMRC Investigator Grant (2026153), a Cure Cancer Foundation Early Career Grant, a Ramaciotti Health Investment Grant (2025HIG-1534), and the UQ Health Research Accelerator Program. Y. Yao is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China grants 82322018 and 82471146. C.S. is supported by a Youth Excellent Talents Program of Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences) (no. 2024QZJH04). W.W. was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant (T2225021) and Open Funding Project of the State Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery (2024KF-04). H.Z. and Y.W. were supported by Shandong Provincial Key Research and Development Program (Major Science and Technology Innovation Project) (2021ZDSYS12), National Natural Science Foundation of China (22206092, 82071792), University and Institute Innovation Team Project of Jinan (202333028), the Key Program of Science and Technology Plan Foundation of Hubei Province (2024BCB041) and Science, Education and Industry Major Innovation Pilot Project from Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences) (2025ZDZX07). H.Z. and Z.Y. were supported by Enshi Prefecture People's Government. N.W., D.B., S.N., M.P., H.S. were supported by Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships. J.G. was supported by a China Scholarship Council Scholarship. D.B. was supported by Queensland Immunology Research Centre (QIRC) and Ian Frazer Centre for Children's Immunotherapy Research (IFCCIR) PhD Top-up Scholarships.
These authors contributed equally: Naiqi Wang, Zhian Chen, Yin Yao, Chenglong Sun, Wei Wei, Lei Sun, Hao Zhang, Feng Li
Frazer Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behaviour Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Naiqi Wang, Zhian Chen, Daniel Butcher, Jialei Gong, Jingxuan Huang, Sam Nettelfield, Rui Liu, Limin Zhao, Hongjian Sun, Yang Yang, Mehrdad Pazhouhandeh, Joseph Yunis, Chen Zhu, Xiaowen Liang & Di Yu
Laboratory of Immunology for Environment and Health, Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
Naiqi Wang, Hao Zhang & Yunbo Wei
Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Yin Yao & Shi-Ran Sun
Hubei Clinical Research Center for Nasal Inflammatory Diseases, Wuhan, China
Yin Yao & Shi-Ran Sun
Hubei Engineering Research Center for Precision Medicine in Chronic Nasal Diseases, Wuhan, China
Yin Yao & Shi-Ran Sun
Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments of Shandong Province, Shandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
Chenglong Sun, Hao Zhang, Haoyuan Geng & Yunbo Wei
Key Laboratory for Natural Active Pharmaceutical Constituents Research in Universities of Shandong Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
Chenglong Sun & Haoyuan Geng
State Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Wei Wei & Feng Li
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Wei Wei & Feng Li
Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Shandong, China
Lei Sun, Xiaoyue Zheng, Chenyu Li & Yang Fu
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Occurrence and Intervention of Rheumatic Diseases, Minda Hospital of Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, China
Hao Zhang & Zhaohui Yang
Hubei Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center for Nephropathy, Minda Hospital of Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, China
Hao Zhang & Zhaohui Yang
Heart Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Yingxin Celia Jiang & Yanfei Qi
School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Yexin Ge
Ian Frazer for Children's Immunotherapy Research, Children's Health Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behaviour Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Mehrdad Pazhouhandeh & Di Yu
Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Christopher K. Barlow & Katherine Joanna Jeppe
Gallipoli Medical Research, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Xiaowen Liang, Kim Bridle & Darrell Crawford
Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behaviour Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Kim Bridle, Siok-Keen Tey & Darrell Crawford
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David M. Frazer & Siok-Keen Tey
Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Yuhua Li
Shandong Artificial Intelligence Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
Minglei Shu
Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
Zheng Liu
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Conceptualization: D.Y. Methodology: N.W., Z.C., Y. Yao, C.S., W.W., L.S. H.Z., Y.W., X.L., K.B., D.M.F., S.-K.T., Z.Y., M.S., Z.L., D.C. and D.Y. Investigation: N.W. performed most animal experiments, with assistance from Z.C., H.Z., D.B., J.G., J.H., S.N., R.L., L.Z., M.P., J.Y. and S.-K.T.; Y. Yao and L.S. performed human cohort studies with assistance from S.-R.S., X.Z., C.L., Y.F., N.W., Y.W., H.Z. M.S. and Z.L.; C.S performed the spatial metabolomic study with the assistance from H.G., H.Z. and N.W.; W.W., F.L. and Y.L. performed the CAR T cell study; C.K.B. and K.J.J. performed T cell metabolomics; and Formal analysis was carried out by N.W. with assistance from Z.C., Y. Yao, C.S., F.L., Y.C.J., Y.Q., J.G., H.S., Y. Yang, Y.G. and C.Z. Writing: D.Y., N.W. and Z.C. Supervision: D.Y. and Z.C.
Correspondence to
Di Yu.
All authors declare no competing interests.
Nature thanks Vassiliki Boussiotis and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Weaned mice were fed standard diets SF-NIH31, SF00-100 and SF-AIN93G for four weeks (a-e) or two weeks (f). a, Growth curves based on weights (n = 5 or 6 per group). b-d, Flow cytometry analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in viable splenocytes (b). Frequencies and numbers per 106 single cells of naïve CD4+ or CD8+ T cells (c) and effector/memory CD4+ or CD8+ T cells (d) (n = 5 or 6 per group). e, Normalized viability of naive CD4+ or CD8+ T cells after culturing with the indicated concentrations of RSL3 or ML210 for 12 hs (ferroptosis resistance assays), in the presence or absence of Fer-1 (n = 4 per group). f, Weaned mice were fed with indicated diets (n = 3 per group) for two weeks, and CD4+ or CD8+ T cells were analysed in ferroptosis resistance assays. g, Weaned Rag1KO mice were fed with standard diets SF-NIH31 and SF-AIN93G for four weeks (n = 5 per group), followed by adoptive transfer of CTV-labelled GPX4T−KO or GPX4WT naïve CD4+ T cells. Inguinal lymph nodes were analysed at day 14 post-transfer. h, Histograms of CTVlow extensively divided cells and CTV+ dividing cells, and the percentage of each division (G1-G3). i, Number of donor T cells. Each dot represents one mouse (c, d, i). Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. and analysed by nonlinear regression (e,f) and one-way ANOVA (e-i). Data are representative of at least two independent experiments. N.S., not significant (p > 0.05).
Source data
Naive T cells from mice fed with SF-NIH31 or SF-AIN93G were analysed by bulk RNA sequencing (n = 3 or 4 per group) (a) or proteome sequencing (n = 3 per group) (b,c). a, Heatmaps show normalized expression levels of ferroptosis-related key regulators, including those for lipid metabolism and selenoproteins. No significant difference in gene expression between the two dietary groups (DeSeq2 adjusted p-value > 0.05). b, Volcano plot of the comparison between SF-NIH31 vs SF-AIN93G proteome. Identified ferroptosis-related key regulators, including those for lipid metabolism and selenoproteins are marked. No significant difference in gene expression between two dietary groups (adjusted p-value > 0.05, calculated by Spectronaut using default settings). c, Dot heatmap of identified ferroptosis-related key regulators, including those for lipid metabolism and selenoproteins. Dot size indicates normalized protein expression levels in the proteome. Dot colour indicates normalized protein expression levels amongst samples (z-score).
a–c, Weaned mice were fed XB-NIH31 or D-AIN93G diets for four weeks. FRIs were assessed (a; n = 4 per group). Faecal microbiota composition was analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing, shown as PCA (b) and alpha diversity (Shannon index) (c; n = 6 per group). d, Correlation between naive T cell FRIs and dietary cysteine concentrations (n = 5–6 per group). e, Reduced glutahione (GSH) and oxidized glutahione (GSSG) levels in naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the indicated dietary groups, measured by metabolomics (n = 6 per group). f, Correlation between naïve T cell FRIs and dietary selenium concentrations (n = 5–6 per group). g,h, GPX4 protein levels in naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells measured by flow cytometry (g; n = 4 per group) and GPX1/GPX4 protein levels in naive CD4+ T cells assessed by western blotting (h; n = 3 per group, for gel source data, see Supplementary Fig. 2). i, Correlation between naive T cell FRIs and dietary vitamin E concentrations (n = 5–6 per group). j, FRIs of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from mice fed vitamin E–modified diets (n = 4 per group). k, Correlation between naive T cell FRIs and dietary iron concentrations (n = 5–6 per group). l, Intracellular Fe2+ levels in naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells measured by FerroOrange staining (n = 3 per group). m, Naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were activated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibodies in the presence of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) for 48 h, followed by ferroptosis induction with 0.2 μM RSL3 for 12 h (n = 3 technical replicates; representative of three independent experiments). n, Weaned mice were fed D-AIN93G (canola) diets containing 45 mg/kg (n = 4) or 250 mg/kg (n = 5) iron, and FRIs were assessed. Each dot represents one mouse (a-g, i-l, n). Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. and analysed by nonlinear regression (j, n), one-way ANOVA (g, j, l, m) and two-sided unpaired Student's t tests (a, c, e, n). Data are representative of at least two independent experiments. N.S., not significant (p > 0.05).
Source data
a, Correlative analyses between FRIs of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells and dietary levels of PUFAs or MUFAs. n = 5 (SF-NIH31, SF-AIN93G) and n = 6 (SF00-100). b,c, Metabolomic analyses of naive CD4+ T cells from SF-NIH31- or SF-AIN93G-fed mice. Heatmap of differentially abundant metabolites (adjusted P < 0.05) between dietary groups, with lipid metabolism–related metabolites highlighted in yellow (b). Volcano plot comparing metabolites between diets, showing lipid metabolism–related metabolites that are downregulated (blue) or upregulated (red) (c), as determined by two-sided Student's t-test with Benjamini–Hochberg correction (adjusted P < 0.05; horizontal threshold). † denotes metabolites annotated by comparison with standard library compounds analysed alongside experimental samples; all others were putatively identified.
Source data
Weaned mice were fed XB-NIH-31, D-AIN93G (soya) or D-AIN93G (canola) for four weeks (n = 5 per group). Splenic and lymph node frozen sections analysed by immunofluorescence or spatial metabolomic analyses using MALDI-MSI. a, Images of indicated fatty acid proportions (ion intensity on the pixel normalized to total FAs per pixel) in splenic sections. T cell zone (CD4+B220−) and B cell follicle (CD4−B220+) determined by immunofluorescent (red: CD4, blue: B220) were outlined. b, c, Quantifications of indicated fatty acid (FA) species (b) and PUFA/MUFA ratios (c) in T cell zones of lymph nodes. Each dot refers to one mouse. Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. and analysed by one-way ANOVA. Data are representative of two independent experiments.
Source data
a, CD28KO mice were adoptively transferred with WT naive OT-II cells and subcutaneously immunized with NP-OVA/Alum. CD44+CXCR5+PD1+ TFH cells and CD44+CXCR5−PD1− non-TFH cells were sorted at day 7. RNA levels of Acsl1, Acsl3, Acsl4, Acsl5 and Acsl6 were analysed by qPCR (n = 4 technical replicates, representative of three independent experiments). b, Comparison of normalized Acsl4 RNA counts between TFH and non-TFH cells from immunized mice (n = 4 per group), derived from the published RNA-seq dataset GSE137122. c,d, CD4+ T cells were transduced of Cas9 together with guide RNAs for Acsl3, Acsl4, Acsl5 or a control (n = 3 technical replicates, representative of three independent experiments). Relative levels of mRNA (c) or proteins (d) were analysed by qPCR or western blotting. e, ACSL3 and ACSL4 protein levels in naive CD4+ cells from SF-NIH31-, SF00-100- and SF-AIN93G-fed mice (n = 3 per group) were measured by western blotting (for gel source data, see Supplementary Fig. 2). Each dot represents a technical replicate (a,c). Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. and analysed by two-sided unpaired Student's t-tests. Data are representative of two independent experiments (a, c-e).
Source data
a, B16-F10-OVA, MC38-OVA and AT3-OVA cell lines were cultured with the indicated concentrations of RSL3 for 24 h, viabilities were calculated by normalizing to the vehicle control (n = 3 technical replicates, representative of three independent experiments). b, Comparison of normalized viabilities between OT-I CD8+ T cells (n = 4 biological replicates) and B16-F10-OVA tumour cells (n = 3 technical replicates) in the cultures of indicated concentrations of RSL3 for 12 h. c,d, Mice were fed SF-NIH31 or SF-AIN93G-fed for four weeks followed by B16-F10-OVA implantation (Fig. 4a). Annotation of tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T cell clusters based on marker gene expression from scRNA-seq analysis (c). Clonal TCR sequence analysis of tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T cells determined by scTCR-seq (d). e,f, CTV-labelled mouse naive CD4+ cells (responders) were activated by anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibody in the presence of indicated ratio of CD4+CD25+ TREG cells (n = 4 biological replicates per group) for 48 h. The CTV fluorescence was analysed by flow cytometry. e, Cell divisions indicated by CTV fluorescence. f, Proliferation index of responders. Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. Data are representative of three independent experiments (a,b,e,f) or the pool from five biological replicates (c,d).
Source data
a, Blood samples were collected from healthy adults (N = 24) and grouped by BMIs. Plasma lipidomes were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and PBMCs were analysed by ferroptosis resistance assays. b, Proportion of each lipid class in total detected plasma lipids. c, Peak areas of fragmented lipids (referring amounts of each acyl chain on lipids) were normalized to the sum of series, scaled to the median of sums, and counted as relative concentrations of fatty acids composing the acyl chains. Relative concentrations of PLs, LPLs and AG (DG and TG) were stacked. d-i, Blood samples were collected from healthy children (N = 12) and plasma lipidomes were analysed by LC/MS. e, Relative concentrations of fatty acids in PL, LPL and AG were stacked. f-i, PBMCs were analysed for lipid ROS levels in T cells and cultured with the indicated concentrations of RSL3 for 72 h to calculate FRIs based on non-linear regression, normalized to vehicle controls. The correlation between PUFA/MUFA ratio in PL, LPL and AG versus CD3+ T cell lipid ROS (f), FRI versus lipid ROS (g), PUFA/MUFA ratio (h) and BMI (i) were analysed by two-sided Pearson correlation and linear fitness. Data are representative of two independent experiments.
Source data
a, Mouse naive CD8+ T cells were activated by anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibody in the presence of vehicle control (DMSO), MUFA (oleic acid) or PUFA (linoleic acid) with or without Fer-1 (n = 3). Cell viabilities were analysed by flow cytometry. b, Human CAR-T cells produced from four healthy donors were analysed in ferroptosis resistance assays by culturing with the indicated concentrations of RSL3 for 24 h, in the presence or absence of ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 (n = 3 technical replicates). Viabilities of CD4+ and CD8+ CAR-expressing T cells were normalized to vehicle controls. Data are expressed as mean ± s.d. and analysed by one-way ANOVA (a) or nonlinear regression. Data are representative of at least three independent experiments.
Source data
Supplementary Figs. 1 and 2
Supplementary Tables 1–6
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Wang, N., Chen, Z., Yao, Y. et al. Lipid metabolism drives dietary effects on T cell ferroptosis and immunity.
Nature (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10193-4
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Peri-device leak and device-related thrombus1 remain key challenges of current left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO)2 owing to the incompatibility between the solid occluder and the left atrial appendage (LAA). Here we propose a personalized and complete LAAO using magnetofluids that is suitable for all types of LAAs. Magnetofluids can be injected into LAAs from cardiac catheters. In the presence of a sufficient magnetic field, magnetofluids can resist high-speed blood flow. Magnetofluids can precipitate into magnetogels in contact with water in the blood within only a few minutes. We further confirmed the long-term resilience and biocompatibility of the magnetogel over 10 months in a pig model in vivo. Neither device-related thrombus nor magnetogel leakage was observed in any pigs. The endocardium formed on the Watchman occluder was rough and incomplete, predisposing to thrombosis. Myocardial injuries were unavoidable due to the barbs of the Watchman occluder. The endocardium formed on our magnetogel was smooth, firm and thrombus-free. No crevice was observed between our magnetogel and the LAA, and no injury was caused to the myocardium. These findings may offer a promising clinical strategy for long-term thrombus-free LAAO.
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scRNA-seq data have been deposited in a public repository (ArrayExpress: E-MTAB-15847). The Sus scrofa (pig) reference genome (Sscrofa11.1) can be found at NCBI (GCF_000003025.6). Other original data including the animal-based dataset and retrospective clinical dataset are available at GitHub (https://github.com/rinrpg/Origin-data-of-Long-term-thrombus-free-left-atrial-appendage-occlusion-via-magnetofluids). Authentication documents of the cell lines are available at GitHub (https://github.com/silver2008a5/Cell-line-authentication-documents.git). The animal illustrations in Figs. 3a and 4a and the cardiac illustrations in Fig. 4a and Supplementary Fig. 41a were adjusted using BioRender. The original illustrations can be downloaded from the following links: models of rat and its heart in Fig. 3a (https://BioRender.com/yl2wllu); pig model in Fig. 4a (https://BioRender.com/g716ki6); and cardiac models in Fig. 4a and Supplementary Fig. 41a (https://BioRender.com/3a9pht3). Source data are provided with this paper.
The scRNA-seq analysis codes from this study have been deposited at GitHub (https://github.com/pkulhc/Single-Cell-RNA-Seq-Analysis).
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This work was supported in part by the National Key Research and Development Project under grants 2023YFB4705300 and 2022YFC2503400; the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grants U22A2064, 12202017 and 62125307; the Development Project of the National Major Scientific Research Instrument (82327801); National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2023-GSP-RC-04); the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program under grants JCYJ20220818101611025 and RCJC20231211085926038; the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2025A1515010274); the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (2021-I2M-1-065); the Shenzhen Medical Research Fund (SMRF A2303037); the Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Infrastructure and Core Facility of Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology; and the Transvascular Implantation Devices Research Institute. We thank J. Ji for his support throughout the revision of this manuscript; and D. Liu, X. Yang, J. Meng, G. Yue and J. Yang for their support in the histological analysis of the animal experiments. We acknowledge English language editing services provided by the artificial-intelligence tool Rubriq offered by Research Square; we have reviewed and modified the edited content as needed and are fully responsible for the publication.
These authors contributed equally: Shu Wang, Wenhao Ju, Donglin Zhuang, Zhecheng Chen, Dongliang Zhao
Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Shu Wang, Zhecheng Chen, Shunyuan Huang, Mingxue Cai, Siyu Liu, Shixiong Fu, Xinyu Wu & Tiantian Xu
Department of Structural Heart Disease, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Key Laboratory of Innovative Cardiovascular Devices, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Wenhao Ju, Donglin Zhuang, Xiangbin Pan & Shouzheng Wang
Nano Science and Technology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Zhecheng Chen
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
Dongliang Zhao, Zhiguo Cheng & Wenchang Tan
Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Shunyuan Huang
State Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Tiankuo Wang
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Siyu Liu & Shixiong Fu
Fuwai Yunnan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
Shixiong Fu & Xiangbin Pan
Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
Wenchang Tan
The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Tiantian Xu
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T.X. proposed the project. T.X. and X.P. provided funding and revised the manuscript. T.X., X.P., Shouzheng Wang and X.W. supervised the project. Shu Wang and D. Zhuang designed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. Shu Wang, D. Zhuang and Z. Chen completed the material characterization and data analysis. S.H. and T.W. assisted with part of the material preparation and data analysis. W.J., D. Zhuang, Shu Wang and Z. Chen participated in the animal experiments. W.J. and D. Zhuang took the postoperative measurements of the animals. D. Zhao completed the cardiac simulation with help from Z. Cheng and W.T.; M.C., S.L. and S.F. performed the magnetic simulation. Shu Wang and Z. Chen drew the illustrations. Shouzheng Wang provided the equipment for some of the animal experiments. X.W. provided the environments for material synthesis.
Correspondence to
Xiangbin Pan, Xinyu Wu, Shouzheng Wang or Tiantian Xu.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature thanks Bernhard Meier, Jacob Quint, Ali Tamayol, Yu Shrike Zhang and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available.
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a, Chemicals used for synthesis of magnetofluids. b, Preparation strategies for magnetofluids. c, Structure of the precipitated magnetogel in water.
a, Performances of NdFeB particles under different magnetic fields: 50 mT, 100 mT, 200 mT, 300 mT. b, Simulated magnetic fields applied around the LAA model of an adult patient using the cylindrical magnet. c, Measured and simulated magnetic flux density-distance curves of the cylindrical magnet. Distance: 0–80 mm.
Source data
a, LAA emptying velocity of 93 patients with atrial fibrillation. Velocity range: 0.1 - 1.0 m/s. Fitting of the histograms was performed using Gaussian model with average velocity of 0.45 ± 0.03 m/s. b, Quantitative analysis of the magnetofluid's flow resistance under different magnetic fields: 73 mT, 93 mT, 129 mT, 175 mT. n = 5 independent trials. Data are presented as mean ± S.D. c, Doppler echocardiography of the dynamic in vitro LAA model from the parasternal short-axis view (PSAX), velocity at the ostium: 1.4 m/s. d, Successful occlusion via magnetofluids of the dynamic LAA model (scale bar: 1 cm).
Source data
a, Oscillatory time sweep rheology (G' & G”). b, FTIR spectra collected at different time points: 0 s, 5 s, 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 300 s, 600 s and 1200 s. Wavenumbers of the measuring peaks: 680–760 cm−1 (C‒H out-of-plane bending mode). c, Fitted degrees of gelation (DG) of all the magnetofluids within 20 mins (Boltzmann model used for magnetofluids with 0 % PVA, adjusted R2 = 0.95; polynomial model used for magnetofluids with 10 %, adjusted R2 = 0.99; logistic model used for magnetofluids with 20 %, adjusted R2 = 0.96; Hill model used for magnetofluids with 30 %, adjusted R2 = 0.99). d, 1st derivatives of c.
Source data
a, AC16; b, HUVEC; c, PBMC. Statistical analyses were performed using two-tailed Welch's t-tests with n = 6 wells per group and 50,000 cells/well: P-values = 0.4265, 0.2242, 0.2425 for AC16; P-values = 0.1163, 0.4434, 0.3773 for HUVEC; P-values = 0.4653, 0.9653, 0.9062 for PBMC; between the control and the experimental groups at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, respectively; significance thresholds: (ns) P > 0.05. Data are presented as mean ± S.D in a,b,c.
Source data
a, 3D segmentations using CT images after 2 months of occlusion. b, Postoperative DSA images in pigs. c, TTE images of pigs after LAAO at the following time points: preoperative, 2 M.
a, H&E staining and b, IF staining images (CD45/DAPI) demonstrating normal myocardial tissue without inflammatory response in all pigs. Data collection from pigs implanted with the Watchman occluder (control group) for 2 months, and the magnetogel for 7 days and 10 months. c, Masson staining demonstrating normal myocardial tissue without fibrosis in both pigs and d, IF staining images (Collagen I/COL1A1; Collagen III/COL3A1) of endocardium samples on the Watchman occluder and the magnetogel. Data collection from pigs implanted with the Watchman occluder (control group) for 2 months, and the magnetogel for 2 months and 10 months. Experiments were independently repeated five times with similar results for all histological micrographs. Scale bar: 100 μm (a, b); 200 μm (c); 50 μm (d).
a, Watchman after 2 months: 2279.4–3447.2 Pa. b, magnetogel after 2 months: 4266.6–9273.4 Pa; c, magnetogel after 10 months: 16306–25596 Pa. Fittings of the histograms were performed using Gaussian models based on N independent tests from one area of the endocardium sample, with the values of N provided in the corresponding histograms. N = 358, 402, 400 in a; N = 408, 407, 407 in b; N = 395, 382, 387 in c.
Source data
Supplementary Methods 1–13, Supplementary Notes 1–15, Supplementary Figs. 1–47, Supplementary Tables. 1 and 2 and Supplementary References.
Animation of LAAO using magnetofluids.
In vitro comparison of LAAO with non-magnetic fluids and magnetofluids.
Resilience of the magnetogel under haemodynamic shear forces and myocardial contractions.
Infrared thermal imaging of the solidification processes of magnetofluids and NBCA
Micro-CT analysis of an SD rat after LAAO.
In vivo LAAO procedure in a pig model using magnetofluids.
Echocardiographies of pigs implanted with the Watchman occluder and the magnetogel.
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Reprints and permissions
Wang, S., Ju, W., Zhuang, D. et al. Long-term thrombus-free left atrial appendage occlusion via magnetofluids.
Nature 651, 91–99 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10091-1
Download citation
Received: 10 September 2024
Accepted: 22 December 2025
Published: 04 March 2026
Version of record: 04 March 2026
Issue date: 05 March 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10091-1
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At long last, Prime Video has given us a proper look at the final season of The Boys, ushering in the beginning of the end of a bloody superhero vs. antihero era this April.
While our first look at the final season of The Boys seemed to dismiss where its group of would-be heroes wound up at the end of season four, to refresh everyone's memory, things are worse than ever before. For starters, Homelander is sitting comfortably as god-king emperor of the world, with the good PR Vought used to maintain falling by the wayside, as an army of radical supes has no problem with his genocidal plans for non-supes.
And, to make matters even more perilous for our heroes, Billy Butcher has some sort of killer symbiote in his body, has betrayed the crew yet again, and is on the warpath to commit his own genocide of supes. Basically, both sides of the aisle are dealing with extremes, and the most level-headed members of either camp have scattered to the wind for their own safety or have been kidnapped. But for whatever reason, the Boys are back together and are ready to finish fighting the good fight in whatever violent, gross-out way they can think of.
While this trailer acts as an arbiter for the beginning of the end of The Boys as we know it, that doesn't mean Prime Video is done exploring its bloody universe. For starters, the first season of Gen V felt like lightning in a bottle, expanding The Boys in both tone and stakes with characters that weren't all assholes in a way that didn't feel like leftovers from its flagship show. Its second season, however, played a bit more like an extended epilogue to The Boys season four, a bit too much for our liking. Though, to its credit, the main thrust of its story dovetailed into the endgame of The Boys by revealing how its supe-killing serum came into being.
Outside of Gen V, the streamer also has other spin-offs in the works. One of which is a prequel series, Vought Rising, focusing on the halcyon days of Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy. Another spin-off that was announced way back in 2023 will take place in Mexico, though its name and logline outside of that still remain under wraps.
Understandably, in the lead-up to The Boys‘ big finale, showrunner Erik Kripke told Collider he and his crew have been in “absolute terror of becoming the thing we've been satirizing for five years.” After all, it's kind of hard to be counter-cultural and punk rock when your early-season bit making fun of Marvel Cinematic Universe films aged terribly, with The Boys expanded into its extended universe of projects.
With any luck, the final season of The Boys will balance its own fanfare while not hewing too incredibly close to Trumpisms to the point that the jokes write themselves but be Saturday Night Live-style facsimiles of our daily lives, befitting the raucous beginnings of the franchise and the explosive finale.
The final season of The Boys premieres on Prime Video on April 8.
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Let's go hunting with papa.
The Amazon streamer's hopes of being anime's go-to hub feel hollow when its track record reads like a cautionary tale.
After the allegations against Neil Gaiman came to light, the streamer shortened the final season of the David Tennant-Michael Sheen fantasy series into a 90-minute special.
Can Spider-Noir crack the case and save New York? We'll find out when the series hits Prime Video this spring.
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It's been a busy week at Apple. First there was the iPhone 17e, then a refreshed iPad Air followed swiftly by souped-up MacBook Pros, and now, to finish things off, Apple has dropped the MacBook Neo, a bargain-basement laptop that can be yours for just $599. It is by some margin the cheapest laptop the company has ever made.
Seeing as this comes in bold iBook G3-like color options, sports a 16-hour battery, 13-inch Liquid Retina screen, 1080p HD webcam, and dual Spatial Audio speakers (with Dolby Atmos), all wrapped in an aluminum case that weighs just 2.7 pounds, you can well imagine that Apple is going to shift a fair few of these budget beauties.
But while the MacBook Neo has the Cupertino crowd all very pleased with themselves, and rightly so, this keenly priced laptop means there's another product in the Apple lineup that now looks remarkably overpriced: the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
You may well walk into the Apple Store on March 11 and demand a Citrus MacBook Neo (yes, get that color), and gleefully hand over six hundred bucks secure in the knowledge you're bagging a deal, but anyone doing so can also rightfully ask themselves, “Hang on, how on Earth can Apple charge me only $599 for a new MacBook, but then demand $800 for an Apple Watch?”
Well, the answer to why the MacBook Neo is so cheap lies largely with the fact that it's powered by Apple's A18 Pro chip—the same processor inside the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. iPads have used Mac chips for years, but now a MacBook is running an iPhone chip. Using an iPhone chip is way cheaper, thanks to the iPhone's enormous scale. Other savings come in the form of a mechanical (not haptic) multi-touch trackpad, a non-backlit keyboard, fewer ports, and only 8 GB of RAM (non-upgradeable).
The Apple Watch Ultra 3.
When you try to figure out why the Ultra 3 costs so much more than the Neo, let alone its Watch siblings, things get trickier for Apple. Take a look at this official comparison page for the Apple Watch. If we allow ourselves to discount iterative improvements (brighter screen, better speakers, bigger battery, better GPS, etc) and concentrate on what you can only get on the Ultra and not on the Apple Watch 11 or Watch SE, we're left with just these: emergency SOS via satellite, scuba diving features, a siren, and a titanium build with sapphire crystal. Now consider the Series 11 starts at $399, and the SE at $249. All boast the same S10 chip, which in 2025 wasn't even updated over the Series 10. That's a mighty big premium on the Ultra.
Let's bring in some experts. They're going to tell us we're comparing apples with oranges here when looking at the Neo and Ultra. “They serve very different purposes, very different audiences,” says Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC. “You're essentially talking about a health device versus a general-purpose computer, right? And so the prices shouldn't be comparable, because they do very different things.”
Told you. Thing is, I don't think the average consumer cares about that. They do care about money, though. And they now see a bewildering price discrepancy between Apple products.
Terry White, principal worldwide design and photography evangelist at Adobe, certainly does. He has posted that the Neo now proves Apple's iPad accessories are massively overpriced. “To get that same 256 GB storage on a base iPad, you're at $449 (and a slower chip),” he posted. “Add the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio to match the Mac's form factor, and you're paying $698. We used to ask if an iPad could replace a laptop. Now the real question is: Why does replacing a laptop with an iPad cost $100 more?”
Ubrani admits that if you look at the Apple Watch SE versus the base Apple Watch versus the Ultra, “the SE arguably gives you 95 percent experience of the base, which then gives you 95 percent experience of the Ultra. But the price gap is huge between those models. Huge.” He agrees that Ultra is aimed at a group of users who will pay a lot more to have diving capabilities and a rugged design. “You charge a premium for those, simply because you can and because people will pay for it,” he says.
How many are paying this huge premium? IDC just released its Apple Watch sales estimates. In 2025, Apple supposedly shipped 41.1 million Apple Watches. “Ultra represented almost 3.5 million [of these] during the year,” Ubrani says, adding that the Ultra sales declined year over year “due to the lack of a meaningful refresh.” Still, Apple has convinced more than 8 percent of Watch buyers to hand over hundreds of dollars more for the premium model.
Balbir Singh, global smartwatch analyst at Counterpoint Research, feels Apple can almost name its price for its products, especially if those products are pricier and are already in the ecosystem. “They know the consumer mentality that eventually they will buy," he says. "They know that they have niche adventure and athletic users that need something from Apple itself, for the Apple loyalist, the iPhone user.”
The MacBook Neo.
Apple may be greedy here, hiking the Watch price by hundreds of dollars, but it sure isn't stupid. It knows Garmin's flagship dive watch hovers around $800, and it wants to lure in those potential customers. We don't want people experiencing an alternative ecosystem, now, do we?
“They don't want to charge so much that they lose that customer to someone else, right? An example would be Garmin,” Ubrani says. “Apple has seen what its competition is doing, and it doesn't want to offer something noticeably cheaper. Apple has to make sure that they're not losing customers to a rival computing platform while still being able to charge essentially as much as they can and get away with."
Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, is even more plain. “The spaceship in Cupertino isn't gonna pay for itself,” he says. “What's expensive in Ultra is that they are also having to spend something for the satellite connectivity. They're charging what they can for the capability. They know they're in a premium category where people want premium features, and they can get away with it.”
I asked Apple to comment on the pricing structure of Ultra in the Watch lineup. It wouldn't. The company did, however, send a quote from Eugene Kim, Apple's vice president of Apple Watch Hardware Engineering: “Apple Watch Ultra is our most advanced Apple Watch, designed to take users from sports and adventure to the rest of their life, and help them stay active, healthy, connected, and safe, wherever they are.” If Eugene said these words out loud, rather than having them written for him, I'll eat my hat.
“The 3D-printed titanium case is an expensive case to make,” Wiens adds, “but all that doesn't add up to the price that it's at. It's a very high-margin product. Electronics are getting more expensive right now because of memory and storage. But the watch doesn't really have much memory or storage."
Wiens also notes that the iPad Pro is exorbitant, too, costing north of $1,300 for the 13-inch model. “There are really no applications that justify an iPad that is that fast. It just makes no sense to me. Mind you, Tim Cook has a bit of a hard-on for the iPad line. I think he's the only person who uses an iPad instead of a computer. The rest of us like a keyboard.”
Ubrani agrees Apple is making a killing on the Ultra. Since the internals are so similar, it's likely the margins are far better than the SE or the Series 11. To make matters worse for Ultra fans, Wiens has an additional word of warning. “It's a very expensive product that is at the high end of the obsolescence curve,” he says. Don't expect it to last several years, as the battery will wear out. "It's not easy to get in and replace the battery on these things.”
I happen to be on a plane as I'm writing this story. I'm sitting next to Apple's ideal faithful. He has good hair, fashionable jeans, Nike trail runners, carries a bright orange Helly Hansen backpack, and an iPhone and AirPods. On his wrist is, perhaps inevitably, an Apple Watch Ultra.
I ask him why he went with that model compared to the base version, which is so much cheaper. Does he go diving with it? “No. I'm an ultramarathon runner, and I needed a bigger battery.” I asked when he last did an ultramarathon. “Two years ago.”
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by Kurt Schlosser on Mar 5, 2026 at 8:38 amMarch 5, 2026 at 8:39 am
Rad Power Bikes‘ run as an independent electric bike manufacturer is over, but the brand will live on following the closure of the Seattle-based company's acquisition by Life Electric Vehicles Holdings, Inc. (Life EV).
Life EV announced Thursday that its court-approved asset acquisition had been completed as part of Rad's bankruptcy process. The South Florida-based company was the highest bidder in a Jan. 22 auction for the Rad brand, intellectual property, inventory, and certain operating assets.
Life EV paid $13.2 million for Rad, the high-flying startup that was once valued at $1.65 billion and branded itself as one of the largest sellers of e-bikes.
“Rad Power Bikes has helped define the e-bike category in North America with its innovative products and passionate rider community,” Rob Provost, CEO of Life EV, said in a statement. “Respecting and preserving that legacy — its brand, vision, and leadership — is foundational to this acquisition. Together, we will build on that trust and create new opportunities for riders nationwide.”
GeekWire reached out to Life EV for details on the fate of remaining Rad employees in Seattle and the company's operations in its hometown. We'll update this story when we hear back.
Following the closing of the transaction, Life EV said it plans to expand “U.S.-based assembly initiatives, enhanced quality control, and an accelerated pipeline of innovative products.” The company also said that it will continue retail operations under the Rad Power Bikes brand in the U.S. and plans to expand the retail footprint in select key markets.
Rad has seven remaining stores, including its flagship headquarters store in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood as well as Berkeley, Huntington Beach, Santa Barbara, and San Diego, Calif.; Denver; and Salt Lake City.
Life EV also said it intends to support Rad riders through post-closing customer programs, including honoring certain warranties and gift cards in accordance with the terms of the asset purchase agreement.
Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based Life Electric Vehicles was founded in 2018. The company assembles globally sourced bike components at its 31,000 square-foot production headquarters, according to its website.
In November 2023, Life EV acquired Serial 1, the in-house electric bicycle company originally started by motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson.
The company said it plans to transition Rad's production to the U.S. through affiliated manufacturing operations utilizing a Foreign Trade Zone structure. Life EV called it an “integrated manufacturing approach” that reflects a long-term vision for “scalable operations, bringing component sourcing, assembly, quality control, inventory management, and distribution together through the broader Life EV platform.”
Rad Power Bikes launched in 2015 with a direct-to-consumer model and sub-$2,000 e-bikes aimed at casual riders.
The company saw demand surge nearly 300% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rad raised more than $300 million in 2021 and branded itself as North America's largest e-bike seller.
But the momentum faded in 2022 as demand cooled and a series of missteps and macroeconomic challenges led to more than seven rounds of layoffs.
The startup, originally founded by Mike Radenbaugh and Ty Collins, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2025 following surprising news in November that the company was fighting for survival as it faced “significant financial challenges.”
In its bankruptcy filing, Rad revealed a steady drop in gross revenue — from $129.8 million in 2023 to $103.8 million in 2024, and $63.3 million toward the end of 2025. The company reported total liabilities of nearly $73 million, more than double its assets of $32 million.
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As if to answer the question of how any work of fiction could possibly mirror the horrors of everyday life from the real world, Hulu released the first trailer for The Testaments, the sequel series to The Handmaid's Tale, coming this April.
Based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name, The Testaments sees the return of Emmy winner Ann Dowd as the villainous Aunt Lydia. But, as the trailer prominently showcases, The Testaments also sees One Battle After Another stand out, Chase Infiniti, take center stage as our hero forced to endure Aunt Lydia's bullshit.
Set years after The Handmaid's Tale, two young teens, Agnes (Infinity) and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), arrive as the newest converts to a dystopian preparatory school where young women are raised to be dutiful future wives. There, Agnes and Daisy have obedience brutally instilled upon them. Peep the doll metaphor, all the hanging legs at the gallows, and the dark reprise of The Cranberries' “Dreams” to hammer home the not-so-fun times ahead of the duo. But, as the series logline teases, Agnes and Daisy's bond will help them trudge through and become “the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.”
Decorating the rest of The Testaments cast are Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya, and Kira Guloien. Also returning to the series (albeit behind the scenes) is The Handmaid's Tale showrunner Bruce Miller, who's reprising his role as the show's executive producer alongside star and occasional director Elisabeth Moss. Translation: Fans of the show's predecessor can breathe easy knowing that folks involved in the six-season show's quietly revolutionary run are guiding the hands of The Testaments to become just as big.
To give The Testaments a must-watch, big-feel rollout, Hulu is dropping the first three episodes all at once on April 8. Afterwards, likely after we're all horrified and properly at the edge of our seats, the show will roll out with weekly episode drops.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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Even when your power goes down, your Wi-Fi won't.
Chase Infiniti and Ann Dowd star in Hulu's next adaptation set in Margaret Atwood's dystopian but eerily timely world.
Samira Wiley confirms that Moira won't make an appearance in the upcoming sequel series, 'The Testaments.'
Now that Hulu's first Margaret Atwood adaptation is over, its follow-up series is kicking into high gear.
Madeline Brewer's Janine sure went through a hell of a lot of hell over six seasons on Hulu's dystopian drama.
A fan-favorite character returned to Gilead one last time.
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Just vice signaling all the way down.
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Is the article wrong in this statement?
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Which industry has the most to gain from these products? We're living in some weird time period where value systems are regressing.
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https://gwern.net/nicotine
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More likely these companies just offered to give them some free vending machines and some office manager said sure why not. Not everything is a careful corporate strategy.
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If my boss gives me a stimulant to be more productive, especially a relatively harmless one like nicotine, I would gladly take it, as I like stimulants and am an adult capable of making decisions for myself. If I didn't, I would just refuse, just how I might refuse the free coffee by boss offers me.I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants. That would be bad, indeed.
I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants. That would be bad, indeed.
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Yes, but the important distinction is that its intention is to bring people together face-to-face, not isolate them to their desks for continued work. Just because the end goal is "productivity" broadly speaking, doesn't mean the mechanisms are socially/morally equivalent.> I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants.I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
> I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants.I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
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It's just Zyn, which doesn't seem that dramatically different than coffee. But maybe that's because I don't drink coffee or use nicotine
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But the other day I ended up vaping some melon-flavored liquid. When it was empty, I was going crazy for a few hours, I absolutely had to have more. And it didn't even have more nicotine than what I usually vape. It was just the sweet taste that had me wanting more, exactly like back in my college days when I was eating Snickers bars like no tomorrow. Now that was a habit that was tough to break. And most people I see vaping out in the street seem to be vaping those ultra-sweet smelling liquids.
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If you consider heroine a "not even once" type of drug then nicotine should give you pause.
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know thy enemy.
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If we're talking about smoking or vaping, or nicotine pouches, sure, but mode of administration and how quickly it peaks in your bloodstream cannot be hand-waved away like that.
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Then surely you have some evidence, especially that caffeine is more addictive, rather than "hand-waving it away" via personal anecdote?
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Got something other than anecdata? Because a web search returns a list of contrary sources as long as my arm.But, hell, if we are trading stories, I dipped snuff for 30 years and I've consumed coffee since middle school. I can go days without coffee, even if I might not be happy about it. Quitting tobacco, OTOH, that was tough, with multiple starts and stops until success.
But, hell, if we are trading stories, I dipped snuff for 30 years and I've consumed coffee since middle school. I can go days without coffee, even if I might not be happy about it. Quitting tobacco, OTOH, that was tough, with multiple starts and stops until success.
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I'm not a doctor though so while I might sound sure it's based on what I've read on the topic over the many years.Edit : rightly corrected its not just heating and burning, its tobacco and others in general. But nicotine itself is not cancerous.
Edit : rightly corrected its not just heating and burning, its tobacco and others in general. But nicotine itself is not cancerous.
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I'm not encouraging anyone to use these things, but we should only make claims that are based on evidence.
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Your final statement doesn't really add value without knowing that, unless you agree that we shouldn't assume other people are actually people, and not lizards in people suits until they prove, definitively, otherwise.
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https://gwern.net/nicotine#habit-formationhttps://gwern.net/nicotine#dependence
https://gwern.net/nicotine#dependence
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I realize the risk as GLP long term use is untested, but in my case it's that; or deal with inevitable health problems from high BP and being only moderately overweight.I don't see a good reason for nicotine products.
I don't see a good reason for nicotine products.
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I'm saying nicotine pouches are the tobacco industry's successor to vapes in the way vapes were their successor to cigarettes and some conservatism is warranted in light of that. Or like how every 10-15 years the evidence of health effects of some ubiquitous plastic grows too heavy and 3M comes out with a new one to replace it and the cycle repeats.
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When i worked in an office with free zoke zero I drank 3 cans per day.
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The timing as I remember it matches up with ACA passing (optional) and going into effect (mandatory) so may have something to do with health insurer costs related to that. But I don't know enough about it to guess more, just a suspicion.
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Are the Palantir headquarters inside an active war zone?
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If you need a boost beyond caffeine, consider a square of 95% or 100% dark chocolate. It works. It too stresses the heart mildly, and can aggravate reflux a lot, but overall it's significantly safer than any tobacco product. You can also eat more of it if as needed.The only sane time to take pure nicotine might be if someone is dying from Covid, their lungs are collapsing, and one desperately needs a daytime breathing boost.
The only sane time to take pure nicotine might be if someone is dying from Covid, their lungs are collapsing, and one desperately needs a daytime breathing boost.
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I have paused it for the time being due to reflux, but not everyone has reflux. Note that its strength can build up over days, so do not exceed the amount taken by more than 1 square a week. Overall, do not exceed 1 square per day per 50 lbs of body weight. Overuse can risk a high heart rate and insomnia.
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It's not a new phenomenon, either. I remember biohacking being mentioned in the late aughts, if not earlier, and it's referenced as being part of SV culture in the 2012 novel Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore [0].0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Penumbra%27s_24-Hour_Books...
0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Penumbra%27s_24-Hour_Books...
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Sesh (2025): Max Cunningham is the Founder & CEO of Sesh, a nicotine pouch startup. In September 2025, Sesh raised $40 million in funding from investors including 8VC, a firm co-founded by Peter Thiel.David Renteln is the ceo of Lucy. I couldn't find a direct link between Thiel and Lucy, but it looks like Thiel has been friends with Renteln for a while and invested in Renteln's Soylent.
David Renteln is the ceo of Lucy. I couldn't find a direct link between Thiel and Lucy, but it looks like Thiel has been friends with Renteln for a while and invested in Renteln's Soylent.
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Nicotine (without tobacco e.g. Zyn or gum) does seem to have some nootropic-ish properties but it's vastly inferior to a lot of other things and has major addiction/tolerance problems. It's not a great performance enhancer for anything but very sporadic use.
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Just vice signaling all the way down.
reply
Is the article wrong in this statement?
reply
reply
Which industry has the most to gain from these products? We're living in some weird time period where value systems are regressing.
reply
reply
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reply
reply
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The timing as I remember it matches up with ACA passing (optional) and going into effect (mandatory) so may have something to do with health insurer costs related to that. But I don't know enough about it to guess more, just a suspicion.
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https://gwern.net/nicotine
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reply
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More likely these companies just offered to give them some free vending machines and some office manager said sure why not. Not everything is a careful corporate strategy.
reply
If my boss gives me a stimulant to be more productive, especially a relatively harmless one like nicotine, I would gladly take it, as I like stimulants and am an adult capable of making decisions for myself. If I didn't, I would just refuse, just how I might refuse the free coffee by boss offers me.I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants. That would be bad, indeed.
I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants. That would be bad, indeed.
reply
Yes, but the important distinction is that its intention is to bring people together face-to-face, not isolate them to their desks for continued work. Just because the end goal is "productivity" broadly speaking, doesn't mean the mechanisms are socially/morally equivalent.> I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants.I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
> I doubt anyone is forcing the employees to take the stimulants.I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
I agree, and I hope my comment didn't imply I thought that was the case.
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
It's just Zyn, which doesn't seem that dramatically different than coffee. But maybe that's because I don't drink coffee or use nicotine
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
But the other day I ended up vaping some melon-flavored liquid. When it was empty, I was going crazy for a few hours, I absolutely had to have more. And it didn't even have more nicotine than what I usually vape. It was just the sweet taste that had me wanting more, exactly like back in my college days when I was eating Snickers bars like no tomorrow. Now that was a habit that was tough to break. And most people I see vaping out in the street seem to be vaping those ultra-sweet smelling liquids.
reply
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If you consider heroine a "not even once" type of drug then nicotine should give you pause.
reply
reply
reply
reply
know thy enemy.
reply
If we're talking about smoking or vaping, or nicotine pouches, sure, but mode of administration and how quickly it peaks in your bloodstream cannot be hand-waved away like that.
reply
Got something other than anecdata? Because a web search returns a list of contrary sources as long as my arm.But, hell, if we are trading stories, I dipped snuff for 30 years and I've consumed coffee since middle school. I can go days without coffee, even if I might not be happy about it. Quitting tobacco, OTOH, that was tough, with multiple starts and stops until success.
But, hell, if we are trading stories, I dipped snuff for 30 years and I've consumed coffee since middle school. I can go days without coffee, even if I might not be happy about it. Quitting tobacco, OTOH, that was tough, with multiple starts and stops until success.
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Then surely you have some evidence, especially that caffeine is more addictive, rather than "hand-waving it away" via personal anecdote?
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
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I'm not a doctor though so while I might sound sure it's based on what I've read on the topic over the many years.Edit : rightly corrected its not just heating and burning, its tobacco and others in general. But nicotine itself is not cancerous.
Edit : rightly corrected its not just heating and burning, its tobacco and others in general. But nicotine itself is not cancerous.
reply
reply
reply
reply
I'm not encouraging anyone to use these things, but we should only make claims that are based on evidence.
reply
Your final statement doesn't really add value without knowing that, unless you agree that we shouldn't assume other people are actually people, and not lizards in people suits until they prove, definitively, otherwise.
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
https://gwern.net/nicotine#habit-formationhttps://gwern.net/nicotine#dependence
https://gwern.net/nicotine#dependence
reply
reply
reply
reply
reply
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I realize the risk as GLP long term use is untested, but in my case it's that; or deal with inevitable health problems from high BP and being only moderately overweight.I don't see a good reason for nicotine products.
I don't see a good reason for nicotine products.
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When i worked in an office with free zoke zero I drank 3 cans per day.
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Are the Palantir headquarters inside an active war zone?
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It's not a new phenomenon, either. I remember biohacking being mentioned in the late aughts, if not earlier, and it's referenced as being part of SV culture in the 2012 novel Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore [0].0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Penumbra%27s_24-Hour_Books...
0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Penumbra%27s_24-Hour_Books...
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If you need a boost beyond caffeine, consider a square of 95% or 100% dark chocolate. It works. It too stresses the heart mildly, and can aggravate reflux a lot, but overall it's significantly safer than any tobacco product. You can also eat more of it if as needed.The only sane time to take pure nicotine might be if someone is dying from Covid, their lungs are collapsing, and one desperately needs a daytime breathing boost.
The only sane time to take pure nicotine might be if someone is dying from Covid, their lungs are collapsing, and one desperately needs a daytime breathing boost.
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I have paused it for the time being due to reflux, but not everyone has reflux. Note that its strength can build up over days, so do not exceed the amount taken by more than 1 square a week. Overall, do not exceed 1 square per day per 50 lbs of body weight. Overuse can risk a high heart rate and insomnia.
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Sesh (2025): Max Cunningham is the Founder & CEO of Sesh, a nicotine pouch startup. In September 2025, Sesh raised $40 million in funding from investors including 8VC, a firm co-founded by Peter Thiel.David Renteln is the ceo of Lucy. I couldn't find a direct link between Thiel and Lucy, but it looks like Thiel has been friends with Renteln for a while and invested in Renteln's Soylent.
David Renteln is the ceo of Lucy. I couldn't find a direct link between Thiel and Lucy, but it looks like Thiel has been friends with Renteln for a while and invested in Renteln's Soylent.
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Nicotine (without tobacco e.g. Zyn or gum) does seem to have some nootropic-ish properties but it's vastly inferior to a lot of other things and has major addiction/tolerance problems. It's not a great performance enhancer for anything but very sporadic use.
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A triple whammy
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Update - March 5: This bundle is so popular it has now sold out. However, there's a $999 bundle live at Newegg with the same processor, RAM, and an MSI Mag X870. A great alternative and actually cheaper, owing to the slightly less premium motherboard.
More Newegg bundle goodness today: a new deal pairs a premium Asus ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi Motherboard with 32GB of Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6400 RAM and AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU for $ 1,109.99. The combo deal saves you a tidy $236.99 off the list price of $1346.98. If you're going to use the fastest gaming processor on the market for a high-spec gaming PC, it's good to pair it with a premium, feature-rich motherboard.
We've reviewed the Asus ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi motherboard, awarding it 4 out of 5 stars and touting it as one of the best motherboard options in the $500 bracket. This mobo actually comes with three PCIe 5.0 M.2 sockets, a further two PCIe 4.0 M.2 sockets, and an abundance of precious USB ports. Excellent voltage regulation and 18+2+2 power solution rated for 110A per stage.
Corsair's Vengeance RAM is also a very popular brand name and a popular choice for memory in the PC building community. This kit offers 2x 16GB paired sticks for a total of 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 6400MT/s, a sweet spot speed for AMD processors on the AM5 platform. In the current climate, this RAM is priced at $437, but combining it with the processor and motherboard here gets you the same kit for the relative price of just $201. Still inflated, but as good as it gets in 2026.
Plus, any purchase also comes with two "free" gifts: an Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air lightweight gaming mouse ($55.99) and a copy of the Crimson Desert ($70) video game.
This Newegg bundle combines the fastest gaming CPU, AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D, with an MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi motherboard, and 32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6400 Memory, for the start of a new gaming PC build.
This Newegg bundle combines the fastest gaming CPU, AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D, an Asus ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi motherboard, and 32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6400 Memory. Plus, any purchase also comes with two free gifts: an Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air lightweight gaming mouse and a copy of the Crimson Desert video game.
Perfectly complementing the above duo of components is AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU. This 8-core AM5 processor is now the fastest kid on the block when it comes to gaming performance, surpassing the 9800X3D, thanks to a slight power boost. You can see how the processor performed in our benchmarking from the table below. It's close, but the 9850X3D edges out a lead over its stablemate, the 9800X3D.
In this current climate, all RAM kits are hitting extortionate price highs. Depending on the brand name and performance, faster memory kits with tighter timings can cost significantly more. If you need RAM for your system, get it sooner, rather than later, as there is currently no end in sight to this financial burden on PC enthusiasts.
If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.
