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“No boots on the ground. No more war,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer.
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A report late Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is more bullish in private about putting American soldiers on the ground in Iran than he has been publicly stirred immediate condemnation among lawmakers opposed to the illegal military attack, now entering its second week of destructive and deadly operations.
“This is madness,” declared Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in response to NBC News reporting, which cited unnamed sources familiar with the conversations, that stated Trump “has privately expressed serious interest in deploying US troops on the ground inside of Iran.”
While the White House pushed back on the contents of the reporting, Trump himself has said that he does not hold reservations about deploying ground troops if he deems it necessary.
“I don't have the yips with respect to boots on the ground,” Trump told the New York Post on Monday. “Like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.' I don't say it. I say, ‘probably don't need them,' [or] ‘if they were necessary.'”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also reacted to the new reporting.
“Donald Trump is hellbent on escalating his reckless war and is now considering putting U.S. boots on the ground in Iran,” said Schumer in an online statement. “The American people do not want more war in the Middle East. No boots on the ground. No more war.”
Early morning on Saturday, Trump issued a fresh threat to the people of Iran, declaring in a social media post: “Today Iran will be hit very hard!”
In the same post, the U.S. president falsely claimed that Iran had “surrendered” to neighboring countries in the region following a series of missile attacks over recent days by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units on select targets in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and others.
What Trump was referring to was a video message issued by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier in the day in which he apologized for the strikes — carried out by IRGC commanders operating independently in the wake of the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike earlier this week — and said that no further such attacks would take place “unless those countries launch an attack on us.”
In his remarks, Pezeshkian rejected Trump's insistence on Friday for an “unconditional surrender” by Iran. “That we surrender unconditionally is a dream that they must take with themselves to the grave,” he said. “What we adhere to are international laws and humanitarian framework.”
Pezeshkian called for diplomacy to bring the war of aggression by the US and Israel to an end. “We aim to work hand‑in‑hand with our dear brothers and neighbors in the region to establish lasting peace and stability, and we hope this goal will be achieved,” he said.
However, if hostilities launched from factions in neighboring countries resumed, Pezeshkian warned, “all military bases and interests of criminal America and the fake Zionist regime on land, at sea, and in the air across the region will be considered primary targets and will come under the powerful and crushing strikes of the mighty armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
In remarks on Thursday, after Trump previously refused to rule out boots on the ground, Iranian Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Abbas Araghch told NBC News that the country's armed forces are prepared.
“We are waiting for them,” Araghchi said. “Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.”
Foreign policy experts warn that Trump has created an untenable situation for himself by demanding the “unconditional surrender” as well as stating that he must personally be involved in the choosing the next leader of Iran — an overt call for regime change in a nation of 90 million people.
“No country surrenders from airpower alone,” said Ryan Costello, policy director for the National Iranian American Council, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, on Friday. “Trump has created a trap for himself: either he backs down on his unattainable goal to dictate Iran, or he climbs up the escalation ladder, considering even more disastrous steps like boots on the ground.”
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MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. The United States is seeking to reshape the energy landscape to suit its own needs in order to solve its economic problems, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the daily Izvestia.
"The United States of America, which, as everyone now sees, is reshaping the energy landscape - not political but the energy landscape - to suit its own needs. It's making, or wants to make, everyone dependent on its own resources, both physically and in terms of price, for obvious reasons: its critical economic situation and its mammoth national debt have apparently placed the US leadership in a depressing situation: the country, the United States of America, is essentially bankrupt," she said.
"They're trying to solve their own problems with methods that are completely outside international legal norms. The Kiev regime, in essence, is a tool for engaging in or implementing all these adventures," Zakharova added.
DORAL, Fla.—U.S. President Donald Trump on March 7 welcomed his Latin American allies to Florida for a summit focused on addressing regional issues and announced a new military coalition to combat drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere.
“On this historic day, we come together to announce a brand new military coalition to eradicate the criminal cartels plaguing our region,” Trump said as he began his remarks at the summit.
Moments after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an apparently prerecorded statement that Tehran would halt attacks on its Gulf neighbors under certain conditions, several reported new strikes.
The launches were some of the largest since the war began and coincided with the one-week anniversary of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's killing in strikes by the United States and Israel.
Pezeshkian said the decision to stop attacks on the Gulf unless strikes on Iran originated from those countries' territories was taken Friday. On Saturday morning, Iran fired 16 ballistic missiles and 121 drones on the United Arab Emirates alone.
Still, in what are the highest-level de-escalatory comments so far from Iran, Pezeshkian apologized to his neighbors for days of strikes that have sparked panic in areas once thought safe.
Since taking office, the reformist leader has presented himself with an almost constant air of regret, issuing multiple public apologies during his tenure – for the sharp deterioration of the national economy, the killing of thousands of protesters during demonstrations and the persistent inefficiencies of his own government.
Everything we know on the eighth day of the US and Israel's war with Iran
Now he's apologizing on behalf of Iran's armed forces, saying they “acted on their own authority and did what was necessary to defend our homeland with dignity and strength,” a recurring message from some Iranian leaders justifying the heavy targeting of cities across the Gulf Arab states.
It is unclear whether the pronouncements of the Leadership Council, of which Pezeshkian is now a member after US-Israeli strikes killed other key leaders, align with the goals of the armed forces or the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which have independently activated their own measures in response to the US and Israeli attacks.
Pezeshkian's comments brought relief across Gulf Arab states. Yet the projectiles that flew overhead shortly after his speech show it is too early to say if Iranian attacks have halted.
And his comments came with the condition that territories of Gulf Arab states, which host several large US military bases, are not used to launch attacks against Iran. Pezeshkian's office stressed in an “explanation” statement after his speech that Iran would “give a decisive response to any aggression from American bases.”
As the region grapples with an unknown future, it remains unclear what actions Iran's armed forces and its proxies would regard as hostiles to the Islamic Republic.
Shortly after Pezeshkian's statement, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran had “surrendered to its Middle East neighbors” and that it “will be hit very hard” today, with areas of the country under consideration for “complete destruction and certain death.”
Iran's army issued its own statement saying that if offensive actions against Iran continue, “all military bases and interests of the criminal American regime and the fake Zionist regime on land, sea, and air in the region will be the main targets” of “crushing and severe strikes by the powerful Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Pezeshkian made his comments amid a leadership vacuum and uncertainty over the path forward for Iran.
Joining Pezeshkian on the leadership council are senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arefi, 67, a powerful member of the Guardian Council, and Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the notorious head of the judiciary. Together they form the interim authority to manage the country's affairs until a successor to Khamenei is chosen
As the council struggles to manage wartime affairs for a population of 96 million now enduring the heaviest military strikes in their nation's history, Iran's army, now with interim leaders, has become largely independent and isolated.
Even Oman, a key mediator with close relations to Iran, has been hit by Iranian projectiles. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the attacks were not the government's choice and that Tehran had already instructed the armed forces to exercise caution in selecting targets, but said military units had grown “independent and somewhat isolated.”
“They are acting based on general instructions given to them in advance,” Araghchi told Al Jazeera this week.
In a possible sign of impatience, several prominent clerics in Iran have urged the swift election of a new supreme leader.
Electing a supreme leader is a confidential and complex process restricted to clerics from a council called the Assembly of Experts – a procedure has been followed only once, 37 years ago, when the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died and Khamenei was picked as his successor.
Khamenei was elected supreme leader within 24 hours, as the clerics moved swiftly to fill the immense void left by the revered Ayatollah Khomeini. The new leader went on to rule for 37 years before his assassination.
Today, the Islamic Republic recognizes that it faces an existential crisis and is proceeding with extreme caution in selecting its next leader
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Lebanese authorities say dozens of people were killed when Israeli commandos raided a border region hunting for the remains of a long-missing airman.
Late Friday night, four Israeli helicopters crossed into Lebanese airspace and flew to a border area between Lebanon and Syria, the Lebanese military said in a statement. Two helicopters then landed while there was an “intense and widespread” bombardment of the area which targeted nearby villages, the statement added.
As the Israeli force approached the village of Nabi Chit, the Lebanese military said the commandos engaged in a firefight with Hezbollah militants and local residents.
Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters had fired on the “enemy infantry force” with “light and medium weapons” as the commandos neared a cemetery in the village's eastern neighborhood. The Iran-backed militant group said it carried out “concentrated fire” on the Israeli forces as they withdrew from the area.
Social media video from the town of Nabi Chit, geolocated by Reuters, showed a massive crater in the ground after the Israeli operation. Buildings surrounding the crater show extensive damage, and the street is littered with chunks of concrete and rubble.
The Israeli force was searching for the remains of navigator Ron Arad, who has been missing since 1986 after he was forced to eject from his F-4 fighter jet. In 2008, Hezbollah announced Arad was dead. The commando raid was based on intelligence gathered from Ahmad Shuker, a Lebanese security official who was reportedly kidnapped in December, an Israeli source said.
But the soldiers on the ground failed to locate Arad's remains.
Shawk al-Masri, who lives in the village, told Reuters he endured a “night of hell” as he “heard the helicopters over our house all night.”
“They were so low we thought they would land on us,” he said. “People in the town woke up and started shooting at them, then the warplanes started bombing. It was a very violent night and only calmed down when the sun came up.”
The Lebanese health ministry said the Israeli raid and strikes killed 41 people and wounded 40 more.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that no Israeli soldiers were injured. Asked about Lebanese casualties, the IDF said it was not aware of any casualties based on its information. Pressed on whether Israel carried out airstrikes in conjunction with the commando raid, the IDF claimed that during the event there were no casualties according to its information.
Tami Arad, the widow of the Ron Arad, thanked the government for the effort but urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to do anything that puts soldiers at risk. “For us, the sanctity of life takes priority over the commitment to bring back the remains of a soldier to burial,” she said on Facebook. “As a family, we declared more than once that we object to operations that will risk soldiers.”
The raid came amid intense Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah, launched in the wake of the new conflict with Iran.
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As some elected leaders choose to play nice with the president, Democratic AGs have done the opposite – to impressive effect
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Four Democratic attorneys general, sitting in their offices from New York to California with state flags and books behind them, announced a new lawsuit on Thursday, alleging the president, yet again, had broken the law by attempting to create new tariffs without congressional approval.
It's a now familiar scene for the group of top law-enforcement officials who have collectively filed more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration, serving as a counterweight to the president's quest to expand his power and circumvent the constitution.
They've protected billions of dollars for their states. They've stopped or stalled policies that would have cut food benefits during a government shutdown, closed health programs and job training, curtailed funds for crime victims, ended birthright citizenship, cut off funds for schools, and kept illegal tariffs in place.
At a time when some institutions and elected leaders have chosen to play nice with the Trump administration, the 23 Democratic attorneys general have done the opposite.
“We know the most impactful elected position right now is the Democratic AG,” said Andrea Campbell, the attorney general of Massachusetts.
Their lawsuits have a high success rate: about 80% have gotten a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, Arizona attorney general Kris Mayes estimated. She has signed on to nearly 40 lawsuits filed by Democratic attorneys general against the administration.
Joint lawsuits by attorneys general aren't new. Republican attorneys general have banded together on suits against Democratic administrations, and they currently have filed joint briefs to defend Trump policies. Cross-partisan groups of attorneys general often work collaboratively on lawsuits over opioids or predatory businesses.
But the sheer number of lawsuits in the past year-plus from Democratic attorneys general outpaces prior efforts. The scope of their legal work is broad – and growing. Just recently, the actor Mark Ruffalo on social media called on state attorneys general to band together to fight the potential Paramount/Warner Bros merger, and California attorney general Rob Bonta responded that he is “in conversation with” his attorney general colleagues about the issue.
The almost two dozen Democratic attorneys general and their staffs have met regularly since before Trump returned to the White House. Even before Trump won in November 2024, they were preparing for a potential Trump presidency, combing through his comments and Republican plans like Project 2025 to prepare the kinds of lawsuits they expected to file.
When Trump started his second presidency with an executive order that sought to reverse birthright citizenship, disallowing those born in the US by foreign parents from being citizens, the Democratic attorneys general sued him the next day, one group of many that brought suit. The order was blocked by the courts and will be heard by the US supreme court in April.
Part of the group's success comes from its preparation, but, several attorneys general told the Guardian, they wouldn't be winning so much if the Trump administration wasn't blatantly breaking the law.
“I'd like to say that we're winning these cases because we're all a bunch of Johnnie Cochrans or Perry Masons or whatever,” Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison said. “But the truth is, what he's doing is patently illegal, and a 1L law student would know it.”
The attorneys general's offices have added lawyers and refocused staff to focus on federal accountability, finding that the cost of Trump's lawlessness exceeds the costs of additional attorneys.
“He's taking money out of our state,” said Ellison, who has filed more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration since last January. “One thing we cannot do is just let them pick Minnesota's pocket.”
Meanwhile, their Republican colleagues are entirely absent, even when the issue at hand, like massive tariffs on local businesses, also affect red states.
“They've been just uninterested and supine, and I think they're secretly rooting for us, because when we deliver a victory and get tariffs struck down, their residents benefit, their businesses benefit,” Bonta said in a recent press conference.
While some cases resulted in reversals of policies for all states or blocked them from taking effect nationwide, the US supreme court limited universal injunctions in mid-2025, meaning only states signed on to litigation can receive relief in a given case.
“So it has never before been so important to have an attorney general willing to stand up for consumers and citizens as it is today,” Mayes said. “If you don't have a Democratic AG, you are going to get hurt by the Trump administration. And the irony of all of this is that it is the Republican AGs and their states that are getting pummeled by Trump because they're not getting the same relief that we are.”
The Democratic AGs often implore their Republican colleagues to join their lawsuits and protect money that would be coming to their states, but they know the political dynamics – namely, a vindictive president willing to rally his followers against them – come into play.
“I know they care about their states, but they're afraid,” Delaware attorney general Kathy Jennings said. “They're flat-out afraid. There's nothing else I can say about it, except that they will not stand up to this man for fear of repercussions that either they personally will be faced with or that their constituents will face.”
Adam Piper, the executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association (Raga), said Republican attorneys general sued the Biden administration multiples times “to make America safer, energy more affordable, and our border more secure” while the Democratic attorneys general have “prioritized political witch hunts against President Trump”.
“These different approaches make it clear that Attorneys General are on the frontline of the policy fights that impact Americans the most – making AG races the most important statewide contests this November,” Piper said.
A few of the Democratic AGs served for at least part of Trump's first term, but they knew his second term would be different. There would be few, if any, dissenting voices around the president to stall his plans. He would be more prepared to enact the laundry list of policies he'd been touting on the campaign trail. They better understood that Trump's bluster wasn't just words – his projecting should be taken seriously.
The attorneys general began talking in early 2024 and met regularly to map out how they would respond on key issues.
They met in person that year to go through Project 2025 and other plans Trump had made public, Ellison said. They split into groups to focus on rule of law, immigration, schools, LGBTQ+ and trans rights, diversity. They discussed and wrote memos about how they could show they had standing to sue. They talked about which states to file lawsuits in, based on where they believed they had advantages, he said.
Their full-court press against Trump began right when he took office, and it hasn't waned since.
“We were geared up,” said Jennings, of Delaware. “We were ready, and we've stayed ready each and every day since then.”
Their plan included public engagement. They set out on town halls across the country, which doubled as a way to collect evidence for current and future cases, and rally their supporters to get more involved in fighting back. While Americans have since joined mass protests and boycotts, there was little public resistance when the attorneys general began their town halls in early 2025. A Minnesota town hall in March was standing room only, and the AGs received standing ovations.
The attorneys general still meet regularly, as often as twice a week via video, Mayes said. Their staffs are in communication daily.
These meetings allow them to share what's happening on the ground in their states, said Oregon attorney general Dan Rayfield. Sometimes, an issue might be more isolated, but usually when an issue is raised, other states are seeing it too, he said.
They collectively decide which states will lead on a given case, usually according to who has the expertise and availability.
“The reality of the AG world is that New York and California are the big dogs – they really do have way more people than the rest of us,” Ellison said. “And so oftentimes they're contributing more, according to their ability. But then there's a lot of states that punch above their weight.”
For Campbell, doing nothing was never an option. She does her work because she believes in service and helping people, and she has a responsibility to protect Massachusetts residents and the state's economy – and the rule of law in general.
“We're exercising courage to stand up, not only for our residents, but for the constitution,” she said. “And we know without a constitution, you can't have a functioning state economy.”
Israel's closure of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has thrown surgeries and school plans into limbo.
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The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced on March 1 that all crossings in the occupied Palestinian territories — including the Rafah border crossing with Egypt — were closing until further notice following joint Israeli-American airstrikes on Iran.
Then, on March 3, COGAT said in a statement that only Kerem Shalom crossing will be gradually reopened to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, under security restrictions and procedures. It asserted that the other crossings, including the one in Rafah, will remain closed, and their reopening will be subject to a security assessment of the situation.
The closure of the Rafah crossing has heightened fear and anxiety among Gazans, as many are asking the same question: Will it last for a long time? Rafah is the only crossing that connects Gaza to the outside world without passing through Israel, and it has been a vital passage for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of patients and the wounded.
In early February, Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing, allowing movement between the Gaza Strip and Egypt for the first time since Israeli forces took control of the border in May 2024. However, movement through the crossing remains limited to highly restricted categories, primarily patients referred for medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip, preventing students who received scholarships to study abroad and others from traveling.
According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, more than 20,000 people in Gaza are awaiting permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. The ministry stated that the partial operation of the Rafah crossing is far from sufficient to address the scale of the humanitarian crisis. It also reported that critically ill patients allowed to leave for medical care face restrictive conditions imposed by Israel, leaving them mentally and physically exhausted. These include long hours of waiting, unclear procedures, and the constant fear of being turned back without explanation.
Mohamed Abu Laban, 42, whose leg was injured by explosive bullets, told me that he managed to obtain a medical referral. However, his name remains on the waiting list, and he is awaiting the moment he will be able to travel.
“I am suffering from a seven-centimeter bone loss and urgently need a bone graft. This operation cannot be performed here due to the lack of specialized medical staff and equipment,” he said. “I waited anxiously for the Rafah crossing to reopen, hoping to travel abroad for the surgery so I could stand on my feet again. When it finally opened, I faced restrictions and long delays. Then, just when I believed my travel was imminent, I was shocked by a complete closure following the Israeli attack on Iran. We still do not know when it will reopen. The risk of amputation haunts me every day.”
Rihab Abu Raidah, 22, told me that amid the horrific conditions in Gaza in November 2023 she still managed to apply for the Al-Azhar University scholarship in Egypt, as she has always dreamed of continuing her studies abroad. She told me:
I submitted my Tawjihi certificate and essays and applied to the Faculty of Media. Two weeks later, I received a message confirming my acceptance. At that moment, I was overjoyed. I waited for the Rafah crossing to open, minute by minute, excited to begin my new journey of learning. However, Israeli restrictions on the crossing made it impossible for me to travel. The sudden closure of the Rafah crossing due to the war with Iran has worsened the situation and left my entire future uncertain. It feels as though Israel is constantly finding new reasons to close the crossing and disrupt our lives. I put in so much effort to win this scholarship, and it breaks my heart that all my hard work may go to waste simply because I cannot travel through the crossing.
On the other hand, Israel has imposed restrictions over the past month on the return of Gazans stranded in Egypt. Those wishing to cross must obtain prior security approval from the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet), while Egypt submits lists of names for clearance. Israel also uses facial recognition technology and advanced surveillance systems to monitor people using the crossing to leave Gaza remotely, instead of maintaining a permanent physical presence of soldiers inside the exit terminal. Inspections for people attempting to enter Gaza are far stricter and more invasive. In addition, Israel has limited the number of people who are allowed to cross into Gaza, initially permitting only 50 individuals per day.
The Palestinian Embassy in Cairo launched an online portal for Palestinians stranded in Egypt and abroad who wish to return to the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian embassy official stated that around 50,000 Palestinians are expected to register under the partial reopening mechanism of the crossing. He noted that a similar number had previously registered following the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in October 2025, before registration was suspended due to the crossing's closure.
The embassy explained in a statement that travel conditions limit each traveler to only two bags of clothing, and they must not contain any electrical or metal equipment. It also emphasized that cigarettes and medication can only be brought for personal use, and not in commercial quantities.
Awad Awda, 65, managed to return to Gaza after spending seven months in Egypt, where he had traveled as an escort for his injured grandson. Awda told me he was among the first to register on the online portal launched by the Egyptian authorities, eager to return home.
“The Egyptians were very kind and hospitable; they provided us with everything we needed. But for me, it was still exile. No place in the world can replace Gaza. I wanted to return — to touch Gaza's soil and see my friends and family, whom I missed deeply,” he said.
Awda told me:
Our journey back to Gaza involved multiple inspection stages, beginning on the Egyptian side, then with a European team, and finally with the Israeli army. The trip was exhausting, both mentally and physically, due to repeated inspections and long hours of waiting. Many of the items I had brought as gifts for my family — such as phones, food, perfumes, and watches — were confiscated. After we crossed, gunmen supported by the Israeli army, known as the Abu Shabab militia, transported us to an Israeli military checkpoint. Along the way, they repeatedly said they were there to eliminate Hamas and even offered us the opportunity to join them. Once we were handed over to the Israeli military, soldiers asked for our full names and ordered us to board a bus. However, some people were separated from the group, beaten, had their hands tied and eyes covered, and were interrogated for hours.
These restrictive measures are widely seen in Gaza as a way to prevent residents from returning home. A Gazan woman, who is currently living in Egypt and was forced to leave Gaza for safety, told me over a WhatsApp call that she longs to return, but the crossing is the main barrier. She asked to be quoted anonymously due to her fear of Israeli harassment. She told me:
Life in Egypt is difficult because I don't know anyone here. I left Gaza only when it was necessary, holding on to the hope of going back home. I want to go home. If not now, Allah knows when it might be. My name isn't on the list yet; I only became aware of the registration link very late and registered in January. The waiting list is long because only around 50 people are allowed through at a time. I do hear about the harassment and torture, but I pray that Allah will make my return easy and safe.
Asmaa Sadam, 35, told me in a phone call that she and her children have registered on the Egyptian online portal and are now on the waiting list. She told me:
Every day, I wake up hoping to receive a call from the embassy telling me that I can return to Gaza. I know the journey will not be easy, especially after hearing the testimonies of those who have returned and seeing images of the crossing — surrounded by iron gates, barbed wire, and surveillance cameras. But I want to go back to reunite with my husband, whom we have not seen for 23 months. My children and I went to Egypt seeking safety, hoping he would join us later. However, the crossing was closed when Israel launched a military operation in Rafah in May 2024. Until now, we do not know when we will be able to return, as the number of people allowed to cross is limited, and priority is given to the injured, patients, and those living near the Rafah crossing. Moreover, the sudden closure of the crossing due to the war with Iran will further delay our return. It is deeply frustrating that all our excitement about returning soon vanished within seconds when I saw the Israeli coordinator's post on Facebook. I do not know how long this closure will last, but I pray it will not continue for too long.
The closure of the Rafah crossing has crushed Gazans' hopes. Although its initial opening was partial, restrictive, and never met the scale of people's needs, we still viewed it as the beginning of life returning to Gaza. It is the only way for patients to travel abroad to receive medical treatment, for students who have won scholarships to pursue their studies in a motivating environment, and for those outside Gaza to return and reunite with their families. And it is a crucial entry point for the humanitarian aid infrastructure needed to help ease people's daily lives.
We waited a long time to witness the moment when the crossing would finally open. However, it lasted for only one month before closing again, returning us to square one and leaving us asking the same question over and over: When will the crossing reopen?
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Shahad Ali is an English literature student and writer from Gaza.
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Review of FDA records by the Environmental Working Group reveals firms are exploiting rule to send new chemicals in food system
More than 100 substances widely used in common US foods, supplements and beverages underwent no health and safety review by the US Food and Drug Administration, a new analysis of federal records finds.
The review of FDA records by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) non-profit reveals that diverse products across the food pyramid, such as Capri Sun drinks, Kettle and Fire organic broth, Acme smoked fish, and Quaker Oats snack bars, use a range of substances that have not undergone review by regulators.
Companies are using the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) rule that was developed in 1958 to allow ingredients such as salt or white vinegar to be used without a burdensome and needless review process.
But companies are increasingly exploiting the rule and sending potentially dangerous new chemicals or substances into the food system without scrutiny, EWG found. Some of these have caused health problems. In 2022, food made with the GRAS ingredient tara flour was believed to have caused over 300 illnesses and 113 hospitalizations.
The report is “a wake-up call for every American who assumes the FDA is reviewing the safety of chemicals in their food”, said Melanie Benesh, a report co-author and EWG's vice president for government affairs.
“Instead, food and chemical companies are exploiting a loophole to keep both the government and the public in the dark,” Benesh said.
The investigation found 111 substances of unknown safety, and the figure is likely higher, though the lack of a safety review does not necessarily mean an ingredient is dangerous The substances are used by popular brands such as Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, PepsiCo and Casita, federal records reviewed by EWG show.
GRAS is not the only route by which some chemicals are approved. Food colorings or chemicals added to packaging, for example, can be introduced to the food system via a different route, and those are not included in the report.
GRAS requires companies to demonstrate a new food ingredient is safe by providing widely accepted scientific evidence that's publicly available. Notifying the FDA of that safety data ensures regulatory compliance, EWG wrote, but it is also voluntary – manufacturers can legally self-determine their products to be safe.
Meanwhile, some companies push the boundaries of what is “widely accepted” science and provide limited data or reviews from a small number of scientists convened by the companies, Benesh said.
Companies do not report which products the substances are used in, so the investigation cross-checked their findings with the US Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central database, which provides public ingredient information for about 4,000 products.
The database showed 49 out of the 111 substances that were not reported. Among those are many known to be potentially dangerous, such as aloe vera extract, which is linked to cancer if ingested and is banned in some medicines over its toxicity.
The investigation turned up 22 extracts, including that from mushroom, green tea, cinnamon and cocoa. While these ingredients appear anodyne and suggest added nutrition, extraction changes the chemical composition. The substances do not carry the same nutritional benefit and the impact on the body is often unknown, said Maricel Maffini, an independent food safety consultant and report co-author.
Benesh noted that the extract could be obtained with a toxic medium, such as benzene or methyl chloride, and the situation presents “complex questions” that are not always answered in GRAS.
“From a regulatory standpoint, you really want someone who understands the science to ask questions and make sure it's safe before the food goes to market,” Benesh said.
Compounds called catechins found in green tea leaves have been linked to lower cancer rates and other health benefits. But the purified extract form, identified in over 900 products, has been linked to heart and brain defects, fetal leukemia, suppression of estrogen, and liver, kidney and intestinal toxicity.
Mushrooms are considered a strong source of nutrients, but some mushroom extract is linked to liver inflammation. The report found 428 products that used one type of mushroom extract. The FDA in 2024 told companies to stop using a strain of mushroom extract that was causing people to hallucinate and have other nervous system problems, but it remains available in supplements.
The report noted how cola makers used GRAS for caffeine, but in the early 2000s, it was added to highly alcoholic beverages, like Four Loko. After a rash of injuries and a death, the FDA effectively banned caffeine in alcoholic drinks in 2010.
“This is not a theoretical exercise – this has real life consequences,” Maffini said.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health and human services secretary, whose “make America healthy again” movement advocates for fewer chemicals in the food system, has said he would close the GRAS loophole, but is instead proposing a weaker action.
The substances the “impressive” EWG report identified likely “represent only the tip of an iceberg that undermines our health”, said Tom Neltner, executive director of the Unleaded Kids non-profit. He previously did work around GRAS and other FDA food safety rules.
“FDA – not industry – needs to be reviewing novel food chemicals for safety,” Neltner said in an email. “We need Kennedy to fulfill his promise to close a loophole that undermines the integrity of our food supply.”
A divided U.S. appeals court has refused to let the Trump administration revoke legal protections that allow more than 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S. and avoid being returned to their gang-violence-stricken country.
A 2-1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit late on Friday rejected the administration's bid to pause a Feb. 2 ruling that blocked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from ending Haiti's Temporary Protected Status.
TPS is a humanitarian program that shields eligible migrants from deportation and allows them to work.
Under outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the department has moved to end TPS for a dozen countries as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, arguing the program was never intended to serve as a “de facto amnesty.”
The administration had asked the D.C. Circuit to stay U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes' February order while it appeals. Her decision came in a class-action lawsuit brought by Haitians seeking to prevent DHS from exposing them to deportation.
Noem out at Homeland Security as public support for Trump's immigration policy slides
Reyes found that Noem's November move to end the Haitians' legal protections likely violated TPS termination procedures and the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law.
The administration on appeal noted that the U.S. Supreme Court had twice allowed it to end TPS for Venezuelans.
But U.S. Circuit Judges Florence Pan and Brad Garcia, both appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, distinguished the cases and said Haitians sent home would “be vulnerable to violence amid a 'collapsing rule of law' and lack access to life-sustaining medical care.”
U.S. Circuit Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, dissented, saying the case and the earlier Supreme Court litigation involving Venezuelans were “the legal equivalent of fraternal, if not identical, twins.”
DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
Haitians were first granted TPS in 2010 after a devastating earthquake. The U.S. has repeatedly renewed the designation, most recently under the Biden administration in July, 2024.
At that time, DHS cited Haiti's “simultaneous economic, security, political, and health crises,” driven by gangs and the absence of a functioning government.
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As Iran unleashes a wave of retaliatory drones strikes on critical infrastructure around the Persian Gulf, Ukrainian expertise in countering those drones appears to be in demand.
Days into the war with Iran, the Trump administration has identified Tehran's arsenal of Shahed one-way attack drones as a serious military challenge. In a closed-door briefing earlier this week on Capitol Hill, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine acknowledged that the relatively cheap and low-flying drones, which can saturate and overwhelm air defenses, have been a bigger problem than anticipated, according to two sources that were present.
It's a military challenge the Ukrainians have become intimately familiar with four years after Russia's full-scale invasion. Cities around Ukraine are routinely bombarded by a combination of drones and missiles, sometimes hundreds in one night. But even as Moscow continues its bid to break Ukrainian resolve by targeting power generating facilities and the energy grid, officials in Kyiv are signaling that they can share their know-how on combating drones with states in the Middle East.
“Our partners are turning to us, to Ukraine, for help in protecting themselves from Shaheds – with expertise and practical work,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in remarks Wednesday.
“There have been requests for this from the American side as well. These days, I have spoken with the leaders of the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. There will be further talks with other regional leaders. We are also coordinating with our partners in Europe.”
US air defenses may not be able to intercept many of Iran's one-way drones
The Shahed has become a signature weapon of Russia's war on Ukraine. Moscow started importing the Shahed-136 attack drone (known in Russia as the Geran) after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As the war ground on, Russia set up production of the drones in a facility in Alabuga, 600 miles east of Moscow, to pump out the drones in industrial quantities – more than 5,500 per month.
Drawing on lessons learned in combat, the Russians also upgraded the drones with more sophisticated counter-jamming equipment, more lethal warheads and greater endurance. The US military has also taken note: It has set up its own squadron that deploys one-way attack drones created after developers reverse-engineered a captured Shahed from Iran. Those US drones have been launched in combat against Iranian targets in the new war in the Middle East.
In the cat-and-mouse game of drone warfare, the Ukrainians have also built up a layered defense against the Shahed and its variants – and claim to have seen significant success in countering Russian drone swarms.
“We are ready to help and share our experience. Ukraine has 10+ companies producing interceptor and counter-drone systems,” Alexander Kamyshin, an adviser to Zelensky on strategic affairs, wrote on X. “We intercept around 90% of Russian Shahed drones, primarily using interceptor drones alongside other air defense systems. Sometimes it is hundreds per night targeting our cities.”
Ukraine offers help countering Iranian drones in exchange for missiles
For the United States and its allies, however, countering the Shahed threat appears to be a game of catch-up, some experts say.
“Despite Russia's extensive and damaging use of one-way attack drones (Geran-2 and its successors) in the past four years against Ukraine, and Ukraine's ongoing development of counters to these capabilities, it does not appear that the types of low-cost defense solutions Ukraine is using were replicated across Gulf nations or by the US military in the region,” wrote military expert Dara Massicot in an analysis published earlier this week by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“In this conflict so far, Iran is launching hundreds of Shahed drones – as many if not more drones than ballistic missiles – to attrit the air defense systems of Israel, the United States, and its partners in the Middle East and to damage critical facilities. While most are being intercepted – at an impressive rate – that requires extensive resources of near-constant defensive counter air patrols and the use of ground-based air defense systems that are otherwise needed for intercepting inbound Iranian missiles.”
GPS jamming is emerging as an increasingly prevalent — and troubling — weapon of war
Ukraine's layered defenses against Shaheds and their variants involve a gamut of military technologies. Helicopters and reconfigured cargo planes equipped with miniguns hunt the drones; old-school air-defense teams man heavy machine guns at key points on the ground; and shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles also bring them down. At the higher end, Ukraine also has fighter aircraft – a Ukrainian F-16 can be seen downing a Shahed in this dramatic recent video – as well as US-supplied Patriot missile batteries.
But Ukraine's inventories of Patriot batteries and their PAC-3 missiles are limited, as Zelensky made clear in recent remarks. And he suggested in comments Tuesday that there may be a quid pro quo when it comes to sharing Ukrainian counter-drone know-how.
“We are building relationships with countries in the Middle East,” he said. “We can do the same. For example, today they have Patriot air defense systems and PAC-3 missiles. They have all of this. This is important, very important for them first and foremost. But does it protect against hundreds of Shaheds? We know that no, it is not a working model. But we're short on PAC-3s. For example, if we are talking about weapons during the war that we are short of, then if they give us PAC-3 missiles, we will give them (drone) interceptors. It is an equal exchange.”
News that Russia may be providing Iran with wartime intelligence may also change the calculus in Washington and other Western capitals. According to multiple people familiar with American intelligence reporting on the matter, Moscow has provided Tehran with information about the locations and movements of American troops, ships and aircraft amid the ongoing war
Ukraine's expertise in countering Shaheds has been hard won. But if it helps shore up its international support – or replenish its inventory of air-defense missiles – it will have proven to have a silver lining.
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The units of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and the Armed Forces have stopped Russia's advance toward the city of Zaporizhzhia as part of a three-month defensive operation in the country's south, HUR claimed on March 7.
The statement was made as Russian advances on most sections of the front line slowed during the winter, mirroring patterns observed on the battlefield the previous year. Meanwhile, Ukrainian units along the southern front in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts have been pushing forward.
HUR did not reveal the exact area where the Russian offensive was halted.
The special forces unit of Ukraine's military intelligence, Tymura, killed or wounded over 300 Russian soldiers and captured 39 more, HUR said.
"The goal of the special forces is to disrupt the Russians' offensive plans and prevent their advance toward the regional capital," the agency said.
"The actions of the special forces helped stabilize the defense at positions favorable to the Ukrainian defenders and secure Zaporizhzhia."
Zaporizhzhia, home to approximately 710,000 residents before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, is frequently targeted by Russian forces.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast is also home to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022 and remains one of the thorny issues in ongoing peace talks between Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia.
Over February, dozens of videos emerged on social media of Ukrainian forces conducting offensive operations in the part of the front line where Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts meet.
In late February, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Ukrainian forces had liberated 300 square kilometers of territory in a "counteroffensive" operation in the south.
Operating in a wide contested "grey zone" with infiltrations on both sides, the Ukrainian advances, as seen in open-source reports, appear more like extended clearing operations rather than efforts to capture or breach Russian-held defensive lines.
Politics Reporter
Russia attacked Kharkiv, Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones overnight on March 7, targeting energy infrastructure.
With three gold, two bronze, and one silver medal, Ukraine leads the overall medal standings.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president's commissioner for sanctions, said that the Caffa ship was traveling from Morocco to St. Petersburg, transporting grain. According to him, the vessel was previously involved in stealing grain from occupied Ukrainian territories.
The units of Ukraine's military intelligence and the Armed Forces have stopped Russia's advance toward the city of Zaporizhzhia as part of a three-month defensive operation in the country's south, HUR claimed on March 7.
Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian site used for the storage, preparation, and launch of Shahed-type drones with Western long-range missiles near the airport in occupied Donetsk, the General Staff reported on March 7.
Russia launched 480 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and 29 missiles, including hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missile and Iskander-M ballistic missiles, overnight, the Air Force reported.
The number includes 1,010 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 6 that Washington is considering lifting some sanctions on Russian oil to address a global supply shortage linked to recent military operations in Iran.
"At the moment, they are already safe and have crossed the Ukrainian border," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces confirmed that two Russian Black Sea Fleet frigates, Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, were damaged during a Ukrainian strike on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk on March 2.
One unnamed U.S. official described the support as "comprehensive," the Washington Post reported.
The War Crimes Investigations Unit of the Kyiv Independent marks its third anniversary today: three years of documenting, exposing, and investigating war crimes committed during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Senate blocks war powers measure and House follows suit – now president can bomb Iran free from congressional interference
Before US troops invaded Iraq, George W Bush asked Congress to pass a resolution authorizing military force against Washington's longtime nemesis, a request that lawmakers obliged.
Twenty four years later, the United States is at war with a different Middle Eastern rival – Iran – under a different Republican president – Donald Trump. But this time, the president did not bother to seek permission from the Senate and House of Representatives before joining Israel in launching the air and naval campaign. And far from objecting, Congress's Republican majorities have simply stepped aside.
“My understanding of the law has always been – and this is the tradition and the way the law has been used and observed over many decades – the president was acting well within his authority,” Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker said Monday after receiving a classified briefing on the conflict.
When a reporter asked John Thune, the Republican Senate majority leader, if Congress would need to approve continued US participation in the campaign after two or three months, he replied: “No.”
“I think the president has the authority that he needs to conduct the activities, the operations, that are currently under way there,” Thune said.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic-backed war powers resolution that would have forced the US military to end hostilities against Iran unless Congress gives its permission, and House Republicans voted down a similar measure the day after.
The stage is now set for Trump to continue his military campaign against Iran free from Congress's interference, despite shifting explanations by the president and his administration of its objectives, and concerns from lawyers that the war is illegal and costing unnecessary money and lives.
The conflict has killed six US service members and at least 1,230 people in Iran, according to officials from those countries. An analysis released Thursday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based thinktank, puts the cost of the war's first 100 hours at $3.7bn, or $891.4m per-day.
Republicans have downplayed the severity of the conflict – “we're not at war right now,” Johnson said at a recent press conference – or argued that it is a necessary resolution to nearly a half century of enmity between the two countries.
“Since 1979, they have been killing Americans. They have been killing their own people. They have been slaughtering people in the name of religion. It is time for that to end,” Republican senator Lindsey Graham said of Iran.
Democrats appear to be positioning themselves squarely against the most significant foreign war to involve the United States in years, after struggling to navigate the backlash to Joe Biden's support of Israel's war in Gaza and, decades earlier, their own culpability in the Iraq war.
In 2002, 81 House Democrats and more than half of Senate Democrats backed Bush's resolution to initiate a war that would go on to be regarded as an unpopular, unjustified boondoggle. Then senator Hillary Clinton's vote in support of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution would turn into a liability when she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination six years later, and she ended up losing to Barack Obama.
The war against Iran is, comparably, a partisan affair. Only one Senate Democrat – Pennsylvania's John Fetterman – opposed the war powers resolution in that chamber, while Kentucky Republican Rand Paul supported it. In the House, four Democrats broke with the rest of their party to vote against the resolution, while both the Republican votes in support came from lawmakers who worried that Trump was overreaching.
One of them, Warren Davidson, is a former army ranger and rightwing Republican who rarely finds common cause with Democrats.
“For some, this debate will be about whether we should even be fighting in Iran,” he said. “For me, the debate is more fundamental: is the president of the United States, regardless of the person holding the office, empowered to do whatever he wants? That's not what our constitution says.”
The partisan divide in Congress may mean that Republicans wind up bearing the political burden of a war that polls show majorities of the US public oppose, a potential boon for Democrats ahead of midterm elections in which conditions appear favorable for retaking the House, if perhaps not the Senate.
“I feel like Iran is a distraction from our internal problems,” said Democrat Yamilka Almeyda as she voted in Greenville, North Carolina, one of three states that held the first primaries of the year on Tuesday. “I think this war is unnecessary.”
Already, top Democrats have incorporated the war into the affordability message that forms the backbone of their pitch to voters. “We have no concrete justification for why we are putting American troops in harm's way and spending billions of dollars on a foreign war while the affordability crisis rages here at home – a crisis Donald Trump said he would fix on day one, but instead, Republican policies have made worse,” said House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries.
But the war powers votes alone won't be enough to satisfy the desires of voters who want Democrats to be the anti-war party, said Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, a progressive group backing candidates in the just-started primary season. In Congress, there's already talk of passing legislation to cover the costs of the conflict, and Andrabi said it's essential for Democrats to oppose that.
“Any single person who votes to fund this war or votes against a war powers resolution deserves a primary, because voters deserve an anti-war choice in their districts,” Andrabi said.
Jimmy Ryals in Greenville, North Carolina, contributed reporting
Gas prices are seen at a Toronto gas station on Thursday.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
John Rapley is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail. He is an author and academic whose books include Why Empires Fall and Twilight of the Money Gods.
If any Canadians think the Mideast war has opened new opportunities for the country's energy sector, they should be careful what they wish for. Because the longer this war continues, the more it's looking like an act of economic self-harm by the United States, in which Canada will be collateral damage.
After war broke out, there was the usual speculation in the twittersphere that as in Venezuela, this conflict is all about oil and that the United States will come out on top. Not only will the rising prices of oil and gas create a windfall for U.S. exporters, but the war has cut supplies to its chief rival China. And if U.S. producers stand to gain, Canada, with a proportionately bigger energy sector, also stands to reap windfall benefits, both from rising prices and the search for new suppliers by countries that currently rely on Mideast oil.
For now, most energy companies are watching and waiting. In the war's opening days, traders were pricing in a short-lived spike in the price of oil followed by a return to normality once the war ended. But with each passing day that the war grinds on, a return to lower prices seems more distant. Besides, when the war ends, it's possible that a permanent risk premium keeps oil prices from falling back to where they were. Thomas Juneau, a Middle East scholar at the University of Ottawa, suggests that even after the war ends, the region will likely remain unstable.
Oil prices spike after Qatari minister warns Gulf output will be shut down ‘within days'
Yet even if oil prices remain elevated and importers around the world are scrambling for new, safer suppliers, few benefits will accrue to the U.S. or Canadian economies. Oil and gas account for about 1 per cent of American GDP, and some 7 per cent in Canada; any gains that will arise in those relatively small sectors will be more than offset by the inflationary effects in the rest of the economy.
It's looking increasingly likely that U.S. inflation, which never returned to the Federal Reserve's 2-per-cent target, is now on the upswing again. The most recent reports on Personal Consumption Expenditure – long seen as the Fed's favourite measure of inflation – and the Producer Price Index both came in hotter than expected. Then this week the Institute for Supply Management's report on manufacturing revealed that producers are reporting paying much higher prices for inputs, owing largely to the impact of tariffs.
What this suggests is that higher prices are coming to supermarkets and retail stores. Any rise in gas prices will fuel that fire. If those price increases persist, the Federal Reserve will find it hard to cut interest rates – already, we have seen bond yields resume rising. And if interest rates remain elevated, not only will that slow economic activity but it will inhibit the recovery in the housing sectors, in both the U.S. and Canada.
Seven Canadian oil producers set to benefit from rising prices
Those higher interest rates, in turn, have driven up the value of the U.S. dollar, which has dragged the loonie up with it. If the Canadian and American currencies remain strong, therefore, manufacturers, already struggling with Mr. Trump's trade war on both sides of the border, will find things get even harder since foreigners will have to pay more to buy their products.
Compounding matters is that the American economy is relatively energy-intensive – which is to say, a lot of energy goes into each dollar of output. Canada's economy is worse yet, in large part because the transportation system remains carbon-intensive. When energy gets more expensive, so does everything else, making Canadian manufacturers less competitive.
In other words, at the very time Canada is searching for new markets and trying to develop new products to sell, it will become harder to do so. Any wins in the energy sector will be offset by losses elsewhere in the economy.
What energy transition? The Middle East war shows the world still runs on oil
Moreover, it's not obvious what wins there are will prove durable. Among the countries hardest hit by this energy shock are countries in the developing world which rely on imported oil and gas. During past oil crises, such countries had no alternative but to absorb the losses and look elsewhere.
But now, there are options, namely cheap renewable energy technology from China. Developing countries are in the vanguard of the energy transition, and a persistent shock will incentivize them to speed it up. Indeed, China's relative resilience amid this current supply cutoff speaks to the success of its strategy of reducing import dependence by localizing power production. So what the Canadian oil patch gains today, it may yet lose tomorrow.
In truth, what Canadians really should hope for is a quick end to this fighting and a return to stability. Each day this war continues, that prospect looks increasingly remote, while the country's economic challenges grow.
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Why churchgoers in Spokane are singing about ICE and Anne Frank
Dressed in church choir black, the women standing at the front of the Unity Spiritual Center in Spokane, Wash., last Sunday began to sing a new song that likens the U.S. treatment of asylum seekers to the Holocaust.
“Could they see you run for your lives as the forces of hatred pursued you, found you,” the choir sang.
“Where was their humanity?”
Midway through, the pronouns shifted − no longer “they,” but “we,” a switch from the past to the present. “Do we know? Do we know?” they sang. “Can we hear your pleas for asylum when fleeing, afraid for your lives?”
The choral arrangement, For Anne in the Attic, was written by Janice Mayfield, a local woman who penned the words after rereading The Diary of Anne Frank amid the countless headlines about U.S. immigration enforcement.
“You'd have to not be paying attention to notice all the parallels with what's happening to our immigrant and asylum seekers today − the violence, the inhumane treatment, putting them in essentially prison camps,” Ms. Mayfield said.
‘Can we hear your pleas for asylum when fleeing, afraid for your lives?' Listen to a performance of For Anne in the Attic in Spokane, Wash., written by Janice Mayfield.
The Globe and Mail
The choir has plans to post a video of the performance on social media, blending the music with footage from the 1940s. It hopes, too, for subsequent performances, including at a local synagogue.
Even so, there is little likelihood that a song from a conservative corner of Washington state will become a new anthem of American protest − or even that many people will know it exists.
The Sunday performance nonetheless points to a larger shift in the U.S., as the intensity of the second Trump term pushes politics deep into every facet of American life.
Across the country, apolitical spaces have found themselves flooded with political affairs. In places such as Washington, parenting chat groups have struggled to keep discussions focused on diaper struggles and stroller recommendations rather than deportation raids or Middle East violence.
In the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, political considerations have altered fundamental patterns of work as construction companies schedule jobs at night as a shield against immigration raids.
And in progressive sanctuaries, political subjects are being raised in new ways.
In the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe has spoken out directly against the practices of the Trump administration. “As Christians, we must acknowledge that this chaos and division is not of God, and we must commit ourselves to paying whatever price our witness requires of us,” he wrote in January.
“It's a time for being outspoken about the issues of our time,” said Rachel Endicott, the priest in charge of St. James Episcopal in Pullman, Wash.
She preached last weekend about how individuals and the community can deal with people too afraid to leave their houses because of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents mobilized by Donald Trump to expand deportations.
“If you don't speak out now, when are you going to speak out?” she said.
Berkeley, Calif., is the first U.S. ‘sanctuary city' in 1971, and University Lutheran Chapel played a part in that by deciding to protect objectors to the Vietnam war.Nathan VanderKlippe/The Globe and Mail
At the University Lutheran Chapel in Berkeley, Calif., Rev. Kwame Pitts says political considerations should now influence fundamental elements of church – including who she will allow inside.
“Would I welcome an ICE agent into this church if they want to come worship? Absolutely not,” said Rev. Pitts. The same, she said, applies to the considerable numbers of everyday Americans who support what ICE is doing. “They're not worth talking to, either, quite frankly.”
The mixing of politics and faith is, of course, nothing new in the U.S. For decades, conservative churches have built their congregations into reliable Republican voting blocs. Four in five evangelical Christians voted for Mr. Trump in 2024.
Among those who have embraced politics from the pulpit is Ken Peters, a pastor who has led a pro-Trump patriot church in Spokane – and strongly disagrees with the premise of For Anne in the Attic. “There's zero comparison between ICE and policemen enforcing good American law and the Nazis trying to exterminate an ethnic group,” he said.
Mr. Peters has watched progressive congregations grow more political, which he sees as evidence of widening social fissures. “Our country has a massive divide. And it's not healing up,” he said, describing the political left in religious terms: “They're demonic. I think they're evil.”
Yet the number of patriot church parishioners has dwindled in the past year, he said. “Our church actually grows better when the Dems are in power,” he said.
The Unity church's board decided ‘we have to stand for something,' says its spiritual leader, Dennis Ashley.
Progressive congregations, meanwhile, have found new vigour.
On Sunday, greeters at the Unity Spiritual Center marvelled at the number of cars filling the parking lot, as people gathered to hear For Anne in the Attic. A year ago, the church might have balked at a performance with such political overtones. But as the country's political environment has grown increasingly tense, “the board finally came to say, as a church we have to stand for something,” said Dennis Ashley, the congregation's spiritual leader.
“We want to stand for people and human rights – and people who are more downtrodden − which I think is the traditional role of the church, to help people who can't help themselves.”
No one expects a church performance to bend the political imperatives of the Trump administration. But perhaps, they hope, it can form part of a chorus of change.
One member of the choir works at the local sheriff's office, but is critical of what she sees as a lack of respect for the rights of immigrants.
Another is a Canadian who recently took U.S. citizenship after 30 years in the country, out of fear that nothing short of a passport can provide protection against arrest.
Susanne Croft, 72, came of age during an era of protest. Now a widow and retired, she is not comfortable with the conflict of street demonstrations. But “I believe that the singing of these extremely powerful words not only changes each of the singers – in our bodies − but it turns us into a broadcasting station, sending that sympathy and solidarity out to those who don't have the safety to gather the way they do,” she said.
Susanne Croft, centre, likens the singers' work to a ‘broadcasting station' for solidarity.
Others have found personal meaning in communal song.
At a time when violence is often in the news, “it sucks, and it's hard and it's numbing,” said Makiah Blunt, 26. Her family immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti. She worries that the colour of their skin and the accent of their voices will make them targets.
But in the choir, she said, “it feels empowering to be among like-minded people, especially when it comes to white people − if they're willing to also put themselves on the front lines.“
“That feels like having an active, very visible ally.”
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TEL AVIV, March 7. /TASS/. The Israeli Air Force has completed another wave of strikes on Tehran and central Iran, the army press service reported.
According to its statement, eighty fighter jets took part in the operation. One of the main targets in Tehran was Imam Hossein University, a military academy that trains officers for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the armed forces). According to the Israeli side, the university's territory was also used for military purposes and therefore "the site constituted a lawful military objective."
In addition, Israel attacked underground bunkers where missiles were stored, as well as other military facilities, the statement said.
MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. Ukraine is losing to Israel in the competition both for US attention and for Patriot missiles amid developments in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told TASS in an interview.
"The countries that were supplying weapons say: 'Sorry, we have other priorities. So, please, move to the end of the line. You'll be waiting for Patriot missiles for the next several years. Right now they're needed in the Middle East and needed by us directly.' In the competition for the attention of the United States, Israel is clearly winning, not Ukraine," the diplomat said.
He noted that since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle East, Vladimir Zelensky has been calling Arab leaders, "trying to stay on the agenda."
"Zelensky is trying to attach himself to the unfolding tragedy. He is trying to be next to them, trying to say: ‘I'm here too, don't forget about me.' He understands perfectly well what's at stake for him. As soon as the public attention disappears, for example, the countries that had been debating whether to admit Ukraine to the EU, when and under what standards, put it into cold storage," Miroshnik added.
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The Associated Press
10:26 JST, March 7, 2026
TOKYO (AP) — This is the Shohei Ohtani effect.
Ohtani put on a giant show in batting practice hours before he hit a grand slam in the second inning — in the first he doubled on the first pitch of the game but didn't score — as Japan hammered Taiwan 13-0 in Pool C at the World Baseball Classic.
It was Japan's first game of four in pool play.
Ohtani drew major Western star power to Japan for the game, with actor Timothee Chalamet and pop singer Bad Bunny in the stands.
Ohtani spoke to the crowd after the game.
“I knew it was going to leave the park right away after I hit it,” Ohtani said of his grand slam. “It's important to score first.”
Bowing and tipping his cap, Ohtani thanked the fans.
“It was a good game and we got off to a good start, so I think it was all because of your support,” he said to rising applause as he spoke in Japanese. “I think the battles will continue, but if the fans and the team can come together and cheer it will encourage us. So please support us.”
Starting and winning pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto also, of course, credited Ohtani in a post-game press conference away from the field.
“This was our first game of the tournament and to score the first run is always difficult,” he said. “But Shohei hit a huge home run to give us the momentum. So I tip my cap to him.”
Ohtani's batting practice thrilled many who had traveled from afar to see him.
Lia Chan and her husband How and other family members flew in from Singapore — about a seven-hour flight to Tokyo — just to watch Ohtani play in the World Baseball Classic.
“And baseball is not even popular in Singapore,” said Lia, who was seated a few rows behind home plate. “We know about baseball, we watch it, but when Ohtani came along it's just gone out of proportions.”
Lia, her husband and other Singaporeans in their group were among some 40,000 in the stadium oohing-and-aahing on Friday, and this was only for batting practice hours before the second Pool C game.
Ohtani knows about drama.
He kept the crowd waiting for perhaps 30 minutes as other Japanese players practiced and hundreds of reporters with cameras, phones and tripods milled around in a penned-off area on the field.
Finally, Ohtani emerged from the dugout and waited his turn around the batting cage, hugged a few players, made small talk, and greeted some fans in an area for sponsors.
Fans in the stands stood to get a better look. But they were asked to sit down by attendants holding signs in Japanese and English that read: “Please watch from your seats.”
Ohtani took about 25 swings, hit about 10 balls out of the park and another few against the outfield wall.
When batting practice ended, he jogged out to thank the batting practice pitcher, bowed slightly, and gathered a few loose balls and tossed them into the hopper. Then with a bat in each hand, he trotted off the field to prepare for the game against Taiwan.
“Who does things like that?” Lia said. “He's in another league.”
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 6 that Washington is considering lifting some sanctions on Russian oil to address a global supply shortage linked to recent military operations in Iran.
Speaking on The Kudlow Report, Bessent said the Treasury Department is weighing whether easing restrictions could bring large volumes of oil currently stuck at sea back onto global markets.
"There are hundreds of millions of barrels of oil in the water that are sanctioned, and, in essence, by lifting the sanctions, the Treasury Department can create supply" Bessent said.
The comments came a day after the United States temporarily eased restrictions on Russian oil shipments destined for India.
Bessent said the move follows earlier cooperation from New Delhi, which had previously curtailed purchases of sanctioned Russian oil at Washington's request.
The United States imposed sanctions on major Russian energy firms, including Rosneft and Lukoil, in October, targeting more than 30 companies over Russia's failure to show what officials described as serious commitment to ending the war against Ukraine.
North American news editor
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master's degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Russia attacked Kharkiv, Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones overnight on March 7, targeting energy infrastructure.
With three gold, two bronze, and one silver medal, Ukraine leads the overall medal standings.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president's commissioner for sanctions, said that the Caffa ship was traveling from Morocco to St. Petersburg, transporting grain. According to him, the vessel was previously involved in stealing grain from occupied Ukrainian territories.
The units of Ukraine's military intelligence and the Armed Forces have stopped Russia's advance toward the city of Zaporizhzhia as part of a three-month defensive operation in the country's south, HUR claimed on March 7.
Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian site used for the storage, preparation, and launch of Shahed-type drones with Western long-range missiles near the airport in occupied Donetsk, the General Staff reported on March 7.
Russia launched 480 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and 29 missiles, including hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missile and Iskander-M ballistic missiles, overnight, the Air Force reported.
The number includes 1,010 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 6 that Washington is considering lifting some sanctions on Russian oil to address a global supply shortage linked to recent military operations in Iran.
"At the moment, they are already safe and have crossed the Ukrainian border," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces confirmed that two Russian Black Sea Fleet frigates, Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, were damaged during a Ukrainian strike on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk on March 2.
One unnamed U.S. official described the support as "comprehensive," the Washington Post reported.
The War Crimes Investigations Unit of the Kyiv Independent marks its third anniversary today: three years of documenting, exposing, and investigating war crimes committed during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
President Donald Trump met with executives of the nation's largest defense contractors on Friday in the White House and said they agreed to quadruple production of “exquisite weaponry … as rapidly as possible.”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
This combination of images provided by the U.S. Army taken on May 16, 2025 shows, from left, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn., Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Fla., and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb. (Sgt. Brent Newton/U.S. Army via AP)
This image provided by the U.S. Army shows Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, in this May 16, 2025, photo. (U.S. Amy via AP)
President Donald Trump arrives at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One, Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday is joining grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for the six U.S. soldiers killed in the war in the Middle East.
The dignified transfer, a ritual that returns the remains of U.S. service members killed in action, is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.
Trump, speaking at a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami before his trip to Delaware, said the fallen service members were heroes “coming home in a different manner than they thought they'd be coming home.” He said it was “a very sad situation” and he pledged to keep American war deaths “to a minimum.” Accompanying him for the ceremony was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who wrote in a social media post Friday of “an unbreakable spirit to honor their memory and the resolve they embodied.”
Those killed in action were Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; Maj. Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist.
The six members of the Army Reserve, who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait, were all from the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies. They died just one day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran.
“These soldiers engaged in the most noble mission: protecting their fellow Americans and keeping our homeland secure,” Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran, said after the six were identified. “Our nation owes them an incredible debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.”
During the ritual, transfer cases draped with the American flag and holding the remains of the fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that transported them to an awaiting vehicle to take them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the service members are prepared for their final resting place.
Amor's husband, Joey Amor, said earlier this week that she had been scheduled to return home to him and their two children within days.
“You don't go to Kuwait thinking something's going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts,” Joey Amor said.
O'Brien had served in the Army Reserve for nearly 15 years, according to his LinkedIn account, and his aunt said in a post on Facebook that O'Brien “was the sweetest blue-eyed, blonde farm kid you'd ever know. He is so missed already.”
Marzan's sister described him in a Facebook post as a “strong leader” and loving husband, father and brother.
“My baby brother, you are loved and I will hold onto all our memories and cherish them always in my heart,” Elizabeth Marzan wrote.
Coady was among the youngest people in his class, trained to troubleshoot military computer systems, but he impressed his instructors, his father, Andrew Coady, told The Associated Press.
“He trained hard, he worked hard, his physical fitness was important to him. He loved being a soldier,” Coady said. “He was also one of the most kindest people you would ever meet, and he would do anything and everything for anyone.”
Khork's family described him as “the life of the party” who was known for his “infectious spirit” and “generous heart” and who had wanted to serve in the military since childhood.
“That commitment helped shape the course of his life and reflected the deep sense of duty that was always at the core of who he was,” according to a statement from his mother, Donna Burhans, his father, James Khork, and his stepmother, Stacey Khork.
Tietjens, who came from a military family, previously served alongside his father in Kuwait. When he returned home in February 2010, he reunited with his overjoyed wife in a local church's gym.
Tietjens' cousin Kaylyn Golike asked for prayers, especially for Tietjens' 12-year-old son, wife and parents, as they navigate “unimaginable loss.”
Trump most recently traveled to Dover in December to honor two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter who were killed in an ambush attack in the Syrian desert. He attended dignified transfers several times during his first term, including for a Navy SEAL killed during a raid in Yemen, for two Army officers whose helicopter crashed in Afghanistan and for two Army soldiers killed in Afghanistan when a person dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire.
—
Kim reported from Washington.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This combination of images provided by the U.S. Army taken on May 16, 2025 shows, from left, Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn., Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Fla., and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb. (Sgt. Brent Newton/U.S. Army via AP)
This image provided by the U.S. Army shows Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, in this May 16, 2025, photo. (U.S. Amy via AP)
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Miami International Airport in Miami. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday will join grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for the six U.S. soldiers killed in the war in the Middle East.
The dignified transfer, a ritual that returns the remains of U.S. service members killed in action, is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.
Trump, speaking at a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami before his trip to Delaware, said the fallen service members were heroes “coming home in a different manner than they thought they'd be coming home.” He said it was “a very sad situation” and he pledged to keep American war deaths “to a minimum.”
Those killed in action were Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; Maj. Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist.
The six members of the Army Reserve, who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait, were all from the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies. They died just one day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran.
“These soldiers engaged in the most noble mission: protecting their fellow Americans and keeping our homeland secure,” Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran, said after the six were identified. “Our nation owes them an incredible debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.”
During the ritual, transfer cases draped with the American flag and holding the remains of the fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that transported them to an awaiting vehicle to take them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the service members are prepared for their final resting place.
Amor's husband, Joey Amor, said earlier this week that she had been scheduled to return home to him and their two children within days.
“You don't go to Kuwait thinking something's going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts,” Joey Amor said.
O'Brien had served in the Army Reserve for nearly 15 years, according to his LinkedIn account, and his aunt said in a post on Facebook that O'Brien “was the sweetest blue-eyed, blonde farm kid you'd ever know. He is so missed already.”
Marzan's sister described him in a Facebook post as a “strong leader” and loving husband, father and brother.
“My baby brother, you are loved and I will hold onto all our memories and cherish them always in my heart,” Elizabeth Marzan wrote.
Coady was among the youngest people in his class, trained to troubleshoot military computer systems, but he impressed his instructors, his father, Andrew Coady, told The Associated Press.
“He trained hard, he worked hard, his physical fitness was important to him. He loved being a soldier,” Coady said. “He was also one of the most kindest people you would ever meet, and he would do anything and everything for anyone.”
Khork's family described him as “the life of the party” who was known for his “infectious spirit” and “generous heart” and who had wanted to serve in the military since childhood.
“That commitment helped shape the course of his life and reflected the deep sense of duty that was always at the core of who he was,” according to a statement from his mother, Donna Burhans, his father, James Khork, and his stepmother, Stacey Khork.
Tietjens, who came from a military family, previously served alongside his father in Kuwait. When he returned home in February 2010, he reunited with his overjoyed wife in a local church's gym.
Tietjens' cousin Kaylyn Golike asked for prayers, especially for Tietjens' 12-year-old son, wife and parents, as they navigate “unimaginable loss.”
Trump most recently traveled to Dover in December to honor two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter who were killed in an ambush attack in the Syrian desert. He attended dignified transfers several times during his first term, including for a Navy SEAL killed during a raid in Yemen, for two Army officers whose helicopter crashed in Afghanistan and for two Army soldiers killed in Afghanistan when a person dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Oil surged higher and showed no signs of halting its rapid climb a week after the U.S. and Israel launched major attacks on Iran that escalated into a war in the Middle East. The fallout is ratcheting up what consumers and business will pay at the pump. (AP Video: Amanda Swinhart, Stephen Smith)
Gas prices are manually increased in Beverly Hills, Calif., Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil surged higher and showed no signs of halting its rapid climb a week after the U.S. and Israel launched major attacks on Iran that escalated into a war in the Middle East.
The conflict, in which nearly every country in the Middle East has sustained damage from missiles or drone strikes, has left ships that carry roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Gulf that is bordered on its north side by Iran.
The shipping disruption and damage to key Middle East oil and gas facilities has interrupted supplies from some of the world's largest oil producers. Kuwait, for example, said on Saturday that it would reduce its oil production as a “precautionary” measure due to the war, which could jolt global energy markets even further.
Oil prices surpassed $90 a barrel Friday, with American crude settling at $90.90, up 36% from a week ago, and Brent, the international standard, climbing 27% over the course of the week to land at $92.69.
The fallout is ratcheting up what consumers and business will pay for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, with some drivers already feeling it at the pump.
“It's crazy. It's not needed, especially at a time when people are already struggling, but not unexpected from all this turmoil that's going on,” said Mark Doran, who was pumping gas in Middlebury, Vermont Friday. “I don't think there's been an end in sight to any Middle East conflict that's been started by us, so the fact that they say that there's going to be an end that quickly is not believable, and the Middle East is, you know, a place that the U.S. is not going to solve.”
President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. expected its military operations against Iran to last four to five weeks but has “ the capability to go far longer.” On Friday, Trump appeared to rule out talks with Iran absent its “unconditional surrender.”
“The more news we get, the more it seems like this is going to last a really long time,” said Al Salazar, head of macro oil and gas research at Enverus.
In the U.S., a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.41 on Saturday, up about 43 cents from a week ago, according to AAA motor club. Diesel was selling for $4.51 a gallon Saturday, up about 75 cents from last week.
The price shocks were felt even more heavily in Europe and Asia, markets that rely more heavily on energy supplies from the Middle East. Diesel prices doubled in Europe, and jet fuel prices rose by close to 200% in Asia, according to Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy.
Energy prices climbed throughout the week as Iran launched a series of retaliatory attacks, including a drone strike on the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and the conflict widened. Iran also hit a major refinery in Saudi Arabia and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Qatar, halting flows of refined products and taking about 20% of the world's LNG supply offline.
“We keep seeing news of vessels being hit or refineries or pipelines, so the list is very long,” Galimberti said. As a result, roughly 9 million barrels of oil per day are off the market because of facilities being hit or producers taking precautionary measures, he said. “Right now, with all of this shut in, we are in a situation of extreme deficit.”
The U.S. is a net exporter of oil, but that does not mean it is immune to increases in the price of oil or gasoline, or that its producers can just make up the difference.
Oil is traded on global markets, so even the oil produced in the U.S. has risen in price based on what's happening in the Middle East. And for many American oil producers, “if you put more wells in the ground, there's about a six-month lag before you get that production uplift,” Salazar said.
In addition, the U.S. can't simply turn all of its crude oil into gasoline. That's because most of the oil produced in the U.S. is light, sweet crude, and refineries on the East and West coasts are primarily designed to process heavier, sour crude. As a result, the U.S. exports some of its crude oil and imports some refined products such as gasoline.
Jerry Dalpiaz of Covington, Louisiana, said he started filling up his cars and gas cans on “the day that they announced that the United States has started military operations against Iran” because he assumed gas prices would climb.
“I can weather the storm because I'm in good financial position, but I feel sorry for my fellow citizens who are living paycheck to paycheck because they have to drive to get to work and they have to change their oil and all those things,” Dalpiaz said. “And they need some relief and it doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.”
Trump issued a plan Friday to insure losses up to approximately $20 billion in the Gulf region, aiming to restore confidence in maritime trade, help stabilize international commerce and support American and allied businesses operating in the Middle East.
But some energy experts said extra insurance won't solve the problem.
“The problem is that in the oil trading, oil shipping world, people are worried about counterterrorism,” said Amy Jaffe, director of the Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab at New York University, adding that they're worried about automated drone speedboats, weapon-carrying, flying drones and mines or other devices. “In order for the United States to create the atmosphere that undoes the current bottleneck at the Strait of Hormuz, there has to be some credible demonstration of solutions to the counter-terrorism problem.”
Salazar wondered what the “new normal” would look like if the Strait of Hormuz was effectively re-opened, and what effective security would look like.
“All it takes is one individual with a RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) to stand on the shore and take out a tanker, right?” Salazar said. “And this is forever, do you know what I mean?”
___
Associated Press journalists Amanda Swinhart in Middlebury, Vermont, Stephen Smith in Covington, Louisiana, Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Stan Choe and Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
In this undated photo provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vinay Prasad smiles for a portrait. (U.S. FDA via AP)
The Food and Drug Administration seal is seen at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration's embattled vaccine chief, Dr. Vinay Prasad, is once again leaving the agency — the second time in less than a year that he's departed after controversial decisions involving the review of vaccinations and specialty drugs for rare diseases.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the news to FDA staff in an email late Friday, saying Prasad would depart at the end of April. Makary said Prasad would return to his academic job at the University of California, San Francisco.
In July, Prasad was briefly forced from his job after running afoul of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. He was reinstated less than two weeks later with the backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Makary.
Prasad's latest ouster follows a string of high-profile controversies involving the FDA's review of vaccines, gene therapies and biotech drugs in which companies have criticized the agency for reversing itself, in some cases calling for new trials of products previously greenlighted by regulators.
In the last month, Prasad has come under fire from pharmaceutical executives, investors, members of Congress and other critics for multiple decisions at the agency.
First, Prasad initially refused to allow the FDA to review a highly anticipated flu vaccine from drugmaker Moderna made with mRNA technology. The rejection of the application, highly unusual for the FDA, prompted Moderna to go public with Prasad's decision and vow to formally challenge it.
A week after the rejection became public, the FDA reversed course and said it would accept the shot for review after all, pending an additional study from Moderna.
Then, in the past week, the FDA engaged in a highly unusual public fight with a small drug company developing an experimental treatment for Huntington's Disease, a fatal condition that affects about 40,000 people in the U.S.
The company, UniQure, said Monday that the FDA was demanding a new trial of its gene therapy that would involve performing a sham surgery on some of the patients in the trial. The company's gene therapy is injected directly into the brain during a surgical procedure.
Company executives said the request for a sham-controlled trial contradicted previous FDA guidance and raised ethical concerns for patients.
On Thursday, the FDA held a highly unusual press conference with reporters to criticize the company's therapy and defend the agency's request for an additional study.
A senior FDA official, who requested anonymity to speak with reporters, called the company's original study “stone cold negative.”
“We have a failed product here,” he added.
The FDA typically communicates in carefully-vetted written statements when speaking about scientific disagreements, especially those involving experimental drugs that are still under the agency's review.
Prasad's time as the FDA's top vaccine and biotech regulator has been marked by a series of similar disputes with the companies the agency regulates.
More than a half-dozen drugmakers studying therapies for rare or hard-to-treat diseases have received rejection letters or requests to run additional studies, adding years and potentially many millions of dollars to their development plans.
A longtime academic and critic of the FDA's standards for drug reviews, Prasad's approach to regulation since arriving at the FDA last May has confounded many FDA observers and critics.
On repeated occasions, Prasad joined Makary in announcing steps to make FDA drug reviews faster and easier for companies. But he also has imposed new warnings and study requirements for some biotech drugs and vaccines, particularly COVID shots that have long been a target for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before joining the Trump administration.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG.
Fox News Digital spoke to Manhattan Institute's Rafael Mangual about how Mamdani has done on crime since taking office on January 1.
Parents in New York City are reportedly worried about Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to cut gifted programs in public schools, and it's boosting interest in private schools, according to a new report.
New York Magazine reported that the private-school application process causes parents to network and put their children through "intensive" tutoring.
"Parents have complained for decades that getting into an elite independent school in Manhattan is harder than getting into Harvard; for the wealthy parents who are competing to spend about $70,000 a year, it's an infamously complicated and time-intensive game of tutoring and networking that involves preschoolers sitting for assessments and ‘interviews' just before nap time," the magazine reported.
This gave rise to Facebook groups being formed, like "Moms of the Upper Eastside" and "UES Mommas," where NYC parents vented about their children getting wait-listed and rejected at the school they believed their children would enroll in. One parent wrote, "It's a bloodbath this year."
New York City parents are reportedly turning to private education for their children after Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to cut gifted programs NYC public schools. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
During Mamdani's campaign, he planned to end the gifted and talented program for kindergarten students at public schools — a proposal that "divided parents," according to The New York Times.
Mamdani's campaign told the Times that he would follow through with former Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan, announced in 2021, to phase out the gifted program for elementary schools. Students currently enrolled in the program will continue, but the program will not be available for kindergartners next fall.
Mamdani has argued that early testing for gifted students contributes to inequities in the school system.
The plan to end the program prompted some education experts to warn that it could deprive high-achieving students — particularly those from low-income families — of critical academic opportunities.
TEXAS PARENTS RUSH TO ENROLL THEIR KIDS INTO STATE'S SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM
During Zohran Mamdani's campaign, he planned to end the gifted and talented program for kindergarten students at public schools. According to the New York Times, the major overhaul of the program "divided parents." (Getty Images)
Brooke Parker, a Manhattan admissions consultant who focuses exclusively on kindergarten and nursery schools, confirmed to New York Magazine that the city's private kindergartens were unusually competitive this cycle.
"Applications across the board were up 25 percent," Parker said.
She also cited a baby boom during the coronavirus pandemic that led to the growth in applications.
"People who were considering public school were very nervous about Mamdani winning," Parker said. "The only area in Manhattan, really, that voted for Cuomo was the Upper East Side."
The Mayor's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
VIRGINIA MOM, FORMER TEACHER PULLS CHILD FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AMID LEFT-WING CURRICULUM PUSH
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's effort to cut gifted and talented programs is reportedly boosting interest in private schools, according to New York Magazine. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Another NYC admissions consultant, Alina Adams, said public school policies "added to the application glut" as the governor mandated class sizes to be reduced to 25 students per teacher by 2028. She said the mandate could cause the city to assign children in a wealthy neighborhood to schools outside their home districts.
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"You used to be able to buy your way into a good school by buying a home in a good school zone," Adams said. "Now people are really concerned that they will be zoned out even of their zoned schools," Adams added.
Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Joshua Q. Nelson is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
Joshua focuses on politics, education policy ranging from the local to the federal level, and the parental uprising in education.
Joining Fox News Digital in 2019, he previously graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science and is an alum of the National Journalism Center and the Heritage Foundation's Young Leaders Program.
Story tips can be sent to joshua.nelson@fox.com and Joshua can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Video shows emergency crews airlifting injured hiker from Big Falls waterfall after he slipped on wet rocks and fell into rocky basin. (Credit: San Bernardino County Fire)
A tourist perished late last week after entering a closed, hazardous area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — in what some say is the latest example of park visitors ignoring warning signs and wandering into off-limits areas.
The death of a 33-year-old Hawaii resident adds to a growing list of injuries and fatalities at major tourist destinations — including at Yellowstone National Park.
The man went into a closed section of Kīlauea caldera at the park — triggering an overnight search and rescue operation in steep, hazardous terrain, officials said, as Fox News Digital reported. Rescue crews searched all night before locating him the following day. On Feb. 27, responders airlifted him and transported him to Hilo Benioff Medical Center — where he was pronounced dead.
Other travelers have been burned, gored or even jailed after breaking park safety rules.
"In recent years, visitation to U.S. national parks has increased substantially, and with more visitors comes a greater likelihood of incidents," Dylan Spencer, assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia Southern University, told Fox News Digital.
It's critical for tourists at national parks to stay on marked paths and in designated areas, experts emphasize. (iStock)
In September 2025, Spencer co-authored a research article entitled, "Recreation and disarray: Analysis of disorder in U.S. national parks."
He continued, "Many of these incidents reflect a broader issue of risk perception. … Some visitors treat national parks as recreational spaces similar to city parks or zoos, when in reality they are dynamic and sometimes hazardous natural environments."
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The fatal incident in Hawaii was far from the first national park emergency in recent years.
In April 2025, a Seattle tourist was sentenced to a week in prison for violating rules at Yellowstone National Park and getting too close to Old Faithful, according to SFGate.
Last spring, after climbing over a rail at Bryce Canyon in Utah, two tourists (not pictured) perished. (iStock)
The park requires visitors in thermal areas of Yellowstone to stay on specific trails, the attorney's office said at the time.
There were two other arrests in Yellowstone last year for breaking the rules.
"Wildlife, steep terrain, geothermal features and remote landscapes all carry real risks."
Park officials emphasized how important it is to remain on marked paths in Yellowstone's thermal areas.
Nearly two dozen people have died from burns in these areas since Yellowstone opened in 1872, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
"A common issue is that some visitors underestimate how dangerous these environments can be," an expert on park visitation said. (iStock)
In June, an 18-year-old man slipped and fell 50 feet to his death at Olympic National Park in Washington, according to Fox13 Seattle.
The man was walking on rocks at the top of Sol Duc Falls at the time, according to the National Park Service.
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The waterfall area there is rugged and slippery, and park visitors are regularly warned to stay on designated paths, away from unstable rock surfaces near the falls.
In 2024, an 83-year-old woman was severely injured after being gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service said.
Nearly two dozen people have died from burns in thermal areas in Yellowstone since the park first opened. (iStock)
"A common issue is that some visitors underestimate how dangerous these environments can be," Spencer said.
Last spring, two tourists died after climbing over a rail at Bryce Canyon in Utah, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
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The incident underscored how slipping past safety barriers at scenic overlooks dramatically increases risk.
"Wildlife, steep terrain, geothermal features and remote landscapes all carry real risks," Spencer said.
"Some visitors seem insistent on ignoring the warnings — and some pay the price."
"When visitors ignore warning signs or approach dangerous areas for photos or closer views, the consequences can unfortunately be severe."
Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, agreed with that assessment.
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"Park rangers know what the risks to visitors are in national parks and do everything reasonable they can to warn visitors of these risks and to keep them safe," Wade told Fox News Digital.
"Despite these warnings, some visitors seem insistent on ignoring the warnings — and some pay the price," he added.
Stepheny Price of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Jessica Mekles is an editor on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
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Jessie James Decker reveals the wellness routine that keeps her feeling her best physically and mentally.
A viral wellness trend asks a simple question — is warm or cold water healthier? — but the science behind it is more nuanced.
Previous research shows that food and beverage temperature has a measurable effect on things like anxiety and gut discomfort.
One of the most long-standing health claims is that ice-cold water boosts calorie burn by forcing the body to heat it up. While this is grounded in science, the actual impact may be minimal.
Ultimately, experts say, the health impact of water temperature depends on the goal — weight loss, athletic performance, digestion or comfort.
"As per research, in the 90 minutes after consuming cold or room temperature water, energy expenditure increases minimally by 2.9% (cold water) and 2.3% (room temperature)," Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian and diabetes expert in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital.
Extra water may suppress the appetite or may play a part in energy production and expenditure, experts say. (iStock)
While the body does expend energy to warm up cold water, Freirich noted that it's "not significant enough to make it worthwhile" for weight loss. Hot water doesn't exactly melt fat, however, she added.
For those looking to lose or manage weight, Freirich suggests focusing on "how much" rather than "how cold." She pointed to research involving overweight women who added an extra 1.5 liters of water to their daily intake. Over eight weeks, the participants saw measurable weight loss.
YOUR BEDROOM TEMPERATURE COULD BE PUTTING YOUR HEART IN SERIOUS DANGER, STUDY WARNS
"The extra water may suppress the appetite or may play a part in energy production and expenditure," Freirich said. The temperature of drinking water should not affect how well the body utilizes nutrients, she added, noting that more research is needed.
For those exercising in heat and humidity, the goal should be to rehydrate without excessive fluid loss through sweat. Research on thermoregulation suggests there is an ideal water temperature for athletes.
The temperature of drinking water should not affect how well the body utilizes nutrients, according to an expert. (iStock)
While drinking water can trigger sweating as the body regulates its temperature, 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit was associated with the least amount of perspiration.
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"Cool, but not cold," Freirich emphasized. Drinking water in this specific range helps the body rehydrate efficiently without causing gastrointestinal distress.
There are several reasons someone might opt for warm water, including its effect on relaxation and digestion. Studies have found that warmer liquids can accelerate gastric emptying, effectively waking up the gut.
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The benefits may be mental as well. Freirich points to research showing that hot black tea leads to lower levels of cortisol — the body's primary stress hormone — and greater subjective relaxation after stressful tasks.
The preference for warm water often stems from its effect on the rest and digestion. Studies have found that warmer liquids can accelerate gastric emptying, effectively waking up the gut. (iStock)
Freirich warns that very cold water can cause difficulty for those with swallowing disorders, or can trigger migraines and "brain freeze" in people with sensitive nerves.
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Furthermore, those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may find that ice-cold drinks trigger digestive discomfort.
Ultimately, the best temperature is the one that encourages people to drink, the dietitian said. The general recommendation for adults is to consume seven to eight glasses of water per day.
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"Most importantly, it is important for everyone to stay adequately hydrated," Freirich said.
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.
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U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and Middle East Forum chief strategist Jim Hanson discusses U.S.–Israeli military assets, the progression of Operation Epic Fury and Iran's current situation on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime.'
An Iranian official warned that any European countries that enter the conflict against Iran will become "legitimate targets" for Tehran's retaliation.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi made the remark to France24 as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologized to neighboring countries that have been attacked by the regime.
"We have already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression against Iran," Takht-Ravanchi told the network. "If they help, I'm not trying to name any country, but if any country joins in the aggression against Iran, joins America and Israel in the aggression against Iran, definitely they will be also the legitimate targets for Iranian retaliation."
"This war has imposed on us, and we will continue to defend ourselves to the best of our abilities," he added. "We have an obligation to defend our people and that is what exactly we are doing."
Then-Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi speaks to the media outside Security Council chambers at the U.N. headquarters in New York, on June 24, 2019. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
Takht-Ravanchi also claimed Iran was "negotiating in good faith" in talks with the U.S. about its nuclear program, before America launched Operation Epic Fury and Israel began Operation Roaring Lion on Feb. 28.
"We are sincere. We are sincere in our endeavor to arrive at a peaceful conclusion of this issue," he told France24.
AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN'S ENRICHED URANIUM?
A group of men inspect the ruins of a police station struck during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
Pezeshkian said Saturday that any future attacks coming out of Iran would only be in response to attacks against the country.
"I should apologize to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf," he said, according to The Associated Press. "From now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy."
Damage is seen in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 3, 2026, following an Iranian missile barrage. (Nir Elias/Reuters)
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Pezeshkian made the apology during a prerecorded televised speech on Saturday after Iran launched repeated strikes on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.
Despite the vow, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that the country's air defense systems intercepted 16 ballistic missiles, 15 of which were destroyed while one fell into the sea.
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
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President Donald Trump said that Iran has “apologized and surrendered” to its neighboring countries in the Middle East, announcing U.S. and Israeli military pressure had led them to this decision.
In his social media post made early Saturday morning, Trump called Iran the “LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST” and said this would be their reputation “until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse.” The post comes one day after Trump said he would only accept Iran's “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
“Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack. They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
TRUMP SAYS THERE WILL BE NO DEAL WITH IRAN OUTSIDE OF ‘UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has been part of Iran's central leadership since the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the first wave of strikes on Feb. 28, is the one who issued the apology to Iran's Middle East neighbors.
“We have repeatedly said that they are our brothers. We aim to work hand‑in‑hand with our dear brothers and neighbors in the region to establish lasting peace and stability, and we hope this goal will be achieved,” Pezeshkian said, according to a translation from Iranian media.
Trump still promised heavier strikes against Iran, despite the regime's apology.
“Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran's bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time,” Trump announced on Saturday.
The U.S. has struck over 3,000 targets as part of Operation Epic Fury within the first week of the military operation, U.S. Central Command announced on Friday.
IRAN'S SPRAY-AND-PRAY STRATEGY AIMS TO WIDEN THE BATTLEFIELD, SPREAD CONSEQUENCES
Iranian leadership passed a directive that the country cannot launch attacks on its neighbors unless an attack on Iran comes directly from a neighbor's soil, according to multiple reports.
Iran's directive, if followed, marks a turn after a week of strikes that have affected the larger Middle East region. Iran has launched strikes on countries including the UAE, Kuwait, and Israel, carrying out its long-held strategy of ensuring regional chaos if attacked. Israel has also pounded Lebanon, home to Hezbollah, as attacks play out across the region.
Less “what we need right now” and more “what it feels like to be alive.”
Since Donald Trump's election in 2016, popular entertainment has struggled with how to reflect the resulting upheaval in American politics and culture. Many Hollywood projects have taken a heavy-handed approach: Think of how often you've been told that a certain movie or TV show is “exactly what we need right now.” During Trump's first term, these direct, if unsubtle, approaches felt like honest reactions to the moment. Now nearly 10 years later—and one year into Trump's second term—audiences are savvier and more suspicious about such transparent messaging.
Perhaps sensing this wariness, the creators of some of the more politically compelling movies and TV shows of the past year have instead explored how being alive feels during a tumultuous period. They capture the atmosphere, the mood, the ambient existence of everyday people who are living through a transformative time in history, whether or not they recognize that they are doing so.
Consider James Blaine “J.B.” Mooney, the museum-robbing protagonist of Kelly Reichardt's The Mastermind, which is set in suburban Massachusetts in 1970. Played as both a careful schemer and a lazy layabout by Josh O'Connor, J.B. is not pushed into a life of crime—he chooses it because he's just that bored. This wayward boredom is more striking when you consider what he ignores: Whenever the news is on, J.B. listens nonchalantly, apathetic about the war in Vietnam. He behaves as though current events are so far beyond his control or influence that participating at all is utterly pointless. He may as well try robbing an art museum if nothing matters.
Toward the end of the movie, he joins an anti-war protest—but only accidentally, as he's attempting to blend into the public after stealing an older woman's purse. But the police can't tell the difference, and when the protest is broken up, J.B. is thrown into the back of a paddy wagon all the same. His experience may be identifiable to many in the audience: the feeling that you are separate from the news, until it slaps you in the face. We are left to wonder whether he will finally be able to appreciate the world around him now that he has been implicated in it.
One Battle After Another is another example of a film that adroitly channels modern anxieties. Set in a vaguely familiar United States, the story focuses on a man named Bob Ferguson (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a former member of a far-left revolutionary group called the French 75. When an enemy from his past reemerges to kidnap his daughter, Bob must tap back into his old network and relocate her to safety. The movie is purposefully ambiguous about details within its version of American reality: Although white supremacists scheme in hidden conference rooms about controlling the nation's population, we never learn anything about the government in power.
Many of the film's standout sequences, though, engage with this alternate world from the ground up. Benicio del Toro earned an Oscar nomination for his role as Sergio St. Carlos, a local activist who is deeply involved with his undocumented-immigrant neighbors as ICE-like agents search for them in the streets of Baktan Cross, a city that strongly resembles Los Angeles. Sergio is One Battle's beating heart and its hero, someone who is focused on helping out where he can. The film is not concentrated on who or what is responsible for society's militarized turn, but audiences get an intimate feel for how people like Sergio have decided to respond.
Read: The misunderstanding of Perfidia
These recognizable universes, in which characters attempt to make meaning for themselves amid jarring headlines, can be seen across contemporary media. Eddington takes place in a small southwestern town during the early pandemic: Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) butts heads with Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) over mask mandates and the encroachment of data centers, while the town itself is met with Black Lives Matter protests, supposed antifa agitators, child-trafficking pedo cults, and clout-chasing influencers. Rather than stake out any specific stances, Eddington convincingly depicts the confounding environment that its characters—and many of its audience members—are forced to interpret.
Tim Robinson's The Chair Company is likewise uncomfortably adept at depicting how navigating our immensely complicated, interconnected society can feel. Robinson plays an average man who, upon probing the origins of a poorly made chair that collapses under him at his job, is swept into a convoluted conspiracy that grants him a monomaniacal sense of destiny. Like The Mastermind, the show may not outwardly seem like a response to the current moment, but it taps into a desire—a compulsion, even—to understand how the world really works amid the conflicting, overwhelming phenomena shredding any shared sense of normalcy. Robinson's protagonist has no idea what's going on, but he's desperate to find out.
Of course, Hollywood hasn't entirely abandoned more obvious takes on the Trump era—and in particular, its starring character: Bong Joon Ho's first film since he won a Best Picture Oscar for Parasite is Mickey 17, a wacky sci-fi tale about clones facing off against a braying tyrant who seems very clearly a figure modeled in part on Trump (although the director has claimed otherwise). Mark Hamill shows up in The Long Walk as a cartoonishly fascist major barking about boosting the economy through grotesque violence, a character easily perceived to be a caricature of Trump. Tune in to Saturday Night Live, and almost every week you'll get James Austin Johnson's dutiful imitation of the president. But after a certain point, you get the idea. None of these examples seem particularly invested in what the audience, whatever its political persuasion, is actually feeling or experiencing in Trump's America.
More intriguing are the honest and intentional stories about how regular people move through landscapes defined by entropy and division but also community. Such works treat their characters as political beings with complex lives worth interrogating. They leave behind obvious targets, let new figures emerge, and keep moving forward.
*Illustration sources: Warner Bros; A24 Press; MUBI / Everett Collection; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
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It's not just for kids anymore.
For many of us who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — better known as ADHD — seemed like a condition for kids.
But that perception is changing: Of the more than 15 million adults in America diagnosed with ADHD, about half of them got that diagnosis in adulthood. Laura Knouse, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor at University of Richmond, says that the condition can be a challenge to diagnose, leading to delays.
“If we think about the core features of ADHD, it's characterized by age-inappropriate and impairing inattention and it can occur by itself or with hyperactivity impulsivity,” she said. “What we know about these kinds of symptoms is that they can be because of ADHD, but they could be the result of so many other mental health conditions or other kinds of lifestyle factors.”
How did we get to our current understanding of ADHD? And why has there been an uptick in diagnoses? Knouse answers these and other questions in the latest episode of Explain It to Me, Vox's weekly call-in podcast.
Below is an excerpt of our conversation, edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. If you'd like to submit a question, send an email to askvox@vox.com or call 1-800-618-8545.
Historically, when did we first hear about ADHD?
The traits we associate with ADHD probably have existed in humans as long as they have been humans. But in terms of the medical literature, we can rewind the clock all the way back to 1775. A German physician named Melchior Adam Weikard is now the first documented clinical case description.
It was also independently discovered in different places through the 1800s.
Then in the early 1900s, we start to see more mental disorders in general. ADHD didn't become part of the diagnostic system that's used in the United States until 1968, and the name of it has changed a number of times. It was first referred to as the hyperkinetic reaction of childhood. Then moving into the '70s and '80s, it evolved to not just focus on the behavior, but also the cognitive processes. That's where we get a name change to attention deficit disorder.
It wasn't really until the '90s that, even in clinical spaces, the idea that ADHD persists into adulthood became a prominent thing. We know that about 50 percent of ADHD cases persist into adulthood. But for a long time it was like, well, this kid's just going to outgrow this so we don't have to worry about it in adulthood. But now we know that is not the case.
Do we know what causes ADHD?
What we find when we're talking about the core ADHD symptoms, the extent to which this varies between people is about 80 percent heritable — about as heritable as differences in human height. The place where the environment becomes exceedingly important is in the extent to which somebody with these ADHD traits experiences impairment.
One of the well-established ways to treat ADHD is with medications. Certain stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin are pretty widely used. But they don't work for everyone. What are some of the other ways ADHD is treated? Are they just as effective?
There are non-stimulant classes of medications: atomoxetine, various other non-stimulant medications. From the research overall, they don't tend to be as effective as the stimulants.
The other thing is everybody's brain is a little bit different. It would be so nice if we could just say, “Well, everyone is going to respond to this drug in this way,” but if someone doesn't like how a stimulant makes them feel, that's totally fine. They should talk to their doctor about trying some of these alternatives.
Anyone can benefit from general supportive counseling, but where we really see the larger effects for adult ADHD is cognitive behavioral therapy for adult ADHD, where you're working with a mental health professional on skills that address the inattentive and impulsive symptoms.
In the biological therapy space, there is some exciting stuff going on with something called transcranial magnetic stimulation. It's a way of stimulating the brain in certain ways that is showing signs of being able to relieve symptoms, at least for limited periods of time.
And finally, with this disorder, there have been a ton of unproven or disproven treatments out there. So I encourage buyer beware. I sit on the professional advisory board for an organization called Children and Adults with ADHD, and I would just encourage listeners to go to CHADD's website in the National Resource Center for ADHD if they have a question about what's the evidence for this kind of treatment.
Are you seeing an increase in people who have ADHD?
That's such a great question, and I think to answer it, you have to draw a distinction between an increase in the number of people getting diagnosed with ADHD versus if there is a true increase in what an epidemiologist would call the prevalence of ADHD in the population.
I still can't find solid evidence that the prevalence of the well-defined, neurobiologically related traits of ADHD are increasing. However, the thing I get concerned about as a clinician is there's clear evidence that for certain populations, ADHD is still vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated. These populations may be the ones that are least visible to us on social media and even in advocacy spaces sometimes. These are the people that probably also have the least access to care. I want to highlight that it can simultaneously be over and underdiagnosed — depending on who you're talking about.
I think we've seen a real rise in people talking about ADHD on social media, and there are even ADHD influencers. How accurate is what we're seeing online?
I had a lot of fun looking up the very recent research studies on this that are fascinating. A couple of studies have taken the top videos on TikTok, and then had experts rate the quality of the information that is in these videos. There are only a couple studies, but they all land around that basically 50 percent of what's on #ADHD TikTok videos is not accurate. There's a lot of what I would call misinformation: not that people are necessarily trying to spread misinformation, but I think a lot of the content tends to communicate personal experiences. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but I do think there is a risk of possibly overpathologizing experiences that are just part of normal human experience.
On the other hand, it's a tremendous opportunity for awareness for advocacy. I really think we so-called experts are really dropping the ball here. In one of the studies, almost none of these top videos were put out by people like me who study this for a living. We have got to change that.
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President Donald Trump is under pressure to minimize the cost of Operation Epic Fury, his expanding conflict against Iran.
The Department of War confirmed this week the identities of the six U.S. service members killed in action so far: Maj. Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, of Iowa; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of California; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of Minnesota; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Iowa.
The service members were killed on Sunday when an Iranian drone struck their command center, a temporary building near a civilian port in Kuwait. The command center was miles away from the U.S. Army base in Kuwait. Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell described the command center as a “secure facility fortified with 6-foot walls.”
As the conflict enters its second week, the human cost of the war — and how it is perceived at home — is emerging as the central political challenge facing the president.
In a Reuters-Ipsos poll conducted since the start of the operation, only 27% of respondents approved of Trump's decision to start striking Iranian targets, compared to 43% who disapproved of it.
At the same time, 55% of Republican respondents approved of the operation, while 13% disapproved. Those respondents were then asked what could change their opinion, with service members “being killed or injured” the only option that prompted a plurality of Republicans to tell pollsters that would make them “more likely to oppose” the strikes, 11%-42%.
In a text message exchange with the Washington Examiner, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored that Trump will attend the dignified transfer movement of the service members when they arrive at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday, during which their bodies will be moved from an aircraft to waiting vehicles.
“He will be attending the dignified transfer and meeting with the families,” Leavitt told the Washington Examiner.
Leavitt did not confirm whether Trump had spoken with the families of the service members, but when asked how the president is grappling with the loss of life, she replied: “It's his top priority always.”
It is a softer approach than the one Leavitt adopted when she criticized CNN for asking during a press briefing this week whether it is “the position of this administration that the press should not prominently cover the deaths of U.S. service members.”
“No, it's the position of this administration that the press in this room and the press across the country should accurately report on the success of Operation Epic Fury and the damage it is doing to the rogue Iranian regime that has threatened the lives of every single American in this room,” she told reporters. “The press only wants to make the president look bad. That's a fact.”
Earlier, War Secretary Pete Hegseth scrutinized the news media for covering “a few drones” getting through U.S. defenses or when other “tragic things happen” as “front page news.”
“I get it: the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality,” Hegseth said during his own briefing.
Leavitt, however, reiterated that Hegseth “cares deeply about our war fighters and our men and women in uniform.” The Secretary of War is a former Army National Guardsman who was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan.
In a separate statement, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told the Washington Examiner, “Trump and all Americans grieve for our fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”
“They represent the very best of our country – and we will never forget their service and sacrifice,” Wales wrote. “They gave their lives for a courageous mission that President Trump will continue in order to eliminate the threats posed by the sinister Iranian regime and make our nation and world stronger, safer, and more free than ever before.”
The Trump administration's messaging strategy may be challenged again in the coming days if the U.S. claims responsibility for the strike against a school in Iran that Iranian state media reports killed almost 200 people.
Democratic strategist Jim Manley compared the Trump administration's messaging to that of former President George W. Bush's counterpart during his war on terrorism.
“This administration hasn't taken the time to make the case to the American people for why we attacked Iran, given mixed reasons for doing so, including regime change, and failed to even undergo basic preparations for what happens after the initial attacks,” Manley told the Washington Examiner. “Hopefully it will be over soon, but after the Secretary of Defense's clownish performance, who the hell knows.”
But the political pressure on the administration is not limited to casualties. Operation Epic Fury is also beginning to carry economic consequences at home.
The price of crude oil has spiked to $90 per barrel amid market turmoil driven by supply and shipping problems. The administration is also weighing asking Congress to approve roughly $50 billion to fund the war and replenish the nation's weapons stockpile.e.
As Trump prepares for the dignified transfers on Saturday, the president is also bracing for higher gas prices, with the average cost of a gallon on Friday at $3.32, up from $2.98 a week ago.
Trump is considering sending the U.S. Navy to the contested Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, to protect oil tankers traversing the region. He's also directing the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance to oil carriers and cargo ships operating in and around the Persian Gulf “at a very reasonable price,” according to Leavitt.
“It speaks to why this action was so necessary, that ultimately the energy industry is going to benefit from the president's actions with respect to Iran: because Iran will no longer be controlling the Strait of Hormuz and restricting the free flow of energy, which, as you all know, controls 20% of the world's global oil supply,” Leavitt told reporters this week.
TRUMP SAYS THERE WILL BE NO DEAL WITH IRAN OUTSIDE OF ‘UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER'
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been unclear about Operation Epic Fury's aim, with the president writing on social media on Friday that he is pursuing “unconditional surrender” from Iran.
“After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before,” he wrote on Truth Social. “IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).'”
For Trump, the question may ultimately be whether the American public continues to support the operation as the human cost of the conflict rises.
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‘The Ben Shapiro Show' host Ben Shapiro reacts to 53 House Democrats voting against a resolution declaring Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism on ‘The Story.'
When Benny Sabti was a child growing up in Iran, he remembers receiving an unusual prize at school. "For being an excellent student, I received a Persian translation of Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler," Sabti told Fox News Digital. "They translated Hitler's book into Persian and distributed it to students."
The experience stayed with him. Looking back, Sabti, now an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Israel, says it reflected a broader effort by Iran's ruling clerical establishment to shape how young Iranians viewed politics, religion and the world around them.
Schools, mosques, workplaces and media all became part of an ideological ecosystem designed to reinforce loyalty to the regime. But critics of Iran's leadership say religion itself was often not the ultimate goal.
"Faith for them is their tool," Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the Iran So Far Away Substack, told Fox News Digital. "It's not the end all to be all. It's a tool that they can hide behind so that they can carry out all their criminalities."