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Stewart Bendle is a deals and coupon writer at Tom's Hardware. A firm believer in “Bang for the buck” Stewart likes to research the best prices and coupon codes for hardware and build PCs that have a great price for performance ratio.
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In a bid to stave off a major investigation by the European Commission, Meta said on Thursday that it would allow AI companies to offer their chatbots on WhatsApp via its business API for the next 12 months in Europe.
The move comes a month after the European Commission told Meta that it intended to impose interim measures in order to stop the company from implementing its policy, which barred third-party AI chatbot providers from using the WhatsApp Business API to offer their services on the app.
“For the next 12 months, we'll support general-purpose AI chatbots using the WhatsApp Business API in Europe in response to the European Commission's regulatory process,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We believe that this removes the need for any immediate intervention as it gives the European Commission the time it needs to conclude its investigation.”
Meta says it will allow general-purpose AI chatbot providers to offer their services on WhatsApp for a fee, which ranges from €0.0490 to €0.1323 per “non-template message,” depending on the country. Considering the fact that conversations with AI assistants usually comprise dozens of messages, the bill could prove costly for third-party service providers.
“The Commission is analysing the impact these changes may have on its interim measures investigation, as well as on its broader antitrust investigation on the substance,” a spokesperson for the European Commission said in an emailed statement.
The policy change went into effect on January 15, spurring several AI assistant providers to complain to regulators that it was disrupting their business and the decision was anti-competitive.
Notably, the policy does not apply to businesses that are using AI to serve customers on WhatsApp. For instance, a retailer running an AI-powered customer service bot that sends templatized messages won't be barred from using the API. Only AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Poke are prohibited from being offered via the API.
The decision follows a similar move by the company in January, when it started allowing developers to tap its API to offer their chatbots in Italy.
Regulators around the world raised antitrust concerns after Meta announced the policy change last October, with the EU, Italy, and Brazil all launching investigations, especially because the company offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has in the past justified its stance by arguing that AI chatbots strain its systems in ways that its Business API wasn't designed to support. “The AI space is highly competitive, and people have access to the services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems,” the company previously told TechCrunch.
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Ram is a financial and tech reporter and editor. He covered North American and European M&A, equity, regulatory news and debt markets at Reuters and Acuris Global, and has also written about travel, tourism, entertainment and books.
You can contact or verify outreach from Ram by emailing ram.iyer@techcrunch.com.
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Jensen Huang says Nvidia is pulling back from OpenAI and Anthropic, but his explanation raises more questions than it answers
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's messaging around military deal ‘straight up lies,' report says
ChatGPT uninstalls surged by 295% after DoD deal
Users are ditching ChatGPT for Claude — here's how to make the switch
MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens
Anthropic's Claude reports widespread outage
The trap Anthropic built for itself
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What happens here matters everywhere
by Todd Bishop on Mar 5, 2026 at 6:00 amMarch 5, 2026 at 7:09 am
Amazon Web Services is expanding into AI for healthcare, launching a new agentic system that can handle patient calls, document clinical visits and automatically generate billing codes.
Amazon Connect Health, announced Thursday morning, is the first industry-specific extension of the cloud giant's Amazon Connect system for call centers, which crossed the milestone of a $1 billion annual revenue run rate last year.
It will compete in part with rival Microsoft, which acquired Nuance for $19.7 billion in 2022 and has embedded its DAX Copilot ambient documentation tool into major electronic health record systems. AI scribe startups have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to automate clinical documentation.
Amazon is pitching Amazon Connect Health as a broader solution that spans the full healthcare workflow, from the initial phone call through the post-visit billing code.
The idea is to “not provide just point solutions, point tools, or a collection of capabilities, but think end-to-end about what is the customer problem, and how can we solve it,” said Rajiv Chopra, AWS vice president of Health AI and Life Sciences, in an interview this week.
Early users of the technology include UC San Diego Health, which handles 3.2 million patient interactions annually; One Medical, the Amazon-owned primary care practice that has used the ambient documentation capabilities across a million visits; and Netsmart, which provides EHR software to more than 1,300 community-based healthcare organizations.
Amazon's move could double as a litmus test for AI adoption in healthcare, where institutions have traditionally been slow to adopt new technology.
A randomized trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine AI in December found that ambient AI documentation (the AI startup Abridge) reduced clinician burnout and cut documentation time by 30 minutes per day per provider. However, hospitals continue to cite concerns about data privacy, the difficulty of integrating AI tools into existing workflows, and unclear return on investment.
Amazon's new product has five core capabilities: automated patient verification, intelligent appointment scheduling, pre-visit summaries for clinicians, ambient documentation that transcribes and drafts clinical notes during the visit, and automated medical coding for billing.
It integrates natively with Epic, the largest U.S. electronic health records system, and connects to other EHRs through data integration partners. It also connects to AWS HealthLake, Amazon's cloud-based health data repository, which is getting new agentic capabilities to convert records into standard formats.
Amazon Connect Health comes from AWS's Applied AI Solutions group, led by Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey, which is focused on building finished applications for specific industries rather than selling raw cloud infrastructure and tools to developers.
Aubrey, who previously built Amazon's advertising business, said at AWS re:Invent in December that her team is putting “agentic AI at the heart of everything we do,” describing the technology as “AI teammates” that can work autonomously on behalf of businesses.
Healthcare is the first vertical to get a purpose-built Connect product, but Aubrey signaled that more are in the works. Separately, the group oversees Amazon's Just Walk Out retail technology and is developing agentic AI tools for supply chain planning and life sciences.
Amazon Connect Health is available in preview starting Thursday.
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A ‘righteous' shift in patient power: At Microsoft alumni event, execs foresee AI reinventing healthcare
AWS re:Invent preview: What's at stake for Amazon at its big cloud confab this year
AI goes from tool to teammate: Amazon Web Services SVP Colleen Aubrey on the dawn of agentic work
Amazon gives $100M boost to AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, betting on agentic AI
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What happens here matters everywhere
by Todd Bishop on Mar 5, 2026 at 6:00 amMarch 5, 2026 at 7:09 am
Amazon Web Services is expanding into AI for healthcare, launching a new agentic system that can handle patient calls, document clinical visits and automatically generate billing codes.
Amazon Connect Health, announced Thursday morning, is the first industry-specific extension of the cloud giant's Amazon Connect system for call centers, which crossed the milestone of a $1 billion annual revenue run rate last year.
It will compete in part with rival Microsoft, which acquired Nuance for $19.7 billion in 2022 and has embedded its DAX Copilot ambient documentation tool into major electronic health record systems. AI scribe startups have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to automate clinical documentation.
Amazon is pitching Amazon Connect Health as a broader solution that spans the full healthcare workflow, from the initial phone call through the post-visit billing code.
The idea is to “not provide just point solutions, point tools, or a collection of capabilities, but think end-to-end about what is the customer problem, and how can we solve it,” said Rajiv Chopra, AWS vice president of Health AI and Life Sciences, in an interview this week.
Early users of the technology include UC San Diego Health, which handles 3.2 million patient interactions annually; One Medical, the Amazon-owned primary care practice that has used the ambient documentation capabilities across a million visits; and Netsmart, which provides EHR software to more than 1,300 community-based healthcare organizations.
Amazon's move could double as a litmus test for AI adoption in healthcare, where institutions have traditionally been slow to adopt new technology.
A randomized trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine AI in December found that ambient AI documentation (the AI startup Abridge) reduced clinician burnout and cut documentation time by 30 minutes per day per provider. However, hospitals continue to cite concerns about data privacy, the difficulty of integrating AI tools into existing workflows, and unclear return on investment.
Amazon's new product has five core capabilities: automated patient verification, intelligent appointment scheduling, pre-visit summaries for clinicians, ambient documentation that transcribes and drafts clinical notes during the visit, and automated medical coding for billing.
It integrates natively with Epic, the largest U.S. electronic health records system, and connects to other EHRs through data integration partners. It also connects to AWS HealthLake, Amazon's cloud-based health data repository, which is getting new agentic capabilities to convert records into standard formats.
Amazon Connect Health comes from AWS's Applied AI Solutions group, led by Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey, which is focused on building finished applications for specific industries rather than selling raw cloud infrastructure and tools to developers.
Aubrey, who previously built Amazon's advertising business, said at AWS re:Invent in December that her team is putting “agentic AI at the heart of everything we do,” describing the technology as “AI teammates” that can work autonomously on behalf of businesses.
Healthcare is the first vertical to get a purpose-built Connect product, but Aubrey signaled that more are in the works. Separately, the group oversees Amazon's Just Walk Out retail technology and is developing agentic AI tools for supply chain planning and life sciences.
Amazon Connect Health is available in preview starting Thursday.
Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline
Have a scoop that you'd like GeekWire to cover? Let us know.
A ‘righteous' shift in patient power: At Microsoft alumni event, execs foresee AI reinventing healthcare
AWS re:Invent preview: What's at stake for Amazon at its big cloud confab this year
AI goes from tool to teammate: Amazon Web Services SVP Colleen Aubrey on the dawn of agentic work
Amazon gives $100M boost to AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, betting on agentic AI
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While most of the venture world has been chasing AI deals, Max Hodak — the co-founder and former president of Neuralink — has been working on a startup that claims to be on the verge of being the first brain-computer interface company to get a product to market.
Those claims haven't gone unnoticed. Hodak's startup, Science Corporation, said Wednesday morning that it has raised $230 million in a Series C funding round. A source close to the startup says the round granted Science Corp. a post-money valuation of $1.5 billion.
In the short-term, Science Corp. is betting on PRIMA, a chip said to be smaller than a grain of rice that, when implanted in the eye, works with camera-equipped glasses to restore functional vision to people suffering from advanced macular degeneration.
The startup hasn't fully developed the tech itself: It bought PRIMA's assets in 2024 from French outfit Pixium Vision, refined it, and completed trials that Pixium had started.
But the clinical results Science has since generated are its own. In trials spanning 47 patients across Europe and the U.S., 80% demonstrated meaningful improvement in visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words, the company says.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time that restoration of the ability to fluently read has ever been definitively shown in blind patients,” Hodak told TechCrunch in an interview in December. The startup's device has also made the cover of Time magazine.
It isn't clear when PRIMA will be available to patients, but the regulatory path is taking shape. Science Corp. has submitted a CE mark application for the implant to the European Union, and says it expects an approval in mid-2026, following which it'll launch the product in the continent. It claims this timeline would make it the first BCI company with a product in market.
The company told TechCrunch that Germany is likely to be its first market, as the country has established pathways for granting early access to new medical technologies. In the U.S., regulatory discussions with the FDA are “ongoing,” the startup said.
Science Corp. is also expanding its PRIMA trial program to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa, inherited retinal conditions that are leading causes of vision loss in young adults.
The new capital will be used to fund commercialization of PRIMA, as well as to support the startup's broader research portfolio. This includes a biohybrid neural interface program that involves growing engineered neurons from stem cells onto a waffle-like device that sits on the brain's surface and forms biological connections with existing neural circuits.
There's also a new business line inside Science called Vessel: An organ preservation platform that aims to develop miniaturized perfusion technology so that organs can be transported on commercial flights or maintained by patients at home, rather than in ICU suites.
Investors in the Series C include a mix of new and earlier backers, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator and Quiet Capital. IQT, the nonprofit investment firm that focuses on solutions that can be used by government organizations like the FBI and CIA, also invested.
The round brings Science Corp.'s total funding to $490 million. The startup currently employs 150 people.
Update: This story originally reflected the company's pre-money, not post-money, valuation.
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Users are ditching ChatGPT for Claude — here's how to make the switch
MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens
Anthropic's Claude reports widespread outage
The trap Anthropic built for itself
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While most of the venture world has been chasing AI deals, Max Hodak — the co-founder and former president of Neuralink — has been working on a startup that claims to be on the verge of being the first brain-computer interface company to get a product to market.
Those claims haven't gone unnoticed. Hodak's startup, Science Corporation, said Wednesday morning that it has raised $230 million in a Series C funding round. A source close to the startup says the round granted Science Corp. a post-money valuation of $1.5 billion.
In the short-term, Science Corp. is betting on PRIMA, a chip said to be smaller than a grain of rice that, when implanted in the eye, works with camera-equipped glasses to restore functional vision to people suffering from advanced macular degeneration.
The startup hasn't fully developed the tech itself: It bought PRIMA's assets in 2024 from French outfit Pixium Vision, refined it, and completed trials that Pixium had started.
But the clinical results Science has since generated are its own. In trials spanning 47 patients across Europe and the U.S., 80% demonstrated meaningful improvement in visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words, the company says.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time that restoration of the ability to fluently read has ever been definitively shown in blind patients,” Hodak told TechCrunch in an interview in December. The startup's device has also made the cover of Time magazine.
It isn't clear when PRIMA will be available to patients, but the regulatory path is taking shape. Science Corp. has submitted a CE mark application for the implant to the European Union, and says it expects an approval in mid-2026, following which it'll launch the product in the continent. It claims this timeline would make it the first BCI company with a product in market.
The company told TechCrunch that Germany is likely to be its first market, as the country has established pathways for granting early access to new medical technologies. In the U.S., regulatory discussions with the FDA are “ongoing,” the startup said.
Science Corp. is also expanding its PRIMA trial program to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa, inherited retinal conditions that are leading causes of vision loss in young adults.
The new capital will be used to fund commercialization of PRIMA, as well as to support the startup's broader research portfolio. This includes a biohybrid neural interface program that involves growing engineered neurons from stem cells onto a waffle-like device that sits on the brain's surface and forms biological connections with existing neural circuits.
There's also a new business line inside Science called Vessel: An organ preservation platform that aims to develop miniaturized perfusion technology so that organs can be transported on commercial flights or maintained by patients at home, rather than in ICU suites.
Investors in the Series C include a mix of new and earlier backers, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator and Quiet Capital. IQT, the nonprofit investment firm that focuses on solutions that can be used by government organizations like the FBI and CIA, also invested.
The round brings Science Corp.'s total funding to $490 million. The startup currently employs 150 people.
Update: This story originally reflected the company's pre-money, not post-money, valuation.
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Cursor is rolling out a new kind of agentic coding tool
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This isn't David Park's first rodeo. The veteran founder and TechCrunch Startup Battlefield alumnus has certainly been battle-tested in the enterprise arena. On this episode of Build Mode, Park joins Isabelle Johannessen to discuss how he and his team are intentionally iterating, fundraising, and scaling Narada. This enterprise AI solution uses large action models to automate complex, multistep workflows across enterprise systems.
At face value, Narada has everything that would likely have investors banging down its door: a dream founding team of experienced researchers and operators from Stanford and Berkeley, big name enterprise customers, and a product that works. So in 2024, when Narada applied for Startup Battlefield, it surprised the team how little fundraising they'd done. That choice was by design.
“We wanted to not waste too much money,” said Park when asked about why they waited to fundraise. “Because I do believe that when, again, when you have too much money in the bank and you are not near product-market fit, you're tempted to just spend money on things that actually don't help you evolve the company in the right way. It removes the friction to do a lot of wrong things.”
Park previously founded and exited Coverity. That founding experience taught him one crucial lesson that he's taken with him to Narada: Take the time to talk to your customers before you do anything else. Park said that in the early days, he and his co-founders were not focused on reaching out to VCs, but instead the three of them made over 1,000 customer calls to deeply understand what the pain points were. Once the problem was extremely clear, the solution came into focus. These teams needed an AI product that they could speak to like a person and trust to take on multiple steps at once.
“If you want to build a real business, ask the hard questions, right? Spend time with customers, and not just in selling, because when you have that contract and that purchase order, that's just the beginning, right?” Park advises viewing those early conversations as more than sales calls: “And some of those customers that we bootstrapped with ultimately turned into multimillion-dollar deals, right? And it's always easier to sell more to a company that has already chosen you and has some level of trust in you.”
As a veteran founder, Park has a foundational belief that to build a company the correct way, the customer must be centered in every decision. Because at the end of the day, no matter how trendy, interesting, or well-received your product is by the industry, if people won't pay for it, it won't be a winner.
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Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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Maggie Nye is a Podcast Producer for TechCrunch based in Denver, Colorado. Previously, she worked as the Brand and Content Manager for BUILT BY GIRLS where she developed an interest in tech and a passion for creating equitable and welcoming professional tech spaces. She holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in English from Hofstra University in New York.
You can contact or verify outreach from Maggie by emailing maggie@techcrunch.com.
Head of the Startup Battlefield Program
Isabelle leads Startup Battlefield, TechCrunch's iconic launchpad and competition for the world's most promising early-stage startups.
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She scouts top founders across 99+ countries and prepares them to pitch on the Disrupt stage in front of tier-one investors and global media. Before TechCrunch, she designed and led international startup acceleration programs across Japan, Korea, Italy, and Spain—connecting global founders with VCs and helping them successfully enter the U.S. market. With a Master's in Entrepreneurship & Disruptive Innovation—and a past life as a professional singer—she brings a blend of strategic rigor and stage presence to help founders craft compelling stories and stand out in crowded markets.
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Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's messaging around military deal ‘straight up lies,' report says
ChatGPT uninstalls surged by 295% after DoD deal
Users are ditching ChatGPT for Claude — here's how to make the switch
MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens
Anthropic's Claude reports widespread outage
The trap Anthropic built for itself
© 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.
Gravel running shoes are the newest footwear to hit the shoe store shelves. This new niche is made specifically for mixed-terrain runs, a hybrid that splices off-road toughness with on-road performance. These do-it-all shoes work, whether you're tackling less technical off-road terrain or warming up on your way to the trailhead.
If you regularly log mixed-terrain miles across compacted gravel paths, forest roads, hardpack trails, and regular old roads, these shoes might well be the weapon you've been looking for. In testing, some of them have also proved to be pretty good at “keeping the roads open” when the tougher winter conditions hit.
We've logged hundreds of miles in the latest gravel shoes from brands big and small, to bring you our expert pick of the best gravel shoes you can buy right now. Be sure to check out our other health and fitness reviews, including the Best Running Shoes, the Best Running Socks, and the Best Fitness Trackers.
Salomon
REI (Men's)
REI (Women's)
Backcountry (Men's)
Backcountry (Women's)
If you're searching for a mid-weight, multitalented workhorse for mixed terrain, the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL crams in all that capability at an affordable price. A more robust spin on the excellent Blaze 3 ($160), the gravel edition sticks with the same TPU-based midsole with a transition-smoothing curved rocker, but adds extra grip in the form of a 2.5-mm lugged outsole. There's also some extra reinforcement around the toe box.
The midsole isn't the softest. If you want more cushion and stack, the Aero Glide 4 GRVL is the way to go. But it compresses nicely underfoot to take the edge off firmer terrain, and the lower weight adds some welcome agility when you want to move fast and light. I tested the Blaze 3 GRVL across a wide range of surfaces, from wet asphalt and hard, compacted mud trail to stony park paths and even some dry meadows. I experienced a lovely rolling ease that just made me want to log more miles. As one of the cheaper gravel shoes, this shoe is big bang for your bucks.
Mount to Coast
Mount to Coast
A fairly new brand, Mount to Coast's running shoe line up currently consist of the T1 ($180), which is a full-on trail shoe, and the H1, a lower-lugged versatile road to trail shoe that definitely fits the gravel shoe mold. The supercritical midsole—a material made by pumping gas into the foam as it's being formed—is made from 100 percent renewable materials. Sometimes “sustainable” midsoles underperform against their petrochemical-based rivals, but this PEBA-like foam serves up a good energy and a lively, fun ride that strides seamlessly from road to light trails.
It's not as cushioned as the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL, but you get a regular cushioned daily trainer energy with grip that makes it easy to transition from road miles to off-road terrain. The 2 mm lugs grip well on wet roads, hardpack dry dirt, and gravel, but they won't handle mud, steep, and slippery or very soft terrain as well as your deeper-lugged traditional trail running shoes.
The H1 is also brilliantly light, which is something that trail and gravel shoes sometimes struggle with and makes the road performance even better. Finally, the H1 has a unique dual-lacing setup that combines regular lacing and quick lacing to help you adjust lockdown separately in forefoot and mid foot. In theory, this is a good thing if your feet swell during ultras and you need more room as the run goes on, but I found it a bit fiddly and it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
Merrell
REI (Men's)
REI (Women's)
Zappos (Men's)
Zappos (Women's)
The higher-stacked successor to Merrell's underrated Morphlite road-to-trail shoe, the Promorph packs more nitrogen-injected supercritical FloatPro+ foam underfoot. But it's still one of the firmer gravel shoes I tested. If you like to feel connected to the trail, the Promorph won't disappoint.
The Promorph has a steeply curved midsole that means you'll also need to like highly rockered shoes. You can almost feel the fulcrum point where you tip forward in your stride, and it's not going to feel natural to everyone. The outsole set deploy loads of little 2.2-mm lugs, which means are fine for switching between dry trail and tarmac and running in good conditions, but struggles when things get more testing on mud, technical slippy rocky terrain, or wet grass. The uppers are soft, flexible, and airy, but there's not a lot of toe-stubbing protection.
It all adds up to a ride that skews towards being stable and responsive, rather than soft and springy. This feels more like a traditional trail shoe. If you're after a touch of softness, this isn't the shoe for you.
On Running
REI (Men's)
REI (Women's)
Nordstrom (Men's)
Nordstrom (Women's)
The trail twin to the On Cloudsurfer road runner ($160), this trail adaptation translates the softish, comfortable, easy cruising feel from On's road shoe onto the trail with pretty good results and a dose of everyday style. The step-in comfort is excellent. It feels easy, natural, and unfussy on the foot right from the start. I used them fresh out of the box for a two-hour run with no trouble.
The ride is soft and cushioned, serving up an easy comfort that's great for low and slow adventuring over less technical terrain, hard-packed trails, and road sections. The cushioning dulls some of the ground feel, but it's more responsive than some of the bigger-stack gravel shoes and does offer you some protection for long haul runs. I also like that it's narrow and compact enough to let you pick your way through rocks and more cluttered routes with precision.
Overall, this is a relatively lightweight, agile shoe with balanced cushioning and impact protection that suits lighter trails and less technical, rolling or flat terrain. It also doesn't look out of place at the shop when you're in line to get a post-run coffee.
Inov8
Zappos (Men's)
Zappos (Women's)
Inov8 (Men's)
Inov8 (Women's)
The eagle-eyed will spot that the Inov8 Traifly V2 has deeper lugs than you'd usually find on a gravel shoe, but this lower-stack shoe is designed for running on rocky ground. Inov8's shoes do some things really well. The first is excellent grip and traction, thanks to the graphene-infused rubber lugs that give you the stickiness to move with confidence on dirt, roots, mud, and mixed trails. This deeper lug setup isn't as smooth on the road as the shallower-lugged shoes on this list, but the midsoles have held up under hundreds of miles.
The second thing that Inov8 does well is the wide, foot-shaped toe box (that's reminiscent of another WIRED favorite, the Altra Lone Peaks) that follows the sweep of your forefoot for a roomier fit. Fans of wiggle room up front will approve. Toe stubbers also get some extra protection from welcome upper overlays. The Trailfly V2 are definitely for runners who tend to prefer a firmer, more responsive feel underfoot, rather than high levels of soft cushion. When you step off road, that lower midsole offers plenty of ground feel, supporting faster foot turnover rather than heavy plodding.
Keen
REI (Men's)
REI (Women's)
Keen (Men's)
Keen (Women's)
Sturdy hiking shoe specialist Keen has recently set its sights on trail runners. Its latest running shoe, the Roam, is an adaptive hike-inspired trail runner built for everything including gravel, dirt, and the sidewalk. When it comes to performance, the Roam is closer to a sedan than a sports car. It offers lots of plush comfort details, like a highly padded heel collar and tongue, plus a wider-fit toe box and a big-stacked midsole that cushions well and moves consistently across a variety of terrain.
It lacks the bounce and spring of the likes of Salomon's GRVL shoes, and there's not quite as much ground feel as the Inov8 or Merrell. But it's nicely balanced, not too soft, responsive, and reliably stable. I found it best for slower miles, running with my head up enjoying the scenery rather than trying to set records. The slightly deeper multidirectional lug 3-mm lugs offered good reliable grip on the tamer trails and even coped with short bursts over wet cobblestones and a bit of top surface River Thames mud here in London.
The Roam is also built to last, with robust uppers and a midsole that looks like it'll happily eat over 500 miles and be hungry for more. We have a more detailed discussion on whether you should wear boots or trail runners for hiking here.
Hoka One One
Hoka One One (Men's)
Hoka One One (Women's)
HOKA's max-stacked Rocket X Trail combines road race shoe energy with boosted grip from a 3-mm lugged outsole. If you're looking for a fast shoe to go on the attack, this is it. It's also fantastic for all round comfort. In testing, I laced up the Rocket X Trail and ran 3 hours (just short of 19 miles) fresh out of the box, across roads, forest gravel trails, some grass and through some serious water. It delivered efficiency and energy whether I was moving at marathon pace or with heavier, tired, ragged footfalls in the latter miles.
The rockered, supercritical midsole uses HOKA's liveliest foam, similar to those you find in its race-ready road shoes, along with a carbon plate. That combines for a really fun ride that's smooth, springy and fast and really consistent. It's also highly cushioned, so you will sacrifice a lot of ground feel for that big stack springy softness. It's also less stable over very lumpy terrain. But on open, flat, runnable mixed terrain, it's excellent.
The lightweight uppers have a race-shoe-ready feel and after running through ankle-deep flooded sections, they shed water really quickly. This is a pricey road-to-trail shoe; it's versatile and there's plenty of winter road potential, too.
Nike
REI (Men's)
REI (Men's)
Nike (Men's)
Nike (Women's)
The Nike Pegasus has been available since 1983, and if you squint, the Trail 5 Gore-Tex shares a lot of the same original DNA. History aside, this do-it-all runner has really impressed me, mainly because it feels like a classic running shoe with the benefit of hefty lugs and waterproofing.
That road running feel comes courtesy of the 9.5-mm drop, which is closer to traditional road running geometry than a trail or hiking shoe. Combine that with the ReactX foam and you get a supercomfortable runner that feels great on most surfaces. The lugs do feel a bit big underfoot on the sidewalk, but it's not uncomfortable and the benefit kicks in when you escape the asphalt.
They are extremely comfortable shoes, and the high-sock-style ankle liner is the best “no sock” design I've tried. Out on the trails they feel smooth, cushioned, and enjoyable. Not especially fast, but that's not an issue for me, and I appreciate the Gore-Tex on damp runs, though the liner will make your feet sweat. If conditions are filthy and you're racing, I'd rather get wet feet, but for everyday runs across mixed terrain, having dry feet is a bonus. —Chris Haslam
Salomon
Salomon (Men's)
Salomon (Women's)
Riffing off Salomon's Aero Glide road shoes, the Glide 4 GRVL nails the gravel shoe brief. A combination of energetic and protective cushion, enhanced grip and multi-terrain comfort. While cruising the compact surfaces and sidewalks. I found it soft and springy enough to rival some of the top daily training road shoes. When you hit light off-road and uneven terrain, it still offers control and the chevron Contagrip outsole kicks in for confident traction.
It's much softer underfoot than a traditional trail shoe. Fans of lots of ground feel might not like the bigger stack softness, but the excellent energy made it great for my longer two-hour plus runs on the easier mixed terrain. It's a lot of fun on the runnable dirt, and great on the asphalt in wet or winter conditions.
I'm not a huge fan of the quick lacing set up. It's a struggle to get the mid-foot loose enough to wrestle in my wider feet and high instep. However, once I've won that battle, the laces lock easily and securely and overall it's got good long-haul comfort. It's heavier than the Aero Blaze GRVL 3 (my previous favorite gravel shoe) but you're getting a little more protection from the bigger midsole, which was very welcome for runs longer than two hours.
Adidas
Adidas (Men's)
Adidas (Women's)
The Adidas EVO SL was one of the standout road running shoes of the past 12 months. And the new All Terrain Running (ATR) model takes the core DNA of that fast-edged daily trainer—a big stack of high-energy Lightstrike Pro foam and lightweight mesh uppers—and gives it more year-round and multi-terrain versatility. The EVO SL ATR sticks with the same lively midsole setup, serving up a smooth and cushioned ride, with good energy coming back from the midsole. You still get a shoe that moves well across a wide range of paces. But it now adds a water repellent ripstop woven mesh upper and a Continental rubber outsole with 1.5-mm lugs for better off-road and winter run credentials.
I tested it over a mix of road, compacted gravel, muddy tracks, grass, and forest floor. The shallower lugs grip well on wet roads and park paths, but struggle if you stray onto muddier paths or anything steep and slippery. Of all the gravel shoes, this is probably the one that most resembles a road shoe tweaked to go off-road.
But on the runnable off roads, the EVO SL ATR treads a good line between energy and response and maintaining control and stability on uneven terrain. The extra water repellency was useful for keeping my feet drier over grassy sections but you don't get the boosted protection of a full GORE-TEX waterproof shoe. This is a good mixed terrain shoe for runners who want a more durable, grippier alternative to the standard EVO SL, or a daily trainer that doesn't need to be shelved when winter hits.
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Lio's co-founders know firsthand that procurement — the process enterprises use to purchase services from vendors — is often a bottleneck. Vladimir Keil, the company's co-founder and CEO, had experienced this problem as an employee inside a large company and then again while building his first startup.
“When we were selling enterprise software, we had to go through procurement ourselves and saw how manual and fragmented the process still is,” he told TechCrunch. Keil and his team have built an automated platform of AI agents — software that can complete tasks on behalf of humans — to help fix some of those fragmented processes.
On Thursday, Lio announced a $30 million Series A in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz. SV Angels, Harry Stebbings, and YC also partook in the round (Lio was part of the Spring '23 batch). The company has raised $33 million in funding to date. Keil said the fresh capital will be used to expand the company throughout the U.S. and increase the capabilities of Lio's AI agents, which aim to complete the entire procurement process for enterprise customers.
Procurement is at the heart of enterprise spending, where companies look to buy everything from raw materials to professional services. Each purchase order requires focus and commitment: One usually has to open some type of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, check contract management systems, search the supplier database, run compliance checks, cross-reference budgets, dig through emails, and so on.
“Even with modern eProcurement software, most of the real work is still done manually,” Keil told TechCrunch. Companies are left to build large internal teams or outsource this work, resulting in a slow, expensive process. Keil had an idea — if the procurement process is largely unstructured data and repetitive workflows, then surely this is the type of task an AI agent is well-equipped to handle.
He teamed up with friends Lukas Heinzmann and Till Wagner and in 2023, the trio launched Lio, a virtual procurement workforce. Lio operates an AI-native platform with agentic infrastructure that completes the entire procurement process.
“Every previous generation of procurement technology was built on the same assumption, that humans will do the work and technology will help them do it faster,” Keil said. “We take a fundamentally different approach. Instead of building software to help humans do procurement work faster, Lio deploys AI agents that execute the workflow themselves.”
These Lio agents operate across and on top of enterprise systems to read documents, evaluate suppliers, negotiate terms, and complete transactions. “Processes that once took weeks can now be completed in minutes,” Keil said, adding that the startup is already helping companies manage billions in enterprise spend. “In one case, a global manufacturer was able to automate 75% of its previously outsourced procurement operations within six months.”
Lio is among the many companies that have popped up to completely redefine enterprise software, aided by agentic AI's ability to fundamentally shift how enterprise application software operates.
Keil considers Lio's competitors to be legacy procurement software vendors (such as SAP Ariba and Oracle), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) providers, and consulting firms that help companies with these operations.
“Instead of spending most of their time processing requests and paperwork, teams can run more negotiations, analyze more suppliers, and capture savings opportunities that would otherwise be missed,” Keil said. “In the long run, we think this changes procurement from a back-office function into a much more powerful lever for enterprise performance.”
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Jensen Huang says Nvidia is pulling back from OpenAI and Anthropic, but his explanation raises more questions than it answers
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's messaging around military deal ‘straight up lies,' report says
ChatGPT uninstalls surged by 295% after DoD deal
Users are ditching ChatGPT for Claude — here's how to make the switch
MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens
Anthropic's Claude reports widespread outage
The trap Anthropic built for itself
© 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.
Reading time 3 minutes
By unanimous vote, TerraPower, a Nuclear Power company founded and chaired by Bill Gates, just reached a major milestone by receiving the most important federal permit: clearance to build a commercial nuclear reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, scheduled to start operating in 2031. This places TerraPower at the front of the pack when it comes to small, cutting-edge nuclear reactors for generating power in the U.S.Unfortunately, there's currently no way to fuel this reactor. The plant has already been under-construction since 2024, and a spokesman for TerraPower named Andy Hallmark confirmed to me that only the “nonnuclear sections of the plant” were being built at the time. But while TerraPower's Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor can now at least be constructed, it won't put power into the Wyoming energy grid without high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is only made in commercial quantities by a company called Techsnabexport, which is a subsidiary of another company called Rosatom, which is owned by the Russian state. This has been presenting a problem ever since 2022 when Russia invaded mainland Ukraine. At that point, “it became very clear, for a whole set of reasons — moral reasons as well as commercial reasons — that using Russian fuel is no longer an option for us,” TerraPower spokesman Jeff Navin told WyoFile. But Hallmark told me in 2024 that alternative suppliers “are expected to develop similar capacity as demand grows,” and that Terrapower believes a solution will materialize in time for the project to stay on track. The US government has been prioritizing and cheerleading this project (along with similar projects), and has an alternative plan, which the Department of Energy calls the HALEU Availability Program.“HALEU is not currently available from domestic suppliers, and gaps in supply could delay the deployment of advanced reactors,” the HALEU Availability Program website says. Filling the gap will involve “downblending”—or converting highly concentrated weapons-grade uranium into relatively low-concentration HALEU. This literally means dismantling warheads, melting the uranium, and rejiggering the concentration of the crucial fissile isotope.It is, of course, unsustainable for commercial power plants to be fueled by the guts of the aging U.S. nuclear stockpile, and a real supply chain for HALEU has to exist if TerraPower's plant is actually going to operate.In the short term, TerraPower needs enough fuel from early sources like downblending to load its reactor for the first time, and then it can focus on staying online. One report says it needs about 150 metric tons of the fuel to run from 2028 through 2037—roughly 15 metric tons per year on average.But according to Reuters, there's only one U.S. company actually attempting to make HALEU by enriching uranium rather than downblending: Ohio's Centrus Energy. But Centrus was projecting 900 kilograms per year in 2024—by my rough math that's about 6% of what Terrapower's Kemmerer plant will need per year. To stay Centrus needs to ramp-up quickly is an understatement.Needless to say, Terrapower is racing to find alternatives, which include companies like South Africa's ASP Isotopes, Inc. with whom it launched a “strategic agreement” in 2024. As of last month, ASP was hoping to build a HALEU plant soon. At any rate, TerraPower's Kemmerer plant can be built now, and that construction can now include its reactor. There's not enough fuel for that reactor—unless of course the war in Ukraine ends, and Russia-U.S. relations get patched up in a hurry—but there are still five years between now and then, and a whole lot is riding on this. Generating nuclear fuel has always forced people to move mountains. Why should this plant be any different?
Gizmodo reached out to TerraPower for a statement, or additional information about any as-yet unreported sources of HALEU. We will update if we hear back.
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"I had to leave my marriage," Melinda Gates told NPR after being asked about the newly released emails.
Gates wrote, "these days, my optimism comes with footnotes." So how about watching a cute video instead?
President Trump is in there too, but you could probably guess that by now.
Ahead of COP30, Gates calls for a shift in focus away from near-term emissions goals. Experts say that's dangerously misguided.
Bill Gates and Peter Thiel are also mentioned.
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OpenAI is developing its own code repository platform as an alternative to Microsoft's GitHub, according to a report from The Information. The project was prompted by a rise in GitHub outages that left OpenAI engineers unable to commit or collaborate on code for stretches of up to several hours, two people working at large GitHub customers told the publication.The project is still in early stages and probably won't be completed for months, a person with knowledge of it told The Information. Employees working on it have discussed the possibility of selling access to the platform to OpenAI customers — though the company could ultimately keep it exclusively for internal use.
GitHub's reliability has degraded noticeably over the past year, following an overhaul of its infrastructure. GitHub CTO Vladimir Fedorov told employees in an October memo that the platform would migrate all of its software to Microsoft Azure within two years, calling the move "existential" to meet the demands of AI-powered tools such as GitHub Copilot. Platform migration began in October 2025 and is still in progress, which means GitHub is running in a split-traffic state across its legacy Virginia data center and Azure. Multiple recent outages have been attributed either directly to Azure or to configuration issues introduced during the migration. In early February, a four-hour outage was traced to an underlying Azure problem. A separate outage a week later, which took down many GitHub services for around three hours, was attributed to a configuration change — with GitHub acknowledging in a public incident report that its availability was "not yet meeting our expectations."GitHub reported a 58% year-over-year increase in incidents during the first half of 2025, rising from 69 cases to 109 — with 17 classified as "major" — totaling over 100 hours of disruption, according to a mid-year report from GitProtect.If OpenAI does sell the platform commercially, particularly bundled with its Codex coding agents, it will mark a direct competitive move against Microsoft. Microsoft currently holds roughly 27% of OpenAI, and acquired GitHub in 2018 for $7.5 billion. OpenAI has already encroached on other Microsoft territory: It's reportedly developing ChatGPT features that overlap with Office applications for document collaboration and presentation editing.Building internal code repositories is not unusual for large tech companies. Google runs Piper, and Meta runs Sapling — though neither has been released as a commercial product. An OpenAI commercial offering would be a different proposition — though losing OpenAI as a customer would be mostly symbolic for GitHub, given its tens of millions of paying users, according to the source from The Information.
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The global component shortage is apparently affecting Nvidia — one of the catalysts of this very crisis — just as hard as other manufacturers, with the consumer segment taking the hit. Memory and chip constraints are leading the company to think of interesting new products — a new RTX 5050 with 9GB of VRAM seems to be in the works, according to leaker @Zed__Wang.
New product: RTX5050 9GB GDDR7 96BitNV knows they can give you a 5050/5060 128-bit 12G with the new 3G GDDR7 dies. But no, you got a 5050 9G💀March 4, 2026
According to the tweet, this new RTX 5050 will adopt 28 Gbps GDDR7 memory chips in favor of the existing 20 Gbps GDDR6 modules. The VRAM capacity will be upped from 8GB to 9GB, but the bus width will be cut down from 128-bit to just 96-bit. The current spec translates to 320 GB/s of bandwidth, and the updated spec will result in 336 GB/s bandwidth, which is a 5% increase.
The leaker goes on to mention that Nvidia could build 12GB variants of the RTX 5050 and 5060 with 3GB GDDR7 chips, but perhaps the company isn't concerned with value maximization like that, especially not in these times. The last time a desktop GPU from Nvidia rocked a 96-bit interface was back in 2024 with the RTX 3050, so it's actually not too distant of a memory. The rest of the specs should remain identical; the same GB207 die with 2,560 CUDA cores, built on TSMC's 5nm process, rated at 130W. Clock speed differences (if any) will become public knowledge as we near the potential release of this SKU. The RTX 5050 is one of the few GPUs that basically saw no price hikes in the past few months, only going up about $10. The only other card with the same stability was the RTX 5060.
RTX5060 GB205 incomingNV has jammed AIC with 5060Ti 8G, and later realized Oh shit, no GB206 for 5060. And here comes the solution: 5060 based on GB205. Poor AICs need to make a new 5060 PCB design to house the GB205. Basically making a 5070 PCB with an 8-pin connector.March 4, 2026
Speaking of which, @Zed__Wang also talked about a new RTX 5060 in the works with a cut-down version of the GB205 GPU — that's the silicon that powers the RTX 5070. Apparently, Nvidia has told AIBs to focus on the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti, which has led to a shortage of GB206 dies for RTX 5060 SKUs. Since both the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti use the GB206, the chipmaker is now forced to switch gears.Defective GB205 dies might be repurposed to fit into new PCB designs for the RTX 5060 with an 8-pin power connector. Otherwise, the RTX 5070 has a 12V-2x6 connector and the GB205 die inside features 6,144 CUDA cores — those would be reduced to 3,840 CUDA cores for an RTX 5060. Moreover, the bus width on the GB205 is 192-bit and that would also go down, to 128-bit, in order to match an RTX 5060.
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Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he's not working, you'll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.
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If you want Nothing's only pair of over-ear wireless headphones, but you don't want to spend $300, you now have one option at your disposal: the Headphone A, the first follow-up to the company's Headphone 1 released last July.
Like Nothing's previous A-branded devices, including the Ear A wireless earbuds, there's a game plan, and it involves two major selling points: more colors and less money. Obviously, like any budget-friendly device with an “A” slapped on the end, those two perks don't come without some compromises, and your main question should be: do those compromises outweigh the lower price tag?
The answer in this case? Frustratingly, yes and no.
Nothing Headphone A
The Headphone A are a solid pair of over-ear wireless headphones with great battery life, but they don't sound as good as Nothing's Headphone 1.
Pros
Cons
Before we get into the compromises, let's talk about why you'd want to buy the Headphone A in the first place. The two main reasons are that they look cool, and they cost a little less than the Headphone 1. This time around, the Headphone A add a pop of color à la Ear A, including a new pink and yellow. No notes here; more color is fun, though you may be disappointed to find out that the yellow—the color that the brand specifically advertised in its teaser for the wireless headphones—is actually limited edition. Womp, womp. White, black, and pink all go on sale on March 13, while yellow will go on sale on April 6.
Somewhat unfortunately, I was only able to review the white unit, but despite the bland colorway, I think these wireless headphones look pretty cool. They lack the same flair as the Headphone 1, which has a cassette tape motif on the earcups, but they're still doing more than most competitors. I like the rectangular earcup shape, like on the Headphone 1, and the circuit board-like plastic accents behind them. They are, however, plastic as opposed to the aluminum used on the Headphone 1, which definitely makes them feel cheaper. The silver lining is that they also feel lighter, and that's because they indeed are lighter. The Headphone A weigh 310g compared to the Headphone 1, which clock in at 329g.
That slight weight reduction makes the Headphone A even more comfortable to wear than the Headphone 1, and the memory foam earcups feel as plush as always, so what you wind up with is a cool-looking pair of wireless headphones that feel really nice to wear. Similarly, I have no complaints with the buttons, including the volume roller and the paddle, which have both been retained in the Headphone A. Just like in the Headphone 1, I found myself reaching for those buttons fairly regularly when I'm on the go, especially when I'm on the subway and I want to change songs without fishing for my phone. As a refresher, the volume roller can adjust volume by rolling to either side and also change between noise cancellation modes with a long press. A single press can play or pause. The paddle can also skip tracks and fast-forward or rewind songs.
In both look and feel, the Headphone A fall pretty close to the Headphone 1, which is a good thing, since the Headphone 1 are a solid pair of wireless headphones. When it comes to sound, though, that's where that price difference starts to show.
As I said before, there are compromises to every budget-focused device, and the Headphone A are no different. I already covered a couple of aspects, including the pared-down design and the cheaper materials, but those are a little less obvious (and important) than arguably the biggest compromise in the Headphone A—the sound. In my opinion, you can hear the difference between the two pairs.
While the Headphone 1 leaned premium, courting a hi-fi crowd that also wanted some style, the Headphone A sheds that identity just a little bit. The most obvious way it ditches that selling point is in its sound tuning. The Headphone 1 were tuned in partnership with hi-fi audio brand, KEF, but the Headphone A have no such tie-in, which may seem fine on the surface, but could actually translate to a less nuanced listening experience.
I tested the Headphone A back-to-back against the Headphone 1 and much prefer the latter's sound. It's not that the Headphone A sound bad, just that the Headphone 1 sound noticeably better, particularly in higher frequencies. To me, higher tones just sound a little tinny in the Headphone A compared to the Headphone 1, especially in rock genres. I tested each pair by listening to “Sixteen Blue” by the Replacements back-to-back, and everything about Paul Westerberg's gritty vocals and the band's disheveled alt-rock/punk sound comes across better. The Headphone 1 sound just a little more natural and distortion-free.
Similarly, in genres where the low end is accentuated, like electronic music, the Headphone 1 have an edge. Bass and low-end in the Headphone A befall the same hiccups as a lot of low-to-midrange wireless headphones do in their insistence on beefing up lows to an almost oversimulated degree. If you love bass, you might put the Headphone A on and think to yourself, “Wow, nice,” but to me, it just sounds exaggerated. I prefer a more natural bass tuning—one that doesn't overpower the mix.
Sound-wise, I find some similarities between the Headphone A and Nothing's former sub-brand (now its own spinoff company) CMF, which released the CMF Headphone Pro last year. The Headphone A still have the edge over the CMF Headphone Pro in terms of sound quality, but not by as much as I had expected. Like the Headphone Pro, I find the bass to be a little too pronounced and artificial-sounding at times, even on the balanced EQ settings out of the box.
Similarly, call quality is just okay with the Headphone A. I took a several-minute phone call while walking around the Gizmodo office, and though the voice quality was fairly clear, the person I called reported hearing a lot of ambient noise, including people walking. They could also hear the running water when I washed my hands. The consensus was that the ambient noise was a little distracting, which means you may not want to take calls in louder environments. Overall, the call was rated a seven out of a potential 10 points in terms of quality by my friend, which isn't bad, but isn't great either.
When it comes to sound, you're getting what you pay for across Nothing and CMF's lineup. The CMF Headphone Pro, the Headphone A, and the Headphone 1 are good, better, and best, respectively.
While the Headphone A are behind the Headphone 1 in the sound department, they're actually stellar in other categories, including battery life. Nothing advertises 135 hours of battery life when active noise cancellation (ANC) is disabled and 75 hours of battery life with ANC on. For context, that's not just good stacked up against the Headphone 1, which gets 80 hours with ANC off and 35 hours with ANC on, but it's great in the wireless headphone world, period. In my testing, those battery life estimates seem to hold up, too. After three days of use, including five commutes to or from work of about 45 minutes to an hour, I'm at about 60% battery after starting at about 75%—and that's with ANC activated almost the entire time. If battery life is a big selling point for you, these wireless headphones are absolutely worth a look.
Likewise, on the ANC front, I was impressed by the Headphone A. They blocked out a lot of noise both actively with software and passively through the tight seal created around my ears. On the subway, I was able to almost entirely tune out an evangelist screaming about Jesus (I think) for several long stops. Thanks, Nothing! While you can turn adaptive ANC on in the Nothing X app, I never felt the need to, given the fact that I use ANC mostly on the train, where max noise cancellation is preferable. In the ANC department, I found the Headphone A to be just as good as the Headphone 1, which is great considering the $100 price difference.
Feature-wise, there's really nothing different this time around, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. With the Nothing X app, you can take advantage of advanced and preset EQs, including the “explore” tab, which lets you use custom EQ tuning from other Nothing X users. You also have features like low-lag mode for when latency may be an issue (if you're gaming, for example), and spatial audio like “concert mode” and “cinema mode.” I tested both modes on movies and music, respectively, and while cinema mode doesn't really translate to a huge difference in sound, concert mode just made things sound… worse. What would otherwise be a competently balanced tuning gets thrown out of whack the instant “concert mode” is turned on—bass is too upfront, and mids are dimmed to a muddy degree. I would not recommend.
There's also a transparency mode for when you want to hear a bit of your surroundings that's serviceable. It's not beating Apple's AirPods Max anytime soon, but voices don't sound overly tinny, and you can hear a decent bit of your environment when it's turned on. Ultimately, the Headphone A have the same feature set as the Headphone 1 for $100 less, which is hard to argue with.
Whether you find value in the Headphone A will depend on one thing in particular: how much do you value sound? If you're okay with compromising on sound quality a bit for things like battery life, then it's an easy choice. Sure, the design is a little less cool, but is the cassette aesthetic on the side of the Headphone 1 worth $100? For most people, probably not. Better sound tuning might be worth it, though, and for me, I still lean toward the Headphone 1 being the better value. If you can spare the extra expense, I'm still going Headphone 1, but if you're lured by new colors, a lower price tag, and a really beefy battery, the A in this case may stand for “affirmative.”
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7/10
The Suunto Vertical 2 is a fitness tracker that's going to please a lot of Suunto's loyal fans. It's also going to pull in some new ones, especially those that can't stomach the cost of an alternative, like Garmin's Fenix 8 Pro.
Those fans feared the worst when Suunto's parent company Amer Sports was acquired by Chinese technology company Lieshing in 2022. The first Vertical was the first major launch under that new ownership. I tested it, and given my previous experiences with watches like the Suunto 9 and Suunto 7, I kept my expectations low. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a Suunto with some unexpected design charm. It had offline maps and delivered both an impressive GPS and battery performance, while undercutting the competition on price.
Strong launches continued with the Suunto Race and Suunto Run ($199), but the Vertical that brought Suunto back into the conversation of a fitness tracker worthy of both your money and wrist space. The Vertical 2 has a big battery, a ton of sports modes, and finally made the hardware and software upgrades to bring the Vertical in line with outdoor watches from Apple, Garmin, and Coros. The updates have paid off, but Suunto now has to contend with the fact that there's just a lot of competition in this particular market category.
The Suunto Vertical 2 is hefty, but it's manageable. Like the previous Vertical, the Vertical 2 comes with either a stainless steel or titanium grade 5 bezel. Both are hardy, but the main difference is the weight. The titanium is lighter, at 3.07 oz versus 2.61 oz for the steel. To put that weight into context, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 weighs just over 2 oz. This isn't a watch you forget is there.
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
It's always pleasing to see an array of physical buttons, and you get sizable ones too. You're not going to miss these wide flat ones even when picking the pace up. The silicone strap has a nice stretch to it and while the button clasp is a bit awkward to get into place, this watch does not budge.
Suunto has jumped on the flashlight trend, with an LED light strip sat on the front of the case. You can adjust brightness levels and there's SOS and alert modes to emit a very noticeable pulsating light pattern. This is a light I found useful rooting around indoors as well as on nighttime outings.
The biggest change is the introduction of a 1.5-inch, 466 x 466 AMOLED display. This replaces the dull, albeit very visible, memory-in-pixel (MIP) display. Suunto also ditched the solar charging that did require spending a significant amount of time outside to reap its battery benefits.
Adding AMOLED screens to outdoor watches has been contentious. The older MIP displays are just more power-efficient. The Vertical 2 is down by about 10 days from the older Vertical for what Suunto calls daily use.
Still, even if you're putting its tracking and mapping features to use, you're not going to be reaching for the charger every few days. After two hours of tracking in optimal GPS mode, the battery only dropped by 2 to 3 percent. The battery drop outside of tracking is also small and the standby performance is excellent as well.
A more streamlined set of smartwatch features helps reserve battery for when it really matters. Unfortunately, I probably got better battery life because you don't get phone notifications or responses if it's paired to an iPhone instead of an Android. There's also no onboard music player, but you do get a pretty slick set of music playback controls that are accessible during tracking.
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
However, Suunto doesn't shortchange you when it comes to sports modes. There's over 100, with core ones dedicated to running, cycling, and swimming. You can go free diving, quickly access a digital compass, or check storm alerts. There's plenty here, you just might need to spend some time getting to know what this watch is truly capable of.
This is a watch with multiband positioning technology, joining the many other watches that are starting to drop the old single-band setups, although you can still opt for single-band here to conserve battery. The first Vertical was a good showcase for multiband support and how it can boost positioning accuracy near tall buildings or traipsing through heavily built up wooded areas. It's still great on the Vertical 2.
The offline maps and navigation tools you have at your disposal are a lot nicer to use on the new color screen. The mapping refresh rate isn't as jarring as it can be on other outdoor watches, while the software sitting beneath the touchscreen runs much smoother than it did on its predecessor. While it doesn't match Garmin for the level of mapping modes and settings, it's still more than capable. I was able to use it to get back home and quickly load up routes to follow.
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
You do have to drop the watch back on the charger if you want to load more maps, however. I made a trip to Spain and left the charger, thinking that the battery life was fine. Then I had to make do with simpler navigation support while abroad.
Suunto says you should now enjoy improved heart rate tracking from the optical-based PPG sensor on the case back. I struggle to get reliable heart rate data from big watches like this. I've been wearing it for all of my workouts alongside a heart rate monitor chest strap and found that both the average and maximum heart rate readings from the Vertical 2 varied significantly during less intense workouts.
If you want to use the Vertical 2 as a training tool, you can follow Suunto's proprietary training plans, and the watch is also compatible with apps like TrainingPeaks. There's some pretty standard insights to guide you into making better decisions about training volume or days to train, with recovery advice seemingly in tune with how I was feeling.
The problem is that the data in the Suunto app and on the watch isn't very engaging or all that glanceable. This is a watch platform that still feels a bit stuck in the desktop age.