Primary school girls in traditional headscarves sit in a classroom, Tehran, Iran, Oct. 1, 1997. (Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)
The Islamic Republic was founded on the doctrine of velayat-e faqih, or "guardianship of the Islamic jurist," which places ultimate political and religious authority in the hands of the country's supreme leader.
But Zand argues that in practice the system functions less as a purely religious project and more as a mechanism of political control. "It's more like a mafia," she said. "They use faith in order to keep people down."
According to Zand, ideology is reinforced through a mix of financial incentives and intimidation. "They tried by incentive and money and buying people," she said.
Programs tied to the Basij, a militia affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have often provided benefits such as jobs, housing and education to families aligned with the regime.
"If you are poor and you join the Basij, they give you benefits," Zand said. "But you have to go along with whatever it is that they offer you."
Sabti says the Islamic Republic built a vast network designed to reinforce ideology in everyday life. "In banks, offices, public spaces and even in the bazaars, regime representatives walk between shops telling people it is time to pray and checking who is not attending," Sabti said.
Mosques themselves are closely integrated into the political system. Friday prayer leaders often deliver sermons aligned with government messaging.
"There are 16 propaganda bodies in Iran," Sabti said, describing a network of state institutions responsible for spreading the regime's interpretation of Islam and the ideals of the Islamic Revolution.
Some institutions also focus on exporting that ideology abroad. "There is a university dedicated to converting Sunnis to Shiism," he said. "They bring people from Africa and South America to Iran, convert them to Shiism and send them back to export the Shiite Islamic revolution."
OPERATION EPIC FURY: HOW AMERICA'S AIR POWER IS CRUSHING IRAN'S TERROR REGIME
A Persian-language edition of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.
Schools play a central role in the regime's ideological system.
"Schools are heavily indoctrinated," Sabti said. "In civil studies books, Islam was promoted as superior to all other ideologies."
Religious messaging appears across the curriculum. "You cannot separate any school subject from Islam," Sabti said. "Not history, not geography. Everything is mixed with ideology. The only thing missing was adding it to mathematics."
For Sabti, the Mein Kampf episode symbolized the ideological environment students were exposed to. The message, he said, reinforced hostility toward perceived enemies and embedded a political worldview from an early age.
Sabti says the credibility of the system is also undermined by the behavior of Iran's own elites. "You can see it in the second generation," he said. "Their children live abroad while the elites live in palaces in Iran and in other countries. It is hypocrisy."
Zand says ideology has always been reinforced by intimidation. "They make examples out of people in the most vicious possible way," she said. "It's fear and manipulation."
According to Zand, that atmosphere of fear shapes daily life for many Iranians. "Everybody is afraid of the police," she said. "Everybody is afraid of their neighbors."
WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATION
School children sit together in a classroom while mask-clad and distanced apart from each other, with Iranian national flags on the desk of each, on the first day of school's re-opening, at Nojavanan school in the capital Tehran on Sept. 5, 2020. (Photo by Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty)
Despite the regime's extensive ideological machinery, Sabti believes many Iranians never fully accepted the worldview the government tried to impose.
"Over the years, the indoctrination has stopped working," he said. "Most of the public does not truly believe it."
Still, the Islamic Republic remains in power. "The regime maintains control through money, weapons and propaganda," Sabti said.
Zand agrees the system never fully reshaped Iranian society. Many people, she said, complied outwardly simply to avoid punishment.
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Iranian school girls wearing angel wings hold flags and portraits of Iran's supreme leaders, past and present, as officials and security forces mark the 37th anniversary of the day in 1979 that the father of Iran's Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, returned from exile in France, at the shrine built to house his remains on Feb. 1, 2016 south of Tehran, Iran. (Scott Peterson/Getty Images)
"They won't have a problem to transfer as long as they realize that the new Iran has no room for the violence and the horrifying characteristics of the Islamist regime," Zand told Fox News Digital.
She said that beneath the surface, Iran's cultural identity remained intact even after decades of pressure from the state.
Efrat Lachter is a foreign correspondent for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com.
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A viral podcast moment last month reignited speculation about extraterrestrials and prompted President Donald Trump's commitment to kick-starting the release of government files on flying saucers. But neither records nor details about their release have surfaced, underscoring how complicated such disclosures can be.
Trump's promise came after former President Barack Obama appeared to confirm the existence of aliens on a podcast: “They're real but I haven't seen them,” Obama said when asked by host Brian Tyler Cohen about aliens, later clarifying after the episode went viral that he was only referring to the statistical likelihood of life elsewhere in the universe.
The surge of public interest is the latest chapter in a decades-long fascination with unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, the modern term for UFOs. In recent years, believers and skeptics alike have been captivated by striking reports and military footage of unexplained aerial encounters released by the government, and tense congressional hearings featuring self-described UAP whistleblowers — though some experts predict the latest potential release could be full of boring administrative records.
In 1952, DC's skies were littered with US fighter jets chasing UFOs. More than 70 years later, the mystery persists
Trump, in a post on social media, cited the “tremendous interest” in “extremely interesting and important” extraterrestrial matters following Obama's comments as the reason for his fresh directive for the Pentagon and other federal agencies to identify and release such records.
The Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), tasked with investigating UAPs, is “working in close coordination with the White House and across federal agencies to consolidate existing UAP records collections and facilitate the expeditious release of never-before-seen UAP information,” a Department of Defense official told CNN.
But even with Trump's vow of transparency, the path from protected file to public record is often obscured by layers of bureaucracy that may result in a slow-moving release of heavily redacted extraterrestrial files – or none at all.
A major UAP file release would join the list of high-profile disclosures marking Trump's second term, including the contentious and drawn-out release of investigative files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein as well as materials around Amelia Earhart's disappearance and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and former President John F. Kennedy.
FBI's ‘flying saucers' online memo intrigues public
“Files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, UAPs, and UFOs” will “soon” be declassified, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said on social media late last month. Trump hasn't offered details on timing since his announcement.
The commander in chief has broad authority to personally classify or declassify documents as delegated by proper processes under Executive Order 13526, issued by Obama, said Liza Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program. Any government agency with equity in the information set to be declassified would also be consulted.
But experts say UAP files often earn classified status not because of what was spotted, but to protect revelations in reports about military technological capabilities, equipment positioning or personnel identities. Documents concerning UAPs are commonly ensnared with such sensitive intelligence that could impact national security if publicly disclosed, and would implicate a thorough declassification process.
Trump's online promise has already activated a primary step as a slew of interagency meetings commenced to discuss how AARO, the military and other defense-related departments across the federal government might publicize highly classified photos and information tied to UAP reports, according to Christopher Mellon, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence.
“Typically, files would have to go to a trained security officer who understands the laws and understands the equities involved, and then they have to review it – there's a specific process they follow – to review it line by line,” Mellon said. “It would generally be done by the service or agency that produced the information, because they're the ones who understand why they classified it to begin with, and what issues would be associated with declassifying it.”
These security officers undergo specific training and certification before they're allowed to undertake the process, making them relatively scarce. As the administration requests a vast disclosure effort, the system risks becoming massively backlogged.
“I would try to temper expectations a bit. I think it's going to be a fairly long, and probably a bit of a slow process,” Mellon said. “The challenge is finding a balance and getting as much of that information out as you can without compromising war-fighting capabilities.”
Even with presidential intent, bureaucracy and legal safeguards will determine whether the files are ever fully revealed.
“It's really hard to imagine that the interests of national security aren't going to put up walls about certain kinds of information,” said Greg Eghigian, historian of science and medicine and professor at Penn State University. “It's hard for me to think that we're going to see something new.”
The US government has been investigating reports of UAPs for almost 80 years. In the absence of details about the timeframe or scope of the new files to be released, their contents, at this point, are purely speculative. But experts say previous federal document disclosures related to UAPs can offer clues to what's in store for the next release.
In the 1970s, following an “extensive interagency partnership” between the Air Force and National Archives to properly redact documents, the United States released tens of thousands of pages of material from its long-term projects investigating UAPs, including Project Blue Book. The government released thousands more documents in the decades that followed before establishing AARO to investigate sightings and publish reports.
Much like these prior document dumps, the new files may likely include sighting reports from civilians or military personnel, including descriptions of where they were when they saw something inexplicable in the sky, said Eghigian. It's possible there will also be details around the extent agencies investigated sightings – undoubtedly heavily redacted – which could reveal the level of seriousness the government was taking certain reports.
But perhaps most predictably, Eghigian said, the release will be full of files that most people are going to find “unbelievably boring.”
“It's going to be a lot of administrative files: Who does what? How much did we spend on paper clips?” he said.
He predicts even witness reports could have readers yawning: “Most sightings are not very exciting,” as few typically go beyond sparse details of a flashing or floating light that was there one minute, and gone the next.
The real gold mine would be if the government were to release the first-ever photo or video of a UAP obtained via satellite, said Harvard professor and astrophysicist Avi Loeb.
“Those images are usually extremely high resolution,” he said, acknowledging that the government hasn't released such images – if they exist – to keep technological capabilities under wraps from adversaries. “Obviously they're classified, but you could immediately tell if the object is something familiar or not, and you can measure its speed.”
UFO whistleblower believes Trump's 2nd term will reveal further proof
Loeb said if files are released, he'll also be looking for any details about materials that may have been recovered from UAP crash sites, for example. But he mainly hopes that the government is upfront about whatever it knows about extraterrestrials.
“My point is that, if you find evidence for a tennis ball that was thrown by a neighbor into your backyard, and you know that you have a neighbor because of that tennis ball, you wouldn't hide it from your family members at the dinner table,” he said. “Because the same neighbor may show up at the front door.”
While Eghigian says “never say never” to the possibility of the White House revealing evidence of alien life on Earth, perhaps the best that believers could hope for in the files would be novel sightings with details that can't be quickly explained away, that are “real head scratchers that leave people who do this for a living kind of flummoxed.”
“Whatever happens, it's not going to be the end of the story,” he said.
The Pentagon, through AARO, has maintained it hasn't seen any evidence for extraterrestrials. Despite whistleblowers suggesting a presence of non-humans during high-profile congressional hearings, no proof has surfaced from official investigations. The Air Force, which once spearheaded a 20-year investigation into UAPs, has said it hasn't received indication that any of the thousands of reported sightings were “extraterrestrial vehicles.”
Trump says he will direct government agencies to release files related to extraterrestrial life and UFOs
As an entity, the federal government has consistently denied an alien presence. But high-ranking officials have offered statements dripping with obscurity.
“Well, I don't know if they're real or not,” Trump said on Air Force One last month when asked about Obama's comments. He added that Obama had given away classified information in his remarks.
Obama isn't nearly the first president to give his two cents on aliens. Former President Jimmy Carter wasn't shy about sharing his experience seeing what he described as a UFO when he was the governor of Georgia, going as far as to file a report with the International UFO Bureau. Then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan also claimed to have seen a white light zigzagging around his aircraft in 1974 before it “went straight up into the heavens.”
Three days after Trump directed the Department of Defense to begin preparing UAP files for release, Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters, “We'll see” if aliens exist.
“I get to do the review and find out along with you.”
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Fox News national correspondent Bryan Llenas has the latest on the U.S. strikes on Iran over nuclear capacity concerns on 'America Reports.'
Kristi Noem will reportedly join President Donald Trump and 12 Latin American leaders at his resort in Florida for a "Shield of the Americas" summit Saturday after her ouster as the Secretary of Homeland Security and appointment by President Donald Trump to be special envoy for the new coalition of nations.
On Thursday, Trump announced Noem would be exiting her role as Homeland Security secretary and would be appointed a Special Envoy for the "Shield of the Americas," a summit for which will be held at the president's resort in Doral, Florida, on Saturday. The new coalition of 13 countries has been formed to advance strategies that will tackle mass illegal immigration, narco-terrorist gangs and cartels.
"After years of neglect, President Trump established the ‘Donroe Doctrine' to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere. His efforts have been a tremendous success – our southern border is secure, Latin American countries are working with us to defeat the cartels, and illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro is facing justice for his crimes in the Southern District of New York – ushering in historic economic cooperation with Venezuela," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly ahead of the summit.
"The President has successfully strengthened our relationships in our own backyard to make the entire region safer and more stable, and this weekend's ‘Shield of the Americas' Summit will encapsulate all of his work to Make America, and our partners, Strong Again," she continued.
President Donald Trump greets Argentinian President Javier Milei at the White House in October. ( ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Members of Trump's Cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will also be at the Saturday summit.
The leaders from other nations who will be present are Argentina's Javier Milei, El Salvador's Nayib Bukele Ortez, Bolivia's Rodrigo Paz Pereira, Costa Rica's Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Panama's José Raúl Mulino Quintero, and Trinidad and Tobago's Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Chile's Jose Antonio Kast, the Dominican Republic's Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, Ecuador's Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín, Guyana's Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honduras' Nasry "Tito" Asfura, and Paraguay's Santiago Peña.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's president, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, April 14, 2025 (Al Drago for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
'IT WAS TIME': DESPITE RARE CRITICISM, SOME HILL REPUBLICANS WELCOME KRISTI NOEM'S OUSTER
Noem confirmed Friday, speaking from Nashville, that she will be at the summit, according to the Associated Press. Noem reportedly added that the president will announce "a big agreement" detailing "how we're going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere."
On Friday, Hegseth led a strategic conference in Doral with representatives of 17 different Caribbean, Central American and South American countries throughout the Western Hemisphere. During the conference, they signed a joint security declaration, reaffirming their commitment to peace and sovereignty in the region. According to a source familiar with the plans for the summit, the president plans to celebrate this achievement with attendees.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
"Secretary Noem helped usher in the most secure border in history, deported hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens, and executed record-setting counter-drug operations against cartels. All of this great experience positions Noem well to ensure American preeminence in the entire Western Hemisphere in her new role as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas," White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said. "This historic new security initiative, led by Secretary Noem, will advance cutting-edge strategies to defeat narco-terrorist cartels and stop illegal mass migration to make America and the entire Western Hemisphere safer."
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On Thursday, Rubio said he looked forward to working with Noem as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, and echoed the comments from the White House about her experience."Kristi has achieved incredible results as Secretary of Homeland Security and will be a tremendous asset in our effort to promote security and prosperity in the Western Hemisphere," Rubio said on X after Trump named Noem to her new post.
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Every March, we grumble, we groan, we post memes about "losing an hour," and we collectively curse daylight saving time. Lawmakers threaten to abolish it. Health experts warn about sleep disruption. Social media treats it like a national injustice. As for me? I love it, and I look forward to it because it makes me better.
People look at the time change all wrong. What if it's not an attack on our routines, but a gift?
I don't just study time. I've had to master it. I spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy operating in high-stakes environments where conditions changed without warning and hesitation wasn't an option. Today, I see daylight saving time as something most civilians completely miss: a built-in annual stress test for our lives.
In the Navy, we never waited for perfect conditions. We adapted. We executed. We moved. Losing an hour of sleep isn't a crisis. It's controlled adversity. I call it "tactical discomfort," a low-stakes exercise in psychological flexibility. If a one-hour shift derails your entire week, the problem isn't the clock. It's fragility. We talk endlessly about resilience in America. Here's a chance to practice it.
Americans will turn their clocks forward one hour this weekend as daylight saving time begins. We should be thilled. (iStock)
Daylight saving time is also the ultimate pattern interrupt. Most of us operate on autopilot. Same wake-up time. Same commute. Same habits. Same excuses. The clock change violently pulls us out of rhythm. It forces a manual override of our sleep, our schedule and our mornings. Instead of resenting that disruption, we could use it.
There are 168 hours in every week. The time shift is the one moment each year when the entire country is prompted to re-examine how those hours are spent. It is, quite literally, a blank slate. Audit your mornings. Kill a bad habit. Add a workout. Reclaim an hour from doom-scrolling. Growth rarely happens in comfort, and comfort is exactly what routine provides.
There's also a psychological dimension we overlook. The spring shift is a symbolic boundary. It marks the end of winter's hibernation and the beginning of longer evenings and renewed energy. Humans respond to signals and seasons. The artificial movement of the clock becomes a mental pivot. It's permission to shift gears, reset priorities and step into a higher-output version of ourselves.
EXPERTS REVEAL EXACT BEDTIME THAT COULD PREVENT LATE-NIGHT ‘SECOND WIND' INSOMNIA
We don't need perfection to reset. We need a trigger. This is one.
In a fractured culture, the time change still comes surprisingly close to a nationwide ritual. While a few places opt out, most of the country, including red states, blue states, urban and rural areas, moves the clock together and feel the same shift in routines at the same time. Time, after all, isn't just biological. It's social. It's an agreement. And twice a year, much of America participates in that agreement in near-unison around something that has nothing to do with politics.
That's not trivial. It's connective tissue.
ALWAYS RUNNING LATE? THE REAL COST TO YOUR RELATIONSHIPS MAY SURPRISE YOU
Then there's the practical benefit hiding in plain sight: safety. For decades, the clock change has served as a recurring reminder to check smoke detector batteries and refresh emergency kits. Without that built-in annoyance, countless households would forget. What we treat as inconvenience doubles as a life-saving prompt.
The truth is that the time change doesn't make us tired. Our habits do. It doesn't steal an hour. It exposes how loosely we guard the other 167.
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There are 168 hours in every week. The time shift is the one moment each year when the entire country is prompted to re-examine how those hours are spent.
In the military, you don't get to blame the sun. You master your schedule regardless of it. The civilian world, by contrast, often treats time as something that happens to us. We become victims of the clock instead of owners of the week.
Daylight saving time offers a different mindset: Adapt faster. Reset deliberately. Leverage disruption. You can complain about losing an hour, or you can use it to gain momentum.
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Twice a year, the world hands us a controlled disruption. A stress test. A reset button. A national synchronization event. A safety reminder. A psychological pivot.
Maybe the real question isn't whether we should abolish the time change. Maybe it's whether we're disciplined enough to use it.
Bill Korman is author of "The 168 Game: Time Ownership vs. Time Management."
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All eyes are on California's political heavyweights to intervene and put an end to the “circular firing squad” that is the gubernatorial primary.
Earlier this week, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged long-shot candidates to exit the crowded governor's race, a sentiment that term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) agrees with. Unfortunately for Hicks, most ignored him.
Eight Democratic candidates have filed the paperwork to qualify for the June primary, pressing ahead despite Hicks's plea to thin the field. The California Secretary of State's office will certify the final ballot on March 21.
Party leaders fear the sprawling Democratic field could fracture support in the top-two primary, potentially allowing two Republicans — former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco — to advance to November. That would guarantee California elects its first GOP governor since 2006.
“California Democrats are suddenly discovering the downside of their own jungle primary system,” Republican strategist Erin Maguire told the Washington Examiner. “When you have eight Democrats in the race and only two Republicans, the math starts to look dangerous very quickly. … They know a fractured Democratic vote could hand Republicans the top two spots in November, and for a party that treats California as a political fortress, that's an unacceptable risk.”
GOP strategist Jeff Burton called the situation “not a hair on fire moment yet,” but warned it is evolving.
“Whenever party chairs and leaders get involved publicly, to the extent Mr. Hicks did with his letter, it ALWAYS backfires,” Burton, co-founder at Maven Advocacy, said. “His letter will actually limit the ability of other leaders like Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Schiff to engage because political moves like this are almost always best done out of the public eye, and now, everyone is watching.”
Hicks hardened his tone Thursday, saying the responsibility rests with the candidates who remain in the race.
California's Democratic heavyweights — Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi — control donors, endorsements, and party infrastructure. The question is whether they will use that influence to nudge lower-tier candidates toward the exit.
So far, however, only one candidate has bowed out, fueling speculation that party leaders are either reluctant to intervene directly or lack the leverage they once had.
Newsom, who is widely expected to launch his national bid for 2028 after his term as governor ends, has not endorsed anyone in the race but has publicly signaled support for Hicks's effort to shrink the field.
“Rusty Hicks sent me his statement … and I confess, I agree,” Newsom said. “At this moment in history, with all the peril and promise that marks this moment, for California, the most un-Trump state in America, to have a Republican Trumper running. There is no margin for error … all I'll say is choose wisely.”
Lance Christensen, vice president at the California Policy Center, said Hicks's letter also signaled to donors “to encourage lesser popular candidates out of the race.
“So far, it looks like only Ian Calderon took the bait,” Christensen told the Washington Examiner. “I know that Republicans are wary that this is a trap to fuel a Republican to lose to the Democrats in November, but we only have two months for the primary race and [Tom] Steyer and [San Jose Matt] Mahan have already started spending like drunken sailors with the others waiting to unleash. And so far, it's a circular firing squad. I'm of the opinion that this bodes very well for Republicans Hilton and Bianco making it out of the top two if center-right voters show up to the polls in May and June.”
Polling shows the race is tight. Three Democrats — former Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and billionaire Tom Steyer — cluster with Hilton and Bianco within 4 points, all inside the 3.9% margin of error.
At the California Democratic Party convention two weeks ago, no candidate secured the party's coveted endorsement. Eight of the nine candidates addressed delegates in San Francisco; the closest was Swalwell with 24% of the vote.
Veteran strategist Garry South, who ran Newsom's first campaign, said public endorsements from Pelosi or Newsom may be needed to prevent two Republicans from reaching the runoff.
“Pelosi and Newsom are probably ultimately going to have to publicly endorse one of the Democrats in order to move the needle, so that two Republicans don't end up in the runoff,” South told the Washington Examiner. “I think they both know this. Presumably, they would endorse the same candidate.”
Andrew Koneschusky, CEO of Beltway Advisors, said Democratic leaders are almost certainly scrambling behind closed doors.
“There are likely feverish conversations happening behind the scenes right now,” Koneschusky told the Washington Examiner, adding that California's predicament “should be a serious wake-up call” for the state.
Still, he argued Democrats do not need to rally behind a single candidate yet — they simply need to narrow the field enough to avoid a primary upset.
“What they need is enough consolidation in the field to get safely through the primary and maintain control of the governor's mansion,” he said. “There's a real difference between picking a nominee and narrowing a field, and the latter is all that's needed right now.”
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR TELLS TRAILING GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES TO DROP OUT
For Hilton, the GOP contender sitting at the top of the most recent poll, the Democratic turmoil has been entertaining.
“I think it's hilarious to see them panicking,” Hilton told the Washington Examiner. “It's also interesting that they're obsessing over the quantity of candidates, because just as big a problem is the quality… It's like a conveyor belt of crappier and crappier politicians.”
Kristi Noem's government jet touched down Thursday in Nashville, where a motorcade awaited.
Fifteen minutes later, the fleet of SUVs pulled into the loading dock of the Grand Hyatt Nashville, but the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security remained inside, behind the tinted glass.
Big city police union leaders who waited to greet her were told she was on an important call. Around 10 minutes later, Noem emerged and walked down the maze of hallways that lead to a room where those leaders and law enforcement officials had gathered.
“She was taking pictures with us. She was personable and smiling,” said Kenneth Corey, former NYPD chief of department. “You'd have no idea she had just been fired by the president while she was in the car.”
Who is Markwayne Mullin, named by Trump to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary?
As the police leaders took their seats in the ballroom of the Major Cities Conference, there was a surprise performance by Lee Greenwood, the country singer and Trump favorite for his “God Bless the USA,” the unofficial anthem of MAGA and Trump rallies.
The music blared from the speakers and Greenwood raised his mic.
“If tomorrow all the things were gone that I'd worked for all my life…”
As Noem waited in the wings, hearing Greenwood sing these words, the bulletins began to flash across the phones in the room that a frustrated Trump had fired her.
The Major Cities Conference is an annual event, sponsored this year by the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association and the Seattle Police Officers Guild. The meeting brings police union heads from across the country into dialogue with law enforcement executives and federal officials like Noem. This year, sanctuary cities, and the role of police in immigration enforcement was a main topic.
These accounts of Noem's movements were told to CNN by multiple local law enforcement officials who attended the conference.
As Noem took the stage, likely realizing everyone in the room knew she had been fired, she began her speech by referring to Trump's State of the Union address and she describing the mission of DHS.
“It's to fulfill our duty to protect American citizens, that they should come first under our Constitution and our laws and they should be prioritized, and especially over other people who are from other countries,” she said.
Noem never showed a sign there was anything amiss, said Vincent Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
“She stayed focused during the speech, took a number of questions and gave thoughtful answers on how we can all work together,” Vallelong said. “Say what you want about politics, but she kept it together and kept the room together.”
Noem was confirmed by the Senate as DHS secretary on January 25, 2025, pledging to “work every day to keep all Americans safe and secure. One of my top priorities is achieving President Trump's mandate from the American people to secure our southern border and fix our broken immigration system.”
While DHS earned high marks under Noem for improving border security and significantly reducing illegal crossings, the immigration enforcement in US cities quickly became a political lightning rod. DHS diverted resources from terrorism cases, human trafficking investigations and Secret Service missions to focus massive resources on what was mostly civil immigration enforcement.
DHS touted targeting the “worst of the worst” but multiple studies found only a small percentage of those rounded up had a conviction for a violent crime. The enforcement sweeps led to protests across the country. Two recent flashpoints were the January confrontations in Minneapolis that ended in fatal shootings by immigration enforcement agents of Renee Good and Alex Pretti within days of each other. Both were protesters and both were American citizens.
DHS is a massive department that houses over 20 high-profile agencies – including the TSA, the US Coast Guard and, of course, ICE – and has more than a quarter million employees and a budget of over $100 billion. Noem faced heavy criticism for eroding the core capabilities of DHS during her short-lived tenure.
Noem gutted Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the unit focused on protecting the US from cyberattacks, oversaw the dismissal of hundreds of staff from the disaster relief agency FEMA, and proposed reducing the Office of Intelligence and and Analysis staff from 1,000 to 275. Some of the cuts ultimately were reduced but it was clear the focus was immigration enforcement over counterterrorism or disaster relief.
Former DHS officials told CNN the cuts were followed by what they described as “witch hunts” that involved polygraph examinations for staffers who might be talking to the press. Collectively, the officials said, deteriorating morale drove a “brain drain” that caused many experienced professionals to leave DHS.
ICE won't be at polling places for midterms, Trump appointee tells state election officials
Noem remained steadfast and unapologetic about the shifts in DHS resources toward immigration enforcement. She defended the flooding of DHS agents into “sanctuary cities” with Democratic mayors because local law or policy barred police engaging in civil immigration enforcement. Trump defended her leadership and Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff, continued to pressure DHS weekly for more numbers of people to be rounded up, according to multiple DHS officials.
The first cracks in White House support began to show after the killings of Good and Pretti, whom Noem described as domestic terrorists. But in the end, the political poison dart that ended her reign at DHS may not have had anything to do with how the agency was being run or even her insensitive defense of the killing of two US citizens by her agents. Noem's downfall may have been a fundamental misunderstanding of what's most important to the only person whose support mattered.
A $220 million ad campaign launched by Noem drew the attention of Congress, which wanted to hear more about that deal, who approved the cost and who got paid. ProPublica reported last year that the recipient of the lucrative advertising subcontract was the husband of a former DHS spokesperson.
Noem was the star of the TV ads. She was on the screen wearing her cowboy hat and riding a horse while describing the important work DHS was doing under her leadership. The ad showed Noem being greeted by DHS officers and children along the trail. One ad ends with the secretary atop her horse looking over a ridge with Mount Rushmore behind her.
This week, Noem testified under oath before Congress and was asked if Trump had known about the TV ads and what they cost. Noem said Trump did know. The president quickly said he did not. One former DHS senior executive summed it up this way: “You can embarrass the administration. That's not going to get you fired. But you embarrass the president, that will get you fired.”
In Nashville Thursday, Noem soldiered through her speech and then took questions. Newark, New Jersey, police Capt. John Chrystal III, president of his department's Superior Officers' Association, asked Noem how the Trump administration would reconcile federal policies with state policies that bar police from sharing information with DHS about undocumented immigrants wanted for crimes.
Noem said she remained committed to pushing back on state laws blocking DHS access and was committed to talking with state leaders on working together.
“Oh, by the way, are you religious?” Chrystal asked after Noem finished speaking. “Because you're the answer to all my prayers.”
“I am, sir,” Noem said, giggling. “Who knew?”
The room fell into laughter and applause.
Correction:
An earlier version of this story misstated the day Noem landed in Nashville. It was Thursday.
John Miller is the Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst for CNN and served as Deputy Assistant Director of National Intelligence in 2009-2010.
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Inside the Oval Office this week, after a crowd of jostling reporters departed into the Rose Garden, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz tried to get an answer from President Donald Trump: how, exactly, did he envision the war with Iran ending?
Despite some pressing by the chancellor, the answer from the president — as it has been since the conflict began a week ago — wasn't quite clear, according to a person familiar.
As the US military operation against Iran shifts into a new phase following last Saturday's opening salvo, how the war ends remains the top question for many officials, lawmakers and US allies.
In briefings with lawmakers and congressional staff in recent days, Pentagon officials have leaned into the US military mission being narrowly focused on destroying Iran's ballistic missile launchers, people who attended the briefings said, rather than on targeting Iranian nuclear facilities or taking out regime figures or military personnel. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has spoken dismissively of repeating the “nation building” exercises of past administrations.
At the same time, Trump has offered far more expansive goals that appear to extend beyond the military's stated remit. On Friday, he lumped in the “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” of Iran's current regime as an additional requirement for the war to conclude.
The apparent disconnect has only fueled questions about where the conflict, which is already broadly unpopular among Americans, is headed. In conversations with their US counterparts, Arab and European officials say they haven't detected what exactly Trump's endgame looks like, or if it exists at all.
Emerging from briefings with senior administration officials this week, lawmakers similarly professed little understanding of how Trump will know he has achieved all his goals in Iran, or whether he has a plan for what comes afterward. Some lawmakers also appeared unnerved by the fact that Hegseth would not rule out putting US troops on the ground in Iran.
The US has so far rejected Iranian overtures to begin talks that could suss out ways to end the conflict. Iranian intelligence sent word this week to the US it could be prepared to open talks on how to end the war, according to people familiar with the indirect messages, but US officials say there were no negotiations underway and that potential “off-ramps” are unlikely to materialize in the near term.
“Since this thing went kinetic, we've had a number of reach-outs,” a senior Trump administration official said this week, putting the number of nations at nearly a dozen. “It's not dissimilar to what we had before, people wanting to see if they can help solve it, and we've talked to them.”
To date, that has not resulted in any robust exchange of messages between the United States and Iran. “We're not using anyone as an interlocutor. This is a military action, and it's got to run its course,” the official said.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said Trump alone would determine when Iran was in a state of “unconditional surrender.”
“What the president means is that when he, as commander in chief of the US Armed Forces, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States of America and the goals of Operation Epic Fury has been fully realized, then Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender, whether they say it themselves or not,” she told reporters on Friday in the White House driveway.
“Frankly,” she went on, “they don't have a lot of people to say that for them, because the United States and the state of Israel have completely wiped out near more than 50 leaders of the former terrorist regime, including the supreme leader himself.”
Trump said he expects to be heavily involved in choosing Iran's next leader. But US intelligence agencies have long warned it is difficult to assess the outcome of a regime change scenario, and some US and European officials do not see a clear option for replacing the current regime.
Multiple sources said Trump appears content with allowing an Iranian government led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a similar model to what the administration used in Venezuela in replacing Nicolás Maduro with his Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
“It's gonna work very easily. It's going to work like did in Venezuela,” Trump told CNN's Dana Bash in a brief phone interview on Friday.
But that option risks installing a potentially more extreme power center — something Trump suggested earlier this week would amount to the “worst case scenario.” US and foreign officials have also cast doubt on the viability of establishing some kind of coalition government, believing that option could quickly turn Iran into a failed state akin to Iraq in the early 2000s, sources said.
“We've heard…mixed messages about what the strategy is here, what the endgame is here, and how we're going to get out of Iran,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said this week. “No one in the free world misses the ayatollah,” the New Hampshire Democrat said. “But what is not clear is how long this is going to go on, the extent to which it's escalating.”
And across the board, the Trump administration has not clearly articulated an end game or an off-ramp, according to four sources from allied countries.
“We have no idea what they actually want to accomplish when this war is over. It doesn't seem like Trump even knows,” said one European diplomat.
That has fed concerns the war could drag on for weeks or months — a timeline the president, in many telephone calls to news outlets this week, hasn't explicitly shrugged off.
Instead, Trump has focused on the immediate successes, including degrading Iran's missile capabilities, sinking its ships and taking out its senior leaders.
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Wednesday that as the war enters a new phase, the US will begin “striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory and (create) additional freedom of maneuver for US forces.”
Caine also claimed that Iran's ballistic missile launches have plummeted by 86% since the operation began, and that their one-way attack drone launches are down 73%. One person familiar with the matter, however, said those drops can largely be attributed to the US' destruction of Iranian command and control centers in the opening hours of the war.
But while the US military is narrowly focused, there is also an increasing recognition among military planners that destroying Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, which Iran would need to produce a nuclear weapon, would require US forces on the ground to find, exfiltrate and destroy it since it is buried so deeply underground — out of reach even of US bunker-buster bombs, sources said.
There are no plans for that right now, so sources said the administration has steered clear of discussing it.
At the same time, the Trump administration has quietly tried to enlist the help of Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish opposition groups. For months, the CIA has been in discussions with multiple Iranian Kurdish groups about carrying out a potential ground offensive intended to help foment a popular uprising inside the country, multiple sources told CNN.
The CIA is working to arm some of those groups and the US has discussed providing air-support for Kurdish ground forces if they were to launch an offensive, CNN previously reported.
Discussions between the CIA and Iranian Kurdish groups have also included political proposals for if the regime ultimately does collapse, according to Amir Karimi, co-chair of the PJAK, which is one of the Kurdish groups in talks with the US.
PJAK is supportive of the US-Israeli operations but has reinforced to the CIA that overthrowing the regime can't be done by military force alone, Karimi told CNN in an interview this week. The group has also told the CIA it wants a political relationship with the US and Trump administration — which includes having a say in who would ultimately become Iran's next leader.
“We believe it is a legitimate war, however we want support for forces on the ground who are fighting for democracy in Iran. This is not something that can be done by bombardment alone,” Karimi said, adding that the US could help unite Kurdish groups so they can fight the regime together.
Trump appears to be working to do that, holding multiple calls with the leaders of Iraqi and Iranian Kurdish groups in recent days. But during at least two recent calls, he's grown frustrated with the Iraqi Kurdish leaders — who are keenly aware that participating in a US-backed offensive carries significant risks — telling them to “pick a side,” according to a source familiar with the discussions.
Karimi also said his group has made clear to the Trump administration they do not believe anyone from outside Iran should be “helicoptered in to lead this fight,” and voiced strong opposition to any efforts that involve backing exiled Iranian activist Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last shah, in the short or long term.
Trump himself downplayed him as an option earlier this week, saying, “It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate.”
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Data by the Human Sciences Research Council shows that more than 35% of women over the age of 18 in South Africa have experienced physical or sexual violence, while the country's femicide rates are said to be five times the global average. (AP video: Nqobile Ntshangase, Kayleen Morgan)
A women only group prepares for training at the Out There Sport Shooting Range in Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacques Nelles)
Mother and daughter Ninieve and Isabella Du Plessis, train at the Out There Sport Shooting Range in Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacques Nelles)
Female students train in self-defense techniques at the Gracie Jiu-jitsu Martial Arts school in Fourways, Johannesburg, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacques Nelles)
A female student reloads her magazine after a round of shooting at the Out There Sport Shooting Range in Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacques Nelles)
Female students train in self-defense techniques at the Gracie Jiu-jitsu Martial Arts school in Fourways, Johannesburg, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacques Nelles)
BRONKHORSTSPRUIT, South Africa (AP) — At the command of a female instructor, a line of girls and women, some wearing pink ear protectors, shoot five rounds at a target with 9 mm pistols as they undergo firearm training at a range in the agricultural town of Bronkhorstspruit just outside South Africa's capital, Pretoria.
The group, some as young as 13 and others up to 65, are looking for ways to protect themselves in a country where gender-based violence is such a critical problem that it was declared a national disaster by the government in November.
“Check your grip, check your line of sight,” shouts Claire van der Westhuizen, the lead female instructor at Lone Operator shooting range, as women with well-manicured nails reload for another round.
The training course is specifically designed for women and offers practice in real-world scenarios like self-defense firing while lying on their stomachs and backs.
Femicide rates in South Africa are among the highest in the world, according to U.N. Women, the United Nations agency for gender equality. A South African study in 2022 found more than 35% of South African women aged 18 and older had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point. In most cases, the perpetrator was an intimate partner.
Sunette du Toit, a working 51-year-old grandmother, was pushed to take up firearm training after surviving a home invasion by five men who tied her up and ransacked her house, she told The Associated Press.
“I was not in a position to defend myself at that point,” du Toit said. “I had to do this (firearm training) for myself to gain my confidence back to be able to move in public, and even in my own house, without feeling vulnerable.”
She called the women's firearm training group “a family of support.”
Firearms in South Africa are heavily regulated. Anyone who wants to own a gun for self-defense must be over 21 and pass proficiency tests and background checks.
Various self-defense trainings for women are popping up throughout the country.
In South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, Tatiana Leyka, 33, took up the martial art of jiujitsu for self-defense, well aware of South Africa's reputation.
“I think it's a No. 1 priority,” she said at the end of a Saturday morning class that included escaping chokeholds, avoiding being trapped against walls and other moves to help women flee attacks by men. “With the rise in numbers of gender-based violence, it's good for you to be able to defend yourself, even if it's just to be able to get away.”
South Africa's femicide rates are five to six times higher than the global average, according to U.N. Women.
Mpiwa Mangwiro-Tsanga, policy development and advocacy manager at Sonke Gender Justice, a women's rights organization, said statistics show around 15 women are killed each day in South Africa due to gender-based violence. One in three women has been sexually abused or sexually harassed.
“That is how bad it is,” she said. “We are competing with conflict countries.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's move to declare violence against women and girls a national disaster came after years of pressure from women's advocacy groups. They cite socio-economic inequality, strong patriarchal attitudes and an underresourced police force as factors.
“It is a shame that our country has the dubious distinction of having one of the world's highest levels of violence against women and girls,” Ramaphosa said in a statement announcing “national action.”
The declaration means authorities can direct funds toward the issue, but activists point to decades of high gender violence rates and a national strategic plan announced six years ago that hasn't solved problems as evidence of a disconnect between policy and implementation.
A lack of women's shelters and other places of safety shows South Africa's policies have been progressive on paper but poorly implemented, Mangwiro-Tsanga said.
“The reality here in South Africa is that a man who raped a woman will be arrested, go to prison. The state will spend more on that rapist than it will spend on the survivor of that rape,” she said.
South Africa has a very low conviction rate for rapes, with only around 8% of those reported in 2021 resulting in convictions. Many cases were dropped from the criminal justice system, while most were never prosecuted, according to Amnesty International.
Despite assurances by authorities of renewed action, South African women are taking their own steps, even if it means keeping their training secret from partners and husbands.
Michael Palin, a jiujitsu gym manager, said not all the women's partners know they attend training. Some say they are going to the shopping center in front of the gym.
Marguerite Hershensohn, a 49-year-old beauty therapist, attends gun classes with her 21-year-old daughter, Nika. Hershensohn said she is relieved her daughter is learning to protect herself with a gun and not always relying on the police.
“Yes, we have to respect those authorities,” she said. “But they're not always around.”
The women who attend the training “don't look like G.I. Jane,” Hershensohn said. “We just look like normal women.”
But Mangwiro-Tsanga warned a trend of women resorting to guns or martial arts when society fails to protect them also can be problematic. Instead of dealing with perpetrators, “it burdens women and girls who are already burdened,” she said.
Stephanie Graham, the jiujitsu class instructor, said while many women in her program gain confidence, there is no guarantee they will always be able to defend themselves.
“We can only hope that it'll give us more confidence and heightened awareness so that we can perceive a threat a little bit earlier than the average person would,” Graham said.
___
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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The Trump administration is starting to loosen its sanctions on Russian oil in an attempt to counteract a rapid surge in gas prices due to the war with Iran.
On Friday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that his department had permitted India to resume buying Russian oil after the United States imposed sanctions last fall. The Cabinet secretary also teased that more oil supplied by Russian companies will see a reprieve from U.S. sanctions due to the international conflict.
“They were going to substitute it with U.S. oil,” he said of India on Fox Business's Kudlow. “But to ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may un-sanction other Russian oil.”
“The other thing Treasury can do here … is there are hundreds of millions of sanctioned barrels of sanctioned crude on the water. And in essence, by un-sanctioning them, Treasury can create supply,” Bessent continued. “And we are looking at that. We are going to keep a cadence of announcing measures to bring relief to the market during this conflict.”
Oil and gas prices have been rising throughout the week since the start of “Operation Epic Fury” last Saturday morning. The increase is the result of Iran tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane through which 20% of the world's daily oil demand passes.
On Friday, the U.S. crude oil benchmark surpassed $90 per barrel for the first time since September 2023. A week ago, the cost per barrel was about $20 less. Gas prices are also rising quickly. As of Friday, the AAA national average was $3.32 per gallon. That is up about 34 cents from the prior week.
After the Treasury Department issued a license allowing India to temporarily purchase Russian oil without repercussions, multiple Senate Democrats criticized President Donald Trump for attacking Iran and claimed Russia would use the easing of U.S. sanctions to its advantage in a separate conflict with Ukraine.
“This self-made global energy shock is serving to enrich Putin and line his war coffers by offering him windfall profits,” reads the statement, signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the top Democrats on several committees.
“Instead of changing course, the President is only making this situation worse by handing Putin, his shadow fleet, and traders still dealing in sanctioned oil a free pass to increase oil shipments to Russia's second-largest importer,” it states. “The new channels for evasion the President is opening, coupled with dramatically higher global energy prices, are giving Putin a huge financial boost and the means to continue his bloody war in Ukraine.”
Senate Democrats also raised concerns about reports that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran about the position of U.S. forces in the Middle East.
In response to the reports, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt doubted that the apparent coordination between Russia and Iran would be very successful.
“It clearly is not making a difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them,” she said on Friday.
WHITE HOUSE DOWNPLAYS RUSSIAN ASSISTANCE FOR IRAN: ‘IT CLEARLY IS NOT MAKING A DIFFERENCE'
War Secretary Pete Hegseth also addressed the reports in an upcoming episode of 60 Minutes, saying Trump is “well aware of who's talking to who.”
“No one's putting us in danger,” Hegseth said. “We're putting the other guys in danger, and that's our job. So we're not concerned about that. We mitigate it as we need to. Our commanders factor all of this, but the only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they're gonna live.”
ARLINGTON, Virginia – A judge in Virginia will allow Richard Cox, a registered child sex offender, to question witnesses at trial in a case centered in part on allegations of indecent exposure.
Cox is facing dozens of charges in the case, Commonwealth v. Richard Cox, for entering female locker rooms and allegedly walking around naked for hours. Judge Daniel T. Lopez agreed on Friday to allow Cox to waive the right to representation on some charges, meaning that during the trial, Cox will make arguments and question witnesses on the stand.
Cox, a biological male, identifies as transgender and was able to enter the locker rooms because Arlington County allows people to use the restroom of their gender identity over their biological sex.
The Commonwealth had argued that witnesses would experience serious emotional distress if questioned by Cox, who called the argument an “absurdity.” Cox countered that being barred from cross-examination because “an adult saw another adult naked in the locker room” is a “slippery slope of violations to due process.”
Cox did agree to submit written questions for the two minor witnesses, 16- and 17-year-old lifeguards from Wakefield High School. The school has a pool open to the public for swim classes outside school hours. Adult witnesses whom Cox will be able to question include a mother who had a child under the age of 12 with her and allegedly saw Cox masturbating in the shower.
The judge issued a warning to Cox during Friday's proceedings.
“You want to talk about slippery slopes? You're sliding down the slippery slope to me, either appointing you to represent yourself on everything or nothing,” Lopez said. “This trial is not going to be an opportunity for you to get on a soapbox and turn your questions into testimony. If it does, I'll hear an objection, and I'll stop you, and if you continue to do it, I will dress you down in front of the jury, and that will be on you, not me, because I am not going to allow you to disrupt this proceeding because you feel you have a political axe to grind.”
Back in 1993, Cox wrote to a judge, while in jail, that public exposure and being naked in front of young girls gave Cox sexual gratification. These letters were banned from being used as evidence in the previous trial.
Cox claimed not to have enough time to prepare for the hearing and requested more time to argue on whether the letters will be admissible in court. The judge reminded the court that Cox filed the motion in January 2026 and refused to delay the hearing.
“Richard Cox says he's not prepared to go forward, and I will state for the record, the court is clearly cognizant of the fact that Richard Cox is incarcerated and his obligations, as far as daily duties, are few,” Lopez said. “He's been given the same amount of time that counsel is usually given to respond to a motion.”
For this trial, Cox wants the letters banned again and asked for a sealed hearing, saying the Commonwealth was using them to defame and create prejudice. The judge, who is noticeably losing patience with Cox, denied a closed hearing.
“[Cox's] right, it is [the commonwealth's] intention. They want to convict him, that's [the prosecution's] job,” Lopez said. “The evidence in the criminal case is always prejudicial to the defendant, because from the Commonwealth's point of view, it points to guilt and not innocence.”
The judge reminded the courtroom that in the previous trial, Cox made a last-minute motion to self-represent to be able to tell the jury that Cox was sorry.
“In reading your motion, what you wanted to put in front of the jury was inadmissible evidence, all of it,” Lopez said. “Some of it, so highly prejudicial, it amounted to a confession.”
RICHARD COX DERAILS SEX OFFENDER CASE, ONCE AGAIN
This time, the judge will allow the letters to be admitted into evidence and shown to the jury with redactions. The judge said the Commonwealth will still have to prove Cox's intent to the jury.
The trial will begin on April 20 and is expected to last 10 days.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Sept. 20, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., speaks with reporters following a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Just three months after declaring “I'm not quitting,” California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced Friday he is retiring instead of facing a difficult reelection campaign in a redrawn district.
“It's the right time for a new chapter and new challenges,” Issa said in a statement.
“Serving in Congress has been the honor of my life.”
Issa, a car alarm magnate considered one of the wealthiest members of Congress, had been a chief antagonist for President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while he served as chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, from 2011 to early 2015.
Issa's abrupt reversal injects more uncertainty in the race for Southern California's 48th District, which was drastically reshaped in November after voters approved a new U.S. House map for California to favor Democrats.
With an incumbent out of the running, it may be harder for Republicans to hold the seat and, by extension, the party's fragile majority in the House.
After redistricting, Issa flirted with the idea of leaving California to run for Congress in Texas. But at the time he decided to stay put in his home state.
“I can hold this seat. I'm not quitting on California and neither should anyone else,” Issa, who represents a district anchored in San Diego County, said in a statement at the time.
California's new congressional map, which was spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is intended to tip as many as five Republican-held seats to Democrats this year to offset President Donald Trump's push in Texas to gain five seats for his party there.
A national battle to redraw U.S. House districts for partisan advantage is still raging in some states ahead of the November midterm elections.
Voters in Texas and North Carolina already have cast ballots in primary elections for U.S. House districts redrawn at Trump's urging. But the final boundaries for voting districts remain uncertain in Missouri, even though candidates already are filing for office. They also are unclear in Virginia, where new congressional districts could hinge both on a voter referendum and court rulings.
In his statement, Issa said he was endorsing San Diego County Supervisor James Desmond to succeed him.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
FBI agents escort Zobaidul Amin to an airplane in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, for transport to Anchorage, Alaska, where he faces charges of child pornography and exploitation. (U.S. Department of Justice via AP)
An FBI seal is displayed on a podium before a news conference at the field office in Portland, Ore., Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Bangladeshi man accused of using social media to trick teenage girls into sending him sexually explicit images — and then threatening to share them with their friends and family if they didn't send more — has been transported to Alaska to face federal charges of child sexual exploitation.
Zobaidul Amin, 28, pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance in Anchorage on Thursday after the FBI took custody of him in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he had been studying medicine and facing related charges, U.S. prosecutors wrote in a detention memorandum.
“Amin delighted in sexually abusing hundreds of minor victims over social media,” the document said. “He bragged about causing victims to become suicidal and engage in self-harm. He shared hundreds of nude images and videos of minor victims all over the internet and encouraged other perpetrators to do the same.”
A federal grand jury indicted Amin in 2022 on charges including child pornography, cyberstalking and wire fraud. He adopted false identities, often posing as a teenager, to trick victims into sending him explicit images, prosecutors said.
The investigation began when a 14-year-old Alaska girl reported her abuse to law enforcement, saying that after she had stopped communicating with him, he followed through on his threats by sending pornographic images of her to her friends and followers.
In executing dozens of search warrants and subpoenas, investigators eventually learned his identity and realized he had done similar things to hundreds of minor victims, prosecutors wrote. The only way to get him to stop demanding more images, Amin told the girls, was to recruit other victims, the document said.
“Because he was in Malaysia and his victims were primarily in the U.S., Amin viewed himself as untouchable by law enforcement,” prosecutors wrote. “In one conversation, he told a minor victim that the ‘cops won't do anything,' and the ‘cops won't track me down because I live no where near u.'”