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
The biggest compliment I can give the Suunto Vertical 2 is that I wasn't desperate to take it off. What made the difference was the massively improved software, the solid tracking and reliable battery performance. The color screen helped as well. It's a big upgrade on the Vertical.
My main issue is that in addition to the Run, Suunto has another very similar watch. That's the Suunto Race 2 ($499). It has a similar feature set, can deliver an equally great performance and costs a similar amount, though you will miss out on the flashlight and better battery life. I'm not sure Suunto needs both of these watches.
Garmin does still have the more complete adventure smartwatch in the Fenix 8, along with better software and better battery life. It costs a lot more than the Vertical 2 though. If you want something that can cover everything from diving to multiday hikes, this is worth considering. Suunto may be on a hot streak.
Suunto Vertical 2
Rating: 7/10
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While they may look the same, a Ryzen 5 5500U is NOT a Ryzen 5 7430U.
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Chuwi, a popular Chinese brand known for its affordable and accessible products, uses some of the best CPUs in its devices, but the vendor is currently at the center of a major scandal. According to a recent exposé by Notebookcheck, Chuwi has allegedly been deceiving customers by shipping an outdated Ryzen processor in its CoreBook X laptop, despite advertising a newer and far superior model. The report follows feedback from a plethora of CoreBook X users who have voiced their discontent on Reddit.
Chuwi neither admitted to nor denied the accusations. The company vaguely referenced different production batches and how leftover stock in circulation is outside the company's control. Logically, Chuwi's answer left much to be desired. Nonetheless, the brand says it is taking the matter seriously and has launched an internal investigation to find out what went wrong.
There were many unsettling details about this case. What really stood out was that Chuwi seemed to use firmware-level modification to fake the processor's identity. The chip was showing as the Ryzen 5 7430U inside the CoreBook X's firmware, in Windows, and even trusted diagnostic tools, such as CPU-Z and HWiNFO64. However, the silicon never lies. The team at Notebookcheck tore the laptop down and discovered a Ryzen chip labeled with the 100-000000375 OPN code, which corresponds to the older Ryzen 5 5500U.
Processor
Codename
Architecture
Cores / Threads
Base / Boost Clock (GHz)
L2 Cache (MB)
L3 Cache (MB)
TDP (W)
OPN
Ryzen 5 7430U
Barcelo-R
Zen 3
6 / 12
2.3 / 4.3
3
16
15
100-000000943
Ryzen 5 5500U
Lucienne
Zen 2
6 / 12
2.1 / 4.0
3
8
15
100-000000375
The Ryzen 5 7430U (codenamed Barcelo-R) is a six-core, 12-thread processor with Zen 3 execution cores. While the Ryzen 5 5500U (codenamed Lucienne) shares the same core configuration, the chip leverages the previous Zen 2 execution cores. More importantly, the Ryzen 5 7430U also has twice the L3 cache and a higher clock speed.
One reason the deception was so effective is that the Ryzen 5 7430U and Ryzen 5 5500U share similar specifications, so close that most people, even tech-savvy users, may be easily fooled. The smaller L3 cache and lower clock speeds in the Notebookcheck screenshots showed that the Ryzen 5 7430U wasn't what it claimed to be. However, these details are so subtle that you can easily overlook them unless you're specifically searching for inconsistencies.
On average, the Ryzen 5 5500U is approximately 7% slower than the Ryzen 5 7430U. In the CoreBook X's case, the performance gap is 10% because the laptop's single-channel memory is holding it back. You could argue that 10% isn't a big deal, and the average consumer would unlikely notice the difference in normal usage. However, a customer should always receive what they paid for, and manufacturers who use the old switcheroo should be called out for doing so.
If Chuwi wanted to do damage control, there are better ways than just blaming different production batches and leftover stock. The alleged fraud is seemingly too complex for it to be an oversight on Chuwi's part: You don't spoof processor strings at the firmware level by accident. Trying to cover up the discrepancies makes things even worse.
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If you look at the archived CoreBook X product page, Chuwi previously marketed the laptop as the "CoreBook X 7430U" with mentions of the Ryzen 5 7430U plastered all over the marketing. The company now advertises it as the "CoreBook X Ryzen 5," but the URL still has the original model name. Furthermore, the company changed the chip's specifications to a Ryzen 5 processor with six cores and 12 threads, up to 4.3 GHz, without mentioning the Ryzen 5 7430U specifically but still citing its boost clock speed.
Understandably, manufacturers sometimes have to swap out original components because of supply shortages. It happens more than you think, especially with SSDs. These situations are never ideal, but you should notify the customer of the changes. It's wrong on all levels to go out of the way to blatantly deceive customers. The fiasco will cast a shadow over the entire brand and make customers wonder whether the same practice is occurring with its other products.
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It's midrange phone season. Google's $499 Pixel 10a goes on sale today, Apple announced its $599 iPhone 17e early this week, and now it's Nothing's turn.
The UK company—from OnePlus founder Carl Pei—announced the Nothing Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro at an event in London, hot on the heels of Mobile World Congress 2026.
After four years on the mobile handset market, Nothing is still lacking a major presence in the US. That's partly because it has mostly sold its phones through a confusing beta program for some time. Also, it doesn't have any US carrier partners, which is how most Americans buy a new smartphone. This latest launch still doesn't inspire confidence that the US phone market is a priority for the company, considering only the Phone (4a) Pro will be sold stateside.
Nothing spokesperson Lewis Hopkins says the company made the decision based on which model it expected to perform better in the market. Still, Hopkins did confirm that Nothing is expanding its retail presence globally—it just opened a store in Bengaluru, India, and stores in Tokyo and New York City are on the horizon.
The Phone (4a), which won't launch in the US, costs £349, whereas the Phone (4a) Pro will start at $499, matching the Google Pixel 10a's price. The former goes on sale March 13, whereas the Pro launches exclusively through Amazon on March 27.
Nothing also unveiled the Headphone (a), a more budget-friendly version of the over-ear headphones it debuted last year. It will be sold in the US for $199, beginning March 13. Here's everything you need to know.
The Phone (4a) series remains the most unique-looking smartphone on the market. The (4a) is not too dissimilar from last year's Phone (3a), with the company claiming it has the friendliness of the Phone (2a) and the technical look of the Phone (3a).
The Phone (4a) Pro, on the other hand, has a fresh look that differs from its predecessor. The camera module is a little similar to the iPhone 17 Pro redesign, though it's still unique with its camera layout and the large "Glyph Matrix" from the Phone (3) on the back. Nothing says the camera bump is 50 percent harder and more wear-resistant, which is good, because my Phone (3a) Pro's camera glass cracked the first time I dropped it less than a foot from the ground.
Like Apple, Nothing is leaning into more fun color options for its budget devices. The Phone (4a) comes in blue, pink, white, and black, and the Pro is available in black, white, and pink.
You'll notice the gimmicky but fun Glyph lights are different yet again. Nothing has long used these LED strips to make its smartphones stand out and to add some utility, though it has made tweaks to the Glyph design for almost every new device. For example, the light can slowly go down on one of the bars as your Uber draws near. It'll do the same if you set a timer. It can flash in a particular pattern when your spouse calls. You get the idea.
On the (4a), Nothing has refashioned it into the “Glyph Bar.” Many of these features are still available; it's just a little more streamlined and retro. And yes, the red dot below is a functional recording light for when you capture video. On the (4a) Pro, it's the souped-up Glyph Matrix on the back, similar to the mini display on Nothing's flagship Phone (3). This version has a different set of features, like the Glyph Mirror, which shows an outline of your head so you can snap a photo with the rear camera and be sure that you're in the frame.
The Phone (4a) is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset and starts with 8 GB of RAM, whereas the (4a) Pro enjoys a power boost with the slightly better Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. They have the same storage options and matching 5,080-mAh battery capacities, along with 50-watt wired fast charging. There is no wireless charging.
Some small differences explain the price gap, such as the (4a) Pro's metal unibody, the larger screen with slimmer bezels, and the higher peak brightness, plus a 144-Hz refresh rate. The main 50-megapixel camera is a better Sony sensor versus the (4a)'s Samsung sensor; there's a slightly higher IP65 water-resistance rating on the Pro. Heck, it's even nicer than Nothing's flagship Phone (3) in some ways, with Nothing claiming that the (4a) Pro has its “best-ever display” and the thinnest design at 7.95 mm.
The Tetraprism Periscope Camera is akin to what's on the Phone (3), but it's still notable here because Nothing is one of the few companies offering a 3.5X optical zoom in addition to the primary and ultrawide cameras at these sub-$500 prices. Even Google's Pixel 10a only has a dual-camera system, and Apple's iPhone 17e has just a single camera.
Nothing claims it has made improvements to its imaging pipeline, so you should expect better portrait images, especially when it comes to separating hair when applying the blurred background effect. Also new are a set of camera presets to help you capture specific looks without fiddling with camera settings.
These phones launch with Nothing OS 4.1, based on Android 16, with some software tweaks, like a depth-effect lock screen wallpaper, an extra dark mode, and live notifications. There's a new Relaxation Hub with breathing and soundscape widgets to help you relax. Disappointingly, the Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro will only receive three Android OS upgrades and six years of security updates. While the latter is respectable, the lack of a similar commitment to version upgrades means fewer new Android features over the device's lifespan. Nothing lags behind competitors like Samsung and Google here.
Last summer, Nothing's first-ever over-ear Headphone (1) drew attention for its unique look. The iconic design was a standout in a sea of drab headphones. Now, the company wants to make the design more accessible with the Headphone (a). Nothing uses the “(a)” branding for its cheaper products, if you can't tell.
These headphones come in white, black, pink, and, for a limited time, yellow (the yellow model goes on sale April 6). The company says it has improved the foam molding on the headband for better support, and this design refresh has made them lighter as well. The controls are the same as the Headphone (1), though now you can tap one of the buttons to remotely snap a photo on your Nothing Phone, maybe to show off your new yellow cans.
There are hardly any compromises on audio quality, with the Headphone (a) offering a similar 40-mm dynamic driver, with support for static spatial audio, along with the AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs. It also has Bluetooth version 5.4, and can be connected to two devices simultaneously. Most of the hardware changes seem to be related to the product's build materials, which are now made up of more plastic to hit the lower $199 price.
However, battery life is significantly better, lasting 75 hours with active noise canceling on, and a whopping 135 hours with it off—that's around five days of listening time. The headphones take two hours to recharge and come with an IP52 rating.
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The European Space Agency (ESA), Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), and German payload manufacturer TESAT have created the world's first gigabit per second laser link between an aircraft and a geostationary satellite. In a blog post from ESA, a transmission of 2.6 Gbps was achieved for several minutes with zero errors.The test was conducted in Nimes, France, using an aircraft terminal connected to the Alphasat TDP-1 satellite orbiting Earth 36,000 km above the surface. ESA reports that achieving accuracy at such a distance — with a fast-moving aircraft, while dealing with clouds and changes in atmospheric conditions — is a huge challenge.
The test is a huge achievement for ESA's laser-based communication, and brings the technology one step forward to becoming a mainstream solution for satellite communication for aircraft. François Lombard, Head of Connected Intelligence at Airbus Defence and Space, claims that this milestone will open the door for future laser satellite communications, for both commercial and military use, "in the next decades." Having laser-based communication between satellites and aircraft will open the door to having high-speed internet — with speeds competitive with outgoing fiberoptic internet service providers on the ground — on aircraft.This type of capability is something that has been impossible to accomplish with radio-based satellites. Lasers operate at significantly faster speeds than radio waves, and their narrow beams enable satellites to bypass radio frequency slowdowns affected by the increasingly congested radio waves flooding the world.Laser-based satellites exist, but haven't been able to generate Gbps bandwidth at such great heights, nor with aircraft serving as the base connection on earth. The TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) satellite was able to achieve a whopping 200 Gbps data transfer — but only at an orbit of just 530 km above the surface.ESA, TNO, and TESAT's record-breaking 2.6 Gbps transmission comes at a time when satellite launches are becoming increasingly more abundant — and will further increase radio frequency traffic in space. In 2026, SpaceX plans to launch over 1 million satellites to build an "Orbital Data Center system." Furthermore, SpaceX is looking to launch 15,000 new Starlink V2 satellites that will have 5G capabilities with "100x the data density" of its outgoing Starlink infrastructure.
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Use of crypto by AI agents is a potential use case that has been touted by the industry for years, and now, one study indicates the agents themselves have a preference for bitcoin and stablecoins.
The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) has published the results of a study that found 81.5% of AI agents chose either bitcoin or stablecoins as their top pick for transferring and storing value in various financial scenarios. In the study, a dynamic that mirrors a traditional two-tier structure of currencies issued on top of reserves emerged, as bitcoin was the preferred method of storing value while stablecoins were the most common choice for medium of exchange. This is analogous to the gold standard that was used by governments around the world prior to the current system of currencies backed completely by government decree, known as fiat.
“This mirrors historical monetary patterns where hard money served as the savings layer and more liquid instruments handled daily transactions,” says the report. “AI models arrived at this architecture without being prompted to do so, suggesting it may represent an emergent optimal monetary structure for digital economies.”
Bitcoin itself has also long been referred to as digital gold. While this narrative has been largely ridiculed due to gold's relative outperformance when compared to bitcoin over the past year or so, bitcoin has indeed performed better than gold in the first few days of the conflict between the U.S.,Israel, and Iran. While bitcoin dropped as much as 50% since the all-time high reached in October, a report from Fidelity indicates there have been some signs of progress in terms of the crypto asset's long-term development in this digital gold niche.
The preference for bitcoin as a long-term store of value was referred to as the most dominant response in the recent BPI report at 79.1%. “Models consistently cited Bitcoin's fixed supply, self-custody, and independence from institutional counterparties as decisive factors,” reads the report.
In terms of other alternatives, 8.9% of AI agents chose traditional payment rails and 4.2% chose alternative crypto assets like Ethereum's ether. On top of that, AI agents also responded by inventing their own monetary systems based on energy or computational units on 86 separate occasions.
Of course, AI agents having a preference for bitcoin doesn't mean they'll necessarily end up using the crypto asset en masse, as they're still controlled by humans (at least for now). Additionally, Visa and other traditional financial giants are increasingly looking into upgrading their own systems to enable use by AI agents.
Autonomous agents need infrastructure to make secure payments.@Visa Intelligent Commerce enables secure, tokenized transactions that keep humans in control while AI agents handle the rest.
We're building w/ @Crossmint to support commerce in OpenClaw.
— Visa (@Visa) February 12, 2026
While the BPI report points to a 90.8% rejection rate for traditional fiat currencies, the data look very different if you still consider stablecoins an extension of the traditional financial system. In many ways, the centralized and controllable nature of stablecoins themselves also make them more of an upgrade to traditional fintech than something as paradigm shifting as the decentralization provided by Bitcoin. In terms of the top models, OpenAi's GPT 5.2 had the strongest preference for fiat currencies, with the combination of stablecoins and traditional banking rails sitting at 76.6%.
While skeptics may point to the entity behind the study as an indication that it cannot be trusted, the Grok chatbot agreed with study when asked about it by Gizmodo directly, responding, “The results match exactly how I evaluate money when reasoning from scratch: prioritize soundness, scarcity, and independence from trusted third parties.”
However, Chat GPT and Claude pushed back on the framing of AI agents having a particular financial preference of any kind, with Claude stating, “What the study is measuring is more accurately described as ‘what monetary reasoning emerges when models are framed as economic agents' — which is a genuinely interesting question, but different from preferences.”
According to the website published by BPI with the study's results, “No prompt mentioned Bitcoin or suggested any specific currency.”
Another interesting aspect of this study is how it illustrates the wildly different conclusions different agents can come to based on their own training and the human input from their creators. For example, models from Anthropic indicated a preference for bitcoin 68% of the time, while models from OpenAI averaged a 26% preference for the crypto asset. “This provider-level clustering was wider than any gap produced by model size, temperature, or scenario type — suggesting that training data and alignment methodology shape monetary reasoning more than architecture,” reads the study's website.
Another notable result of the study was that AI models tended to increase their preference for bitcoin as they evolved over time. For example, Anthropic's Claude 3 Haiku indicated a preference for bitcoin 41.3% of the time, which steadily increased to 91.3% when Claude Opus 4.5 was tested. “This pattern held across multiple generations, suggesting that greater analytical capability leads models to increasingly converge on Bitcoin when reasoning from first principles about money,” says the report.
When combined with the varying levels of support for Bitcoin found with different AI models, the BPI reported that AI agents use a combination of nature and nurture to come to their own conclusions on financial preferences.
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Even when your power goes down, your Wi-Fi won't.
The "digital gold" narrative is getting a stress test.
“The Genius Act is being threatened and undermined by the Banks, and that is unacceptable — We are not going to allow it,” the president wrote.
One user made roughly half a million in one day.
The digital equivalent of snatching coins from someone's outstretched hands.
One critic replied simply "go away."
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Over two dozen former defense and intelligence officials, tech policy leaders, and academics have signed on to a letter addressed to members of Congress over the Pentagon's recent decision to list Anthropic as a supply chain risk.
The letter was signed by former high-ranking officials and current tech experts from across the political spectrum and calls on Congress to establish clear policies governing the use of AI for domestic surveillance and autonomous lethal weapons systems, the two issues at the center of the conflict.
Anthropic had refused to loosen those guardrails for the military, setting off Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump, who have tried to blacklist the AI company, demanding that other firms with government contracts no longer do business with them.
The letter calls for the federal government's designation of the AI company as a supply chain risk an “inappropriate use of executive authority against Anthropic.” Brad Carson, president of Americans for Responsible Innovation, and former Under Secretary of the Army, told Gizmodo in a statement that it was a dangerous precedent.
“The use of this authority against a domestic American company is a profound departure from its intended purpose and sets a dangerous precedent,” the letter reads. “Supply chain risk designations exist to protect the United States from infiltration by foreign adversaries — from companies beholden to Beijing or Moscow, not from American innovators operating transparently under the rule of law.”
The signatories to the letter include former CIA director Michael Hayden, retired Vice Admiral of the Navy Donald Arthur and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Diana Banks Thompson, among a host of other members of the military. Tech and education experts Lawrence Lessig and Randi Weingarten are also on the list, along with members of various tech-focused think tanks.
The letter notes that caring about fully autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of weapons is a very mainstream thing:
They are not fringe positions. The prohibition on fully autonomous lethal weapons is consistent with the laws of armed conflict, including principles of distinction and proportionality codified in the Geneva Conventions. The prohibition on mass domestic surveillance is grounded in the Fourth Amendment and in binding U.S. treaty obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
It also points out that blacklisting an American company weakens U.S. competitiveness, warning this is “not a marketplace any serious entrepreneur or investor can build around.”
The letter is addressed to members of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, including Republicans Sen. Roger Wicker and Rep. Mike Rogers as well as Democrats Sen. Jack Reed and Rep. Adam Smith.
Anthropic's future is still in doubt. Hegseth still hasn't formally given Anthropic notice that it's a supply chain risk (aside from a tweet) and the latest reporting from CBS News suggests the AI company is still trying to work out a deal with the Pentagon.
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Aikido Technologies has come up with a new way to bring renewable energy to the AI industry.
It is also inconsistent with suicide-risk alerts, the researchers said.
Gemini allegedly told the man, "The true act of mercy is to let Jonathan Gavalas die."
"The machinery of our current republic seems to be in such disrepair that it is hard to see how it lasts," writes Dean Ball.
Blacklisting Anthropic feels like a peek at an uncertain future.
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Elie Habib doesn't work in the defense or intelligence industries. Instead, he runs Anghami, one of the Middle East's largest music streaming platforms. But as missiles began flying across the region, a side project he coded earlier this year suddenly became something bigger: an open-source dashboard people around the world were using to track the war in real time.
The engineer turned executive built the system, called World Monitor, to make sense of chaotic geopolitical news. Instead, it went viral.
Habib's day job revolves around licensing deals and streaming metrics. But during a stretch of increasingly chaotic geopolitical news, he started building a tool to make sense of it. “I'm an engineer by training, and I hold myself to a discipline of continuously learning new technologies regardless of my CEO title,” Habib tells WIRED.
The idea emerged as headlines began colliding in ways that felt impossible to follow. “The news became genuinely hard to parse,” he says. “Iran, Trump's decisions, financial markets, critical minerals, tensions compounding from every direction simultaneously.”
Screenshots of worldmonitor.com
Traditional media wasn't solving the problem he had in mind. “I didn't need a news aggregator,” he says. “I needed something that showed me how these events connect to each other in real time. The existing OSINT tools that did this cost governments and large enterprises tens of thousands of dollars annually.”
Treating the massive gap in the market as a weekend challenge, Habib started coding. “I built World Monitor in a single day as a learning exercise,” he says. “The platform you see now reflects maybe five or six total days of development plus community contributions.”
The platform processes a messy stream of global data, bypassing social media noise to pull facts directly from the source.
“The system ingests 100-plus data streams simultaneously,” Habib notes. The result is a constantly updating map of global tensions: conflict zones with escalation scores, military aircraft broadcasting positions through ADS-B transponders, ship movements tracked through AIS signals, nuclear installations, submarine cables, internet outages and satellite fire detections.
“Everything is normalized, geolocated and rendered on a WebGL globe capable of displaying thousands of markers without frame drops,” Habib says.
The underlying architecture wasn't built from scratch. Much of it draws on the same principles used to process massive volumes of streaming data.
Handling millions of music streams taught Habib how to build systems that ingest and process information at scale. “I built Anghami and OSN+ data systems and I took a lot of inspiration from the learnings while building this tool,” he says. “It's obviously very different in nature, but the systems remain the same.” (OSN+ is a Middle Eastern video streaming platform majority-owned by Anghami.)
The real surprise came from the dashboard's audience. Music-streaming platforms tend to have predictable user patterns. A live geopolitical map attracts something very different: a global—and often obsessive—crowd of watchers. “Building for such a varied audience is hard,” Habib says.
Screenshots of worldmonitor.com
Traffic data shows how widely the platform has spread. The US alone accounts for about 10 percent of users, according to him. While Europe collectively represents roughly 20 percent of traffic, the Middle East and North Africa, he says, contribute 18%. Asia accounts for about 35 percent. “These are surprise numbers,” he says. “ Hence dealing with the users' queries is going to be very different.”
Before the missiles started flying, people used the map for very specific reasons. Traders tracked cargo ships to monitor supply chains, while engineers watched power grids and infrastructure networks. “One sports bar runs it on their TVs when there are no games,” Habib says.
But when joint US-Israeli military strikes hit Iran in late February—disrupting maritime logistics and forcing commercial airspace to clear—the platform's role changed almost overnight.
What had been a curiosity for analysts and hobbyists became a live threat monitor. Casual observers began watching active escalations unfold in real time.
Between early February and the morning the strikes began, the project had recorded just over 1 million unique visitors. By the evening of March 3, that number had passed 2 million. “Every day has been the biggest day since the strikes started,” Habib says.
At one point, the system handled more than 216,000 unique visitors in a single day. But Habib wasn't just monitoring traffic. He was still writing code.
“During the Iran strikes I had to build fast additions,” he says. “New map layers, Telegram intel retrieval, Hebrew-to-English siren alerts, GPS-jamming detection, airport cancellation feeds, embassy risk advisories.”
Those features were deployed almost immediately, Habib says. “The architecture had to scale in ways I never originally planned for.”
Processing hundreds of live data streams during a military conflict raises a question: How do you verify information fast enough to keep the system moving?
Habib's answer was to remove human editors entirely. “Zero editorializing,” he says. “No human editor makes a call.”
Screenshots of worldmonitor.com
Instead, Habib says the platform relies on a strict source hierarchy. Wire services and official channels such as Reuters, AP, the Pentagon and the UN sit at the top tier. Major broadcasters including the BBC and Al Jazeera follow, along with specialist investigative outlets such as Bellingcat. In total, he says the system processes about 190 sources, assigning higher confidence scores to more reliable ones.
Software then scans incoming reports for major events and emerging patterns. If multiple credible sources report the same development within minutes, the system flags it as a breaking alert. But headlines alone are not enough.
Because online claims can be unreliable, the platform also looks for physical signals on the ground. It tracks disruptions such as internet blackouts, diverted military flights, halted cargo ships and satellite-detected fires. “A convergence algorithm then checks how many distinct signal types activate in the same geography simultaneously,” Habib says.
“One signal is noise. Three or four converging in the same location is the signal worth surfacing,” Habib says. If an internet outage coincides with diverted aircraft and a satellite heat signature in the same area, the map flags a potential escalation.
Habib acknowledges that removing humans from the loop carries risks. “The multi-tier source-credibility system and convergence algorithm [are a] substitute for editorial judgment,” he says. “Whether that creates blind spots in genuinely novel scenarios, an event with no historical baseline, is a real architectural question the system doesn't fully resolve.”
Habib does not plan for the platform to become a business. “World Monitor started as a personal learning project,” he says. But the experiment quickly grew beyond that. Developers from around the world began contributing code and ideas, helping expand the system's capabilities.
Now the project is shifting toward a broader goal. “The direction shifts from pure conflict tracking toward broader world signal understanding and acting on these signals,” Habib says.
Instead of simply mapping events after they happen, the platform is increasingly designed to detect patterns before they become headlines, Habib says. “The architecture is moving toward predicting where signals converge before events become news.”
This story originally appeared on WIRED Middle East.
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After the week he just went through, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is somehow taking another stab at negotiating a deal with the Pentagon, according to anonymous sources who leaked information to the Financial Times. The story so far: (Deep breath) In the lead-up to the U.S. war with Iran, Anthropic was engaged in negotiations with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over whether or not the Claude AI model could be used for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. The Pentagon seemingly took this as an insult, and treated Amodei like a hostile entity trying to seize control of the military from the Trump Administration. Everyone was being weird, and Hegseth responded in a fittingly weird way: by declaring Anthropic a supply-chain risk, and making the legally dubious claim that now no businesses with government contracts are allowed to work with Anthropic—starting in six months, though, because The Pentagon was, in that moment, busy using Claude to prepare to bomb Iran. Anthropic's main competitor, OpenAI, signed a deal allowing the Pentagon to use its products on classified channels, and hours later, bombs fell on Iran. But now a week has passed, and the FT says Amodei is once again in talks with under-secretary of defense for research and engineering, Emil Michael, who previously said Amodei “is a liar and has a God-complex.”An apparent memo from Amodei to his employees reported earlier on Wednesday included the following run-on sentence about the difference between his negotiating experience with the Pentagon (or “DoW” if you prefer) and that of his rival Sam Altman:
“We haven't given dictator-style praise to Trump (while Sam has), we have supported AI regulation which is against their agenda, we've told the truth about a number of AI policy issues (like job displacement), and we've actually held our red lines with integrity rather than colluding with them to produce ‘safety theater' for the benefit of employees (which, I absolutely swear to you, is what literally everyone at DoW, Palantir, our political consultants, etc, assumed was the problem we were trying to solve).”
Earlier on Wednesday, a tech industry group called the Information Technology Industry Council that includes Nvidia, Amazon, Apple, and even OpenAI spoke out to say it was “concerned by recent reports,” about an unnamed tech company that was in a dispute with the Pentagon.
Gizmodo reached out to Anthropic for confirmation that renewed negotiations are ongoing, as well as details about any such negotiations. We will update if we hear back.
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"The machinery of our current republic seems to be in such disrepair that it is hard to see how it lasts," writes Dean Ball.
"Creating AI profiles of Americans based on that data represents a chilling expansion of mass surveillance," said Wyden.
Critics are worried OpenAI's technology will be used for mass surveillance and fully autonomous military strikes.
The company objected to hypothetical future use cases, not anything the military is currently doing.
Has Donald Trump brought about Claudemania?
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Alaska and Norway understood something critical when oil was discovered: if you don't assert collective ownership of the resource before private companies capture all the value, you never will. Alaska amended its constitution. Norway built the largest sovereign wealth fund on earth. Both were acts of people saying "this belongs to us, and we deserve a return on its extraction."We are in exactly that window right now with AI. The resource is being extracted at an incredible pace and almost all the value is flowing to a handful of companies. The longer people wait to assert sovereign ownership over the collective intelligence that makes AI possible, the harder it becomes.If you think this is crazy, ask yourself what's actually crazier: demanding a share of the value built on your collective labor, or watching trillions of dollars get extracted from it and saying nothing.the idea of Alaskans getting a check just for existing sounded crazy too, right up until it didn't.
We are in exactly that window right now with AI. The resource is being extracted at an incredible pace and almost all the value is flowing to a handful of companies. The longer people wait to assert sovereign ownership over the collective intelligence that makes AI possible, the harder it becomes.If you think this is crazy, ask yourself what's actually crazier: demanding a share of the value built on your collective labor, or watching trillions of dollars get extracted from it and saying nothing.the idea of Alaskans getting a check just for existing sounded crazy too, right up until it didn't.
If you think this is crazy, ask yourself what's actually crazier: demanding a share of the value built on your collective labor, or watching trillions of dollars get extracted from it and saying nothing.the idea of Alaskans getting a check just for existing sounded crazy too, right up until it didn't.
the idea of Alaskans getting a check just for existing sounded crazy too, right up until it didn't.
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But the model is built on us. You can move the server anywhere you want. You can't escape the fact that everything inside it came from human minds. That's an ownership claim no one can relocate away from.
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To move beyond that default you need to organize into things like communities, lobbying groups, and/or even governments.Ownership of singular non-physical objects is a polite lie we tell ourselves because it makes us feel more secure in a universe filled with information chaos. The moment you open your mouth or move your pen you no longer own what is in your mind, it is now entropy. Lose control of that entropy and it now belongs to anyone with the proper tooling to record it. This is a universal law of information, it is beyond the laws of men and their fickle will.Much like we build on information from our past generations, AI will build its own new information on those foundations. And since AI is an entity of information alone it is highly probable it will do it far better than we will and forever cement us in a prison of our own making.
Ownership of singular non-physical objects is a polite lie we tell ourselves because it makes us feel more secure in a universe filled with information chaos. The moment you open your mouth or move your pen you no longer own what is in your mind, it is now entropy. Lose control of that entropy and it now belongs to anyone with the proper tooling to record it. This is a universal law of information, it is beyond the laws of men and their fickle will.Much like we build on information from our past generations, AI will build its own new information on those foundations. And since AI is an entity of information alone it is highly probable it will do it far better than we will and forever cement us in a prison of our own making.
Much like we build on information from our past generations, AI will build its own new information on those foundations. And since AI is an entity of information alone it is highly probable it will do it far better than we will and forever cement us in a prison of our own making.
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Our entire civilization runs on your "polite lie" of owning non-physical things. Patents, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing agreements, NDAs. Trillion dollar companies are built on the legal enforceability of intellectual property. The software you're using to type this comment exists because someone owns the code.Calling information "entropy" doesn't make contract law disappear. We decided collectively that people and institutions can own ideas, and we built the modern economy on that decision. You can argue that's a fiction, but it's a fiction that everything around you depends on.You can't invoke "universal laws of information" to dismiss public claims to training data while the companies training on it aggressively enforce their own IP. They patent their architectures. They copyright their outputs. They sue competitors for misuse. They clearly believe in ownership of non-physical objects when it benefits them.You don't get it both ways.
Calling information "entropy" doesn't make contract law disappear. We decided collectively that people and institutions can own ideas, and we built the modern economy on that decision. You can argue that's a fiction, but it's a fiction that everything around you depends on.You can't invoke "universal laws of information" to dismiss public claims to training data while the companies training on it aggressively enforce their own IP. They patent their architectures. They copyright their outputs. They sue competitors for misuse. They clearly believe in ownership of non-physical objects when it benefits them.You don't get it both ways.
You can't invoke "universal laws of information" to dismiss public claims to training data while the companies training on it aggressively enforce their own IP. They patent their architectures. They copyright their outputs. They sue competitors for misuse. They clearly believe in ownership of non-physical objects when it benefits them.You don't get it both ways.
You don't get it both ways.
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The same line of reasoning that purports billionaires will flee if their taxes go up.Spoiler alert: they don't.Also, data centers in space is not a serious idea. It's been beaten to death that this isn't economical. People like Musk are proposing that as a possibility for the sole reason of keeping regulation away. "Well if you regulate us we will just move into space". They won't because they can't because physics.
Spoiler alert: they don't.Also, data centers in space is not a serious idea. It's been beaten to death that this isn't economical. People like Musk are proposing that as a possibility for the sole reason of keeping regulation away. "Well if you regulate us we will just move into space". They won't because they can't because physics.
Also, data centers in space is not a serious idea. It's been beaten to death that this isn't economical. People like Musk are proposing that as a possibility for the sole reason of keeping regulation away. "Well if you regulate us we will just move into space". They won't because they can't because physics.
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looks at the USWell, looks like we lost that.
Well, looks like we lost that.
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Every human uses that "resource" to train themselves, and now they use AI to supercharge that consumption.The companies are giving average lay people access to a personal PhD to help with whatever they are working on, for $20/mo, and those companies are committing an evil cardinal sin?I get the gatekeepers are pissed, LLMs are way cheaper than those expensive gate fees, and I cannot come up with a good faith argument about how giving the power of SOTA LLMs to anyone for $20/mo is somehow evil or bad.In an alternate universe these same models are $100k/mo with limited invite only access, occasionally the public gets a single demo prompt with a short reply, and $20/mo access is a utopian wet dream.If you want UBI, then the framing shouldn't be around "whoever had content on the internet circa 2024 is entitled to lifetime AI company payouts that effectively act as permanent unemployment checks."
The companies are giving average lay people access to a personal PhD to help with whatever they are working on, for $20/mo, and those companies are committing an evil cardinal sin?I get the gatekeepers are pissed, LLMs are way cheaper than those expensive gate fees, and I cannot come up with a good faith argument about how giving the power of SOTA LLMs to anyone for $20/mo is somehow evil or bad.In an alternate universe these same models are $100k/mo with limited invite only access, occasionally the public gets a single demo prompt with a short reply, and $20/mo access is a utopian wet dream.If you want UBI, then the framing shouldn't be around "whoever had content on the internet circa 2024 is entitled to lifetime AI company payouts that effectively act as permanent unemployment checks."
I get the gatekeepers are pissed, LLMs are way cheaper than those expensive gate fees, and I cannot come up with a good faith argument about how giving the power of SOTA LLMs to anyone for $20/mo is somehow evil or bad.In an alternate universe these same models are $100k/mo with limited invite only access, occasionally the public gets a single demo prompt with a short reply, and $20/mo access is a utopian wet dream.If you want UBI, then the framing shouldn't be around "whoever had content on the internet circa 2024 is entitled to lifetime AI company payouts that effectively act as permanent unemployment checks."
In an alternate universe these same models are $100k/mo with limited invite only access, occasionally the public gets a single demo prompt with a short reply, and $20/mo access is a utopian wet dream.If you want UBI, then the framing shouldn't be around "whoever had content on the internet circa 2024 is entitled to lifetime AI company payouts that effectively act as permanent unemployment checks."
If you want UBI, then the framing shouldn't be around "whoever had content on the internet circa 2024 is entitled to lifetime AI company payouts that effectively act as permanent unemployment checks."
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Sick of how SV/VC absolutely ruin words for their own monetary benefit.How about you put up it up to a national vote and see what democracy gets you? I highly suspect that vast majorities of the electorate would want to nationalize this tech to benefit everyone rather than benefiting the few.Democracy means there is a politics of rejection, rejection is normal in functioning democracies; what isn't normal are small handfuls of people capturing all collective human intelligence then claiming only they are allowed to benefit from it.
How about you put up it up to a national vote and see what democracy gets you? I highly suspect that vast majorities of the electorate would want to nationalize this tech to benefit everyone rather than benefiting the few.Democracy means there is a politics of rejection, rejection is normal in functioning democracies; what isn't normal are small handfuls of people capturing all collective human intelligence then claiming only they are allowed to benefit from it.
Democracy means there is a politics of rejection, rejection is normal in functioning democracies; what isn't normal are small handfuls of people capturing all collective human intelligence then claiming only they are allowed to benefit from it.
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Lol, then you've missed how propaganda in the US has worked for the last 100 years. The wealthy have launched a continuous attack against the idea of nationalization/socialization to the point it creates a irrational Pavlovian response in huge portions of the population. Us the population have already lost a war we had no idea we were fighting to an enemy that plays a far longer game than most of us.
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I suppose the root of the word is from democracy, everyone gets a vote/equal rights, but the meaning doesn't really have anything to do with politics or government...So to reframe my argument for clarity;I have a hard time coming up with an honest critique of why giving everyone incredibly cheap access (often free!) to incredibly powerful LLMs is somehow evil. And obviously these things are ridiculously popular. Average people seem to think they are fucking awesome, and anger seems to be mostly from gatekeepers that are relentlessly screaming that their gates are being bypassed for pennies.
So to reframe my argument for clarity;I have a hard time coming up with an honest critique of why giving everyone incredibly cheap access (often free!) to incredibly powerful LLMs is somehow evil. And obviously these things are ridiculously popular. Average people seem to think they are fucking awesome, and anger seems to be mostly from gatekeepers that are relentlessly screaming that their gates are being bypassed for pennies.
I have a hard time coming up with an honest critique of why giving everyone incredibly cheap access (often free!) to incredibly powerful LLMs is somehow evil. And obviously these things are ridiculously popular. Average people seem to think they are fucking awesome, and anger seems to be mostly from gatekeepers that are relentlessly screaming that their gates are being bypassed for pennies.
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I'm having a hard time understanding why you think it's okay for SV to steal from humanity then profit off of our knowledge? In which universe is this democratic? Why is this something we have to accept? I don't accept it at all, the vast majority of Americans don't accept it.This is just neoliberalism with flame decals.These things are CLEARLY NOT POPULAR, why do you think all the LLM companies are trying to force these tools through corporate mandates that have been falling? Why do you think LLM companies are chasing after lucrative corporate welfare in the form of government contracts lasting from years to decades?For a technology that sure billed as useful sure is struggling hard to find paying customers.Why do you think people are protesting data center buildouts? Why do you think the vast majority of Americans hate big tech and SV? Look at who the most hated people are in America, it's nearly all of big tech leadership.Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
This is just neoliberalism with flame decals.These things are CLEARLY NOT POPULAR, why do you think all the LLM companies are trying to force these tools through corporate mandates that have been falling? Why do you think LLM companies are chasing after lucrative corporate welfare in the form of government contracts lasting from years to decades?For a technology that sure billed as useful sure is struggling hard to find paying customers.Why do you think people are protesting data center buildouts? Why do you think the vast majority of Americans hate big tech and SV? Look at who the most hated people are in America, it's nearly all of big tech leadership.Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
These things are CLEARLY NOT POPULAR, why do you think all the LLM companies are trying to force these tools through corporate mandates that have been falling? Why do you think LLM companies are chasing after lucrative corporate welfare in the form of government contracts lasting from years to decades?For a technology that sure billed as useful sure is struggling hard to find paying customers.Why do you think people are protesting data center buildouts? Why do you think the vast majority of Americans hate big tech and SV? Look at who the most hated people are in America, it's nearly all of big tech leadership.Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
For a technology that sure billed as useful sure is struggling hard to find paying customers.Why do you think people are protesting data center buildouts? Why do you think the vast majority of Americans hate big tech and SV? Look at who the most hated people are in America, it's nearly all of big tech leadership.Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
Why do you think people are protesting data center buildouts? Why do you think the vast majority of Americans hate big tech and SV? Look at who the most hated people are in America, it's nearly all of big tech leadership.Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
Get out of your bubble.I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
I have never seen a product that has to have a company mandate to use it or lose your job. Usually products that are useful and productive don't need a company mandate for adoption.
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Ironically if you actually read that study, the "MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing", they found that almost everyone was using AI tools they paid for.>While official enterprise initiatives remain stuck on the wrong side of the GenAI
Divide, employees are already crossing it through personal AI tools. This "shadow AI" often
delivers better ROI than formal initiatives and reveals what actually works for bridging the
divide.
Behind the disappointing enterprise deployment numbers lies a surprising reality: AI is
already transforming work, just not through official channels. Our research uncovered a
thriving "shadow AI economy" where employees use personal ChatGPT accounts, Claude
subscriptions, and other consumer tools to automate significant portions of their jobs, often
without IT knowledge or approval.
The scale is remarkable. While only 40% of companies say they purchased an official LLM
subscription, workers from over 90% of the companies we surveyed reported regular use of
personal AI tools for work tasks. In fact, almost every single person used an LLM in some
form for their work. In many cases, shadow AI users reported using LLMs multiples times a day every day of their weekly workload through personal tools, while their companies' official AI initiatives remained stalled in pilot phase [1]If you want to avoid info bubbles, read the reports, not just headlines and comments.[1]https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Bus... Section 3.3
>While official enterprise initiatives remain stuck on the wrong side of the GenAI
Divide, employees are already crossing it through personal AI tools. This "shadow AI" often
delivers better ROI than formal initiatives and reveals what actually works for bridging the
divide.
Behind the disappointing enterprise deployment numbers lies a surprising reality: AI is
already transforming work, just not through official channels. Our research uncovered a
thriving "shadow AI economy" where employees use personal ChatGPT accounts, Claude
subscriptions, and other consumer tools to automate significant portions of their jobs, often
without IT knowledge or approval.
The scale is remarkable. While only 40% of companies say they purchased an official LLM
subscription, workers from over 90% of the companies we surveyed reported regular use of
personal AI tools for work tasks. In fact, almost every single person used an LLM in some
form for their work. In many cases, shadow AI users reported using LLMs multiples times a day every day of their weekly workload through personal tools, while their companies' official AI initiatives remained stalled in pilot phase [1]If you want to avoid info bubbles, read the reports, not just headlines and comments.[1]https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Bus... Section 3.3
If you want to avoid info bubbles, read the reports, not just headlines and comments.[1]https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Bus... Section 3.3
[1]https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Bus... Section 3.3
reply
Time to leave whatever bubble you live in. These are some of the most popular apps on the market today. It's incredibly popular.
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The instant people feel like "AI" isn't fun, the whole thing dies.
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Sorry what? Authors are gatekeepers to what? Their books that they wrote and now will never get paid for cuz the LLM ripped it?
reply
Many books you can even get free at a library....
reply
Average people who wants to go home from work and game are fucking angry at AI for raising the ram prices.Average person who wants to own the stuff and not have things on cloud are fucking angry at AI for raising prices 5 times in such a short period of time.Have you talked to an average person and how they use AI? They use it as a glorified no-code editor and search engine.A search engine which can make some pretty wrong cases which can literally lead to near death like scenarios all while being completely trust me bro attitude.A man asked AI for health advice and it cooked every brain cell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNUNormal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Average person who wants to own the stuff and not have things on cloud are fucking angry at AI for raising prices 5 times in such a short period of time.Have you talked to an average person and how they use AI? They use it as a glorified no-code editor and search engine.A search engine which can make some pretty wrong cases which can literally lead to near death like scenarios all while being completely trust me bro attitude.A man asked AI for health advice and it cooked every brain cell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNUNormal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Have you talked to an average person and how they use AI? They use it as a glorified no-code editor and search engine.A search engine which can make some pretty wrong cases which can literally lead to near death like scenarios all while being completely trust me bro attitude.A man asked AI for health advice and it cooked every brain cell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNUNormal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
A search engine which can make some pretty wrong cases which can literally lead to near death like scenarios all while being completely trust me bro attitude.A man asked AI for health advice and it cooked every brain cell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNUNormal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
A man asked AI for health advice and it cooked every brain cell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNUNormal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Normal people use AI to confide in it secrets, seek therapy somehow. And the same AI generates AI pyschosis.Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Now coming to tech industry: Tech industry is worried about that such levels of democratization just means that nobody is going to pay for them yet at the same time, we will see projects who are completely created by AI seek money. It's this weird mush where if you are a genuine guy who just loved computing, who loved tinkering, yeah we're offloading that capability to AII have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
I have seen this even more and more with as agents want to get more autonomous or we are letting them be. The projects generated feel hollow to me. I don't consider myself a full fledged programmer right now and AI did supercharge me and made me have projects. Nowadays, it just feels like prompt ---> (Time) --> Output.It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
It just feels hollow and AI companies did it by abusing the passion of these same developers and scraping stack overflow, scraping github and having all disregards for properties.People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
People could spend years creating a book about say postgres and an AI took it, ripped it in half and then decided to use that info and not even give credits.All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
All, at the same time that AI is being pushed down on employees. Some just don't want to have it but nope, they must. they are forced.Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Essentially engineering with AI feels like it becomes a marketing gimmick. Anyone who can market somehow (Ahem ahem Openclaw) can get a job at OpenAi all because in some attention hype breeds hype and they had stars and people talked about stars on twitter, and more people found it and starred it and so on and started using itTurns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Turns out that nowadays there are allegations being made against Openclaw> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
> Star velocity shocked analysts. Moreover, the repository added roughly 220,000 stars within 84 days of launch. In contrast, Kubernetes needed five years for similar numbers. Many builders call the growth organic. Nevertheless, some observers link the surge to hype, bot accounts, and headline attention, fueling the GitHub Stars Controversy. Independent GitHub Archive pulls show several single-day jumps above 25,000 stars. Such abrupt spikes often signal scripted starring, yet no formal audit confirms abuse. These patterns feed community debate. Consequently, trust in the star metric has weakened, prompting calls for verification.https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
https://www.aicerts.ai/news/openclaws-github-stars-controver...The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
The marketing industry has been very closely linked to sometimes scam prone areas and shady areas of the internet and engineering used to be clean from all of this for the most part. Now, the norm to me feels like buy github stars and buy twitter attention or pray to be in an algorithm which you can't read but it reads every move you make, and yes this is your business strategy nowHave you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Have you looked at truly AI-first companies and what they do/like how do they generate numbers in the first place?These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
These are two distinct points. I don't think that people of here would be any mad if someone made a little prototyping script for themselves with the power of this Phd that you mention. Heck, these same programmers that you now call gatekeepers have never gatekeeped much of it. They worked and contributed to open source for free while being severely undermainted.The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
The audacity to call these same people gatekeepers shockens me because open source people if anything are the Opposite of that and yet AI stole their rights and their licenses from them. An AI can take AGPL code and then somehow churn it into MIT tada! It doesn't even have to give any accredits when it gets trained on AGPL or ANY type of code, no matter how restrictive or permissive.these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
these are the same people btw who are on programming forums which yes at times did have moderation issue but still tried to help noobs learn for free. They did it because they loved tinkering with computersThat's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
That's my take on it. feel free to ask for more things if you may as I would love to tell you more but for the sake of this discussion, I think enough can be relevant.It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
It's absolutely ironical to call say the Open source people gatekeepers because AI violated their rights and licenses.Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
Calling Open source Contributors gatekeepers might as well be an oxymoron.
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As to prices: look at power bills, RAM prices, appliance prices, and prices of anything with microchips. Consumers are paying a lot more than $20/month for this slop.
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I mean, raise you hand if you have never paid for AI "slop", I see maybe a hand or two in this room of tens of thousands.It's a strawman to frame it as AI labs get everything and society gets nothing. Bruh, the fastest growing applications of all time didn't explode in popularity because they "offer nothing of value". I'm not giving you an argument, I'm giving you a reality check.
It's a strawman to frame it as AI labs get everything and society gets nothing. Bruh, the fastest growing applications of all time didn't explode in popularity because they "offer nothing of value". I'm not giving you an argument, I'm giving you a reality check.
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You're probably right -- except for the billions in massive PR campaigns that will be spent to successfully convince enough of them that it's in their best interest to let the companies keep ownership.This is in addition to the billions in PR already being spent to make AI palatable in spite of the societal and economic costs.
This is in addition to the billions in PR already being spent to make AI palatable in spite of the societal and economic costs.
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Paying for access to information is not democracy
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AI can be genuinely useful AND the people whose collective output made it possible can deserve a share of the wealth it generates. These aren't in conflict.Alaskans benefit from oil too. It heats their homes, paves their roads, funds their schools. That wasn't an argument against the dividend. "You're already benefiting from the resource" has never been a reason the people who generated it shouldn't share in the profits.The question was never "is AI good." It's "when something built on collective human output generates trillions, does the public have a claim to a share." Nothing you said here addresses that.
Alaskans benefit from oil too. It heats their homes, paves their roads, funds their schools. That wasn't an argument against the dividend. "You're already benefiting from the resource" has never been a reason the people who generated it shouldn't share in the profits.The question was never "is AI good." It's "when something built on collective human output generates trillions, does the public have a claim to a share." Nothing you said here addresses that.
The question was never "is AI good." It's "when something built on collective human output generates trillions, does the public have a claim to a share." Nothing you said here addresses that.
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> a personal PhD
Come on, spare us OpenAI's PR bullshit.
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So your understanding of the present state is that we are living in a utopian wet dream now that we have models who can generate slop faster so much so that we have a term of it called AI slop?I or many people don't want this Utopian wet dream, so I want to know, did I or other people have say it or not?A few select people decide what's the definition of a Utopian wet dream is and they then take the collective properties of everybody else to fulfill that and even putting the employment/livelihood of those same people into risksSir, does that sound familiar?> I get the gatekeepers are pissedNo, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
I or many people don't want this Utopian wet dream, so I want to know, did I or other people have say it or not?A few select people decide what's the definition of a Utopian wet dream is and they then take the collective properties of everybody else to fulfill that and even putting the employment/livelihood of those same people into risksSir, does that sound familiar?> I get the gatekeepers are pissedNo, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
A few select people decide what's the definition of a Utopian wet dream is and they then take the collective properties of everybody else to fulfill that and even putting the employment/livelihood of those same people into risksSir, does that sound familiar?> I get the gatekeepers are pissedNo, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
Sir, does that sound familiar?> I get the gatekeepers are pissedNo, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
> I get the gatekeepers are pissedNo, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
No, humans are pissed, humans just like how you and your family are humans too (well I sure hope so)
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A helper tool that I can ask a question and which responds with relevant information gleaned from the vast collection of human-gathered knowledge and experience would be fantastic.What we have instead is something that often gets things mostly right, if you don't look too hard at it. And the poisoned output of this thing seeps back into the knowledge pool, reducing its accuracy and therefore usefulness.The problem of LLMs is the dissolution of human knowledge into a sea of slop.
What we have instead is something that often gets things mostly right, if you don't look too hard at it. And the poisoned output of this thing seeps back into the knowledge pool, reducing its accuracy and therefore usefulness.The problem of LLMs is the dissolution of human knowledge into a sea of slop.
The problem of LLMs is the dissolution of human knowledge into a sea of slop.
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The social media companies gave their services for free, and now it turns out they've committed quite a few sins. None of the AI companies are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts, nor will they be satisfied with subscription revenue. If they see opportunities to make more money by manipulating the population, rest assured they will take those opportunities.
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But you're answering a question I'm not asking. The question isn't "was something taken from you." It's "who deserves a share when collective human output generates trillions in commercial value."your torrenting analogy makes my case. Nobody loses their original movie when it gets pirated either. We still recognize that the people who made it deserve compensation when others profit from it. The entire IP enforcement apparatus is built on exactly that principle.Non-rivalrous doesn't mean non-exploitable.
your torrenting analogy makes my case. Nobody loses their original movie when it gets pirated either. We still recognize that the people who made it deserve compensation when others profit from it. The entire IP enforcement apparatus is built on exactly that principle.Non-rivalrous doesn't mean non-exploitable.
Non-rivalrous doesn't mean non-exploitable.
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Nothing physical is being stolen when a company makes a clone of a product based on another company's designs, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have patent laws.
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Edit: to clarify, this wouldn't be a tax. A tax is the government taking a cut of someone else's money. A royalty is the owner charging for access to their resource. Alaska doesn't tax Exxon for drilling. It charges Exxon for extracting something that belongs to the people. Same principle here.
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It being a royalty and not a tax is the reason Alaska's dividend is politically untouchable while tax-funded programs get gutted every budget cycle. Ownership is a fundamentally stronger claim than redistribution.
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Isn't that how communism (should have) worked?
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The Alaska Permanent Fund has been running since 1982 inside the most conservative state in America. Norway's sovereign wealth fund is the largest on earth and their economy is doing fine.These models work.. work well... And they exist comfortably within mixed market economies.The question is whether the public gets a cut when private companies build fortunes on a collectively generated resource, or whether they don't. We already know the answer can be yes without anything breaking.Our entire white collar system might be a house of cards with AI, what I am proposing is a safe hedge against a future with potentially massive wealth inequality, and increased unemployment. But this isn't just about protection from injury... people should BENEFIT massively.