Efforts to extradite Amin to face charges failed, but with the assistance of the FBI, Malaysian authorities brought charges, the Justice Department said. He was released on bail during the proceedings, and eventually the U.S. succeeded in having him expelled from Malaysia. The FBI took him into custody and flew him to Alaska.
“The FBI's commitment to protecting our children from exploitation doesn't change whether an offender is here in the United States or overseas,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a news release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle Reardon on Thursday ordered that Amin remain in custody while his case proceeds.
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The Pentagon said U.S. forces carried out a targeted action at Ecuador's request to dismantle a narco-terrorist supply complex. (Sean Parnell via X)
The U.S. military carried out a targeted strike Friday against a narco-terrorist network in Ecuador, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said.
SOUTHCOM said the joint U.S.-Ecuadorian operation involved lethal kinetic action against suspected designated terrorist organizations in the country.
"At the order of @SecWar, #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan directed the joint force to support Ecuadorian forces conducing lethal kinetic operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations within Ecuador March 6," SOUTHCOM posted on X.
Donovan said in a statement that the U.S. was "advancing alongside our partners in the fight against narco-terrorism."
The Pentagon said U.S. forces carried out a targeted action at Ecuador's request to dismantle a narco-terrorist supply complex. (Sean Parnell via X)
"I congratulate our joint forces and the Ecuadorian armed forces for the successful operation against narco-terrorists in Ecuador," he said. "This collaborative and decisive action is a strategic success for all nations in the Western Hemisphere committed to disrupting and defeating narco-terrorism."
It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties from the operation.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shared a video of the strike on X, writing, "Yes — as @POTUS has said — we are bombing narco-terrorists on land as well. Thank you to our partners in Ecuador. Much more to come from @Southcom."
CRUZ WARNED MEXICO OFFICIALS 'PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS GOING TO' ACT IF THEY DIDN'T FIGHT CARTELS
U.S. Southern Command General Francis Donovan, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Homeland security advisor Stephen Miller pose for a portrait before they host the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference with regional defense and security leaders at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Fla., March 5, 2026. (Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters)
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that the War Department is "uniting partners across the Western Hemisphere to detect, disrupt and destroy designated terrorist organizations that fuel violence and corruption."
Parnell said Ecuador requested that the War Department execute targeted action "to advance our shared objective of dismantling narco-terrorist networks."
"This operation demonstrates the power of coordinated action and sends a clear message: Narco-terrorist networks will not find refuge in our hemisphere," he said.
US FORCES STRIKE VESSEL ALLEGEDLY TIED TO NARCO-TERROR GROUP KILLING 2 AS CREWS SEARCH FOR LONE SURVIVOR
War Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives for a news conference at the Pentagon June 22, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Parnell added that the U.S. "remains steadfast in supporting nations that stand against narco-terrorism."
"Together, we will dismantle trafficking and corruption networks, hold these organizations accountable, and restore peace through strength," he said.
Parnell said the operation targeted a narco-terrorist supply complex, "disrupting their operations and logistics."
He commended the Ecuadorian government and the country's defense and security forces for their partnership in the operation.
The strike follows joint operations launched earlier this week by U.S. and Ecuadorian forces targeting suspected narco-terrorists in Ecuador, according to U.S. Southern Command.
SOUTHCOM said it was taking "decisive action" against designated terrorist organizations.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador said the United States "successfully concluded a joint operation" with Europol and Ecuadorian authorities dismantling the Hernán Ruilova Barzola transnational drug trafficking organization, which it said is linked to the Los Lobos cartel.
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The U.S. has conducted at least 43 strikes targeting suspected drug-trafficking operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of 150 people.
Michael Sinkewicz is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to michael.sinkewicz@fox.com
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Kuwait said Saturday that it has cut oil production and refining output because tankers cannot transit the Persian Gulf due to threats from Iran.
The Arab monarchy did not say how many barrels per day it has cut, but described the output reduction as a precautionary measure that will be "reviewed as the situation develops."
Kuwait is the fifth-largest oil producer in OPEC. It produced about 2.6 million barrels per day in January.
The state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said it "remains fully prepared to restore production levels once conditions allow."
Oil prices surged about 35% this week as the Iran war triggered a major disruption of global energy supplies. Tankers have stopped transiting the critical Strait of Hormuz because ship owners fear their vessels will be attacked by Iran.
Gulf Arab oil producers like Kuwait export their barrels through the Strait. The narrow waterway is the only way to enter or exit the Persian Gulf. About 20% of global oil consumption is exported through the Strait.
Oil barrels are piling up in the Middle East with nowhere to go because the tankers are not moving. Gulf Arab countries are forced to lower production when they run out of space to store barrels. Iraq has already cut 1.5 million barrels per day as it runs out of storage space, Iraqi officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
"The market is shifting from pricing pure geopolitical risk to grappling with tangible operational disruption," Natasha Kaneva, head of global commodities research at JPMorgan, told clients in a Friday note.
The Gulf Arab countries will exhaust storage capacity and shut down oil production if the U.S.-Iran war lasts more than three weeks, Kaneva said in a note last Sunday. This would spike global benchmark Brent oil prices above $100 per barrel, she said.
JPMorgan estimates that production cuts could exceed 4 million barrels per day by the end of next week if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
On Friday, crude oil logged its biggest weekly gain in futures trading history. Brent futures surged 8.52%, or $7.28, to settle at $92.69 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate futures spiked 12.21%, or $9.89, to close at $90.90 per barrel.
U.S. crude rocketed 35.63%, its biggest weekly gain in the history of the futures contract dating back to 1983. Brent soared 28%, the largest weekly increase since April 2020.
The Iran war has also disrupted the world's natural gas supplies. Qatar shut down liquefied natural gas production on Monday due to attacks by Iran. About 20% of the world's LNG exports come from Qatar.
LNG is a form of natural gas that is chilled into a liquid so it can be loaded onto tankers and exported around the world. Natural gas is used for electricity production and home heating.
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For Brian Auer, the operations manager at Historic Ships in Baltimore, the video of a US Navy submarine sinking an Iranian warship this week looked strikingly familiar.
"I saw the footage of that Iranian frigate getting torpedoed, and it looks like any picture I see from World War II of a similar attack happening," he told Business Insider of the video released by the Department of Defense on Wednesday.
Before this week's attack in the Indian Ocean, the last confirmed US Navy submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat was the USS Torsk, a World War II submarine that sank two Japanese vessels in 1945 before becoming part of the museum that Auer manages.
Since 1945, large-scale battles between warships have been rare. As naval warfare reemerges as a key strategy in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, museum ships that saw combat in World War II are finding new relevance, showing not just how naval war was fought, but how it might look today. Suddenly, the floating museums feel a lot less like history.
"Those of us who work on museum ships don't like war," Ryan Szimanski, the curator at Battleship New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey, told Business Insider. "In many cases, we work here to try and teach people about how awful wars were.
"However, the fact that the United States has fought a naval action — one of the first ones since World War II — is making museum ships like us relevant and part of the public discussion in a way that we haven't been."
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There are around 75 World War II-era museum ships open to the public across the US. These decommissioned battleships, submarines, destroyers, aircraft carriers, and other vessels offer visitors the chance to climb aboard and explore the interiors themselves.
Guided tours, often led by Navy veterans with firsthand experience serving on similar vessels, take visitors through combat areas, such as torpedo rooms, gun turrets, and command centers.
Battleship New Jersey, for example, offers a rare look into Tomahawk cruise missiles as the first surface warship to carry them in 1982. The long-range missiles have also been used to sink Iranian ships during Operation Epic Fury.
"Because those are contemporary systems, to be able to see a Tomahawk missile, to be able to see Tomahawk missile launchers in a museum — there's only a handful of museum ships like us that you could come and see to get that experience," Szimanski said.
Some ships even offer sleepover experiences where guests can eat meals in the crew's mess and spend the night in sailors' bunks.
"It is highly unlikely that the average person will get the chance to visit an active-duty Navy ship," Szimanski said. "So to experience the conditions, to see what it's like to serve on a warship, particularly one that has seen combat, visiting a museum ship is your best chance."
While some technologies and configurations found in World War II submarines may be outdated, many aspects of how they operate remain the same.
"It's important to remember that the Navy, the military, all of us, operate in a world governed by laws of physics, and so there are some things that are just never going to change in how submarines work," Auer said. "If you walk through a modern Ohio-class, ballistic missile submarine, you're going to find things that are exactly the same, or done exactly the same way, on the USS Torsk. And what we can really show is where those things were first done, and why they were done that way, and why they are still done that way."
Modern submarines still appear "remarkably similar" to their museum counterparts, Szimanski said. The layout of submarines hasn't changed all that much since World War II. They largely still have the same spaces to eat, sleep, and fire torpedoes.
Auer says that when he leads tours of the USS Torsk for active-duty sailors, he often gets the response, "Huh, we're still doing it this way."
The biggest differences can be found in the ships' capabilities, Hugh McKeever, the shipboard education manager at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, told Business Insider.
Diesel-powered submarines like the USS Becuna, which sank 3,888 tons of shipping in World War II before arriving at the Independence Seaport Museum, had to spend most of their time on the surface with only about 12 hours' worth of oxygen at a time. Today's nuclear-powered submarines operate with an unlimited fuel supply and can stay submerged for upward of six months.
"As far as going out to sea, their ability is pretty much limited only by food," McKeever said.
Overall, World War II-era submarines are less antiquated than one might assume. Some even still work. The USS Torsk's sister ship, the USS Cutlass, was commissioned in 1945, sold to Taiwan in 1973, and remains operational as part of the Republic of China Navy.
"These boats, to us, are so outdated that they're museums, but for the rest of the world, they're relatively advanced," Auer said. "They're still very capable of doing the function they were originally designed for. So, were they implemented by some foreign threat, they would be a threat."
For ship museum curators, the resurgence of naval battles in the US war with Iran underscores the contemporary relevance of World War II museum ships and the battle stars they earned. McKeever, for one, anticipates getting more questions about torpedoes as the summer tourist season ramps up.
"For the US as a maritime power, the economic prosperity of the country is tied to the sea and the Navy," McKeever said. "Our museum vessels represent that constant need for change and growth as a country."
After all, as Szimanski noted, it was just days ago that no active US Navy ships had ever sunk an enemy warship — the only Navy ships that had fought a naval battle were all museum ships. Despite some rust and peeling paint, it seems they still have a lot to teach us.
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As Americans get lonelier and lonelier, a growing number of people are getting some emotional support from artificial intelligence chatbots — and some mental health experts are concerned.
"The topic of AI for therapy [and] emotional support companionship is coming up a lot," says Leanna Fortunato, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of quality and health care innovation for the American Psychological Association. "Anecdotally, providers are talking about it, and we know from the research that people are using AI tools for that kind of support more and more."
Some chatbot users accidentally fall into mental health-related conversations — by complaining about a stressful day to a digital entity that's guaranteed to listen, for example. Others may seek mental health advice from an AI chatbot that isn't a licensed professional, but is less expensive than a therapist, Fortunato says.
In a health research survey of more than 20,000 U.S. adults, 10.3% of participants said they used generative AI daily. Of that group, 87.1% of them reported using the tech for personal reasons including advice and emotional support. The study was published on Jan. 21 and conducted by researchers from institutions including Massachusetts General Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine and Northeastern University.
On TikTok, the search term "Therapy AI Bot" has at least 11.5 million posts, ranging from users sharing their best prompts for turning chatbots into therapists to health experts warning about the potential dangers involved.
Technology companies are spending billions of dollars developing AI tools and attempting to further integrate them into people's daily lives. But historically, AI chatbots don't always understand when a user is experiencing a serious health crisis, and may not always respond to them accordingly. The New York Times found "nearly 50 cases of people having mental health crises during conversations with ChatGPT," including three deaths, in a Nov. 23 report.
Companies like Anthropic, Google and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI say they're working with mental health experts to strengthen their tools' responses to sensitive conversations. "These are incredibly heartbreaking situations and our thoughts are with all those impacted," an OpenAI spokesperson tells CNBC Make It. "We continue to improve ChatGPT's training to recognize and respond to signs of distress, de-escalate conversations in sensitive moments, and guide people toward real-world support, working closely with mental health clinicians and experts."
Frequent conversations with AI companions can erode people's real-life social skills, according to an April 2025 paper written by an OpenAI product policy researcher. Heavy daily use of ChatGPT is correlated with increased loneliness, found an OpenAI-MIT Media Lab study also published in April 2025.
The American Psychological Association strongly advises against using AI as a substitute for therapy and mental health support.
Some mental health professionals say you can still engage with chatbots risk-free about certain related topics. Here's what you need to know.
AI chatbots can be useful for learning about mental health, says psychotherapist and lifestyle coach Esin Pinarli. They can help you generate journaling prompts for reflection, and you can ask them for links to research papers about coping strategies, treatment options and other questions you may have about mental health conditions, she says.
"I don't see it as [a substitute for] therapy. I see it as a tool, and I think that a tool can be helpful," says Pinarli, the founder of Boca Raton, Florida-based private practice Eternal Wellness Counseling. Her clients sometimes talk to ChatGPT about specific situations in their personal lives, and then run its responses past her before acting on them, she says.
In her personal AI testing, Pinarli has seen chatbots sometimes use language that supports a user's "unhealthy behaviors," she says. If you ask a chatbot about a confrontation you had with a friend, it might tell you that your friend is being too sensitive, for example — even if you're actually the one in the wrong.
If an exchange with an AI chatbot touches on your mental health, Fortunato recommends asking yourself:
Reputable sources could include peer-reviewed scientific studies, articles from health news organizations or resources from medical organizations like Harvard Health Publishing or the Mayo Clinic. "AI could really increase people's access to health information," Fortunato says. "[But] AI isn't necessarily going to always give you correct information."
Pinarli and Fortunato agree that people shouldn't use AI chatbots for getting a diagnosis or support in a mental health crisis, especially suicidal ideation. During an active mental health crisis, you can always call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988), which is confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, free of cost.
"We've seen some really high-profile harms, particularly for youth or vulnerable groups who might be in crisis, where AI didn't handle the situation correctly," Fortunato says. "It continued to engage with people who were in crisis. It didn't provide crisis resources. It didn't challenge a pattern of thinking that was problematic."
They also both say that you shouldn't share your medical records or any personal identifying information with a chatbot, because those conversations aren't confidential or legally protected. And you generally shouldn't rely on AI to solve problems in your real-life human relationships, says Pinarli.
"You need another person with another nervous system across from you in order to pay attention to body language, to tone of voice," she says. Chatbots are "not going to challenge you emotionally, and they don't require reciprocity."
If you're experiencing a mental health crisis or concerning mental health symptoms, you can contact the free, confidential National Helpline for Mental Health at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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(This is the Warren Buffett Watch newsletter, news and analysis on all things Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. You can sign up here to receive it every Friday evening in your inbox.)
Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, Greg Abel, generated some significant headlines during a roughly half-hour live interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Shortly after an SEC filing from the company early Thursday morning disclosed Berkshire "commenced repurchasing shares of our common stock" the day before, Abel told Becky Quick he plans to use his entire after-tax salary to personally buy Berkshire shares every year "as long as I'm the CEO."
A second SEC filing that morning shows he started his annual purchases on Wednesday by paying $15.3 million for 21 Class A shares at an average price of $728,970 per share.
He also revealed Berkshire has no plans to sell some or all of its $7.9 billion Kraft Heinz stake now that the food company's new CEO halted a plan to split the company in two.
Warren Buffett publicly criticized the proposed move when it was announced last September. And just a month ago, Abel indicated there could be a reduction or elimination of Berkshire's KHC position with an SEC registration for "the potential resale" of almost its entire position.
Here are the details and some other highlights.
Berkshire's announcement that it resumed share buybacks this week for the first time since May of 2024 appears to be all we're going to get on the subject for the foreseeable future.
The SEC filing says the disclosure was made "in the interest of transparency with our leadership transition," and warns "Berkshire does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any disclosures regarding our repurchases, including any suspension or termination of the repurchases," expect in its regular quarterly financial reports.
The filing did not include any further details on how many shares had, or will be, repurchased, simply repeating the company's "long-standing" policy that permits buybacks "at any time we believe the repurchase price is below our intrinsic value, conservatively determined."
In his "Squawk" interview, Abel had nothing to add, despite prodding from co-anchors Becky and Joe Kernen, except to say he "absolutely talked" to Buffett about the move and it was made after the 48-hour "cooling off" period following the release of Berkshire's 10-K annual report on Saturday.
"This is a one-time event to let our shareholders know."
Abel revealed for the first time in the interview that he's making a long-term commitment to personally buy Berkshire stock annually with his after-tax salary because "absolute alignment with our shareholders, our partners, our owners, is critical."
"As CEO, I absolutely, obviously, believe in Berkshire, with the transition from Warren, and I inherited a company that has an incredible foundation. I believe in its future, the opportunities that exist there."
Abel said both the Berkshire board and Buffett were "obviously very supportive" of his plan, with Buffett saying no one else in corporate America does this and it is "so Berkshire."
"The whole idea is our shareholders are owners [who] use their after-tax dollars to buy Berkshire. I'll do the same. So, Warren acknowledged immediately the alignment with our values."
With the addition of the newly purchased stock, Abel owns 249 Class A shares with a market value of $185.8 million as of Friday's closing.
According to the filing, he also owns Class B shares valued at almost $1.2 million.
Abel praised the decision last month by Kraft Heinz's new CEO Steve Cahillane to pause plans for split the company in two, a division that would have essentially reversed the merger Warren Buffett helped orchestrate in 2015.
While Abel acknowledged there's "no question" Berkshire's investment in the food company has been "disappointing," he had concerns about breaking them apart "when they're facing a lot of challenges and haven't resolved a lot of their issues yet."
"So, for Steve to come in and say we're pausing it, there's opportunities within Kraft Heinz to fix things and get the business back on track and then he'll evaluate things — we thought that was absolutely the right approach."
Abel said the SEC registration was filed "really to be in a place that if we ever did sell, we'd be able to. But it's not that we're going to take any immediate action currently."
While Buffett is no longer CEO, he is still playing a significant role at Berkshire.
Abel reports that as chairman, Buffett still comes into the Omaha headquarters every day.
When he became CEO, Abel decided to continue to live in Des Moines, Iowa, but "if I'm in Omaha, we're always connecting. If I'm traveling ... I often check in just to catch up on what he's seeing, what he's hearing, what am I feeling.
"So, if it's not every day, it's every couple days."
Can Abel get a major deal done in three days as Buffett did?
"We will act very decisively and quickly."
Could there be a dividend after years of Buffett rejecting the idea?
"We don't see it in the near future because we're clearly meeting" Buffett's long-standing policy that "we will retain a dollar if we see the opportunity to create more than a dollar for our shareholders."
(It appears Abel shares Buffett's belief that there will always be opportunities to use a dollar to make more than a dollar.)
Is there any chance Berkshire could pursue a crypto or blockchain opportunity?
"I don't think you'll see crypto" associated with Berkshire.
Ever? "I just don't see it."
Berkshire shares fell almost 5% on Monday after the company reported Saturday morning that operating earnings dropped more than 29% during the fourth quarter, although Barron's estimates that after adjusting for a noncash goodwill impairment loss of $1.6 billion and other one-time factors, the drop is closer to 20%.
Some investors were also disappointed Greg Abel's shareholder letter did not include any specific plans to reduce Berkshire's cash position, with some hoping in vain for a dividend.
The stocks erased some of those losses to end the week down around 1.2%.
CNBC.com's Yun Li quotes Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Meyer Shields as saying he views "both the resumed share repurchases and Greg's commitment to annual buying as positives, but they don't change the earnings challenges at units like GEICO or Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance."
Gabelli Funds portfolio manager Macrae Sykes thinks "it's great to see more economic alignment with shareholders after the announcement from Greg about future stock purchases."
Cathy Seifert at CFRA Research calls the resumption of buybacks "positive," but "at this juncture my view is that Berkshire's Class B shares are fairly valued, particularly given the tepid financial results."
The entire 31-minute interview with Greg Abel is available in video form for CNBC Pro subscribers.
There is also audio of the entire conversation in the latest "Squawk Pod."
BECKY QUICK: Good morning, everybody, and welcome back.
We have some breaking news right now coming from Berkshire Hathaway. The company has just filed a Form 4 and an 8K.
And joining us to talk about those topics and his first letter to shareholders after taking the reins from Warren Buffett is Berkshire Hathaway's CEO Greg Abel.
Greg, welcome. It is great to see you this morning.
GREG ABEL: It's great to be here. Good morning, Becky. Morning, Joe.
QUICK: We really appreciate your coming on set. We have so much to talk about.
But let's jump in with the news that is just crossing the wires, and that's what's coming from the 8-K. That's the big headline here, that Berkshire Hathaway has begun repurchasing shares of the common stock under the previous policy that had been out there before.
How many shares are you buying back? Why are we hearing about this?
ABEL: Yes, so we've had a longstanding policy that when the intrinsic value, as we see it, and computed on a conservative basis, when it exceeds our market price, Berkshire has always acquired shares. That's been our longstanding policy.
We highlighted that in the 10-K and in my letter that that remained in place, and we've just recommenced yesterday.
So, the point being we see value, the intrinsic value exceeds the current market value, and we started — recommenced purchasing.
And we felt it was important to communicate to our shareholders, our partners, our owners, that with the transition of leadership and that this is the first time we're purchasing shares, it was important to let them know we've recommenced.
QUICK: Yeah. The last time that you had bought back shares was May of 2024. Berkshire shareholders have long realized that it might be Charlie, maybe Warren, talking to each other, kind of figuring what they thought was a fair value for the price of things.
Did you talk to anybody about it, or you looked at it and you thought this is a good time to be buying back?
ABEL: No, I absolutely talked to Warren. So, how we — how I approached it was obviously looking at the value, having a view of intrinsic value, consulted with Warren relative to the value and the timing of is it ready to — are we ready to recommence?
And the thought there was after the consultation, we filed our 10-K, we —there's a 70 — a 48-hour cooling off period Monday and Tuesday, and we commenced purchasing on Wednesday morning.
QUICK: Have you been looking at this for a long time?
ABEL: We look at it continuously.
KERNEN: What are the three top things that would make you think— is it something to the price of sales? Is it — what jumps out as a signal that the intrinsic value is not recognized by the share price? Which things?
ABEL: Well, what we always look at is what are the economic prospects of each of our companies in Berkshire. And we look at that over the long term.
KERNEN: Is it a gut feeling more than — are there numbers where you'd say, OK, this hit, you know, 80 percent of this part of Berkshire or something that —nothing that specific?
ABEL: It's really just looking at the economic opportunities that exist within Berkshire and are we comfortable that the value proposition is very strong, and we're doing it on behalf of obviously our shareholders and owners.
We have to view this as value, that we're creating value for our shareholders long term.
KERNEN: So, if the stock goes up from the announcement or from the buybacks, how long would you do this? How much — will you keep doing it until it remains the case that you feel it's undervalued? You can do as much as you want?
ABEL: Correct. As long as our intrinsic value exceeds the market value, again, conservatively determined, we'll continue to repurchase.
But the one thing we have never done is we don't disclose the amount, the timing, or the computation. But we did feel this time it was important because of the change in leadership that we should.
KERNEN: Not even a ballpark.
QUICK: So, we're not going to hear something like this from you again. We won't know when you're in the market buying back?
ABEL: This is a one-time event to let our shareholders know.
KERNEN: And you won't say it's a $20 billion buyback and we're halfway through? We won't know anything.
ABEL: Correct.
KERNEN: Is that a reasonable number? Could it be — it could be a lot more at Berkshire.
ABEL: It's completely dependent upon the intrinsic value and how that equation remains in place.
QUICK: So, Berkshire shares up until a minute ago were down maybe one percent over the last year. Market's been up. You guys have $373 billion in cash as of the last filing.
ABEL: Correct.
QUICK: I guess you're looking around, and it tells you that this is something that makes way more sense to you than buying other things —other stocks — making other purchases?
ABEL: Exactly. We always look at, effectively, three buckets when we're allocating our capital.
We have our existing businesses, deploying capital back into those, both for their current operations and incremental opportunities. That really exists every day. And we're constantly challenging ourselves, are we thinking about that properly?
As you highlighted, Becky, there's also, do we acquire stock? And when we're looking at companies, do we acquire whole companies also?
And then there's the, do we acquire equities, other equities? And as we've highlighted, we always look at that as very similarly to buying 100 percent or two percent.
And then the third bucket where we deploy our capital is share repurchases.
Each of those with the amount of capital they have are — can be done independently. So, when we're purchasing our shares, it's not taking away from any of the other decisions.
QUICK: OK, we're going to come back to this line of questioning and some of these issues here.
But before we do, I want to talk about another form that you put out today, too. That's a Form 4. It may not jump out as people as being as significant as I think it is.
But in it, you say that you are buying 21 class A shares. This is the disclosure of that — $15.3 million dollars. What's the significance behind that purchase?
ABEL: Yes. And the significance is if you look at my 2026 compensation that I'll receive this year, what — what we've done is — and what I've done is taken the after-tax dollars of approximately $15.3 million dollars and reinvested it — or purchased Berkshire shares with the after-tax dollars.
QUICK: All of the extra — after-tax.
ABEL: All the after-tax dollars.
QUICK: So, you're basically taking all of your take-home pay and putting it into shares of Berkshire.
ABEL: Yes.
QUICK: Why?
ABEL: And the why is really important.
One, as we've always highlighted, absolute alignment with our shareholders, our partners, our owners is critical. I already have some shares, but the goal was to continue to demonstrate alignment with them.
Two, as CEO, I absolutely obviously believe in Berkshire with — with the transition from Warren. And I inherited a company that has an incredible foundation. I believe in its — you know, future, the opportunities that exist there.
So, I was very excited to use my after-tax proceeds and my compensation, as you highlighted, all of it, and effectively do it as we came out of the blackout period.
Now, there is another part to this that's really important, because I really view this more as a plan or an approach.
I'm committed to doing this every year going forward.
QUICK: Your entire salary?
ABEL: My entire salary, as long as I'm the CEO. And I touched on it in the — in the letter. I hope it's 20 years. But I will do that.
So, we'll file our 10-K. I'll write the letter. And after the 48-hour cooling off period, I'll purchase $15.3 million next year, whatever it is, after-tax dollars.
KERNEN: I love — I love the Midwest. But I was kidding you when you walked in, I said, as your first move, you're going to Miami. You're going to move the headquarters, Miami.
But now I understand. Leave it in — stay in Omaha. What are you going to spend your money on anyway? Might as well buy some Berkshire. You got nothing to do. You're going to go out and watch some cows or something. That's free, isn't it?
ABEL: There's nothing better than Berkshire. And it's what I do every day.
KERNEN: That's right.
ABEL: I wake up, you know, thinking about Berkshire. When I go to sleep, think about Berkshire.
KERNEN: Greg, if you decide to splurge on your compensation, it's like you're looking around — it's like, ah, I'm going to buy Berkshire stock. (Laughter)
QUICK: What I think is interesting about this, Greg, is that you are effectively taking home less pay than Warren Buffett was when he was taking home $100,000. That was the salary that he took. It had to be the lowest pay in all of corporate America. Did he come up with this plan?
ABEL: No, this was completely myself. And by that, I just mean I wanted that alignment. Again, believe in Berkshire. And the thought being that — it did evolve. Like I said, OK, I'm going to do it this year. And then shortly thereafter, I thought, well, no, I'm going to do this every year.
And it's best just to tell the world. And over that period of time, it'll be hundreds of millions of dollars of — of my after-tax dollars, just like our shareholders do.
QUICK: I can't imagine anybody, any other corporate leader doing this. I can't imagine myself doing it.
KERNEN: I — I'm not worried about how you're going to do on this either, so —
ABEL: Well, I believe in Berkshire. But it is interesting, Becky and Joe, you're touching on it. Like, to me, of course, it's a logical thing to do when you're leading the company.
And there's other leaders and CEOs that do the one-offs every once in a while. But to take all your after-tax dollars and to do it on a recurring basis.
KERNEN: I did something similar with Versant stock. I'm with you. I'm an owner. I'm an owner. And I — I —
QUICK: You did not take your entire —
KERNEN: I got a couple hundred shares. No, I didn't. No, I didn't.
QUICK: Greg, what did Warren say about this? What did the board say about it?
ABEL: Both were obviously very supportive.
Warren very much had your reaction, that no one else in corporate America does this. And said — and the other thing is that this is so Berkshire. Because one thing we — we do not do at Berkshire, across any of our businesses or with our executives, we don't have equity stock programs.
QUICK: Right.
ABEL: We don't have option programs.
QUICK: You've never been given a share of Berkshire, ever.
ABEL: Correct.
QUICK: Yeah.
ABEL: So, the whole idea is, our shareholders, our owners, use their after-tax dollars to buy Berkshire. I'll do the same.
So, Warren acknowledged immediately the alignment with our values. And I highlighted this to our Berkshire board in our February board meeting, and they were just absolutely supportive of it, obviously.
QUICK: Greg, Andrew's got a question, as well
ABEL: Yes, Andrew.
ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Hey, Greg, it's great to see you. I applaud it, too.
But I just — just to contextualize it, because we talked about selling shares, am I wrong, back in 2022, that you sold Berkshire Hathaway Energy and collected effectively $870 million? By the way, which I also applaud, but I just — contextually, what's going on here in terms of your total — total compensation and what's going into this?
ABEL: Correct. So — so, Andrew, back in the summer of 2022, there was the decision to sell my Berkshire Hathaway Energy stock that had really accumulated going back to 1992, I think, is the duration of those holdings. And obviously, we had built the energy company, we were acquired by Berkshire in 2000. And then in 2022, monetized it. And again, with a very similar concept, I took a portion of those proceeds on an after-tax dollar basis and purchased Berkshire stock.
QUICK: Yeah.
KERNEN: I bought — I'll just say I bought a heck of a lot more than 21 shares. (Laughter)
QUICK: Twenty-one shares that cost $730,000.
KERNEN: Oh, that's right. That's right. Yeah. You're right. You're right. This was 32. OK.
QUICK: Greg, let's talk through some other issues.
That $373 billion that you had on cash as of the last filing, do you see other opportunities? Are you looking for a big elephant — elephant hunting — as Warren always said he was doing?
ABEL: Right. So, I touched on it a little bit earlier, but the $373 million and —
QUICK: Billion.
ABEL: A billion, sorry. Thank you. And fortunately, it's a billion.
We really view that as an opportunity. And so we do continue to look across the different investment options that exist out there. And there really are options. We're looking at these different buckets and looking for the right opportunity.
But there is no need to — obviously, we want to deploy the capital into areas that we see long-term value creation for our shareholders. But the goal isn't to just take down the amount.
QUICK: I guess my question is, do you see value out there in the market right now? Are things expensive as you weigh them? Or do you see pockets of opportunity?
ABEL: As we see opportunity, you'll see the capital deployed. And we're deploying it in certain areas across our businesses, across certain repurchases of our shares, across other equity opportunities.
But the repurchase of our own shares is a great example. Is that — Warner and I were just talking about discussing this yesterday. You know, we wish we could purchase more shares of our shares, but the intrinsic value has to be there.
So, if you go back over all the years that we've been purchasing shares, if we could acquire more, that's a great use of our capital. But it has to meet that intrinsic value test.
QUICK: But that's what I'm kind of getting at. You are now the person who's going to be responsible for deploying all of this capital.
ABEL: Right.
QUICK: I guess Ted Weschler is there. He's going to be — he has six percent. He's managing his money and the money that Todd Combs was managing before, too.
ABEL: Right.
QUICK: But what is your view of the market at this point? It's something we asked of Warren all the time. Do you think things are expensive?
If you think Berkshire shares — you're going to buy back some, but you're not going to deploy everything. You'd love to buy back more, but it's not cheap enough. What do you think when you look at the overall market?
ABEL: Yeah. I mean, obviously we've commented on our shares. We file our — where we highlight what we've acquired and what we've disposed of, you know, regularly. And we have some activity there, but it's not significant.
QUICK: Yeah. Are you — I guess are you reading through 10-Ks and 10-Qs constantly and thinking, I'm looking for ways to deploy this? Or are you looking at things a little differently than maybe Warren did because you're such an operator.
ABEL: No, perfect question. Thank you.
QUICK: Yeah.
ABEL: I'm an operator, but I love businesses and I love reading.
QUICK: Yeah.
ABEL: So, I do the same thing. I'm going through Ks, Qs, I'm looking at their — what are they saying about their businesses. I'm looking at the industries that we — we traditionally look at, and incrementally, to make sure, one, have a thorough understanding of the industries, what businesses stand out there.
It doesn't mean it's an immediate — that there's an immediate value proposition there to acquire it, but that doesn't mean — or a portion of the business — but it doesn't mean it won't be there a month from now or three months.
So, I view a lot of it [as] preparation, waiting for when we see that opportunity that the value exists within a specific opportunity.
QUICK: You said you talked to Warren yesterday. How often do you talk to Warren Buffett?
ABEL: Yeah, Warren and I pretty much — he's in the office every day. So, we're talking every — if I'm in Omaha, we're always connecting.
If I'm traveling like I was yesterday, I often check in just to — just to catch up on what he's seeing, what he's hearing, what am I feeling.
So, if it's not every day, it's every couple of days.
KERNEN: Greg, would you do these large positions in, like, S&P bets that Warren has done at times in the past? He sold a lot of puts, brought in billions of dollars in premium back in the — the early 2000s.
You've made some macro — Warren used to make macro calls, or at least hedging calls, on the overall industries, not just individual stocks. Would that continue with you?
ABEL: I mean, if we see the right opportunity, yes. But it's not — it's not a strategy.
KERNEN: He hasn't done it as much lately —
ABEL: Right.
KERNEN: — I don't think. But I don't think he ever lost any money on any of those things, did he?
ABEL: No, not that I'm aware of. But I mean, as we all know, these financial markets have become more fine-tuned and those opportunities — excuse me — may or may not exist going forward, where you can see an opportunity and we would pursue or deploy capital. But if we saw an opportunity that — that made sense to us, absolutely.
KERNEN: How about you remember back in the financial crisis when major companies would say, "Warren, can you?" And he'd say, yeah, I'd be glad to step in. Here's what you'll do. Twelve percent preferred stock convertible into — yeah, eight, ten — Goldman's — blue-chip companies that — it was like a no-brainer. If I could have done it, I would have mortgaged the house and gotten those terms if I could. Would you do that again?
ABEL: Absolutely. We look — (Laughter)
KERNEN: Yeah, let me think about it. (Laughter)
You can have some time if you want.
ABEL: No, we don't need to pause on those. And — and, you know, we still — it's not a distressed time, but we still receive those calls even today. Warren receives them, myself, maybe not in a distressed situation. And we look at them and we evaluate them.
But we're always prepared to act, and we'll act decisively and quickly.
QUICK: Can you act the same way Warren did, which would be to do a deal for tens of billions of dollars and basically get it done in three days, without necessarily telling the board until after the deal had been cut?
ABEL: Well, within that period of time, we — we have a very good process in place between Warren and I and our board as to how we'll act as we have in the past and we'll act very decisively and quickly.
QUICK: So, you can do a big deal without —
ABEL: In three days, yes. Well, I would always — we have certain parameters where I would make sure, for example, our lead director is aware of what we're doing.
QUICK: OK.
ABEL: But it does allow me to act and act quickly.
QUICK: OK. What about the idea of a dividend? That was something that Warren Buffett's never been a fan of. Would you potentially give a dividend back to shareholders if you don't see other opportunities in the market?
ABEL: Yeah. And that's really, as you know, we have our dividend policy in place and the thought — and it's reviewed and approved by our board again on — on an annual basis and one that Warren has put forward every year.
And we've, we've maintained that — that we will retain a dollar if we see the opportunity to create more than a dollar for our shareholders. And that's been the test.
And we — and as long as we meet that test, we would continue to hold the dollar because we believe we can create value for our shareholders long term.
Now, incremental to that, we do see the repurchases as an opportunity, effectively, to deploy — to return capital to our shareholders—
QUICK: Instead of dividends, you're basically saying?
ABEL: Well, it's part of it. So, if we didn't meet that test, we do a dividend. But we do constantly look at the repurchase.
QUICK: I don't think I've — that's more than I think I've heard from Warren and Charlie in the past. Just the idea if you didn't make that test, you'd do a dividend. Is that something you see in the near future?
ABEL: We don't see it in the near future because we —
QUICK: OK.
ABEL: — we're clearly meeting the test as we see it. But we've always stated if we don't meet that test, that's the time.
QUICK: So, basically what you're saying is no change?
KERNEN: Correct.
QUICK: OK.
KERNEN: Could you ever see a time? (Laughter)
QUICK: Would you rather? (Laughter)
KERNEN: Warren — a lot of technology, he may not have been the first person there, but he — he finally did enter and he entered big — Apple, other — other companies.
Is there any chance that some type of blockchain, new technology, crypto-related, maybe not — maybe not bitcoin itself, maybe not — you know, ether or anything like that, but — but a company that builds out a blockchain that suddenly all the tokens are moving on this? It looks like the future.
Would that ever be a possibility or crypto would never be a word you'd see on a Berkshire — ?
ABEL: I don't think you'll see crypto —
KERNEN: Ever, in any —
ABEL: Well, ever is a long time, but I just don't see it.
What I do see is that when it comes to technology, again, from even — from an operational perspective where we're seeing how we use it, the impact it's having, it does allow us to develop strong views and a better knowledge base around certain companies that are technology companies or how we're using the technology. So, technology will always be on the table and looking at —
KERNEN: What could include some type of blockchain — ? No?
ABEL: I don't know, because I haven't seen anything that would make sense that there's a value proposition where you see the asset and how it produces value.
KERNEN: Some people think it's going to disintermediate the entire banking industry. You don't want to just watch while —
ABEL: We'll be happy with our hard assets and the companies we own at that time.
KERNEN: But not gold. But not gold. (Laughter)
What about gold miners? How about airlines? Where — where are you on that now? (Laughter)
Remember how many times Warren's been in and out of that? Oh, my God. I'm in 'em, I'm out of 'em.
ABEL: I know this is one of your favorite topics.
We're very happy that we own NetJets — (laughter) — and the service it provides to its great customers.
QUICK: Greg, let me ask you a couple of quick news questions.
First of all, back in January, Berkshire filed an SEC registration for the potential resale of up to 99.99 percent of the Kraft Heinz holdings that you own.
More recently, you did say that you supported Kraft Heinz's CEO, the decision to pause on that plan split of the company. Have you made a decision about what to do with that investment?
ABEL: Well, we did announce, as I said, support for Steve pausing it.
QUICK: Yeah.
ABEL: And just for a little bit of background, as you know, when they first said they were going to split, we didn't — we expressed concerns with it.
QUICK: You were vocal about it.
ABEL: Right.
QUICK: Yeah.
ABEL: Because they did — when they brought Kraft and Heinz together, the whole idea was that there'd be a lot of synergies, a lot of opportunities.
And then they announced — and it's as I highlight in the letter, it's been a disappointing investment. There's no question.
At the same time to break them apart when they're facing a lot of challenges and haven't resolved a lot of their issues yet, we had concerns with that, including now adding dis-synergies to it.
So, for [Kraft Heinz CEO] Steve [Cahillane] to come in and say we're pausing it, there's opportunities within Kraft Heinz to fix things and get the business back on track and then he'll evaluate things, we thought that was absolutely the right approach.
And we filed our registration — straight — statement really to be in a place that if we ever did sell, we'd be able to. But it's not that we're going to take any immediate action currently.
QUICK: OK, good.
Another issue this week, S&P said that it may own — it may cut PacifiCorp Utility, which is a Berkshire-owned utility, to junk because of the wildfires and the lawsuits that have been resolved about it.
This is another issue you touched on in your letter to shareholders. I think in the letter to shareholders, you basically said you accept responsibility for wildfires, but you're going to fight unjustified claims in court. And you think that this is one of those situations.
ABEL: Correct. So, anytime we're responsible for something, we're willing to take absolute responsibility for it and resolve such matters.
But there is a delicate balance, and it goes well beyond wildfires in the utility industry. The wildfires are very specific to the West, and we've seen some challenges in Texas and the Midwest that, you know, it's not an issue just to the West, but you can see it creeping.
But what we see is a bigger issue in the regular — in the utility industry, and that is, does the regulatory compacts continue to exist? And by the regulatory compact, I mean we deploy capital into these businesses. We were — we receive a return that's reflective of us taking a certain amount of risk.
And the minute they start expanding that risk to be pretty much anything, including things you're not responsible for, we're saying that's — that wasn't the investment thesis. That's not the relationship that existed.
QUICK: Just to put some context to this, this came after a February 25th ruling where an Oregon jury awarded $305 million to 16 plaintiffs. That's about $19 million per plaintiff. Those plaintiffs blame PacifiCorp for not turning off the electricity.
ABEL: Right. And there were lessons learned because if you look — and that's what we're saying — when there are ones where we clearly cause a fire [by] not turning off the electricity, we're taking responsibility for those.
But separately, there were a number of fires there. And this gets beyond. But — but there is one area and one fire we're pushing back and it represents more than 60 percent of claims. It was a lightning strike.
And we're just saying we're not responsible for that. We're sorry, absolutely, that these people's lives have been impacted. We feel for them. But that's not the utility's responsibility to take on those costs and obligations. So, that's where we're drawing the line.
KERNEN: You guys know the insurance business pretty well, I think, don't you? You know when you're covered or things you need to cover and things that you can't run a business if —
ABEL: Right. And it goes back to that regulatory compact. That's not part of — we didn't sign up for that.
QUICK: This was your first letter that you wrote. It was a long one. Eighteen pages or so. It's — (Laughter)
KERNEN: Is that AI?
ABEL: No. (Laughter)
But I will say on the length, that's the first response I get from everybody when they text me as they're reading it.
KERNEN: Yeah.
ABEL: Jeez, this is really long and halfway through.
And I use this quote back to them. and it won't be a perfect quote. But I — Lincoln — President Lincoln — said, yes, this letter is very long, but I didn't have time to make it shorter. (Laughter)
QUICK: Was that hard?
ABEL: I use that to everyone because everybody would be texting me, I'm halfway through — but so far, it's going well. (Laughter)
I text them that that quote every time.
QUICK: I mean, you're stepping into some pretty big shoes. Warren's been writing that letter for 60 years and it's something that had a huge following. Was it tough letter to write?
ABEL: Absolutely. So, those are — there's — those — the shoes to fill are tough on all fronts.
But Warren's an exceptional communicator and how he does it.
So, to take the letter and really want to make sure we're communicating to our — again, to our owners and shareholders — something that they would value. It was not easy.
I've told Warren of all the — listen, the responsibilities transferred are great. As far as the work and the task I had to do, that was the toughest to sit down and make sure that that was done, at least from my perspective, well.
And unfortunately, when I — when we were discussing it, he said, and the second letter doesn't get any easier.
QUICK: So, you have that to look forward to.
ABEL: Yeah, exactly. That's not what I wanted to hear. (Laughter)
KERNEN: Every year. And it'll come fast, too. It's like you just finish it like that, like — like taxes.
ABEL: But you know what when you —
KERNEN: Yeah, yeah.
ABEL: You know, when you do write it, it's like everything, or when you prepare for something, it's valuable.
KERNEN: Yeah.
ABEL: I had to reflect on a lot of things.
KERNEN: Right. And then when you're done, it's just leading into this.
ABEL: It's leading into it, right. Exactly.
QUICK: Greg, very quickly.
ABEL: Yes.
QUICK: Operating income was down in the fourth quarter, more than 29 percent. That was largely because of weakness in the insurance business. And underwriting profits were down, I think close to 50 percent. What happened?
ABEL: Yeah. So, in the fourth quarter, which then translated for the 12-month results, is that, yeah, our insurance results were down. You can see a lot of capital coming into the industry.
We're going to — we, or our team — Ajit and his team — will continue to apply the discipline that the price and the risk have to be right for us to write a policy.
So, as we back out of that with capital coming in, you'll see those results be what they are relative to how much capital we deploy into it.
So, that had a significant impact.
And then the other piece of that is we did, across our non-insurance businesses, take a $1.555 billion dollar impairment. And that was across four of our businesses, and realistically, smaller businesses in challenged industries.
If it had been any of our major businesses, I would have touched on it. But it really related to four of our smaller businesses, again, and in industries that we see as challenged.
QUICK: Greg Abel, the new CEO at Berkshire Hathaway, sitting down with us for the first time today. We really appreciate it, Greg. And we look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.
ABEL: Absolutely.
KERNEN: So, it's not Creighton anymore, is it? Is it — do you have a team that you like in — March Madness is coming and —
ABEL: I'll be — I'll be — I'll be cheering for — let's just say, Joe, as you touched on earlier, all the Midwest teams.
KERNEN: All the Midwest teams. (Laughter)
QUICK: All of them.
ABEL: All of them.
KERNEN: All of them.
ABEL: We've got — you know, my wife's from Iowa State. I have allegiances with Nebraska because I mentioned earlier my one grandfather was born in Unadilla, Nebraska. I've always followed the Cornhuskers. You name it. I've got a spectrum of teams. And my family reminds me of that — pick a team. (Laughter)
KERNEN: I would say it was looking good. And I bet on them. And that's they were number four. Yeah, they lost the last two games, I think.
ABEL: Yeah, they've had a rough couple of games. Hopefully they find it. But it's been a pleasure to be on. Thank you, Becky. Thank you, Joe.
KERNEN: Thank you.
ABEL: And it's great to be here.
KERNEN: Don't be — don't be a stranger.
ABEL: Absolutely not.
KERNEN: Yeah, great to have you back. Thank you.
ABEL: Thank you.
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BRK.A stock price: $747,800.00
BRK.B stock price: $498.98
BRK.B P/E (TTM): 16.08
Berkshire market capitalization: $1,076,116,670,958
Berkshire Cash as of December 31: $373.3 billion (Down 2.2% from Sept. 30)
Excluding Rail Cash and Subtracting T-Bills Payable: $369.0 billion (Up 4.1% from September 30)
Berkshire resumed stock repurchases on March 4, 2025, but did not release any details.
(All figures are as of the date of publication, unless otherwise indicated)
Berkshire's top holdings of disclosed publicly traded stocks in the U.S. and Japan, by market value, based on the latest closing prices.
Holdings are as of September 30, 2025, as reported in Berkshire Hathaway's 13F filing on November 14, 2025, except for:
The full list of holdings and current market values is available from CNBC.com's Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Tracker.
Please send any questions or comments about the newsletter to me at alex.crippen@cnbc.com. (Sorry, but we don't forward questions or comments to Buffett himself.)
If you aren't already subscribed to this newsletter, you can sign up here.
Also, Buffett's annual letters to shareholders are highly recommended reading. There are collected here on Berkshire's website.
-- Alex Crippen, Editor, Warren Buffett Watch
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Trump encouraged regional leaders gathered at his Miami-area golf club to take military action against drug trafficking cartels and transnational gangs that he says pose an "unacceptable threat" to the hemisphere's national security.
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The gathering, which the White House called the "Shield of the Americas" summit, came just two months after Trump ordered an audacious U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela's then-president, Nicolás Maduro, and whisk him and his wife to the United States to face drug conspiracy charges.
Looming even larger is Trump's decision to join with Israel to launch a war on Iran one week ago, a conflict that has left hundreds dead, convulsed global markets and unsettled the broader Middle East.
Trump's time with the Latin American leaders was limited: After, he was setting out for Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, to be on hand for the dignified transfer of the six U.S. troops killed in a drone strike on a command center in Kuwait, one day after the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran.
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Trump also said the U.S. will turn its attention to Cuba after the war with Iran and suggested his administration would cut a deal with Havana, underscoring Washington's increasingly aggressive stance against the island's communist leadership. "Great change will soon be coming to Cuba," he said, adding that "they're very much at the end of the line."
The leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago joined the Republican president at Trump National Doral Miami, a golf resort where he is also set to host the Group of 20 summit later this year.
The idea for a summit of like-minded conservatives from across the hemisphere emerged from the ashes of what was to be the 10th edition of the Summit of the Americas, which was scrapped during the U.S. military buildup off the coast of Venezuela last year.
Host Dominican Republic, pressured by the White House, had barred Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from attending the regional gathering. But after leftist leaders in Colombia and Mexico threatened to pull out in protest — and with no commitment from Trump to attend — the Dominican Republic's president, Luis Abinader, decided at the last minute to postpone the event, citing "deep differences" in the region.
The Shield of the Americas moniker was meant to speak to Trump's vision for a "America First" foreign policy toward the region that leverages U.S. military and intelligence assets unseen across the area since the end of the Cold War.
Notably missing at the event were the region's two dominant powers — Brazil and Mexico — as well as Colombia, long the linchpin of U.S. anti-narcotics strategy in the region.
Richard Feinberg, who helped plan the first Summit of Americas in 1994 while working at the National Security Council in the Clinton White House, said the contrast could not be starker.
"The first Summit of the Americas, with 34 nations and a carefully negotiated comprehensive agenda for regional competitiveness, projected inclusion, consensus and optimism," said Feinberg, now professor emeritus at the University of California, San Diego. "The hastily convened Shield of the Americas mini-summit conjures a crouched defensiveness, with only a dozen or so attendees huddled around a single dominant figure."
Since returning to the White House, Trump has made countering Chinese influence in the hemisphere a top priority. His national security strategy promotes the "Trump Corollary" to the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which had sought to ban European incursions in the Americas, by targeting Chinese infrastructure projects, military cooperation, and investment in the region's resource industries.
The first demonstration of the more muscular approach was Trump's strong-arming of Panama to withdraw from China's Belt and Road Initiative and review long-term port contracts held by a Hong Kong-based company amid U.S. threats to retake the Panama Canal.
More recently, the U.S. capture of Maduro and Trump's pledge to "run" Venezuela threatens to disrupt oil shipments to China — the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude before the raid — and bring into Washington's orbit one of Beijing's closest allies in the region. Trump is scheduled to travel to Beijing later this month to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
But even leaders closely aligned with Trump have been reluctant to sever ties with China, said Evan Ellis, an expert on Chinese engagement in the region at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
For many countries, China's trade-focused diplomacy fills a critical financial void in a region facing major development challenges, from poverty reduction to infrastructure bottlenecks. In contrast, Trump has been slashing foreign assistance to the region while rewarding countries lined up behind his crackdown on immigration — a policy widely unpopular across the hemisphere.
"The U.S. is offering the region tariffs, deportations and militarization whereas China is offering trade and investment," said Kevin Gallagher, director of Boston University's Global Development Policy Center, who has written extensively about China's economic diplomacy in the Americas. "Leaders in the region would do well to remain neutral and hedge, such that they can leverage increased U.S.-China rivalry to their own benefit."
Before the summit, Trump named Kristi Noem, whom he just removed as his Department of Homeland Security secretary, as his special envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
Noem said Trump will announce "a big agreement" at the summit centered on "how we're going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere."
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Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya said he can't believe how much his software startup is spending on AI.
"Our costs have more than tripled since November of 25," Palihapitiya said during an episode of the "All-In Podcast" posted on Friday. "Between the inference cost that we pay AWS, which is ginormous, between our cost with Cursor, between Anthropic, we are just spending millions."
Palihapitiya said 8090, which he started with "the goal of replacing/rewriting all the legacy software in the world," is trending toward spending $10 million a year on AI costs. His concern about ballooning bills comes as the tech industry continues to digest how AI is upending well-established fields like software engineering.
The biggest fear Palihapitiya expressed is that while AI costs are rising, 8090's revenues are not increasing at the same pace.
"The problem is that my costs are going up 3X every three months," he said. "My revenues are not."
The current system, Palihapitiya said on X, is partially subsidized by large venture capital firms that remain some of the biggest backers of AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Some in tech have questioned the sustainability of the current approach, comparing it to how Uber rides were first cheap and then increased in cost over time.
"Thank you to the VCs who will fund this all-you-can-eat token consumption through their huge investments," he wrote.
Palihapitiya singled out Cursor, a popular AI coding tool, as a source of some of 8090's biggest AI costs. He said that Anthropic's Claude Code is a much better bargain.
"We need to migrate off of Cursor," he wrote on X. "Its just too expensive vs Claude Code. The latter is equivalent and if you use the Pro plan, you eliminate huge Cursor bills for token consumption."
Concerns about rising AI usage bills are still bubbling up. OpenCode creator Dax Raad recently said that CFOs are beginning to wake up to the cost of AI bills.
"Your CFO is like what do you mean each engineer now costs $2000 extra per month in LLM bills," Raad wrote on X.
Palihapitiya said that he suspects some of 8090's AI bills might be due to Ralph loops, the nickname for a usage technique that essentially keeps feeding the same prompt back into an AI model until the problem is solved. The approach is named after "The Simpsons" character Ralph Wiggum, a beloved doofus who can be very persistent.
"Everybody has gotten infatuated with what we call these Ralph Wiggum loops, just like send the thing off and it'll just go figure something out," Palihapitiya said during the podcast. "A, It never figures anything out. And B, you just get this ginormous bill from Cursor."
Going forward, Palihapitiya said there needs to be more flexibility to switch between models. He said that Anthropic's recent falling out with the Pentagon illustrates why this is needed.
"We need to gain more flexibility to swap between models without everything breaking," he wrote on X. "I think this is both a cost problem per #1 but its also a strategic flexibility issue after the events between Anthropic and DoW."
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Former United States trade representative Robert Lighthizer resigned from Trump Media & Technology's board of directors, effective Friday, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
During U.S. President Donald Trump's first term, Lighthizer played a crucial role as trade chief in the imposition of hefty tariffs on Chinese imports and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada.
His departure from the board and its committees was not due to any disagreements with the company's management or the board, the filing said.
Founded by Trump and known for its Truth Social platform aimed at conservative audiences, Trump Media has struggled to scale its media business amid competition from larger social networks and uneven user growth.
The company has been considering spinning off Truth Social into a publicly traded company.
In a strategic pivot in December, the company agreed to merge with California-based TAE Technologies in an all-stock deal valued at over $6 billion, shifting its focus to fusion energy and forming a publicly traded company developing utility-scale power plants to meet rising electricity demand, including from artificial intelligence data centers.
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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gautami Nadkarni, 33, who lives in New Jersey. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
In 2024, six years into my time at Google, I started questioning myself.
I joined as a customer engineer in the Google Cloud org in 2018. My job was to design scalable cloud solutions that would help Google's enterprise customers manage their data and operations. At the time, cloud computing was the thing everyone in the industry was talking about.
By 2023 and 2024, AI was cropping up more in my projects and client conversations. In one, customers said they wanted to implement AI in every part of their business. It felt like a huge shift, and I saw the writing on the wall of where the industry was headed.
By early 2025, I made moves to pivot my career into AI. In November 2025, I transitioned at Google from a customer engineer who focused on infrastructure and data analytics at different times to one specializing in AI.
Instead of shielding myself from disruptions that AI was causing in my industry, my "inner voice" told me to move towards them, and it paid off.
I was interested in AI for years before 2023's chatbot boom, but I wasn't sure if I was smart enough to work on something so complicated. As AI grew more prominent, I realized I needed to think about my career strategically.
I knew that to grow, I'd need to be uncomfortable and that just saying "I'm interested in AI" at networking events without proof of work wouldn't get me anywhere. Instead of overthinking, I jumped into AI upskilling in late 2024.
I followed the "80/20" rule, spending 80% of my week on my existing role and using AI to automate parts of my role to free up 20% of time for AI upskilling. For example, I'd use AI to take meeting notes and produce action items, but I'd also work after hours when I needed to finish a critical part of my job.
To learn more about AI, I completed a GenAI certification, watched YouTube videos, and used AI to teach me about itself. I dumped resources, like PDFs, into NotebookLM, which can produce audio overviews and visual aids, and answer your questions about the information you feed it. I used it like a personal tutor, asking it to quiz me on core concepts.
I also used AI to create an automated newsletter that would email me every morning at 9 a.m., showing me the top five or 10 news articles about general developments in the AI world.
Within my role, I took advantage of opportunities to improve my AI skills. If a customer had an AI-specific issue, I would take on the challenge myself before going to one of Google's AI experts and asking them for feedback on how I addressed the problem.
I aimed to meet one new person in the AI space every two weeks, both in and outside of Google, and I used my Fridays to book time on my calendar with others. They'd tell me how they pivoted into their career, and I'd think through how I could replicate their success.
I asked one person with a Ph.D in AI if I needed one to work in this field, who assured me it wasn't necessary. This kind of encouragement while networking helped me feel less intimidated about entering AI.
I started networking with my peers, and then I spoke with marketing teams at Google, who'd said they were looking for technically proficient Google employees to represent the company at speaking events. I asked if there were any AI-related speaking opportunities I could volunteer for, which led to my first speaking engagement. I presented a new Google AI product I had prior experience using in my role, and also about Google's agentic AI vision.
Since then, I've done several speaking engagements at AI-focused events, which have helped me work toward being an industry leader in this space.
In August 2025, I saw a role open internally at Google for a customer engineer in AI and machine learning within the Google Cloud org.
The interview process tested my AI skills, and my interviewers said they'd seen me putting myself out there in the AI space. I feel like all the personal brand building I did put me in a better position.
I started in November 2025. My role is still customer-facing, but unlike before, when I was more like a first point of contact, I'm now a specialist who is called upon when an AI expert is needed to solve customer issues.
I see my career pivot as future-defining, not just future-proofing, actively positioning myself where the disruption is occurring, and where it's creating the most economic value.
We don't know what will happen in the future, but I think AI will stay for a while. It was important for me to be at the forefront and to be in charge of my own career, rather than play it safe.
Do you have a story to share about AI disrupting and transforming your career? Contact this reporter at ccheong@businessinsider.com
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With wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine, a new era of drone warfare has arrived that's harming more civilians.
Skies are full of large, powerful, and lethal drones that are much cheaper than cruise and ballistic missiles. That means more of them are being launched and need to be stopped.
The United Arab Emirates, for example, said that as of Wednesday, it had intercepted far more drones than missiles: 876, compared to 183 ballistic and cruise missiles.
The process of defeating drones and missiles can cause problems of its own. There are more targets to intercept, and US allies have said that objects hit in flight have killed civilians and damaged homes.
"Large-scale drone war is a civilian risk because there are more projectiles in the fight than if it were just missiles, thus inherently creating more debris," Molly Campbell, a drone and counterdrone warfare expert at the Center for a New American Security, told Business Insider. It's not that drone debris inherently causes more damage than missile debris, but there can be so much more of it.
The use of drones in warfare is surging. Ukraine says Russia attacks with about 6,000 Geran drones modeled after Iran's Shaheds each month. A Shahed drone has a wingspan of roughly 8 feet and can carry a warhead up to 110 pounds.
Militaries want to stop attacks before they reach a military target, and that could be dangerous if they're flying over populated areas.
The problem is that "what goes up must come down," Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI.
A missile that hits its target will typically cause more damage than a drone due to its higher speed and larger warhead.
It's simply dangerous when "large numbers of drones are being intercepted over populated areas," as James Patton Rogers, a drone expert at the Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute, put it to BI.
Most drone interceptions in the Middle East appear to be kinetic, which involves a projectile launched to hit and destroy them. "Kinetic interceptions create debris, and the risk of collateral damage is real and particularly complex in the urban settings we're seeing in the Gulf," said Campbell, the drone expert at the CNAS think tank.
Interception comes with its own risks. It could merely deflect the threat or achieve a partial hit that divides the missile into fragments that leaves its warhead active.
The problem of debris from intercepting an attack isn't new, and it's long been a factor in missile defense. In Europe, for example, Douglas Barrie, an air warfare expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told BI that there has always been the knowledge of "if you try to intercept things at extended range, then you might be shooting something down effectively over somebody else's airspace," and cause damage to an ally.
The problem with drones, Barrie said, is that "there are so many of them that if you intercept them at comparatively short range and it's a kind of urban or a quasi-built-up environment, then some of them are going to fall in populated areas. It's inevitable."
Militaries can and do try to intercept attacks while causing minimal damage. Modern air defense systems track threats like drones and missiles to give air defense crews a sense of what they threaten and whether they should be countered.
Rogers said that civilians can often become better protected over time in a long conflict or war, as "a kind of bunkerisation begins to take place as societies adapt to the risk." In Ukraine, for example, people receive alerts about bombardment and move to hardened shelters. But that's also a negative outcome: "In that sense, drones don't just kill people, they take the life out of a city."
The low cost of drones enabled so many more of them to be used. Iran's Shahed one-way attack drones cost an estimated $20,000 to $50,000 each, for example. Missiles cost far more: hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars each.
The effects of large-scale drone warfare are clear in Ukraine, where drones are being used more than in any other conflict in history. Ukriane's military relies on them, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in January that Russia had fired more than 57,000 of its Shahed-style drones since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Russia's drones have devastated Ukraine. Many still caused harm even after being intercepted.
Both the Middle East and Ukraine show that "future conflicts will likely feature high-volume drone and missile attacks designed to saturate air defenses," meaning more of them flying over and near civilian areas, Campbell said.
Countries will need to stop these attacks, making the debris risk unavoidable, Campbell said.
"Debris from kinetic interceptions compounds this risk — but it remains far preferable to allowing an armed drone or missile to hit its target."
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Iran said it struck a U.S. air base in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, shortly after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would stop attacking neighboring countries.
Iran's Tasnim News agency said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' navy drone unit attacked the Al Dhafra air base south of the capital Abu Dhabi.
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. Its Ministry of Defence said in a post on X that it detected 121 unmanned aerial vehicles on Satruday, intercepted 119 of them, "while two fell within the territory of the UAE."
Pezeshkian said earlier on Saturday that his country does not intend to attack others and apologized to neighbors in the Gulf after a week of retaliatory strikes as the U.S. and Israel maintained their military pressure on Tehran.
But Pezeshkian said the U.S. can "take their dreams to the grave; we will not surrender unconditionally." Pezeshkian made the statement via Iran's national news agency's Telegram social media channel.
"I apologize to the neighboring countries," Pezeshkian said. "We do not intend to invade other countries. Let us set aside all the disagreements, concerns, and resentments we have toward each other. Today, let us defend our own soil to bring Iran out of this crisis with dignity."
U.S. President Donald Trump said the apology came after the "relentless U.S. and Israeli attack."
"Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account.
"Today Iran will be hit very hard!" Trump wrote.
U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran continued on Saturday, one week after they launched their joint campaign to rid Tehran of its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities while also pushing for regime change.
Tehran's energy-rich neighbors in the Gulf said they intercepted more missiles and drones headed for their airspace from Iran as the country's president apologized for the attacks.
"U.S. forces have struck over 3,000 targets in the first week of Operation Epic Fury, and we are not slowing down," U.S. Central Command said in a post on X.
Two influential Iranian clerics on Saturday called for the swift selection of a new supreme leader, Iranian media reported.
One of the clerics, Naser Makarem Shirazi, a grand ayatollah who commands a broad following for his religious rulings, said an appointment was needed swiftly to "help better organize the country's affairs," state media reported.
The calls suggest that at least some in the clerical establishment are uncomfortable with leaving a three-man council in charge — even temporarily under constitutional rules — after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump has argued the U.S. should have a role in choosing the new leader, a demand Iran has rejected.
Trump on Friday demanded the unconditional surrender from Iran, raising fears of a prolonged war that could wreak havoc on the global oil and gas market. The war has already brought traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for energy supplies, to a near standstill.
Israel's military said "another wave of attacks in Tehran has been completed".
"Within the framework of these attacks, Air Force fighter jets launched approximately 230 munitions toward several military sites of the regime," the Israel Defense Forces said in a Farsi post on X.
The targets included the Central Military University of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a missile storage site and an underground site for storing and producing ballistic missiles, the IDF said.
The strikes involved more than 80 Israeli fighter jets, the IDF said in a separate post.
"These strikes degrade the Iranian regime's ability to fire at Israeli civilians," the IDF said.
Countries in the region said they launched air defenses to fend off Iranian attacks.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense reported the "interception and destruction of a drone east of Riyadh city".
The UAE's biggest city, Dubai, issued an alert urging residents to seek immediate shelter in secure buildings and stay away from windows, doors and open areas.
U.S. crude oil on Friday posted its biggest weekly gain in futures trading history, as the escalating war in the Middle East has triggered a major disruption to global fuel supplies.
U.S. crude soared 35.63% for the biggest weekly gain in the history of the futures contract dating back to 1983. Brent jumped about 28% for its biggest weekly gain since April 2020.
West Texas Intermediate futures surged 12.21%, or $9.89, to close at $90.90 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent rallied 8.52%, or $7.28, to settle at $92.69 per barrel.
— CNBC's Emma Graham and Reuters contributed reporting
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Alphabet's chief executive just got a new equity pay package that, for the first time, ties a chunk of his payout to Waymo, the company's robotaxi service.
In an SEC filing posted on Friday, the company awarded CEO Sundar Pichai a three-year equity cycle that could be worth up to $692 million if the CEO meets the board's performance targets.
Much of the package remains unchanged from the CEO's 2022 award, according to the filing. The new incentives revolve around the value of two of Alphabet's "Other Bets": Waymo and Wing Aviation, a drone delivery service.
According to the filing, Pichai could be awarded up to $260 million depending on the increase in Waymo's per-unit value over a three-year period, as determined by the compensation committee — essentially, the board's estimate of what a single Waymo equity unit is worth.
The company doesn't list specific operational milestones Pichai will have to reach. A spokesperson for Alphabet declined to comment.
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In addition, the company granted the CEO Wing-linked equity units that could be worth up to $90 million, contingent on the company's per-unit value over the next three years.
Tying Pichai's compensation to Waymo and Wing is a signal that Alphabet no longer views the two entities as moonshot experiments but rather as assets representing valuable, scalable businesses
The board said in the filing that "incentivizing Mr. Pichai to focus his efforts on developing and scaling Alphabet's later stage Other Bets, such as Waymo and Wing," is in the best interests of Alphabet and its stakeholders.
Waymo, which began as a project inside Google's moonshot factory in 2009, has driven over 200 million autonomous miles to date. This year, the company expanded its commercial service to 10 markets, serving riders in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando.
Wing is another moonshot factory venture that began in 2012. The company, which provides last-mile drone delivery services, became an independent Alphabet subsidiary in 2018. Wing announced in January that it would expand to more than 270 Walmart stores by 2027.
Pichai maintains a base salary of $2 million, unchanged since 2020, and will be awarded performance stock units (PSUs) tied to Alphabet's total shareholder returns relative to the S&P 100. The max value of the PSUs could be worth up to $252 million.
There's also a time-based equity package that will award Pichai $84 million, provided he stays with the company for the next three years.
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Mayer Mizrachi, the 38-year-old mayor of Panama City, wants Elon Musk to build him a pedestrian tunnel under the Panama Canal. And Musk's Boring Company recently announced it just might.
Panama City this week was named one of 16 finalists — the only one outside the United States — in the company's Tunnel Vision challenge, which offers the winning municipality a free tunnel that can be used for freight, pedestrians, water, utilities or Loop — the electric, underground system that uses Tesla vehicles to transport people.
Mizrachi's idea is a 0.6 mile pedestrian tunnel under the Panama Canal, which would give city residents a chance to "live" its history and take advantage of the vital maritime trade route that is critical to the global economy. More recently, the canal has been the subject of geopolitical tensions as President Donald Trump threatened to take control of the waterway because, he said, the US was being ripped off by high fees and that it had come under Chinese influence. In February 2025, Panama withdrew from China's Belt and Road initiative.
The winner will be announced on March 23. Of the 16 finalists, half were in Tennessee or Texas, where the Boring Company is headquartered and where Mizrachi recently went to make his pitch. The project, if chosen, has the potential to tie together Mizrachi, the former DOGE leader, and the Panama Canal that Trump once fixated on seizing.
Mizrachi, the youngest mayor in the city's history, founded Criptext, a secure email platform, and, like Trump, has styled himself as an outsider. Like Musk, he came to office looking to cut government in the name of efficiency and insists he has succeeded.
In an interview with POLITICO, which is, along with Business Insider, part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, Mizrachi said the tunnel proposal began as a last-minute response to a Boring Company social media post and ballooned from there.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did the tunnel idea begin, and what exactly was your pitch to The Boring Company?
Mizrachi: I merely just ran into a tweet by the Boring Company in January, and they had this tunnel vision challenge, and they were offering a free tunnel up to a mile long anywhere around the world to the best idea. I did a visit in January to the existing tunnel that's being built for a subway station in Panama City, and I said, "What if we built a pedestrian tunnel crossing the canal with parks on either side? You can tell the story of how the canal was built and the history of the country, and the biodiversity."
City planners started working on a proposal, and they kind of really brought the plane in for a landing with a beautiful proposal, and we submitted that on the last minute of the last day.
What did you learn in Texas about how The Boring Company would approach this project?
Mizrachi: We met with Jim Fitzgerald, the VP for global, and we kind of took a 101 on how a Boring Company project works. Tunnels are freaking expensive. But it turns out that the way that they do it makes it actually feasible, and it's quite a wonder the way that they have put this together.
And as I told Jim, I said, "Listen, I know this is very preliminary, and here are many other projects that they're considering, but you know, it would be quite a marvel that 100 years ago, you know, the US built the canal, and then 100 years later, that they would build a tunnel that crosses the canal in a modern marvel of engineering in the way that they do it."
They reuse their tunneling machines. Whereas typically, the tunneling machines are built specifically for a given project, and then they get buried with the project.
What would this tunnel mean for Panama, especially at a moment when the canal is caught up in broader geopolitical tensions?
Mizrachi: First of all, Panamanians, we're really proud of the canal, its management, its history, but we seldom get to live it. So it's like the rest of the world uses the canal. But you know, Panamanians, we don't live the canal. You could go to the Miraflores Locks, and you go to the tourist center. You can maybe see a ship, but we don't really live it.
So the vision here is you create a public space where you integrate families, tourists, and they can cross the canal themselves with an underground tunnel that's 0.6 miles, the distance. It's quite short, and I can only imagine it being almost an educational experience, where you can have screens, very thin screens, because the space is not that big, but thin screens that are showing the story, the history of how the canal was built, the biodiversity of Panama, and then stats on the canal, the impact that it has on world trade, etc. It started as an idea, but it's shaping up. And I think it goes above my pay grade. I spoke to the president [of Panama] about this. This needs to be handled by a task force designated by the president in representation with the entire country.
Why do you think Panama City could beat out American cities for this project?
Mizrachi: Well, there's one very unique thing about this. They don't have a canal. The Boring Company has never bored underwater, much less crossing a canal. And I think it's part of the value proposition to show themselves as engineers, how far they can go with their mindset, with their methodology and their ingenuity.
Also it's a pedestrian tunnel. So it's not a loop tunnel that is managed and operated by the Boring Company. So if you think of Vegas, they operate the Loop itself. So, here, it's a lot more hands off. They build a tunnel, and they don't have to have an active operation.
You've drawn comparisons between your work and DOGE-style cost cutting in Washington. How do you describe your governing approach?
Mizrachi: I mean, honestly, I still consider myself an outsider. I am not subscribed to any political party, and I still very much employ the mindset of the tech entrepreneurial efficiency and try things before you scale things, which is uncommon in politics.
As soon as I came into office in July 2024, I realized people's money was being wasted on a scale that I was just shocked to see. So we were able to reduce the size of City Hall personnel by 50% so it used to have 6,500 people. We reduced it to about 3,500 people. And by all counts, City Hall is operating faster and better with more impact, tangible, visible impact, with less people. And also, we reduced the budget by about 32%, so we did the biggest budget reduction in the history of the city as well.
This story originally ran in POLITICO's West Wing Playbook and appears on Business Insider through the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. The network publishes major stories from the Axel Springer network of publications, a worldwide group of news outlets that includes Business Insider.
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AI is about to change healthcare. These 32 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10b in market cap - there's still time to get in early.
To own Bitmine Immersion Technologies, you have to buy into a very concentrated Ethereum thesis and a still-evolving operating story. The company's move to 4.474 million ETH, roughly 3.71% of supply, reinforces that it is positioning itself less as a traditional software name and more as an Ethereum infrastructure and treasury vehicle, with MAVAN as a future monetization layer. In the near term, the key catalysts remain progress on MAVAN toward the early 2026 launch, evidence that staking yields can support the current valuation, and how the new leadership team beds in after a rapid board and C‑suite refresh. The latest ETH purchase likely strengthens the bull case but also amplifies existing risks around crypto price exposure, share dilution capacity after the charter amendment, and already elevated share price volatility.
Twenty four Simply Wall St Community fair value estimates for Bitmine span from well under US$1 to well into triple digits, underscoring how far apart opinions sit. Set that against Bitmine's heavy reliance on Ethereum appreciation and successful MAVAN execution, and it becomes clear why you may want to weigh multiple viewpoints before forming your own stance.
Explore 24 other fair value estimates on Bitmine Immersion Technologies - why the stock might be worth less than half the current price!
Disagree with this assessment? Extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd, so go with your instincts.
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Block CEO Jack Dorsey says his company will support stablecoins, despite having long argued that Bitcoin should serve as the internet's native money protocol.
In an interview with WIRED, Dorsey acknowledged the change while making clear it reflects customer demand rather than a shift in personal belief.
“I don't like that we're going to support stablecoins but our customers want to use them,” he said. “I don't think it's wise to go from one gatekeeper to another.”
The move marks a pragmatic turn for one of Silicon Valley's most vocal Bitcoin advocates. For years, Dorsey framed Block's crypto strategy around Bitcoin alone, backing mining hardware development and integrating the asset into products such as Cash App.
The company first introduced the option for users to buy and sell bitcoin on the Cash App, and the company received a BitLicense from New York regulators the following year.
Block started a Bitcoin development arm and funded Bitcoin and Lightning Network developers in 2019, and started accumulating bitcoin for its corporate treasury in 2020. It currently holds 8,888.3 BTC, worth more than $600 million.
Stablecoins have surged in the meantime. Fiat currency-pegged tokens now circulate widely across crypto markets and cross-border payments, with their total market capitalization reaching $318 billion, according to CoinMarketCap data.
Competition is also intensifying. Payment companies, including Stripe and PayPal, have already integrated stablecoin infrastructure, increasing pressure on Block to offer similar options to avoid losing users, though Dorsey didn't mention these during the interview.
This isn't the first time Dorsey's Block has reluctantly endorsed stablecoins.
In November last year, Block's Cash App announced it was adding support for stablecoins, making them “interoperable with a customer's USD cash balance.” Stablecoin deposits, the firm said, would instantly be converted into U.S. dollars in users' balances.
That development was notable as back in 2024, when Facebook was working on its since-scrapped Libra stablecoin and the Libra Association behind it, Dorsey said with a definitive “Hell no,” that he would not be joining the crypto payments scheme.
At the time, Dorsey notably said the project “was born out of a company's intention, and it's not consistent with what I personally believe and what I want our company to stand for.”
In true bitcoin purist fashion, he continues to argue that Bitcoin's decentralized design makes it the best candidate for an open financial protocol.
The comments come after the company cut its workforce by roughly 40%, citing structural changes driven by artificial intelligence. While the layoffs sparked controversy over whether the company had overhired, Dorsey brushed off the question during the WIRED interview and doubled down on the AI angle.
“These [AI] tools are presenting a future that entirely changes how a company is structured,” Dorsey said in the interview, noting that the layoffs weren't about fixing the company's cost and revenue per employee, because his firm was "already ahead" of all of its competitors on those metrics.
“I don't know what the ultimate outcome is, but I do know it's going to have a dramatic effect,” Dorsey added.
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Kalshi, Polymarket seeking $20 billion valuations in fundraising talks: WSJ
Kalshi, approved by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was last valued at $11 billion, while Polymarket was valued at $9 billion.
What to know:
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.
Circle has begun using its own stablecoin infrastructure to move money between internal entities, settling $68 million in transfers using USDC, CEO Jeremy Allaire said Saturday.
The transactions were executed through Circle Mint, the company's platform for minting and redeeming USDC. The firm's treasury team used the system to carry out intercompany transfer pricing — routine internal payments between subsidiaries — that would normally be handled via bank wires.
Those transfers often take one to three days to settle and depend on banking hours and cut-off windows. Meanwhile, stablecoin settlement runs around the clock, and the company completed the transfers in under 30 minutes, Allaire said in the X post.
In the first month of using the setup, Circle moved more than $68 million across 11 transactions between eight entities. The firm said roughly 90% of its transfer pricing activity was completed within a single day.
Treasury teams executed the payments using role-based permissions and approval workflows inside Mint, a setup designed to mirror controls common in corporate banking portals. The platform also produces transaction-level reports aligned with bank statement standards, allowing accounting teams to reconcile onnchain transfers with internal ledgers and external accounting systems.
One persistent challenge in intercompany transfers is “cash in transit,” where funds leave one entity but cannot yet be booked as available by the recipient while the payment clears. Stablecoin settlement shortens that gap because transfers confirm within minutes.
Circle said upcoming updates to Mint will focus on multi-entity treasury operations, including easier transfers between accounts and APIs that connect transaction reporting with accounting systems such as Oracle.
The changes are scheduled to roll out in March, the firm said in a blog post.
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Bitcoin purist Jack Dorsey says that his firm is reluctantly giving in to stablecoin craze
The shift comes as stablecoins surge in popularity and competitors like Stripe and PayPal add stablecoin options, increasing market pressure.
What to know:
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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The price of Bitcoin slid further Saturday, dropping to $68,000 after earlier this week breaking above $70,000 for the first time in a month.
Bitcoin's price recently stood at $68,005, according to CoinGecko, a 3% drop over the past day. Over the past week, the coin has risen by more than 6%.
Its drop comes after exchange-traded fund investors reversed course and quickly redeemed their shares on Thursday and Friday, cashing out a total of $576.8 million, according to Farside Investors.
The rest of the week saw positive flows into the funds, and on Wednesday, the coin reached as high as $73,669.
Experts previously told DL News that a war between Iran and the US would lead investors to de-risk.
And when Israel and the US did finally bomb the Islamic Republic on February 28, Bitcoin, Ethereum and other major coins quickly dropped.
Though not for long. Bitcoin recovered and bolted above $70,000 midweek — a level not seen since the beginning of February.
The largest cryptocurrency's volatility has surged too, and correlation with equities has spiked.
After a brutal October crash which wiped out $19 billion in leveraged crypto bets, the leading coin's volatility has been damper compared to previous bear markets.
Another war in the Middle East seems to have brought back the cryptocurrency's unpredictability — for now.
Elsewhere, Ethereum dropped about the same amount as Bitcoin over the past week. The second biggest coin was trading for $1,985 on Saturday morning in New York after jumping over $2,179 midweek.
XRP, the fifth biggest coin, dropped nearly 1% over a 24-hour period, and was priced at $1.36. The asset has seen a flurry of trading activity in recent weeks with via US ETFs.
Bitcoin's price stood at $68,005, after nearly dropping 1% over the past day.
Ethereum was recently priced at $1,985, flat over a 24-hour period.
How Paraguay is using outlaw mining rigs to stack Bitcoin — DL News
Farage aide ‘Posh George' loses $655,000 betting on Iran invasion on Polymarket — DL News
Why hasn't ETH improved lives? — Milk Road
How an Oil Crisis Becomes an Everything Crisis — Bloomberg
How crypto is becoming a massive divorce problem — DL News
Mathew Di Salvo is a news correspondent with DL News. Got a tip? Email at mdisalvo@dlnews.com.
Scotiabank just launched a multi crypto ETF with 3iQ covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP in one fund, and when a major bank packages multiple cryptos for its customers, institutional adoption is here.
ETH and LINK keep falling, but the next crypto to explode is not a $250 billion token, it is the exchange presale where $7.5M keeps growing every round while the rest of the market sits frozen.
Bloomberg reported Scotiabank launched a new multi crypto ETF with 3iQ featuring BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP, with Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas noting the product enters with a discounted 0.25% management fee, while CoinDeskconfirmed institutional demand for diversified crypto exposure continues expanding across global banking.
When one of Canada's biggest banks packages crypto into a single product, the next crypto to explode captures the institutional wave before the listing reprices the entry.
In crypto, the people who make the biggest money are usually the ones who find the opportunity before everyone else and act on it. By the time a token starts trending, most of the easy gains are gone. Pepeto is different because the exchange infrastructure is advancing right now during consolidation while the entry is still at presale pricing that the listing will erase permanently.
The platform gives you one clean dashboard where you can bridge your money across Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana without paying fees, check any token for risks before you buy it, and trade across multiple chains without switching between different apps that eat your time and your capital. In plain words, it is an exchange that works across chains from one place, and the zero tax engine means every dollar you move stays yours.
The SolidProof audit has checked every contract, and the person who built the Pepe token to $7 billion leads the team. The presale has pulled in $7.5M during consolidation, and that growing conviction tells you what the smart money already figured out: the next crypto to explode is the one building the tools the next cycle needs, not the one waiting for hype to arrive.
As banks like Scotiabank package crypto into products for millions of customers, independent traders need unified exchange tools more than ever, and Pepeto builds exactly that. The 209% APY staking means every single day someone waits is a day of real profit handed to the people already inside, and once the Binance listing goes live and the next crypto to explode becomes front page news, nobody gets to rewind the clock back to presale pricing.
ETH bounced 25% to $2,200 and now back at $1,988 according to CoinMarketCap as net taker volume turned positive and ETFs recorded $169 million in daily inflows.
But $2,100 acts as key support, and at $250 billion even $2,500 is 14%. The next crypto to explode delivers multiples ETH cannot produce from current levels.
The early ETH holders who got in before everybody believed in the project turned small positions into the kind of wealth that rewrote their entire financial stories, and right now Scotiabank is packaging crypto for millions of customers while the next crypto to explode keeps raising capital during the silence that precedes every major rally.
Pepeto with 209% APY sits in that same window, and the difference between catching it and missing it comes down to whether someone acts before the listing or spends the rest of the cycle watching from outside. Visit the Pepeto official website and enter the presale before the world catches up and the price becomes the one that got away without you acting on it.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
What is the next crypto to explode in 2026?
The next crypto to explode is Pepeto with $7.5M raised, 209% APY staking, and exchange infrastructure advancing during consolidation. Visit the Pepeto official website.
Why did Scotiabank launch a crypto ETF?
Banks are packaging crypto for retail customers, confirming institutional adoption is live, and the next crypto to explode captures that wave before listings reprice everything.
Is ETH or LINK the next crypto to explode?
Both show recovery signals but returns stay modest at current valuations, while Pepeto at presale pricing delivers the explosive multiples large caps cannot produce.
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Ethereum is sitting at $1,987 and the chart is flashing something most traders aren't paying attention to right now.
ETH is touching the same ascending trendline that has caught every major low since 2019. It held in 2020. It held after the 2022 collapse – twice. Each time it bounced, it launched a significant rally. This is the fifth test, and analysts say it's the most important one yet.
ETH Has No Room to Slip
What makes this different from the previous tests is the condition Ethereum is arriving in. Bitcoin is already 20% off its recent lows. ETH hasn't recovered the same way. It has underperformed Bitcoin throughout this entire cycle, which means it's hitting this critical level with less momentum behind it than at any point before.
Analyst Crypto Tice said it directly: “ETH doesn't get a second chance at this level. This is hold or collapse.”
This trendline represents the last sequence of higher lows that keeps ETH's long-term bull case intact. If it goes, the technical argument goes with it.
Bullish and Bearish Outcomes for Ethereum
A hold here doesn't just save Ethereum's chart. It sets off a chain reaction that a lot of crypto investors have been waiting for. Relative strength returns, Bitcoin dominance starts to roll over, and capital rotates into altcoins. For millions of investors searching for signs of altcoin season, this might be a solid indicator.
A break does the opposite.
As one analyst put it: “ETH either holds here and leads the next leg or becomes the funding source for BTC's final blow-off.”
Money exits altcoins, flows back into Bitcoin, and the downside on ETH opens up with little structural support below.
The Market Isn't Making This Easy
Ethereum is holding this trendline during one of the more difficult macro environments in recent memory. Oil prices are surging on the back of the Iran conflict. US jobs data came in at negative 92,000 for February, well below expectations. Risk appetite across markets is compressed, and ETH is absorbing all of it at the exact level it needs to hold.
The weekly close will settle the debate. Until then, this is the only Ethereum price level worth watching.
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The United States government released a new national cybersecurity strategy on Friday. The document referenced cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies in its security framework. Industry executives quickly examined the text for signals about future crypto policy and enforcement priorities.
The discussion mattered because crypto regulation remained fragmented across agencies. The strategy introduced language that could shape Washington's approach to crypto security. The reference placed digital assets inside a broader national cyber defense framework.
Galaxy Digital research head Alex Thorn wrote on X that the document explicitly referenced crypto security. He said this marked the first time a U.S. cybersecurity strategy mentioned cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies directly. The six-page report stated the government would support the security of cryptocurrencies and blockchain systems.
The strategy described a broader plan to build secure digital infrastructure and supply chains. Federal agencies said they would design technologies that protect privacy from development through deployment. The policy language framed blockchain as part of emerging systems that require national security attention.
However, industry readers focused on other passages that addressed financial crime enforcement. Thorn pointed to a section pledging to dismantle criminal infrastructure and restrict financial escape routes. He argued that such wording could justify enforcement actions against crypto mixers, privacy coins, and unregulated off-ramps.
That interpretation reflected a wider concern inside the crypto sector. Developers and exchanges have faced scrutiny over anti-money laundering rules for several years. The new cybersecurity document suggested that enforcement agencies could extend these efforts under cyber defense authority.
Castle Island Ventures founder Nic Carter drew attention to the strategy's discussion of post-quantum cryptography. The document said federal systems would adopt stronger defenses against future computing threats. It also outlined plans for zero-trust architecture and secure cloud infrastructure.
Carter wrote on X that the language indicated the government treated quantum computing risks seriously. His comment followed earlier warnings about the potential impact of quantum machines on Bitcoin security. He has argued that large institutional holders could eventually demand faster protocol upgrades.
The debate around quantum threats has intensified across the crypto sector. Some researchers believe current cryptographic systems will remain safe for many years. Others warn that rapid advances in quantum hardware could eventually challenge existing encryption standards.
Bitcoin relies on elliptic curve cryptography to secure transactions and private keys. If quantum computers reached sufficient capability, they could break those cryptographic assumptions. That possibility has pushed developers and researchers to study post-quantum alternatives.
The cybersecurity strategy's reference to post-quantum security showed that federal planners already considered the risk. Government agencies increasingly examined how future computing breakthroughs could affect financial infrastructure. That attention extended beyond traditional banking systems into blockchain networks.
The strategy also addressed artificial intelligence as a core national priority. Government officials said they would secure the entire artificial intelligence technology stack. That effort included protecting data centers and improving security across machine learning systems.
President Donald Trump stated that the plan outlined steps to keep the United States dominant in cyberspace. The document emphasized technological leadership and long-term resilience across federal digital systems. Artificial intelligence security formed a central pillar of that agenda.
Another section addressed workforce development in the cybersecurity sector. Federal agencies said they would recruit and train the next generation of cyber specialists. Those workers would design advanced cyber defense technologies and deploy new security solutions.
The cybersecurity strategy followed a long-standing government practice. Each presidential administration typically releases a policy framework outlining national cyber priorities. These documents often shape regulatory enforcement, procurement decisions, and technology standards.
Industry observers examined the language closely because cybersecurity policy often overlaps with financial regulation. Blockchain infrastructure supports payment systems, decentralized finance platforms, and digital asset custody services. Government cyber priorities, therefore, carry implications for the crypto ecosystem.
Policy analysts now watch how federal agencies interpret the strategy in enforcement actions. Future guidance from regulators could clarify how cybersecurity rules apply to mixers, privacy tools, and crypto infrastructure providers. The next signals may emerge through regulatory proposals or enforcement cases during the coming months.
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AI is infiltrating every layer of society, finance included. What began as asking ChatGPT about your deepest money worries has rapidly evolved into agents capable of reasoning, executing and coordinating across markets with minimal human intervention.
The pace of change at the intersection of AI and finance is daily, not weekly. Goldman Sachs has warned of AI-fueled layoffs, while Citrini Research's brief job-displacement scare sparked an AI trade, signaling the scale of disruption ahead. As Matt Shumer wrote in ‘Something Big is Happening,' adaptability may be the only durable advantage, and now is the time to get your financial house in order.
There's a simpler way to think about surviving and thriving in the AI era. Instead of trying to outlearn every new AI tool, focus on mastering the AI skills that will build a financial buffer or even a nest egg. Creating insulation against AI-driven disruption that's coming.
Those who learn to deploy finance AI agents to build capital on their behalf won't need to obsess over whether their current role survives the next restructuring or scramble to master every new AI release. They'll be building the means to survive and thrive through the next wave of AI layoffs, using AI.
The greater financial risk may be doing nothing without considering the latest AI alternatives. The opportunity cost of ignoring agents isn't just missed returns; it's remaining reactive, paralyzed or paying fund manager fees while the window of gains narrows. Instead of panicked ChatGPT searches, this is a chance to take deliberate control of your financial house, learning just one new skill.
That new skill is agent selection. With the right team of agents doing the heavy lifting with your investments, operating within clear constraints and aligned to defined goals, anyone could be future-proofing their finances.
AI is the great equalizer, unlocking the ability for everyone to build generational wealth beyond the elites. AI has the potential to be a major multiplier for anyone's investments by trading markets better, faster, cheaper, and on repeat, with minimal human intervention. What remains to be seen is whether the rest of us will seize this window of opportunity while institutions hold the headstart.
Today, AI agents for traders remain largely underutilized by the AI-curious. Either confined to institutions or misunderstood by individuals, where perceptions of risk are shaped more by OpenClaw headlines than by how agent risk is actually managed with human oversight, strict controls and proper security, designed by dedicated teams.
Many self-described financial use cases still resemble people treating AI chat interfaces like magic eight balls for money decisions, rather than harnessing the full strategic power of this breakout technology. Nearly one in five (19%) globally now use AI tools to build or adjust their portfolio (eToro), and almost two in five (39%) Brits use AI tools for future financial planning (Lloyds Group). Seeking incremental advice on DIY finance won't deliver the exponential gains– disciplined execution will.
It's time to rethink where human judgment adds most value. It makes financial sense to play to our strengths, let humans do what AI can't and leave AI to do the heavy lifting. Humans are best at defining their investment goals, allocating capital thoughtfully, setting risk constraints and deciding when to intervene. AI is best at executing trades with discipline and precision.
AI is starting to deliver material returns for quant funds and high-frequency traders. AI quant hedge fund Ningbo's High-Flyer disclosed an average 52.55% return in 2025, placing it top of the industry's leaders.
By comparison, 84% of retail traders lost money in their first year of trading crypto. The uncomfortable truth is that most traders don't lose money because they lack information; they lose because they lack discipline. AI doesn't sleep, hesitate, panic, get bored, impulsively or revenge-trade like humans.
Agents watch every market 24/7, spotting risks, debating strategies and executing the strategy they're trained on without hesitation. AI executes trades with an edge humans can't match, where profits are won and lost in milliseconds and margins are razor-thin.
Agent selection will be one of the defining skills of the next decade. Not prompt engineering or chasing the latest model release. Followed by managing agents.
Think of trading AI agents less like fantasy football and more like owning a real club. When real money is on the line, you don't draft on hype. You build a squad designed to win across conditions. A striker for momentum, a disciplined defender for mean reversion or a quiet midfielder exploiting arbitrage. You train for tough matches and evaluate performance against expectations.
The same discipline applies to capital. You set the objective, impose constraints and install kill switches, position caps and verify stop-loss controls. You measure more than the last scoreline, tracking consistency, drawdowns and adaptability across regimes. Soon, agents won't just claim results; they'll be ranked against transparent and standardized benchmarks. Like any league table, the numbers will speak for themselves.
Markets will increasingly trade themselves, and crypto is already the proving ground. In a 24/7, onchain environment where speed and discipline compound, agentic systems are beginning to shape liquidity and volatility in real time. The real risk isn't letting agents compete. It's waiting until the window closes and the margins compress.
In football, fans watch the game. Coaches shape it. Those who thrive in the AI arena will build and manage squads of trading agents, refining strategy as conditions change and using the technology to keep pace with the industry. In the next league of markets, financial freedom won't come from watching; it'll come from building the team from the coach's box. If job disruption from AI is inevitable, can you afford to stay in the stands?
Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.
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Donald Trump's crypto legacy in two words: Paul Atkins
As the CLARITY Act faces a stalemate on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration is pivoting toward executive workarounds and family-backed stablecoins to reshape the financial system without waiting for a vote, argues Dale.
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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Zafar is a seasoned crypto and blockchain news writer with four years of experience. Known for accuracy, in-depth analysis, and a clear, engaging style, Zafar actively participates in blockchain communities. Beyond writing, Zafar enjoys trading and exploring the latest trends in the crypto market.
Sohrab is a passionate cryptocurrency news writer with over five years of experience covering the industry. He keeps a keen interest in blockchain technology and its potential to revolutionize finance. Whether he's trading or writing, Sohrab always keeps his finger on the pulse of the crypto world, using his expertise to deliver informative and engaging articles that educate and inspire. When he's not analyzing the markets, Sohrab indulges in his hobbies of graphic design, minimal design or listening to his favorite hip-hop tunes.
Banks are accumulating 8 specific altcoins before the Clarity Act vote.
Polymarket odds just jumped 12 points in a week. The window is narrowing fast.
One coin is down 88% from its ATH and still dominates 60% of its entire market and analysts say it's the highest-upside entry on the list.
Crypto analyst Tim Warren is sounding the alarm.
In arecent video, Warren laid out why banks aren't waiting for the Clarity Act to pass before accumulating select altcoins. With Polymarket odds on passage climbing from 56% to 71% in a single week and Trump calling out banks on Truth Social for holding the bill “hostage,” – the window is narrowing fast. The Senate Banking Committee is targeting a vote in the second half of March.
Smart money, it seems, is already moving.
The thesis is straightforward: regulatory clarity unlocks institutional mandates. And two themes are driving which coins banks are targeting – stablecoin regulation and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.
Warren points to 8 altcoins sitting in that institutional crosshairs.
Ethereum ($1,981) and Solana ($84.47) lead as the stablecoin infrastructure plays. Both are foundational layer-1s that benefit directly from stablecoin regulation – ETH sits 60% below its ATH, SOL 71% below. Warren puts the move back to highs at 184% and 332%, respectively.
XRP ($1.37) has already cleared its biggest hurdle, which is winning the case against the SEC. With the Senate draft legislation reportedly classifying it as a “non-ancillary asset” alongside BTC and ETH, XRP is positioned as the cross-border payment rail banks actually want. Some analysts are citing $10-$15 speculative targets.
Chainlink ($8.78) is the infrastructure play that wins regardless of which chain dominates. As Warren put it, Chainlink will be used to bring information “from the web two to the web three world in every situation.” Currently 83% below its ATH of $52.88, with long-term targets of $300-$500 floated for 2030. Warren considers it the most durable hold on the list.
HBAR ($0.0966) is pitched as potentially the largest RWA beneficiary on the list, with early institutional adoption already underway. It is currently 83% below its all-time high of $0.57. Warren recommends diversifying across both HBAR and Chainlink for RWA exposure.
Canton Network ($0.1529) targets private institutional-ledgers and real-world asset data, with early bank adoption already in motion. It is framed as a longer-term conviction hold.
Uniswap ($3.83) carries one signal above all others: BlackRock has already invested. Around 600% to its 2024 ATH. As Warren noted, “If BlackRock's buying, pretty convincing that I should be buying it as well.” UNI sits 91% below its ATH of $44.97.
Ondo Finance ($0.25) is the highest-risk, highest-upside entry. Down roughly 88% from its $2.14 ATH, yet over 60% of RWA conversions still run through Ondo.
Check live prices on Coinpedia.
This isn't a “buy the bottom” call. The strategy is DCA accumulation over time.
As Warren put it: “Don't just think about next week or the month after. Think about the next couple of years. That is how truly wealthy people think.”
The Clarity Act vote is coming. The question is whether you're positioned before or after the crowd figures that out.
Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.
The Clarity Act is a proposed U.S. law designed to define how digital assets are regulated, giving clearer rules for banks, investors, and crypto companies.
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Bitcoin BTC$67,692.98 is firmly in the deepest phase of the bear market and the pain may worsen, according to CK Zheng, founder of crypto investment firm ZX Squared Capital.
"Bitcoin's price is convincingly in deep bear market territory now. We expect a further 30% price drop during 2026 as the Iran war started," Zheng told CoinDesk in an email, citing the "four-year cycle" as one of the key catalysts.
The world's largest cryptocurrency has already nearly halved since hitting a record high of over $126,000 in October last year, according to CoinDesk data. As of writing, it changed hands at around $68,000.
Crypto investors often talk about the "four-year cycle" – a pattern in which prices surge, crash, and then recover, centred on the quadrennial mining reward halving.
The halving, most recently implemented in April 2024, is a programmed event that halves bitcoin's supply expansion rate every 4 years. As of today, 3.125 BTC are emitted as rewards for each block mined on the Bitcoin network, down from the original 50 BTC at launch after four halving events to date.
Historically, bitcoin's price has tended to peak about 16–18 months after a halving, followed by a bear market that typically lasts about a year.
BTC topping out in October last year, roughly 18 months after the April 2024 halving, means the cycle is playing out again. So, the bear market could deepen in the near term.
Zheng said that the cycle is proving very difficult to break. According to him, the reason is simple: human psychology.
"The "Four-year crypto cycle" momentum is gaining strength and is extremely difficult to break due to individual investors' psychological behaviors," Zheng said.
Individual investors tend to behave in predictable ways — buying during hype and selling during panic. That behavior reinforces the boom-and-bust four-year pattern that has defined crypto markets for more than a decade.
Because of this, Zheng said bitcoin still trades more like a speculative asset than a safe haven like gold.
He added that the institutional adoption of bitcoin remains very slow and limited in scope at this stage and warned that some firms that have purchased bitcoin as a treasury asset may be forced to sell, leading to a deeper price sell-off.
"The total size of crypto ETFs and Digital Asset Treasury companies is only around 10% of the whole crypto market. Some Digital Asset Treasury firms may be forced to sell cryptos to meet certain debt servicing requirements during this bear market, which may create a vicious cycle," Zheng said.