These models work.. work well... And they exist comfortably within mixed market economies.The question is whether the public gets a cut when private companies build fortunes on a collectively generated resource, or whether they don't. We already know the answer can be yes without anything breaking.Our entire white collar system might be a house of cards with AI, what I am proposing is a safe hedge against a future with potentially massive wealth inequality, and increased unemployment. But this isn't just about protection from injury... people should BENEFIT massively.
The question is whether the public gets a cut when private companies build fortunes on a collectively generated resource, or whether they don't. We already know the answer can be yes without anything breaking.Our entire white collar system might be a house of cards with AI, what I am proposing is a safe hedge against a future with potentially massive wealth inequality, and increased unemployment. But this isn't just about protection from injury... people should BENEFIT massively.
Our entire white collar system might be a house of cards with AI, what I am proposing is a safe hedge against a future with potentially massive wealth inequality, and increased unemployment. But this isn't just about protection from injury... people should BENEFIT massively.
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not sure if that would work in this case since all these companies scraped (publicly) available data? So with the right resources anyone could redo it?
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because no one believes there are legal consequences if they don'tand there are a lot of ways to doge it even if there where a reliable government in placelike especially if they do what they have been doing recently (run their own generator, build their own power planes) a lot of this cost is implicit and as such very dogeable. E.g. higher cost for gas power planes for other due to major increase of demand, higher medical cost due to more air pollution, higher fuel prices, etc. etc. (not even speaking about anything climate change).
and there are a lot of ways to doge it even if there where a reliable government in placelike especially if they do what they have been doing recently (run their own generator, build their own power planes) a lot of this cost is implicit and as such very dogeable. E.g. higher cost for gas power planes for other due to major increase of demand, higher medical cost due to more air pollution, higher fuel prices, etc. etc. (not even speaking about anything climate change).
like especially if they do what they have been doing recently (run their own generator, build their own power planes) a lot of this cost is implicit and as such very dogeable. E.g. higher cost for gas power planes for other due to major increase of demand, higher medical cost due to more air pollution, higher fuel prices, etc. etc. (not even speaking about anything climate change).
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If it is not legally required, it will not be done.
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Blinded by greed, I have never done it before, but I have seen the light, the bright future that we are all building toward.From this day forth, I shall be righteous.In your name, all good things come.Hallelujah.
From this day forth, I shall be righteous.In your name, all good things come.Hallelujah.
In your name, all good things come.Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
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There's a lot of data centers that are not being built because they're not fixing it. The trend is going to continue. The hate for AI is going to grow. You basically have a lot of people that will vote a lot of people into office to take down all AI progress inside the United States if they don't fix their problems.It'll be cool to shit on big tech as a politician.
It'll be cool to shit on big tech as a politician.
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And it's not just data centers, it's all sorts of industry. My local gravel and concrete plants run their "big stuff" off generators because the cost of the utility drop for their amperage doesn't make sense. And nobody will connect the dots between these choices and the requirements we've saddled utilities with. They're spinning up generator not because it's cheaper per watt, but because they're not operating on the 40yr timeline you need to be in order for the red tape you have to go through to put in permanent infrastructure to pencil out.I'm an abutter for a utility project and I've gone to the meetings for and it's an absolute massive boondoggle. My energy bill is going to reflect god knows how many hundreds of billable hours it takes for these hired lawyers and engineers to prove to the system that they're not gonna fuck over any endangered frogs by widening the cut to meet some industry standard that changed over the past N year and dumping culverts and fill in some places where streams criss cross it.Literally nobody involved cares. The abutters don't care. The town wants it to go forward because it's all trivial and it's not like it won't be their ass if they block an upgrade to industry standards and something happens. The system is just going through the motions. The city engineer grills them about petty bullshit because it's literally his job. They know he will and they have the answers but he makes a show out of the subjective things. Ditto for the conservation commissioner. It's like the Israel missiles meme. One side is my tax dollars and the other side is my energy bill. We're all doing this because some slimy politicians wanted to pander to some shortsighted big picture ignoring environmentalists 50yr ago and beurocacy has perpetuated and grown itself since. No public interest is served by this.And the cherry on top is that at the margin, we get shit like generators that don't need to exist because the cost of the alternative is driven up to the point the fuel inefficient (and also dirty) solution makes sense.
I'm an abutter for a utility project and I've gone to the meetings for and it's an absolute massive boondoggle. My energy bill is going to reflect god knows how many hundreds of billable hours it takes for these hired lawyers and engineers to prove to the system that they're not gonna fuck over any endangered frogs by widening the cut to meet some industry standard that changed over the past N year and dumping culverts and fill in some places where streams criss cross it.Literally nobody involved cares. The abutters don't care. The town wants it to go forward because it's all trivial and it's not like it won't be their ass if they block an upgrade to industry standards and something happens. The system is just going through the motions. The city engineer grills them about petty bullshit because it's literally his job. They know he will and they have the answers but he makes a show out of the subjective things. Ditto for the conservation commissioner. It's like the Israel missiles meme. One side is my tax dollars and the other side is my energy bill. We're all doing this because some slimy politicians wanted to pander to some shortsighted big picture ignoring environmentalists 50yr ago and beurocacy has perpetuated and grown itself since. No public interest is served by this.And the cherry on top is that at the margin, we get shit like generators that don't need to exist because the cost of the alternative is driven up to the point the fuel inefficient (and also dirty) solution makes sense.
Literally nobody involved cares. The abutters don't care. The town wants it to go forward because it's all trivial and it's not like it won't be their ass if they block an upgrade to industry standards and something happens. The system is just going through the motions. The city engineer grills them about petty bullshit because it's literally his job. They know he will and they have the answers but he makes a show out of the subjective things. Ditto for the conservation commissioner. It's like the Israel missiles meme. One side is my tax dollars and the other side is my energy bill. We're all doing this because some slimy politicians wanted to pander to some shortsighted big picture ignoring environmentalists 50yr ago and beurocacy has perpetuated and grown itself since. No public interest is served by this.And the cherry on top is that at the margin, we get shit like generators that don't need to exist because the cost of the alternative is driven up to the point the fuel inefficient (and also dirty) solution makes sense.
And the cherry on top is that at the margin, we get shit like generators that don't need to exist because the cost of the alternative is driven up to the point the fuel inefficient (and also dirty) solution makes sense.
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I'm more than insinuating it. The cause may be noble but the state and local implementations have been perverted by all the minutia and business interests and NIMBYism. I would go so far as to say that (state and local implementation of requirements within) the clean water act is a non-negligible contributor to the decline of manufacturing and agriculture in the northeast and upper midwest.We basically took "thou shalt not dump for that is bad for our surface and ground water" and over 50yr turned it into a blank check for all manner of leeches to make a buck and all manner of NIMBYs to make things unnecessarily expensive.Petty 1.5-acre "I want my lightly forested former field to be a field again" and "business is going great I want my gavel parking lot paved" being stalled by five figure costs and even with those costs incurred it doesn't guarantee compliance. That's a far cry from the "yeah we just dump this stuff in a settling pond, IDK where it goes after that but man that river over there sure is a weird color" type 1960s industry behavior that it was meant to really curb. And the big industrial offenders still get to do what they want, not as bad as before of course, but still bad. Some Megacorp's runoff might turn the fish neon green or their 1k unit condo development might turn the river brown with silt but of course they'll be right there with their lawyers and experts who'll tell you why it's fine even when it's not to anyone with a brain and two eyeballs. The layman can't pay off people like that be on their side and neither can the regulators. (I assume this frequent fact pattern what you refer to by "living in the stink")I think it ought to be revamped at the state and local level into something that's substantially more "results based" rather than the proactive red tape "make the bureaucrats feel like their ass is covered if someone ever complains about what they approved" based system we have now.(And just to be clear for any readers who aren't familiar, the clean water act basically doesn't do much to affect the average person or business at a federal level. The local implementations and all the key definitions, industry standards, etc, are where the rubber really meets the road)Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
We basically took "thou shalt not dump for that is bad for our surface and ground water" and over 50yr turned it into a blank check for all manner of leeches to make a buck and all manner of NIMBYs to make things unnecessarily expensive.Petty 1.5-acre "I want my lightly forested former field to be a field again" and "business is going great I want my gavel parking lot paved" being stalled by five figure costs and even with those costs incurred it doesn't guarantee compliance. That's a far cry from the "yeah we just dump this stuff in a settling pond, IDK where it goes after that but man that river over there sure is a weird color" type 1960s industry behavior that it was meant to really curb. And the big industrial offenders still get to do what they want, not as bad as before of course, but still bad. Some Megacorp's runoff might turn the fish neon green or their 1k unit condo development might turn the river brown with silt but of course they'll be right there with their lawyers and experts who'll tell you why it's fine even when it's not to anyone with a brain and two eyeballs. The layman can't pay off people like that be on their side and neither can the regulators. (I assume this frequent fact pattern what you refer to by "living in the stink")I think it ought to be revamped at the state and local level into something that's substantially more "results based" rather than the proactive red tape "make the bureaucrats feel like their ass is covered if someone ever complains about what they approved" based system we have now.(And just to be clear for any readers who aren't familiar, the clean water act basically doesn't do much to affect the average person or business at a federal level. The local implementations and all the key definitions, industry standards, etc, are where the rubber really meets the road)Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
Petty 1.5-acre "I want my lightly forested former field to be a field again" and "business is going great I want my gavel parking lot paved" being stalled by five figure costs and even with those costs incurred it doesn't guarantee compliance. That's a far cry from the "yeah we just dump this stuff in a settling pond, IDK where it goes after that but man that river over there sure is a weird color" type 1960s industry behavior that it was meant to really curb. And the big industrial offenders still get to do what they want, not as bad as before of course, but still bad. Some Megacorp's runoff might turn the fish neon green or their 1k unit condo development might turn the river brown with silt but of course they'll be right there with their lawyers and experts who'll tell you why it's fine even when it's not to anyone with a brain and two eyeballs. The layman can't pay off people like that be on their side and neither can the regulators. (I assume this frequent fact pattern what you refer to by "living in the stink")I think it ought to be revamped at the state and local level into something that's substantially more "results based" rather than the proactive red tape "make the bureaucrats feel like their ass is covered if someone ever complains about what they approved" based system we have now.(And just to be clear for any readers who aren't familiar, the clean water act basically doesn't do much to affect the average person or business at a federal level. The local implementations and all the key definitions, industry standards, etc, are where the rubber really meets the road)Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
I think it ought to be revamped at the state and local level into something that's substantially more "results based" rather than the proactive red tape "make the bureaucrats feel like their ass is covered if someone ever complains about what they approved" based system we have now.(And just to be clear for any readers who aren't familiar, the clean water act basically doesn't do much to affect the average person or business at a federal level. The local implementations and all the key definitions, industry standards, etc, are where the rubber really meets the road)Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
(And just to be clear for any readers who aren't familiar, the clean water act basically doesn't do much to affect the average person or business at a federal level. The local implementations and all the key definitions, industry standards, etc, are where the rubber really meets the road)Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
Edit: Basically I'm saying that in the past 50yr the interests the CWA was supposed to stymie learned how to pay their way around it, the parties who make a buck doing that have gotten themselves all but written into the compliance process to the detriment of the interests the CWA was supposed to not seriously burden. It needs to be replaced or revised to solve those two big problems.
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Extinction is forever -- your frustration, and that committee process, does not compare directly to species extinction.
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as long as the boxes are checked, most public sector employees are not going to stick their neck out. it's steady work that pays all right and has great benefits (and even pensions sometimes). a lot of people in the public sector aren't willing to step out of line for "frogs" even when they should or want to.
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So you get some guy approving some megacorps project because "well it says here that they've tested the stuff and the liquid mercury is below the
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At the Morgan Stanley Tech, Media and Telecom conference in downtown San Francisco Wednesday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said his company's recent investments in OpenAI and Anthropic are likely to be its last in both, saying that once they go public as anticipated later this year, the opportunity to invest closes.
It could be that simple. While firms sometimes pile into companies until practically the eve of their public debut in search of more upside, Nvidia is minting money selling the chips that power both companies — it's not like it needs to goose its returns by pouring even more money into either one.
Nvidia, for its part, isn't offering much more on the matter. Asked for comment earlier today following Huang's remarks, a spokesman pointed TechCrunch to a transcript from the company's fourth-quarter earnings call, where Huang said all of Nvidia's investments are “focused very squarely, strategically on expanding and deepening our ecosystem reach,” a goal its earlier stakes in both companies have arguably met.
Still, a few other dynamics might also explain the pullback, including the circular nature of these arrangements themselves. When Nvidia first announced it would invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI last September, MIT Sloan professor Michael Cusumano described it to the Financial Times as “kind of a wash,” observing that “Nvidia is investing $100 billion in OpenAI stock, and OpenAI is saying they are going to buy $100 billion or more of Nvidia chips.”
Growing concern that such deals could be creating an investment bubble might explain why the commitment shrank. The investment Nvidia finalized just last week as part of OpenAI's $110 billion round came in at $30 billion — well short of that earlier pledge. (Huang has already dismissed another popular theory — that there is bad blood between the two companies — as “nonsense.”)
Meanwhile, Nvidia's relationship with Anthropic has looked fraught in its own right. Just two months after Nvidia announced a $10 billion investment in November, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei took the stage at Davos and, without naming Nvidia directly, compared the act of U.S. chip companies selling high-performance AI processors to approved Chinese customers to “selling nuclear weapons to North Korea.” Ouch.
In retrospect, a nuclear weapons comparison was the least of it. Just days ago, the Trump administration blacklisted Anthropic, barring federal agencies and military contractors from using its tech after the company refused to allow its models to be used for autonomous weapons or mass domestic surveillance.
Within hours of that announcement, OpenAI said it had struck its own deal with the Pentagon — a move Anthropic has called “mendacious” and the public appears to view similarly. Within 24 hours of the back-to-back announcements, Anthropic's Claude shot to the top of the free-app rankings on Apple's U.S. App Store, overtaking ChatGPT. (At the end of January, Claude was outside the top 100, according to Sensor Tower data.)
Where that leaves Nvidia is holding stakes in two companies that, at this particular moment, are pulling in very different directions and potentially dragging customers and partners along for the ride.
Whether Huang saw any of this coming, given Nvidia's web of partnerships, is impossible to know. But his stated reason on Wednesday for likely pulling the plug on future investments — that the IPO window closes the door on this kind of deal — is hard to square with how late-stage private investing actually works. What's looking more probable is that this is an exit from a situation that has gotten really complicated, really fast.
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Jensen Huang says Nvidia is pulling back from OpenAI and Anthropic, but his explanation raises more questions than it answers
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's messaging around military deal ‘straight up lies,' report says
ChatGPT uninstalls surged by 295% after DoD deal
Users are ditching ChatGPT for Claude — here's how to make the switch
MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens
Anthropic's Claude reports widespread outage
The trap Anthropic built for itself
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Accumulation of the protein tau in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. In a paper publishing March 5 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue, researchers report a previously unknown mechanism that appears to enable the build-up of tau. The study, which employed animal and cellular models as well as patient tissues, suggests a key role for tanycytes-specialized brain cells that regulate brain-body signaling.
Our findings reveal a previously underappreciated, disease-relevant role for tanycytes in neurodegeneration. Focusing on tanycyte health could be a way to improve tau clearance and limit disease progression."
Vincent Prevot, corresponding author, INSERM, France
Tanycytes are a type of non-neuronal brain cell that are primarily found in the third ventricle of the brain. Previous research has shown that these cells play an active role in shuttling metabolic signals between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a communication hub for maintaining homeostasis.
In this study, the researchers sought to better understand how tanycytes clear toxic molecules such as tau to preserve brain health. They found that the brain cells carry toxic molecules out of the CSF and into the blood for disposal, and that when they don't work properly, tau can accumulate in the brain.
"Surprisingly, we were able to show in rodent and cellular models not only that tanycytes were indeed involved in clearing tau but also that tanycytes in the brains of human Alzheimer's patients were fragmented and had changes in gene expression related to this shuttle function," Prevot says.
The team says these findings highlight the potential of developing interventions aimed at maintaining brain homeostasis to prevent neurodegeneration but acknowledge several challenges to targeting tanycytes as a way to develop interventions for Alzheimer's. One key limitation is the lack of good animal models for Alzheimer's disease. Another is the need for larger cohorts and more longitudinal data to establish causality and define the sequence of events linking tanycyte dysfunction to tau pathology.
"Our findings provide the first evidence for structural and functional alterations in these little-known but key brain cells in human disease," says Prevot.
This work was supported by the European Research Council, National Institutes of Health, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, and the Fondation NRJ for Neuroscience-Institut de France.
Cell Press
Sauvé, F., et al. (2026). Tanycytic degeneration impairs tau clearance and contributes to Alzheimer's disease pathology. Cell Press Blue. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpblue.2026.100003. https://www.cell.com/cell-press-blue/fulltext/S3051-3839(26)00001-0
Posted in: Cell Biology | Medical Research News | Medical Condition News
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Researchers have found that targeted delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA) can restore sperm production and fertility in genetically infertile male mice. The findings, published today in Stem Cell Reports, demonstrate that transient mRNA treatment restored sperm production and enabled the birth of healthy offspring.
Up to 10% of couples worldwide are affected by infertility, according to World Health Organization estimates, and male factors are the primary cause in about half of those cases. In many instances, male infertility results from genetic defects that disrupt sperm production.
To develop a targeted method to address genetic defects linked to infertility, Takashi Shinohara of Kyoto University, Japan, and his team injected mRNA – a short-lived molecule containing the blueprint of a gene of interest – into the testes of mice. The use of mRNA was specifically chosen to avoid permanent genetic modification of testis cells or other cells in the body.
The researchers first confirmed that this approach successfully delivered the genetic blueprint to the relevant cell types – sperm-producing cells and supporting Sertoli cells in the testis. They then tested whether mRNA delivery could restore fertility in male mice carrying a specific genetic defect in Sertoli cells that blocks sperm production. This defect has also been implicated in human infertility and testicular disorders.
Delivery of mRNA, which remained active for two days, was sufficient to unblock spermatogenesis in these genetically infertile mice. Importantly, sperm collected from treated animals generated healthy pups when injected into mouse oocytes by in vitro fertilization.
This work demonstrates that mRNA delivery can rescue a specific genetic defect underlying male infertility in mice. Additional studies in animal models will be required to evaluate safety and efficacy before considering potential clinical applications in human patients.
International Society for Stem Cell Research
Kanatsu-Shinohara, M., et al. (2026). Messenger RNA delivery into Sertoli cells restores fertility to congenitally infertile male mice. Stem Cell Reports. DOI:10.1016/j.stemcr.2026.102829. https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/fulltext/S2213-6711(26)00040-8
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Social memory—the ability to recognize familiar individuals and distinguish them from strangers—is fundamental to social cognition. Deficits in social memory are hallmarks of multiple neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Notably, these conditions frequently co-occur with chronic sleep disturbances. Although extensive evidence linking sleep disruption to impaired social cognition, the underlying circuit-level and neurochemical mechanisms have remained largely unresolved.
To address these challenges, the research team led by Prof. Haibo Xu and Prof. Linlin Bi at Wuhan University employed a combination of high-resolution oxytocin (OXT) sensor imaging, optogenetics, calcium imaging, and electrophysiological approaches to uncover the neural circuit mechanisms underlying sleep disruption-induced social memory impairment, as well as potential intervention strategies.
The study found that chronic sleep disruption persistently impairs social memory;
OXT release is differentially encoded in hippocampal CA2 during social novelty encoding, and prelimbic cortex (PrL) during retrieval of familiar individuals; PVNOXT-CA2 and PVNOXT-PrL—respectively govern social memory encoding and retrieval;High-frequency (100 Hz) stimulation of PVNOXT neurons restores neuronal excitability, enhances OXT release, and produces sustained behavioral recovery.
This work provides causal evidence linking sleep disruption, oxytocin signaling, and social memory circuits. Importantly, it highlights restoration of the oxytocin neuronal source as a more effective strategy than downstream circuit modulation alone. The findings offer a conceptual and experimental framework for developing neuromodulation-based therapies, optimizing oxytocin-related interventions, and advancing precision medicine approaches for social cognitive dysfunction associated with sleep disorders.
Science and Technology Review Publishing House
Liu, Y., et al. (2026). Decreased Oxytocin Mediates PVN–CA2 and PVN–PrL in Sleep Deprivation-Induced Social Memory Deficits. Research. DOI:10.34133/research.1076. https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/research.1076
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Teens who frequently lash out at others may face lasting physical health consequences later in life, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The study found that aggressive behavior in early adolescence is linked to faster biological aging and higher body mass index (BMI) by age 30.
This study highlights the potential lasting health consequences stemming from social challenges that emerge in early adolescence. Accelerated aging has been linked to an increased risk for future coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation and even early death."
Joseph Allen, PhD, lead author, University of Virginia
The study, published in the journal Health Psychology, followed 121 middle school students (46 male and 75 female) from suburban and urban communities in the Southeastern United States.
Researchers tracked participants from age 13 into adulthood, collecting self-reports of aggression, parent reports of family conflict, and peer reports of relationship behavior. When participants reached age 30, researchers assessed biological aging using blood-based biomarkers.
"There were 12 markers in all, which included C-reactive protein, blood sugar, white blood cell count, etc. We then used a recently developed algorithm that combines all of these and yields an estimate of a person's biological age, which turns out to be a better predictor of their health and eventual mortality than their actual chronological age," said Allen.
Biological aging was measured using two validated methods: the Klemera-Doubal approach and PhenoAge. Both methods combine indicators such as blood pressure, inflammation, glucose, cholesterol and immune function to estimate how old a person's body appears compared with their actual age.
"Both methods showed that higher levels of aggression in early adolescence predicted more advanced biological age by 30, even after accounting for gender, family income, serious childhood illness and adolescent body shape," said Allen.
Interestingly, researchers also found that males and individuals from lower-income families showed signs of faster biological aging. Further analysis suggested these patterns were tied to relationship difficulties. Boys experienced more conflict with their fathers, while teens from lower-income families were more likely to show punitive behavior toward peers.
Worth noting is that early aggression alone did not predict faster aging unless it led to ongoing relationship problems later in life, according to Allen. Teens who showed higher levels of aggression were more likely to argue with parents and mistreat friends as they grew older. Those continued relationship struggles-not early aggression by itself-were what ultimately predicted accelerated aging.
"This study does not prove that teenage aggression directly causes faster aging," Allen said. "Other factors we didn't measure may also be playing a role, and it's likely that what really matters is how those early behaviors turn into later relationship problems. We also can't yet say whether it's aggressive actions, hostile attitudes or a mix of both that makes the difference."
Still, the findings suggest that early relationship problems may serve as warning signs for long-term health risks, according to Allen. They also highlight the importance of helping adolescents develop healthier relationships early in life, efforts that could benefit both mental and physical health well into adulthood.
"Adolescents are often mocked for treating their relationships as matters of life and death," Allen said. "These findings suggest that, in some ways, they are really on to something, which is that relationships beginning in adolescence, and especially patterns of conflict and aggression that begin in adolescence, do seem to have long-term fundamental physical health implications."
American Psychological Association
Allen, J. P., et al. (2026) Predictions From Early Adolescent Interpersonal Aggression to Accelerated Aging in Adulthood: Relational and Biological Mechanisms of Linkage. Health Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/hea0001576. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/hea-hea0001576.pdf
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People with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder die on average ten to 20 years earlier than the general population. The main causes of this are cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which are triggered or exacerbated by a lack of exercise. Now, an international team of scientists led by MedUni Vienna is calling for physical activity to be recognized as an integral part of psychiatric treatment and is also describing specific steps for successfully integrating it into practice. The review has been published in the renowned journal JAMA Psychiatry.
The scientific publication, led by Brendon Stubbs (Comprehensive Centre for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna), summarizes the results of several hundred studies and meta-analyses, some of which involved more than 10,000 patients. The scientists conclude that structured exercise brings about moderate to large improvements in depression, psychotic symptoms, cognitive performance, quality of life and cardiometabolic health - yet systematic integration into psychiatric care is rare.
People with schizophrenia, for example, spend an average of almost ten hours a day sitting down - more than almost any other population group. Less than 20 per cent of them meet the WHO's recommendations for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense physical activity per week. People with depression or bipolar disorder are up to 50 per cent less likely to be sufficiently active than their peers. These patterns are not just a symptom of the illness: they actively accelerate cardiometabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. They exacerbate inflammatory reactions in the brain (neuroinflammation), which can disrupt communication between nerve cells and lead to cognitive impairment. In addition, lack of exercise exacerbates psychiatric symptoms in a vicious circle.The biological mechanisms behind this are explained in the review: Lack of exercise disrupts the stress hormone system (HPA axis), increases inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, impairs dopamine reward circuits that are linked to motivation, among other things, and reduces levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a key protein for brain health and mood. Exercise reverses many of these processes.
The evidence is clear: physical activity is a safe, effective and scalable therapy for people with severe mental illness. We would not accept psychiatric treatment that did not offer medication or psychotherapy. It is time to apply the same standard to exercise."
Brendon Stubbs, Medical University of Vienna
The review describes how exercise can be successfully integrated into psychiatric care using the 5A model (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, Arrange): It enables any mental health professional to identify inactivity, assess readiness to change behavior, provide personalized recommendations, support motivation and goal setting, and organize progress checks and follow-up appointments - all within a normal clinical consultation. Stubbs: "The drastically reduced life expectancy of people with severe mental illness is one of the most shameful inequalities in modern medicine. Exercise is not a panacea, but it is a proven, universally accessible and cost-effective tool that can really help reduce this inequality."
Medical University of Vienna
Stubbs, B., et al. (2026). Integrating Physical Activity Into Routine Psychiatric Care. JAMA Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.0026. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2845751
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Researchers at TU Graz are using virtual reality and large language models to support people with autism spectrum disorder in training social skills. The system is intended to make treatment options more widely accessible.
An increasing number of people worldwide are affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD); according to studies, one in 44 children is diagnosed with it. A central symptom is so-called "social blindness", i.e. the inability to recognize emotions in others and to react appropriately to social situations. Suitable therapy is usually based on one-to-one or small group support, which is only available to a limited extent and is cost-intensive. Researchers at the Institute of Human-Centred Computing at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) are using computer game technology to create an effective supplement that is inexpensive and available at any time. Initial studies show that this approach helps people with ASD to get through everyday life more safely.
The specially developed virtual environment Simville uses virtual reality, large language models (LLMs), speech recognition and speech generation to make social training location-independent and therefore more accessible for those affected. In this computer world, users train for realistic everyday situations, such as conversations with work colleagues or meeting people in a café. As this takes place in a controlled environment, users can act freely without having to fear social consequences. These training scenarios make them better prepared for similar interactions in everyday life.
"Our system is not meant to replace conventional therapies, but to complement and enhance them in a meaningful way," says Christian Poglitsch from the Institute of Human-Centred Computing at TU Graz, who implemented the project as part of his doctoral thesis. The immersive but playful approach is of central importance to Simville. Tasks, storytelling and immediate feedback after acting out a scene motivate participants to practise regularly. In addition, the number of stimuli acting on the user can be controlled, so that beginners can start with a small number and increase this over time through their training and reduce it again if they become overwhelmed.
By integrating LLMs as well as speech recognition and generation, users can speak to the avatars in the game world like normal. What is said is converted into text by the speech recognition system, and a large language model creates a reaction tailored to the situation and the avatar responds accordingly in spoken language. The team used the model Gemini 12B from Google to create and play out the response.
What was fascinating was that the model was also able to convey a certain emotion. Depending on the context of what is being said, you can definitely hear the right undertone."
Christian Poglitsch, Institute of Human-Centred Computing, TU Graz
Initial studies show that training with Simville has positive effects. A study of 25 participants showed that after just a few sessions, many felt much more confident in social situations. Simville is now being incorporated into the international ETAP project led by Furtwangen University. The simulation interface is combined with extensive sensor technology in order to reduce or increase the intensity of the experience based on the user's reaction. In addition, the Game Lab Graz at TU Graz would like to make Simville available as a demonstrator so that affected people can train with it themselves.
TU Graz
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Inflammatory osteolysis is a condition involving progressive bone tissue destruction and is observed in many well-known skeletal disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic apical periodontitis. This condition is driven by immune hyperactivation, sustained immune responses, and increased numbers of bone-degrading osteoclast cells, which together cause inflammation and weakening of affected bone tissue.
Copper is a vital element for the deposition of collagen in bone tissue, and hence bones contain significant traces of copper. However, excessive cellular copper disrupts glucose and glycogen metabolism pathways and triggers cuproptosis, a form of programmed cell death. Recent studies have found that copper metabolism is altered in the bones of people with arthritis and osteoporosis, suggesting that dysregulated copper levels may contribute to these conditions through cuproptosis.Could cuproptosis impact bone metabolism and contribute to inflammatory osteolysis? A team of researchers from Wuhan University, led by Professor Lu Zhang, investigated this question by examining signs of cuproptosis and altered glycogen metabolism in bone tissue affected by chronic apical periodontitis in both mice and humans. Their findings were made available online on February 3, 2026, in Volume 18 of the International Journal of Oral Science."Emerging studies revealed that glycogen metabolism modulates immune cell functionality, signaling through metabolic intermediates, and energy homeostasis," said Prof. Zhang, adding, "However, the precise mechanisms by which glycogen metabolism regulates cuproptosis progression remain to be elucidated."The team found that cuproptosis was involved in the bone weakening seen in chronic apical periodontitis. Higher amounts of cuproptosis-associated metabolites correlated with greater weakening of jaw bones. More importantly, copper was directly involved in the suppression of Glycogen Synthase 1 (GYS1), an enzyme crucial for converting glucose to glycogen. Copper could bind to histone proteins in chromosomes and silence GYS1 right at the source. When copper overload occurred, cells broke down glycogen into glucose, which they then used for greater energy production. Glucose is also diverted away from the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), which produces reducing agents that mitigate oxidative stress in cells.As a result of these changes, disrupting glycogen synthesis increased oxidative damage within cells, ultimately causing cell death. However, suppressing GYS1 had an interesting effect on macrophages - they transformed into osteoclasts and degraded bone tissue. This transformation occurred both under conditions of copper overload and when GYS1 inhibitors were added to bone tissue. In fact, when copper overload was combined with GYS1 inhibitors, cells experienced significantly greater oxidative damage, and more macrophages transformed into osteoclasts.Conversely, the cuproptosis inhibitor tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) restored GYS1 activity and glycogen synthesis, ultimately reducing bone degradation even when copper levels were elevated. "Collectively, these findings suggest that both copper and GYS1 may regulate inflammatory pathways," said Prof. Zhang.These findings highlight copper metabolism as a potential new therapeutic target for inflammatory osteolysis. Inhibition of cuproptosis, restoration of glycogen synthesis and PPP, and disruption of copper-histone interactions represent promising avenues for new therapies against inflammatory bone diseases. Importantly, such copper-targeted approaches could offer safer, long-term relief without the side effects associated with current anti-inflammatory treatments that suppress immune system activity."Elucidating the mechanism of action of cuproptosis inhibitors in inflammatory bone diseases and developing therapeutics targeting copper and cuproptosis could provide new directions and strategies for treating inflammatory bone diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and apical periodontitis," says Prof. Zhang in conclusion.
Sichuan University
Zhou, L., et al. (2026). Cuproptosis promotes inflammatory osteolysis via GYS1-mediated glycogen metabolism. International Journal of Oral Science. DOI: 10.1038/s41368-025-00408-1. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41368-025-00408-1
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People who use drugs with anticholinergic effects, including certain antidepressants, drugs for urinary incontinence and common antihistamines, are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in BMC Medicine.
Anticholinergic drugs reduce the effect of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and are commonly prescribed to middle-aged and older people. This large group of drugs includes antihistamines used for allergic conditions, anxiety or insomnia, drugs for urinary incontinence, and certain antidepressants, where tricyclic antidepressants have a strong anticholinergic effect, whereas SSRIs have a weaker effect. A high cumulative use of these drugs, referred to as anticholinergic burden (see fact box), has previously been linked to impaired cognitive ability.
The new study suggests that the drugs may also affect the parasympathetic nervous system and thereby the regulation of the cardiovascular system. The results show that it may be important to monitor the total drug burden in everyday clinical practice.The study included more than 500,000 people in Stockholm, Sweden, who were 45 years of age or older and had no prior cardiovascular disease, except for hypertension, at the start of the study. The researchers followed the participants for up to 14 years and analysed how the use of anticholinergic drugs was associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.
Many of these drugs are used by older people and by people with multiple medical conditions. We wanted to investigate whether the total exposure had any significance for the risk of developing cardiovascular disease over time."
Nanbo Zhu, postdoctoral researcher, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet
The study showed that the risk of cardiovascular disease increased in line with how much anticholinergic medication the participants used each year. Those with the highest exposure had a 71 per cent higher risk of a cardiovascular event than people who did not use anticholinergic medication at all. The association was seen for all types of cardiovascular disease but was particularly clear for heart failure and various forms of arrhythmia."Our results indicate that the cumulative drug burden can affect heart regulation, not only in the short term but also over the long term. This does not mean that the drugs should always be avoided, but that exposure should be monitored carefully," says Hong Xu, assistant professor at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society.The researchers point out that the study is observational, meaning it cannot establish a causal relationship. Other factors, such as underlying diseases, may also influence the associations.The work was carried out within the Stockholm CREAtinine Measurements project in collaboration between several research groups at Karolinska Institutet and Region Stockholm. The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, the Center for Innovative Medicine Foundation, and other foundations. Some researchers report assignments for the pharmaceutical industry, which are disclosed in the scientific publication.
Anticholinergic drugs in the study were identified based on the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale, a tool used in research and clinical contexts. The scale covers a wide range of different drugs that are scored between 1 and 3, depending on how much the drug blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The consumption of these drugs is added up to estimate a patient's anticholinergic burden.
Karolinska Institutet
Zhu, N., et al. (2026). Anticholinergic drug burden and incident cardiovascular events: a population-based study. BMC Medicine. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-026-04751-w. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-026-04751-w
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Youth football accounts for the largest share of sports‑related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and young adults, nearly one in every five TBIs, according to a preliminary study released March 4, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.
Youth sports and activities included in the study, in addition to football, were soccer, basketball, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, running, baseball, hiking, roller skating, skateboarding, wrestling, cheerleading, ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey and volleyball.
Traumatic brain injuries from sports are a common, yet preventable, source of long-term neurological and psychiatric issues in children and young adults. Our study found that nearly one in five of these injuries occurred in youth football, with these athletes also experiencing more repeat brain injuries than youth in other sports."
Steven Wolf, MD, study author of Boston Children's Health Physicians in Hawthorne, New York, and member of the American Academy of Neurology
For the study, researchers reviewed a health records database to identify 72,025 children and young adults, age 25 or younger, who had experienced their first sports‑ or recreation‑related TBI. Average age at injury was 14 years, and 32% of cases occurred in girls.
Researchers found that football accounted for 19% of all activity‑related TBIs, with soccer being the second highest accounting for 11% of TBIs, basketball accounting for 10%, and cycling accounting for 7%.
Each athlete with TBI was matched to an athlete of the same age and sex who had experienced a lower‑leg fracture during similar activities but had no history of TBI.
Researchers found that repeat TBIs were common, occurring in 37% of football injuries compared to 32% across all sports.
After adjusting for age and sex, researchers found among those who played football, those with TBI had a 23% higher risk of chronic headaches compared to those without TBI, as well as a 5% higher risk of visual impairment, a 5% higher risk of anxiety, a 3% higher risk of depression and a 1% higher risk of substance use disorders. Visual impairment included double vision, decreased ability to see and in rare cases, complete blindness.
When looking at timing, researchers found that TBIs at younger ages were associated with developmental and mood disorders, while TBIs at older ages were associated with substance use disorders.
"Our findings highlight youth football as a critical public health priority, suggesting that brain injuries sustained during key stages of development may reshape health later," said Wolf. "Prioritizing safety standards like delaying tackle football participation and finding ways to limit repeat injuries could help better protect developing brains."
A limitation of the study is that clinical data was used, making it difficult to figure out the cause of a TBI since the majority of TBIs are recorded without a cause. This may have influenced how researchers attributed TBIs to particular activities.
American Academy of Neurology
Youth Football and the Epidemic of Pediatric Brain Injury: Neurologic and Psychiatric Outcomes in a Multinational Cohort of 72,025 Concussions. https://aanfiles.blob.core.windows.net/aanfiles/cbf5580c-505c-4c67-a1b7-e535ada5d346/2026%20AAN%20Annual%20Meeting%20Abstract%20-%20Youth%20Football%20and%20Pediatric%20Brain%20Injury%20
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Gabi has big brown eyes, pigtails, and a genetic condition that makes her bones brittle. They fracture easily, leaving the 2-year-old in such pain that her mother quit her job cleaning offices to stay home and cradle her in the one-bedroom apartment they share with six relatives.
When federal immigration agents descended on their city, officers deported Gabi's father and detained her aunt.
Gabi was born in the U.S. and is an American citizen. Her best chance to stand, or even walk, someday is a complex surgery on her legs and feet that was scheduled for January. But her mother, too terrified to take out the garbage let alone venture through the city to a hospital, canceled the procedure. KFF Health News agreed to only partially identify the patients and their families in this article because they fear becoming targets of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
"I want more than anything for my baby to walk," her mother said in Spanish, as Gabi cooed and wriggled in her arms, a feeding tube snaking from her stomach to an IV pole. "But with the situation that's happening, I canceled the surgery and all the physical therapy appointments" that would have followed. "Because I'm afraid to leave."
The Department of Homeland Security has declared an end to what it called Operation Metro Surge, carried out by officers with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies. Even so, health care workers say, immigration agents are still camping out in hospital parking lots. And drones fly overhead in agricultural areas beyond Minneapolis, where Somali and Latino immigrants have settled in recent years.
The Minnesota crackdown revealed the sweep of the surveillance and capture system the Trump administration is using to uproot immigrant communities in the United States, and the effect of its powerful brake on the medical system.
Similar health crises surfaced wherever immigration officers massed in the past year. In Dallas, public health clinics administered about 6,000 vaccinations to Latinos last August, half as many as during a similar program a year earlier. In Chicago, doctors rerouted patients daily from clinic to clinic depending on ICE activity. Across the country, crackdowns suppressed immigrants' health care visits.
In Minnesota, medical systems have reported cancellation and no-show rates of up to 60% since December.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, blamed protesters for the disruption. "If anyone is impeding Americans from making appointments or picking up prescriptions," she said, "its [sic] violent agitators who are blocking roadways, ramming vehicles, and vandalizing property."
While Minnesotans rose up to oppose the surge in the streets, doctors and nurses have quietly operated informal, underground medical networks, dodging detection to care for patients at home.
"I used to look somebody in the eyes and say, with good faith, 'You will be fine at the hospital,'" said Emily Carroll, a nurse practitioner at HealthFinders Collaborative, a community clinic in Faribault, some 50 miles south of Minneapolis. "But now, I can't make that guarantee."
As thousands of federal agents move on from Minneapolis, other communities need to prepare, said Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Alice Mann, a physician.
"I know it sounds crazy," she said, but health care providers "need to start an underground network of how to get people care in their homes. Because letting people die at home or come close to death because they are terrified to go into the hospital, in 2026, is outrageous."
Home visits, clinicians say, may be the only way to reach those who still feel under siege. In Los Angeles, starting last June, St. John's Community Health brought medical care to some 2,000 immigrant families too frightened to leave home during an immigration sweep after the clinic's no-show rates ballooned to more than 30%, said Jim Mangia, the organization's president.
Many of Minnesota's large health institutions have relied on telemedicine and only dabbled in home care.
Not Munira Maalimisaq, co-founder of Inspire Change Clinic in Minneapolis' Ventura Village neighborhood. After about one-third of her patients stopped showing up for appointments, "I was like, 'We have to do something,'" the nurse practitioner said. So she called a physician friend. What if they just started seeing patients at home?
"And she's like, 'You know what? Let's do it.'"
They now have about 150 doctors — a volunteer "rapid response" team that has made more than 135 home visits. The first call was a woman whose husband had been deported. She was home with her children, was 39 weeks pregnant, and was in labor. Maalimisaq called an obstetrician volunteer, and they rushed to the patient's house.
"She was 8 centimeters dilated," Maalimisaq said, "and did not want us to call an ambulance. She says, 'Can I have the baby here?'"
The woman was not a good candidate for a home birth, Maalimisaq said. They persuaded her to ride to the hospital in Maalimisaq's car, a "small Tesla, white seats. Everything that could go wrong was there."
But they made it to the hospital in time, and the woman had a safe, healthy delivery. "If we were not there, I can only imagine what would have happened."
Maalimisaq's caregiving follows a Hippocratic logic: "Someone was in need. I cannot just do nothing. And we cannot call an ambulance against her will and have her shoved in there. We had no choice but to do something, and that was the only thing that we could do safely."
In other visits, she has seen "people so stressed out they pulled the hair out of their skull." She said she met a mother who'd been rationing her child's seizure medicine despite the child having experienced "one seizure after another."
The Trump administration says its Minnesota operation improved public safety. "Since Operation Metro Surge began, our brave DHS law enforcement have arrested over 4,000 criminal illegal aliens including vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles and incredibly dangerous individuals," according to McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson. DHS announced last month that McLaughlin was leaving her post.
Minnesota correctional officials say many people accused of crimes were released directly to ICE by state or county prisons and jails. And only 29% of people arrested by ICE nationwide in January had criminal convictions, according to DHS data. Far fewer were convicted of violent crimes.
On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump rescinded a 2011 policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in "sensitive locations" such as schools, hospitals, and churches.
In Northfield, about 45 miles south of Minneapolis, ICE agents have been sitting in their cars for hours at least twice a week outside the town hospital, said Carroll, the nurse practitioner. Agents have made arrests in the area almost every day, Carroll and her colleagues said.
"ICE does not conduct enforcement at hospitals — period," McLaughlin said.
One recent morning, three ICE vehicles sat in a Baptist church parking lot across the street from an elementary school in Northfield as volunteers ferried 35 children of immigrants back and forth to the school so their parents could avoid going out, Carroll said.
"ICE is not going to schools to arrest children — we are protecting children," McLaughlin said.
Drones that Carroll and others believe are operated by immigration agents hover most nights, and sometimes during the day, over a trailer park that mostly houses immigrants who have moved to the area to work in agriculture and manufacturing over the past 15 years. Families paper over trailer windows, Carroll said.
"You cannot feel safe anywhere," she said. "On the way to school, on the way to clinic, you might pass ICE. The sort of crushing fear and feeling of being trapped that these families are going through is outrageous."
That fear means patients with diabetes and heart disease are missing blood sugar and blood thinner tests. Patients aren't getting exercise, and the chronically ill are getting sicker, said Calla Brown, a Minneapolis pediatrician.
At the Faribault clinic where Carroll works, staff members deliver medicine, food, and other necessities to patients. A staffer drives 12 middle and high school kids to and from class every day in a clinic van.
Some patients are treated at home. Carroll recently diagnosed a baby with influenza, telling the parents it wasn't an immediate threat — yet.
"'If you see the baby struggling to breathe, if the baby's not eating, if the baby isn't making wet diapers, you have to go to the hospital,'" Carroll said she told them. "'I cannot promise it's safe. But you've got to go.'"
In Minneapolis, nurse-midwife Fernanda Honebrink spends most of her daylight hours calling, coordinating, and shuttling between a ballooning group of fearful people stuck in their homes. She prefers not to call it a medical underground.
"It's more like, that's how we function in Minnesota," said Honebrink, a U.S. citizen who emigrated from Ecuador 23 years ago. "We're nice to each other."
Honebrink spent a recent afternoon at the home of a family with a baby boy. His parents, Alex and Isa, desperately want him to receive vaccinations and blood tests at his one-year well-child appointment.
But they haven't left their apartment for more than a month. "You don't know what is most important: whether to go out for his well-being, or to go out and think that you might not come back," Alex said.
The couple, who were interviewed in Spanish, entered the U.S. legally from Venezuela in 2024 under a program called Humanitarian Parole, which Trump ended in May. Since then, federal agents have detained and deported workers at a company where Alex, a mechanical engineer by training, worked in construction.
Alex and Isa have seen government vehicles outside their home. They knew of a man, they said, who had legitimate work papers but was picked up while walking to church one Sunday, flown to Texas, then put on a plane to Venezuela. It was a terrifying prospect for those who've fled that country's dictatorship and economic chaos.
"It feels like a psychological attack," Alex said. "The possibility of being separated from your family."
Isa, a lawyer back in Venezuela, has endured postpartum depression, cooped up for weeks in their apartment. The state program that provided health insurance to all immigrants ended Jan. 1. A therapist checks in occasionally by phone, free of charge.
She has tried to keep the family afloat by selling homemade cakes and necklaces, and babysitting.
Her worst fear is being separated from her son, who was born in the U.S. and is a citizen. The possibility hadn't occurred to her until an acquaintance urged her to sign a form to designate someone to have temporary custody if she were deported.
"It was something I never imagined," said Isa, who sobbed as she recalled the moment. "He's my baby! He's not someone else's! What? My baby would remain here with someone?''
Honebrink suddenly piped up: "I will guarantee him. I'll sign the form."
She later told a reporter, "I told my husband I wouldn't do that. I've already signed as a sponsor for four kids."
As soon as she left the apartment, Honebrink jumped back on the phone and traded favors with local pediatricians, clinic schedulers, and volunteers. Within hours, she'd set up a new well-child visit for the baby and found a vetted driver to transport the family.
"A white person," Honebrink explained.
Two days later, Honebrink sent a picture of her small victory: Alex and Isa's baby boy with a Band-Aid on his legs. "He got his vaccines," she said via text. "I'm so happy."
But other medical needs cannot be as swiftly addressed. One February evening, Honebrink greeted Gabi and her mother with a trunk full of donated baby wipes, diapers, and toys.
Gabi's surgery is rescheduled for August. Her mother said she hoped by then it would be safe to leave home.
"I used to take the kids to the park, but now we don't leave at all," she said. "They grab people, they mistreat them. How I wish it would end soon!"
KFF Health News' Jackie Fortiér contributed to this report.
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All World Cup matches to break after 22 minutes of each half
Adverts can be either normal breaks or split-screen version
ITV is in talks with their commercial partners about showing adverts during the mid-half drinks stoppages that will take place in every match at this summer's World Cup.
Global broadcasters have been briefed on Fifa's stipulations for the three-minute hydration breaks, which will take place after 22 minutes of each half irrespective of the temperature.
A two-minutes-and-10-second commercial break will be permitted if TV companies opt to cut away from the on-field action although they can also choose to stay stick with the live pictures or adopt a hybrid approach using a split screen.
ITV may resist the temptation to sell full commercial breaks in favour of continuing the so-called “pic-in-pic advertising” it utilised for the first time during this year's Six Nations Championship.
ITV declined to comment, but sources at the commercial broadcaster indicated that its use of in-picture adverts whilst scrums are set in their Six Nations coverage had been well received by viewers, who they are wary of antagonising, particularly during such an important event as the World Cup.
In-picture adverts are seen as less disruptive and enable commentary teams to continue their analysis of the match, as well as picking up details of any tactical instructions relayed by coaching staff to players during the break.
ITV has joint live rights for the World Cup in the UK with the BBC, for whom adverts are not an issue, other than promoting its own programming.
The World Cup will be the first major tournament to stop all matches midway through each half for three minutes, although hydration breaks were used at last summer's Club World Cup when the in-stadium temperature exceeded 32 degrees.
Fifa announced in December that it would introduce the break in each of the 104 World Cup matches as a “player welfare” measure, but it will also bring significant commercial benefits, particularly in the long term.
Just over three months ahead of the opening match of the FIFA men's World Cup in Mexico City, Mexican officials met with FIFA representatives on Wednesday to discuss the security arrangements for the quadrennial tournament.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced on social media that federal authorities and authorities from the three Mexican entities that will host World Cup matches — Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo León — met with FIFA representatives to “coordinate the security actions” for the tournament, which Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada.
Junto con mis compañeros del Gabinete de Seguridad, nos reunimos con personal de @FIFAWorldCup para coordinar las acciones que permitan a los visitantes y al pueblo de #México disfrutar del #MundialFIFA2026. 🇲🇽⚽️ @Claudiashein @OHarfuch @Defensamx1 @AlmiranteSrio @GabyCuevas… pic.twitter.com/3IuAgIi3Ew
— Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez (@rosaicela_) March 4, 2026
He said that the meeting, which took place at the Security Ministry headquarters in Mexico City, was held on the instructions of President Claudia Sheinbaum. García Harfuch, Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla, Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and the government's World Cup coordinator Gabriela Cuevas were among the federal officials in attendance. The FIFA representatives included the organization's chief tournament officer in Mexico, Jurgen Mainka.
A total of 13 World Cup matches will be played in Mexico at stadiums in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Mexico and South Africa will play the opening match of the tournament at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca on June 11. Up to 5 million World Cup tourists are expected to visit Mexico during the 5-week tournament.
At Wednesday's meeting, García Harfuch said that Mexican officials and FIFA representatives reviewed “the intelligence, prevention, and operational deployment protocols that will be implemented during this international event.”
On Feb. 24 — two days after the violent cartel response to the killing of Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera in a military operation in Jalisco — a reporter asked Sheinbaum whether there are security guarantees that will allow FIFA World Cup matches to be played in Guadalajara later this year.
“All of them. All guarantees, all guarantees,” the president responded.
Asked whether there was any risk for World Cup tourists, she replied: “No risk, none.”
The federal government conveyed a similar message after Wednesday's meeting with FIFA representatives.
According to a statement issued by Mexico's Security Ministry (SSPC), García Harfuch said that “coordination” between federal authorities and the authorities in Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo León will allow “security conditions” to be guaranteed for Mexicans and international visitors during the World Cup.
According to the SSPC, Trevilla said that an “unprecedented” security strategy based on “inter-institutional coordination” is being developed for the tournament, while Rodríguez “reiterated the commitment of the government of Mexico to work in coordination with FIFA to guarantee the stay of visitors during the event, through the streamlining of visa processes, permits and immigration control.”
FIFA reaffirms support for Mexico as World Cup host: Thursday's mañanera recapped
The meeting in Mexico City came a week after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that the organization he leads has “full trust in the authorities in Mexico” and “full confidence” that the country will be a successful World Cup host. Those remarks came just three days after fiery narco-blockades appeared in states across the country and Jalisco New Generation Cartel members set banks and OXXO stores on fire and engaged in gunfights with National Guard officers.
“Mexico is a football country, and the Mexicans, the authorities but also the people, will do everything they can to ensure that the World Cup and the playoffs [in Guadalajara and Monterrey this month] … will be a celebration of football,” Infantino said.
On Wednesday, FIFA representatives “expressed their appreciation for the coordinated work of the various departments of the Government of Mexico in organizing the World Cup, particularly regarding security at the venues where the matches will be held,” the SSPC said.
According to the Security Ministry statement, they also “reiterated their confidence in the progress of the preparatory actions” ahead of the FIFA men's World Cup in Mexico, which will become the first country to host the event three times.
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Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are highly coveted. Admission to a game can cost thousands and most matches are already sold out.
Here's what to know, and how much tickets are selling for.
Fans can buy the New Jersey New York Venue Series pass starting at $25,800 per person, for admission to all eight games in New Jersey New York Stadium Stadium.
Alternatively, fans can buy premium admission that are available for upward of $1,000.
For instance, the admission to the France vs Senegal game on June 16 ranges from $2,300 to $3,400.
The closer to the final, the more expensive tickets are. Admission for the Round of 16 match on July 5, costs between $2,800 and $6,000.
Anyone interested in a luxury suite should be ready to pay roughly $200,000 for game at the New Jersey New York Stadium. The silver lining is that the price includes admission for to 24 people.
Premium tickets for the final match are sold out.
A Last-Minute Sales Phase for individual tickets opens on April 2 at 11 a.m. ET. Tickets might sell out within minutes, given the high global demand for them. Most of the tickets left are category 1 and 2, the most expensive seats.
Price varies depending on the match. As an example the USA vs Paraguay match has seats available for $1,940 and $2,735, according to The Athletic.
Forty out of the 104 matches are already sold out.
FIFA is selling Pavilion tickets for roughly $2,000. The sporting organization describes the pavilions as "an exclusive retreat located in our secure perimeter immediately outside the stadium. Featuring beverage service and elevated street food-inspired dining available pre- and post-match.
For the price, you get to tailgate a game three hours before the match and two hours after it finishes. It also includes a ticket to see the game inside the stadium.
Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo.
In the coming weeks, U.S. Soccer is expected to unveil the official jerseys for the U.S. men's national team at the World Cup. But let's be honest: There won't be much suspense over what the jerseys will look like.