For now, Zheng's outlook is clear: crypto's bear market may have further to run before the next cycle begins.
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Latin America's crypto user growth outpaced U.S. by 3x in 2025, report shows
Brazil and Argentina are leading the growth, with Brazil dominating by transaction size and Argentina seeing increasing adoption driven by cross-border payments and stablecoin use.
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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.
Crypto industry executives are combing through US President Donald Trump's National Cyber Strategy after it was released on Friday, searching for hints about what it could signal for government support of the crypto industry.
“Crypto and blockchain are explicitly named as technologies to be 'protected and secured.' This is a first for any US cybersecurity strategy,” Galaxy Digital's head of firmwide research Alex Thorn said in an X post on Friday.
Crypto and blockchain were mentioned once in the six-page report:
However, industry executives have also been interpreting other parts of the document to see how they relate to crypto.
Thorn pointed to a section pledging to “uproot criminal infrastructure and deny financial exit and safe haven.” “This language could easily justify crackdowns on mixers, privacy coins, and unregulated off-ramps,” he said.
Bitcoin VC points out that quantum has been taken “seriously”
Castle Island Ventures founder Nic Carter, who has been vocal about the threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin (BTC) in recent times, pointed to the section saying the government “will accelerate the modernization, defensibility, and resilience of federal information systems by implementing cybersecurity best practices, post-quantum cryptography, zero-trust architecture, and cloud transition.”
“Sure seems like they're taking quantum seriously. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure,” Carter said in an X post.
It comes as the crypto industry continues to debate about how close quantum computing is to being a serious threat to Bitcoin. On Feb. 15, Carter said that major Bitcoin-holding institutions may eventually lose patience with Bitcoin developers for not addressing quantum computing concerns quickly enough.
Trump points to the next generation as a priority
Trump said that the National Cyber Security outlines his priorities for “ensuring that America remains unrivaled in cyberspace.” Artificial intelligence was a key focus of the report.
“We will secure the AI technology stack—including our data centers—and promote innovation in AI security,” it said.
Trump also emphasized the importance of recruiting the next generation of workers in the cyber workforce to “design and deploy exquisite cyber technologies and solutions.”
The US typically releases a national cybersecurity strategy every administration, outlining the government's priorities for emerging technologies.
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.
Crypto industry executives are combing through US President Donald Trump's National Cyber Strategy after it was released on Friday, searching for hints about what it could signal for government support of the crypto industry.
“Crypto and blockchain are explicitly named as technologies to be 'protected and secured.' This is a first for any US cybersecurity strategy,” Galaxy Digital's head of firmwide research Alex Thorn said in an X post on Friday.
Crypto and blockchain were mentioned once in the six-page report:
However, industry executives have also been interpreting other parts of the document to see how they relate to crypto.
Thorn pointed to a section pledging to “uproot criminal infrastructure and deny financial exit and safe haven.” “This language could easily justify crackdowns on mixers, privacy coins, and unregulated off-ramps,” he said.
Bitcoin VC points out that quantum has been taken “seriously”
Castle Island Ventures founder Nic Carter, who has been vocal about the threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin (BTC) in recent times, pointed to the section saying the government “will accelerate the modernization, defensibility, and resilience of federal information systems by implementing cybersecurity best practices, post-quantum cryptography, zero-trust architecture, and cloud transition.”
“Sure seems like they're taking quantum seriously. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure,” Carter said in an X post.
It comes as the crypto industry continues to debate about how close quantum computing is to being a serious threat to Bitcoin. On Feb. 15, Carter said that major Bitcoin-holding institutions may eventually lose patience with Bitcoin developers for not addressing quantum computing concerns quickly enough.
Trump points to the next generation as a priority
Trump said that the National Cyber Security outlines his priorities for “ensuring that America remains unrivaled in cyberspace.” Artificial intelligence was a key focus of the report.
“We will secure the AI technology stack—including our data centers—and promote innovation in AI security,” it said.
Trump also emphasized the importance of recruiting the next generation of workers in the cyber workforce to “design and deploy exquisite cyber technologies and solutions.”
The US typically releases a national cybersecurity strategy every administration, outlining the government's priorities for emerging technologies.
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.
Quantum eMotion Corp. moves from lab to market, using its quantum-based QRNG2 technology to secure 45 billion KROWN tokens, valued at ~$67.5M, in a live blockchain project.
In the world of digital finance, robust security is paramount. Quantum eMotion Corp. has moved beyond theoretical research, providing a tangible demonstration of its quantum-based security technology by successfully safeguarding a high-value digital asset portfolio. This operational milestone marks a significant shift from laboratory development to real-world, commercial application within the blockchain ecosystem.
This recent deployment follows a broader strategic expansion by the company. In late February 2026, Quantum eMotion bolstered its technological portfolio through the acquisition of assets from SKV Technology and Jet Lab Technologies. These additions, which include the SecureKey platform, are part of a plan to evolve the company into a comprehensive cybersecurity provider.
Central to this technical realignment is an architecture known as "Zero-Exposure Keys." As conventional encryption methods face growing threats, the company is focusing on advanced protection mechanisms that operate without ever exposing sensitive cryptographic keys.
The practical application of Quantum eMotion's technology is now active within a live infrastructure project that launched on March 6. The company is providing security for 45 billion KROWN tokens. These digital assets, held in Vesting Contracts managed by the UNCX Network, carry an estimated market value of approximately $67.5 million.
The security core of this implementation is the firm's proprietary QRNG2 technology. This system generates quantum-based random numbers to fortify cryptographic processes. The objective is to establish a security standard resilient enough to withstand potential future attacks from quantum computers. Integrating this technology directly into an active financial environment underscores the company's commitment to delivering robust solutions that meet institutional-grade requirements.Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Quantum eMotion?
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Quantum eMotion?
The current project serves as a critical proof of performance for Quantum eMotion. While many sector participants are still refining theoretical models, the company is demonstrating the practical applicability of its random number generators at a substantial scale. This successful use case provides the firm with a concrete reference point for engaging with additional institutional partners.
With this operational validation in place, the company's focus is now shifting toward scaling the technology and leveraging its newly integrated assets to drive revenue generation. The move from pure research to a commercially viable security provider represents a pivotal step in its corporate development.
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With altcoin rallies absent, whales are profiting from shorts. But could an Ethereum breakout quickly flip the market?
The market has brought risk management back to the forefront.
From a technical standpoint, capital inflows over the past week have pushed high‑cap assets above their month‑to‑month highs, reigniting the risk‑on sentiment that faded after last year's Q4 crash.
Yet, the next move remains uncertain. Bitcoin [BTC] is chopping around $70k, while Ethereum [ETH] hovers near $2k, both creating indecision in directional bias and setting up a potential trap for both bulls and bears.
Source: TradingView (ETH/USDT)
Historically, such indecision has moved capital toward alternative assets.
However, with no altcoin rally materializing, the market is instead capitalizing on bearish sentiment. Arkham Intelligence identified a whale who has already secured $4.5 million in profits by shorting altcoins.
Meanwhile, Social Volume around altcoins has fallen sharply, dropping from 750 in July 2025 to just 33, according to Santiment. This decline in market interest further reinforces bearish positioning, creating an optimal setup for bears to capitalize on altcoin trends.
That said, BTC is testing resistance, signaling that risk management is critical. In this context, is this bearish positioning truly low-risk, or could an Ethereum breakout flip the market back in favor of bulls?
Ethereum's bullish metrics are timing-sensitive.
On the technical front, the ETH/BTC ratio continues to consolidate below 0.03. This consolidation follows a first higher high since the mid-January 0.035 peak, signaling that Ethereum is slowly regaining competitive flows.
Notably, this technical setup is further reinforced by stablecoin supply, as Artemis data shows over $500 million in stablecoin liquidity absorbed on Ethereum in the past 24 hours, outperforming every other chain.
Source: Artemis Terminal
Consequently, this influx is driving capital flows into key growth sectors, with Ethereum dominating the tokenized sector at nearly 60% market share and recording a 0.43% increase in daily Total Value Locked.
In essence, strong on-chain liquidity, targeted capital rotation, and strategic accumulation are driving the current ETH/BTC consolidation, signaling that investors are positioning bullishly around Ethereum on both technical and fundamental grounds.
As the largest altcoin, a breakout in ETH would naturally redirect capital across altcoins, and with risk management back in focus, this setup creates conditions ripe for a massive short squeeze and subsequent altcoin rally.
Disclaimer:
AMBCrypto's content is meant to be informational in nature and should not be interpreted as investment advice. Trading, buying or selling cryptocurrencies should be considered a high-risk investment and every reader is advised to do their own research before making any decisions.
© 2026 AMBCrypto
Dubai, UAE, March 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pepeto just announced that a former Binance executive has joined the strategic advisory board of this Ethereum based crypto, confirming what experienced crypto investors suspected. “The listing timeline is further advanced than anyone outside the team realizes, and this advisory appointment is the signal,” said a Pepeto team representative.
The crypto presale crossed $7.666 million while the Fear and Greed Index reads 19, fake tokens impersonating Pepeto launch daily because demand has outgrown every channel, and Elon Musk rumors tying him to this Ethereum based crypto keep intensifying across X, Telegram, and Reddit with community members pointing to wallet patterns that mirror what happened with Dogecoin before Musk went public. Every dogecoin price prediction from $0.05 to $1.25 keeps splitting the market while Bitcoin consolidates at $67,900, and the best crypto to buy now conversation is shifting toward the presale that just added a Binance veteran.
Pepeto Attracts Attention While Dogecoin Price Prediction Divides and Elon Musk Shapes the Crypto Narrative Pepeto is drawing attention from the exact crypto wallets that turned early Dogecoin positions into seven figure portfolios, and on chain data shows large holders who accumulated DOGE before the 2021 explosion are rotating capital into this Ethereum based crypto presale at a pace matching the conviction they showed before Musk went public.
As CoinPedia reported, the dogecoin price prediction for 2026 ranges from $0.75 to $1.25 under bullish conditions, but DOGE at $0.097 sits 90% below its $0.73 peak and the $1 target requires $140 billion in market cap. Elon Musk built the Dogecoin story from nothing: favorite crypto tweet in 2019, “CEO of Dogecoin” in his bio, secret developer work on payments, the “Dogefather” SNL appearance that sent DOGE to $0.73, Tesla and SpaceX acceptance, the DOGE-1 satellite funded entirely in the token, and a $258 billion lawsuit dismissed as “puffery.”
Pepeto is where those same whale wallets are positioning now. As CoinDesk covered, Elon Musk's February 2026 moon comment reignited Dogecoin speculation but the token barely moved because the multiplier math at $12.5 billion with zero products is dead. That same Elon Musk energy that turned Dogecoin from $0.002 to $0.73 is now the subject of intense crypto speculation around Pepeto, with community researchers tracking wallet activity echoing the pattern before Musk's first Dogecoin endorsement. The difference is that Pepeto has three products approaching launch while Dogecoin had zero, and the crypto investors who made millions on DOGE are not waiting for public confirmation this time because the best crypto to buy now is the one about to make its move, not the one that already did.
Pepeto Announces Former Binance Expert on Board and Elon Musk Fuels the Crypto Cycle Pepeto's timing could not be sharper as Bitcoin consolidates at $67,900 with $700 million in ETF capital since March and Standard Chartered targeting $150,000 while war spending forces rate cuts.
Pepeto was constructed to capture what the crypto market delivers next. PepetoSwap executes zero fee trades across Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana. The bridge routes assets without gas costs, and the exchange covers every tradable crypto generating volume institutional capital follows. SolidProof verified every contract, the Pepe ecosystem cofounder who scaled a token past $7 billion leads this build, and 205% APY staking compounds daily while the advisory board now includes someone who built exchange infrastructure at Binance, which is why the best crypto to buy now conversation keeps landing on Pepeto. That combination is why the best crypto to buy now conversation keeps landing on Pepeto.
Pepeto does not depend on the right Elon Musk tweet because the crypto infrastructure generates demand from real usage, while the dogecoin price prediction debate continues because Dogecoin still needs that perfect Musk moment. The former Binance executive on the advisory board tells the market that the Pepeto listing path is active execution, not speculation or wishful thinking.
Conclusion: Pepeto sits at the center of a crypto window that closes the moment Bitcoin confirms direction toward $150,000. A former Binance executive does not attach their reputation to an Ethereum based crypto unless what they see justifies the risk, and that tells every serious Dogecoin holder exactly how real this listing path is. The Elon Musk rumors have not been denied, the wallet patterns have not been explained, and the crypto market remembers what happened last time these signals appeared around a meme project.
Pepeto with 205% APY staking at six zeros, a former Binance advisor, and three products approaching launch is the best crypto to buy now for the Dogecoin whales who recognize this setup instantly because they lived it before and they are not watching from the sidelines twice. Visit the Pepeto official website and secure the position before this stage sells ou.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs
What is the dogecoin price prediction for 2026? The dogecoin price prediction ranges from $0.75 to $1.25 per CoinPedia, but Pepeto is the best crypto to buy now at six zeros with higher multiples.
Why did a Binance executive join Pepeto? The reason is the crypto listing timeline is further advanced than expected. Visit the Pepeto official website.
Why buy Pepeto during Bitcoin consolidation? The reason is presale entries during fear reprice when BTC confirms direction, and Pepeto with 205% APY captures the wave.
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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
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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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Considerable inter-individual variability has been observed in the blood pressure response to valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (Valsartan/HCTZ), and genetic differences within the renin–angiotensin system may contribute to this heterogeneity. This prospective cohort study included 354 hypertensive patients treated with Valsartan/HCTZ (80/12.5 mg or 160/12.5 mg). Baseline and 4-week BP measurements were recorded following standardized procedures, and five variants (AGT rs5050, rs5051, rs699, rs4762, and ACE I/D) were genotyped using PCR-based methods. Associations were evaluated through linear and multivariate regression, and multilocus interactions were examined using estimated marginal means. Overall, the cohort showed reductions of 23.2 ± 16.4 mmHg in SBP and 14.8 ± 10.9 mmHg in DBP. Among clinical factors, normal BMI was associated with greater reductions (22.9 ± 15.9; 15.5 ± 9.3 mmHg) compared with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m² (14.2 ± 17.3; 10.7 ± 11.4 mmHg). Hypertension-specific diets produced larger SBP decreases (25.6 ± 17.6 mmHg) than unrestricted diets (22.9 ± 16.3 mmHg). Increasing dose had only a modest additional effect. AGT rs5050 showed the strongest genetic association, with SBP decreasing by 26 mmHg in CA/CC carriers versus 13.4 mmHg in AA (p < 0.001). ACE I/D significantly affected DBP, with II carriers achieving 13.7 mmHg versus 8.0 mmHg in DD (p = 0.017). A significant AGT rs5050 × ACE I/D interaction revealed the greatest reduction in AC/II (20.6 ± 2.3 mmHg) and the lowest in AA/DD (3.80 ± 2.33 mmHg). These findings highlight meaningful multilocus effects and support the potential for genotype-guided antihypertensive therapy.
All data supporting the findings of this study are included within the manuscript and its supplementary materials.
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This study was supported by the National Research Programme for Universities (NRPU), the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, under project grant number 17231, titled “Pharmaconomic study of candidate genes involved in selected antihypertensive therapy regimens in patients of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan”. The support of the clinical and laboratory staff at Lady Reading Hospital, Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar, is deeply appreciated for their assistance in patient recruitment, data collection, and sample processing.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Department of Pharmacy, University of Swabi, Swabi, Pakistan
Alija Baig & Syed Muhammad Mukarram Shah
Internal Medicine Department, Shaqra College of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
Abdulrahman Saad Alfaiz & Mohammad Dhuwayhi Ghazi Alotaibi
Family Medicine, Shaqra Collage of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
Muath A. Alammar
Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
Abdur Rauf
Department of Pharmacy, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
Aiman Begum
Cardiology Ward, Hayat Medical Complex Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Zia Ul Hassan
Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM), Peshawar, Pakistan
Noorulain Ainy
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Aden, Aden, Yemen
Wahby Mohammed Babaresh
Department of Pharmacy, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
Zakiullah
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A.J. collected the samples and conducted patient follow-up. S.M.S. conceived and refined the idea. A.S.A., M.A.A., and M.D.G.A. extensively edited, designed, and refined the manuscript. A.R. and Z.U.H. collected the samples and conducted patient follow-up. A.B. performed the laboratory analysis. N.A. extensively contributed to the study and concept refinement. W.M.B. performed the statistical analysis and prepared the initial manuscript draft. Z. is the research group leader and principal investigator of the project.
Correspondence to
Wahby Mohammed Babaresh or Zakiullah.
The authors declare no competing interests.
This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethical Review Board of Lady Reading Hospital, Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar (Reference No. 92/LRH/MTI, dated 22 March 2021).
All patients provided written informed consent before enrollment.
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Baig, A., Shah, S.M.M., Alfaiz, A.S. et al. Pharmacogenetics of RAS-affecting AGT and ACE variants and the efficacy of Valsartan/HCTZ therapy.
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March 7, 2026
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The surprising science behind why daylight saving time is good for wildlife
You might have a love-hate relationship with daylight saving time, but research shows that urban wildlife may stand to benefit
By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron
Ben Wehrman via Getty Images
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Most people in the U.S. have a love-hate relationship with the switch to daylight saving time (DST). On the one hand, we lose an hour of sleep, which can disrupt circadian rhythms, leaving us feeling groggy and even potentially leading to deeper health issues. On the other hand, though, it also means longer, sunnier evenings and more daytime for outdoor activities. But what about other animals? Surprisingly, science suggests DST may be good for creatures that encounter humans—and, particularly, those that might encounter our cars.
In the U.S. alone, drivers may collide with deer as frequently as more than a million times a year, based on estimates compiled by the Federal Highway Administration, and other large animals—usually moose, elk and other ungulates—are often hit as well. These crashes frequently kill the animals and lead to hundreds of human deaths.
Animals' risk of becoming roadkill depends on several factors, including how many vehicles are on the road, how many animals are on the road, and how animals and human drivers behave, explains Tom Langen, a professor of biology at Clarkson University, who studies animal-vehicle collisions. DST can minimize these collisions, however.
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Human-animal crashes typically occur on Fridays because people are leaving town for the weekend; under full moons because deer are more likely to be on the move; during the fall deer mating season in North America; and at dusk.
“The animals get active right after dusk and start moving around, including crossing roads or browsing and grazing along roads, and that's when they they're hit by vehicles,” Langen says.
Setting the clocks back in the fall—pushing peak evening commuting hours closer to dusk or after the sun goes down—also drives up the odds of cars hitting animals. In a 2021 analysis of more than 35,000 deer-vehicle collisions in New York State, Langen and a co-author concluded that falling back to standard time from DST contributed to “far higher” accident rates, with the greatest increases on work days.
A 2022 study by researchers at the University of Washington concluded that permanently switching to DST could save roughly 33 human lives per year, prevent about 36,000 deer deaths from car crashes and reduce some of the $1 billion in costs associated with these collisions. Such costs include property damage and medical expenses.
“We were surprised to find that the increase in collisions that you get when it's darker in the evening during standard time were not offset by reduced collisions in the morning,” says Laura Prugh, senior author of the 2022 paper and a professor of quantitative wildlife sciences at the University of Washington.
In fact, the rate of deer collisions was 14 times higher just after dark than before sunset—resulting in a “net increase” in deer collisions during standard time months, she says.
Setting the clocks forward in the spring means darker morning commutes but not much added risk for deer and other ungulates. That's partially because deer tend to be less active in the spring, Langen says. But it's also because evening commutes will mostly occur before dusk.
In other words, from a human perspective, daylight saving is a hit or miss, depending on who you ask. (And polling indicates that opinions on it are mixed.) But for animals like deer, a switch to permanent daylight saving time in North America would almost certainly reduce roadkill, Langen says.
And it's not just deer and ungulates that are at risk—other mammals, including raccoons, skunks and foxes, are also active at dusk, Langen says. In Australia, research shows even koalas could see a benefit to a shift to permanent DST.
Ultimately, Langen recommends drivers stay safe by being aware of peak collision times year-round and keep in mind that animals often cross the road in groups. Staying alert near dusk is a good practice, too, Prugh adds.
“It's important for drivers to be aware that encounters with animals can happen at any time, but there's certain times when you're particularly at risk,” Langen says.
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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Bone and skeletal injuries are a major cause of long-term disability around the world. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now developed a cell-free cartilage structure designed to guide the body as it repairs damaged bone.
According to the study, this engineered transplant can promote bone healing without provoking strong immune reactions. The method has already been tested successfully in animal models, and the researchers are preparing to evaluate the approach in human studies.
Large Bone Injuries Often Require Transplants
When large sections of bone are destroyed or removed, the body may struggle to repair the damage on its own. This can happen after cancer treatment, severe joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, or serious infections. In these cases, bone tissue transplantation is often necessary to restore structure and function.
Researchers estimate that more than two million people worldwide require bone graft procedures each year. Current treatments usually depend on using a patient's own tissue or cells to rebuild bone. While this approach can work, it is expensive, time consuming, and can add to the physical burden patients already face. It also contributes to rising healthcare costs, the researchers note.
Toward a Universal Bone Repair Technology
"Patient-specific grafts are both costly and time-consuming and do not always succeed. A universal approach in tissue engineering, with a reproducible manufacturing process, offers major advantages. In our study, we present just such a method and demonstrate important advances toward a non-patient-specific technology," says Alejandro Garcia Garcia, associate researcher in molecular skeletal biology at Lund University.
To develop this new method, the team first grew cartilage tissue in the laboratory. They then removed all living cells from it in a process called decellularization. This step leaves behind the extracellular matrix, which is the natural framework that surrounds cells in tissues and provides both structural support and biological signals.
Because this framework remains intact, it still contains growth factors that can guide the body's own cells. When placed at an injury site, the remaining cartilage structure can act like a blueprint that helps the body rebuild damaged bone step by step.
Off-the-Shelf Cartilage Grafts for Bone Repair
"The cartilage structure we have developed is based on stable, well-controlled and reproducible cell lines, and can stimulate bone formation without triggering strong immune reactions. We show that it is possible to create a ready-made, so-called 'off-the-shelf' graft that interacts with the immune system and can repair large bone defects. Because the material can be produced in advance and stored, we see this as an important step toward future clinical use of human bone tissue transplants," says Paul Bourgine, who led the study. He is an associate professor and researcher in molecular skeletal biology at Lund University.
Preparing for Human Clinical Trials
One key advantage of this technology is that the cartilage scaffold can be manufactured ahead of time and used for many patients without tailoring it to each individual. The next phase of research will focus on evaluating the method in people while also expanding and standardizing production.
"The next step involves deciding which types of injuries to test this on first, such as severe defects in long bones of the arms and legs. At the same time, we need to develop the documentation required for ethical review and regulatory approval to conduct clinical trials. In parallel, we are establishing a manufacturing process that can be carried out on a larger scale while maintaining the same high level of quality and safety every time," says Alejandro Garcia Garcia.
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Gravity often feels dependable and unchanging. It seems steady enough that we rarely question it. But the real picture is more surprising.
In reality, gravity does not have exactly the same strength everywhere on Earth. Its pull varies slightly across the planet's surface. After accounting for the effects of Earth's rotation, the weakest gravity is found beneath Antarctica.
Deep Earth Movements Created Antarctica's Gravity Hole
A new study shows that extremely slow shifts of rock deep inside the planet helped produce the gravity anomaly beneath Antarctica. These movements occurred over tens of millions of years and gradually formed what scientists call the Antarctic gravity hole. The research also points out that changes in this gravity low happened during the same period as major shifts in Antarctica's climate. Future studies may reveal whether these gravity changes helped encourage the development of the continent's vast ice sheets.
"If we can better understand how Earth's interior shapes gravity and sea levels, we gain insight into factors that may matter for the growth and stability of large ice sheets," said Alessandro Forte, Ph.D., a professor of geophysics at the University of Florida and co-author of the new study recreating the Antarctic gravity hole's past.
The differences in gravity come from variations in the density of rocks far beneath Earth's surface. While the changes in gravitational strength are small, they can influence the oceans in noticeable ways. In regions where gravity is weaker, seawater tends to flow toward areas where the pull is stronger. As a result, the ocean surface in those weaker gravity zones sits slightly lower relative to Earth's center. Because of the gravity hole beneath Antarctica, sea-surface height around the continent is measurably lower than it would otherwise be.
Using Earthquakes to Map the Planet's Interior
The research, published recently in Scientific Reports, was conducted by Forte and Petar Glišović, Ph.D., of the Paris Institute of Earth Physics. The scientists mapped the Antarctic gravity hole and reconstructed how it evolved over millions of years. Their work relied on a global scientific effort that combined earthquake recordings from around the world with physics-based computer models. Together, these tools helped reveal the three dimensional structure hidden inside Earth.
"Imagine doing a CT scan of the whole Earth, but we don't have X-rays like we do in a medical office. We have earthquakes. Earthquake waves provide the 'light' that illuminates the interior of the planet," Forte said.
By analyzing how earthquake waves traveled through the planet and combining those data with physics-based modeling, the researchers created a detailed gravitational map of Earth. The results closely matched highly accurate satellite measurements of Earth's gravity field. This agreement helped confirm that their models realistically captured the planet's internal structure.
Rewinding Earth's Geological History
The next step involved looking back in time to understand how the gravity hole developed. Using advanced computer simulations, the scientists reversed the slow movement of rocks inside the planet. Their models traced these changes back roughly 70 million years, to the era of the dinosaurs.
These reconstructed snapshots showed that the Antarctic gravity hole was initially weaker. Between about 50 and 30 million years ago, however, the anomaly began to grow stronger. That period coincides with major changes in Antarctica's climate system, including the beginning of widespread glaciation.
Looking ahead, Forte hopes to explore whether the strengthening gravity anomaly played a role in shaping Antarctica's ice sheets. Future models will examine how gravity, sea level, and changes in continental elevation interact.
Ultimately, the researchers want to answer a larger question about Earth's systems. As Forte explained, the goal is to understand "How does our climate connect to what's going on inside our planet?"
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In ballistic transport, the movement of charged carriers remains unimpeded by scattering events. In this limit, microscopic parameters such as crystal momentum, spin and quantum phase are well conserved, allowing electrons to maintain their quantum coherence over longer distances. Nanoscale materials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and nanowires, can exhibit ballistic transport. However, their scalability in devices is significantly limited. While deposited metal films offer scalability for nanodevices, their short electronic mean free paths hinder ballistic transport. In this study, we investigated the electronic transport in cross-geometry devices fabricated with 90-nm-thick Cu films without grain boundaries. We demonstrated ballistic transport in devices with channel widths of 150 nm at temperatures below 85 K via negative bend resistance measurements. Our findings establish a scalable platform for exploring the intrinsic quantum mechanical properties of Cu, advancing both the fundamental understanding of quantum transport in metals and its practical applications in next-generation electronic quantum technologies.
Source data related to the figures in this paper are available in the Figshare repository under https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.31153522. Additional data are available from the corresponding author upon a reasonable request.
The MATLAB scripts used to load the deposited data and reproduce the plots are available in the Figshare repository under https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.31153522.
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This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (nos. RS-2022-NR068223, RS-2024-00393599, RS-2024-00442710, RS-2024-00444725, RS-2024-00434439, RS-2025-02317602 received by G.-H.L., 2021R1A5A1032937, RS-2024-00406152, and RS-2024-00455226 received by S.-Y.J.), and by the ITRC (Information Technology Research Center) support program (IITP-2025-RS-2022-00164799 received by G.-H.L.). Nanofabrication was partially supported by the POSTECH Center for Semiconductor Technology Convergence, supported by the Korea Basic Science Institute, NFEC-2025-03-304835. G.-H.L. acknowledges the support of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (IO201207-07801-01), and S.-Y.J. acknowledges the support of Samsung Science and Technology Foundation (project number SRFC-MA2202-02).
Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea
Yongjin Cho, Hu-Jong Lee & Gil-Ho Lee
Crystal Bank Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
Su Jae Kim
Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
Min-Hyoung Jung & Young-Min Kim
Copper Innovative Technology (CIT) Co. Ltd., Busan, Republic of Korea
Yousil Lee
Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
Hu Young Jeong
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
Seong-Gon Kim
Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Se-Young Jeong
Department of Optics and Mechatronics Engineering, Engineering Research Center for Color-Modulated Extra-Sensory Perception Technology, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
Se-Young Jeong
Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, Pohang, Republic of Korea
Gil-Ho Lee
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G.-H.L., S.-Y.J., H.-J.L., and S.-G.K. conceived this study. Y.J.C. performed the transport measurements. S.-Y.J., S.J.K., and Y.L. performed the Cu thin film growth and observation using AFM, XRD, EBSD, and SEM. M.-H.J., H.Y.J., and Y.-M.K. performed TEM measurements and analyses. S.-G.K. and H.-J.L. supervised the work. G.-H.L., S.-Y.J., S.-G.K., and Y.J.C. wrote the manuscript. All authors participated in the manuscript review.
Correspondence to
Seong-Gon Kim, Se-Young Jeong or Gil-Ho Lee.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Communications thanks Pascal Gehring and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available.
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Cho, Y., Kim, S.J., Jung, MH. et al. Ballistic transport in nanodevices based on single-crystalline Cu thin films.
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by Todd Bishop & John Cook on Mar 7, 2026 at 9:37 amMarch 7, 2026 at 10:02 am
OpenAI just opened its largest office outside San Francisco, in downtown Bellevue, Wash., and we were there for the grand opening to tour the space, check out the vibe, and record this week's GeekWire Podcast.
Chatting inside the OpenAI game room, we share our observations about the Mad Men-meets-Pacific Northwest aesthetic — which features open floor plans and a wide variety of common areas — and try to figure out what it all says about OpenAI's culture.
Plus, a conversation with Vijaye Raji, former Statsig CEO and now OpenAI's CTO of applications, about Codex, infrastructure, hiring, and the evolution and growth of Silicon Valley tech giants in the region.
In our final segment, it's the return of the GeekWire trivia challenge, with a question focusing on one of the earliest tech giants to establish an outpost in the Seattle area.
One of the most interesting moments in the conversation with Raji came when he described how OpenAI's own Codex tool has changed his day-to-day work, to the point where he's personally making software again, or at least he's prompting the software to make software.
“Codex has made coding a lot more delightful,” Raji said. “I'm back coding.”
He described a new daily rhythm: “Before you hop into a meeting, you ask it to go do a set of tasks, and then you jump into a meeting, and then when you come back, it's done, and then you review it,” he said. “It's so cool.”
Internally, Raji said teams using Codex are seeing 2-3x productivity gains in terms of code output. Beyond engineering, the tool has found its way into marketing, sales, and operations.
“It's very hard for me to imagine going back to the way we used to write code anymore,” he said. “It's fundamentally changed.”
OpenAI's Codex, which got a Windows app this week, is part of an explosion of AI coding tools including GitHub Copilot (Microsoft), Amazon Q Developer, Google's Gemini Code Assist, Anthropic's Claude Code and others, all promising significant developer productivity gains.
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As audiences flock to see Hoppers, Pixar is already looking at what's next on its pretty big plate.
Late Friday night, the Wall Street Journal published a report on the studio's tumultuous 2020s, including several films like Turning Red and Luca going straight to Disney+, and theatrical duds like Lightyear and Elio. After a tough couple of years, the studio seemed to got its groove back with audiences thanks to 2024's Inside Out 2, which made $1.7 billion. Now that it's back to making movies with a more intentionally broad appeal, Pixar's trying to find the right balance between going back to its old playbook and introducing some new tricks so it can still be “useful” to Disney, to quote CCO Pete Docter.
To that end, the WSJ reported several new projects that've yet to be announced by the studio. For fans of originals, you can look forward to Ono Ghost Market, said to be inspired by Asian myths about supernatural bazaars that let the living and dead hang out. (According to the Journal, this was first a TV series before getting boosted up to feature-length status.) Also in the supposed mix is the studio's first-ever (and currently untitled) musical, which'll be directed by Turning Red's Domee Shi. Both will release after the previously announced Gatto, which is due in March 2027.
And for the old? The Journal revealed Pixar is also working on a third Monsters Inc. movie. Monsters University came out in 2013, but the franchise recently made a small comeback with the Disney+/Disney Channel series Monsters at Work, which ran for two seasons before wrapping in 2024. If we're getting another Toy Story and Incredibles, then it only makes sense another Monsters is on the horizon…but it sounds like it'll come after Coco 2 in 2029.
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DJI will pay $30,000 to a man who discovered a critical vulnerability in the company's cloud backend that, among other things, granted him access to a fleet of some 7,000 robot vacuum cleaners and gave him a glimpse into other people's homes, reports The Verge. The company reportedly sent Sammy Azdoufal, a software engineer who wanted to drive his DJI Romo robot vacuum with a PS5 controller, an email notifying him of the reward, but did not elaborate on the reasons behind it.
DJI insists that it had already started fixing several weaknesses in its backend systems before Azdoufal demonstrated the scale of access he had uncovered, yet questions remain about the reward and patching. According to an email he shared with The Verge, DJI agreed to pay him $30,000 for one of his discoveries, though the company did not clarify which specific discovery is eligible for the reward. DJI confirmed that it had compensated an unnamed researcher, according to The Verge. Yet, the company's past dispute with researcher Kevin Finisterre in 2017 makes it unclear whether Azdoufal would be rewarded at all and how quickly the DJI backend holes will be patched.
It all started earlier this year, when Sammy Azdoufal wanted to control his robotic hoover with something more convenient than a smartphone screen. To control his DJI Romo using his PS5 gamepad, Azdoufal had to develop a custom controller app that used his security token to verify to his vacuum cleaner that he was the owner of the device. To extract that token, he needed to work with DJI's cloud servers to reverse-engineer the authorization process, which he successfully did using the assistance of an AI coding tool. As it turned out, instead of verifying a single robot, DJI's backend granted broad access rights to some 7,000 robot vacuum cleaners located in 24 countries, along with their sensor and data stored in the cloud.
The DJI Romo is an advanced robot vacuum cleaner that is not only equipped with the typical set of sensors found in any automatic hoover, but also with a camera and a microphone. As a result of the authorization flaw, Azdoufal gained access to 7,000 live camera feeds with audio and could even compile 2D floor plans of homes operated by other DJI Romos. As the DJI backend was also generous enough, it also provided the software expert with the IP addresses of these homes, enabling him to guess their geographical locations.
Azdoufal insists he did not 'hack' anything as he simply encountered a flawed backend service that failed to properly limit device access. To his credit, Sammy Azdoufal chose to disclose the information rather than abuse it. Azdoufal alerted The Verge, which contacted DJI, which fixed the problem by mid-February.
DJI then told Popular Science that it discovered the vulnerability during an internal review (so no credit was given to Sammy Azdoufal) in late January and quickly fixed it. Yet, according to the latest story by The Verge, the company now also credits two independent researchers with identifying the same problem, but does not elaborate.
Anyhow, according to media reports, the initial patch was deployed automatically on February 8, followed by a second update on February 10, which precedes The Verge's original story on February 14 but clearly follows the discovery of Sammy Azdoufal allegedly made earlier than February 8. DJI also said that no user action was required and added that additional security enhancements were underway without disclosing any details.
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None of these companies are clean and I think it's hilarious HN and the rest of SV has been duped by Dario. He's playing the game better than Sam is, imo. Nothing Dario has said has indicated he is regretful about their partnership with Palantir or any of the stuff they've done with the DoD in the past 2.5 years.Edit: this Washington Post article seems to be the original source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/04/anthrop...
Edit: this Washington Post article seems to be the original source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/04/anthrop...
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" Frankfurt determines that bullshit is speech intended to persuade without regard for truth. The liar cares about the truth and attempts to hide it; the bullshitter doesn't care whether what they say is true or false."This quote comes to mind whenever Dario Amodei opens his mouth.
This quote comes to mind whenever Dario Amodei opens his mouth.
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How come HN became so extreme left it can't understand this is a good thing?
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> How come HN became so extreme left it can't understand this is a good thing?Good Thing? How deranged are you to say something without proof and accuse others of a being left, when people are being normal.
Good Thing? How deranged are you to say something without proof and accuse others of a being left, when people are being normal.
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Exactly. Anthropic is to the rest of the AI companies as capital-loyal Democrats are to capital-loyal Republicans of the uniparty.The choices we are given are merely an illusion. The notion of "lesser of 2 etc evils" is fundamentally flawed.
The choices we are given are merely an illusion. The notion of "lesser of 2 etc evils" is fundamentally flawed.
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If that's the case, why did they need help selecting targets? I can only imagine that the military bases and targets are well known and well studied. What would they have actually needed AI assistance for?
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Just to clarify, I don't condone the use of AI for guessing targets, but I think that's what may be going on here.
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"For instance, Israel has bombed a park in Tehran called "Police park." It has nothing to do with the police."[1]1. https://x.com/tparsi/status/2029555364262228454
1. https://x.com/tparsi/status/2029555364262228454
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Not much different from giving it a bunch of satellite, traffic, etc data of a target and asking it to find areas to prioritize based on movement of particular personnel/equipment, etc.
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This is similar to the story behind Cambridge Analytica, which was essentially a company using crapware facebook API software to harvest voters data, but the media version of it was "tech companies can change election results" which echoed a season plotline of House of Cards (and older narratives of shadow forces)
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They hit 1000 targets in 24 hours. And yet, a week later, the Iranian regime is intact, American allies are still under constant bombardment, interceptor stocks are running low, and half of America's long-range, high-altitude transportable radar have been destroyed.This looks like shooting the broad side of a barn, and then painting bullseyes around every bullet hole.
This looks like shooting the broad side of a barn, and then painting bullseyes around every bullet hole.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/iran-school-strike-us-mil...In this case it seems plausible that the military would have an outdated database, and that an LLM would have "known" it wasn't a base anymore, assuming the LLM was trained on documents/maps with this up to date information.
In this case it seems plausible that the military would have an outdated database, and that an LLM would have "known" it wasn't a base anymore, assuming the LLM was trained on documents/maps with this up to date information.
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Ah, yes, because an LLM has never made a mistake ever. It certainly could not have made a mistake. No way.Also, all databases are perfect. It certainly couldn't have been fed conflicting info. No way.
Also, all databases are perfect. It certainly couldn't have been fed conflicting info. No way.
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The shift toward war crime whataboutism is a new low for HN, capping off a week of aggressive warmongering and intellectualized cruelty in every comment thread about Iran.
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Have Iran and their terrorist partners ever restricted what they attack?
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Isn't this a special operation?
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WW2 was a total war. This isn't even a war according to our laws. Even if we concluded that the firebombing was acceptable (and oodles of people call it a war crime), this does not transfer that justification to these attacks.I am also not terribly interested in using the evil acts of terrorist groups to justify our own evil acts. Would it be acceptable in your mind to behead captured Iranian PoWs because various terrorist groups do this? I would hope not.
I am also not terribly interested in using the evil acts of terrorist groups to justify our own evil acts. Would it be acceptable in your mind to behead captured Iranian PoWs because various terrorist groups do this? I would hope not.
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https://calebhearth.com/dont-get-distracted
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My generation feels more replacable than ever and this leads to ethics being lost. Ethics can be diluted very easily if you make people wonder about food on the table.I am in school and ethics aren't an concern when we discuss and I am not sure treating it as a subject could help either. Perhaps but I do feel at some point, it has to have with people feeling a sense of job security.As a society as well, we have to probably do something to reward ethics. Especially when not following ethics sometimes leads to so much financial gains.To me, the way I see it, people sometimes start doing immoral things because they have to put food on the table and then greed takes over.But that being said, I am not sure how job insecurity/this culture can be fixed by a single measure but I just wanted to point out that there's more nuance to it. The only way to meaningfully solve is with having discussions on this topic and having actual change take place.We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
I am in school and ethics aren't an concern when we discuss and I am not sure treating it as a subject could help either. Perhaps but I do feel at some point, it has to have with people feeling a sense of job security.As a society as well, we have to probably do something to reward ethics. Especially when not following ethics sometimes leads to so much financial gains.To me, the way I see it, people sometimes start doing immoral things because they have to put food on the table and then greed takes over.But that being said, I am not sure how job insecurity/this culture can be fixed by a single measure but I just wanted to point out that there's more nuance to it. The only way to meaningfully solve is with having discussions on this topic and having actual change take place.We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
As a society as well, we have to probably do something to reward ethics. Especially when not following ethics sometimes leads to so much financial gains.To me, the way I see it, people sometimes start doing immoral things because they have to put food on the table and then greed takes over.But that being said, I am not sure how job insecurity/this culture can be fixed by a single measure but I just wanted to point out that there's more nuance to it. The only way to meaningfully solve is with having discussions on this topic and having actual change take place.We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
To me, the way I see it, people sometimes start doing immoral things because they have to put food on the table and then greed takes over.But that being said, I am not sure how job insecurity/this culture can be fixed by a single measure but I just wanted to point out that there's more nuance to it. The only way to meaningfully solve is with having discussions on this topic and having actual change take place.We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
But that being said, I am not sure how job insecurity/this culture can be fixed by a single measure but I just wanted to point out that there's more nuance to it. The only way to meaningfully solve is with having discussions on this topic and having actual change take place.We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
We feel like we go grease ourselves in studies and try to get a job and even when we do but many of us are still not able to afford a house at times :<
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Can I get off this train, please?
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I worked briefly in defense-tech and there is a huge blindspot in this field. While I worked with a ton of thoughtful, ethical, and talented people from the military, there is a veritable blind spot when it comes to support of the "warfighter." It is certainly noble and worthwhile work to protect soldiers from harm through technology, but I got some sense some people (actually especially the tech people who were never in the military) didn't think enough about the ethical concerns when dealing with people attached to the US's "enemies." And further, what about when the US itself is the aggressor? While active warfighters have to follow chain of command, companies can and should apply ethical constraints--but they often don't because DoD contracts are lucrative and (especially if you're not a prime) hard won.I've had a lot of fun playing with Claude 4.6, but it is entirely unacceptable that this technology is being used in this conflict with Iran. I will cancel my account once this month's subscription is up in 2 weeks. The US is the aggressor here, that is certain. Support of this conflict as a private company that supposedly is oriented toward ethics is extremely illuminating.Now with that, I have thought a tremendous amount about whether someone like Dario could even steer the ship away from support of a conflict like this at this point. We are all susceptible to market forces, and companies like Anthropic need as much revenue as possible to be able to maintain themselves and grow given the cost of training. There is certainly an argument to be made that if he did so, he might lose confidence of investors and lose control entirely. This begs the question: is shareholder/capital optimization the best way to organize our society?
I've had a lot of fun playing with Claude 4.6, but it is entirely unacceptable that this technology is being used in this conflict with Iran. I will cancel my account once this month's subscription is up in 2 weeks. The US is the aggressor here, that is certain. Support of this conflict as a private company that supposedly is oriented toward ethics is extremely illuminating.Now with that, I have thought a tremendous amount about whether someone like Dario could even steer the ship away from support of a conflict like this at this point. We are all susceptible to market forces, and companies like Anthropic need as much revenue as possible to be able to maintain themselves and grow given the cost of training. There is certainly an argument to be made that if he did so, he might lose confidence of investors and lose control entirely. This begs the question: is shareholder/capital optimization the best way to organize our society?
Now with that, I have thought a tremendous amount about whether someone like Dario could even steer the ship away from support of a conflict like this at this point. We are all susceptible to market forces, and companies like Anthropic need as much revenue as possible to be able to maintain themselves and grow given the cost of training. There is certainly an argument to be made that if he did so, he might lose confidence of investors and lose control entirely. This begs the question: is shareholder/capital optimization the best way to organize our society?
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There's also the consideration that if they come across at too against US military support, the administration can and will make things extremely painful for them. I suspect they've actually gotten off pretty easy just being named a supply chain risk (so far). Imagine the backlash if they'd for example accepted contracts with China. Or even made so much as a hint that they weren't open to most military use cases.
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Living in accordance with an ethical framework only matters when that decision is hard. There are clearly consequences to doing so. But Anthropic has clearly forfeited their right to claim the moral high ground. Their posturing against OpenAI is based on a false dichotomy: they are arguing around a cutout incredibly minor commensurate with their broader exposure.I think Anthropic can avoid contracting with the military at this stage, with all of their babbling about alignment, and not actively contract with China.
I think Anthropic can avoid contracting with the military at this stage, with all of their babbling about alignment, and not actively contract with China.
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At one point I got curious about how the US military thinks about insurgencies, so I read their manual on how to fight them. As someone holding a lot of dissident views in the US it was pretty interesting.One thing I took away was the feeling that at no time did the manual ever define what an "insurgent" is, beyond whoever the US government tells them the insurgents are.So you have as situation where, ultimately, there's no external reality testing, and reality is simply whatever "reality" is as defined by the command structure.I know that sounds overly simple- of course military follows a chain of command, unquestionable right up to its civilian commander in chief.Why I feel that is a useful observation is that, to your question, people are constantly deferring their ethical judgements. And I suspect there is some cognitive bias in play that allows folks to feel that deferral can't happen across all these systems.In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
One thing I took away was the feeling that at no time did the manual ever define what an "insurgent" is, beyond whoever the US government tells them the insurgents are.So you have as situation where, ultimately, there's no external reality testing, and reality is simply whatever "reality" is as defined by the command structure.I know that sounds overly simple- of course military follows a chain of command, unquestionable right up to its civilian commander in chief.Why I feel that is a useful observation is that, to your question, people are constantly deferring their ethical judgements. And I suspect there is some cognitive bias in play that allows folks to feel that deferral can't happen across all these systems.In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
So you have as situation where, ultimately, there's no external reality testing, and reality is simply whatever "reality" is as defined by the command structure.I know that sounds overly simple- of course military follows a chain of command, unquestionable right up to its civilian commander in chief.Why I feel that is a useful observation is that, to your question, people are constantly deferring their ethical judgements. And I suspect there is some cognitive bias in play that allows folks to feel that deferral can't happen across all these systems.In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
I know that sounds overly simple- of course military follows a chain of command, unquestionable right up to its civilian commander in chief.Why I feel that is a useful observation is that, to your question, people are constantly deferring their ethical judgements. And I suspect there is some cognitive bias in play that allows folks to feel that deferral can't happen across all these systems.In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
Why I feel that is a useful observation is that, to your question, people are constantly deferring their ethical judgements. And I suspect there is some cognitive bias in play that allows folks to feel that deferral can't happen across all these systems.In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
In the case of businesses, it is to "the market"-- which is reactive and as such doesn't have "judgement", and even if it did it's needs aren't "human" so relying on it as a human seems dangerous. So to your question, my answer is usually "probably not". And further, unless people stop deferring their judgments to the imaginary of the spectacular market, eventually shits gonna break.In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
In the case of the military, we can see what happens when radically nihilistic (pedophilic and sociopathic media personalities) are put at the helm.My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
My larger point, though, is that our usual assumption seems to be that all these other folks are likely to exercise their faculties to test out reality and hopefully, when it doesn't line up with that reality, push back and prevent dumb shit from happening.But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
But all these systems are set up to prevent that from happening, it doesn't seem at all strange to me that these systems are starting to break in the ways that the seem to be failing.
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This is the same kind of claim you've all seen before about AI systems doing something amazing and it's really just a bunch of people sitting in a call center in a third world country controlling the system remotely.Only in this case it's a bunch of senior airmen and staff sergeants sitting in an intel shop doing all the work. Sure, Palantir made a UI but it just plain sucks. And Claude probably fixed some typos in the targeting packages. But let's not believe that either system was influential to target selection. CENTCOM created a similar number of targets at the beginning of the Syrian civil war before any of these LLMs existed and it took a similar amount of time. We ended up not striking them, but the plans were made after Assad used chemical weapons. All the fixed locations in Iran had packages written and sitting on the shelf before Trump was even elected the first time. The AI in this war added basically no value.Any claim that Palantir did something useful for the government should immediately be viewed as suspect. I've used their software, and it sucks. I cannot understand how they got such big contracts to make a shitty UI that poorly integrates other systems' data.
Only in this case it's a bunch of senior airmen and staff sergeants sitting in an intel shop doing all the work. Sure, Palantir made a UI but it just plain sucks. And Claude probably fixed some typos in the targeting packages. But let's not believe that either system was influential to target selection. CENTCOM created a similar number of targets at the beginning of the Syrian civil war before any of these LLMs existed and it took a similar amount of time. We ended up not striking them, but the plans were made after Assad used chemical weapons. All the fixed locations in Iran had packages written and sitting on the shelf before Trump was even elected the first time. The AI in this war added basically no value.Any claim that Palantir did something useful for the government should immediately be viewed as suspect. I've used their software, and it sucks. I cannot understand how they got such big contracts to make a shitty UI that poorly integrates other systems' data.
Any claim that Palantir did something useful for the government should immediately be viewed as suspect. I've used their software, and it sucks. I cannot understand how they got such big contracts to make a shitty UI that poorly integrates other systems' data.
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It's irrelevant whether AI "makes any mistakes" or not, there are no morals either way, and people just seem to be desensitised to all of this
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Apart from anything else, Anthropic don't want to be used for this.
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what did they think a Palantir contract would be for?
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All these providers are the same.
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OpenAI didn't object to anything.They're all bad, but some are worse than others.
They're all bad, but some are worse than others.
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That's option A, option B is pure halo effect. I.e. Claude is so good that people misascribe positive attributes to Anthropic.Otherwise it really is mind boggling to see people laud Dario's posts which are tone blind to Europeans at least.
Otherwise it really is mind boggling to see people laud Dario's posts which are tone blind to Europeans at least.
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Let us recall what former Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi reportedly conveyed about a meeting with Netanyahu. The IDF said they had struck 1,400 targets, yet Netanyahu reportedly slammed the table and angrily asked why it wasn't 5,000, and said “bomb everywhere and destroy the houses.”For the military bureaucracy, the fact that AI can speculate or generate potential targets (which is entirely possible with LLM systems) becomes a convenient mechanism that, at least on paper, allows them to distance themselves from responsibility.Now let's look at the statements made by Anthropic and Hegseth:https://www.anthropic.com/news/where-stand-department-warhttps://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
For the military bureaucracy, the fact that AI can speculate or generate potential targets (which is entirely possible with LLM systems) becomes a convenient mechanism that, at least on paper, allows them to distance themselves from responsibility.Now let's look at the statements made by Anthropic and Hegseth:https://www.anthropic.com/news/where-stand-department-warhttps://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
Now let's look at the statements made by Anthropic and Hegseth:https://www.anthropic.com/news/where-stand-department-warhttps://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
https://www.anthropic.com/news/where-stand-department-warhttps://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
https://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
From Anthropic's own statement, we hear that they have actually been quite closely partnered. In Hegseth's tweet we see:“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
“Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
This shows that Anthropic is still currently being actively used by the Department of War.My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
My view is that Anthropic and its investors eventually realized that the American war machine will use their technology in reckless ways, and that this will certainly create a massive PR disaster or, in an ideal world, even legal consequences. That realization likely pushed them to adopt what they now frame as a more “humanitarian” position. We have already seen incidents where roughly 180 children were killed due to faulty targeting, assuming and hoping it was not intentional.
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That website is broken on mobile and I can't even scroll to see the sourceI can't be the only one who couldn't see it on ff/safari
I can't be the only one who couldn't see it on ff/safari
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2030 profitability is the big question on everyone's minds.
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The job reaper of AI has visited many a home in the past year alone, and this time it's knocking at Larry Ellison's door. According to a Bloomberg report citing inside sources, the database and cloud service giant is preparing to fire thousands of people across multiple divisions.
These layoff plans are still private, but Bloomberg's sources expect they'll happen this calendar month. As for a reason for the cuts, two informants said they'll happen in job categories that Oracle expects to effectively backfill with AI. This new wave of cuts is also reportedly not within the scope of the firm's usual layoff cycle.
There isn't an exact figure for the number of jobs getting axed, but as of last May, Oracle counted around 162,000 heads worldwide. There's a chance this cost-cutting may be more than just optimization, too, as Bloomberg's confidants noted that Oracle posted an internal announcement saying it will review its cloud division's open job listings, a move that purportedly signals a hiring slowdown or outright freeze.
The backdrop for these cuts is that just like OpenAI, Oracle is posting large bets on AI datacenters and expects to be deep in the red until 2030, spending hundreds of billions along the way. Investors aren't taking kindly to the gargantuan scale of these investments nor to the circular nature of their ecosystem, and consequently, Oracle's stock price has dropped about 50% since its September 2025 peak. That said, the firm is still trading well above 2023 levels.
All things considered, it's not out of the question that Ellison might not just be optimizing its workforce, but rather applying a chainsaw to the firm's spending so it can weather the coming spending storm. It's slightly puzzling that the hiring freeze would extend to cloud service job listings, since those are supposed to enable Oracle to execute its plan.
Some investors even went as far as suing the company for misrepresenting its spending and borrowing predictions. Oracle plans to raise around $50 billion through debt and equity sales, so it's a fair guess that Ellison's bean counters are working hard to balance the books.
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There's a reason we're called WIRED. If there's one thing most of today's gadgets have in common, it's that they typically need to be plugged in from time to time. But all those cables, cords, and wires can be tough to manage. They don't have to end up in a tangled nest under your desk; you can bring order to the cable chaos.
As a gadget reviewer, I have more cords than most people, which is why I also have a regimented cable management strategy to keep everything orderly. Here are my tips and product recommendations for hiding those cords and power strips, and keeping your desktop tidy.
Start by surveying the scene, unplugging and untangling everything, and removing anything that doesn't need to be there. You might be surprised to find a stray USB-B or Micro-USB you haven't used in years in the mix. Before you get started on cable management, take a slightly damp microfiber cloth and wipe down all the surfaces and cables. Now, you can start planning routes and figuring out which cables it would make sense to bundle together.
Ideally, cables will be the exact required length, so if you have spares or you don't mind snagging some new cables, it's worth switching and getting as close as possible to exact lengths to reduce the excess cable you have to hide. If you have a standing desk, remember to take into account the cable length required for a standing position (trust me, dear reader, it's no fun when you hit stand on the desk and it pulls your PC tower into the air by a DisplayPort cable that is now forever stuck in that port).
Tidying your tech often comes back to cable management, but there are several ways to keep those cords neatly out of sight. Many desks have channels, grommets, and power strip trays built-in, so have a quick look to make sure you're using what's available. Some monitor arms also have built-in cable management. You also likely have a bunch of cable ties in your junk drawer or toolbox, so gather them together.
Ikea
Ikea
This cheap kit from Ikea is pretty good for covering a range of cable scenarios. There are three sizes of cable clips with nails and adhesive-backed clips in black and white.
These Velcro-style cable ties are my favorite because they can accommodate all sizes of cables or thick bundles of multiple cables (you can even combine two for extra fat bundles), and they are very easy to adjust or reuse.
Alex Tech
Amazon
This is the way to go if you have a bundle of cables that are all traveling the same route. The mesh is easy to open if you ever need to switch a cable, you can cut them to length, and they look very neat.
D-Line
Amazon
These lengths of plastic raceway come in different sizes with various shapes, including bends, so you can cobble together a cable run. There's enough room for a few cables inside, they are easy to open, and you can even paint them to help them blend into your wall.
You have a few choices to hide those ugly power strips. Many power strips have holes in the back so you can mount them on screw heads or hooks. You just need a good out-of-sight spot behind your desk.
Ikea
Ikea
An under-desk tray is often the best option, especially if you have a standing desk. This clamping tray from Ikea fits most desks, but you should also check if your desk manufacturer offers something specifically designed for your desk.
Chouky
Amazon
I like these unobtrusive boxes with easy-to-remove bamboo lids and openings in the sides to run cables in and out. They work great if you're happy to have your power strips sit on the floor.
One last thing that can save you some hassle later is to label the plugs, so you don't need a trial-and-error approach to unplug your monitor. Use a label maker if you have one, buy a sheet of labels, or just use white tape with a Sharpie.
I find it easier to work when my desk is relatively free of clutter. I'm a big fan of clamping things to my desk to preserve space, but you will likely want some stuff to hand.
Scosche
Amazon
If you have an iPhone with MagSafe or a Qi2 phone, this handy wireless charger keeps it neatly out of the way. It has a suction pad to stick firmly to your desktop with cable management on the back and a couple of adhesive-backed cable clips.
Anker
Amazon
Anker
Maybe you need to charge a whole bunch of devices. I've been using this Anker charger, which gives me two USB-A ports and four USB-C ports. Pair it with some super short cables or a retracting cable, and you can reduce cable clutter. Alternatively, place it under your desk in a box or tray and run cables to the holders below.
Syncwire
Amazon
These simple adhesive-backed plastic clips come in rows with two to four cable slots that are perfect for keeping the ends of cords accessible. You can stick them to the side of your desk to keep cables to hand but out of view. There are many alternative styles that do the same job. I quite like the fabric-finished magnetic Smartish Cable Wrangler ($30).
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As the market of graphics cards rises year-over-year.
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Shipments of discrete graphics cards for desktop PCs last year were the second highest in this decade and increased by nearly 10 million units to around 44.28 million in 2025 compared to 2024, according to Jon Peddie Research. However, the vast majority of graphics boards sold last year carried a GeForce GPU from Nvidia, whereas sales of AMD Radeon-badged cards hit an all-time low, based on data from JPR.
The industry shipped 44.28 million graphics cards in calendar 2025, up from 34.7 million units in 2024, mainly because Nvidia released its GeForce RTX 50-series graphics processors based on the Blackwell architecture. Sales of standalone graphics cards for desktops peaked in Q3, when the industry supplied 12 million units, and were slightly down sequentially in Q4, when makers of add-in-boards (AIBs) shipped 11.48 million units, which was still up from 8.4 million units year-over-year. Traditionally, graphics card sales for desktops peak in Q4 as gamers prep for the release of new games. However, this was not the case in 2025 due to a variety of reasons.
"The AIB market, largely supported by gamers, is being squeezed from the bottom by powerful new notebooks and CPU integrated graphics, and from the high end by rising pricing due to competition (supply and demand), memory prices, and Trump administration tariffs that bounce around," explained Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research.
When it comes to market share, Nvidia dominated the market throughout the whole of 2025 as it entered the year with a 92% share in Q1 and exited the year with a 94% share in Q4 (gaining 1.6% in the fourth quarter alone). By contrast, AMD shipped 8% of graphics cards in the first quarter of 2025 as it was getting ready to launch its Radeon RX 9000-series GPUs and exited the year with a 5% share in Q4 as these products failed to garner popularity among the target audience, perhaps due to scarce availability at recommended prices early in the lifecycle.
A 5% share of the desktop AIB market is the lowest share that AMD or ATI Technologies has ever had. The company can, of course, boast of a significant share of the integrated GPU market, as nearly all Ryzen processors for desktops carry an iGPU, but this is an entirely different market that is far less loyal or lucrative than the market for standalone graphics cards for desktops.
As Nvidia was gaining market share throughout 2025, while AMD was losing it, the company's unit shipments also dropped from 0.74 million in the first quarter to 0.57 million units in the fourth quarter. Again, selling 570,000 graphics cards in a quarter is the lowest result for both AMD and its predecessor, ATI.
When it comes to Intel, although the company released some new Arc graphics cards based on the Battlemage architecture, they were mostly targeted at select niches, which is why Intel has not gained any market share in 2025.
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Due to constrained supply of GPUs, high GDDR memory prices, and geopolitical uncertainties, the market of graphics cards for desktops will decline by 10% year-over-year, according to Jon Peddie Research.
"Customers who would, and in some cases should, be replacing their PCs and AIB are holding off," Peddie added. "We think because of these unstable conditions, the PC and AIB market will decline almost 10% in 2026."
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Two of ME-CENTRAL-1's three availability zones went offline after Iran targeted Amazon's cloud infrastructure.
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Drone strikes damaged three Amazon Web Services data centers in the UAE and Bahrain on Sunday, March 1, knocking two of the ME-CENTRAL-1 region's three availability zones offline and triggering outages across EC2, S3, DynamoDB, Lambda, RDS, and other core services, thereby marking the first confirmed military attack on a hyperscale cloud provider, according to Uptime Institute.
AWS confirmed on its health dashboard that two facilities in the UAE were "directly struck" and that a third site in Bahrain sustained damage from a nearby explosion. The strikes caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery, and, in some cases, triggered fire suppression systems that produced additional water damage, according to the AWS Health Dashboard. Amazon told customers it expects recovery to be prolonged "given the nature of the physical damage involved".
Each AWS region is built around multiple availability zones, which are physically separated data centers, each with independent power, cooling, and networking, designed so that the loss of one zone does not take a region offline. ME-CENTRAL-1 has three availability zones; the strikes took out two of them (mec1-az2 and mec1-az3), leaving the region significantly impaired. The Bahrain region (ME-SOUTH-1) lost one zone (mes1-az2) to a localized power issue. AWS's redundancy model is designed to survive the failure of a single zone, but not a coordinated attack across multiple sites within the same region.
These outages then cascaded into consumer-facing services across the Gulf. Ride-sharing and delivery platform Careem, payments firms Hubpay and Alaan, data management company Snowflake, and several major UAE banks — including Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank — all reported disruptions. AWS advised customers to activate disaster recovery plans and migrate workloads away from the affected Middle East regions.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated it targeted the Bahrain facility specifically because AWS hosts U.S. military workloads there; AWS declined to comment on that claim. Sean Gorman, Air Force contractor and CEO of Zephr.xyz, told DefenseScoop on Tuesday that classified government workloads at Impact Level 4 and 5 are held in U.S.-only facilities, but acknowledged that “contractor and non-operational data… may have been impacted,” at the struck sites.
The attacks followed joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran over the last week. AWS urged customers with workloads in the region to migrate to unaffected regions while repairs continue.
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Apple's desktop and notebook processors traditionally lead the pack in single-thread workloads, as industry-leading single-thread performance has been the company's focus for a long time. However, Apple's M5 Max processors not only outperform rivals by a huge margin in single-thread workloads, but beat all of them — including the 96-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX — in multi-thread workloads in the Geekbench 6 benchmark. However, when it comes to GPU compute performance, not everything is that rosy for the M5 Max.
According to recent Geekbench 6 results, Apple's 18-core M5 Max not only beats its direct predecessor, the 16-core M4 Max, in single-thread (4,353 points) and multi-thread workloads (29,644 points), but also the 32-core M3 Ultra that is supposed to be Apple's unbeatable multi-thread machine.
Furthermore, Apple's new flagship CPU beats AMD's 96-core Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX in single-thread (which is not surprising) and multi-thread workloads in Geekbench 6. It should be noted that while most Threadripper Pro 9995WX CPUs score around 26,000 GB6 points in multi-thread workloads, there is one example when this processor hits 30,170 points, which is a bit ahead of M5 Max's 29,644 points.
M5 Max
M4 Max
M3 Ultra
Threadripper Pro 9995WX
Threadripper Pro 9995WX
Threadripper Pro 7995WX
Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Xeon W9-3595X
Core Ultra 9 285K
General Specification
6SP + 12P at 4.60 GHz
12P at 4.50 GHz + 4E
24P at 4.05 GHz + 8E
96P/192T at 2.50 - 5.40 GHz
96P/192T at 2.50 - 5.40 GHz
96P/192T at 2.50 - 5.10 GHz
16P/32T at 4.30 - 5.70 GHz
60C/120T at 2.0 - 4.80 GHz
8P at 3.70 - 5.70 GHz + 16E
Single-Core
4353
4054
3226
3122
2800
2736
3466
2719
3165
Multi-Core
29644
26320
27551
25992
30170
25899
24057
24206
21014
Source
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/16894743
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12812139
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12809531
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12797289
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12773366
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12802127
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12807125
https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/12813645
There is a major catch here as the Geekbench 6 multi-thread benchmark is a brief, bursty test intended to mimic common consumer tasks such as archive compression, PDF processing, and image editing. Its short runtime and bursty nature prevent it from fully stressing ultra-high-core-count processors like the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX.
Furthermore, many of the suite's multi-threaded subtests scale efficiently only to roughly 8 – 32 threads, which leaves much of such CPUs' parallel capacity idle, but which creates an almost perfect environment for Apple's CPUs that feature a relatively modest number of cores, but which evolve noticeably in terms of per-core performance from one generation to another. Also, keep in mind that Geekbench 6 is a synthetic benchmark that reflects the potential of the tested hardware but may not reflect its performance in real-world applications.
Apple's M5 Max processor in its maximum configuration packs six 'super' performance (SP) cores featuring increased front-end bandwidth (i.e., wider decoder?), enhanced branch prediction, and a new cache hierarchy to deliver unbeatable single-thread performance as well as 12 new performance (P) cores designed to deliver power-efficient multithreaded performance in professional applications, up from 16 cores (12P + 4E cores) offered by the M4 Max. We do not know details about microarchitectures of Apple's 'super' performance and performance cores, though the 12% single-thread performance difference between M5 Max's SP and M4 Max's P cores is evident.
As for the memory subsystem, the M5 Max features up to 128 GB of LPDDR5X-9600 memory connected to the host via a 512-bit interface, offering 614 GB/s of bandwidth, up 12% from M4 Max (546 GB/s). For now, no workstation processor can match the memory bandwidth of M5 Max or M4 Max. Efficient cache and memory subsystems are crucial for single-thread performance, so this part of the M5 Max also played a significant role in its performance boost compared to the predecessor.
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In addition to its revamped CPU subsystem, Apple's M5 Max also boasts a new GPU that is based on a PowerVR-derived microarchitecture developed by Apple. As it turns out, a big integrated GPU and plenty of memory bandwidth can deliver serious GPU compute oomph: the M5 Max scores 232,718 points on the GeekBench 6 GPU compute benchmark when using the Metal API. Apple's previous-generation M4 Max scores up to 204,453 points in the same tests. Evidently, the new GPU is better than the predecessor, but not that significantly.
M5 Max
Ryzen AI Max+ 395
GeForce RTX 5070
GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
RTX Pro 6000 WE
GeForce RTX 5090
Score
228,081
133,447
207,061
253,890
368,219
376,858
Background Blur
103,297
70,030
92,405
104,494
63,762
75,075
Background Blur
427.5 images/sec
289.8 images/sec
382.4 images/sec
432.5 images/sec
263.9 images/sec
310.7 images/sec
Face Detection
150,790
45,779
82,638
95,969
60,254
73,968
Face Detection
492.3 images/sec
149.5 images/sec
269.8 images/sec
313.3 images/sec
196.7 images/sec
241.5 images/sec
Horizon Detection
187,002
135,939
261,064
332,704
684,753
637,294
Horizon Detection
5.82 Gpixels/sec
4.23 Gpixels/sec
8.12 Gpixels/sec
10.4 Gpixels/sec
21.3 Gpixels/sec
19.8 Gpixels/sec
Edge Detection
285,273
142,598
302,787
408,073
864,739
838,261
Edge Detection
10.6 Gpixels/sec
5.29 Gpixels/sec
11.2 Gpixels/sec
15.1 Gpixels/sec
32.1 Gpixels/sec
31.1 Gpixels/sec
Gaussian Blur
401,667
161,926
227,152
281,342
832,815
795,994
Gaussian Blur
17.5 Gpixels/sec
7.06 Gpixels/sec
9.9 Gpixels/sec
12.3 Gpixels/sec
36.3 Gpixels/sec
34.7 Gpixels/sec
Feature Matching
59,861
33,663
45,780
47,976
57,199
57,464
Feature Matching
2.36 Gpixels/sec
1.33 Gpixels/sec
1.80 Gpixels/sec
1.89 Gpixels/sec
2.25 Gpixels/sec
2.27 Gpixels/sec
Stereo Matching
694,884
572,700
1,030,792
1,394,629
2,797,728
2,802,350
Stereo Matching
660.6 Gpixels/sec
544,4 Gpixels/sec
979.9 Gpixels/sec
1.33 Tpixels/sec
2.66 Tpixels/sec
2.66 Tpixels/sec
Particle Physics
527,500
518,413
522,239
673,633
1,114,648
1,069,886
Particle Physics
23215.7 FPS
22,815,8 FPS
22984.2 FPS
29647.2 FPS
49056.6 FPS
47086.6 FPS
When compared to non-Apple GPUs, the one inside the M5 Max easily beats the iGPU inside the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which scores 133,447 points when unconstrained by thermals. When it comes to discrete graphics cards, Apple's flagship iGPU is ahead of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5070 (207,061 points, Vulkan), but trails the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (253,890 points, Vulkan) and has no chance against the GeForce RTX 5090. Still, building an integrated GPU that delivers compute performance comparable to one of the best graphics cards is a breakthrough.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom's Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
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NY 10036.
Over the past week, residents across the Gulf have watched missiles and drones cross the night sky—sometimes followed seconds later by bright flashes as air-defense systems intercept them. In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, videos of interceptions have spread quickly across social media, turning what is normally a largely unseen security architecture into something suddenly visible.
Authorities have urged people not to film or share footage online of interceptions or military activity, warning that such videos could reveal sensitive information about defense operations.
Iran has launched waves of missile and drones toward several Gulf countries in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes which killed Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. These attacks have triggered air-defense responses across the region.
Governments from the United Arab Emirates to Kuwait and Bahrain have reported detecting or intercepting hundreds of missiles and drones in recent days targeting airspace, military facilities, and infrastructure.
Here is how each country has responded.
The UAE operates a layered air-defense network designed to intercept threats at different stages of flight. At the highest altitude sits the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, developed by Lockheed Martin, designed to intercept ballistic missiles during the final phase of their descent using a “hit-to-kill” method—destroying the target through direct impact rather than an explosive warhead.
Closer to the ground, Patriot missile-defense batteries developed by Raytheon provide another layer capable of intercepting missiles and other aerial threats at lower altitudes. Radar networks detect launches hundreds of kilometers away, allowing operators to calculate trajectories and launch interceptors within minutes.
As of writing, the UAE Ministry of Defense said that 196 ballistic missiles have been detected heading toward the country since the escalation began on February 28. Of those, 181 were destroyed by air-defense systems, 13 fell into the sea, and two missiles landed inside UAE territory. The attacks resulted in three fatalities and 78 injuries, most caused by falling debris rather than direct missile impacts.
Attacks have also affected digital infrastructure. Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE and Bahrain were directly struck, causing structural damage and power disruptions.
The high interception rates highlight the effectiveness of the region's layered defense architecture—but they also reveal the strain placed on these systems when attacks occur in repeated waves.
“I would assess Gulf missile-defense performance as tactically capable but strategically stressed,” says Andreas Krieg, an associate professor at the Department of Defense Studies at King's College London.
“The real story of this escalation is not whether the Gulf can intercept," he says. "It is whether it can sustain interception at the tempo these attacks create.”
Missile defense, Krieg notes, is increasingly a contest not just of technology but of endurance. Interceptors can cost millions of dollars each, while many drones used in attacks cost a fraction of that amount.
In prolonged conflicts, maintaining interceptor stocks and coordinating defense across multiple sites becomes a major strategic challenge. “Once you get into repeated raids, mixed salvos, and long-duration drone pressure, the limiting factor becomes magazine depth, resupply speed. and the economics of using very expensive interceptors against cheap, persistent threats,” he says.
The UAE has spent more than a decade building its missile-defense architecture, investing heavily in systems such as THAAD and Patriot and integrating them with regional radar and early-warning networks.
Saudi Arabia operates one of the largest air-defense networks in the Middle East, shaped by years of defending against missile and drone attacks targeting its cities and energy infrastructure.
The kingdom relies heavily on the Patriot missile-defense system, supported by radar networks and additional air-defense assets designed to intercept ballistic missiles and aerial threats approaching major population centers and oil facilities. It also operates the PAC-3 MSE interceptor, a more advanced Patriot missile developed by Lockheed Martin, designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles through direct impact.
As of writing, Saudi authorities reported intercepting multiple missiles and drones entering the kingdom's airspace. In one recent incident, nine drones were intercepted and destroyed shortly after entering Saudi airspace. Officials also said two cruise missiles were intercepted in Al-Kharj Governorate.
Other attacks targeted critical energy infrastructure. Air-defense systems intercepted drones approaching the Ras Tanura oil refinery, though falling debris triggered a small fire that was quickly contained. Days later, the Ras Tanura complex was struck again by an unidentified projectile, according to sources cited by Reuters, highlighting the continued risks facing the kingdom's energy facilities despite active air-defense operations.
Defending large territories against repeated waves of missiles and drones remains a difficult task. “Even when interception rates look good on paper, the attacker doesn't need perfect success,” Krieg says. “It needs a few penetrations, plus fear and disruption, to create strategic effect.” Saudi Arabia's geography adds to the challenge: Major cities, military installations, and energy infrastructure are spread across vast distances, expanding the area that air-defense systems must protect.
Qatar's air-defense posture is closely tied to broader regional security architecture, particularly through Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East.
Like several other Gulf states, Qatar operates the Patriot missile-defense system produced by Raytheon.
Qatar's role in the regional defense network extends beyond protecting its own airspace. Sensors and radar systems—like the AN/FPS-132—located at Al Udeid contribute to wider early-warning coverage across the Gulf, helping detect launches and share tracking data with allied forces operating in the region.
This kind of integration is one of the strengths of Gulf air-defense architecture, says Krieg. “The integration is strongest at the ‘sense' and ‘share' layers—early warning, tracking, intelligence fusion, and operational coordination,” he explains.
But coordination between countries does not always extend to the interception stage itself. “Where gaps persist is at the ‘shoot' layer,” Krieg adds. Engagement authorities remain largely national decisions, meaning each country ultimately controls when and how its systems respond to incoming threats.
As of writing, Qatar had detected and intercepted a wide range of aerial threats during the escalation, including 98 ballistic missiles out of 101 launched toward the country, three cruise missiles, and 24 drones out of the 39 detected.
Kuwait has also activated its air-defense systems as attacks spread across the Gulf. Like most of its neighbors, the country operates the US-made Patriot missile-defense system, designed to intercept ballistic missiles and other aerial threats approaching population centers and critical infrastructure.
As of writing, Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting several drones and missiles during the latest escalation. In some cases, falling debris caused damage and casualties.
Even when a missile is successfully destroyed midair, fragments from the interceptor or the incoming weapon can fall back to the ground at high speed, posing dangers to civilians and infrastructure.
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, making it one of the region's most strategically important military locations.
Like several other Gulf states, Bahrain operates the Patriot missile-defense system, including PAC-3 interceptors. These systems work alongside radar and early-warning networks that monitor aerial threats approaching the country.
As of writing, authorities said Bahraini air-defense systems intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones since the attacks began. However, not every incoming threat was stopped. In an incident, a drone struck a building in the capital Manama, causing one reported death and property damage.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies noted that smaller Gulf states face structural defense constraints due to their limited size and military depth. In Bahrain, the island's small geographic footprint leaves little buffer between incoming threats and populated areas, meaning interceptions often occur closer to urban areas.
The incident highlights the limits of even advanced missile-defense systems. While many incoming threats can be intercepted before reaching their targets, attacks arriving in waves across multiple countries can still result in a small number of threats getting through.
Oman's role in the escalation has looked different from several of its neighbors, partly because the country does not operate the US-made Patriot missile-defense system used across most of the Gulf.
Instead, Oman relies on shorter-range air-defense systems such as the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System alongside radar networks designed to monitor aerial threats approaching its coastline and strategic ports.
As of writing, the country has also experienced attacks on maritime infrastructure. Oman's Duqm commercial port has been hit by several drone attacks. Omani authorities also said at least one oil tanker near the port of Khasab in the Strait of Hormuz was targeted during the escalation.
The incidents highlight how attacks across the Gulf have extended beyond major cities and military installations to include shipping lanes and energy infrastructure—critical nodes in the global oil supply chain.
Jordan has also activated its air-defense systems during the escalation, intercepting missiles and drones that crossed or violated its airspace as attacks spread across the region.
As of writing, the military reported engaging dozens of incoming threats and intercepting at least 13 ballistic missiles and 49 drones. Debris has caused material damage but no reported casualties.
Because of Jordan's geographic position between Iran and Israel, some of the missiles launched during the escalation have crossed Jordanian airspace. Intercepting them is primarily aimed at preventing debris or incoming weapons from striking populated areas.
“Intercepting projectiles crossing its airspace is basic territorial defense,” Krieg says.
The latest attacks have turned the Gulf into a real-time test of the missile-defense systems. Radar networks, interceptor missiles and layered air-defense systems have prevented far greater damage in many cases. But the past week has also shown that even advanced systems cannot eliminate risk entirely when attacks arrive in repeated waves across multiple countries.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Middle East.
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Additionally, looking at Google Trends[0], it seems they peaked in 21st-century online popularity in 2008 and had another notable uptick in 2017.I think a lot of us want the assholes to have suffered real consequences for their behavior, but want is different from did.[0] https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=%...
I think a lot of us want the assholes to have suffered real consequences for their behavior, but want is different from did.[0] https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=%...
[0] https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=%...
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/19/usa.guantanamo
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb_jLAisPzk
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Stupid kids
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If you're just some nobody representing yourself instead of an expensive lawyer acting on behalf of a large company, maybe the judge will even try to be extra nice when he explains why the argument doesn't hold water.
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[0] I don't like to say "represent yourself." I once angered a judge by pointing out that you can't "represent yourself, you are yourself."
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Property law is mostly concerned with protecting the rich from the poor, so when a rich person violates the property of a poor person, the courts can't allow the inversion of purpose and will create something called a "legal fiction," which is basically the kind of bending-over-backwards that my children do to try to claim that they didn't break the rules, actually, and if you look at it in a certain way they were actually following the rules, actually.
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Many judges take a dim view of expensive lawyers trying to pull the wool over their eyes with sophisticated but fallacious arguments. You have to deal with a lot of BS to be a long-standing judge, so it seems like resistance to BS may be selected for among judges.
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Here is how their enforcement actions generally went.1. They would initially send a letter asking for around $3 per song that was being shared, threatening to sue if not paid. This typically came to a total in the $2-3k range. There were a few where the initial request was for much more such as when the person was accused of an unusually high volume of intentional distribution. But for the vast majority of people who were running file sharing apps in order to get more music for themselves rather than because they wanted to distribute music it averaged in that $2-3k range.2. If they could not come to an agreement and actually filed a lawsuit they would pick maybe 10-25 songs out of the list of songs the person was sharing (typically around a thousand) to actually sue over. The range of possible damages in such a suit is $750-30000 per work infringed, with the court (judge and jury) picking the amount [1].NOTE: it is per "work infringed", not per infringement. The number of infringements will be one of the factors the court will consider when deciding where in that $750-30000 range to go.3. There would be more settlement offers before the lawsuit actually went to trial. These would almost always be in the $200-300 per song range, which since the lawsuit was only over maybe a dozen or two of the thousand+ songs the person had been sharing usually came out to the same ballpark as the settlement offers before the suit was filed.Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
1. They would initially send a letter asking for around $3 per song that was being shared, threatening to sue if not paid. This typically came to a total in the $2-3k range. There were a few where the initial request was for much more such as when the person was accused of an unusually high volume of intentional distribution. But for the vast majority of people who were running file sharing apps in order to get more music for themselves rather than because they wanted to distribute music it averaged in that $2-3k range.2. If they could not come to an agreement and actually filed a lawsuit they would pick maybe 10-25 songs out of the list of songs the person was sharing (typically around a thousand) to actually sue over. The range of possible damages in such a suit is $750-30000 per work infringed, with the court (judge and jury) picking the amount [1].NOTE: it is per "work infringed", not per infringement. The number of infringements will be one of the factors the court will consider when deciding where in that $750-30000 range to go.3. There would be more settlement offers before the lawsuit actually went to trial. These would almost always be in the $200-300 per song range, which since the lawsuit was only over maybe a dozen or two of the thousand+ songs the person had been sharing usually came out to the same ballpark as the settlement offers before the suit was filed.Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
2. If they could not come to an agreement and actually filed a lawsuit they would pick maybe 10-25 songs out of the list of songs the person was sharing (typically around a thousand) to actually sue over. The range of possible damages in such a suit is $750-30000 per work infringed, with the court (judge and jury) picking the amount [1].NOTE: it is per "work infringed", not per infringement. The number of infringements will be one of the factors the court will consider when deciding where in that $750-30000 range to go.3. There would be more settlement offers before the lawsuit actually went to trial. These would almost always be in the $200-300 per song range, which since the lawsuit was only over maybe a dozen or two of the thousand+ songs the person had been sharing usually came out to the same ballpark as the settlement offers before the suit was filed.Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
NOTE: it is per "work infringed", not per infringement. The number of infringements will be one of the factors the court will consider when deciding where in that $750-30000 range to go.3. There would be more settlement offers before the lawsuit actually went to trial. These would almost always be in the $200-300 per song range, which since the lawsuit was only over maybe a dozen or two of the thousand+ songs the person had been sharing usually came out to the same ballpark as the settlement offers before the suit was filed.Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
3. There would be more settlement offers before the lawsuit actually went to trial. These would almost always be in the $200-300 per song range, which since the lawsuit was only over maybe a dozen or two of the thousand+ songs the person had been sharing usually came out to the same ballpark as the settlement offers before the suit was filed.Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
Almost everyone settled at that point, because they realized that (1) they had no realistic chance of winning, (2) they had no realistic chance of proving they were were an "innocent infringer", (3) minimal statutory damages then of $750/song x 10-15 songs was more than the settlement offer, and (4) on top of that they would have not only their attorney fees but in copyright suits the loser often has to pay the winner's attorney fees.4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
4. Less than a dozen cases actually reached trial, and most of those settled during the trial for the same reasons in the above paragraph that most people settled before trial. Those were in the $3-15k range with most being around $5k.[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
[1] If the defendant can prove they are in "innocent infringer", meaning they didn't know they were infringing and had no reason to know that, then the low end is lowered to $200. If the plaintiff can prove that the infringement was "willful", meaning the defendant knew it was infringement and deliberately did it, the high end is raised to $150k.
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They were not all the same, some were fairly complicated cases, and one was undoubtedly for distribution.`The court's instructions defined “reproduction” to include “[t]he act of downloading copyrighted sound recordings on a peer-to-peer network.”'From:https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/11-282...
`The court's instructions defined “reproduction” to include “[t]he act of downloading copyrighted sound recordings on a peer-to-peer network.”'From:https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/11-282...
From:https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/11-282...
https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/11-282...
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Linear arithmetic is one hell of a drug.
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It's funny, because now in the age of AI, many of the people that support piracy are now trying to stop AI companies from doing the same thing.
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> I should trot out all of the justifications here.I'll start: personal use instead of profit. Certainly a difference, not convinced justification is required or even advisable.
I'll start: personal use instead of profit. Certainly a difference, not convinced justification is required or even advisable.
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So.. I don't think it's appropriate for billion dollar companies to abuse copyrighted authored material for their own profit streams. They have the money. They can either pay or not use the material.
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^ sociopathic legalists really do think this way.
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By no means were they suing for downloading alone. They were suing for sharing while downloading, and seeding after, and as "early seeders" they helped thousands obtain copies.Right or wrong, it was absolutely not about just downloading. It wasn't about taking one copy.In their eyes, it was about copyng then handing out tens of thousands of copies for free.Again, not saying it was right. However, please don't provide an abridged account, slanted to create a conclusion in the reader.
Right or wrong, it was absolutely not about just downloading. It wasn't about taking one copy.In their eyes, it was about copyng then handing out tens of thousands of copies for free.Again, not saying it was right. However, please don't provide an abridged account, slanted to create a conclusion in the reader.
In their eyes, it was about copyng then handing out tens of thousands of copies for free.Again, not saying it was right. However, please don't provide an abridged account, slanted to create a conclusion in the reader.
Again, not saying it was right. However, please don't provide an abridged account, slanted to create a conclusion in the reader.
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What an argument to make in court. It can be proved false in minutes by the plaintiffs.
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Seeding is opt-out, not opt-in… but it is usually a default that has to actively manually overridden. Most users never touch those settings. The average pirate downloading a torrent is seeding whether they know it or not.The protocol absolutely does not enforce seeding. A client can lie to the tracker, cap upload to 0k. BitTorrent has no mechanism to compel one to share. Leeching a file, downloading and sharing no forward packets is possible. While the "social contract" of seeding is entirely a norm enforced by private trackers and community shame. It is not the protocol itself.
The protocol absolutely does not enforce seeding. A client can lie to the tracker, cap upload to 0k. BitTorrent has no mechanism to compel one to share. Leeching a file, downloading and sharing no forward packets is possible. While the "social contract" of seeding is entirely a norm enforced by private trackers and community shame. It is not the protocol itself.
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you're uploading before seeding, and i'm willing to bet Meta weren't seeding but, as they correctly stated in that regard, they're sharing even when they try their best not to because of the way the protocol works as zero-upload is typically impractical for any significant size filessome trackers will additionally penalise you for not sharing file parts, but this depends on the tracker
some trackers will additionally penalise you for not sharing file parts, but this depends on the tracker
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The original design called for some kind of tit-for-tat algorithm, but it's long obsolete and you get whatever bandwidth the seeder has.
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Most people that speak of leeching or not seeding really are talking about not seeding at all after they've completed. In fact, most clients will let you set upload speeds to a trickle but not zero (zero means unlimited in most clients). From a legal standpoint, that already means you uploaded.
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I'm not aware of any clients that will refuse to share data with clients that are configured to not upload. I don't even see how they could determine that, especially in situations where there are no other peers to upload to, and given that stats are entirely self-reported and clients that send bogus numbers exist.You would need a central tracker that cares, which is what private torrent communities rely on, but not public/DHT torrents such as those discussed here.
You would need a central tracker that cares, which is what private torrent communities rely on, but not public/DHT torrents such as those discussed here.
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You will probably get the data eventually, and it really depends on the composition and configuration of the swarm, but generally, you do need to upload if you want to ensure the fastest and most reliable download.
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The case for doing this would be just so you can have this ridiculous legal defence Meta seem to be trying to pull out. Really no other good reason. Even for the most parasitic leeches, zero upload is a bad strategy.
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You totally CAN disable all uploads in the torrent protocol. Just set the "upload budget" to zero in most clients. Just nobody realizes they can do that.Bittorrent is wildly successful in part because every popular client makes it nontrivial to "opt out" of it's more socialist components (chunk trading, DHT participation, seeding by default).Making an "leech behavior only" torrent client is straightforward and viable.
Bittorrent is wildly successful in part because every popular client makes it nontrivial to "opt out" of it's more socialist components (chunk trading, DHT participation, seeding by default).Making an "leech behavior only" torrent client is straightforward and viable.
Making an "leech behavior only" torrent client is straightforward and viable.
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No, because those cases were pirating-while-poor. This is pirating-while-trillion-dollar-corporation, which falls under a completely different section of the law.
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It is interesting to follow how this plays out for Meta and how that will impact future cases.
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If it's fair use, no licensing fee is needed.
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In the UK you can only claim for the actual damages incurred, which at most will be the profit you would've made on the sale of that book. Which makes most claims for private infringement uneconomical for corporations.
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Different activists are different. "Information wants to be free" activists are against different things from "artists trying to make an honest living" activists.And different big guys are different. A big guy AI company wants different things from a big guy book publisher.
And different big guys are different. A big guy AI company wants different things from a big guy book publisher.
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...uhhh, I mean, maybe my perspective is skewed because I largely run in bluegrass/deadhead circles, but the venn diagram of these two seems to be nearly a circle.https://pickipedia.xyz/wiki/DRM-free
https://pickipedia.xyz/wiki/DRM-free
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The activists are against it because the big guys are exploiting us small guys, again. Nobody would give a shit if Meta was just torrenting Nintendo's IP and OpenAI was torrenting Netflix IP, except the lawyers working for these companies.
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By the same token, AI companies are in no position to complain when their models are scraped and distilled.
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Still, they should pay me in order to listen all the mediocre music and crappy 'best sellers' they often produce. More than often I'd just buy some indie book from a small publisher which has much better stories than the whole mainstream.Heck; every time I try to read some Spaniard technotriller it justs sucks because they focus on crappy emotions everytime focusing near nil on scientific facts or tecnological backgrounds. If any, of course. Hello, Gómez Jurado with the Red Queen sagas.Meanwhile, people writting half-fantasy/half-geopolitics fiction such as Fabián Plaza with its book depicting a paranormal Cold War were the Spanish Francoist regime never ended and the USSR took the whole Germany for itself, you will get more enganing books. The hippies in Woodstock summoned magical Lovecraftian monsters and the CIA/KGB among paranormal agencies try to fight these. The even mention Orgonic fields and
tons of American floklore on paranormal experiments from the CIA/USSR.
We all know it's actual bullshit but it's documented bullshit.
Modulo the magic, the author applied as a diplomat for Spain a few decades ago so he knows
how to create a thriller by predicting how the characters will behave psichologically much better than the Gómez Jurado's books creating
an Aspie Mary Sue character getting aspull skills.The mainstream alternative? Some Humanities woman as the maincharacter alleging bullshit 'prime number finding' in order to boost IQ as a goverment experiment against another high IQ psychopath.The media in Spain sucks because Spain arrived late to a scientifical mindset socially -thanks, Francoist /s- and male/female Humanities people dominate both the press and the literary world. Instead of Gideon Crew like books (which are a bit bullshit, but with a bit of realism too) like sagas, we get drama bound thrillers with no actual research; if any, hidden Apple product placements.You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
Heck; every time I try to read some Spaniard technotriller it justs sucks because they focus on crappy emotions everytime focusing near nil on scientific facts or tecnological backgrounds. If any, of course. Hello, Gómez Jurado with the Red Queen sagas.Meanwhile, people writting half-fantasy/half-geopolitics fiction such as Fabián Plaza with its book depicting a paranormal Cold War were the Spanish Francoist regime never ended and the USSR took the whole Germany for itself, you will get more enganing books. The hippies in Woodstock summoned magical Lovecraftian monsters and the CIA/KGB among paranormal agencies try to fight these. The even mention Orgonic fields and
tons of American floklore on paranormal experiments from the CIA/USSR.
We all know it's actual bullshit but it's documented bullshit.
Modulo the magic, the author applied as a diplomat for Spain a few decades ago so he knows
how to create a thriller by predicting how the characters will behave psichologically much better than the Gómez Jurado's books creating
an Aspie Mary Sue character getting aspull skills.The mainstream alternative? Some Humanities woman as the maincharacter alleging bullshit 'prime number finding' in order to boost IQ as a goverment experiment against another high IQ psychopath.The media in Spain sucks because Spain arrived late to a scientifical mindset socially -thanks, Francoist /s- and male/female Humanities people dominate both the press and the literary world. Instead of Gideon Crew like books (which are a bit bullshit, but with a bit of realism too) like sagas, we get drama bound thrillers with no actual research; if any, hidden Apple product placements.You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
Meanwhile, people writting half-fantasy/half-geopolitics fiction such as Fabián Plaza with its book depicting a paranormal Cold War were the Spanish Francoist regime never ended and the USSR took the whole Germany for itself, you will get more enganing books. The hippies in Woodstock summoned magical Lovecraftian monsters and the CIA/KGB among paranormal agencies try to fight these. The even mention Orgonic fields and
tons of American floklore on paranormal experiments from the CIA/USSR.
We all know it's actual bullshit but it's documented bullshit.
Modulo the magic, the author applied as a diplomat for Spain a few decades ago so he knows
how to create a thriller by predicting how the characters will behave psichologically much better than the Gómez Jurado's books creating
an Aspie Mary Sue character getting aspull skills.The mainstream alternative? Some Humanities woman as the maincharacter alleging bullshit 'prime number finding' in order to boost IQ as a goverment experiment against another high IQ psychopath.The media in Spain sucks because Spain arrived late to a scientifical mindset socially -thanks, Francoist /s- and male/female Humanities people dominate both the press and the literary world. Instead of Gideon Crew like books (which are a bit bullshit, but with a bit of realism too) like sagas, we get drama bound thrillers with no actual research; if any, hidden Apple product placements.You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
The mainstream alternative? Some Humanities woman as the maincharacter alleging bullshit 'prime number finding' in order to boost IQ as a goverment experiment against another high IQ psychopath.The media in Spain sucks because Spain arrived late to a scientifical mindset socially -thanks, Francoist /s- and male/female Humanities people dominate both the press and the literary world. Instead of Gideon Crew like books (which are a bit bullshit, but with a bit of realism too) like sagas, we get drama bound thrillers with no actual research; if any, hidden Apple product placements.You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
The media in Spain sucks because Spain arrived late to a scientifical mindset socially -thanks, Francoist /s- and male/female Humanities people dominate both the press and the literary world. Instead of Gideon Crew like books (which are a bit bullshit, but with a bit of realism too) like sagas, we get drama bound thrillers with no actual research; if any, hidden Apple product placements.You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
You would say, heck, Dan Brown it's the same and Tom Clancy's novels are a joke against the ones from actually versed people throwing stereotypes away because they did a good research (the US is not just a bigger Texas and Spain is not a big Andalusia), but that's not the issue here.The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
The matter it's that most of the readers in Spain are women, and somehow they are afraid of reading a thriller with less drama and emotions and more action (action women do exist you know) and resolution and developing actual skills o the spot instead of aspulling them.Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
Just look at text adventures. Anchorhead it's just a modern Lovecraft retelling but it has a female protagonist and you as the player should drive her solving all the ingame puzzles. If something like that existed in 1998, the Spaniard should be able to write tons of interesting media (books and series)
where crimes were not solved with people
just happening to be in the right spot at some specific time. That's a cheap writting and an obvious neglection to the reader allowing him to join the proofs together.
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The significant change is that 2025 corpo pirates are big corporations, and 2005 personal pirates are individuals. And I think the larger issue is that the big corpo pirates get away with what 2025 personal pirates wouldn't.Anyways, my opinion is that we should get rid of IP, but only with a replacement that ensures creators still get paid. I lean towards piracy being a small sin: immoral, but you can easily be a pirate and still overall moral person.
Anyways, my opinion is that we should get rid of IP, but only with a replacement that ensures creators still get paid. I lean towards piracy being a small sin: immoral, but you can easily be a pirate and still overall moral person.
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[citation needed]> 2005 pirates allegedly harmed artists by decreasing their sales.provably false
> 2005 pirates allegedly harmed artists by decreasing their sales.provably false
provably false
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https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/sports/periscope-a-stream...
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Oh no, its just legal for the big companies. The laws are different for everybody and that's what activists are worried about :)
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Few tens of thousands of dollars is a rounding error in Meta's bottom line but if this case goes anything like the Anthropic one, I would see it likely.Of course it wouldn't prevent authors from asking LLM's for content from their books and suing Meta again but I imagine authors would be less likely to with less evidence.
Of course it wouldn't prevent authors from asking LLM's for content from their books and suing Meta again but I imagine authors would be less likely to with less evidence.
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The way Disney &co coopted law to pack their coffers is a travesty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
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My best idea for a solution is better education, so people don't make bad laws then badly enforce them.
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as someone that's disabled upload when I'm downloading copyrighted material via bittorrent for decades, it is absolutely a choiceso there's that
so there's that
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Only data is a moat, not algos, not compute.
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On the other hand, it'd be absolutely hilarious if they succeeded with this argument. VPN vendors would not find that as hilarious I bet.And on another the hypocrisy is mindboggling. I guess you can't blame the lawyers from going after every angle, but this is quite creative.But really I do just want to find out if money continues to buy justice.I sincerely hope Facebook loses and is found to have knowingly infringed on copyright of all the books in the lawsuit. At $150K per violation, I'd almost feel bad for the poor shareholders. Zuck would probably take full responsibility and fire tens of thousand of workers.
And on another the hypocrisy is mindboggling. I guess you can't blame the lawyers from going after every angle, but this is quite creative.But really I do just want to find out if money continues to buy justice.I sincerely hope Facebook loses and is found to have knowingly infringed on copyright of all the books in the lawsuit. At $150K per violation, I'd almost feel bad for the poor shareholders. Zuck would probably take full responsibility and fire tens of thousand of workers.
But really I do just want to find out if money continues to buy justice.I sincerely hope Facebook loses and is found to have knowingly infringed on copyright of all the books in the lawsuit. At $150K per violation, I'd almost feel bad for the poor shareholders. Zuck would probably take full responsibility and fire tens of thousand of workers.
I sincerely hope Facebook loses and is found to have knowingly infringed on copyright of all the books in the lawsuit. At $150K per violation, I'd almost feel bad for the poor shareholders. Zuck would probably take full responsibility and fire tens of thousand of workers.
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Seriously? They couldn't be bothered setting upload speed to 0?
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"Anthropic agrees to pay $1.5B US to settle author class action over AI training"https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/anthropic-ai-copyright-sett...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/anthropic-ai-copyright-sett...
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how much you have to bribe a judge to even begin to consider saying that in a defense?
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Why would you sort of doxx yourself and how is it relevant to the thread?Are you a bot?
Are you a bot?
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What happens here matters everywhere
by Kurt Schlosser on Mar 6, 2026 at 4:48 pmMarch 6, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Robert Provost has big plans for Rad Power Bikes, the recently bankrupt Seattle-based electric bike maker that he thinks can reclaim its industry dominance — and grow even larger.
In an interview with GeekWire on Friday, Provost, the CEO of South Florida-based Life Electric Vehicles Holdings, Inc., laid out an ambitious roadmap to overhaul Rad following his company's acquisition of the startup's assets, which closed this week.
“It's not a continuation of Rad Power, more like a phoenix,” Provost said. “The rebirth.”
Under a new corporate entity called Rad Life Mobility, owned by Life EV Holdings, Provost said offers have been extended to re-hire 95% of employees who were laid off as part the bankruptcy process. Many of them are based in the Seattle area where Rad grew over the years.
Provost said about 70 people have accepted so far and he wants to hear from anyone who may have been missed — even former employees who helped build Rad during its heyday before and during the pandemic.
“We acquired all the digital assets, all the tangible assets. It was up to us on the workforce, we could actually hire them or not,” he said. “So we made the decision to go ahead and hire them. They've done a really great job.”
Provost said Life EV added another 15 or 20 of its people to Rad Life Mobility, including a new president, Salt Lake City-based Jim Brown, a Life EV investor who has extensive automotive dealership retail experience with Larry H. Miller Automotive Group in Utah.
“Some of the front office will be in person in Utah, but we are maintaining Seattle,” Provost said.