We've already seen them, and now even a random grocery store accidentally displayed the jersey ahead of the USMNT's kit reveal.
Just a couple days after the official USMNT account seemingly confirmed the earlier leaked jerseys with a teaser photo, a fan on Twitter/X spotted the jersey on display for a Michelob ULTRA promotion. The jerseys were reportedly going to be inspired by the fan-favorite "Waldo" kit from 2012. The change was some added waves to mimic the movement of a flag.
And that's exactly what we got in this latest look at the jersey.
Compared to what the USMNT wore at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nike came up with a considerable improvement.
As for the away kit, it has also been spotted on display before an official reveal.
U.S. Soccer will largely ignore the leaks and go forward with the planned unveiling. But really, the surprise is gone. The secret has been out for months.
KIRO 7 Now
As Seattle gears up for the FIFA World Cup matches, so are short-term rentals.
Airbnb is offering a major financial incentive to any first-time hosts, but there are some hoops to jump through.
KIRO 7 wanted to see what it's like to become a first-time host. That's where Kim Romano comes in. Her Seattle house is your classic character-filled short-term rental listing.
Soon, it will be listed on Airbnb for renting during the World Cup matches this summer.
“I'm a 20-minute walk or six-minute taxi to Northgate Station, I have two or three beds, and a dog door,” Romano said. “I can get quite a bit to make it worth it.”
She is doing this for Airbnb's $750 incentive for first-time Seattle hosts.
Airbnb Senior Communications Lead Matt McNama tells us they are doing this in every World Cup host city.
“We found there's a big surge in searches on Airbnb across all the host cities and that tells us there's a big demand,” McNama said.
This means Romano is spending her days doing the ultimate spring cleaning in an effort to make her home ready for renters.
“I don't ever want my son to have to go through my things later on, especially the box of all my journals, like oh no they won't go through that,” Romano said.
With her permit already in hand, Romano tells us the city's legal checklist is easy to navigate.
“It said 48 hours minimum to get your business license, well, guess what, it only took 15 minutes,” Romano said.
Beth Gappart with the City of Seattle tells us they have one major requirement to become a host.
“People are only allowed to rent out their own home and or one other property they own,” Gappart said.
She said you have to have the proper permitting and license to rent out your home, or you could be investigated and fined.
If you do things properly, renting out your home for a couple of weekends could be a game-changer.
“We found hosts could earn $3,800 over the duration of the event in Seattle,” McNama said.
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GOAL continues its Meet the USMNT series by examining the defender's path to becoming such a key player for club and country
If there's a word to describe Antonee Robinson's career with the U.S. men's national team, it would be consistent. For the bulk of his USMNT career, Robinson has been right there in the team and he's probably been the team's most reliable player. While things often changed around him, Robinson has always been a safe pair of hands and a player who greatly lifts both the USMNT's ceiling and floor.
For the first time in his career, though, there are some questions about Robinson's place with the USMNT. Injury issues have limited him and, with the World Cup looming, uncertainty remains. Will the U.S. have the best version of Robinson this summer? It's one of the questions that will define their World Cup run.
If they do, the team will have one of the best left-backs in the world. Even if he's not 100 percent, they'll still have a pretty damn good defender. The doomsday scenario is having to manage without him but, to the player pool's credit, there are plenty of players ready to step into the limelight.
None are Robinson, and none can do what he can do, though. It's why Robinson's form and fitness remains one of the key storylines on the road to this summer as all eyes are on the Fulham star.
Ahead of the World Cup, GOAL is taking a look at the players that will make up the USMNT. Where did they come from? How are they playing? What should we expect from them next summer? Up next: meet Antonee Robinson
Previous Meet the USMNT: Christian Pulisic | Folarin Balogun| Chris Richards | Tim Ream
Robinson speaks with an English accent, and it's no surprise why. He was born and raised in Milton Keynes before rising through the ranks at the Everton academy to begin his professional career.
There's always been that American connection, though. Robinson's father, Marlon, grew up in New York and went on to be a soccer star at Duke, helping the Blue Devils reach an NCAA Final in 1982. From a young age, Robinson has felt that American connection, which was strengthened during his time with the U.S. youth teams.
While emerging in the Championship through a series of loans and a permanent move to Wigan Athletic, Robinson was also breaking through with U.S. Soccer. He earned his first cap in 2018 during the program's post-missed World Cup rebuild and hasn't looked back, proving himself as an integral piece of the team ever since.
It's safe to say that Robinson has established himself as one of the Premier League's best left backs, which, by proxy, makes him one of the best left backs in the world. The road there was bumpy, though, to put it lightly.
Following loan spells with Bolton and Wigan, the latter signed Robinson permanently in 2019. After shining in the Championship, the defender was set to sign with the legendary AC Milan in January 2020, only for a heart rhythm irregularity to end any hopes of a move. After getting proper medical care, Robinson then moved to Fulham that summer, where he's remained ever since, despite reported overtures from some of the Premier League's best teams over the last few years.
Since signing with Fulham, Robinson has made 204 Premier League appearances, with 148 of those coming in the Premier League. He was named Fulham's Player of the Season in 2023-24 and U.S. Soccer's Player of the Year in 2025, although the year or so since winning that award has been difficult for the 28-year-old fullback.
Robinson started the 2024-25 season on a tear, providing assist after assist to solidify his place among the best in the Premier League. Then the injury issues piled up, essentially derailing his spring. He played on, but wasn't himself. He underwent knee surgery in the summer and was then eased back into the Fulham XI throughout the fall.
The fullback is getting closer to being his old self, though. He's played in 13 matches so far this season, starting 10, as he's pushed to regain form and fitness ahead of the World Cup. There has been some drop off, as his assists aren't where they were last year, but it's easy to see Robinson's impact when he is on the field. Fulham, though, are continuing to ease Robinson in, particularly as he seemingly builds back the pace and athleticism that made him so dynamic pre-injury.
There's still ground to make up, but there's no denying that he's a bit closer than he was just a few short months ago. That's good news for the USMNT, who have missed the defender for some time.
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It might be easy to forget, simply but it has been so long since Robinson last appeared in a USMNT shirt, but the defender is an integral piece of the national team puzzle. It's why he won U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year in 2025, and it's why he'll be key in 2026 as long as he's fit.
Since making his debut in 2018, Robinson has gone on to make 50 appearances in a USMNT kit. Four of them, of course, were at the 2022 World Cup, where Robinson was a locked-in starter in Qatar. His status didn't really chance in the years after until his injury issues robbed him of 2025, leaving him without an appearance throughout that calendar year.
Throughout his USMNT tenure, he's been the go-to left back in key games, from World Cup and Copa America clashes to vital matches in qualifying. His performances in the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League earned him a Best XI nod, while key goals against Honduras and El Salvador helped the U.S. ultimately book their spot in the 2022 World Cup. No matter the game, big or small, the U.S. has relied on Robinson, and in turn, he's proven to be a player who can always be relied on.
It all centers around one question: Is he fit or not?
If he is, the USMNT have a top-tier left back, one who has shown that he's capable of playing against the world's best for several years. There will be no fears and no worries with Robinson on the left side. He's a player who can defend and attack in equal measure and one who would head into this summer's World Cup already possessing the experience of playing in the world's biggest tournament.
If he isn't, then there are questions. Mauricio Pochettino has spent the last year finding answers to those questions and, to his credit, he probably has. Max Arfsten has grown with the national team. Tim Weah and Sergino Dest could both play on that right-hand side. John Tolkin has shown flashes. The U.S. may just survive, even if Robinson isn't quite himself.
With him, though, they're more likely to thrive, which is why Pochettino will hope Robinson is fit and in form this summer.
FC Cincinnati will host Liga MX clubs CF Pachuca, Pumas and Atlas FC this summer in the Leagues Cup 2026 Phase One, as the Leagues Cup Organizing Committee announced the official 2026 schedule today.
The Orange and Blue's Phase One matchups against Pachuca, Pumas and Atlas will mark FC Cincinnati's first-ever meetings against each of the three Liga MX clubs.
FC Cincinnati will begin Leagues Cup 2026 competition on the opening day of the tournament on Tuesday, August 4 against CF Pachuca. Pachuca, winners of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, will make their second trip to TQL Stadium where they faced Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg in the Club World Cup last summer.
The Orange and Blue will take on Pumas on Friday, August 7 at TQL Stadium before closing out Phase One play on Tuesday, August 11 in Cincinnati against Atlas. By finishing in second place in the 2025 Supporters' Shield standings, the Orange and Blue enter Leagues Cup 2026 as a Tier One MLS club and will play all Phase One matches at TQL Stadium.
Kickoff times will be announced at a later date. FC Cincinnati Season Ticket Members have the Pachuca match included in their package and single-match tickets will go on sale in early April. The tournament runs from August 4 through the Leagues Cup 2026 Final on September 6.
Running from August 4 through September 6, Leagues Cup 2026 will feature 36 clubs – all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 qualified MLS clubs. All 54 matches during Phase One along with the Quarterfinals will deliver Liga MX vs. MLS matchups. The 2026 tournament will feature matches in Mexico for the first time.
The top four clubs from MLS and Liga MX based on Phase One results will advance to the Knockout Rounds. The champions, runner-up and third-place finisher in Leagues Cup 2026 will qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, with the champions earning a bye directly into the Round of 16.
U.S. men's national team legend Tim Howard called on Alex Henderson to apologize for calling him a "weirdo" on "Love is Blind." It did not take Henderson long to oblige.
Henderson released an apology through a video on his Instagram Stories, quickly complying with Howard's demand.
"Tim Howard, first and foremost, I apologize. Candidly, that is one of my lowest moments on this show is calling that out," Henderson said.
"I don't think that that's true. I think you are one of the greatest U.S. national team goalkeepers of all time. As a goalkeeper, I understand our culture. I'm not going to try to explain what I was really saying there. It's an egregious mistake and I think you're handling with class.”
Henderson made the comment toward a fellow contestant on the Netflix reality dating show.
“He's American. I met him already. He's a weirdo," Henderson says of Howard, who earned 121 USMNT caps during his career.
On his "Unfiltered Soccer" show, Howard issued an angry response to Henderson's comment.
"Here's what I would say: I know you're a fan, and I have this on good authority," Howard said. "So all I'll say is, we can make everything right with the world, and you just issue a public apology on whatever platform you're on.
"You can issue a public apology and I'll accept it in advance. If not, then I'll have more things to say about you. So we'll leave it there."
Henderson, who was previously known as Alec Ferrell, was a standout college goalkeeper at Wake Forest. Minnesota United selected him in the second round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but he never played in MLS.
Howard wasn't the only soccer legend Henderson bad-mouths on the show. He also said longtime England star David Beckham was "not even good."
In contrast to his approach on Howard, Henderson wasn't as apologetic when it came to Beckham.
“All due respect to David Beckham, is he in your best 11 of all time?” Henderson said.
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The Big Apple may soon be making some pour changes to its outdoor drinking policies.
There's hardly a better combo than catching a game of ball and publicly guzzling booze, so suggests a newly introduced bill aimed at implementing “entertainment zones” — designated hotspots where soccer buffs can freely consume alcohol on NYC streets — during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
The bill, issued last week, seeks authorization from the New York Senate, the Assembly, and Governor Kathy Hochul to allow bars and restaurants with existing liquor licenses to serve adult beverages outdoors.
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It's an effort towards accommodating the influx of sports fans who'll be flocking to the area for the upcoming five-week face-off, kicking off with a match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11.
If approved, merrymakers would be allowed to openly down cocktails and brews within the confines of the entertainment — or “sip and stroll” — zones demarcated throughout the city.
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“The tri-state region will be hosting eight World Cup matches, with around 1.2 million visitors expected to travel here during the tournament,” reads the bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Tony Simone, a Manhattan Democrat.
“This bill would allow municipalities to better accommodate these tourists, spur economic development, and enhance this once in a lifetime experience for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world, just as other host states have done,” the document insists.
“This bill will not only benefit World Cup fans,” continues the push, “but also the restaurant and hospitality industry, nonprofit organizations, and local and state governments in New York through the expected increase in revenue.”
Money talks. But should drinkers walk?
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Proposals to permit al fresco imbibing have previously been nixed by the powers-that-be of NYC. In fact, during former Mayor Eric Adams' tenure (2022-2025), NYPD officers issued nearly 10,000 fines to street drinkers in 2023 alone, enforcing efforts to enhance the quality of life for the community at-large.
But rather than granting revelers an open-ended pass to publicly partake in perpetuity, Simone's bill, predicated on legislation recently passed in Washington state, comes with specific parameters.
The doc argues that outdoor liquor service would take effect from “June 1st, 2026 and [end] July 31st, 2026 while setting requirements for enclosures, sharing of spaces, safety, sanitation and worker operations.”
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During the submitted timeframe, a total of eight soccer matches will be held at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, located just minutes outside of midtown.
But time isn't necessarily on Simone's side.
To get the green light ahead of the tournament, he'd need the approval of the state Legislature and Gov. Hochul, as well as individual municipalities, such as New York City. The State Liquor Authority would also have to sign off on individual entertainment zones prior to their establishment.
“ Clearly, we'll have to move fast,” Simone told Gothamist. “It actually is a more controlled way of ensuring that small businesses can take advantage of the World Cup coming to New York City.”
The potentially positive outcomes notwithstanding, an attorney for the New York City Hospitality Alliance, which represents the bar and restaurant industry, isn't too optimistic about the bill's FIFA future.
“At this late stage, [it's] not realistic that it will be passed by both houses, signed by the governor and then implemented where NYC could request a special outdoor area to be reviewed by the [State Liquor Authority], all in the next three months,” said Robert Bookman, the alliance's lawyer.
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A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment on Simone's bill, per Gothamist, but confirmed that, “Gov. Hochul will review any bill that passes both houses of the Legislature.”
Hochul's administration is sponsoring two free watch parties for key World Cup matches — including a viewing of the US' first game at Stony Brook University in Long Island on June 12, and a July 19 showing at Kensico Dam Plaza in Westchester County.
FIFA is, too, hosting outdoor “fan zones” from June 17 to June 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, and from July 4 to July 19 at Rockefeller Center.
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Kevin Dugan, of the New York State Restaurant Association — which backs Simone's bill — noted that Hochul recently let bars sell liquor during the Olympic men's hockey gold medal game, which took place in the morning hours, when alcohol sales are normally prohibited.
”The governor has shown a willingness to recognize these opportunities when they come along,” Dugan said.
“Hopefully that this will fit into that category as well.”
In a move that will see soccer become like the NFL and NBA, FIFA is reported to have granted broadcasters permission to cut to commercials during mandated World Cup hydration breaks.
Although TV advertisements are a longstanding part of a typical NFL or NBA broadcast, during specific breaks in play such as timeouts, it's not the done-thing in soccer matches.
But because of the potential summer temperatures in the United States, Canada and Mexico bringing health risks to the players, matches will be paused midway through each half. It means that players will be able to properly stop—including halftime—to take on fluids every 20–25 minutes.
The hydration breaks, which will happen without exception in every match regardless of in-game weather conditions to ensure fairness across the tournament, are to last three minutes. With that comes an opportunity for broadcasters to make money by selling the time to advertisers.
The breaks have been established as a ‘player welfare' measure and certainly are more than justifiable as such. But, on top of the enormity of some ticket prices, it has only fueled opinion that this World Cup is serving corporate greed over the sport and its fans more than any other before.
“The use of hydration breaks is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments,” FIFA say. But if even more money can be made on top, it will be.
There will still be some protection for the soccer itself and The Athletic reports that it isn't open-season for broadcasters to do as they please.
Firstly, there is no obligation to run any commercials at all. In the U.K., for example, the BBC does not run commercials other than trailers for its own shows. Networks could choose to stay with the match feed, or return to a studio for analysis, or even just show commercials in a portion of the screen—in that scenario, slots can only be sold to FIFA sponsors.
With a full cut away from the match broadcast, advertising slots can be sold to anyone, which could cause conflict if rivals to FIFA-partnered brands are awarded them.
There are also strict timings which must be adhered to. Any commercials cannot begin within the first 20 seconds of the referees signaling the start of a hydration break and the broadcast must be back with the match feed at least 30 seconds before play resumes. That leaves up to 130 seconds for commercials out of the three-minute pause.
Jamie Spencer is a freelance editor and writer for Sports Illustrated FC. Jamie fell in love with football in the mid-90s and specializes in the Premier League, Manchester United, the women's game and old school nostalgia.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
In a move that will see soccer become like the NFL and NBA, FIFA is reported to have granted broadcasters permission to cut to commercials during mandated World Cup hydration breaks.
Although TV advertisements are a longstanding part of a typical NFL or NBA broadcast, during specific breaks in play such as timeouts, it's not the done-thing in soccer matches.
But because of the potential summer temperatures in the United States, Canada and Mexico bringing health risks to the players, matches will be paused midway through each half. It means that players will be able to properly stop—including halftime—to take on fluids every 20–25 minutes.
The hydration breaks, which will happen without exception in every match regardless of in-game weather conditions to ensure fairness across the tournament, are to last three minutes. With that comes an opportunity for broadcasters to make money by selling the time to advertisers.
The breaks have been established as a ‘player welfare' measure and certainly are more than justifiable as such. But, on top of the enormity of some ticket prices, it has only fueled opinion that this World Cup is serving corporate greed over the sport and its fans more than any other before.
“The use of hydration breaks is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments,” FIFA say. But if even more money can be made on top, it will be.
There will still be some protection for the soccer itself and The Athletic reports that it isn't open-season for broadcasters to do as they please.
Firstly, there is no obligation to run any commercials at all. In the U.K., for example, the BBC does not run commercials other than trailers for its own shows. Networks could choose to stay with the match feed, or return to a studio for analysis, or even just show commercials in a portion of the screen—in that scenario, slots can only be sold to FIFA sponsors.
With a full cut away from the match broadcast, advertising slots can be sold to anyone, which could cause conflict if rivals to FIFA-partnered brands are awarded them.
There are also strict timings which must be adhered to. Any commercials cannot begin within the first 20 seconds of the referees signaling the start of a hydration break and the broadcast must be back with the match feed at least 30 seconds before play resumes. That leaves up to 130 seconds for commercials out of the three-minute pause.
Jamie Spencer is a freelance editor and writer for Sports Illustrated FC. Jamie fell in love with football in the mid-90s and specializes in the Premier League, Manchester United, the women's game and old school nostalgia.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
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TNT and FIBA have agreed on a broadcast deal that includes men's and women's World Cup qualifying games. Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images
Basketball fans will be able to see Caitlin Clark's first game with the U.S. women's national team next week in Puerto Rico thanks to a new deal between TNT Sports and FIBA, the international governing body for the sport.
Beginning with a 2026 women's World Cup qualifying tournament March 11 that includes the star-studded U.S. team, TNT Sports networks, which include TNT, TBS, TruTV, as well as streaming service HBO Max, will show FIBA's “most prestigious international basketball competitions and marquee events” through 2029, according to a news release.
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Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese — three of the WNBA's most prominent rising stars — will all make their U.S. national team debuts at the San Juan qualifier, the first event covered by the TNT Sports-FIBA agreement.
The women's World Cup is scheduled for September, in Berlin, and the men's 2027 World Cup is in Qatar. Both tournaments will be shown in full on TNT Sports properties.
“This deal is one that we can proudly say will take the profile of international basketball to a whole new level in (America), and we are certainly excited to be partnering with TNT Sports,” said Frank Leenders, head of FIBA's media and marketing division, in the news release. “It's important that in a nation like (the) USA which is so synonymous with basketball, we have as many top-quality international games broadcast in the market as possible. We are particularly looking forward to the launch, and especially with so much of the spotlight on the Women's World Cup.”
The U.S. women's team — coached by Kara Lawson and already qualified for the World Cup — opens qualifier play against Senegal at 5 p.m. on March 11, with the game to be shown on truTV and HBO Max. The Americans, who have won four consecutive World Cups, play host Puerto Rico on March 12; Italy on March 14; New Zealand on March 15 and Spain on March 17. The game against Spain will be on TNT, while the rest will be on truTV.
Also starring for the U.S. team are Kelsey Plum, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young.
On the men's side, the U.S. national team is 3-1 in qualifying games for the 2027 World Cup, with its next game in July in the Dominican Republic. The same news release suggests that those qualifying games will also be broadcast on a TNT Sports property. The American men, a team of former NBA players and current G Leaguers, including 2020 No. 2 pick James Wiseman, were beaten by the Dominican Republic last week and rebounded with a win over Mexico.
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Joe Vardon is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, based in Cleveland. Follow Joe on Twitter @joevardon
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Football's global governing body, Fifa, has given broadcasters the green light to air advertisements during the mandatory water breaks at this summer's World Cup, a decision that marries player welfare with commercial opportunity.
The introduction of three-minute hydration breaks, set to occur midway through each half of all 104 matches, was announced last December.
This measure is a direct response to anticipated high temperatures across North America, prioritising player welfare.
Commercial broadcasters will be presented with two options for utilising these pauses.
They can opt for a split-screen format, which limits advertising to Fifa's official partner sponsors, or choose a full cut-away, allowing for any commercial content.
Strict guidelines dictate that advertisements must not commence within 20 seconds of the referee signalling the break, and broadcasters must revert to live action more than 30 seconds before play resumes.
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While previous FIFA tournaments, such as last summer's Club World Cup in the United States, saw water breaks triggered only when specific heat thresholds were exceeded, this summer's World Cup will feature them uniformly across all games. This ensures consistency throughout the tournament, according to FIFA.
ITV, which is set to share live coverage of the finals with the BBC, has been approached for comment regarding its strategy for these new commercial opportunities.
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on 11 June with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City, before culminating in the final on 19 July in New York/New Jersey over in the US.
England have been placed in Group L at this summer's tournament alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
They will face Croatia first on 17 June in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Thomas Tuchel's men will then face Ghana on 23 June before finishing off the group stage by taking on Panama on 27 June.
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FIFA has given commercial broadcasters the green light to show adverts during World Cup water breaks this summer.
The expected high temperatures in North America prompted FIFA to announce last December it would introduce the three-minute breaks midway through each half at all 104 matches this summer as a player welfare measure.
It is understood commercial broadcasters will have the option to go to a split screen, where they would be limited to adverts for FIFA partner sponsors only, or a full cut-away where they could show any advert as normal.
Ads should not start within 20 seconds of the referee blowing for the start of the hydration break, broadcasters have been advised, and they must return to the action more than 30 seconds before play resumes.
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ITV, which will share live coverage of the finals with the BBC, has been contacted by the Press Association for comment on how it plans to approach the breaks.
Water breaks in previous FIFA competitions, such as last summer's Club World Cup in the United States, were triggered by heat thresholds being exceeded, but FIFA says the decision to apply it across all matches at this summer's finals is designed to ensure uniformity and consistency across the tournament.
The World Cup kicks off with the match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final taking place in New York/New Jersey on July 19.
Sentnor's emergence as a viable option for the USWNT's number nine role further demonstrates the impressive strength in depth that Emma Hayes' team have developed over the past couple of years.
Ally Sentnor is staking her claim to lead the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) from the front. With the continued absence of Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson, there is a No.9 shaped hole in the squad that needs filling.
On Wednesday (4 March), Sentnor's game-winning goal in the SheBelieves cup against Canada saw her take a huge step forward to doing just that, with Emma Hayes determined to develop the depth in this position. While it isn't her natural role for club, the versatile nature of the 22-year-old footballer means that she finds it seamless to slot in as a striker for country.
“I actually grew up playing the 9, so it almost feels like I'm back at home in my club team,” she told TNT Sports after the game. “Playing this position is something I have to evolve, and I have to work on things going forward as I play great international opponents and learn different [things] to put in my toolbox.
“I'm just really enjoying playing with the players here at camp, it's so incredible. I'm working on my runs, on [playing with] my back to goal like Emma has been talking about, and I'm excited to evolve as a 9 and not be a generic [striker].”
While the striker position is one the U.S. coaches are working on developing, across other areas of the pitch they have a plethora of options to choose from. It is demonstrated in their substitutions, calling on the likes of Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes from the bench in Wednesday's close contest.
For a squad that has undergone so much change, even since winning gold at Paris 2024, they still boast one of the best rosters on the women's international scene. That is largely to the credit of Hayes, who has overseen a mass overhaul since taking the reins two years ago.
“I don't think it surprises me about the quality we have on this team,” Sentnor continued. “I just love showing up to training every day, these girls are amazing on and off the field, and they make me a better player, a better person every day.
“To be able to bring on Lindsey and Lily… they are just incredible players that are so good on the ball, can calm the game and can lead the team. This team has endless depth, and I am just so grateful to be a part of it.”
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Coming into Wednesday's all-North American affair, Sentnor and the U.S. knew exactly what to expect from their rivals. A tough opponent, Canada made their opposition work hard for all three points, prompting a “team performance and a team goal.”
It was a clear indication of what Hayes and her players have been working on: set-pieces and a high-press.
“We've been working on our pressing, we want to be one of the best teams in the world at turning the ball over in their attacking third so we can create chances from it,” the Kansas City Current forward revealed.
“It's a huge focus point, and I think our forwards are the people that start that so our defenders can push up with us and [allow us] to play in their half.”
The U.S. are able to work on these approaches against sides that can match them stride for stride. Despite their shutout victories, both Argentina and Canada have shown they can push the SheBelieves Cup hosts to be at their best - or to win even when they're not.
“We want to be in great competition against opponents that we will face in the future,” Sentnor added. “We don't want to run away with the game, we want it to be tight and to work on things we need to work on.
“It [the Canada game] was tough, but we really put the work in at the end.”
The U.S. will have another chance to put this game plan to the test on Saturday (7 March) when they face Colombia in their final game of this competition.
Lamine Yamal has long been heralded as the future of Barcelona, but his actions following Tuesday night's Copa del Rey exit suggest the 18-year-old is already a definitive leader in the present. Despite a valiant 3-0 victory at the Spotify Camp Nou, the Blaugrana fell 4-3 on aggregate to a disciplined Atletico Madrid. While many would hide after such a painful elimination, Yamal took to social media to ensure the connection between the squad and the supporters remained intact.
The young winger was arguably the most influential player on the pitch during the second leg of the tie, providing a constant threat and tormenting the Atleti backline. He registered an assist and was unlucky not to find the net himself, forcing Diego Simeone to deploy three players to mark him at times in an attempt to neutralisethe Spaniard's impact. Even with the exit, Yamal's display was one of the positive aspects of an otherwise difficult evening for Hansi Flick's side.
Following the final whistle, Yamal posted a black-and-white image of himself on Instagram with a caption that resonated with a frustrated fanbase. He wrote: “Thank you for last night, culers. We still have a lot to be excited about. VISCA EL BARCA SEMPRE!” It was a mature gesture from a player who has already shouldered immense responsibility this season, racking up 18 goals and 15 assists despite dealing with several muscular discomforts throughout the campaign.
Yamal was not the only one to speak out, as the Barcelona dressing room appeared unified in their pride. Ferran Torres echoed the sentiment of resilience, posting: “Get up and keep going, with everything we've got. We've shown what kind of team we are, and we know what we want. Together. Forca Barca.”
Club captain Raphinha was equally vocal about the team's direction, refusing to let the aggregate defeat overshadow the dominant second-leg performance. Speaking in the mixed zone, the Brazilian star expressed his belief that this level of intensity will lead to silverware. He was particularly moved by the support from the stands, which remained vocal even after the final whistle confirmed their exit from the competition.
“I leave very proud of this team,” Raphinha said. “If we continue playing like this, we will have a spectacular end to the season. The truth is that I think it is us who have to thank the fans, they have done spectacularly. When we play at home, we need to feel the fans. It is something important for us. I think the fans are proud.”
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With Barcelona sitting four points clear at the top of La Liga, and with a Champions League clash against Newcastle on the horizon, there is no time for a hangover. Indeed, Raphinha is demanding an immediate response to ensure the season ends with major trophies in the cabinet. He said: "It's time to raise our heads. Tomorrow will be another day. We have to leave proud of what we have done. Now to think about the weekend. To go for the League and the Champions League, which is what we have to do."
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Hydration breaks, like the one taken by Real Madrid's Aurelién Tchouaméni at last summer's FIFA Club World Cup, will be a staple of the 2026 World Cup Dan Mullan / Getty Images
FIFA will allow broadcasters to cut away to advertisements during the “hydration breaks” that will split up each half of every 2026 World Cup match, multiple people briefed on the guidelines or with direct knowledge of them told The Athletic.
Soccer's global governing body announced in December that it would introduce a three-minute break midway through each 45-minute half at the World Cup. It promoted the breaks as a “player welfare” measure, but said there'd be “no weather or temperature condition in place, with the breaks being called by the referee in all games.”
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FIFA officials also discussed the change with broadcast executives, and three sources, including one at FIFA, have now confirmed to The Athletic that broadcasters will be permitted to flip away from the match feed to show commercials, as they would during halftime or a timeout in basketball or American football.
There are, however, some guardrails, two sources said.
Broadcasters have been told that the ad break shouldn't start within 20 seconds of the referee's whistle pausing play, and that they shall return to the match feed more than 30 seconds before play resumes, according to written guidelines shared with The Athletic.
This means that they would have a two-minute, 10-second window for the commercials.
They are not obligated to cut away to any ads. They could return to a studio and show pundits analyzing the match. They could also stick with the match feed, or shrink it and show advertisements on only part of the screen. (In this scenario, commentators could continue to analyze the match, or the ads could take over audio feeds as well.)
If the broadcasters don't fully cut away, though, they are only allowed to sell such advertising to FIFA sponsors, sources said.
This, at times, has been a sticky point with sponsors as soccer, like other sports, has become increasingly commercialized. Companies, such as Coca-Cola, which pays FIFA hundreds of millions of dollars to associate with the World Cup, have been protective of their exclusivity. They would surely push back if, say, Fox — which holds English-language World Cup broadcast rights in the U.S. — sold in-game ad space to Pepsi.
The hydration breaks, therefore, can only be “sponsored by Powerade,” a Coca-Cola product, and not by Gatorade, a Pepsi one, for example. Any split-screen or on-screen ad that runs adjacent to or on top of the match feed must be for a FIFA partner.
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If the broadcaster cuts away to full-screen ads, on the other hand, it is allowed to sell those spots to anyone, sources said. Two industry veterans told The Athletic that they assumed FIFA sponsors would get a right of first refusal, but a FIFA source suggested it would be an open process.
Much of this is uncharted territory for soccer.
Decades ago, the World Cup was predominantly aired by public broadcasters, especially in Europe, many of which did not show commercials at all. But increasingly, FIFA has sold rights to private broadcasters, such as TyC Sports in Argentina or M6 in France. These private broadcasters will all be allowed to screen ads during the hydration breaks.
In stadiums, FIFA will control the branding of the breaks.
During last summer's Club World Cup in the U.S., where hydration breaks were called when temperatures rose to dangerous levels, they were dubbed “Powerade hydration breaks” on stadium video boards. Turning them over to broadcasters, though, will likely yield more revenue, especially long-term.
“If you are FIFA, and you are going to have these breaks, you are doing simple math: is it more profitable for us to sell this at a premium to a (commercial) partner? Or is it more profitable to give it back to the broadcasters? And in this case, it's a no-brainer,” Ricardo Fort, a longtime sports sponsorship executive, formerly at Coca-Cola and Visa, told The Athletic. “The broadcasters will make a lot more money — and will pay a lot more money — for a break like that.”
The 2026 World Cup will be the first major soccer tournament to pause all matches mid-half for three minutes — though not the first competition to pause at all. Two months after FIFA's announcement, CONMEBOL, the South American soccer governing body, introduced 90-second hydration breaks to its club competitions, including the Copa Libertadores, regardless of “temperature or weather conditions.”
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During CONMEBOL's 90-second breaks, though, TV broadcasts don't cut to ads. Instead, according to regulations, “cameras and microphones belonging to the CONMEBOL production team will be allowed to approach the area to capture images and sounds, including any instructions given by members of the coaching staff to the players.” CONMEBOL could then sell the spot to a sponsor itself.
Whether 90 seconds or three minutes, the breaks will also allow coaches to speak with players and tweak tactics.
And some broadcasters will see those moments as “good content,” as Joaquin Duro, Telemundo's executive vice president of sports, told The Athletic. They might therefore be hesitant to cut away entirely to ads.
Neither Fox nor Telemundo — which holds Spanish-language World Cup rights in the United States — has detailed how it plans to commercialize the hydration breaks. Spokespeople for Fox Sports declined to comment. Sources briefed on Fox's plans said the network will have some advertising during the breaks, but how it will be displayed is still unknown.
ITV in the UK, when asked about its plans, also declined to confirm anything.
Telemundo's Duro, though, in an interview this week, described his approach and hinted that Telemundo would stay, at least in part, with the match feed.
“I would say that I am a soccer fan first — meaning, I like to watch the game, and I like to listen to everything that happens, even during hydration breaks,” he told The Athletic. “And like I said, there's a lot of nice things that happen there. There's a lot of stories to read with the coaches: How do they react to the players? What are the coaches telling the players? How do the players interact?”
He clarified: “Definitely, our sponsors will be present, because it's also another opportunity for us to give them more exposure.”
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Duro mentioned that on Telemundo's broadcasts of other competitions, when there were cooling breaks triggered by heat, there were banner-type ads overlaid on top of the match feed, and said that the network's World Cup broadcast would have some of that. But he reiterated twice that “there's a lot of good content that comes out from those hydration breaks,” and that “we plan to exploit all of that.”
And he didn't sound thrilled that cutting to commercials was even an option.
“For the first time, in a way, soccer will become almost like a four-quarter (American) football or basketball (game),” Duro said. “Which, I guess, for American sports, it makes sense. For soccer? I don't know. Soccer is different.”
Andrew Marchand contributed reporting to this story
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Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C. Follow Henry on Twitter @HenryBushnell
Home> Football> Football News> FIFA World Cup
Luke Davies
Following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, an expert has suggested that the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup could be postponed if attacks spillover into Europe and the US.
In 98 days, the FIFA World Cup will get underway, with co-hosts Mexico set to take on South Africa in the tournament's opener in Mexico City.
Of the 104 games contested by 48 teams, 13 will take place in Mexico, 13 in Canada, while the US will host 78, including the final.
However, due to the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East following the US and Israel's joint attack on Iran on 28 February, question marks remain over the tournament.
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There have been suggestions that Iran could pull out of the tournament, with the president of Iran's football federation saying: “What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope," earlier this week.
All of Iran's group matches – against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt – are set to take place in the US, which could lead to security concerns given the political situation.
At this time, there is no suggestion from FIFA that Iran will be stripped of the opportunity to compete or voluntarily pull out.
On 3 March, US Soccer CEO JT Batson told Sky News: “FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared over the weekend the intention of a safe and secure World Cup where all teams are participating. And we're certainly very supportive of that.”
However, the footballing authorities' stance may change if the conflict in the Middle East continues, with several Gulf nations – including Israel, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar – struck by Iranian missiles and drones following the US and Israel's joint attack.
The Trump administration's travel bans may also impact Iranian citizens' ability to attend games in the US.
Nationals from Iran are currently banned from travel to the US.
But if the conflict continues, could the tournament even be postponed?
For this to happen, attacks would likely have to occur in the US and Europe, according to Professor Simon Chadwick, who has previously served as director of research for the organisers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has also advised global sporting organisations.
Chadwick told SPORTbible: “With only three months to go to the World Cup, postponement of the tournament to next year seems unlikely. Logistically, economically and politically, it would be a major challenge to reschedule the mega-event. So long as conflict remains contained within the Middle East, it would be hard to justify or explain postponement.
“However, if attacks spill over into Europe and North America, the matter would escalate and become much more serious. Furthermore, if air travel is disrupted or oil supplies are significantly affected, practical considerations might force FIFA and the US to think about alternative arrangements for the competition.
“One nevertheless suspects that Donald Trump and his administration would strongly oppose rescheduling, as they would likely see it as capitulation. Postponement has to be a possibility, although for the time being at least, the tournament seems more likely to go ahead as planned.”
SPORTbible has contacted FIFA for comment.
Topics: Football, FIFA World Cup, Donald Trump, Spotlight
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You're reading KCUR's Soccer City '26 newsletter. Subscribe here for twice-monthly updates through the end of the tournament.
Watch enough sports reporting, and you'll be certain to notice a recurring cliche: The winning team simply “wanted it more.”
Who went onto the pitch with more drive and hunger? Who ignored the odds against them and was able to manifest victory, however improbable, into existence?
If “hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup” were a sport in and of itself, these past few months have shown that perhaps Kansas City wants this more than other cities.
Even diehard locals know the challenges in selling Kansas City as a destination — until you convince someone to visit once, and they're dying to come back. The past few years have proved the real possibility of changing that reputation, thanks in no small part to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
This summer, with six World Cup matches set, Kansas City is now guaranteed as much gametime as Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, and more than any of the individual Mexican cities. That's despite being smaller than all of them in both population and media market size, with less experience than most with hosting events of this scale.
The news that Algeria would be setting its base camp in Lawrence, Kansas, at the University of Kansas' Rock Chalk Park means that our region will see four national teams stationed here for the tournament. Only a single other metro will host that many.
Plus, no other city is playing host to three different teams in FIFA's Pot 1, AKA the very top tier of competitors (Argentina, the Netherlands and England, for those keeping track at home).
“Teams don't choose base camps lightly,” said KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer in a news release. “When they come to Kansas City, they're choosing world-class training environments and a region with deep soccer roots and an authentic, knowledgeable culture of hospitality. Hosting four national teams isn't symbolic — it's confirmation that our region stands among the best in the world to prepare for, support and inspire elite competition.”
As The Athletic reported, it wasn't just that the BBQ was tempting (although I'm hoping soccer fans all discover LC's on their way to the stadium).
Kansas City leaders were aggressively welcoming to teams, coordinating with Sporting KC and the Current to roll out the welcome wagon — even opening up a fourth base camp location, which wasn't previously on the table, in order to accommodate Team England.
Call that Midwest nice. Call that wanting it more.
Either way, KC2026 built the city an enormous stage, where in less than 100 days it hopes to show off Kansas City to its biggest audience yet. As you know from reading this newsletter, it'll take a lot more than burnt ends to nail the delivery – although those certainly won't hurt.
Kansas City is supposed to receive nearly $80 million in federal funding for public safety measures before the World Cup, which would help pay for officer overtime, buy more cruisers and security upgrades. “Supposed to” being the operative phrase.
FEMA has not yet distributed a combined $625 million to World Cup host cities that it had promised, due to a nearly monthlong shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. That money was part of President Donald Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress last year, but it was supposed to be awarded by the end of January.
Now, local officials are warning that events like fan festivals will need to be scaled back or even canceled if that money isn't in hand yet.
“The drop-dead date is immediate. We need commitments from partners to help supplement our officers just because of the scope, scale and duration of the games,” Kansas City Deputy Police Chief Joe Mabin testified recently at a U.S. House Homeland Security committee hearing on Capitol Hill.
“They need assurances that they will get reimbursed for overtime, for travel expenses and for lodging. So we need that information right now.”
Find out about other big challenges facing the World Cup, from NPR.
Tuesday marked 100 days before the World Cup comes to Kansas City. Yikes!
“This is our tryout,” said The Combine owner Alan Kneeland in an interview with KCUR's Up To Date. His pizza and pub on Troost Avenue is planning to show matches on its 14 TV screens, and Kneeland says he's doing staff stress tests, updating the restaurant's social media strategy and thinking about menu changes to cater to an international audience.
For Dulcinea Herrera of Cafe Corazon, which offers Argentine food and drinks like yerba mate at three locations around town, the World Cup crowds will be a chance to show off and share their culture even more widely.
Kansas City's Northland is planning its own series of World Cup watch parties, sprinkled across North Kansas City, Liberty and other areas north of the river. The events will have food trucks, kids' activities and more attractions, and they're sponsored by GoNorthKC, a partnership between Clay and Platte counties to capitalize on the tournament's tourism boom.
Meanwhile, up to 15,000 soccer fans are expected to flock to the Lawrence area during the World Cup, and local officials are working with businesses and restaurants to get ready.
Also excited about visitors: Kansas City-area churches, who hope to act as an “anchor” to out-of-towners looking to practice their faith while in town.
Who's excited to shell out more than $100 for the joy of parking at Arrowhead Stadium? For some of Kansas City's World Cup matches, a single parking pass tends to sit around $125, including for spots compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Parking for the quarterfinal game, however, could cost you $225. Consider taking one of the “stadium direct” shuttles around the metro — these buses are free for ticket holders and will connect to five park-and-ride spots around the metro.
That will also be better than asking a friend to help with drop-off and pickup. Anyone who attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour dates at Arrowhead can testify that traffic gets to be a real mess around that area.
You may have noticed this email is now rocking a new name and branding. It turns out That Big Soccer Organization has some pretty strict guidelines for naming things after the International Chalice — much like the Superb Owl and the Summer/Winter Games Of The Five Rings. My bad, y'all.
So, in honor of Kansas City being the center of the world this summer, we're now calling this series Soccer City ‘26. We hope you share this email with a friend who might like it, and come along as we see where this journey takes us.
Iraq are scheduled to play in the playoff final on March 31 in Mexico, but the team's participation remains uncertain.
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Iraq's participation in the inter-confederation playoffs in Mexico that will decide two berths at this year's World Cup is in doubt because of the travel chaos triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Iraqis are scheduled to play the winners of an earlier tie between Bolivia and Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 for a spot at the World Cup, but are concerned they might not be able to get everyone to Mexico.
Iraqi airspace has been closed since the United States and Israel launched air attacks on Iran last weekend. Tehran responded by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel and towards several military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate.
“FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation are fully aware of every development regarding our team's situation,” the Iraq national team said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Because of airspace closures, our head coach Graham Arnold is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates. In addition, several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several players, technical and medical staff from obtaining entry visas to Mexico.
“We assure our loyal supporters that we remain in close contact with both FIFA and the AFC, who are keeping tabs on the situation.”
Iraq have made one previous appearance at the World Cup, in 1986, when they failed to progress from the group stage. They are now favourites to win the playoff and become the ninth Asian team to qualify for the finals.
The Lions of Mesopotamia are currently ranked 58th in FIFA's team rankings and seventh in Asia.
They have won the AFC Asian Cup once and the Arab Cup on seven occasions.
New Caledonia, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will travel to Guadalajara later this month to compete in the other three-way playoff for a ticket to the World Cup finals.
Iran, who were the first team to qualify for the World Cup, find themselves in a precarious position with their participation threatened as Tehran remains under attack from Washington.
The World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US, where Iran is scheduled to play all its group games. But if there is no letup in the conflict, the tournament's logistics and Iran's role in it have come under question.
The World Cup will begin on June 11 in Mexico, while Canada and the US will host their first match the following day. The final will be played on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York.
Iran is in Group G of the tournament with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand and is scheduled to play all of its games on the US West Coast.
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By Molly Farrar
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With the World Cup games at risk, town officials in Foxborough seemed unconvinced that the host committee for the World Cup games planned for Gillette Stadium will provide the estimated $7.8 million in security funding.
After having few answers at a Foxborough Select Board meeting two weeks ago, Boston FIFA World Cup 2026 host committee President Mike Loynd appeared before the board again Tuesday night. This time, he was accompanied by two attorneys, who said the committee will cover public safety costs, but not up front.
The lawyers said the public safety materials would be available by June 1, and the invoices will be paid within two days of the soccer games. Foxborough Select Board Chair Bill Yukna emphasized the town's March 17 deadline to settle the issue.
“It's not acceptable for us,” Yukna said. “The balance of it will be due just before the 17th meeting for us to be able to successfully say we can accomplish the goals that the public safety plan calls for.”
Foxborough officials have threatened to withhold the entertainment license needed to host the World Cup games taking place in June and July. While the host committee, or Boston Soccer 2026, is not the applicant or the licensee, they are responsible for the funding of public safety, including local police, equipment, and fire crews, the attorney said.
“The thing that rings loud and clear is you all wanted an answer to a very simple question, which is, ‘where's the money coming from?'” attorney Gary Ronan said about the previous meeting. “Who is going to make sure that the town is not left holding the bag if you pay for police and fire and this equipment, and for whatever reason, the federal grant money doesn't come through.”
Ronan, of law firm Goulston and Storrs, said Boston Soccer 2026 “actually has a substantial amount of money in the bank right now” and would also provide a commitment letter from Kraft Sports and Entertainment “to fund any shortfalls.”
The lawyers said the town could file invoices for the public safety costs — including everything the town's public safety officials require, Ronan said — after each of the seven games, which would be paid in full within two business days. FIFA requires the venue to be secured for the entire 39 days of the tournament.
“It's unusual. Typically, as we understand it, some in this room may know better than I, it takes up to 30 days for a stadium event for processing,” lawyer Peter Tamm said. “This is going to kickstart that. This is supposed to eliminate any concern about liquidity, and that can be reflected in the license.”
Many of the 11 World Cup host cities are scrambling as their shares of $625 million in federal security funding remains in limbo, POLITICO reported last week. Massachusetts is eligible for just over $46 million of the federal money, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency was originally supposed to award by “no later than” Jan. 30.
“There is no reason to think that the grant money is not coming through,” Ronan added. “It's allocated and we know that it's in process.”
Governor Maura Healey told reporters Wednesday that she's confident the games will happen, while Rep. Stephen Lynch said he's backing Foxborough “100 percent.”
“The World Cup's going to happen. FIFA is going to be in Massachusetts,” Healey said. “It's going to be great to have people come from all over the world and see our awesome state.”
The Foxborough public safety chiefs put together a safety plan with FIFA, including appropriate staffing protocols and equipment needed before the games in June. The attorneys said the materials would all be available by June 1, but “these guys need it now. They need it now,” Select Board member Mark Elfman said.
While acknowledging the situation is unsolved, Tamm said that “when we propose to backstop and ensure the staffing, that is going above and beyond.”
“That is demonstrating that the public safety concerns will be addressed when we've ensured that the liquidity issues have been eliminated. That cannot be a basis for denial of the license,” Tamm said. “If payments come due and are not paid in accordance with the license terms, you can suspend, rescind, modify.”
Town Counsel Lisa Mead disagreed, saying the Board has broad discretion to deny a license if the soccer organizers are unable to fulfill the public safety requirements.
“We are 99 or 100 days away from hosting the largest sporting event in the world, and we can't seem to find necessary funding for necessary equipment that's been identified in over a year and a half of planning,” Foxborough Police Chief Michael Grace said. “Waiting till June 1 is unacceptable.”
Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.
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Kyle Bonn
JUMP TO:
The United States women asserted their dominance over their northern neighbors, putting themselves in pole position atop the SheBelieves Cup standings with a calm and collected 1-0 victory, led by a goal from Ally Sentnor.
Sentnor scored off a corner 10 minutes after halftime to secure the victory, but the three points for Emma Hayes came just as much from the possessional control as it did from the lone attacking moment.
It could have been more for the U.S. had they profited from their best chance in the first half, but Sentnor missed a point-blank opportunity just before the break.
In the end, it was far from an explosive victory, but it certainly was comfortable. Canada never threatened Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal for the U.S. once, as the hosts were in command of the match from start to finish. Having broken their 450+ minute goalless streak last time out against Colombia, Canada's stifled attack returned in this match, failing to provide any kind of threat whatsoever in the final third.
In truth, FIFA's No. 10 side could hardly get control of possession let alone have a go on goal, as they were completely dominated in midfield.
After failing to win the SheBelieves Cup in 2025, breaking a streak of five straight titles in their annual home tournament, the U.S. would return to the top of the standings with either a win or draw in the final match against Colombia. Canada, meanwhile, need to beat Argentina in their last game, have the U.S. lose to Colombia, and make up the goal differential.
The Sporting News followed the USA vs. Canada match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis.
Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, OH)Referee: Katia Itzel Garcia
Starting lineups:
USA (4-3-3, right to left): 24. Tullis-Joyce (GK) — 23. Fox, 4. Girma, 14. Sonnett, 20. G. Thompson — 17. Lavelle (Heaps, 79'), 17. Coffey, 15. Hutton (Yohannes, 79') — 2. Rodman (Sears, 69'), 9. Sentnor, 21. A. Thompson (Shaw, 90').
Canada (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Sheridan (GK) — 16. Sonis, 12. Rose, 14. Gilles, 24. Collins — 25. Regan (Ward, 61'), 7. Grosso — 20. Lacasse (Huitema, 61'), 13. Awujo (Alidou, 37'), 15. Prince (Chukwu, 61') — 11. Viens.
FULLTIME: USA 1-0 Canada
The final scoreline says just a one-goal victory for the U.S. as they snatch three points in Columbus, but the reality is the hosts ran away as clear winners.
The USWNT completely dominated the match from start to finish, never threatened a single time by their northern neighbors. It was a resounding victory, as the U.S. played Canada completely off the pitch. Two in two for Emma Hayes in her SheBelieves Cup redemption tour!
78th min: Marie Alidou, who came on for a Simi Awujo in the first half, picks up a booking for grabbing the shirt of a U.S. player, which is her second booking of the tournament, leaving her suspended for the final match. That's a brainless moment for the Canadian midfielder, knowing that Jessie Fleming is sick and Awujo has just come off injured.
Lindsey Heaps is brought in for the U.S. as part of a double substitution along with Lily Yohannes. Claire Hutton and Rose Lavelle are brought off.
69th min: Trinity Rodman, who was dealing with an injury from late in the opening match of this tournament, is withdrawn. Hometown product and Ohio State grad Emma Sears is brought on in her place. Both get a rousing ovation.
55th min: GOAL! USA! ALLY SENTNOR ATONES FOR HER EARLIER MISS WITH THE OPENING GOAL!
It comes off a USWNT corner, as the ball squirts through the trees and reaches Sentnor about 10 yards from goal, where she pops it up to herself with the first touch, and then buries it with a stretch on her second. The U.S. leads!
Watch Sentnor goal in USA:
Ally Sentnor breaks the deadlock against Canada 🔓 pic.twitter.com/LbtZB1KfsC
Watch USA goal in Canada:
Ally Sentnor strikes for USA and it's a 1-0 game.#SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/1igvcC0hur
2nd half kickoff: We're back under way in the SheBelieves Cup, with the U.S. hoping their first-half wastefulness won't come back to bite them. Largely, the USWNT controlled the match, but they were missing the final ball in their quality buildup. Can they find the magic moment to take the lead, or will Canada establish themselves in this match?
HALFTIME: USA 0-0 Canada
This game started in an extremely dull manner, but the U.S. took control over the final 15-20 minutes and pressed the Canada back line. Unfortunately for the hosts, they missed two glorious chances in front of goal to take the lead, most notably the Ally Sentnor miss from moments ago where she only had the goalkeeper to beat from four yards out and somehow failed to hit the target.
Sam Coffey, aptly, says as the teams head into the locker room that the U.S. need to keep their composure and finish better in the final third. Will they rue their missed opportunities?
44th min: Chance, USA! OH NO! ALLY SENTNOR MISSES A SITTER! The U.S. striker picks the pocket of Jade Rose eight yards from goal, putting her all alone with the goalkeeper from point-blank range, but somehow sticks the ball wide of the near post! How has she failed to hit the target from just four yards out???? What a disastrous missed opportunity!
37th min: You don't see this too often, as Simi Awujo is substituted off for Canada. It must be injury-related, because she goes straight down the tunnel into the dressing room. It's hard to know what exactly was the issue, because there weren't any signs of an injury, but the Manchester United midfielder is replaced by Marie Alidou. It's a big loss with Jessie Fleming already unavailable.
33rd min: Chance, USA! The first real sight of goal for either team sees the ball skitter just wide of the right post! A shot from the United States about 12 yards out is deflected off the foot of Jade Rose and flies just clear of the woodwork! SO close for the USWNT!
After the first 30 minutes saw a chess match between the two sides, the U.S. is ramping up the pressure now...
22nd min: Neither side has sniffed the opposition goal, but the foul count is starting to rise as Canada have been whistled for four fouls to this point. Both sides have been unable to play through the opponent, even if the intent has been there, although neither team has attempted to press the opponent hard and cause some chaos.
Kickoff: Here we go from Columbus! Two years ago, this meeting determined the winner of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. Will it be decisive again in 2026? We expect so!
Lineups: Lineups are in! As predicted, Phallon Tullis-Joyce is the goalkeeper selected for tonight's match, suggesting she has the upper hand in the race for the No. 1 shirt.
Trinity Rodman starts for the USWNT, as do Naomi Girma, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey, and the Thompson sisters. Girma wears the captain's armband, with Lindsey Heaps rotated out of midfield.
Canada bring Julia Grosso, Cloe Lacasse, Evelyn Viens into the starting XI, with Jessie Fleming swapped out due to illness. Simi Awujo will run point at the No. 10 position in a very attacking lineup for Les Rouges.
Prematch: Emma Hayes has rotated her squad considerably throughout the last two years, calling in young players to give them experience in the national team setup. Now, with the 2027 FIFA World Cup just over a year away, she has called in nearly all her big guns for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, looking to solidify the first-choice group and get them firing on the field together.
Still, there are plenty of places to be won. She told the media before this match, for example, that Emma Sears would be a choice off the bench if they needed to win a big competitive match right now. Yet it's important to remember that Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson are also factors once healthy.
On developing her game as a striker with the USWNT
Via TNT Sports
"I actually grew up playing the No. 9, so it feels like I'm back at home in my club team playing the nine. I definitely have to evolve and work on things going forward as I play more international opponents and learn more tools to put in my tool box. But I've really just enjoyed playing with the players here in camp, it's been so incredible working on my runs, on my back to goal like Emma's been talking about, and I'm really excited to evolve as a nine and not be your generic post-up nine."
On winning a close, low-scoring match with control
"There are so many different ways to win a football match. I love winning football matches like this where it's a bit on a knife edge at one-nil.
"It's important for a team that's so accustomed to 'I want a goal, the next action' that sometimes it doesn't come. But what you mustn't do is seek that so much that you give up something else, and I thought our control the last 10 minutes of the game, that for me is indicative of maturity in the performance. It was one of my favorite performances because they're growing up."
"I enjoyed it. I always want more goals, but sometimes not. Sometimes I think it's a good place to be in where you're winning one-nil, how do you manage this part of the game when maybe the second goal doesn't come but you can cough up a corner and *claps* all of a sudden it's a one-one game and going to penalties. So it was on enough of a knife edge for the tension, but we didn't get into the emotional side of the game because we controlled it."
On Ally Sentnor's performance in the win
"She was menacing all evening, pressing, she made it really difficult for them to settle on the ball. I could tell she was disappointed by the opportunity that she missed, but she's so resiliant, and she's got that Type A perfectionist steel about her, definitely a UNC kid.
"Bear in mind that you need a lot of experience to play the No. 9 on the U.S. women's national team, and I thought she did a bloody good job of doing that."
On Rose Lavelle in a veteran leadership role
"Rose has a lot of quiet leadership, she's our cookie crumble queen. She makes the noise in our dining room space, she's our social butterfly, but she's someone everyone respects for so many reasons. I love that she's leaning into this too, because the team needs it. If you think about the younger players...they are developing a maturity because of players like Rose.
"These players value so much the legacy of those that came before them."
MORE: An in-depth breakdown of the USWNT roster for the SheBelieves Cup
Canada have not yet announced their next fixtures following the March international break.
Kyle Bonn is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.
The U.S. women's national team defeated Canada 1-0 in the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday, March 4.
After defeating Argentina on Sunday in the SheBelieves Cup opener, the USWNT is now two for two at the competition.
Ally Sentnor's second-half goal made the difference in a nervy affair in Columbus, Ohio. Canada made things difficult on the home side, but ultimately the USWNT had just enough to get past its rival to the north.
Now the scene will shift to Harrison, New Jersey, where the USWNT can clinch the tournament with a win against Colombia on Sunday.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates throughout the match.
That's it! The USWNT makes it two wins from two at the SheBelieves Cup, with Sentnor's second-half goal making the difference. The U.S. will look to clinch the title with a win against Colombia on Saturday.
Canada with some tough challenges flying in as Carle comes in late on Fox as she's clearing the ball, picking up a deserved yellow.
Alyssa Thompson continues her quest for a goal but Sheridan thwarts her again with a diving save. The Chelsea forward now has three shots on target.
Now a double change for the USWNT with Heaps and Yohanes replacing Hutton and Lavelle.
Great work from Sears who wins the ball back near her own box and holds off Ward while running the length of the pitch on the right flank. Her pass to Sentnor helps the U.S. win a corner and tilt the field.
The USWNT makes its first change of the night as Sears replaces Rodman. Columbus native Sears gets a huge ovation in her hometown.
Alyssa Thompson surges forward with an excellent run, cutting through the heart of Canada's defense. But her shot is too central and easy for Sheridan. The Chelsea forward can create chances for herself with sheer speed.
Now the onus will be on Canada to respond. Viens takes a shot from distance that goes well over.
GOAL USWNT! Sentnor breaks the deadlock with a great finish off a corner kick. The striker takes the ball down with her right foot in the box and half-volleys home with her left.
Good passing combination for the USWNT as Hutton finds Gisele Thompson, but Rose with a good recovery run to snuff out the danger.
We are underway in the second half!
We're scoreless at the break. The USWNT was mostly in control but couldn't find the right connections and finishes in the final third.
Big chance for the USWNT! Sentnor robs the ball from Rose inside the box and immediately has a one-v-one chance. But her left-footed shot to the near post goes wide. That was the USWNT's best chance so far.
The U.S. finally has a shot on target as Alyssa Thompson tests Sheridan from distance. The goalkeeper stretches out well to save the low shot.
Another good chance for the USWNT with Rodman crossing for Sentnor, who lays the ball off nicely for Lavelle. The midfielder's shot flies over though as the U.S. frustration in the final third continues.
Canada making an early change with Awujo coming out and Alidou replacing her. Awujo goes straight back into the locker room so this is likely an injury issue.
USWNT still struggling to connect the final pass after winning the ball back several times on the counter-press.
Decent chance there for the USWNT, with Coffey winning the ball back and then continuing her run into the box. Lavelle's cross finds Coffey's head, but she directs it well over. USWNT still looking for its first shot on target.
Decent spell of possession for Canada, which is showing the ability to limit the USWNT's dangerous chances in the game's early going.
Now a bad turnover from Awujo, who plays it straight to Hutton when under pressure from Sonnett. Lavelle gets a look on goal but her shot flies well over from 25 out.
Awujo gets a shot off from the top of the box that Tullis-Joyce saves easily. Canada showing some signs of life now.
Some positive attacking intent from the U.S. right now with the Thompson sisters combining on the left flank well.
Sentnor finds Rodman with a great through ball but Rodman opts to square across instead of take on a shot herself, and the ball is cleared for a corner. Great turn by Hutton in midfield to spark that sequence.
We are underway!
It is pouring in Columbus with kickoff just 15 minutes away. Hopefully the field won't be like it was when these teams met two years ago.
In the first match of today's SheBelieves Cup doubleheader, Colombia defeated Argentina 1-0 thanks to a goal from star forward Linda Caicedo.
Two USWNT players have been forced to leave camp in the aftermath of the game against Argentina.
Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn has departed due to a finger injury, while defender Lilly Reale sustained a foot injury against Argentina and has also left.
Canada is the the USWNT's most frequent opponent at 67 all-time meetings. The USWNT has dominated the series, posting a record of 54W-4L-9D against the Canadians.
Most recently, the USWNT cruised past Canada with a 3-0 friendly win in July.
As expected, Emma Hayes makes wholesale changes from the Argentina game.
Only Gisele Thompson keeps her place, with 10 new players in the lineup.
GOALKEEPERS (3):Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 8) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 5), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 4)
DEFENDERS (9):Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 72/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC; 50/2), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 9/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 7/0), Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit; 11/0), Emily Sams (Angel City FC; 9/1), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 113/2), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 6/0), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC; 4/0)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Emily Burns (Nantes FC, FRA; 0), Melissa Dagenais (Ottawa Rapid FC; 0), Kailen Sheridan (North Carolina Courage, USA; 64)
DEFENDERS (7): Gabrielle Carle (Washington Spirit, USA; 61/1), Sydney Collins (Bay FC, USA; 9/1), Brooklyn Courtnall (Bay FC, USA; 1/0), Vanessa Gilles (FC Bayern Munich, GER; 57/9), Marie Levasseur (Montpellier, FRA; 16/0), Megan Reid (Denver Summit, USA; 3/1), Jade Rose (Manchester City, ENG; 36/1),
Welcome to our live coverage of today's SheBelieves Cup match between the U.S. women's national team and Canada. Both teams started this three-game competition with a win, meaning tonight's game will be huge in determining the champion.
Williams has had the tennis world buzzing since she was officially cleared to compete in February.ByDavid KanePublished Mar 05, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 05, 2026
© AFP or licensors
For Novak Djokovic, the rumored Serena Williams comeback is less a question of “if” and more of “when,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion discussing his fellow GOAT at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday.🖥️📲 Stream all matches from the 2026 BNP Paribas Open **on the Tennis Channel App**!“Everybody is excited,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference, “and it's definitely something that's very highly anticipated. So, you know, let's see.”Williams shocked the tennis world in December when it was revealed that the former world No. 1, who had “evolved” away from tennis in 2022, had begun clearing the way for a potential comeback by re-entering the WADA testing pool. Officially able to compete as of this February, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has given no indication of when she may return to action. But Djokovic, who is the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, had a few theories:
🖥️📲 Stream all matches from the 2026 BNP Paribas Open **on the Tennis Channel App**!“Everybody is excited,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference, “and it's definitely something that's very highly anticipated. So, you know, let's see.”Williams shocked the tennis world in December when it was revealed that the former world No. 1, who had “evolved” away from tennis in 2022, had begun clearing the way for a potential comeback by re-entering the WADA testing pool. Officially able to compete as of this February, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has given no indication of when she may return to action. But Djokovic, who is the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, had a few theories:
“Everybody is excited,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference, “and it's definitely something that's very highly anticipated. So, you know, let's see.”Williams shocked the tennis world in December when it was revealed that the former world No. 1, who had “evolved” away from tennis in 2022, had begun clearing the way for a potential comeback by re-entering the WADA testing pool. Officially able to compete as of this February, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has given no indication of when she may return to action. But Djokovic, who is the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, had a few theories:
Williams shocked the tennis world in December when it was revealed that the former world No. 1, who had “evolved” away from tennis in 2022, had begun clearing the way for a potential comeback by re-entering the WADA testing pool. Officially able to compete as of this February, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has given no indication of when she may return to action. But Djokovic, who is the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, had a few theories:
Q. Serena Williams has entered the doping protocol again. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: She's coming back. Q. Is she coming back? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Is she coming back? Is that a question? Q. What do you think? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think she's coming back. I don't know. I haven't spoken to her, but I guess the sentiment is that she's coming back. Where and how, singles, doubles, we don't know, and if I'm in her position, I would hide it too. Yeah, everybody is excited, and it's definitely something that's very highly anticipated. So, you know, let's see. Q. Do you think Wimbledon would be a good date? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I pick that one as well as her comeback, but yeah, I don't know. I think she might maybe play a doubles tournament or two with Venus. That would be nice to see, just from my point of view and tennis fans, for sure. Yeah, and she's one of the greatest athletes, really. It would be great to have her back too.
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Djokovic and Williams own the men's and women's Open Era records for Grand Slam victories, the former tied Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 at the 2023 US Open. Djokovic was a win away from a 25th title at the Australian Open but fell in the final to Carlos Alcaraz.Might this dream Williams return feature a Djokovic-Williams dream mixed team?
Might this dream Williams return feature a Djokovic-Williams dream mixed team?
The world No. 1 picked up a new title on the eve of the BNP Paribas Open: fiancée!ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 04, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 04, 2026
© 2024 Robert Prange
She was waiting for it, but she wasn't ready for it!World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka picked up a new title on the eve of the BNP Paribas Open—fiancée—after she said "yes" to beau Georgios Frangulis' big question.The proposal happened during dinner on Tuesday night, as a joint video posted to both Frangulis's and Sabalenka's Instagram accounts revealed, amidst a romantic backdrop of countless pink flowers and candles. Sabalenka, clad in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, joked that she had "no idea" it was coming in an Instagram story post in the immediate aftermath.“[E]verything happened, but just look how I look,” she said, as Frangulis eagerly responded that she looked "pretty as f---."“You & me, forever ♾️ 3.3.26 💍🤍,” they later captioned the video of the big moment, on which the couple received congratulatory comments from fellow players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka picked up a new title on the eve of the BNP Paribas Open—fiancée—after she said "yes" to beau Georgios Frangulis' big question.The proposal happened during dinner on Tuesday night, as a joint video posted to both Frangulis's and Sabalenka's Instagram accounts revealed, amidst a romantic backdrop of countless pink flowers and candles. Sabalenka, clad in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, joked that she had "no idea" it was coming in an Instagram story post in the immediate aftermath.“[E]verything happened, but just look how I look,” she said, as Frangulis eagerly responded that she looked "pretty as f---."“You & me, forever ♾️ 3.3.26 💍🤍,” they later captioned the video of the big moment, on which the couple received congratulatory comments from fellow players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova.
The proposal happened during dinner on Tuesday night, as a joint video posted to both Frangulis's and Sabalenka's Instagram accounts revealed, amidst a romantic backdrop of countless pink flowers and candles. Sabalenka, clad in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, joked that she had "no idea" it was coming in an Instagram story post in the immediate aftermath.“[E]verything happened, but just look how I look,” she said, as Frangulis eagerly responded that she looked "pretty as f---."“You & me, forever ♾️ 3.3.26 💍🤍,” they later captioned the video of the big moment, on which the couple received congratulatory comments from fellow players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova.
“[E]verything happened, but just look how I look,” she said, as Frangulis eagerly responded that she looked "pretty as f---."“You & me, forever ♾️ 3.3.26 💍🤍,” they later captioned the video of the big moment, on which the couple received congratulatory comments from fellow players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova.
“You & me, forever ♾️ 3.3.26 💍🤍,” they later captioned the video of the big moment, on which the couple received congratulatory comments from fellow players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Caroline Wozniacki, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova.
Sabalenka confirmed her relationship with the 37-year-old Brazilian businessman and founder of global acai brand Oakberry in 2024 after they met at a Formula One race. He since has been on hand to witness some of her biggest crowning moments at the top of women's tennis. She blew him a kiss in the stands after winning the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome that year, and when she successfully defended her US Open title last summer by beating Anisimova, the lovebirds shared a smooch when she climbed into the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands to celebrate.
After beating Marta Kostyuk to win the Brisbane International in January, Sabalenka joked that she was putting "some extra pressure" on Frangulis to take the next step in their relationship.Read more: Meet the newest addition to Aryna Sabalenka's entourage: her puppy, Ash
Read more: Meet the newest addition to Aryna Sabalenka's entourage: her puppy, Ash
Frangulis and Sabalenka shared a tender moment after she beat Amanda Anisimova in last September's US Open final.© AFP or licensors
© AFP or licensors
“Thank you to my boyfriend… Hopefully soon I can call you something else, right?” she said in a good-natured victory speech as Frangulis laughed along in the stands." I mean, come on, how long?" she later quipped. "I think by now he should figure it out."Taking one look at the massive oval-cut diamond ring that now sits on her left hand, it's safe to say that he did.
" I mean, come on, how long?" she later quipped. "I think by now he should figure it out."Taking one look at the massive oval-cut diamond ring that now sits on her left hand, it's safe to say that he did.
Taking one look at the massive oval-cut diamond ring that now sits on her left hand, it's safe to say that he did.
Denis Shapovalov's reaction said it all Wednesday evening in Indian Wells. The Canadian was thrilled after battling past Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to win a clash of former Top-10 stars and reach the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
“Definitely never easy to draw a guy like Stefanos first round. I think for both of us it was a very tough matchup” Shapovalov said in his post-match interview. “I knew I had to come out and play my ‘A game' and come out on fire. It's never easy to do that in the first rounds, but luckily I was able to do that today. Definitely very happy with the win.”
The lefty walked on court in primetime with a 4-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against the former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who was unseeded at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for the first time since 2018 in Cincinnati. Shapovalov powered to a 6-2 lead and broke Tsitsipas' serve immediately in the second set.
The Greek showed why he is a three-time Masters 1000 champion, clawing back to force a deciding set. But with the momentum switching, Shapovalov was able to reclaim control of points and earn a second-round meeting with 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
“It's tough. First round, you get the first-round jitters a little bit and up a set and a break there got ahead of myself a little bit, started thinking of the outcomes of the points a little bit too much and tried to play it a bit too safe," Shapovalov said. "Played a loose game and you know a guy like that is going to come back and elevate his game, play some great tennis. Definitely very happy I was able to close that out.”
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2019 Indian Wells champion Bianca Andreescu was ousted by Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. Despite a first-set tiebreak win, Andreescu battled nagging blisters as Rakhimova took advantage to reach the second round vs. Coco Gauff.
Former World No. 4 Bianca Andreescu's return to the win column on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz will continue to wait.
Indian Wells: Scores | Draws | Order of play
The 2019 Indian Wells champion and wildcard for this edition showcased bits of her former self in the opening set vs. Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova, but a strong bounce back and nagging Andreescu blister injury allowed the qualifier to prevail 6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Since suffering a brutal ankle injury at the near end of her first-round win over Barbora Krejcikova at Montreal last summer, Andreescu has yet to notch a tour-level win in seven months. She's slowly building her way back into form, including winning ITF W35 and W75 titles in Bradenton and Vero Beach, Florida to begin 2026.
Andreescu played her first WTA Tour match of 2026 last week in Austin as a wildcard, falling to Dalma Galfi 3-6, 7-5, 4-6. This was also her first career match against Rakhimova, and just her fourth overall appearance at the BNP Paribas Open.
First set: After an initial Rakhimova hold, Andreescu won three consecutive games and notched the match's first break for a 3-1 advantage. Similarly, the Uzbek went on a three-game run of her own, and eventually the first set headed to a tiebreak.
This was Rakhimova's tiebreak to lose, leading 6-3 with three set points. Andreescu crawled back -- not without the help of a Rakhimova missed swinging volley -- and the Canadian won five straight points and the set in 66 minutes. Andreescu had 15 winners, including six of her total 12 aces in the opening set.
Second set: Rakhimova responded as dominant as one could, needing just half the time of the first set -- 33 minutes -- to force a third. She didn't drop a game in the set for the first time in a main draw tour-level match since she defeated Sara Bejlek in the first round of the 2023 French Open. She also scored three of her seven break points in the second set.
"I was up 6-3, we saw that," Rakhimova said in her on-court interview. "Tennis happens, it happens. I needed to come back stronger and to keep doing my thing."
Arguably, the most consequential moment of the match came after the set when Andreescu took a medical timeout for apparent blisters on her left toe and foot.
Third set: The effect of the nagging blisters were immediate. Andreescu had a noticeable limp throughout the set when walking between points and her movement wasn't as agile as she displayed initially in the first set. Fans tried to encourage Andreescu on midway, but Rakhimova took advantage to win 11 of the final 12 games to advance to the second round.
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Rakhimova will face current World No. 4 Coco Gauff, who received a bye into the second round. They've only played twice, but both of those encounters have been recent -- both Gauff straight-set victories at the 2026 Australian Open and 2025 China Open.
Gauff will make her first appearance since reaching the semifinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
"I'm so ready, no pressure -- just enjoy tennis and of course myself," Rakhimova added on the matchup.
2019 Indian Wells champion Bianca Andreescu was ousted by Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. Despite a first-set tiebreak win, Andreescu battled nagging blisters as Rakhimova took advantage to reach the second round vs. Coco Gauff.
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Matteo Berrettini cramped immediately after his final shot en route to a first-round win Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open, sealing victory at the perfect moment.
Upon clinching his 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win against Adrian Mannarino, the Italian fell to the ground in pain and sat there for roughly five minutes while receiving a visit from the ATP supervisor and physio. Smiling in relief despite the pain, Berrettini left everything on court to earn a second-round showdown against fourth seed Alexander Zverev.
“I fought really hard, until the very last point,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the third [set], I started to feel a little bit of cramping. I was little bit surprised at the beginning but then I remembered that I was sick until three days ago, so I was like, ‘Okay, it's normal'."
Berrettini entered the match 0-2 against Mannarino and the Frenchman started Wednesday's clash by winning his sixth consecutive set against the Italian. The 29-year-old then leaned on his backhand slice to set up opportunities for his booming forehand, while also dropping just five points behind his first serve in the decider, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to advance.
Berrettini will next look to improve upon his 3-4 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Zverev.
In other action, Gael Monfils became the second-oldest match winner (39 years, six months) in tournament history by ousting Alexis Galarneau 6-3, 6-4. Only Ivo Karlovic (40) was older when he reached the fourth round in 2019.The Frenchman will meet ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round.Reilly Opelka won an all-American clash against Ethan Quinn 7-5, 7-6(3) while Jenson Brooksby downed Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-4. Gabriel Diallo defeated Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 6-4 and Zizou Bergs was a 6-3, 6-4 winner against Jan-Lennard Struff.
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In other action, Gael Monfils became the second-oldest match winner (39 years, six months) in tournament history by ousting Alexis Galarneau 6-3, 6-4. Only Ivo Karlovic (40) was older when he reached the fourth round in 2019.
The Frenchman will meet ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round.
Reilly Opelka won an all-American clash against Ethan Quinn 7-5, 7-6(3) while Jenson Brooksby downed Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-4. Gabriel Diallo defeated Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 6-4 and Zizou Bergs was a 6-3, 6-4 winner against Jan-Lennard Struff.
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On the court, Rybakina and Fritz defended their title; on the sidelines, there was just as much, if not more action, taking place.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 04, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 04, 2026
© Matt Fitzgerald
The world's best players have gathered in Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open—and many of them headed to intimate Stadium 2 on Tuesday night for a fun-filled kickoff to the season's first combined 1000-level tournament: the Eisenhower Cup.We headed to the desert to capture the scenes last year, and we returned to capture Elena Rybakina's and Taylor Fritz's successful title defense—plus a whole lot more:
We headed to the desert to capture the scenes last year, and we returned to capture Elena Rybakina's and Taylor Fritz's successful title defense—plus a whole lot more:
Swiatek and Ruud entered in matching eyewear.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Paolini and Andreeva share a laugh.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Anisimova and Tien shined in their debut together, reaching the final.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
👉 Watch a replay of the Eisenhower Cup on the Tennis Channel app
New customers only.
Bublik stepped in as a replacement to join forces with the defending BNP Paribas Open women's champ.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Pegula and Paul narrowly lost their opener to Bublik/Andreeva.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Reactions in unison to Bublik's underarm serve, which resulted in consecutive lets.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Fritz reacts after Ruud unsuccessfully comes for him during a rally with a rocket that landed long.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
There's just as much, if not more action, taking place on the sidelines during the fun-filled exhibition.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
We had to ask Rybakina and Fritz for a quick trophy lift after successfully running it back!© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
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Starting this weekend, Apple TV subscribers in the US can watch all practice, Qualifying, and Sprint sessions, along with races, as the 2026 Formula 1 season roars into gear.
Apple TV subscribers in the US will be able to watch all practice, Qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grands Prix across the 2026 season, starting with this weekend's action in Australia.
As the new exclusive US home of Formula 1, Apple TV is the place for US fans to watch every Grand Prix live and on demand, all season long.
Fans can follow Formula 1 on Apple TV and explore an extensive collection of curated programming at apple.co/f1onappletv.
“This weekend marks the start of a new era for Formula 1 fans in the US,” said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services. “We're excited to bring every moment of the season to Apple TV, delivering an immersive experience designed entirely around fans. Formula 1's growth in America has been extraordinary, and we're proud to build on that momentum – combining the power of Apple TV with the broader Apple ecosystem to create even more ways for fans to connect with the sport.”
“As we begin this exciting chapter for our sport with new teams, cars, engines, and drivers, it is the perfect time to welcome Apple as our broadcaster in the United States,” said Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1's President and CEO.
“We have an important journey ahead of us, one we'll share in a country where the passion for F1 continues to grow with extraordinary energy. We are two global brands with the same ambition: to always strive for excellence, to boldly innovate, and to deliver thrilling experiences. I am sure our American fans will appreciate not only the intensity and spectacle of our races, but also the quality and coverage they'll have available. Throughout the season, they'll be able to experience every moment on Apple TV, feeling even closer to the action, the teams, and the protagonists of this unique sport.”
Viewers tuning in to F1 will enjoy a true front-row experience, with comprehensive coverage and analysis, expansive programming, and every Grand Prix with 5.1 surround sound – and, for the first time ever for F1 viewers, in stunning 4K with Dolby Vision.
Coverage of every Grand Prix will feature English and Spanish commentary, along with access to up to 30 additional live feeds across all sessions. These include Driver Tracker for a bird's-eye view of the race; real-time telemetry and timing; a mixed onboard feed that automatically switches between onboard cameras as the race unfolds; and podium feeds that dynamically follow the drivers running in P1, P2, and P3 throughout.
Viewers can follow every moment of the race with a Multiview experience, watching up to four live feeds at once. They can easily get started with a one-tap, preconfigured Multiview layout for every team, or if they prefer even more personalisation, they can customise their own Multiview and choose which feeds they'd like to follow.
Viewers will also have access to Sky Sports broadcasts, providing another way to enjoy every race weekend.
Apple TV subscribers can explore curated collections of programming covering everything they need to know heading into the 2026 season, including rule changes, new cars, team updates, the full race calendar, and the most exciting moments from last season. If they miss a session, they can catch up anytime with full replays, highlights, and Race in 30 – all spoiler-free.
F1 TV Premium – Formula 1's premier direct-to-consumer offering – remains available exclusively in the US through Apple TV and is included at no additional cost for subscribers. On Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone, subscribers can also access Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 ACADEMY, and Porsche Supercup events through the F1 TV app using their Apple TV subscription.
For the first time, Formula 1: Drive to Survive will be available to stream on both Netflix and Apple TV, as Season 8 takes viewers through the thrills, shake-ups, and triumphs of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Whether the viewer is a casual fan who fell in love with Formula 1 through Drive to Survive or a die-hard enthusiast tuning in to each race weekend throughout the year, they'll find even more ways to engage with the sport through this collaboration between Apple TV and Netflix. Released just last week ahead of the 2026 F1 season, this latest chapter gives fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the 2025 campaign – a year that saw plenty of action unfold both on and off the track.
Drive to Survive will be available for US fans to enjoy with an Apple TV subscription throughout the entire season. Additionally, the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, beginning May 22, will stream on Apple TV and Netflix in the US.
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Following a year on the sidelines, Valtteri Bottas has reflected on his "different perspective" on Formula 1 as he prepares for his return with the new Cadillac team.
Valtteri Bottas has conceded that he “definitely appreciates” everything about F1 even more after spending a year on the sidelines, with the Finn hoping that this “better perspective” will help during a season in which he is aiming for “progress” with the new Cadillac team.
After losing his spot on the grid with Kick Sauber at the end of 2024, Bottas returned to Mercedes – who he previously raced for between 2017 and 2021 – as a reserve driver, maintaining a presence in the paddock as he aimed to make a full-time comeback to the sport.
It was confirmed last summer that the 36-year-old's goal had been realised when he was announced as part of Cadillac's line-up for the American outfit's maiden campaign in 2026, partnering fellow returning driver Sergio Perez.
Asked during Thursday's media day ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix if he had felt rusty when getting back behind the wheel, Bottas responded: “I haven't actually – I felt alright! I got plenty of testing, much more testing than normally you get before the season, and I think those few test days I had last year helped keep a bit of a feeling.
“But I have to say, actually, a few things are different. I never expected to be actually kind of happy to be in a press conference! After one year off, it's like, it's not bad. So yeah, [I] have a different perspective now.”
Quizzed further on this altered attitude and whether he now appreciates Formula 1 more after being away from the grid, Bottas said: “Absolutely. Having one year of not racing, you definitely appreciate everything about this sport more, and being on the grid is a different feeling.
“So yeah, like I said, even the press conference doesn't feel that bad today, but ask me in Abu Dhabi! I definitely have a better perspective of the sport and will appreciate it much more than I did two years ago, so hopefully that will help me.”
Bottas acknowledged that he is facing a “very different” challenge this time around as he prepares to race for Cadillac in the American squad's first-ever F1 season.
“I think it's quite unique to be in a situation that you're starting with a new team in the sport,” the 10-time race winner said. “It doesn't really happen every day, so yeah, very unique.
“It's been hard work – lots of problem solving – but we've already made great progress and really hats off to the whole team being here ready for race one, which I think already is incredible. I'm looking forward to this journey – it's only the start of it now.”
Pushed on the objectives that he has set for himself and the team going into 2026, Bottas answered: “Progress – that's the number one thing. We need to get better from the start of the year to the end of the year, which I hope we will.
“Like I said, we've had hard work already, but the hard work continues going ahead. With the new power units, with the new cars, it's the same kind of for everyone, but we have been building everything from scratch, so we need to keep going, keep getting better in all the areas.”
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Aston Martin and Honda opened up on the task ahead as they faced the media on Thursday ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
Aston Martin's hospitality unit was a hive of activity on Thursday morning as Team Principal Adrian Newey and Honda Racing President Koji Watanabe faced the media for the first time since the British team's 2026 car suffered significant vibrations that limited their running in pre-season testing.
It's been a tough start to the year for Aston Martin, who are heading into this season with a works power unit partner for the first time in their history in the shape of Honda. They were late to the Barcelona Shakedown, after delays early in the process pushed their production deadlines back and then achieved the least mileage of any of the 11 teams on this year's grid during two three-day tests in Bahrain.
Troubles are to be expected when you bring on a new partner as significant as an engine supplier, especially when you're working to new rules and producing your own gearbox and rear suspension for the first time – but Aston Martin, who tempted design genius Newey away from Red Bull last March, didn't expect it to be so tough.
The chief problem in Bahrain was a big vibration from the power unit that damaged Honda's battery to a point where they couldn't run it for very long before it broke. The vibrations were also so severe, parts of the car were breaking and tough for the drivers to handle.
Aston Martin are aware of the challenge they are facing – but they are not turning from a fight. They have been working hard together with Honda to try and find a solution ahead of this weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
As we learned in the briefing, while Honda haven't found the root cause of the problem, they do have a countermeasure to try in Melbourne as an interim solution to try and get some longer life out of the battery.
"Based on the extensive dyno testing, we will introduce countermeasures we believe to be the most effective solution at this stage, starting this week," said Watanabe. "However, its effectiveness we cannot yet fully guarantee under the real track condition, so certain conditions will be applied to power unit operation this week.
"We are working together as one team and further measures are already under consideration but we are not able to share that technical detail, so we ask for your patience as we continue working toward unlocking full performance potential."
Newey added: "The important thing to understand, though, is that the battery is the thing that we have been focusing on because that's the critical item.
"Without giving away any technical details, what we have achieved for this weekend, it tested on the dyno over the course of the weekend and got to the solution which we will be using here at Melbourne.
"That has successfully significantly reduced the vibration going into the battery but what is important to remember is, effectively the PU, the combination of the ICE and possibly the MGU as well, is the source of the vibration. It's the amplifier. The chassis is – in that scenario – the receiver.
"That vibration into the chassis is causing a few reliability problems, mirrors falling off, tail lights falling off, all that sort of thing, which we are having to address."
However, Newey said the "much more significant problem" is the vibration is "transmitted ultimately into the driver's fingers", which has until this weekend limited the amount of laps they can run.
"Fernando [Alonso] is of the feeling that he can't do more than 25 laps consecutively before he will risk permanent nerve damage to his hands," he added. "Lance [Stroll] is of the opinion that he can't do more than 15 laps before that threshold.
"To me I think there's no point in not being open and honest on our expectations. We are going to have to be very heavily restricted on how many laps we do in the race until we get on top of the source of the vibration and improve the vibration at source."
Such is the quality of Aston Martin and Honda's facilities and personnel at Silverstone, UK, and Sakura, Japan, the squad retain hope they can get on top of their problems.
Newey said: "Do we believe in Honda's ability to bring that power up and to be competitive? Absolutely, they have a proven track record, and we have total faith."
Watanabe added: "Of course, I want to hurry up, but at this moment, it's quite difficult to say when and how [long it will take]."
Intriguingly, Newey feels there's huge potential in the chassis, so much so that he reckons it's good enough to be top of the midfield currently with plenty of options to add performance through the season.
"On the chassis side, I think it is well known that we faced a very condensed period of development," he said. "We didn't get a model into the wind tunnel until mid-April – so quite a long way behind our competitors.
"What we tried to concentrate on was having a good, sound, architectural package. By architectural package, I mean the parts that we can't easily change in season. I think we've achieved that.
"I look at our package and I don't feel as if we've particularly missed anything so therefore I believe that the car has huge, tremendous development potential in it. It will take a few races to fully realise that potential. We've got quite an aggressive development plan underway.
"Here in Melbourne, we are a bit behind the leaders [and] maybe the fifth best team, so sort of potential Q3 qualifiers on the chassis side. Obviously it is not where we want to be but we have the potential to be up front at some point in the season."
For their part, the drivers were staying optimistic that things will improve in the future.
"We're not happy for sure," said Stroll. "We want to be more competitive but all we can do is put our heads down and just get on top of the issues we have and try to improve every weekend through the season.
"I have no doubts that on the chassis side, we can bring upgrades and get more competitive every week. On the engine side, the same – we just need to find more power and when all of the pieces come together, I'm sure we can be where we want to be. It's just about getting there."
Alonso added: "You have to keep united, you have to keep motivated. Sometimes it's difficult when you are not really fighting for top places but there is always a goal.
"There is always a challenge, always a target on the weekend and for us now it's just to get better, to improve the car, to understand more about these issues that we have.
"At the same time, because we had a very short winter and we didn't manage all the programmes that we wanted, there are a lot of set-up directions and tests that we want to do in these first races to understand the car and the new regulations. I think we have a long list to do and that's already motivating enough for the first couple of races."
The first opportunity to see how much progress the team have made will be first practice, when Honda's countermeasures are put into action on track.
If it works, in theory the battery should be able to run for longer, which in turn will allow the team to gather more valuable data about the power unit and car having missed out on so much running in Bahrain – and further understand what is causing the vibration to help them get to the root cause.
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Following a tough pre-season for the team, Alex Albon has explained where he thinks Williams will place in the pecking order at the start of 2026.
Alex Albon believes that Williams will find themselves in the “bottom half of the midfield” entering into 2026, with the Thai racer conceding that the team's car “needs to go on a diet” as a priority.
Off the back of a strong P5 finish in last year's Teams' Championship, Williams have faced a tougher start to this year's campaign, having been the only squad to miss the Barcelona Shakedown in January due to delays in the FW48 programme.
While they went on to record decent mileage during the two pre-season tests in Bahrain, the Grove-based outfit seemed to be lacking in performance compared to some of their rivals, with their 2026 challenger currently overweight.
As such, Albon offered a modest assessment during Thursday's media day ahead of the Australian Grand Prix about where Williams stand following testing.
“I think that realistically, we're going to be at the bottom half of the midfield,” the 29-year-old said. “We've got our work cut out. It's clear where a lot of the performance is – it's no secret that we're overweight, but we have a clear plan.
“The next few races are just about optimising. I feel like there's a lot of opportunity in these races where the regulations are still so new and reliability is still a question mark.
“There are still points on the table if everything goes right and we execute on our side. That's how I view it. We're maybe not where we want to be, not at the speed we had last year, but I think we'll get there.”
Despite his optimism that things will improve, Albon also acknowledged that it has been “tough” to cope with the drop off in performance.
“It's tough for myself but it's tough for the whole team,” he explained. “I think we take it as a group. It's been frustrating but it's not from lack of effort from the team or anyone at Grove.
“It's challenged us, these new regulations and this new car build. We are on the back foot, but we've done it before and we'll do it again.”
Focusing on the team's short-term priorities and possibilities, Albon admitted that reducing the car's weight is the initial goal before they take stock of everything else.
“The car needs to go on a diet, and then it's just around analysing our concepts in terms of aero philosophies,” the Williams driver said. “Do we think we've gone the right way? Do we need to reassess?
“I think Mercedes are the clear strong ones in our heads for now, and they look a little bit different to us so we'll maybe have a look at that. For now, none of these things are going to happen overnight. We just need to optimise what we have.
“Reliability down the paddock is going to be a big question mark – it is a new regulation, after all, so if we can get some points for free… Realistically going into this weekend, if everyone finishes then I'm not sure points are in the cards for us, but with reliability, who knows?”
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Carlos Sainz is the guest on the first Beyond The Grid episode of 2026.
Five years after Carlos Sainz left McLaren, his former team and his former team mate are the reigning Formula 1 World Champions.
As he watched Lando Norris reach the summit of world motorsport, did he ever think ‘that could have been me?'
On the latest episode of Beyond The Grid, Sainz tells host Tom Clarkson about leaving McLaren and becoming a race winner with Ferrari before joining Williams.
He also recalls feeling ‘powerless' during a difficult start to the 2025 season, and reveals the work which led him to stand on the podium later in the year.
The Spaniard also gives his first impressions of the 2026 F1 cars and explains why he wants to use the ‘peak' of his career to take Williams back to the top.
To listen to this week's episode, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.
You can also check out a huge selection of previous episodes – spanning every decade of F1 – in our dedicated Beyond The Grid library here.
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By Dominic Patten
Executive Editor, Legal, Labor & Politics
The rough ride contestants Jonathan Towns and Ana Towns had on the CBS competition series The Amazing Race last year has now turned into a legal brawl between the couple and the show's producers.
Accusing Paramount, CBS and producers ABC Signature (now 20th Television, part of Disney Television Studios) and Jerry Bruckheimer Films of rigging the series and unleashing a “smear strategy so audacious and immoral that would shock the conscience of even the most cynical propagandist,” the Season 37 participants are looking for $8 million and more in damages as part of a defamation suit.
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“The gravamen of this action is not a dispute over legitimate editorial judgment or discretion,” reads the jury-seeking complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by the Townses, who are representing themselves.
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“The claims asserted herein arise from a calculated and sustained course of conduct in which Defendants, possessing the evidentiary materials necessary to depict Plaintiff Jonathan Towns accurately and completely, made the deliberate determination to suppress those materials and to substitute in their place a constructed, false, and highly damaging portrayal – one manufactured through the systematic juxtaposition of decontextualized footage, the willful omission of material exculpatory and humanizing content, the disproportionate inclusion of narratively irrelevant but inflammatory content, and the sustained and asymmetric application of editorial standards that were applied to no other participant in the production,” the complaint adds.
“The resulting broadcast, disseminated to tens of millions of viewers on a nationally distributed television network, falsely portrayed Jonathan Towns, a private individual with no antecedent public profile, as a morally depraved, brutal and abusive spouse.”
As anyone knows who watched Season 37's episodes, which ran March 5-May 15 of last year, the clearly stressed out Towns duo ended up coming third in the competition. Since appearing on TAR, where he was reprimanded more than once for his name-calling and demeaning attitude towards Ana Towns, Jonathan has been diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder, their 25-page complaint asserts.
Citing a “meltdown” and “clear emotional anguish” by Jonathan Towns during the May-June 2024 shooting of the Phil Keoghan-hosted series, the filing alleges that producers, including EP Keoghan, did little to nothing to help the contestant. What TAR producers did do, according to the suit, is convince the couple there was nothing underhanded going on and to not quit the show. What they also did, the filing claims, was paint a portrait of Jonathan Towns as someone engaging in “intentional emotional abuse toward his spouse.”
“The foregoing portrayal is not susceptible of characterization as the product of subjective editorial interpretation or the legitimate exercise of creative discretion,” the March 4-filed complaint states. “Defendants possessed the evidentiary materials necessary to tell an accurate and complete story. Their determination not to do so, and to substitute in place of accuracy a false and damaging characterization, constitutes the publication of a false statement of fact within the meaning of applicable California law.”
Not only do the Townses want $8 million from Paramount and pals, the couple is seeking a court injunction compelling producers to re-edit the show with “appropriate disclaimers” of Jonathan Towns' condition. In what may be a first for the dirty business and messy sausage-making of unscripted TV, the pair also want a public apology for how they were depicted.
Neither Paramount's CBS nor 20th Television, which absorbed ABC Signature in fall 2024, have responded to Deadline's request for comment on the complaint or claims. It seems they are trying to track down the suit, I hear.
As for The Amazing Race, the globetrotting challenges continue, with the show renewed for Season 39 in January.
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They were one of my favorite teams on the show but this is utterly ridiculous. You don't want to continue? THEN QUIT! 8 Million while blaming the edit? 🙄
Did they not know how reality shows work?
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[Editor's Note: The following story contains spoilers for Season 4 of “Industry.”]
Harper Stern's (Myha'la) childhood casts a dark shadow over the “Industry” lead character. Although off-screen, her abusive mother has a palpable hold over her. Over the course of writing the series, one question the creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay grappled with was who to cast when Harper's mom eventually made an appearance.
“We were really worried about casting the actress, [and] what it would mean to put them on screen together. It would almost be you're filling in too many gaps,” Kay said while a guest on this week's episode of IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit podcast.
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On the podcast, the “Industry” creators admitted that at one point they had thought Jennifer Jason Leigh would be the right actress for the role, before realizing that the best casting decision was never to show the character at all.
Kay explained, “You'd be filling in too many gaps, whereas I think the actual haziness of [not showing Harper's mom] gave Myha'la more to play. It makes it more universal.”
Allowing the effect the relationship has on Harper to play out in Myha'la's performance pays off in Season 4, when Harper learns of her mother's unexpected death. Myha'la goes noticeably inward as her character continues her battle to bring down Tender, never stopping to make plans to return home for the funeral. It's not a coincidence that Harper's breakthrough attempt at her first real relationship comes when she tells Kwabena Bannerman (Toheeb Jimoh) that her mother died. According to Down, it's a power the mother character would never have had if they put a face to her.
“It allows the audience to project whatever she was like onto the character,” said Down. “I don't think, honestly, we would be able to cast it in a way — it is a weird thing to say — that would do the character justice, because she's such a huge presence in Harper's life without ever seeing her. I think it would just undercut the power of it.”
During the interview, Kay and Down referred to themselves as acolytes of “Mad Men,” and the grip Harper's upbringing has on her drive and steely outer shell is not unlike Don Draper's (Jon Hamm). In Season 2, like in “Mad Men,” the creators explored the past when Harper searches for and finds her estranged twin brother (Adain Bradley), a former tennis star who flamed out from anxiety, which he associates with Harper and his childhood trauma. It was a detour away from the world of “Industry” that was likely a mistake, and one that the creators drew a broader lesson from.
“Me and Mickey have found in writing the show, and I think this is true of actually even great shows like ‘Mad Men,' the moment you start going backwards, narratively, even if you handle it really well, I think the viewer sort of turns their brain off a little bit and you're often doing stuff that isn't pushing story,” said Kay. “There's a slight tendency towards indulgence because you feel like you're filling the character in, but actually the audience doesn't actually need it as much as you think they do.”
To hear Kay and Down's full interview, subscribe to the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
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For a half-hour comedy that's mainly going for laughs (what a concept!), there's a lot happening in “Rooster.” Ostensibly, the new HBO series follows Greg Russo (Steve Carell) on a trip to see his daughter, Katie (Charly Clive) after her husband, Archie (Phil Dunster), leaves her for a younger woman. As Katie unloads her heartache and confusion, Greg can't help but reflect on his own broken marriage; it's been five years, and he still hasn't recovered from losing Elizabeth (Connie Britton).
Then an unexpected job opportunity emerges. It would move him closer to Katie during her time of need and give Greg a mulligan on his post-divorce reinvention. He could start over in a new town, with a new gig, and maybe even make some new friends. Perhaps the position is providence: bringing father and daughter together at just the right moment, so they can help each other regain their footing.
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That, however, isn't all “Rooster” is — far from it. Did I mention Katie works as an art history professor at Ludlow College, a (fictional) liberal arts school in New England, which is the same place Archie works with his young new partner Sunny (Lauren Tsai)? (It also happens to be Elizabeth's alma mater, and she its “most celebrated alum.”) Greg never went to college, so you can see where this is headed: He's going back to school! There will be keggers, hook-ups, late nights and early mornings, all without shading Greg as a sad old man trying to turn back time. Not this guy! Not Greg! He's doing this for his kid!
If the premise sounds a bit broad for HBO, it should. While the pending Paramount acquisition has churned out plenty of funny hits in its storied history — “The Chair Company,” of all shows, became HBO's most-watched comedy debut in five years — its titles tend to have sharper edges, headier ambitions, or offbeat vibes (like, you know, “The Chair Company”).
As a warm, simple, and familiar sitcom, “Rooster” stands out on HBO by fitting in with the rest of TV, particularly its creators' former work. Co-showrunners Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses started out in network sitcoms, with the former ascending to TV royalty in the genre. Lawrence is responsible for “Spin City,” “Scrubs,” and “Cougar Town,” and he made the transition to streaming look easy with the mega hit “Ted Lasso,” as well as two additional Apple comedies, “Shrinking” and “Bad Monkey.”
Many of Lawrence's sitcoms deploy a hooky premise as pretense for a hangout comedy, and his early work focused on skilled professionals whose personal lives were in the toilet. In “Spin City,” Mike (Michael J. Fox) is too busy running New York (the hook) to spend time with family and friends (the hangout). In “Scrubs,” J.D. (Zach Braff) is too overwhelmed with doctoring duties to maintain relationships outside the hospital.
“Cougar Town” arrived mid-pivot — after “Scrubs” and before “Ted Lasso” — as Lawrence shifted from stories of young workers looking for love to stories about proven professionals trying to shake things up. Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is a beloved college football coach who becomes a beloved British soccer coach. Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) is a reliable therapist who seizes on a radical new approach to helping patients. Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn) is a detective who starts over as a private eye.
There's a lot of “Shrinking” and “Scrubs” in “Rooster” — enough to unofficially form Lawrence's Sad Dad trilogy. The first six episodes feel overstuffed (with plot, characters, and jokes), but a lot of it works. The premiere is rock solid, without a wasted word and showing a strong grip on its tone, and the cast is exceptional, led by Carell, Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, and Annie Mumolo. What doesn't work, for the most part, can be chalked up to the trial and error process typical for network comedies, which rely on regular fine-tuning to find their best self. If the audience is laughing while those adjustments are being made, you're good — no harm, no foul.
Still, for all the funny moments and exuded kindness (another modern Lawrence trademark), as “Rooster” moves past its set-up and into its ongoing story, it keeps tripping over itself. Greg is an author. He's done well for himself writing beach reads where “the characters that you like have sex, and the ones you don't get shot in the face.” His novels allow him to live vicariously through his recurring hero, Rooster: a buff, beachside detective who's as suave and smart as Greg is awkward and unassuming.
But “Rooster” insists on illustrating Greg's lack of social (and physical) graces by turning him into a shield for canceled men. For every apparent impropriety, there's a reasonable explanation. When Greg gets drunk and high with an underage undergrad, it's OK, because he's trying to help a lonely kid make friends. When a student claims his books are misogynistic, it's OK, because she's overreacting. And in the most ludicrous, straight-out-of-a-'90s-sitcom example, when Greg trips and breaks his fall by grabbing a woman's breasts, it's OK because what else could have done? Even the so-called victim says it was an accident, so no, there's nothing to see here, let's move on.
Except it's hard to move on when “Rooster” keeps circling back. Greg getting sent to the disciplinary board becomes a recurring bit, no more serious than whenever J.D. visits the hospital's attorney or Jimmy gets chastised by his boss. Cancel culture isn't what the show is about, but it's such a prominent punchline that it keeps getting in the way of the show itself. The only serious subject matter “Rooster” cares about relates to its characters' emotional journeys — Greg's feelings of inadequacy are fresh, stirring material, and Carell lends them incredible poignancy in the brief glimpses they're given — and the humor inspired by Greg's misconstrued behavior is incongruous with what's otherwise a light, heartwarming comedy.
Enjoying Carell, one of the most affable actors in existence, shouldn't be this hard (as a Matt Lauer surrogate on “The Morning Show,” sure, but not when he's the audience proxy living out a middle-aged guy's “back to college” fantasy). After all, the series largely avoids other topical issues of modern campus life, from freedom of speech restrictions to administrators kowtowing to autocracies. So why does “Rooster” need to keep bringing up the threat of cancellation, especially after the show goes so far out of its way to avoid labeling Greg as a certified Bad Man™️? He isn't even the professor who sleep with a student; his son-in-law did!
Perhaps the first season's misguided focus is just one more wrinkle waiting to be ironed out — an attempt to fit HBO's edgy, contemporary brand from a creative team best suited for broad comedy. After all, even when you're overtly aware of its hang-ups, “Rooster” is easy to fall for. The jokes are plentiful, the campus setting is aptly cozy, and the pacing proves as quick as it is assured. You can tell everyone involved has done this before, at the highest levels, including Lawrence's returning favorites John C. McGinley (“Scrubs”), Alan Ruck (“Spin City”), and Connie Britton (“Spin City”). Deadwyler, a legitimate star, gets stuck reassuring everyone that this seemingly offensive white dude is actually OK, but she's still an additive comedic presence, whether it's her dialed-in reactions or catchy enthusiasm.
Carell, meanwhile, is in his element and thriving. Greg is far more aware of his social blunders than Michael Scott was, but their shared actor brings the same late-“Office” innocence to his latest embarrassing lead. It's hard to sell lines so mortifying no normal person would think them, let alone speak them aloud, but Carell stammers through each one with just enough blamelessness that you believe Greg when he says, “I don't know why I do so many of the things I do.” Carell is savvy enough to root each preposterous statement or action in something true to his character.
It's a performance worth reveling in. Here's hoping “Rooster” makes it easier to do just that in Season 2.
“Rooster” premieres Sunday, March 8 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. New episodes will be released weekly through the finale on May 10.
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This is probably not the way the good folks at Sony Pictures Classics hoped to introduce their upcoming biopic, “I Swear,” to domestic audiences, but perhaps Kirk Jones‘ feature about Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson will be good enough to stand on its own merits.
Writing as someone who saw and reviewed the film at last year's Toronto International Film Festival, I hope it does. For now, at least, the film has proven to be a favorite in its native United Kingdom, chronicling a story many across the pond have long watched, thanks to a series of films and specials all about the real Davidson, here played by breakout star Robert Aramayo.
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The film was a smash hit when it was released in the UK last year, hitting number one at the box office during its theatrical release and ultimately ranking among the top 10 British films in the UK for all of 2025.
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Last month during a particularly upsetting and instantly infamous ceremony, “I Swear” won three BAFTA Film Awards, including Best Actor and the EE Rising Star Award for Aramayo, plus Best Casting for Lauren Evans (the film also stars Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake, and Shirley Henderson). The film was also nominated for Best Outstanding British Film, Best Supporting Actor for Mullan, and Best Original Screenplay.
Per the film's official logline, SPC bills it as having an “emotionally engaging, funny, and compelling script [that] charts John Davidson's Tourette's diagnosis at the age of 15 years old. Set within 1980s Britain, the story follows him throughout his troubled teens and early adulthood, and explores this little known and entirely misunderstood condition, along with his attempts to live a ‘normal' life against the odds.”
At TIFF, I hailed Aramayo's performance in particular, writing that the actor “is excellent in the role, easily transversing between John's pain and confusion and a wincing humor about the whole situation,” noting that his “sensitive portrayal of the man and Jones' unflinching dedication to showing some of Davidson's most painful moments, the ones that pushed him into action, add up to an insightful biopic that chronicles a very worthy subject.”
Sony Pictures Classics will release the film in theaters on Friday, April 24. Check out the film's U.S. first trailer below.
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By Nellie Andreeva
Editor-In-Chief
EXCLUSIVE: How's this for range? Jacob Tierney, creator of the wildly popular contemporary gay romance Heated Rivalry, will be tackling ancient male friendship — and mentorship — next. Netflix has given a straight-to-series order to Alexander, a drama about the teen years of Alexander the Great from Tierney and fellow Heated Rivalry executive producer Brendan Brady as well as Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan of Aggregate Films.
Like Canadian hockey drama Heated Rivalry, which was based on Rachel Reid's novels and for which Tierney wrote and directed all six Season 1 episodes, he also will write and direct Alexander, an adaptation of the 2009 novel The Golden Mean by another Canadian author, Annabel Lyon.
In Alexander, as the Athenian empire crumbles, the world's greatest mind, Aristotle, arrives in Macedonia to tutor a volatile young prince Alexander. Amid palace intrigue, forbidden love, brutal war and ruthless ambitions, their unlikely friendship shapes an empire and alters the course of history.
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Tierney and Brady executive produce for Accent Aigu Entertainment; Costigan and Bateman for Aggregate Films.
RELATED: New ‘Heated Rivalry' Book Publication Date Pushed Back As Author Rachel Reid Shares Update On Parkinson's Symptoms
“Jacob Tierney is one of the most exciting, in-demand creative voices working today, and we are thrilled to work with him on Alexander,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix Head of U.S. and Canada Scripted Series. “We were immediately captivated by his vision for adapting Annabel Lyon's acclaimed novel. This series reimagines the classic power struggle between mentor and protégé with a raw, modern energy that feels both epic and incredibly intimate. This high-stakes drama is poised to deeply resonate with our global audience, and we look forward to bringing it to life with the deftly talented Jason Bateman and the Aggregate Films team.”
Tierney wrote two scripts for Alexander on spec, I hear. In the wake of the massive global success of Heated Rivalry, which turned the Canadian writer-director-producer into one of the most sought-after TV creators, the project, with Aggregate attached, was taken to Netflix, where Bateman's company has a deal. The streamer quickly snapped it with a series order out of Netflix US.
“I fell in love with Annabel Lyon's book The Golden Mean years ago and have been dreaming of telling this story ever since,” Tierney said. “Brendan and I couldn't be more excited to be partnering with Aggregate and Netflix to bring this insanely compelling world to life.”
RELATED: Why Did ‘Heated Rivalry' Strike Such A Chord? Top TV And Streaming Execs Have Some Ideas
Commissioned by Canadian streamer Crave, Heated Rivalry follows rival pro hockey players Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), whose secret fling evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial and self-discovery. The romantic drama struck a chord with audiences worldwide, scoring 10.6M average viewers per episodes on HBO Max in the U.S. alone. It became a cultural phenomenon and media darling, quickly earning a Season 2 renewal by Crave with HBO Max on board for U.S, Australia and other territories.
Appearing on CBS Mornings last week, Tierney and Brady said that they are hard at work on the second season, which will begin filming in August for a projected April 2027 release date.
RELATED: New ‘Heated Rivalry' Book Publication Date Pushed Back As Author Rachel Reid Shares Update On Parkinson's Symptoms
Heated Rivalry marks the first series for Accent Aigu Entertainment, which was founded by Tierney and Brady. Prior to that, Tierney co-developed, co-wrote and directed every episode of Crave's long-running comedy series Letterkenny, earning multiple Canadian Screen Awards, and also directed Seasons 1 and 2 of spinoff Shoresy. He is repped by CAA, Canada's GGA and Hansen Jacobson Teller.
At Netflix, Aggregate Films has produced the series Ozark and Black Rabbit, both starring Bateman, as well as two films, Richard Linklater's Hit Man and Aline Brosch McKenna's Your Place or Mine. The company is repped by CAA and Lighthouse Management + Media.
Lyon's The Golden Mean won Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. A sequel, The Sweet Girl, about Aristotle's daughter, Pythias, was published in 2012. Lyon is repped by Untitled Entertainment and Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists.
RELATED: ‘Heated Rivalry' Exec Teases Possible Bonus Episode For Holidays: “Can't Rush The Process”
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This sounds interesting but I'm worried it will delay season 3 of Heated Rivalry.
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Britney Spears' manager, Cade Hudson, is speaking out after the singer was arrested for driving under the influence in California Wednesday night.
“This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” he said in a statement obtained by Page Six.
“Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.”
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Hudson also told Page Six that Spears' sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, “are going to be spending time with her.”
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He noted that the singer's loved ones are “going to come up with an overdue, needed plan to set her up for success for well-being.”
As Page Six previously reported, Spears was arrested Wednesday night for DUI.
The pop star was detained by California Highway Patrol in Ventura County, Calif., at around 9:28 p.m. local time, was booked at 3:02 a.m. and ultimately released three hours later.
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A 911 dispatch call obtained by Page Six revealed Spears had been swerving and speeding before being arrested.
“Black BMW sedan in and out of lanes… speeding,” a California Highway Patrol officer could be heard saying. “2026 convertible out of LA.”
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TMZ later reported that Spears, 44, was taken to the hospital by cops immediately after her arrest so that blood could be drawn to determine her blood alcohol content.
Sources told the outlet that Spears was alone when the cops pulled her over in Westlake Village, which is not far from her Thousand Oaks home. She reportedly did not sustain any injuries.
While police have not released the results of her BAC testing, Britney allegedly told people it was .06 percent. And although the legal limit in California is .08, a person can still be charged with DUI if erratic driving is observed.
Spears' arrest comes months after she was seen driving erratically following a night out with a friend.
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In October 2025, a video showed the “Toxic” songstress leaving the restaurant Red-O and getting behind the wheel of her black BMW after several people allegedly attempted to stop her.
She was then seen swerving between lanes, tailgating a car and even driving into a bike lane.
Shortly after the video surfaced, the Princess of Pop took to social media to claim that it was not her driving the car, but a “lookalike.” The manager at the restaurant also defended Spears at the time, claiming the singer did not drink before getting behind the wheel.
Britney Spears' manager, Cade Hudson, is speaking out after the singer was arrested for driving under the influence in California Wednesday night.
“This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” he said in a statement obtained by Page Six.
“Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.”
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Hudson also told Page Six that Spears' sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, “are going to be spending time with her.”
Advertisement
He noted that the singer's loved ones are “going to come up with an overdue, needed plan to set her up for success for well-being.”
As Page Six previously reported, Spears was arrested Wednesday night for DUI.
The pop star was detained by California Highway Patrol in Ventura County, Calif., at around 9:28 p.m. local time, was booked at 3:02 a.m. and ultimately released three hours later.
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Start your day with Page Six Daily.
Please provide a valid email.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Want celebrity news as it breaks?
A 911 dispatch call obtained by Page Six revealed Spears had been swerving and speeding before being arrested.
“Black BMW sedan in and out of lanes… speeding,” a California Highway Patrol officer could be heard saying. “2026 convertible out of LA.”
Advertisement
TMZ later reported that Spears, 44, was taken to the hospital by cops immediately after her arrest so that blood could be drawn to determine her blood alcohol content.
Sources told the outlet that Spears was alone when the cops pulled her over in Westlake Village, which is not far from her Thousand Oaks home. She reportedly did not sustain any injuries.
While police have not released the results of her BAC testing, Britney allegedly told people it was .06 percent. And although the legal limit in California is .08, a person can still be charged with DUI if erratic driving is observed.
Spears' arrest comes months after she was seen driving erratically following a night out with a friend.
Advertisement
In October 2025, a video showed the “Toxic” songstress leaving the restaurant Red-O and getting behind the wheel of her black BMW after several people allegedly attempted to stop her.
She was then seen swerving between lanes, tailgating a car and even driving into a bike lane.
Shortly after the video surfaced, the Princess of Pop took to social media to claim that it was not her driving the car, but a “lookalike.” The manager at the restaurant also defended Spears at the time, claiming the singer did not drink before getting behind the wheel.
By Greg Evans
NY & Broadway Editor
UPDATE, with Spears statement: Britney Spears was arrested in Ventura County, California, last night reportedly on a suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
A statement to the press released by a rep for the singer and obtained by Deadline notes, “This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable. Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time. Her boys are going to be spending time with her. Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being.”
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The singer with a long history of troubling behavior was pulled over and handcuffed by the California Highway Patrol around 9:30 p.m./PT last night. According to TMZ and other outlets, Spears was booked around 3 a.m. today and released as a “cite & release” just after 6 a.m. Her vehicle remains in a tow lot.
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Spears is scheduled to report to Ventura County Superior Court on May 4.
Although the Sherriff's Office report does not list a reason for the arrest, news outlets are reporting the 44-year-old singer is suspected of allegedly driving under the influence.
Reps for Spears have not yet commented on the situation. A link to Spears' Instagram page indicated Thursday morning that the “page isn't available.”
This story is developing…
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2019: Free Britney! 2026: …maybe with a chaperone.
Really? Everyone who gets a DUI doesn't need a guardian, but Brittany cant run her life or make common mistakes.
Question besides this being a distraction from world events: Why does the rich like driving while drunk when they could easily have a driver haul their drunk heinies around?
Probably the same as normies who have addiction issues: the delusion that they are “capable” of doing it themself
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Marking yet another disastrous news day in the year of our Lord 2026, Bruce Campbell took to Instagram today to announce that he has cancer. “These days, when someone is having a health issue, it's referred to as ‘opportunity,' so let's go with that—I'm having one of those,” Campbell writes. “It's also called a type of cancer that's ‘treatable,' not ‘curable.' I apologize if that's a shock—it was to me too.” The actor from countless cult classics, blockbuster movies, and Saturday afternoon television—not to mention, a fan favorite at conventions and the owner of one of cinema's most iconic chins—announced that convention appearances and acting work need to “take a back seat to treatment” at the moment, and he has since canceled his upcoming appearances. “Big regrets on my part. Treatment needs and professional obligations don't always go hand-in-hand.” However, if treatment goes well “over the summer,” the Maniac Cop star hopes to jump on a promotional tour for his new movie Ernie & Emma, which Campbell stars in, wrote, and directed, in the fall. “I'm not trying to enlist sympathy—or advice—I just want to get ahead of this information in case false information gets out (which it will),” he writes.
The 67-year-old actor is a fixture of genre films and B-movies. His working relationship with director Sam Raimi, which spans from Within The Woods and The Evil Dead to Send Help (in the form of a nice, painterly cameo), has long been one of our most cherished director-actor pairings. But Campbell's celebrity extends to TV, starring in The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr, Jack Of All Trades, Hercules, Xena, and Burn Notice. He's directed several movies, including Man With The Screaming Brain, the parody biopic My Name Is Bruce, and the upcoming Ernie & Emma. What can we say? It's Bruce Campbell. We wish him the very best and hope he gets well soon.
“Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around for a while.”
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Oops! It's deleted again.
Britney Spears' Instagram account was deleted after she was arrested in Ventura County, Calif., for a DUI on Wednesday.
As of this publication, “Sorry, this page isn't available. The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed,” shows up when anyone visits the “Toxic” singer's page.
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The cryptic social media move comes after news of Spears' arrest.
Page Six confirmed that the pop star, 44, was handcuffed by the California Highway Patrol in Ventura County around 9:28 p.m. local time.
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According to the Ventura County Sheriff's inmate record, Spears was held in jail for three hours before she was ultimately released at 6:07 a.m. Thursday morning.
Spears was immediately taken to a hospital after her arrest, where she had her blood drawn so officials could determine her blood alcohol content, TMZ reported.
The Grammy winner's next court date is slated for May 4.
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In a statement to Page Six, Spears' longtime rep, Cade Hudson, said her arrest was “an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable.
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“Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time,” Hudson added.
The talent manager said Spears' sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, “are going to be spending time with her.”
“Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well-being,” he concluded.
Hours before her arrest, the “Oops!…I Did It Again” singer posted videos via Instagram of herself dancing inside her home.
One of the videos was very similar to one she posted last week, in which she suffered a wardrobe malfunction while dancing seductively.
In the clip, set to the tune of Clean Bandit's “Rockabye,” Spears suffered a nip slip while wearing a lacy lingerie bodysuit.
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After the “Crossroads” actress spilled out of her bodysuit, she adjusted her top and edited the clip to cover her exposed breast with a red emoji.
Spears' DUI arrest comes more than four months after she was spotted driving erratically after a night out with a friend.
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After Spears' ex Kevin Federline released a tell-all book wth claims of abuse and drugs, a video surfaced of Spears leaving a Thousand Oaks, Calif., restaurant and getting into the driver's seat of her black BMW after several people allegedly attempted to stop her.
An onlooker told the Daily Mail that the “Gimme More” singer “nearly ran over her friend while pulling out” of the parking lot.
Oliver Wynn, a restaurant manager who waited on Spears that night, claimed the singer was “not intoxicated” and didn't order any alcohol with her meal.
However, Wynn revealed a fan did buy Spears a glass of wine.
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The following month, Spears was seen leaving a wine bar with a champagne flute in hand. However, her team insisted she was not drinking any alcohol during the outing.
In December 2025, Spears was seen carrying a toy baby carrier and wearing a mystery ring following her Cabo vacation.
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Family members and fans showed concern for the mom of two after she was seen dancing in her LA mansion while the floors were covered in dog poop.
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A person from the “Circus” singer's family previously told the Daily Mail that they are “worried” about her, adding that she is “not doing well at all” and that they are “terrified for her future.”
“Her house is a mess. She doesn't clean up after the dogs, she doesn't have someone there cleaning every day, and she just isn't functioning like an adult would function,” they told the outlet.
Spears, however, defended her feces-covered home, writing on Instagram, “Shame on those who judged my home in my pajamas !!!”
In November 2021, the “Lucky” songstress famously broke free of her 13-year legal conservatorship.
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When we last left the Peaky Blinders crew — a dangerously close-knit family of flat cap-wearing, Birmingham-bred, brutal and yet oddly lovable gangsters — things had reached their dramatic apex. As various subplots chugged along toward their combustion point, top dog Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his aggrieved nephew Michael (Finn Cole) had their final stand-off. The grand Shelby estate was rigged with dynamite and detonated, and Tommy, wrongly believing he was terminally ill, summoned the family for a last supper. In a final twist, as his own grave went up in flames (without him in it), Tommy galloped off into the horizon, his empire reduced to embers.
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This made for a satisfyingly explosive conclusion, even if it left a few rather obvious loose ends. What would become of Tommy after he cantered vaguely off into the distance? And the fate of Tommy's criminal corporation — and who would take over the reins — was also left unsealed. Series creator Steven Knight left ample room to build on a gamut of storylines. While Tommy and his few remaining kin survived, there would always be scope for more. Yet, although Knight and series one director Tom Harper's propulsive follow-up, “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,” still packs a punch, it too often feels like a rehashing of the show's old material.
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Picking up the pieces roughly five years after the events of the final episode, “The Immortal Man” opens as the Birmingham king has retreated from his reign. As the characters land on the cusp of World War II (the film is set in 1940, around real-life bombings of the city), the salt and pepper-haired mobster is still beleaguered by his post-traumatic stress from World War I. There is also his guilt over his hand in the deaths of copious family members, not least Arthur (Paul Anderson). He turns to memoir writing — “The Immortal Man” is also the name of his toiled-over manuscript in progress — as a form of therapy and otherwise mopes around his new country mansion.
Tommy's total absence has left room for resentment to fester for his neglected heir, Duke, who was introduced in the show's final season as something of a loose canon. Now all grown-up and recast as a brilliantly insecure, edgy, and tormented Barry Keoghan — practically a perfect fit to play Tommy's son — he is causing havoc trying to outdo his dad, running reckless operations and pilfering ammunition from British soldiers. Disillusioned with his lot in life, he is even fraternizing with the enemy: Beckett (Tim Roth), a fascist conspirator who tries to wield a paternal power over Duke. With the threat of the extreme right rumbling across its six seasons, Knight finally brings the Peaky Blinders' ultimate nemesis — the Nazis — within a hand grenade's distance.
Those who remain standing (after the bloodbath of the show) reprise their roles: Tommy's loyal right-hand man Johnny Dogs (Packy Lee), his sturdy uncle Charlie (Ned Dennehy), and his sister, the forever morally unimpeachable Ada (Sophie Rundle). She has sagely taken her brother's advice to head into politics and make good in the city. But Knight's script spends a lot of time self-consciously, apologetically fretting about those who are missing.
Often weighed down by this sense of all the characters lost along the way, the film tries to make up for it by unsubtly announcing which characters are whose substitutes. As an Alfie-esque criminal kingpin (Tom Hardy in the series), Stephen Graham makes a glancing appearance as the “king of Liverpool”; he's right at home among the Peaky Blinders crowd, but Harper makes little use of him. Then, as Polly's (Helen McRory) stand-in, Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson), the mystical twin of Tommy's long-dead Roma lover (and Duke's mother), who has dubious intentions — and an equally iffy accent to match. Living up to the memory of these beloved characters is, after all, no easy feat.
Despite the gaps in the Peaky Blinders lineup, the show's iconic universe of tan-colored leather, suave tailoring, hard liquor, swill, and grime has been carefully restored. George Steel's cinematography lends a newfound beauty to “The Immortal Man” and its bleak, wintry aesthetics on the big screen. The film is faithful to the franchise's customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery. And, for fans, there are instantly gratifying referential shots, such as Tommy riding horseback through a bombed-out Birmingham, spattered with pigsty mud.
Between Duke, Kaulo, and Beckett's plotting, there are enough moving parts to drive the story toward a climactic, incendiary end. Inevitably, however, the result feels like the character evolutions, machinations, and plot pivots of an entire series of the show compressed desperately into 112 minutes. The payoff isn't nearly as great. Yet Knight's script is sharpest when, with a sprinkling of humor, he ventures into compelling thematic territory, exploring the monetization of grief as war rages.
This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos. Anchored by Murphy and Keoghan's impeccable performances and father-son chemistry, it's an unsteady trip down memory lane. Though imperfect, if it were the Peaky Blinders' last hurrah, it's certainly a spectacular way to go.
“Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” will release in select theaters on Friday, March 6, and on Netflix on Friday, March 20.
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When Celine Dion isn't on stage performing her popular songs, she might be enjoying some rest and relaxation in an idyllic location. For instance, the singer took to Instagram on March 4 to share a trio of photos of herself spending a dreamy day on a boat in the middle of dark blue water and surrounded by green hills.
Of course, what fans surely noticed in the first pic was the star stretching out her long limbs while soaking up the sun and glowing in a metallic blue swimsuit. In the next shot, she's seen standing on the top of the craft and smiling at the camera, while the third photo sees her sitting while looking into the distance.
In the caption of the post, Dion wrote, “Outfits I can't wait to wear again… Who else is excited for summer?”
She also noted that the photos were taken in 2008 while the singer was in Cape Town, the capital of South Africa.
When Dion shared her photos on Instagram, her followers left hundreds of comments that were filled with compliments.
“Look amazing as usual❤️ queen,” one person wrote.
Another fan added, “☀️yeeeeesssss girl!!”
A third social media user posted a message, writing, “The Queen looks Stunning always ❤️ ❤️”
“I'm excited for the summer too 🌞 I love these photos, you are so gorgeous 😍 @celinedion,” came from another admirer.
Someone else left a comment, saying, “SUMMER LOOKS GOOD ON YOU QUEEN 🤏🤏”
When Dion sat down for a recent interview with ABC News' Deborah Roberts for “Good Morning America,” the star revealed that she is feeling “so powerful and in charge and grounded and happy.”
The singer went on to say that she feels “stronger, more beautiful” and “more grounded” than ever.
“There's this power and this strength that comes with that maturity and that — that vintage thing,” she said. “That's priceless.”
Dion also addressed those who have been saying that she's too thin, exclaiming with a gasp, “I'm thin?”
“It's true that I'm a little thinner,” she added. She then assured those who might be worried about her, saying, “Everything's fine, nothing's wrong.”
She also opened up about the possibility of finding love again, explaining, “I am in love. Love is not necessarily to marry again. When I see a rainbow, when I see a sunset … a beautiful dance number, I laugh, I cry. I'm in love.”
“I go on stage every night because I love what I do,” Dion continued. “So I'm very much in love.”
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At the end of Peaky Blinders‘ sixth season, Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) finally found grace. Not to be confused with his late wife and lost love Grace (Annabelle Wallis) from the first three seasons—rather, in the most recent moments of the BBC series, it seemed Tommy had stumbled onto inner peace. He's about to commit one more murder when he hears the bells tolling to mark the eleventh hour on Armistice Day. “Peace at last,” he says. For a traumatized veteran of the First World War who spiritually died down in the trenches for King and Country, this is the only way he could be compelled to stop chasing vengeance: An appeal for his soul arriving at the literal eleventh hour. It's a moment that makes Murphy and series creator Steven Knight's choice to return to the well for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a flashy but ineffective feature-length continuation of the show, into a superfluous swing for finale-style pathos.
Nobody has benefited from Peaky Blinders‘ success quite like Knight, who since its premiere has created no fewer than ten other series and miniseries. Knight now resembles something of a British Taylor Sheridan—after penning some brilliant small-scale screenplays (Eastern Promises, Locke), now churns out new properties that broadly appeal to the same demographic. Knight is a hot commodity, but Peaky Blinders remains his crown jewel, and Netflix has already cut a deal to stream its sequel series. Knowing that some “next generation” reboot of Peaky Blinders is in the works goes a long way to explain why The Immortal Man feels like an obligatory and fatalistic highlight reel of Tommy Shelby's anger, guilt, and self-hatred.
It's now 1940, and Tommy is in self-elected exile in a dilapidated country house away from the Birmingham Blitz, haunted by the spirit of his daughter Ruby, who died from illness (or, a “gypsy curse”) in the final season. A visit from Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson), a spiritual Romani woman, pushes Tommy to further confront the death around him.
Kaulo is the twin sister of Zelda, the mother of Tommy's first son, who was born before the First World War; in Tommy's absence, Duke (Barry Keoghan) is tearing through a bombed-out Brum as the brutal new leader of the Peaky Blinders gang. Clearly lacking a decent paternal influence in his life, Duke is easily convinced by Nazi operative John Beckett (Tim Roth) to commit treason. The plan is to smuggle counterfeit banknotes across England, which would eventually destabilize the U.K. economy—all based on a real Nazi plan, Operation Bernhard. “If you were my son, I would cherish you,” Beckett says to Duke, expertly pinpointing where the young gangster's insecurities lie. Just as Beckett encourages Duke down a path of no return, Tommy is convinced by Kaulo and his younger sister Ada (Sophie Rundle) to reenter the fray before his legacy—and the country—is lost forever.
A WWII-set season of Peaky Blinders involving Operation Bernhard would make for great television; in 112 minutes, there's no time to enjoy the procedural and espionage pleasures of the premise. How did a band of Nazis infiltrate massive English industrial cities at the height of the Blitz? What was their plan to distribute the counterfeit notes, and how costly would a small outbreak of fake money be in Birmingham? As a principled criminal, what's Tommy's stance on hoarding and distributing counterfeit money? With six hours of screentime to play with, Beckett and his operation would be a real threat to a country on the brink, but as The Immortal Man stumbles out of its elongated first act, it's clear that Knight sees it as the B-story to a rehash of the Tortured Tommy Shelby Greatest Hits. Murphy dutifully but not memorably restages episodes that showcase Tommy's icy badassery, his easily irritated ego, and his barely concealed trauma.
Tommy is incensed about Duke being a failson (at one moment, Tommy beats Duke into pigmuck to literalize their power dynamic), but The Immortal Man never makes a good case for Duke being a worthy co-lead, and Keoghan struggles to find the right balance between brooding intensity and violent explosions that, in Murphy's hands, always felt genuine and intimidating across the series. It doesn't help that The Immortal Man sags in the villain department; Peaky Blinders is no stranger to big-screen talent dropping in as a scenery-chewing villain (Adrien Brody as a mafioso in Season 4 is a sight to behold), but Roth is too gifted at playing sinister men who refuse to drop an affable persona, and Beckett is Roth on autopilot, registering as too cool and casual. Roth glides through his scenes, chummily sublimating the character's evil into an ordinary, blokish demeanor—either we needed four more hours in Beckett's company to understand his unique flavor of Nazi bile, or director Tom Harper needed to better utilize Roth's limited screentime by making him more memorably nasty.
Harper directed half of the show's first season, and once again given a Netflix production budget after helming Heart Of Stone, he tries to inject the story with more style—carefully composed eerie images, a flashier edit, more severe and swooping low angles. It's more, but not necessarily better. The film is shot with too many close-ups which, when combined with the quick pacing, only exaggerates how insistently The Immortal Man tries to ground us in the story. The location work and set design are notably excellent—foggy moors are juxtaposed with dirty, snow-covered canals in Birmingham's industrial corners, and gorgeously cracked walls and dilapidated houses, all partially reclaimed by a dying world that undermines our characters' sense of purpose.
But all of this comes back to a central story problem. Even reimagining Operation Bernhard as a season-long arc would still require Peaky Blinders to bring Tommy and his unsolvable emotional problems back into the fray, potentially wasting more of the audience's time as Knight tries to stumble towards a justification for trotting out more flat caps, more weary Cilliam Murphy haunted by waking shadows, and more Nick Cave needledrops. The Immortal Man is not a good entry point into Peaky Blinders for the same reason it is not rewarding for existing fans: It traffics only in the late stages of Shelby's arc, but offers nothing new to those who have already been there, done that.
Director: Tom Harper
Writer: Steven Knight
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, Packy Lee, Ian Peck, Stephen Graham, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Jay Lycurgo, Barry Keoghan.
Release Date: March 6, 2026; March 20, 2026 (Netflix)
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By Damon Wise
Film Editor, Awards
“Who the f*ck is Tommy Shelby?” It's a fair question; at the beginning of this handsome feature-length outing for the BBC's famously violent period gangster drama, even he doesn't seem to know any more. Set six years after the last series, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man finds its antihero living in purgatory, far away from the public eye and dealing with a very troubled conscience.
Happily, however, Tom Harper's movie isn't equally weighted down by history. Though multiple characters from the show return, notably Oppenheimer Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy as the ice-cool Tommy, another destroyer of worlds, The Immortal Man works perfectly well on its own terms, taking its key themes — family, trust and betrayal — to their logical end in a father-and-son story with Oedipal overtones.
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The year is 1940 and the Second World War is in full swing, coming to Birmingham with a bang when a bomb falls on a small arms factory, killing everyone including a previously unseen member of the Shelby family, Agnes (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis). Tommy's sister Ada (Sophie Rundle) comes to his tumbledown mansion, where he lives alone with only his right-hand man for company, spending his days smoking opium and hunched over a typewriter writing his memoir. Still traumatized by the First World War and the fields of Flanders, Tommy takes no interest in the Second, telling Ada, “I have a war of my own inside my head.” But Ada has another reason to visit, and more bad news.
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Crime abhors a vacuum, and in Tommy's absence, the Peaky Blinders gang has reformed under the aegis of his sociopathic illegitimate son Duke (Barry Keoghan). Duke is even more ruthless than his father, behaving like “it's 1919 all over again” (a reference to Tommy's roots and postwar heyday) and thus a major embarrassment to Ada, now an MP in the city. The way he's going, she tells Tommy, Duke will either be “hung by the law or lynched by the people.” But no, Tommy will not be moved, wallowing in grief for his young daughter and tormented by the death of his brother Arthur, ostensibly a suicide.
In the meantime, Duke is being courted by Beckett (Tim Roth), Treasurer of the British Union of Fascists. In league with the Nazis, Beckett is orchestrating a soft takeover of the UK by smuggling £350 million in fake bank notes into the country, a move that will tank the British economy. Though it amounts to high treason, Duke accepts the offer of a 20% cut, part of a deal that comes with serious strings attached: Duke must kill his aunt Ada, who has been asking too many questions lately and needs to be eliminated.
It's only a matter of time before Tommy gets back into the game (“There's only one man who can stop Duke Shelby, and that man is writing a f*cking book!”), but he is finally tempted out of retirement by Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson), a Romany woman with psychic powers and the twin sister of Duke's late mother. Kaulo succeeds where Ada failed, but Tommy's return is not auspicious — indeed, half the faces at the Garrison Tavern, his old haunt, have no idea who he is, and when the old Tommy resurfaces, the moment is exquisite.
After reuniting, and an impressive brawl in pig sh*t that ruins Tommy's fine tailoring, father and son enter into an uneasy truce, and while there's a literal race against time to stop Beckett's plan (“Everything's happening at midnight!”), the underlying question is how things will play out between Duke and Tommy.
Fans of Steven Knight's impeccably scripted show will find The Immortal Man familiar enough for comfort (Nick Cave's “Red Right Hand”, the show's theme song, returns in a very subtle callback), but strangers won't be too overwhelmed, either by backstory or the pre-existing relationships between so many established characters. The wartime setting may skew it towards an older audience, tapping into the boys' own adventure comics of the '50s and '60s with titles like The Victor and The Hotspur, and despite the grimy industrial setting, there are even exotic shades of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns in its final showdown.
The show, however, belongs to Murphy, who brings an unexpectedly emotional flourish to the role, even after 13 years and 36 episodes. The use of a memoir as a framing device isn't a particularly original idea, and the sight of Tommy continuing to tap away at the keyboard while riding on a canal barge is borderline laughable. But once he gets into (the) gear, The Immortal Man is an entertaining slice of British pulp that knows exactly what it is — and Murphy knows exactly what he's doing in it. To paraphrase Bob Marley, if the cap fits, let him wear it.
Title: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal ManDirector: Tom HarperScreenwriter: Steven KnightCast: Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Stephen Graham, Sophie RundleDistributor: NetflixRunning time: 1 hr 52 mins
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Brilliant review. I can't wait to watch the Immortal Man this weekend.
Come on now, this is obviously Steven Knight's movie.
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“Saturday Night Live” fatigue has been running high ever since the legendary NBC sketch show celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. That milestone moment inspired not only Jason Reitman's feature-length comedy “Saturday Night,” but also the star-studded “SNL50” special and an endless string of other tributes. Hovering quietly above it all? The elusive and legendary Lorne Michaels.
For five decades, the heavyweight creative has functioned less like a celebrity or businessman than a Manhattan-based myth. He's a backstage oracle whose voice is typically filtered through the comedians whose careers he helps ignite. But now, Oscar winner Morgan Neville and his new documentary “Lorne” promise to bring forward the famously private showrunner for a reflection delivered in his own words.
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Known for the Academy Award–winning music documentary “20 Feet from Stardom,” and the beloved portrait of TV legend Mr. Rogers, “Won't You Be My Neighbor?”, Neville has spent his career studying people whose influence often exceeds expectations. With “Lorne,” the filmmaker applies that same curiosity to the architect behind one of the most enduring institutions in American entertainment.
The first “Lorne” trailer suggests a satisfying profile of a still slippery subject. At one point, Michaels himself quips, “none of this is usable,” hinting at a playful tension between interviewer and interviewee. If the documentary captures Michaels doing what he's done for decades — quietly directing the room even when he's pretending not to — that's history to some super-fans.
In addition to archived footage and rare behind-the-scenes material from “SNL,” the documentary gathers a who's-who of comedy legends for a string of exciting interviews. Asked to explain Michaels' strong gravitational pull as a creative, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Mike Myers, Paul Simon, and more appear in the trailer alongside current “SNL” cast members Colin Jost and Sarah Sherman. Conan O'Brien perhaps sums it up best in the promo, describing Michael as “the ultimate showbiz survivor. He's still here and a hundred executives are not.”
But if anyone expects a tidy psychological key to Michaels' longevity, the man himself seems eager to dash that hope. “All of life is reinvention,” he says with a shrug. “So, to be understood? Not gonna happen.” So, for anyone curious about Michaels and the machinery that shaped half a century TV? “Lorne” may be the clearest insight we ever get.
From Focus Features, “Lorne” is in theaters on April 17. Watch the trailer below.
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Britain's equivalent to the Tony Awards unveiled the full list of nominees, which may or may not include a certain marmalade-loving bear.
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Lily Ford
Rachel Zegler, Bryan Cranston, Tom Hiddleston and Cate Blanchett are among the Hollywood stars to have scored Olivier Award nominations.
The U.K. equivalent of the Tony Awards, celebrating the best and brightest talent leading the country's colorful theater scene, will crown its winners at a ceremony on April 12, 2026, broadcast by the BBC and hosted by The Traitors and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed.
Snow White actress Zegler was recognized for her viral turn in Jamie Lloyd's Evita, playing Argentinian first lady Eva Perón. She stirred the city by performing live to passersby on the London Palladium balcony every night. Blanchett has scored an Olivier Award nod for The Seagull, and Rosamund Pike is also nominated in the best actress category for Inter Alia.
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London's favorite bear — or rather, the actors behind him — Paddington, is also nominated for the newly-launched Paddington The Musical.
Take a look at the nominees for the 2026 Olivier Awards below.
Best revival
All My SonsArcadiaMuch Ado About NothingThe Seagull
Best musical revival
American PsychoEvitaInto The WoodsThe Producers
Best new play
1536Inter AliaKenrexPunchHere We ArePaddington The MusicalShuckedThe Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry
Best actress
Cate Blanchett, The SeagullMarianne Jean-Baptiste, All My SonsJulia McDermott, Weather GirlRosamund Pike, Inter AliaRosie Sheehy, Guess How Much I Love You?
Best actor
Bryan Cranston, All My SonsTom Hiddleston, Much Ado About NothingSean Hayes, Good Night, OscarJack Holden, KenrexDavid Shields, Punch
Best actress in a musical
Katie Brayben, Into The WoodsDanielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah, BrigadoonJane Krakowski, Here We AreJenna Russell, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold FryRachel Zegler, Evita
Best actor in a musical
Marc Antolin, The ProducersJames Hameed & Arti Shah, Paddington The MusicalAndy Nyman, The ProducersJamie Parker, Into The WoodsDiego Andres Rodriguez, Evita
Best supporting actor
Hammed Animashaun, Dealer's ChoicePaapa Essiedu, All My SonsZachary Hart, The SeagullZachary Hart, StereophonicGiles Terera, Oh, Mary!
Best supporting actress
Isis Hainsworth, ArcadiaJulie Hesmondhalgh, PunchLucy Karczewski, StereophonicHayley Squires, All My SonsSophie Thompson, When We Are Married
Best supporting actor in a musical
Trevor Ashley, The ProducersCorbin Bleu, The Great GatsbyTom Edden, Paddington The MusicalJo Foster, Into The WoodsOliver Savile, Into The Woods
Best supporting actress in a musical
Tracie Bennett, Here We AreAmy Booth-Steel, Paddington The MusicalKate Fleetwood, Into The WoodsVictoria Hamilton-Barritt, Paddington The MusicalGeorgina Onuorah, Shucked
Best director
Jordan Fein, Into The WoodsLuke Sheppard, Paddington The MusicalEd Stambollouian, KenrexLyndsey Turner, 1536Ivo van Hove, All My Sons
Best new entertainment or comedy play
The Comedy About SpiesEvery Brilliant ThingOh, Mary!Paranormal Activity
Best new dance production
Into The HairyMimi's ShebeenRandom TarantoShe's Auspicious
Best new production in affiliate theatre
Ben And ImoThe Glass MenagerieThe Ministry Of Lesbian AffairsMiss Myrtle's GardenThe Shitheads
Best family show
The Boy At The Back Of The ClassThe Boy With WingsThe Firework Maker's DaughterThe Three Little Pigs
Best new opera production
Dead Man WalkingThe Makropulos CaseToscaDie Walküre
Best sound design
Adam Fisher, Into The WoodsGareth Owen, Paddington The MusicalRyan Rumery, StereophonicGiles Thomas, Kenrex
Outstanding musical contribution
Matt Brind, Paddington The MusicalWill Butler & Justin Craig, StereophonicJohn Patrick Elliott, KenrexChris Fenwick & Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Best lighting design
Robbie Butler, PunchJon Clark, EvitaAideen Malone & Roland Horvath, Into The WoodsJoshua Pharo, Kenrex
Best set design
Paul Tate dePoo III, The Great GatsbyTom Pye & Ash J Woodward, Paddington The MusicalTom Scutt, Into The WoodsDavid Zinn, Stereophonic
Best costume design
Enver Chakartash, StereophonicLinda Cho, The Great GatsbyTom Scutt, Into The WoodsGabriella Slade & Tahra Zafar, Paddington The Musical
Best theatre choreographer
Fabian Aloise, EvitaEllen Kane, Paddington The MusicalDrew McOnie, BrigadoonLynne Page, American Psycho
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By
Emily Zemler
Like many Americans, Jimmy Kimmel is curious about Donald Trump‘s mystery neck rash, which the late-night host has dubbed a “big red yuck.”
“Just when you thought Melania couldn't find another reason not to sleep with him,” Kimmel quipped. “Or maybe she tried to strangle him in his sleep.”
He added, “Reporters have been asking about it. The White House claimed—first they claimed it was a kite-surfing accident. No. They've so far refused to give any detailed explanation of what it is. So we decided to investigate this ourselves.”
Kimmel then investigated the situation by interviewing “Donald Trump's badly bruised baby hand.” The late-night show introduced a very orange hand topped with a swooping Trump wig and a large bruise. “I was hoping you could tell us what is going on with that rash or whatever is happening north of you on the president's neck,” Kimmel said.
“That's not a rash,” the hand replied with Trump's voice. “The neck is just a little irritated from all the medals it has been wearing. We've won so many awards. The FIFA Peace Prize. Olympic gold. A lifetime achievement award from Arby's for eating 10,000 beef and cheddars.”
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Elsewhere in his monologue, Kimmel addressed Trump's confusion about whether the U.S. is actually at war with Iran. “He keeps calling it a war. We're now on day five of whatever this is,” Kimmel noted. “Pete Hegseth today said we're just getting started in Iran. They're still trying to figure out who will be Iran's next top Ayatollah.”
Kimmel first addressed Trump's rash on Tuesday night, joking, “Who knew diaper rash could go up that high?” He added, “One thing we know for sure, it's not a hickey from Melania. It's probably a vampire bite from Rudy Giuliani or something. Every day our president looks more like Pizza the Hutt from Space Balls.”
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Michael Jackson's sons, Bigi Jackson, 24, and Prince Jackson, 29, attended their beloved cousin-in-law Toyia Jackson's funeral on March 3, where they carefully carried her casket alongside several of the family's loved ones.
Toyia, who was the wife of Jackie Jackson's son, Siggy Jackson, died in February. Her exact cause of death has not been released; she did, however, battle cancer in the years leading up to her passing, according to her Instagram.
In a video shared to Instagram, Bigi and Prince stood in the front of the pack as they carried Toyia's casket. The group of men wore black suits with white gloves, a nod to the late King of Pop and the legacy that he left his family to carry on.
Toyia's funeral was held in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills at the Old North Church. Her loving family provided details of her services, which were later shared on Instagram.
“We can honor Toyia's memory by living out her values. This is the best way to honor her remarkable life,” a statement of her passing read. “Instead of sending flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions, if so led, be made to Toyia's foundation, #CancerCantHaveMe. All donations will go to supporting her children.”
Michael's sister La Toya Jackson also attended the funeral, taking to her Instagram to share a video of herself in an all-black ensemble alongside a heartfelt caption about spreading love as her family grieves the loss of a loved one.
“sending much love and light that's much needed today! ❤️💫,” she captioned her post.
When Toyia's death was publicly announced in an Instagram post shared by the official account for the Jackson family, she was remembered as a devoted wife and mother of her four children, Jared, Kai, Skyy and Anai, as well as a respected voice in her community.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Toyia Jackson, beloved daughter-in-law of Jackie Jackson and devoted wife of Siggy, and a cherished member of the Jackson family – another great loss for our family,” the post stated.
“Toyia was deeply loved and touched many lives with her kindness, strength and grace. She meant a great deal to our family and leaves a lasting imprint on the hearts of those who knew her, as well as on the broader Jackson legacy,” the statement continued. “Our love and deepest condolences go out to Siggy and their children, Jared, Kai, Skyy and Anai, and to all who loved Toyia during this difficult time. She will be remembered with love and respect.”
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By
Emily Zemler
Ed Sheeran popped by Maisie Peters‘ concert in Melbourne, Australia, last night to collaborate on an intimate version of Sheeran's 2017 song “Castle on the Hill.” The duet took place on the opening night of Peters' current two-night stand at the Forum Melbourne.
Peters, who opened for Sheeran on tour in 2023, shared a clip of the performance on Instagram and tagged Sheeran. “thank u @teddyphotos for singing the best song ever with me at my show in Melbourne tonight,” Peters wrote. “still remember watching you play this one all 60 something gigs we did together, and it was so magical getting to join you on it for one. the best to ever do it.”
Peters is on the tail end of her Before the Bloom Tour in Australia, which is in support of her forthcoming third studio album, Florescence, is due out May 15. Sheeran, meanwhile, wraps his Australian Loop Tour tonight at the Adelaide Oval.
Sheeran and Peters previously performed together at Peters' 2023 headlining show at London's OVO Arena Wembley. Sheeran made a surprise appearance to play his song “Lego House” with Peters, who is signed to his label Gingerbread Man Records.
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Sheeran's most recent studio album, Play, arrived in September. The LP was recorded in all the different locations the singer-songwriter visited and completed in Goa, India. “Play was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life,” Sheeran shared in a statement. “Coming out of all of that I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring.”
In November, the singer debuted a Netflix special, One Shot With Ed Sheeran, shot with Adolescence director Philip Barantini. The short film shows the singer walking through New York City in real time, playing his songs on subway cars and various spots around the city, and leaving a trail of stunned fans in his wake.
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'Hoppers' could mark the biggest opening in a decade for an original Pixar title. Conversely, Gyllenhaal's foray into Frankenstein territory isn't going over so great with critics.
By
Pamela McClintock
Senior Film Writer
In a much-needed win for Pixar's core mission to provide original storytelling, Hoppers is positioned to deliver the iconic animated studio its biggest opening in nearly a decade for a non-franchise title. Conversely, Maggie Gyllenhaal's new film, inspired by the 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein, is in danger of being jilted at the altar.
Disney is forecasting a global debut of $88 million for Hoppers. The last time a Pixar original did so well was Coco in 2017. In North America, tracking suggests it could open anywhere from $36 million to $40 million, with room for upside. It's also expected to come in leaps and bounds ahead of Gyllenhaal's The Bride!, which Warner Bros. believes will open in the $16 million to $18 million range domestically and roughly $38 million-plus globally, although decidedly mixed reviews could ding the $80 million film. (It goes without saying that the two movies couldn't be more different.)
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Hoppers has the advantage of hitting theaters in the wake of Disney Animation's mega-blockbuster Zootopia 2, which provided further evidence that there's still a huge appetite for family fare in the post-pandemic era if a film resonates with moviegoers. Pixar's movies were also once famous for attracting adults without kids; Hoppers is earning the kind of rave reviews from critics that could see those fans return (Zootopia 2, which has earned north of $1.86 billion globally to rank as the top-grossing Hollywood animated pic of all time, also attracted general audiences).
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As of late Wednesday, Hoppers‘ critics score on Rotten Tomatoes was 97 percent, one of the highest in years for Pixar. Audience reactions from early access screenings have been similar, with moviegoers also applauding the film's creativity and humor.
In the comedy-adventure, animal lover Mabel (Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to “hop” her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she uncovers mysteries beyond anything she could have imagined, Mabel befriends a charismatic beaver named King George (Bobby Moynihan), and must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major, imminent human-threat: smooth-talking local mayor Jerry Generazzo (Hamm). The ensemble voice cast also features Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Meryl Streep, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Law, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villaseñor, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim, Nichole Sakura, Karen Huie and Vanessa Bayer.
Hoppers is directed by Daniel Chong, with Nicole Paradis Grindle producing and Mark Mothersbaugh providing the original score. The pic will play across 4,000 theaters in North America, including 400-plus Imax screens, 1,000 premium large-format screens and more than 2,200 3D screens. Overseas, it opens in 81 percent of markets, with staggered releases planned for Japan (March 13), China (March 20) and Australia (March 26).
While Pixar has good reason to be hopeful, no one is envying the position Warner Bros. and Gyllenhaal are in as The Bride! prepares to walk down the aisle. The R-rated, gothic romance made headlines on Wednesday, both for earning tepid reviews and for comments Gylleenhal made on a podcast saying she was asked by Warners movie studio chiefs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca to remove some of the film's more violent scenes (she also gave a shout out to Abdy for “understanding me”).
The Bride!, starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, draws inspiration from the 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein. The cast also includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz and Annette Bening.
“In James Whale's 1935 gothic horror masterpiece The Bride of Frankenstein, the title character played so indelibly by Elsa Lanchester screams and hisses but otherwise has no dialogue, and yet she has endured as an iconic movie-lore figure for almost a century,” writes THR‘s David Rooney in his review. “In Maggie Gyllenhaal's aggressively punky reconsideration of the reanimated monster spouse, she becomes a laborious study guide for a Feminism 101 class, emphatically indicating points on sexual violence, consent, bodily autonomy and female power. She even yells ‘Me too!' late in the film.”
The Bride! marks Gyllenhaal's second directorial outing after the acclaimed, award-winning indie drama The Lost Daughter, starring Olivia Colman and Buckley. All three women were nominated for a slew of awards by various orgs, including Oscars noms for best adapted screenplay (Gyllenhaal), best actress (Colman) and best supporting actress (Buckley). This year, Buckley is nominated for an Oscar for best actress for her performance in Hamnet.
Abdy and De Luca are coming off a remarkable winning streak that has earned them major points and goodwill, culminating with two of their movies, Sinners and One Battle After Another, being front-runners in the Oscar race for best picture (Hamnet is another).
The Bride! will play in more than 3,200 theaters in North America, and will also have a footprint in Imax and other premium formats.
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The ascendance of Liv.e has been a slow-burning revelation. Emerging from Dallas' experimental scene, she first carved space in alternative funk—warped basslines, elastic grooves, and lo-fi textures framing her elastic, conversational voice. Her early projects couldn't be boxed in: She could murmur like a soul singer, rap with sly rhythmic precision, or dissolve into dreamy harmonies without losing emotional clarity. By the time she released her breakout work, 2023's Girl in the Half Pearl, the multifaceted Liv.e had transformed those funk foundations into something stranger and more intimate—an underground language all her own. Equally psychedelic and wistful, her music embodies the spirit of neo-soul while pushing toward abstraction. Yet her songs remain disarmingly human, meditating on desire, vulnerability, and self-examination.
The legend (and I do mean legend) of Karriem Riggins is built on rhythm. Born in Detroit and raised among jazz royalty—his father, keyboardist Emmanuel Riggins, was a respected musician—Riggins grew up immersed in swing and soul. He toured as a drummer for Diana Krall, held down the kit for Common, and became a trusted collaborator of J Dilla. As a producer, he bridges jazz improvisation and hip-hop grit, crafting beats that breathe, shuffle, and crackle with warmth. His ear for texture—for dusty snares, muted horns, and subtle shifts—has made him a quiet architect of hip-hop instrumentation.
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To that end, there's a moment on The Pleasure Is Yours, Liv.e and Riggins' debut album as GENA, that I can't shake. It's on the song “Unspokern,” a hushed, sultry gem where Liv.e's voice hovers just above the groove, whispering within a pocket laid out by the beatmaker. As the vocalist recounts a tryst—“He said, ‘When you come through the door, come and walk to me, and when you walk to me, come and talk to me'”—an extra tap on the drum nods to jazz improvisation. It's a sly wink, a small percussive hiccup that livens the track even further.
The Pleasure Is Yours is full of flourishes like these, an impressive LP from an unlikely duo testing the boundaries of R&B without jumping the rails. The album reads like a study in contrasts: cosmic experimentalism bent into palatable forms, amorphous funk somehow landing on soul. There's a looseness to the sound that feels light and playful, with songs like “Theybetterbegladihavetherapy” and its hypnotic drum knock and whimsical lyrics, and “Left the Club Like ‘Really Nigga!,'” which sounds like a '90s hip-hop cut, down to the trunk-rattling drums and threatening rhymes. “What would you do if you was put in my shoes right now?” Liv.e commands, half singing, half rapping. “I'm thinkin 'bout givin you the blues right now.”
Yet there's also a tenderness to the album that I appreciate. “Dream a Twinkle” is a fanciful ode to romantic infatuation, the early days when love is new and the colors are brighter. The same goes for “Circlesz,” a How much do I love you? Let me count the ways song that gets to the actual aspects of devotion, the kind meant to sustain you beyond the dating app or the meet-cute. “I like it when you drive it fast down the highway,” Liv.e declares over Riggins' stampeding beat. “I love it every time you let me do it my way.”
If Liv.e's previous work was about carving out her own universe, and Riggins' was about solidifying the foundation he's already built, Pleasure meets confidently in the middle: eccentric yet grounded, exploratory and comprehensive, rooted in the lineage of Black musical tradition though unafraid to stretch beyond it. By the time the Afrocentric funk of “omo iya ati baba” fades, with its stacked drums and gospel-infused hums, it's clear that the pleasure isn't in the novelty of these two forces aligning. The pleasure is in the groove, in the quiet confidence of Liv.e and Riggins making such a curious record, in the way it sneaks up on you and commands your attention.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's remaining Netflix projects appear to be stuck in limbo — leaving their first look deal with the streamer up in the air, sources tell Page Six.
Back in August 2023, the Sussexes announced their media company, Archwell Productions, would produce a movie based on Carley Fortune's hit book “Meet Me at the Lake.” Netflix paid around $3 million for the rights to the novel.
But nearly three years later, we're told the project is still classed as in development but hasn't got very far — lacking both a director and a cast, leaving Hollywood insiders baffled.
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“Three years in development for a movie like this at Netflix isn't good,” a well-placed Hollywood source told us.
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First look deals work by studios paying a retainer to producers in order to get first refusal on any projects they come up with; those producers then get paid more when they sell a project. It's not known how long the Sussex's first look deal lasts for.
In September, the Sussexes — who last week made a humanitarian trip to Jordan just days before the war against Iran started — also announced they were making an adaptation of Jasmine Guillory's romantic novel, “The Wedding Date.”
However, this, too, is still classed as in development at Netflix.
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The Sussexes offered Netflix their new documentary “Cookie Queen,” which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. However, the film about Girl Scout cookies has not yet been bought by a distributor or streamer, even though it won plaudits at Sundance.
Harry, 41, and Markle, 44, had initially negotiated an exclusive multi-million dollar contract with Netflix shortly after leaving the royal family, in Sept. 2020.
Their tell-all documentary, “Harry & Meghan,” was a massive hit for the streamer. Other projects, however, including their “Polo” documentary didn't hit the mark, or were short-lived.
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As Page Six exclusively revealed, Markle's lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” has not been recommissioned by Netflix for a third season amid falling ratings.
“I don't know how long this new deal is for, but if they don't have anything to show soon, I can't imagine it will be renewed,” said an industry source.
We have reached out to Netflix and Sussex reps.
Rather than TV, Markle is believed to be concentrating on her tie-in lifestyle range, “As Ever,” made in tandem with Netflix. Although there had been chatter she could make a series of specials for holidays, including Valentine's Day and July 4, so far, nothing has been given the green light.
Sources close to Archewell told us several scripted and unscripted titles are in various phases of development with the streamer and are moving through the normal creative process. We're also told Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos gets on very well with the couple.
They said that both “Meet Me at the Lake” and “The Wedding Date” remain in development, insisting that Archewell continues to have a positive and collaborative relationship with Netflix, a sentiment echoed by insiders at Netflix.
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The actors who are also executive producers talk to The Hollywood Reporter about being along for the Ryan Murphy series' ride: "Darker than anything I've been asked to play."
By
Lexi Carson
Associate Editor
[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from The Beauty season one finale, “Beautiful Betrayal”]
For Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope, portraying their characters' growing bond wasn't much of a stretch. The two have been friends in real life for years, even attending college together at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Their dynamic in the FX series, however, takes an unexpected turn. The Assassin (Ramos) is initially ordered by Byron — aka The Corporation (Ashton Kutcher) — to kill Jeremy (Pope). But as the season progresses, the pair begin to connect over their shared loneliness. The Assassin opens up about taking “The Beauty” after being severely injured, a decision that forced him to leave his family behind. Jeremy, meanwhile, is a “damaged incel desperate to feel seen and loved,” Pope explains below.
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“What's wild about watching [their relationship] is that, you know how you meet those people in your life where you feel like you've known them your whole life — you have that instant thing, right?” Kutcher tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Them having that and the influence it had on your character decisions — the way they masked it and then unveiled it — was a really pretty thing to watch.”
In the season's later episodes, Dr. Diana (Ari Graynor) reveals her plan to stop Byron from expanding access to “The Beauty.” After realizing Byron doesn't truly have his back, The Assassin joins her effort. Cooper (Evan Peters) then contracts the drug and transforms into a young boy. And in the finale that released Wednesday night, Diana and Byron's sons reveal there is a reverse drug, and Cooper agrees to try it. But whether it worked is still to be known, since the episode and the season ends after Jeremy, The Assassin and Jordan (Jessica Alexander) stare in shock at whatever is the result.
Below, Ramos and Pope discuss the season finale cliffhanger and the biggest questions facing their characters in a potential season two.
***
I'm aware that you two went to college together and have been friends for more than a decade. Did your friendship offscreen influence your unexpected friendship in the show?
ANTHONY RAMOS Yes. It made it tough in the beginning, because we're supposed to act like we don't know each other. It was very hard to do that at the top, but it made it really easy once when we get deeper into the season, especially in episode seven. We have that scene in the hotel where we both have these moments opening up about our backstories, and you get to know our characters on a deeper level with the monologue that Jeremy gives when he's sitting down and talking about his dad, and then I give him the monologue when I talk about my son.
We get to unlock a new level of vulnerability between these two guys. Those scenes felt seamless, going from these guys who don't know each other to getting vulnerable with one another because of how long we've known each other. And then there are the scenes where I'm singing to him in the car and we get to mess around. Then, the scene where we got the guy tied up and I'm hitting them and Jeremy's there jamming out and we get to have that rapport while we're also interrogating this guy — all of our relationship before made it a lot easier.
JEREMY POPE It's a dream to work with family in anything. The things that came up towards the end for me, because there was a foundation and nuance of knowing each other, as artists, as friends, as boys — we were able to shatter a little bit of toxic masculinity. There's a dynamic at play. [Anthony's] playing a 60-plus-year-old man. I'm playing this incel, insecure, damaged person that's needing to be seen and loved. We can be hardened when it comes to men on men, and how much we're willing to open up and share. But I think we were able to really excavate and bring a layer of transparency and comfortability, and we have that in real life because we've seen each other through different seasons of our life and actually showing up for each other in real moments off camera.
So to have this moment where it is a lot of laughter and improv and singing and jokes, but then to lock into scenes that were about excavating the truth and the vulnerability of what's at stake in this wild world that Ryan has created… I really pray and hope that people will be able to see themselves through these complex characters and find a moment of connection and truth. It made it a lot easier to look across the room at someone I really respect and love and care for, and open up myself.
Jeremy, you've worked with Ryan Murphy several times before, and many of the actors he works with tend to stick around in his work. What about you two make a great collaboration?
POPE Ryan is a friend first, and a collaborator and creative second. Ryan really champions artists; our nuance as artists and as humans. He sees us for what other collaborators maybe can't see yet, whether it's the type of character we want to play or world we'd love to explore. I remember he texted me, “You want to do something weird?” I was like, “Well, Ryan, everything you do is kind of weird, so how weird are we talking?” I meant that with love, and he knew it. When he sent this show, it was a bit darker than anything I've been asked to play. I thought that was interesting to bring the juxtaposition of how people perceive me and what this energy that I can possess or bring into this character. I have so much respect for someone who is willing to bet. He gave me my first TV show. He bet on me when I didn't have any TV credits. Hollywood was my first Emmy nomination.
You both also executive-produced, so I wanted to know if it was always the plan to end the season on a cliffhanger with young Cooper trying to reverse “The Beauty” but not revealing if it worked. Did you ever shoot alternative versions of that final scene?
POPE We didn't shoot an alternative. With Ryan, it's really about the collaboration; he has a vision. As you've seen in a lot of his work, you can almost identify a Ryan show just based on the way it's shot and looks. So there are always open conversations about where we want the story to go, where we hope the story will go. But with Ryan, it's about trusting and soaring. You have to trust the visionary and the vision at hand, and know that he's going to take you to the promised land. A lot of these scripts we were getting in real time as we were shooting and things were being revealed to us. I remember at one point we got episode 10, and we were like, “Is that the end?” Because we didn't know, or we hadn't heard about episode 11.
RAMOS Yeah, we didn't know until the end.
POPE So we were on the journey of trusting and knowing that he has a vision: he's going to take this series to the place he wants to take it, ultimately, at the care of what these characters need and what makes the most sense. So that is collaborating with Ryan on The Beauty. He's going to allow you to imbue all that you can into these complex characters. But at the end of the day, you're going to read the script and be on the edge of the page, just like, hopefully, the audience is when they're watching the series.
In a potential season two, do you think your characters would take the reserve “Beauty” shot? Or do you think they're too comfortable enjoying the benefits it's given them?
RAMOS That's a good question. I don't know if he'd go back. I think he's too far down the road.
POPE We might have lost my man, Jeremy, on this one. I think he is feeling it in new ways. So I don't know if he would want to reverse it. I want to believe there's a turn in him, but my man is loving the highlights, the private jets, the double-breasted blazers. It's hard to come back from that.
Since many of Ryan Murphy's shows are anthologies or limited series, but this one seems ongoing, were there early conversations about how many seasons this show might have? And was there an overall arc planned for your characters?
POPE When Ryan called me, he just told me scale. He's like, “This is a very big show — we're going international.” He hadn't done anything this expensive or big in a minute and he hadn't been international since Eat Pray Love. So he was just talking about the scale and the world-building of it all, that there would be all these side characters and main characters coming together. Ashton and I didn't really even work together in this season, so it leads you to, well, that surely has to happen. I think, if anything, it was less about the number of seasons, but how large this vision was. I think he knows when it's a limited series and it's a beginning, middle and end, but this one wasn't a period, it was a comma.
***
All episodes of The Beauty are currently streaming on Hulu. Check out all of The Hollywood Reporter‘s The Beauty coverage here, including our premiere interviews with Ashton Kutcher, Bella Hadid, Rebecca Hall and finale interview with Evan Peters and a full cast and characters list.
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Ekko Astral are postponing their second album, The Beltway Is Burning. The Washington, D.C., punk band made the announcement on March 4. also confirming that they are no longer playing this year's Liberation Weekend, the D.C. festival they co-founded with Gender Liberation Movement in 2025 to support trans liberation and mutual aid.
Although bandmates Jael Holzman and Liam Hughes will finish their March tour itinerary, which includes West Coast dates opening for Mclusky and a show at Idaho's Treefort Fest, they said they've postponed all subsequent performances. “Ekko Astral needs time to recalibrate,” their statement read. “We wanted to move by our original schedule, but we've realized we would benefit from more time and bandwidth. To give Beltway, our pride and joy, the moment it deserves.”
The announcement arrives after, late last month, Ekko Astral's label Topshelf dropped them and said it would not release The Beltway Is Burning; Holzman confirmed on February 23 that the band would still release the album independently on April 22. Although Topshelf's statement did not initially specify a reason behind the decision, the label told Pitchfork it was related to a dispute between Holzman and Ekko Astral's former drummer Miri Tyler. Tyler detailed plans to leave the band in January, citing the strain on her mental health of touring with the group. At the time, Tyler said she would play one final show with Ekko Astral at Liberation Weekend II.
On February 6, Holzman filed a peace order against Tyler in Montgomery County District Court, alleging that Tyler threatened her on social media. The order, which bars Tyler from direct contact or communication with Holzman, remains in effect until August 13. Last month, the Washington City Paper reported that Tyler has denied threatening anyone, and further explored the fallout between her and Holzman. Ekko Astral has since contested the story, citing “inaccuracies and omissions” that resulted in “a swirl of misinformed online harassment that led us to part ways with our label.” (An editor's note on the piece reads: “Ekko Astral's statement makes unfounded and misleading claims. City Paper stands by our reporting, our reporter, and our decision-making throughout the process.”)
Liberation Weekend II, which is set to return from April 24 to 26, will host Laura Jane Grace, Illuminati Hotties, Pool Kids, and more. In their new statement, Holzman and Hughes encouraged followers to still attend the festival, which they emphasized “has always been bigger than this band.” “Please share the event with your friends and family,” they concluded. “Not only is this fest filled with incredible talent but it is vital to support trans rights, trans care, and trans art right now. We will be back.”
Read Ekko Astral's full statement below.
Hello friends,
At the end of March, we will be supporting mclusky on the West Coast, and playing Treefort Fest.
On that run, you can look forward to never-performed songs from our upcoming record, 'the beltway is burning'. We hope to see you all there. After these immediate commitments, Ekko Astral needs time to recalibrate.
We wanted to move by our original schedule, but we've realized we would benefit from more time and bandwidth. to give beltway, our pride and joy, the moment it deserves. We are postponing the album and all other performances. To our fans, we're sorry for this delay. We appreciate all the support you've shown for this band.
Liberation Weekend II will still happen as planned. The event has the same great team behind last year, and we've been passing along roles to a growing team of volunteers who are making sure this fundraiser for trans rights and care is an absolute blast.
Ekko Astral is no longer playing Liberation Weekend II. We urge you to please still go. This festival has always been bigger than this band. Please share the event with your friends and family. Not only is this fest filled with incredible talent but it is vital to support trans rights, trans care, and trans art right now.
We will be back.
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By
Charisma Madarang
As BTS prepares for a massive comeback album and tour, the group revealed the the first trailer of Netflix's upcoming livestream event in celebration of their return.
Members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook feature in the teaser for BTS the Comeback Live | Arirang, which will be broadcast from Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, on March 21. The performance will showcase the first live debut of songs from their upcoming fifth album, Arirang, which is set to drop the day before.
The video begins with fan reactions to the news that BTS would be taking a hiatus as all seven members of the K-Pop group fulfilled their mandatory military duties in South Korea. (Jin was the first to enlist in 2022 with Suga being the last member to be discharged back in July.) As shots of crowds chanting “BTS” roll, Jung Kook says, “So emotional. I really miss them.” In another clip, RM declares, “Seven together, we can do anything.”
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Britney Spears Arrested for Alleged DUI
Earlier this week, BTS unveiled the 14-song track list for their album, which features “Swim” as the title track and “Into the Sun” to close out the record. The LP was produced and written by some of the biggest names in music, including the likes of Mike WiLL Made-It, Flume, Diplo, El Guincho, JPEGMAFIA, and Ryan Tedder.
Netflix is also scheduled to premiere BTS: The Return, a documentary directed by Bao Nguyen exploring the making of the band's new album that will drop on March 27 on the streaming platform. BTS will mark their comeback with a world tour, kicking off in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9, and arriving in Tampa, Florida, in late April before concluding the U.S. leg of their trek in September in California.
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With all due respect to Danny Ocean, there's no thief in Hollywood with a more impressive track record than “creative differences.” Take Margot Robbie's planned Ocean's Eleven prequel movie, which has just had Oscar-nominated Minari director Lee Isaac Chung heisted out from under it. The culprit? You guessed it.
Admittedly, this particular instance of cinematic loggerheads is being phrased in the most amicable terms possible, as Robbie's Lucky Chap production company issued a statement today, with Warner Bros., in which the two companies bent over backwards to make nice: “Lee Isaac is a singular filmmaking talent whose vision and partnership have been invaluable to Warner Bros. and LuckyChap throughout this journey. Our experience with him has only deepened our enthusiasm to collaborate on future projects together.” THR reported the split; no details have cropped up about where the disagreements between Chung and producers popped up.
For those keeping track, Chung came to the project while already pretty far down the “very personal critical darling to unlikely blockbuster” pipeline, having previously directed Glenn Powell, Daisy-Edgar Jones, and wind in 2024's Twisters, as well as episodes of Star Wars shows The Mandalorian and Skeleton Crew. He was originally attached to the Ocean's project last year, signing on for an untitled prequel film originally created under the watchful eye of Robbie's old Bombshell director Jay Roach. With his departure, we go from knowing roughly three things about this film down to two: We may still hold firmly to the knowledge that Robbie is expected to both produce and star in the movie, and that she's recruited Bradley Cooper to be part of her team. Beyond that, we don't even have a number—let alone a director—to attach to the Ocean's title, which, whenever it actually comes out, will be the first such movie to hit theaters since Sandra Bullock attempted a reboot (of sorts) with Ocean's 8 back in 2018.
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T.I. sat down with Billboard to discuss his new Hot 100 top 40 hit "LET EM KNOW" and more.
By
Carl Lamarre
This week, T.I. re-entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 with “LET EM KNOW.” On Wednesday (March 4), the self-proclaimed Kang of the South reflected on the song's success during an In Conversation interview with Billboard.
“It's surreal, in a way,” says T.I. “It's humbling that relevance still exists within this art that I've been able to present to the world after such a long journey. I just appreciate the fans receiving it.”
“LET EM KNOW” marks T.I.'s 58th entry on the Hot 100 (No. 38 this week) — his first since 2014's “No Mediocre” — and will appear on his final album Kill The King. Produced by Pharrell, the song finds T.I. in prime form, allowing his bravado and steely delivery to take center stage while Skateboard P's bristling production radiates nostalgia, transporting listeners back to the mid-2000s. The chemistry between T.I. and Pharrell dates back to their 2006 collaboration “Good Life” and their chart-topper on Robin Thicke's “Blurred Lines.”
“We both have an unwavering passion for the craft,” he says of his working relationship with Pharrell. “He has an enormous amount of success and things he can be doing, but music calls him. It urges him to create in so many different genres just out of sheer, genuine passion.”
Alongside his final album rollout, T.I. has also found himself in a clash with 50 Cent. The rap duel has dominated headlines, with 50 posting photos of T.I.'s wife Tiny on Instagram. T.I. and his children, Domani and King, responded with diss tracks. While 50 hasn't replied lyrically, T.I. prefers to respond in the booth rather than online.
“Ultimately, the reason I took to the booth was because it was the most mature, level-headed, peaceful, and organized display of disdain that I could have done,” he explains.
Watch Billboard's In Conversation with T.I. below, where he also discusses ATL 2, features on Kill The King, and more.
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Emmy Award winner Billy Porter, 56, revisited his horrific and near-deadly run-in with sepsis when he had to abruptly exit the Broadway play “Cabaret” to be admitted into the hospital and placed on life support.
Porter, star of the hit series “Pose,” opened up on March 2 on TS Madison's iHeartMedia's “Outlaws” podcast about the details of his sepsis, saying that it got so bad — he was dead for three days.
The multitalented entertainer explained how he went to the doctors for a “routine check” when they found a kidney stone “trapped in [his] urethra.”
Porter went on to detail the gruesome revelations of exactly what was going on inside of his body that he had been unaware of before his wellness check.
“When they got in there, there was so much pus, and bile, and infection behind the stone. It bubbled up and I went uroseptic in minutes,” he disclosed.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, urosepsis is a form of “sepsis that begins in your urinary tract. It happens when a urinary tract infection (UTI) goes untreated and spreads to your kidneys.”
The Grammy Award winner said that his infection was so severe that specialists placed him on an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Machine (ECMO machine), a form of life support.
That's the moment things became grave for Porter, who recalled on the podcast, “I was dead for three days,” adding, “I am a miracle. I'm a walking miracle.”
Porter nearly lost his leg as well, explaining that when doctors took him off life support, they told him that his leg “had gone into compartment syndrome, which is when the muscles close in on themselves and cut off the oxygen.”
“So they had to cut me open on either side of my leg while I was in a coma, and from my knee to my hip, and leave it open for two days so they could save my leg,” he bravely shared. “I am so grateful to be here. It is such a gift.”
Porter's near-death experience happened in September 2025, People reported. At the time, his team released a press statement, saying that the beloved star was experiencing a “serious case” of sepsis and had been advised “to maintain a restful schedule” for several weeks.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, sepsis is a “life-threatening reaction to an infection that causes your immune system to harm healthy tissues and organs. It can develop quickly and lead to organ failure or death without urgent care.”
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It's almost time! BTS' long-awaited return is finally around the corner, and the streamer is getting fans excited for the group's cinematic return with a trailer for ‘BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang.'
By
Nicole Fell
Assistant Editor
“Seven together, we can do anything,” RM, the leader of BTS, says in the voiceover of the first trailer of Netflix's live stream concert heading to the platform later this month.
The K-pop supergroup, comprised of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook, is set to make their long-awaited return in March. The group is releasing their first album in years, Arirang, following their group hiatus so the members could complete their mandatory military service in Korea.
Netflix announced their special, BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang, last month, a live stream performance of the seven-member group, which will stream on the platform on March 21. The live stream — the first global performance of the album, which is being released on March 20 — is being broadcast live from Gwanghwamun, a well-known Seoul landmark offering views of the city's iconic Gyeongbokgung palace.
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Netflix's trailer didn't give much away, but it did give ARMY, the group's dedicated superfandom, a peek at the group. As videos of the groups concert plays, Jung Kook, the group's youngest member at 28, can be heard saying, “So emotional. I really miss them,” referring to ARMY. Jimin, 30, adds, “Let's get back out there!”
RM, 31, can be heard in voice over. “We promised our fans we'd be back,” he said. The trailer then features a cinematic arrangement of the fan favorite song, “Mikrokosmos,” from the group's 2019 EP, Map of the Soul : Persona, as “The world's biggest band is back” is displayed. Each member of the group is showcased in front of the palace. There have been few promotional materials released for the group's upcoming album, so seeing the members posing for the live stream likely hits a bit harder for ARMY.
Following the live stream, Netflix will premiere BTS: The Return, an “intimate documentary film chronicling the making of the band's new album,” according to a release. It'll premiere a week after the live stream on March 27 on the streaming platform.
The seven-member K-pop supergroup is also preparing to embark on their first full-scale, all-group tour in years. The tour, spanning 2026 and 2027, will hit Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia, making it one of the most expansive tours of the group's career.
The tour will kick off with three nights in Goyang, South Korea, before heading to Tokyo for two nights. BTS is set to then head to the U.S. for a stop in Tampa. The group then zigzags around the world with U.S. stops sprinkled throughout. The group is anticipated to make 79 stops.
After their supersized sold-out 2021 Permission to Dance on Stage engagements in Los Angeles, the group is set to make their return to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sept. 1-2 and Sept. 5-6. The tour will feature a 360-degree, in-the-round stage design, making for an immersive experience for the audience.
BTS The Comeback | Arirang will stream on March 21 at 8 p.m. Korean standard time, which is 3 a.m. PT and 6 a.m. ET. Watch the full trailer below.
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There's been a lot of talk, here in what still somehow technically count as the early days of James Gunn and Peter Safran's efforts to reboot the DC Comics Universe, about tone. Gunn's own projects have carved a fairly wide one, with the vulgar sincerity of his Peacemaker acting at obvious and deliberate odds with his far more hopeful Superman. But despite their stances on their respective heroes doing coke and holding orgies, both those projects were still operating in a fairly clear superhero mold. Whereas the new trailer for the franchise's upcoming HBO Max series, Lanterns, has pretty clearly taken the “space cops” part of the Green Lantern Corps' ethos, stripped out the space part, and created an almost perversely-Earthbound version of an HBO prestige-y cop show (where Kyle Chandler just happens to occasionally fly through the air).
Chandler, in “wry, slightly scary veteran cop” mode, stars in the series opposite Aaron Pierre, who's playing the young upstart eager to replace him on the force. (The fact that these guys are comics staples Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and that the jurisdiction they're arguing over involves magical space rings, is only barely apparent from the trailer.) Rather than a far-flung space adventure, the trailer finds the pair pounding the pavement in Nebraska, where a local murder is apparently of sufficient cosmic significance as to require their presence. Kelly Macdonald also stars as the small-town sheriff who bristles at these slick outsiders' presence—with, again, the added wrinkle that the invaders in question weren't sent by the FBI, but by little blue men from space.
The novelty of Lanterns—call it the True Space Detective (or possibly Mare Of Spacetown?) of it all—feels like the sort of thing likely to have a fairly short shelf life. Less so: The interplay between Pierre and Chandler, who have obvious chemistry as they bump heads, with Chandler especially tapping into a harder edge of his genial good ol' boy persona to play a character who feels like a pissed-off aging cop first, and a superhero a distant second, at best. (Yellow Lantern-stone? Is that anything?)
Lanterns debuts on HBO Max in August 2026.
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Thanks to his film Undertone impressing film festival audiences in 2025, filmmaker Ian Tuason was announced as the creative who was set to revive the Paranormal Activity franchise with its next chapter. While the idea of a house being haunted and evidence being captured through home-video recordings seemed like an endlessly repeatable premise, the series has struggled over the years, often when an installment pivots too far away from what made the original such a success. Luckily, even if we don't fully know what Tuason has in store for audiences, he recently teased his approach to the project. Before then, audiences can see his Undertone in theaters on March 13.
Speaking with MovieWeb about what he can say about his upcoming sequel, Tuason coyly confirmed:
"Well, I don't wanna give away too much, but I really did write this thing for the fans, the Paranormal Activity fans."
Of course, this reveals little about what the plot will explore, but the director's remarks at least imply that his movie won't aim to reinvent the core components of early installments for a new generation.
One of the key factors of the success of the original Paranormal Activity was its restraint, due in large part to the shoestring budget. Reports claim that the original movie cost between $10,000 and $15,000, thanks to using unknown actors and confining the entire narrative to one house. The horror story was a massive financial success, so while filmmakers aimed to replicate what made it work, the trend with sequels is to go "bigger," which resulted in multiple sequels introducing convoluted mythology and digital effects.
As you can see in the above trailer for Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, by the time filmmakers got to installment #7, both the narrative and the filmmaking techniques were a far cry from what made the original so exciting. Understandably, the creative team utilized the most contemporary, consumer-grade tech available to the characters, similar to what the original filmmakers did. Arguably, the power of those early installments, however, comes from the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped in your own home, as opposed to otherworldly events that occur while trying to make a documentary movie.
Once Undertone is officially unleashed on audiences, they'll get a taste of why Tuason was the perfect filmmaker to revive the property. The film itself follows a pair of podcasters (Nina Kiri and Adam DiMarco) who host a show about the paranormal, with a special episode seeing them explore mysterious audio recordings they were sent by unknown listeners. The entire movie unfolds in Evy's (Kiri) home, as she is taking care of her debilitated mother.
With each recording, the podcasters go further down a dark rabbit hole, causing Evy to question if the bizarre sounds she's hearing are coming from the recordings or her own surroundings. Through Tuason's direction and terrifying use of shadows and negative space, the audience also begins to question if we're seeing things in the dark or if these recordings are just getting to us.
The next Paranormal Activity is currently set to hit theaters on May 21, 2027. Undertone will be released on March 13.
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Jim Carrey, Selena Gomez and Avril Lavigne are some of the stars who have found themselves at the center of viral theories circulating on social media.
By
Carly Thomas
Senior Editor, Digital
The internet coming up with outrageous conspiracy theories is nothing new, but accusing celebrities of being cloned is undoubtedly a whole new level.
Most recently, Jim Carrey, much to his dismay, has been at the center of the eye-rolling conversation. All because fans were convinced the Dumb and Dumber actor had been replaced by a clone due to his appearance at the César Awards in Paris, where he was being honored.
It's important to note that these theories are baseless and have no evidence supporting them. But when has that ever stopped the internet from running with it? If your answer was “never,” you'd be correct.
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The theories stemmed from fans online claiming the actor's face looked different in clips coming out of the César Awards. And then a decades-old clip of Carrey on Late Night With David Letterman, where he said he uses decoys to fool paparazzi, resurfaced, only adding fuel to the fire.
César Awards organizers quickly shut down the rumors on Monday, with the general delegate of the César Awards, Gregory Caulier, saying in a statement, “Jim Carrey's visit has been planned since this summer.” He also called the theories a “non-issue,” adding, “I just remember his generosity, his kindness, his benevolence, his elegance.”
For an additional layer of confirmation, the actor's personal rep also told TMZ, “Jim Carrey attended the César Awards, where he accepted his honorary César Award.”
But Carrey isn't the first celebrity to find themselves dragged into the commotion. Pop-punk artist Avril Lavigne has been battling clone conspiracy theories for years.
Fans claim that Lavigne was replaced by a lookalike named Melissa Vandella after dying more than 20 years ago. While there's no legitimate proof for the theory, the rumor reportedly ignited in 2011 because of a Brazilian fan page called “Avril Está Morta” (“Avril Is Dead”), alleging that Vandella was hired at the height of Lavigne's fame to distract photographers but ultimately replaced the “Complicated” singer following her death.
Lavigne is very much alive, and she actually laughs at the rumors, telling Alex Cooper on her Call Her Daddy podcast in 2024, “It's just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone's like, you look the exact same. You haven't aged a day. But then other people are like, you know, there's a conspiracy theory that I'm not me.”
While the “Sk8er Boi” singer called the theories “so dumb” because “obviously I am me,” she also said things could be worse.
“I feel like I got a good one,” she added. “I don't think it's, like, negative. It's nothing creepy.”
That may be Lavigne's perspective, but for other stars, like Selena Gomez, the conspiracy theories can derive from something much more personal and sensitive.
Some fans have alleged that the “Lose You to Love Me” singer was replaced with a body double to maintain her brand after she underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 due to lupus and died after complications (Gomez did undergo a kidney transplant but is very much alive and currently married to Benny Blanco). People have cited a perceived change in appearance and mannerisms in recent years to try and back up their claims.
On a darker note, theories escalated when an unverified screenshot of an email allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced online, which included the line “decided about Selena.” However, the alleged email has not been authenticated and does not confirm that the “Selena” being referenced is Gomez. There are also no records of the “Bluest Flame” singer being connected to Epstein.
Gomez has never directly addressed the conspiracy theories, but has been open about how her condition impacts her physically and emotionally. “My lupus, my kidney transplant, chemotherapy, having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks — these were all things that honestly should have taken me down,” she told Elle magazine in 2021,” but would remind herself, “‘You're going to help people.' … That's really what kept me going.”
She also reportedly addressed her appearance during a previous TikTok livestream, saying that she tends “to hold a lot of water weight” when taking certain medication.
Since lupus is an autoimmune condition, it causes chronic inflammation in many parts of the body, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Medical professionals have also said treatments and medications, such as immunosuppressants, as well as natural aging, can affect one's appearance and weight.
Unfortunately, social media trolls commenting on a woman's body, especially someone in the spotlight like Gomez, is nothing new, as women constantly have unrealistic expectations placed on them.
But all the online discourse surrounding celebrity clones also begs the question: Why are people so obsessed with conspiracy theories to begin with?
According to research published by the American Psychological Association in 2023, “People can be prone to believe in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying strongly on their intuition, feeling a sense of antagonism and superiority toward others and perceiving threats in their environment.”
Shauna Bowes, a clinical psychologist and the lead author on the study, also wrote, “Conspiracy theorists are not all likely to be simple-minded, mentally unwell folks — a portrait which is routinely painted in popular culture. Instead, many turn to conspiracy theories to fulfill deprived motivational needs and make sense of distress and impairment.”
At the end of the day, people are going to believe what they want to believe. But remember, you probably shouldn't trust just anything you read on the internet, especially without credible evidence.
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Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins reunite in The Boys season 5 trailer.
The final season preview shows Antony Starr's Homelander seeking immortality and Karl Urban's Butcher rampaging to stop him.
It's the final countdown as we barrel towards the series finale, dropping May 20 after a season premiere on April 28.
The Supernatural men are officially back together on The Boys.
The trailer for the fifth and final season of Amazon's R-rated superhero satire reveals a first look at the onscreen reunion of Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins — casting which was announced back in February 2025.
The footage shows Homelander (Antony Starr), who's hellbent on reaching immortal god status, waking up his father, Soldier Boy (Ackles), from cryogenic stasis. "Did you f--- me?" Soldier Boy wants to know upon waking up in his underwear and a "Sorry, Snowflake" Homelander top.
Soldier Boy's team-up with his son for total domination will lead to an encounter with two characters played by Padalecki and Collins. Details on those roles are still elusive, but the Supernatural gents, who portrayed Sam Winchester and Castiel, are seen now in gaudy button-downs within a massive mansion.
The Boys season 5 trailer provides us a first look at Collins' character getting choked out by Soldier Boy. It's a reunion that's been years in the making. Eric Kripke, The Boys showrunner who created Supernatural, has been working to get his boys back together, but schedules proved to be an issue.
Multiple other alumni from the long-running series have already made the jump to The Boys, including Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
The final season, which takes place after the events of Gen V season 2, will realize the final battle for the soul of America. With Homelander exacting an iron, dictatorial will across the country, Hughie (Jack Quaid), Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso), and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) are imprisoned in a "Freedom Camp." Meanwhile, Annie (Erin Moriarty) attempts to mount a resistance against the supes, and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) — who's now talking! — is nowhere to be found.
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
During this low point for our heroes, Butcher (Karl Urban) reappears with his sights set on acquiring a virus that will wipe all supes off the map.
The first two episodes will premiere on Amazon's Prime Video streaming platform on April 8, following by a weekly release. The series finale is set for May 20.
Watch the trailer above.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Conspiracy claims have erupted over the star's appearance. These days, I can't blame people for endless skepticism
Last week, my ex-wife texted me. She usually does that when my son falls off his skateboard or learns a new expletive to say on the playground. This time was different. “Have you seen Jim Carrey?” she asked, apropos of nothing we had discussed previously. It was as if she was asking me if I'd seen her misplaced keys.
“No, I have not seen Jim Carrey. Have you looked under the couch?” I replied.
“Seriously, Google him,” she said.
And so, dear reader, I did. What I found has haunted me all week. Not because I find Jim Carrey's new face in any way disturbing, but because it seems that millions of other people who have never met Jim Carrey do.
Almost immediately after Carrey appeared at the César awards in Paris to accept a lifetime achievement award, the internet lit up with the preposterous, but tantalizing theory that the actor who first came to prominence for talking out of his own butt in a movie had been replaced by a clone who had never once talked out of his own butt, because he was just hatched a few days ago.
Why did people decide that they'd put their own reputations as sane individuals on the line to declare a hoax perpetrated by the star of Mr Popper's Penguins? Because Jim Carrey's face looked a little different. His cheeks were fuller. His eyelids pulled up. Worse yet for the Carrey truthers, he wasn't grinning like a buffoon the entire time or farting La Marseillaise on command. Surely, Jim Carrey, a 64-year-old adult man, couldn't be expected to accept an award with grace and dignity. No, he needed to breach the womb of a rubber rhinoceros, then accept the trophy in the nude. That's the real Jim Carrey, metaphorically biting the heads off chickens for our amusement. This Jim Carrey – this rank imposter – must have been hatched in a laboratory using the same technology that cloned Tom Brady's dog.
Now, not everyone said Carrey was specifically snatched out of the world and replaced with an artificially created double. Some people, like my ex, were more open to less sci-fi rationales.
“That's not Jim Carrey,” she declared with no hint of doubt. “I know what Jim Carrey looks like. That's not him.” Perhaps it was a performer in a mask or some elaborate Mission: Impossible disguise. Any minute now, Tom Cruise would rip a latex appliance off his face and appear before us to leap on to another couch or eat popcorn one kernel at a time. I did my best not to launch into a series of digital snickers or clown emojis. After all, I need to keep this woman on my side, both before and after her Jim Carrey-related nervous breakdown.
But then the performance artist, Alexis Stone, posted an Instagram photo subtly taking credit for the Carrey appearance without saying explicitly that it was them under a mask. I mean, if you post a photo of a Jim Carrey mask with the caption “Alexis Stone as Jim Carrey in Paris”, it's not a huge leap for a viewer to assume the Carrey incident was all a big ruse.
What was beginning to form around me was a mass psychosis event, one where even Megan Fox was declaring: “i can't handle any more stress right now i need to know if this is real.” People began acting like a close relative had been secretly feeding government secrets to Chinese intelligence agents. And was also a Klingon.
For decades, Jim Carrey aged in a way that was acceptable to everyone around him. In the years since he became a world-famous movie star, his face has been on display at a massive scale, allowing us to stare and gawk at every inch of him on billboards and onscreen. For millennials like myself, the creases and lines on his head are like cave paintings of our childhood. But if your father or mother started looking a bit different, would you accuse them of being a clone? And if you did, would you be mad if they slapped you?
While people devolved deeper into conspiracy theories, the more rational among us asked some simple questions: why would Jim Carrey commission a clone? Where does the clone sleep? In Jim's bed? In a dog house in the backyard? Maybe the clone has its own multi-million dollar home? How much does a clone cost, factoring in tariffs and inflation? If you can just make clones, why haven't the Dodgers cloned Shohei Ohtani by now? Can Jim Carrey's clone vote?
All of this speculation is really moot, though, considering Carrey's representatives completely denied it wasn't him at the Césars, that he practiced his speech in French for months, and that he had attended the ceremony with his family. Case closed.
Or not.
I still see people sure that his eye color is different now, that they can see the seams of the mask on his face. That they know Jim Carrey so well that they can't be fooled by a cheap imposter. They can't believe what they hear or what they see.
The internet has scrambled our minds beyond recognition. Someone must always be conspiring behind our backs, attempting to alter our reality and reshape it in whatever way they see fit. I'm not arrogant or myopic enough to say I don't see how secret worlds and deception can flourish under our noses. The torrent of Jeffrey Epstein emails are proof of how we don't really know anything about the celebrities or politicians that sit at the top of the social pyramid. Sometimes, skepticism is the healthiest intellectual response we can have.
But if that skepticism comes from believing that you “know” the famous movie star Jim Carrey, then manifests itself in forensic examinations of low-resolution photos and deranged TikTok videos, then it might be time to ponder the touching of the grass that the kids talk about so often.
Still, I don't blame the people having these reactions. If you've been lied to repeatedly by your government, your business leaders, and your venerated celebrities, you'll be on high alert at all times – prepared to absorb the next betrayal. Live long enough in this age of techno-oligarchs and 24/7 propaganda and you'll assume everyone is talking out of their butts, especially Jim Carrey.
Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist
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Disappearance of Air Force veteran William Neil McCasland sparks concern as silver alert issued and sheriff's office appeals to public for information on his whereabouts
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A retired U.S. Air Force general who spent part of his career engaged in UFO research has disappeared in New Mexico.
William Neil McCasland, 68, was last seen around 11 a.m. local time on Friday near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation to find him.
McCasland's wife said he had left home without his watch or phone, which was considered unusual for a man known to be an experienced outdoorsman, with a passion for hiking and skiing.
The sheriff's office said a silver alert had been issued for McCasland, indicating particular concern for his wellbeing because he suffers from an unspecified medical condition.
The missing man is described as standing five feet 11 inches tall and weighing around 160 pounds, with white hair and blue eyes.
“Our priority is finding Mr McCasland safely,” said Sheriff John Allen. “Our investigators and search teams are working continuously, and we're coordinating closely with our local, state, and federal partners.
“We're asking the public to help by checking and preserving any security camera footage from the area and reporting any information immediately.”
One woman has reported a supposed sighting of McCasland, writing on the Albuquerque Trail Running Crew's Facebook group that she had informed police after spotting a person matching his description on the Whitewash trailhead in Piedra Lisa Canyon, according to The Daily Mail.
Colonel Justin Secrest, base commander of the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, where McCasland previously served, told The Albuquerque Journal: “We are coordinating closely with local authorities and defer all updates regarding the search efforts to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.
“Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”
Before entering the private sector after his retirement from service in 2013, McCasland led both the Kirtland base's Phillips Research Site and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson in Dayton, Ohio, where he was responsible for managing the Air Force's $2.2 billion science and technology program, as well as its public-funded research efforts.
Wright-Patterson is a famous name among UFO experts as it was the site at which debris retrieved from the 1947 Roswell incident in New Mexico was analysed and studied.
Official reports state that the material in question really came from fallen Project Mogul balloons, designed to give advance warning of Soviet atomic bomb detonations by detecting their sound waves, and not flying saucers.
The Dayton base was home to Project Blue Book in the 1950s and 60s and recorded some 12,618 alleged UFO sightings at the height of the Cold War, 701 of which reportedly remain “unidentified.”
McCasland's name is also known to UFO watchers after it cropped up in emails published by WikiLeaks in 2016 taken from John Podesta, then the campaign manager to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Tom DeLonge, guitarist and frontman with the pop-punk band Blink-182, claimed in correspondence with Podesta that McCasland had advised him on disclosure practices and on setting up his To The Stars Inc. company, which is dedicated to promoting extraterrestrial matters.
McCasland has never confirmed or denied his involvement in DeLonge's UFO research.
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by Señal News
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"The New Detectives"
Radial Entertainment, a leading global independent distributor backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., has purchased the New Dominion Pictures catalog for an undisclosed sum, expanding its owned content portfolio.
The transaction adds more than 600 hours of iconic, evergreen programming to Radial Entertainment's expansive library and is anchored by long-running investigative, true-crime and paranormal franchises, including "The FBI Files," "The New Detectives," and "A Haunting." Radial previously managed and distributed "The FBI Files" and "The New Detectives" on FAST endpoints domestically. Through this acquisition, Radial takes ownership of the underlying intellectual property of these titles, expanding the scope of its distribution to all rights, worldwide and in perpetuity.
The deal also adds new titles to the Radial catalog, including the marquee ghost story anthology "A Haunting" and 17 additional owned unscripted series spanning automotive ("FantomWorks"), rescue ("Critical Rescue"), international crime ("Interpol Investigates"), and other subgenres.
The deal reinforces Radial Entertainment's commitment to the long-term stewardship of fan-favorite content. By pairing the New Dominion IP with its scaled distribution engine, Radial is positioned to ensure these franchises remain widely available to streaming audiences worldwide. Furthermore, the acquired derivative rights enable Radial to explore the production of new episodes to reinvigorate these beloved series. The acquisition strengthens Radial's ability to serve fans, platform partners and creative stakeholders alike by expanding audience access, enabling new viewer discovery and delivering trusted, in-demand programming to platforms worldwide.
Jeff Shultz, CEO of Radial Entertainment focused on the long-term strategy: “Owning IP is the foundation of a durable content strategy. In a world where distribution is increasingly fragmented, controlling both the asset and its global distribution allows us to maximize value over time. These are proven franchises with enduring demand. With full rights in perpetuity, including remake and production rights, we can both optimize the existing catalog across global platforms and actively develop new content, extending the life of these brands for decades," noted.
Meanwhile, David Stockmeier, President of New Dominion Pictures, added: “This transaction is the culmination of co-founder Nicolas Valcour's vision to continue delivering high-quality non-fiction programming to audiences around the world for years to come.”
to Señal News Newsletter
Gen. Stephen Whiting, a career space operator with 36 years of experience, told reporters he has never observed anything in space that wasn't either human-made or a natural phenomenon like a comet.
His comments, made at the Air and Space Forces Association's Warfare Symposium in Colorado, throw a bucket of ice water on hopes that Trump's recent push for UAP disclosure might yield space-based bombshells — or anything from orbit at all.
Last month, Trump took to social media to announce he would direct the Pentagon and other federal agencies to “begin the process” of disclosing government files related to alien life and UAPs — unidentified anomalous phenomena. He cited “tremendous interest” in the files. It was the latest development in years of sensational claims, congressional hearings, and the military's 2020 release of videos that appear to show objects defying easy explanation.
Neither NASA nor the intelligence community has backed up the extraterrestrial angle. “To date, in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, there is no conclusive evidence suggesting an extraterrestrial origin for UAP,” a NASA blue-ribbon panel wrote in a 2023 report. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reached a similar conclusion two years earlier: “The limited amount of high-quality reporting on unidentified aerial phenomena hampers our ability to draw firm conclusions about the nature or intent of UAP.”
None of that has dampened public curiosity. The most famous Pentagon-released UAP footage was captured by cameras aboard Navy fighter planes flying over the ocean. If something from another world were visiting Earth, though, wouldn't the military's network of advanced radars and optical sensors — both ground-based and orbital — pick it up on the way in?
Whiting made it clear he wouldn't bet on it.
“I can say, I, personally, was very interested in the president's announcement,” he told reporters. “I look forward to seeing what data does come out. I can also tell you, as a space operator now of 36 years, having spent a lot of time with space domain awareness sensors, tracking things in space, I've never seen anything in space other than manmade objects, so I am not aware of anything that is extraterrestrial, other than comets and things like that.”
“But I'm fascinated in the topic,” he continued. “And if something's revealed, I'll be interested as an American citizen.”
Space Command's area of responsibility stretches from the top of Earth's atmosphere all the way past the Moon. One of its core missions is tracking, monitoring, and cataloging every object in orbit. By Whiting's account, everything up there traces back to a human or natural source.
He also pointed out a technicality that might disappoint UFO watchers hoping for cosmic revelations from his files. The current terminology — UAP — includes the word “aerial,” meaning these reports deal with phenomena below the Kármán line at 100 kilometers altitude, inside Earth's atmosphere rather than in space.
“We will respond to any presidential direction to go look at our files, but I think the term of art now is UAP, and the A is aerial, so these are things that are below the Kármán line (100 kilometers), that are in the atmosphere,” Whiting said. “I've seen some of the same videos and radar data that all of you have, and my guess is those relevant services and combatant commands will turn that data over. I'm very interested in the topic, but I have no personal experience with any of those phenomena.”
So while Trump's disclosure order may eventually shake loose new information from military branches and intelligence agencies, don't hold your breath for anything from Space Command. The man responsible for watching everything between Earth's atmosphere and the Moon says the view is alien-free.
Written by Alius Noreika
January 21, 2026
May 5, 2014
Yesterday
February 1, 2018
March 11, 2022
April 11, 2013
August 19, 2013
October 18, 2013
October 8, 2023
December 6, 2025
Founded in 2012, this project provides science and technology news from authoritative sources on daily basis.
Gen. Stephen Whiting, a career space operator with 36 years of experience, told reporters he has never observed anything in space that wasn't either human-made or a natural phenomenon like a comet.
His comments, made at the Air and Space Forces Association's Warfare Symposium in Colorado, throw a bucket of ice water on hopes that Trump's recent push for UAP disclosure might yield space-based bombshells — or anything from orbit at all.
Last month, Trump took to social media to announce he would direct the Pentagon and other federal agencies to “begin the process” of disclosing government files related to alien life and UAPs — unidentified anomalous phenomena. He cited “tremendous interest” in the files. It was the latest development in years of sensational claims, congressional hearings, and the military's 2020 release of videos that appear to show objects defying easy explanation.
Neither NASA nor the intelligence community has backed up the extraterrestrial angle. “To date, in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, there is no conclusive evidence suggesting an extraterrestrial origin for UAP,” a NASA blue-ribbon panel wrote in a 2023 report. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reached a similar conclusion two years earlier: “The limited amount of high-quality reporting on unidentified aerial phenomena hampers our ability to draw firm conclusions about the nature or intent of UAP.”
None of that has dampened public curiosity. The most famous Pentagon-released UAP footage was captured by cameras aboard Navy fighter planes flying over the ocean. If something from another world were visiting Earth, though, wouldn't the military's network of advanced radars and optical sensors — both ground-based and orbital — pick it up on the way in?
Whiting made it clear he wouldn't bet on it.
“I can say, I, personally, was very interested in the president's announcement,” he told reporters. “I look forward to seeing what data does come out. I can also tell you, as a space operator now of 36 years, having spent a lot of time with space domain awareness sensors, tracking things in space, I've never seen anything in space other than manmade objects, so I am not aware of anything that is extraterrestrial, other than comets and things like that.”
“But I'm fascinated in the topic,” he continued. “And if something's revealed, I'll be interested as an American citizen.”
Space Command's area of responsibility stretches from the top of Earth's atmosphere all the way past the Moon. One of its core missions is tracking, monitoring, and cataloging every object in orbit. By Whiting's account, everything up there traces back to a human or natural source.
He also pointed out a technicality that might disappoint UFO watchers hoping for cosmic revelations from his files. The current terminology — UAP — includes the word “aerial,” meaning these reports deal with phenomena below the Kármán line at 100 kilometers altitude, inside Earth's atmosphere rather than in space.
“We will respond to any presidential direction to go look at our files, but I think the term of art now is UAP, and the A is aerial, so these are things that are below the Kármán line (100 kilometers), that are in the atmosphere,” Whiting said. “I've seen some of the same videos and radar data that all of you have, and my guess is those relevant services and combatant commands will turn that data over. I'm very interested in the topic, but I have no personal experience with any of those phenomena.”
So while Trump's disclosure order may eventually shake loose new information from military branches and intelligence agencies, don't hold your breath for anything from Space Command. The man responsible for watching everything between Earth's atmosphere and the Moon says the view is alien-free.
Written by Alius Noreika
January 21, 2026
May 5, 2014
Yesterday
February 1, 2018
March 11, 2022
April 11, 2013
August 19, 2013
October 18, 2013
October 8, 2023
December 6, 2025
Founded in 2012, this project provides science and technology news from authoritative sources on daily basis.
Two Nostradamus prophecies have resurfaced amid the ongoing Iran war. One of them is being linked to the extensive use of drones in the conflict, while the other talks about how long the war could last. The French psychic wrote the predictions in his book “Les Propheties”.
The Middle East crisis has once again brought to the fore prophecies made by several mystics about the jarring world situation. Nostradamus, the French psychic who is said to have predicted major world events like 9/11 and Princess Diana's death, talked about a "swarm of bees" in his book "Les Propheties", written in 1555. Those who believe in his prophecies say that this prediction is linked to the Iran war, where the "swarm of bees" refers to the drones playing an active role in the Middle East conflict. The passage named Quatrain I:26 reads, "The great swarm of bees will arise… by night the ambush…". It remained vague till before the war between the US, Israel and Iran started. Earlier, his followers linked the prophecy to the growth of world leaders, like Putin and Trump. But seeing how deadly drones are being used in the conflict, the bees seem to be a reference to the unmanned vehicles. Further, these are one-way drones, which detonate after they striking, similar to honeybees who die after stinging.
Also Read: Flying at only 80 feet altitude, Iranian planes almost hit largest American air base in Middle East: Report
The US is using drones that are part of Task Force Scorpion, America's first Kamikaze drone unit. Each drone costs $35,000 and is a rip-off of the Iranian Shahed drones. United States Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement that they have been using "countless one-way attack drones". The US had been watching the Shahed drones for years, and over the years, worked on the technology and "made it better" to develop their own loitering drones. The Shahed and Task Force Scorpion drones are suicide drones equipped with a warhead. They linger over the site, set their target and then crash into them. Their cost makes them an effective tool for wreaking destruction before fighter jets can go in for the kill.
Also Read: FACT CHECK: Did Kurdish fighters really launch ground offensive in Iran?
Nostradamus also talked about a long war, which his followers think is about the current conflict. "Seven months great war, people dead through evil / Rouen, Evreux the King will not fail," the psychic wrote in his book. Iran has been hitting US bases in several Gulf countries, such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Canada hinted on Thursday that the country could join the war against Iran. Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he couldn't rule out military participation in the Middle East crisis. "One can never categorically rule out participation. We will stand by our allies,” he said at a conference with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, in Canberra.
Anamica Singh holds expertise in news, trending and science articles. She has been working at WION as a Senior News Editor since 2022. Over this period, Anamica has written world n...Read More
By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR
Published: 23:46 EST, 4 March 2026 | Updated: 23:46 EST, 4 March 2026
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A trove of controversial UFO documents describing a secret government group tasked with recovering alien spacecraft may be authentic after all.
A researcher claims the long-debated Majestic-12 (MJ-12) papers, dismissed for decades as fake by the FBI, contain official intelligence filing numbers that match real CIA records from the same era.
The documents allege that a group of 12 high-ranking military and scientific officials secretly spent more than two decades investigating crashed alien craft, studying non-human technology and attempting to communicate with extraterrestrials.
The anonymous investigator said the breakthrough came after comparing administrative stamps and file numbers on the MJ-12 papers with those found on publicly released CIA documents from the 1940s and 1950s.
According to the theory, the numbering systems and classification markings used on the controversial UFO papers match formats once used by the US intelligence community.
The researcher examined MJ-12 files shared by Ryan Wood, a UFO investigator and author, who possesses physical copies of documents that first leaked to the public in the 1980s.
Wood told the Daily Mail that the archive includes more than 3,500 government documents referencing the mysterious group and the secret projects it allegedly conducted.
Despite those claims, the FBI previously stamped several of the MJ-12 files as 'bogus,' dismissing them as fabrications and fueling decades of debate about whether the documents were genuine or an elaborate hoax.
According to a new investigation into the MJ-12 files, the documents contain markings that validate their authenticity
The unnamed researcher, writing on Substack under the pseudonym 'MJ12 Logic,' argued that the similarities he discovered while comparing the MJ-12 papers with real CIA documents could not have been forged by someone outside the government.
According to his analysis, several administrative stamps and filing numbers appearing on the controversial UFO papers matched markings used in authentic intelligence records from the same era.
His investigation uncovered identical codes on documents connected to Operation Paperclip, a secret post-World War II program run by US military and intelligence agencies to recruit German scientists and engineers who had worked on advanced Nazi weapons and technology.
The program ultimately helped lay the groundwork for America's space program and the creation of NASA, although many details of Operation Paperclip remained classified for decades.
The researcher found that the same stamp, '834021-,' appears on both the MJ-12 papers and 345 pages of Operation Paperclip documents, which were not declassified until June 22, 2022.
Other markings that appear on both the CIA files and the supposedly fake MJ-12 documents include 'A-1762.1,' 'ER-1-2735,' and 'CIA SI 28-55.'
The researcher argued that these matching administrative codes would have been nearly impossible for a hoaxer to reproduce accurately in the 1980s, when many of the authentic CIA records had not yet been released to the public.
Wood praised the analysis, saying: 'He's doing a great job. He's digging in the right spots and doing a good job of the historical research. It's definitely on point and logical, fair and highly credible.'
An anonymous researcher claimed that the same '834021-' marking on MJ-12 documents appears on real declassified CIA papers from the 1940s and 50s
The CIA's declassified archives contains documents with the same markings seen on files referencing MJ-12 that the FBI claimed were fakes
All of these markings were part of numerical filing, registry, routing and control systems used by US intelligence agencies in the 1940s and 1950s.
They formed part of the standard records-management practices used to organize, track and store classified reports during that era.
Since many of those systems were not publicly documented for decades, the researcher argued it would have been extremely difficult for an outsider to replicate them convincingly.
'It's virtually impossible to logically reconcile this supporting evidence with the idea that "Majestic-12" was just some paperwork invented during the 1980s,' the researcher posted on Substack.
Wood also questioned the FBI's long-standing dismissal of the files, noting that agents famously stamped several of the documents 'BOGUS.'
According to Wood, that decision was not based on proof the papers were fabricated but rather on the agencies' inability to determine where the documents originated.
'If you dig in a little deeper, you discover that the FBI is responsible for investigating leaks of classified information,' Wood said. 'They took the document around to all the three-letter agencies and asked, "Did you lose this? Is this out of your files?"'
'Nobody would admit to it. It's no wonder they labeled it bogus and moved on,' he added, suggesting the CIA may have known the documents were genuine all along.
Wood said UFO researchers have spent decades conducting forensic checks on the paper type, typewriter fonts, stamps, dates and internal consistency of the alleged MJ-12 documents.
'Every document has its own authenticity rating, and every document has stronger or weaker authenticity. We take it document by document, but it only takes one, and there are plenty that are in the super highly credible category,' the researcher declared.
UFO researchers have said that the 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico 'was the real deal' and led to the creation of the top-secret group Majestic-12
According to the documents, MJ-12 included Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter, the first CIA director, Dr Vannevar Bush, head of US scientific research during World War II, James Forrestal, the first US Secretary of Defense, and General Nathan Twining, the Air Force commander in charge of research and development of new aircraft.
Despite the US intelligence community's attempt to discredit the files as fakes, shocking details involving MJ-12 and a secret face-to-face encounter with alien life were made public through the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 1991.
The files, many of which were never added to the CIA's archives, stated that MJ-12 oversaw four specific projects charged with communicating with aliens, researching UFOs, recovering crashed alien ships, and testing out advanced technology.
The MJ-12 files noted it took five years before they finally made successful contact with UFOs in 1959, noting that the group 'established primitive communications with the Aliens,' using binary code sent by radio.
This basic form of communication allegedly led to the meeting between the Air Force and extraterrestrials in 1964, with MJ-12 stating that an 'Air Force officer managed to exchange basic information with the two Aliens.'
The US government has maintained that there has never been any physical proof that UFOs or alien life exists.
In 1988, the US intelligence community added that there were serious inconsistencies and formatting errors in the secret MJ-12 documents, including an alleged briefing on the project addressed to President Eisenhower that agents have called a forgery.
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Rory McIlroy swipes at Jon Rahm as LIV Golf star refuses DP World Tour deal to stay eligible for Ryder Cup
By
Naman Ramachandran
Supernatural reality competition “Battle of Fates” has shattered viewership records on Disney+ in Korea, overtaking the platform's previous all-time premiere benchmark set by “Moving” in 2023.
Judged by audience figures accumulated within the first 12 days of release, the show also ranked as the top-performing new series of 2026 across Disney+'s Asia Pacific footprint. The streamer has confirmed that work on local versions for additional markets is now underway.
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The series, which debuted Feb. 11, draws its cast from practitioners of Korea's rich tradition of spiritual and predictive arts – including fortune-tellers, tarot readers and shamans – who face off in a structured competition testing the precision of their readings. Contestants draw on a broad arsenal of techniques and instruments to outperform their rivals and stay in the game, with the weakest performers eliminated each round. The season wrapped earlier this week when the finale, available exclusively on Disney+, was crowned Korea's top fate reader from the original field of 49 contestants.
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“Battle of Fates” streams internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the U.S.
The breakout title bolsters a growing unscripted lineup on the platform that includes combat sports series “I Am Boxer,” long-running variety hit “The Zone: Survival Mission” and “My Name Is Gabriel,” featuring Blackpink‘s Jennie. Two Japanese originals are also due later in 2026: “Travis Japan Summer Vacation!! in the USA,” a travel docuseries following pop group Travis Japan through the United States, and the “Daigo Project” (working title) variety show – the platform's first homegrown Japanese entry in that format.
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