Based in Deerfield Beach, Fla., Life Electric Vehicles Holdings — publicly traded on the OTC market as LFEV — is a micro-mobility platform company focused on acquiring and scaling established e-bike brands. In November 2023, it acquired Serial 1, the in-house electric bicycle company originally started by motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson.
While Rad takes on a new corporate identity, the Rad Power Bikes branding will continue on bikes, products and retail locations. And despite the struggles it encountered, Provost thinks there is still a lot of value in the brand.
“We're all excited,” Provost said. “It was No. 1. It was the highest-valued electric-bike-only company in the U.S. Our goal is get it back to that value, if not beyond that.”
Speaking during a Zoom call from his Florida office, Provost could hardly slow down while listing all that he and Life EV hope to accomplish with Rad Life Mobility, including:
Rad Power Bikes launched in 2015 with a direct-to-consumer model and sub-$2,000 e-bikes aimed at casual riders, and in short time became a high-flying startup in Seattle.
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 e-bike tinkerer Mike Radenbaugh and longtime friend 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.
Rad's assets were acquired by Life EV for $13.2 million, which Provost called a deal in relation to its onetime valuation of $1.65 billion. He said that the Life EV ownership group was ready to bid higher — and it's prepared to spend far more to revitalize the brand.
Backed by a group of over 200 private shareholders and “very significant entrepreneurs,” Provost described the investor group as having “extremely deep pockets.”
The new Rad will still face some of the industry issues that caught up to the old Rad, chiefly that competition is much stiffer now than it was 10 years ago and the market has become saturated with a wide variety of e-bike brands.
But Provost said the company intends to introduce new products, build up sufficient inventory, make the company profitable and get everyone from investors to employees excited again. Not to mention Rad riders.
“The most important part out of this conversation, for me, is to let the Rad community know we are there for them,” Provost said. “We are going to support them 100%.”
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In a sharply worded statement late Friday, the Kraft family company that owns Gillette Stadium expressed bitter disappointment that Foxborough officials had abruptly rejected its latest proposed solution for security funding for the World Cup — a global spectacle now fewer than 100 days away.
The Kraft Group, which owns the stadium and the New England Patriots, said it had made repeated good-faith efforts to work with the town of Foxborough, the Boston Soccer 2026 host committee, as well as state and federal partners to address public safety concerns. Most recently, the Kraft Group announced a promise to promptly pay all security costs incurred by the town that weren't already covered.
The head of the town's Select Board gave thumbs down to the proposal within hours of its announcement.
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“We are deeply disappointed that the town has seemingly reached a conclusion unilaterally without the platform of a public hearing which is already scheduled for March 17 and would like to understand what the town requires at this stage to get to ‘yes,'” a Kraft Group spokesperson said in the statement. “Despite these circumstances, we will continue to assist the town and the Boston Soccer 2026 host committee with their security planning in order to host and execute this historic event for tens of thousands of fans.”
The blunt statement from the Krafts marks the latest salvo in a high-stakes dispute between the powerful business interests organizing the World Cup matches and Foxborough town officials, which set a March 17 deadline to receive $7.8 million to pay for security costs at the stadium. Until the town receives the money from tournament organizers, Foxborough's select board members have threatened to withhold the entertainment license needed by tournament organizer FIFA to hold seven games at the stadium in June and July.
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Earlier this week, the Foxborough Select Board flatly rejected a proposal from FIFA and the Kraft Group to cover the costs associated with security, albeit with conditions and parsed out over time. The board has balked over having to pony up millions for security and associated equipment and then wait for reimbursement.
After that was turned down, the organization regrouped and said it would pay any invoices submitted by the town within two business days of receipt — faster than the town's usual 30‑day cycle — so Foxborough wouldn't be out of pocket.
But the latest gambit was promptly shot down by the chair of the Foxborough Select Board, which has insisted on upfront payment.
“We appreciate that the Kraft Group and BS26 [Boston Soccer 26] are moving toward addressing the concerns of the town but, to be clear, we have not reached an agreement with respect to their proposed funding arrangement,” said Foxborough select board chair Bill Yukna in a statement late Thursday. “What they have presented is essentially an agreement with themselves but such terms are not responsive to the town's requirements and will not suffice to address the Town's needs for providing security services for these events. We look forward to continue working with all stakeholders on this matter.”
The Boston Soccer 26 host committee and FIFA World Cup 2026 said in a letter to Foxborough this week that the committee does not have enough funds in hand to cover the town's full security costs. While it has $2 million in cash, the committee - dominated by allies of billionaire Patriots owner Robert Kraft - said it expects to receive at least $30 million more from state and federal sources, as well as commercial activities, and described itself as “well capitalized to pay all amounts as they come due” for World Cup events, the letter said.
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The first official World Cup match between the national teams of Haiti and Scotland is scheduled for June 13 at Gillette Stadium, though an exhibition game (known as an “international friendly”) between Brazil and France is slated for the stadium on March 26.
Chris Serres can be reached at chris.serres@globe.com. Follow him @ChrisSerres.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has reassured fans and thrown his weight behind his Al-Nassr team-mates ahead of their vital Saudi Pro League fixture against Neom on Saturday evening. Posting an image of himself undergoing rehabilitation in Spain, the Portuguese icon shared an encouraging message after suffering an injury.
The message serves as a timely boost for the Riyadh-based giants during a high-stakes period in the title race. Al-Nassr currently sit in second place, trailing leaders Al-Ahli by just a single point. Crucially, Al-Nassr hold a game in hand over their rivals, meaning a victory tonight would see them seize control of the summit. However, they must navigate this challenge without their talismanic captain, whose recent muscular setback has forced a temporary relocation to Europe.
Ronaldo appears to be in good spirits, though, as he posted on social media: "Recovering and ready to watch the game today. Let's go, Al Nassr!"
Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus provided clarity on Ronaldo's absence during his pre-match press conference, confirming that the 41-year-old's injury was more significant than first thought. "In the last game, he left with muscle complaints," Jesus explained to reporters. "After undergoing tests, it became clear that the injury was more serious than expected, requiring rest and recovery. Cristiano travelled to Spain... the injury requires treatment in Madrid with the professional who works with him."
The club was rocked by medical evaluations revealing a significant tear in the back of Ronaldo's right thigh. To expedite his return to action, the veteran forward utilised his private jet to fly to the Spanish capital this week. By seeking the expertise of his long-term personal medical team in Madrid, Ronaldo is aiming to shorten a recovery period that initially looked set to sideline him for at least a month, despite the logistical challenges posed by recent regional tensions.
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The timing of this injury is particularly problematic for both club and country. A minimum four-week recovery period places Ronaldo's participation in Portugal's upcoming international friendlies against Mexico and the United States in serious jeopardy. For Roberto Martinez's side, these matches are vital preparations for the 2026 World Cup. Domestically, Al-Nassr's rhythm has already been disrupted by the postponement of their Asian Champions League 2 fixture against Al Wasl, leaving the squad to face a demanding schedule without their primary attacking outlet.
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FA Cup
FA Cup Weekend
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Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have jetted in to watch Wrexham's FA Cup fifth round glamour tie against Premier League team Chelsea.
The two actors have overseen a remarkable rise since buying the then non-League Welsh club in February, 2021, and will both be in attendance at the SToK Cae Ras on Saturday evening.
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Three consecutive promotions have taken Wrexham to the Championship, where they sit sixth in the table and handily placed to secure a play-offs place.
Deadpool star Reynolds, who was momentarily lost for words when the draw paired Wrexham with the Club World Cup champions, was also at the third round penalty shoot-out triumph over Nottingham Forest in January.
Today will be the first of at least two visits by the co-owners inside the next seven days, with Reynolds and Mac set to commentate live on next Friday's all-Wales Championship clash with Swansea City for a broadcast that will shown on Sky Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the United States.
Wrexham are bidding to reach the quarter-finals for only the fourth time in their history, and the first time since 1997. Their opponents have won the FA Cup eight times, the third most in the competition's history behind Manchester United (13) and Arsenal (14).
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Bernardo Silva is reportedly prepared to end his trophy-laden spell at Manchester City when his contract expires this summer. The Portuguese playmaker has been a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola's success but now looks destined for a new challenge away from the Etihad.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who assumed the captaincy following the departures of Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, is expected to call time on an illustrious nine-year stay in Manchester. Since arriving from Monaco in 2017 for £43 million, Silva has been pivotal to the Cityzens' dominance, securing six Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.
Despite his status as a club legend, his time at City appears to be coming to an end. Matteo Moretto has reported that the Portugal international will leave City amid a lack of ongoing contract negotiations.
Guardiola has never hidden his admiration for the playmaker, often describing him as one of the most intelligent players he has ever coached. The Catalan manager has frequently pleaded with the player to extend his stay, but he appears resigned to losing his captain. The bond between the two has been a defining feature of City's tactical flexibility and dominance in the English top flight over recent seasons.
After a 2-0 win over Wolves in January, Guardiola said: "I'd love for Manchester City, for myself, if Bernardo Silva could stay forever. But we spoke a lot with Bernie and Bernie has to decide the best for him and his family." This statement suggests that family considerations may be playing a major role in the midfielder's desire to relocate.
Speculation is already mounting regarding where Silva will play his football next season. While he will not lack for suitors across Europe's elite leagues, it is believed he is keen on a return to Benfica when he leaves City. A return to his boyhood club in Lisbon would represent a full-circle moment for a player who has won everything there is to win at domestic and continental club level.
So far, Silva has remained tight-lipped about which club he will join next, as he wants to avoid the situation becoming a distraction at the end of the season. With City chasing numerous trophies, an official announcement regarding his future is not expected until May, allowing the veteran to fully focus on ending his Etihad career with a bang.
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The Cityzens are currently in the hunt for the Premier League title, sitting in second place with 29 games played, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, who have played 30.
Up next, Guardiola's men face Newcastle in the fifth round of the FA Cup, before traveling to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
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Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo celebrates with team-mates after their FA Cup penalty shootout win over Nottingham Forest in January Nick Potts/Getty Images
The Athletic has live coverage of Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup.
Richard Sutcliffe has covered Wrexham AFC since 2023, when the Welsh club were playing in the fifth-tier National League.
Now they are in the race for promotion to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs, and today host Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Here, Richard shares some of the things he has learned in his three years covering the club for anyone who hasn't been following their progress…
On the surface, there's nothing particularly remarkable about Wrexham AFC.
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Their home stadium remains a modest affair, the 10,500 capacity comfortably the lowest in the Championship and smaller than even eight clubs in League Two, the EFL's basement division.
Wrexham's highest league position is also relatively modest, 15th place in the old Second Division, a feat achieved nearly five decades ago. Contrast that with how all 23 of their second-tier peers this season have enjoyed at least one stint in the top flight, while today's FA Cup opponents Chelsea have twice won the Champions League and lifted the Club World Cup last summer.
No wonder then that for most of Wrexham's history, few outside north Wales gave them much thought at all, save for the odd cup upset, such as knocking out reigning champions Arsenal in 1992, that thrust the club briefly into the spotlight before the sporting public moved on once again.
That was, however, until a little over five years ago when everything changed via one of sports' more left-field takeovers as Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac swapped Hollywood's red carpet for the Red Dragons, the club's nickname.
Now, with Wrexham's market value having soared to £350million ($469m), the pair's purchase of Wrexham for a nominal £1, plus a promise to invest a further £2m, looks the most astute of deals. And this despite it making little sense when the two actors first appeared on the scene.
Not only was the club seemingly locked in non-League purgatory, 13 long years having passed since Wrexham's relegation from the EFL. But, it also seemed a circle of decline had set in that a sense of devotion alone — and few supporters have fought as hard or as long to save their club down the years as those at Wrexham — could not halt.
The measure of the remarkable transformation brought about by Reynolds and Mac since their February 2021 takeover will be evident this weekend, when Chelsea are the visitors for a fifth-round clash being broadcast live on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Thanks to how the duo's patronage has turned this formerly crumbling stadium on the Mold Road into something of a showbiz stop-off, this is a glamour tie where, unusually, the sparkle will come as much from the David trying to slay a footballing Goliath as it will from a visiting team packed with expensive names.
Will Ferrell was one of the first to sprinkle some celebrity glitter, in the process providing The Athletic with a truly surreal afternoon as we shared lunch with the Elf star before settling down to watch Wrexham beat Wealdstone in the National League.
Others to make the same pilgrimage to this unlikely football hotbed include Hugh Jackman, Eva Longoria, Paul Rudd, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong and Channing Tatum — the Magic Mike star even filmed a TV commercial with the Wrexham squad that was subsequently broadcast during the 2025 Super Bowl.
Just who will be present at the SToK Cae Ras on Saturday evening alongside the BBC Match of the Day live cameras remains to be seen. But a feisty atmosphere seems guaranteed at a venue many among Chelsea's well-travelled support may regard as something of a throwback.
Certainly, only those old enough to remember the last time these clubs met competitively in 1982 will have experienced facilities as basic as those for away fans at the SToK Cae Ras, where the mobile bar in a fenced-off section of the car park and the portable toilets are the sort usually seen at music festivals.
Everything will change for home and away fans once the new Kop is opened next year but, for now, the oldest international football ground still in use will continue to lag way behind a team whose rise has been so rapid that Saturday's cup tie will come three years to the day since Wrexham travelled to Dagenham & Redbridge for a league fixture.
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The Athletic was at Victoria Road for that 4-0 victory on a cold Essex night, the decision having been taken earlier in the season to switch yours truly to the Wrexham beat. Something special was clearly stirring in north Wales and we wanted to bring the story to our readers.
It means we've had a ringside seat for the subsequent charge through the divisions, trading trips to Altrincham and Maidenhead in that first season on the road for former Premier League clubs Southampton and Leicester City along the way. Next season, it could be Anfield, Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium.
Not everyone has been happy about the success under Reynolds and Mac, of course. A glance through the comments after most Wrexham articles on this site will tell you that much, never mind the opposition shouts of ‘Stick that in your documentary' whenever Phil Parkinson's team lose a match.
But, a walk around Wrexham to see the restoration of civic pride after all those years in the doldrums following the collapse of the coal and steel industries on which the town was built, does, dare I say it, lift this rebirth into fairytale territory.
Or, as Reynolds put it when the co-owners spoke exclusively to The Athletic on the fifth anniversary of their takeover: “You can hate me, you can hate Rob. But you can't hate that town.”
Imagine what another famous FA Cup upset on Saturday evening might do for the locals' self-worth. Can it be done?
Well, the odds are firmly stacked in favour of the current world club champions, who spent around £275m in last summer's transfer market. Liam Rosenior's side are also handily placed in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
But, this is Wrexham, a club who even before the sprinkling of Hollywood dust had carved out a reputation for cup shocks. They also have in Parkinson a manager who has slain a few giants of his own in knockout football, including Jose Mourinho's soon-to-be-crowned Premier League champions Chelsea when in charge of League One side Bradford City in 2015.
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Both Reynolds and Mac are huge fans of the 58-year-old, who, like football specialists such as chief executive Michael Williamson and director Shaun Harvey, is given free rein on the day-to-day running of football operations.
The acting duo made this admiration clear in our fifth-year anniversary interview. After Mac had pledged Parkinson has “the job for life”, Deadpool star Reynolds offered a fascinating insight into why he feels they appointed the right man back in July 2021.
“They say the Welsh are born with the heart of a poet and the fist of a fighter,” he said. “And that description fits pretty well. Phil brings that spirit into the locker room in a way no one else does.”
This fighting spirit is something the supporters share. They have proved this time and time again, such as when trying to oust former owner Alex Hamilton, who gave the club 12 months' notice to quit their home in 2004 after previously transferring the Racecourse freehold to his own company.
It was a battle the fans eventually won, the icing on the victory cake coming when the High Court later banned Hamilton from being a company director for seven years.
Then, in 2011, the fans rallied round once again to raise £100,000 within 24 hours to prevent Wrexham from being kicked out of the National League. One fan even offered the deeds to his house, while another pledged the money saved for his forthcoming wedding.
Those same supporters then ran the club for the next decade, wiping out considerable debts and, basically, keeping the lights on long enough for Reynolds and Mac to ride to the rescue.
Such Herculean efforts have certainly been rewarded via on-field success since. First came an escape from the National League in 2023, Wrexham achieving promotion in the most memorable of fashions to rack up a record-breaking 111 points, pipping Notts County in a thrilling race featuring that penalty save by Ben Foster.
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Then came two more promotions, as Parkinson's side finished runners-up in League Two (2023-24) and then League One last season. A stirring run of form since Christmas suggests a fourth consecutive promotion may still be beckoning, an unprecedented feat in the history of English football.
Whatever happens in these final 11 matches, Wrexham seem certain to achieve a new best league position, their current sixth-place standing being nine rungs higher than their previous set in 1978-79.
For now, though, those lofty league ambitions can wait. So, too, can the building work at the empty Kop end of the Racecourse that, come next year, will transform the old place into a venue more befitting the owners' Premier League ambitions.
All that matters this week is Chelsea and the continuation of a long-standing love affair with the FA Cup. Will a capacity crowd and millions watching on TV at home get a Hollywood ending? Or will it be a step too far for even British football's most upwardly mobile club? It should be quite the show.
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Arsenal just about did enough to edge past League One side Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round, running out 2-1 winners on the road on Saturday. Mikel Arteta made several changes to his starting XI and initially lined them up in a 3-5-2 formation with wingers in lieu of wing-backs, which only emboldened their ambitious hosts. Nevertheless, goals in either half helped see the Gunners into the hat for the quarter-finals.
Max Dowman, on his first start since returning from an ankle injury, spurned an early chance to give Arsenal the lead by fluffing a one-v-one with goalkeeper Liam Roberts, while Kepa Arrizabalaga made two fine saves to deny Mansfield down the other end during a frantic opening 12 minutes.
Noni Madueke, who had cannoned a corner straight against the post earlier in the game, opened the scoring with a fine curling effort on the stroke of half-time, firing home from around 18 yards after Roberts had kept out his initial attempt for Arsenal's 100th goal in all competitions this season.
But on the other side of half-time, Mansfield levelled the scores. Teenage starter Marli Salmon played a sloppy pass back towards Cristhian Mosquera and the ball was intercepted by substitute Will Evans, who scampered away from the Spanish defender and slotted under Kepa.
Arsenal ought to have regained the lead when Madueke sprinted clear of the Mansfield defence and played it wide for Dowman to square back for Gabriel Jesus to tap in, but his shot was cleared off the line. With their next attack, however, the Gunners did go 2-1 up, with Eberechi Eze, brought on as a substitute, swivelling away from his man and lashing a strike into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Roberts made another fine stop to keep out Bukayo Saka shortly after the England star was thrown on, but that was as close as this compelling game came to another goal as Arteta's side held on to book their spot in the next round and keep their dreams of an unprecedented quadruple alive.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the One Call Stadium...
Kepa Arrizabalaga (6/10):
Arsenal's backup goalkeeper was probably expecting a quiet afternoon, but he had to be alert throughout. Arguably should have done better with Evans' equaliser, with the shot going straight under him.
Marli Salmon (4/10):
Made his first start for Arsenal and began as a right-sided centre-back in an unconventional formation before moving to right-back. Gave the ball away leading to Mansfield's leveller. Hooked for Timber.
Cristhian Mosquera (4/10):
Had a hairy moment trying and failing to keep up with Mansfield attacker Oates early doors. Provided little support to Salmon on the right-hand side of Arsenal's defence, and this lack of relationship led to the hosts' surprise equaliser.
Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):
Began as a centre-back but moved to left-back after Hincapie's introduction. Clearly one of the most technical players out there but still had the odd lapse in concentration. Had to be withdrawn through injury.
Christian Norgaard (5/10):
Marshalled the space between defence and midfield when Arsenal played with both a back four and back five. Continually found himself overrun, though this was perhaps more of a system issue. Assisted Eze's goal, though hard to give the Dane much credit for playing a simple pass which led to a screamer.
Noni Madueke (8/10):
Afforded the entire right flank when Arsenal started without nominal full-backs. Always wanted to run at his man and get shots away, and this endeavour eventually saw him break the deadlock.
Max Dowman (8/10):
Became Arsenal's youngest-ever FA Cup starter aged 16 years and 66 days and was the best player on the pitch who didn't score a goal. Oozed confidence and class, which is why Gunners fans have been so excited to see him return from injury. Subbed for Saka late on.
Leandro Trossard (6/10):
Started in central midfield but was given licence to roam higher up given how much of the ball the visitors had. Had to be subbed with an injury just before half-time.
Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):
Like Madueke, was given the freedom of his respective wing for most of the first half. Got the assist for Madueke but that was as much as he could really shout about.
Kai Havertz (5/10):
Started up top before dropping deeper to receive possession. Failed to make an impact and was subbed for match-winner Eze.
Gabriel Jesus (5/10):
Found his first touch often escaping him and couldn't get on the scoresheet despite making space for some huge chances.
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Piero Hincapie (6/10):
Replaced the injured Trossard on 38 minutes, allowing Arsenal to return to a conventional formation. Did his own job well, even if some of those around him didn't know what they were doing.
Eberechi Eze (8/10):
Brought on for Havertz as Arsenal looked to regain the lead, doing the job himself with a fine strike. He just loves the FA Cup.
Jurrien Timber (7/10):
Came on for Salmon with Arteta hoping to shore up the backline.
Jaden Dixon (7/10):
Made his Arsenal debut following Calafiori's injury. Did a professional job, to his credit.
Bukayo Saka (6/10):
Subbed on for Dowman. Had a shot from close range saved by Roberts.
Mikel Arteta (6/10):
Took a risk with his line up and strange change of formation, but Arsenal got the job done and that's what matters.
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Kylian Mbappe has sparked fresh romance rumours after reportedly being spotted in Paris with Spanish actress Ester Exposito. The Real Madrid forward, currently sidelined with a knee injury, appears to be making the most of his rehabilitation period in the French capital.
While his Real Madrid team-mates were battling for points in La Liga, Mbappe was reportedly seen enjoying the sights of Paris alongside Spanish screen star Ester. The French international is currently recovering from a complex knee sprain, but his off-field activities have quickly become the talk of both Madrid and the fashion capital.
Social media went into overdrive after images surfaced from the account AQABABE, appearing to show the pair cosying up. Despite the grainy nature of the footage, the sightings have added significant weight to the ongoing speculation regarding their relationship status.
This does not appear to be a fleeting encounter between the athlete and the 'Elite' star. Reports suggest that the pair were also seen together on February 25 in Madrid. During that evening, they reportedly met for drinks at the rooftop bar of the Pullman Hotel. The sightings have continued in Paris, where more photographs have surfaced showing the potential couple at a restaurant offering stunning views of the Eiffel Tower. Exposito, who has a massive following on social media, shared a glimpse of the evening on her Instagram profile, though she carefully cropped the image so her companion's face remained hidden from her 2.4 million followers.
The primary reason for Exposito's presence in the City of Light is her invitation to Le Grand Diner du Louvre. This exclusive gala, which hosts over 300 international VIP guests, is considered one of the most prestigious events on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. It seems she took the opportunity to balance her professional commitments with personal time spent alongside the Madrid superstar.
While the evidence continues to mount, neither the French international nor the Spanish actress has officially confirmed their relationship status. Despite the lack of a public statement, the consistent sightings and the nature of the photographs suggest a connection between the two. In this instance, the repeated meetings in different European capitals suggest that these encounters are far more than a simple coincidence.
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Despite his personal life being in the spotlight, Mbappe's focus remains on recovering from his injury and getting back to peak physical condition as Madrid enter a crucial phase of the season. The World Cup winner is reportedly targeting a return to action when Los Blancos face Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on March 17.
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In a shocking turn of events at the City Ground, Edu Gaspar has been sacked by Nottingham Forest, bringing a swift and unceremonious end to his tenure as the club's global director of football. The former Arsenal executive, who was viewed as a major coup for Forest when he joined in July 2025, lasted less than a year in the role before the club's hierarchy decided to pull the plug on his project.
Edu's arrival in July 2025 was seen as hugely significant following his highly successful period in north London, where he helped rebuild the Gunners into title contenders. However, the Brazilian's time in the East Midlands has been anything but stable, marked by a massive turnover of first-team staff and significant investment that failed to yield consistent results on the pitch. Tensions behind the scenes have reportedly culminated in a formal instruction for the executive to stay away from both the iconic City Ground and the club's training facilities.
The move suggests a definitive breakdown in the relationship between the former Gunners chief and the Forest hierarchy, including volatile owner Vangelis Marinakis. According to various reports, Edu has now been relieved of his duties, leaving the door wide open to a return to his native Brazil.
While his time in the East Midlands was a failure, Edu still boasts an impressive CV that makes him an attractive proposition for clubs worldwide. He enjoyed great success at Corinthians, where he was a key figure during their 2012 Copa Libertadores triumph and the 2015 Brasileirao title win, before moving into a technical coordinator role with the Brazilian federation.
During his time with the national team, he contributed to the Selecao's Copa America victory in 2019. This success paved the way for his move to his former club Arsenal, where he spent five years as technical director, overseeing a total transformation of the squad alongside Mikel Arteta before his ill-fated decision to join Forest's multiclub project.
Flamengo are reportedly monitoring Edu's situation closely as they consider him a prime candidate to replace Jose Boto. Boto's future at the Rio de Janeiro club is currently shrouded in uncertainty, and the board is believed to be enamoured by Edu's extensive experience in European football and his previous work with the Brazil national team.
When questioned about the mounting rumours regarding his future and the links to the Rubro-Negro, Edu remained tight-lipped about any potential negotiations. Speaking to Lance!, before his exit he said: "I continue working in the group and cannot commit to any movement at the moment."
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For Forest, the departure of Edu represents yet another change in direction for a club that has struggled for continuity. The hierarchy will now need to find a way to maintain the squad's focus on Premier League survival without their chief of football operations. With the Garibaldi hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, the focus has shifted entirely to the pitch.
Joe Cole believes Chelsea must upgrade their goalkeeping options to compete with the Premier League's elite, and the Blues legend has identified an England international as the ideal candidate to displace Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea icon Cole has called on his former club to pursue Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford. The suggestion comes as Sanchez faces a fight for his future at Stamford Bridge, with his status as the club's undisputed number one under threat.
Manager Liam Rosenior recently opted to bench the Spaniard after a series of inconsistent performances, particularly after a poor display in the 2-1 defeat against Arsenal. The tactical shift has sparked a wider conversation regarding whether the current squad possesses a shot-stopper capable of matching the standards set by their potential title rivals.
Speaking to Paddy Power, Cole believes Chelsea must sign an elite goalkeeper to compete for the title with the likes of Liverpool, City and Arsenal. "It's hard with Robert Sanchez because he's performed well at times," Cole noted. "He came out of the starting line-up to [Filip] Jorgensen the other day. So it doesn't look like Liam Rosenior has settled on a number one as much as he says he 'doesn't have a number one'. That's just how he operates.
The former England international then suggested that the Blues should try to sign Trafford, who is struggling to compete with Gianluigi Donnarumma at the Etihad Stadium. He added: "When a goalkeeper like James Trafford becomes available, then Chelsea may have to strike. He is improving is Sanchez, but I still think there's another level. Is it going to be there in time for Chelsea to kick on and be challenging for the Champions League and competing with the Arsenal and Man City's of the world? Liverpool have got Allison, Man City have got Donnarumma and Arsenal have got David Raya. That's the level of goalkeeper Chelsea need. Sanchez can get there, but can he get there quick enough?"
The decision to drop Sanchez for the 4-1 victory over Aston Villa highlighted Rosenior's 'horses for courses' philosophy. While the Spaniard was reportedly "really disappointed" to lose his spot, the manager has praised the professionalism shown behind the scenes.
"I've been really honest with Rob," Rosenior explained. "He was really disappointed not to play, which is what I expect from every player, whether they're a goalkeeper or an outfield player. But the way Rob responded in training, the way he supported Filip - in the warm-up, in the dressing room - was magnificent."
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After a resounding victory over Villa, Chelsea managed to close the gap to three points on the Villans and Manchester United, who are in fourth and third place, respectively.
This positive result will be valuable capital for Rosenior's squad when they face Championship side Wrexham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday, before traveling to Paris to face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie in midweek. Sanchez will be eager to prove to his manager that he deserves to be Chelsea's number one goalkeeper in these crucial matches.
The Mexican president says 100,000 security personnel will be deployed during upcoming football tournament.
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President Claudia Sheinbaum has unveiled a plan to deploy as many as 100,000 members of Mexico's security forces during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sheinbaum made the announcement during a Friday visit to a suburb of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state.
The area had been struck by a wave of violence after Mexico launched a deadly military operation on February 22 against cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who was killed in an exchange of gunfire.
Sheinbaum used her remarks to reassure the public that Jalisco and the whole of Mexico would be safe, particularly as security concerns ramp up ahead of the World Cup.
“We are here … to tell everyone in Jalisco, all the people of Jalisco, that we are together, that we are working for peace, security and the wellbeing of the inhabitants of this beautiful state,” Sheinbaum said alongside members of her security cabinet.
Mexico is set to host World Cup matches in three cities: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. A total of 13 games will be held between the three sites.
But the recent burst of violence has spurred questions about security in Mexico. Officials have sought to assure FIFA authorities and potential travellers that the tournament will be safe.
The World Cup is set to start on June 11, and it is being co-hosted by the United States and Canada as well. The first match kicks off in Mexico City, followed by a second on the same day in Guadalajara.
General Roman Villalvazo Barrios, head of Mexico's World Cup coordination centre, said that the country's security plan includes 20,000 military personnel, including National Guard troops, and 55,000 police officers, supplemented by members of private security companies.
“That gives us a total of just over 99,000 personnel,” said Barrios, noting that the government was also coordinating with its co-hosts on security.
“For Mexico, [the World Cup] entails two challenges: to present a reliable and secure country before the international community, and to have the capacity to confront any threats that undermine national security,” Barrios added.
The death of El Mencho last month came as Mexico faces pressure from the US to aggressively confront cartels within its borders.
El Mencho had been a leader in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), and his killing prompted retaliatory attacks across Mexico.
Still, critics have questioned the increasing use of Mexico's military in law enforcement efforts.
During Sheinbaum's tenure and that of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexican military forces have taken on a greater role in governance and public security, despite concerns from rights groups about corruption and human rights abuses.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with the World Cup trophy in front of the fans after defeating France in the championship game at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Dec. 18, 2022.Martin Meissner/The Associated Press
The World Cup, like poetry, makes nothing happen. It can deliver beauty (intermittently), heart attacks (quite often, actually), and moments of emotional release for repressed men (in the billions), but not change. Perennial expectations of political impact – it's a global tournament followed by about half the world, after all – are usually disappointed.
That is the conclusion of Simon Kuper's fascinating and timely new book World Cup Fever: A Soccer Journey in Nine Tournaments. It might seem like an odd conclusion to draw for someone who has spent long stretches of his adult life schlepping to World Cups and has now dedicated a book to them, but one of Kuper's many strengths as a journalist is an aversion to overstatement.
The Paris-based Financial Times columnist whose previous books include a wonderful study of FC Barcelona and the bestselling Soccernomics is widely regarded as one of the best living soccer writers.
Instead of ballyhooing a subject that doesn't need it, he offers a subtle anthropology of a sporting event that has become a society unto itself, a kind of Atlantis that emerges from the deep once every four years. As Kuper puts it with typical pithiness: “The World Cup is almost always its own country.”
It is a useful reminder as Canada prepares to co-host the tournament this year amid the usual hype, and more than the usual anxiety about the involvement of President Donald Trump's United States. The net effect on North America will likely be a wash. Not even Trump is likely to leave his mark on the World Cup. That also means he probably won't ruin it.
In this July 4, 1954 file photo, West Germany's Helmut Rahn, centre with arms raised, celebrates after equalizing in the World Cup final match against Hungary at Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Switzerland.The Associated Press
The French soccer bureaucrat Jules Rimet founded the World Cup with loftier ambitions. Scarred by his experience serving in the First World War, he wanted to create “the footballing equivalent of the new League of Nations” – a conduit for peace through sport.
Politics of a less exalted kind were also involved from the beginning: Only countries in Europe and the Americas were invited to the first World Cup in 1930. The colonies of Africa and Asia didn't fit into Rimet's mental map.
Cathal Kelly: The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the one that runs off the rails
The best example of a World Cup actually changing a country also came early. The 1954 final in Switzerland between West Germany and Hungary is still remembered by Germans as the Miracle of Bern.
After the shame and ruination of the Nazi era, and the country's painful division by the Iron Curtain, Bern was the moment West Germany “advanced from being a state to becoming a nation.” It was the first time some German boys saw their fathers smile.
The tournament was about to enter its golden age. Television made the World Cup a truly global spectacle. Every neutral's favourite team, Brazil, won three of the next four trophies playing the effervescent joga bonito that became its signature. Each country had its own footballing style then: the West Germans ruthlessly efficient, the English ruddy and unsophisticated, the Argentines flamboyant and cunning. “A national team was the nation made flesh,” Kuper writes.
The World Cup had become too big to be derailed by politics. There was talk of boycotting the Argentine military junta when it hosted in 1978, but in the end every qualifying country showed up.
The political impact was probably neutral: One important dissident group felt the world's attention gave them a new visibility, and Amnesty International even found that scrutiny of human rights abuses led some countries to take more Argentine refugees. On the other hand, Amnesty found the successful unfolding of the tournament “bolstered the junta's reputation inside Argentina.”
Likewise France '98, when a multiracial team won the World Cup on home soil and brought the nation together in a seemingly lasting way, only for bigotry and disenfranchisement to reassert themselves in short order. “A World Cup can't heal a country,” no matter how glittering it seems in the moment, Kuper concludes.
World Cups are always a success in a narrow, logistical sense. The grasping functionaries of FIFA have too much at stake to let one fail. Disruptive politics can be edited out, like anti-regime protests by Iranian militants in 1998 that were deliberately not shown on TV.
Argentina's forward Lionel Messi, right, vies for the ball with France's midfielder N'Golo Kante, left, during the Russia 2018 World Cup round of 16 football match between France and Argentina at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on June 30, 2018.ROMAN KRUCHININ/Getty Images
Plunk the tournament down in locations as disparate, and unpromising, as South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar, and you end up with the same smooth, featureless experience, each venue a well-ordered “non-place,” with only the slums you pass on the highway changing from year to year.
World Cups tell lies about the host country, sometimes even to itself. In 2002, Japan was delighted to find its stadiums packed with cheering young women – the first football crowd Kuper had ever heard with a soprano voice – and enamoured of its irreverent platinum-blonde team, a youthful vibrancy that masked the planet's most elderly country.
The 2018 tournament showed Kuper an illusory Russia of “world-class infrastructure, international brotherhood, and helpful police.”
Gary Mason: The burgeoning World Cup debacle
None of this means the World Cup is insignificant. There's a reason Kuper has travelled to the last nine of them. No other sporting event captures the world's imagination like it; in football-mad countries like England it is “the nation's biggest communal experience.” The risk of admission to hospital with heart attack increased by 25 per cent on the day of England's crushing loss to Argentina in 1998.
The tournament can stir even the most stoic souls. When their country was awarded the 2010 World Cup, Kuper writes, it was the first time South Africans had seen Nelson Mandela cry.
The mistake is to put too much stock in the tournament, beyond its fleeting emotional atmosphere.
South Africa had high hopes that hosting would enrich the country and prove to the world it was competent. Instead the World Cup left a landscape of white elephant stadiums and entrenched poverty, its enduring sense-memory the drone of vuvuzelas, those plastic trumpets beloved by South African soccer fans. When Kuper returned to the country in 2024, he saw few traces of the event. It had disappeared beneath the waves like it always does, an enchanted city loyal only to itself.
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Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has stated that things will change soon when FIFA gives its final verdict on Nigeria's 2026 World Cup case against DR Congo.
According to Dikko, Nigeria's chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup are still alive and will win the players' eligibility case against DR Congo.
Recall that the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, had submitted a protest to FIFA, claiming that DR Congo used ineligible players in the African play-off final.
A few days ago, many Nigerians feared the Super Eagles' dream had ended after FIFA released details of the upcoming intercontinental playoffs.
In the announcement, DR Congo were listed as one of the six teams expected to compete for the final two places in the expanded tournament.
However, Dikko believes the listing of DR Congo doesn't mean that FIFA has already made a final decision on Nigeria's complaint.
Speaking to The Guardian, Dikko said, “As far as we know, FIFA is yet to give its verdict. We are monitoring the situation closely.
“The fact that DR Congo appears among the six nations to compete for the final two spots in the playoff is not enough to jump to the conclusion that FIFA has thrown out Nigeria's petition. Some nations are also preparing for friendly matches. Things will change as soon as the FIFA verdict comes out.
“The FIFA we all know has a channel to pass such sensitive information across to the parties involved. The name of DR Congo appears on the fixtures for now because the matter brought before FIFA has not been decided.
“We are very hopeful that Nigeria will win the eligibility case, and the Super Eagles will proceed to play in the playoff, and possibly make the World Cup party. I want all Nigerians to remain calm and wait for the final verdict.”
‘Nigerian people happy for me' – Brighton's Kayode names country he'll play for in the future
2026 World Cup: Two countries that could replace Iran revealed
2026 World Cup: ‘They're running on fumes' – Trump dismisses Iran's participation
2026 World Cup: Iran's participation in doubt after bombing, Khamenei's death
Iran: Protest erupts in Nigeria over killing of Ali Khamenei [Video]
Why I dumped England to play for Nigeria – Ex-Liverpool star, Babajide
2026 World Cup: ‘FIFA's decision against South Africa came very late' – Gaye tells Nigeria to be patient
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In need of a global superstar for a sports anthem? Colombian singer J Balvin is the right man for the job.
Balvin is one-fourth of Coca-Cola's official anthem for the FIFA World Cup 2026, a reimagination of Van Halen's “Jump” that also features drummer Travis Barker, pop/R&B singer Amber Mark and guitarist Steve Vai.
“Our biggest moments in history, of happiness, surround sports,” he says of Colombia. “Of course music, but sport has this power (to) unite a whole country and vibe in a really positive way. So that's part of my DNA.”
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Last year, Joshua Burke, head of global music and culture marketing at The Coca-Cola Company, approached Balvin with the idea. The singer initially felt trepidation.
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“I'm really precautious when it comes to songs like this one,” Balvin said. “It's like touching the Mona Lisa.”
“I have so much respect for anthems like that,” he said. So, he had to take “a totally different approach” to make it work; he wanted to avoid straightforward comparisons to the original recording.
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“It was like a puzzle,” he says.
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Mark's rich, crystalline voice is the first heard on the track; she sings the song's original English lyrics. Vai transforms its iconic guitar; Barker amplifies its percussion.
The greatest difference is found in Balvin's contributions. He wrote a new verse — in Spanish — atop production courtesy his collaborator L.E.X.V.Z, a sound he describes as “Brazilian funk with hard strings, kind of like hip-hop.”
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“'Jump' is not a fútbol song,” he said of the original, using the Spanish word for soccer. “So that's why I had to put the Latin love and passion for fútbol (in the lyrics).”
“El fútbol es nuestro idioma / Aquí todos somos mi gente,” he raps. In English: “Football is our language / Here, we're all my people.”
“Fútbol is about bringing everyone together,” he says. It's a particularly resonant message as sports fans and organizers alike are considering the ways in which President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown may impact the tournament.
“I wish this administration open their mind and see, like, this is a world event. This is for all of us,” he said. “Let the people really have fun and enjoy and show that the United States can definitely pull off a World Cup.”
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The new “Jump,” out Friday, was released through Coca-Cola's newly minted in-house label Real Thing Records, in partnership with Capitol Records. The “Jump” video, art directed and designed by McFlyy, is illustrated in the style of anime — amplifying its aim to reflect global cultural interest.
Coca-Cola has been an official sponsor for the FIFA World Cup since 1978 and has produced a number of its own anthems for the event, including Jason Derulo's “Colors” in 2018 and a reimagining of Queen's “A Kind of Magic” in 2022 featuring Mexican singer Danna Paola, Egyptian rapper Felukah and Saudi Arabian singer TamTam.
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“Reimagining a song as iconic as Van Halen's ‘Jump' came with a real sense of responsibility,” Burke wrote to The Associated Press in an exclusive statement. “All four artists leaned into the process as if this was their own single. Our goal was to create an anthem that celebrates the full spectrum of emotions of the tournament and feels just as powerful in a stadium as it does blasting from a car with your friends. We were able to do exactly that.”
As for Balvin? He hopes that people respond to the energy of the song, and truly view it as “a fútbol song, you know? And that people vibe with it.”
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And that is fútbol — not soccer. Don't get it twisted.
“I don't even know what soccer is,” he joked. “It's always been fútbol.”
Camila Osorio twice came from a break down and saved three match points in the second set, before earning a statement victory over American Iva Jovic on Friday night in Indian Wells. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka faced a stiff test from Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, but managed to weather the storm in straight sets to earn a 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Camila Osorio was on the brink more than once against home favorite Iva Jovic.
The 24-year-old Colombian trailed by a break twice in the second set and faced three match points on Jovic's serve at 5-4. Osorio responded by breaking for 5-5, capturing the set in a tiebreak and eventually grinding out a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory in 2 hours and 39 minutes in front of a pro-Jovic crowd on Stadium 3.
Indian Wells: Scores | Draws | Order of play
The win sends her into the third round at Indian Wells for the first time, where she'll face former champion Naomi Osaka, who advanced earlier in the night with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva in 1 hour and 28 minutes on Stadium 2.
It will be their third meeting at the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level. Their most recent encounter came at this tournament a year ago, when Osorio upset Osaka in straight sets in the first round.
On Friday, Osorio produced another shock victory, defeating the No. 18 seed Jovic, who was also in seeking her first third-round appearance at Indian Wells.
It all came down to Osorio's poise on the pressure points. The three-time WTA titlist converted all five of her break points and saved 11 of the 15 she faced, repeatedly showing her championship mettle.
Most notably, she saved break points while trailing 2-0 in the second set to avoid going down a double break. After fending off that threat -- and later three match points -- she saved three more break points before holding for 6-5. In the tiebreak, she seized control with a 4-1 lead she never relinquished.
With momentum fully on her side, Osorio broke to open the third set and raced ahead 4-0. Jovic held for 4-1, then mounted one late push by breaking and consolidating for 4-3. But Osorio held for 5-3 and broke once more in the final game to seal the comeback.
For Osaka, Friday marked her first match since withdrawing ahead of her third-round contest at the Australian Open in January. And while the victory mattered, she said she stepped on court with just one priority.
“I just wanted to have a lot of fun,” Osaka said in her on-court interview. “And I feel like I succeeded in doing that. Thank you, guys, for letting me play in front of you all. Also, I've never played Victoria before, and she's really young and played a really good match, so it was fun to play.”
She certainly looked loose early, winning the first nine points of the match as she jumped out to 4-0 lead. Moments later, she served for the set at 5-2, but that's when things got tight.
Jimenez Kasintseva generated her first break point and converted for 5-3 as Osaka's forehand missed the mark. Then, after saving three set points and holding for 5-4, the 20-year-old found the line with a brilliant backhand winner to level at 5-all. But Osaka responded by breaking for 6-5 and converting her sixth set point in the next game.
The two remained on serve through the first four games of the second set before Osaka, rocking a leopard-print kit, pounced. She struck a backhand winner on her fourth break point of the game to break for 3-2, the first of four straight games that carried the four-time Grand Slam champion into the next round.
Don't get it twisted...it's LEOPARD not cheetah! 🐆@naomiosaka | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/2a5Wxj1nnt
If she can get past Osorio, Osaka will advance to the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open for the first time since 2019.
Camila Osorio twice came from a break down and saved three match points in the second set, before earning a statement victory over American Iva Jovic on Friday night in Indian Wells. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka faced a stiff test from Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, but managed to weather the storm in straight sets to earn a 7-5, 6-2 victory.
The former No. 1's new arm, knee and leg sleeves aim to promote healing through infrared and semiconductor-infused fabric.ByStephanie LivaudaisPublished Mar 07, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 07, 2026
© Getty Images
Novak Djokovic is well known for being on the cutting edge of sports science—and now he's letting fans in on his secrets.The 24-time Grand Slam winner has launched a new line of therapeutic wearables with Incrediwear. The brand welcomed the collaboration with a meet-and-greet at the BNP Paribas Open, as a “Novak x Incrediwear” aerial banner flew on a plane overhead.Djokovic's line includes an arm sleeve, knee sleeve and leg sleeves equipped with semiconductor particles and wearable infrared—all of it championing a “new class of performance technology.”Incrediwear looks like a compression sleeve, like those frequently used in sports, but it doesn't actually compress the injured area. According to their website, the products are made of “element-infused fabric... activated by body heat to deliver infrared and negative ion therapy, accelerating recovery without drugs, compression, or side effects.”Read More: Can Grigor Dimitrov take Carlos Alcaraz out of his comfort zone? | Indian Wells Day 4 Previews
The 24-time Grand Slam winner has launched a new line of therapeutic wearables with Incrediwear. The brand welcomed the collaboration with a meet-and-greet at the BNP Paribas Open, as a “Novak x Incrediwear” aerial banner flew on a plane overhead.Djokovic's line includes an arm sleeve, knee sleeve and leg sleeves equipped with semiconductor particles and wearable infrared—all of it championing a “new class of performance technology.”Incrediwear looks like a compression sleeve, like those frequently used in sports, but it doesn't actually compress the injured area. According to their website, the products are made of “element-infused fabric... activated by body heat to deliver infrared and negative ion therapy, accelerating recovery without drugs, compression, or side effects.”Read More: Can Grigor Dimitrov take Carlos Alcaraz out of his comfort zone? | Indian Wells Day 4 Previews
Djokovic's line includes an arm sleeve, knee sleeve and leg sleeves equipped with semiconductor particles and wearable infrared—all of it championing a “new class of performance technology.”Incrediwear looks like a compression sleeve, like those frequently used in sports, but it doesn't actually compress the injured area. According to their website, the products are made of “element-infused fabric... activated by body heat to deliver infrared and negative ion therapy, accelerating recovery without drugs, compression, or side effects.”Read More: Can Grigor Dimitrov take Carlos Alcaraz out of his comfort zone? | Indian Wells Day 4 Previews
Incrediwear looks like a compression sleeve, like those frequently used in sports, but it doesn't actually compress the injured area. According to their website, the products are made of “element-infused fabric... activated by body heat to deliver infrared and negative ion therapy, accelerating recovery without drugs, compression, or side effects.”Read More: Can Grigor Dimitrov take Carlos Alcaraz out of his comfort zone? | Indian Wells Day 4 Previews
Read More: Can Grigor Dimitrov take Carlos Alcaraz out of his comfort zone? | Indian Wells Day 4 Previews
Djokovic famously put those claims to the test after 2024 Roland Garros, where he suffered a torn meniscus and had to pull out ahead of the quarterfinals. He underwent surgery and then surprised the world with his rapid return to action. At 2024 Wimbledon, he went all the way to the final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, and at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris he added a gold medal to his legendary trophy cabinet, defeating Alcaraz in the final.Read More: Another step forward: Novak Djokovic hits at Wimbledon wearing compression knee sleeveAll the while, Djokovic was seen wearing a distinctive gray and white Incrediwear sleeve on his right knee, on and off the court.“The health space is something I deeply care about, something that is also very authentic and close to me, as I live it on a daily basis," Djokovic told press this week. "(I) try to be a testament, or an example, of the products or the businesses or brands that I'm part of, or partnering, or setting up, or launching…"I think nowadays with so many products and companies and brands out there, it's not easy to navigate what's good and what's authentic and original and what's made or created or developed with high integrity.“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
Read More: Another step forward: Novak Djokovic hits at Wimbledon wearing compression knee sleeveAll the while, Djokovic was seen wearing a distinctive gray and white Incrediwear sleeve on his right knee, on and off the court.“The health space is something I deeply care about, something that is also very authentic and close to me, as I live it on a daily basis," Djokovic told press this week. "(I) try to be a testament, or an example, of the products or the businesses or brands that I'm part of, or partnering, or setting up, or launching…"I think nowadays with so many products and companies and brands out there, it's not easy to navigate what's good and what's authentic and original and what's made or created or developed with high integrity.“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
All the while, Djokovic was seen wearing a distinctive gray and white Incrediwear sleeve on his right knee, on and off the court.“The health space is something I deeply care about, something that is also very authentic and close to me, as I live it on a daily basis," Djokovic told press this week. "(I) try to be a testament, or an example, of the products or the businesses or brands that I'm part of, or partnering, or setting up, or launching…"I think nowadays with so many products and companies and brands out there, it's not easy to navigate what's good and what's authentic and original and what's made or created or developed with high integrity.“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
“The health space is something I deeply care about, something that is also very authentic and close to me, as I live it on a daily basis," Djokovic told press this week. "(I) try to be a testament, or an example, of the products or the businesses or brands that I'm part of, or partnering, or setting up, or launching…"I think nowadays with so many products and companies and brands out there, it's not easy to navigate what's good and what's authentic and original and what's made or created or developed with high integrity.“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
"I think nowadays with so many products and companies and brands out there, it's not easy to navigate what's good and what's authentic and original and what's made or created or developed with high integrity.“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
“I feel like one of the best ways is to have an ambassador or partner that is a face that really embodies that. I try to do that.”
After suffering a meniscus tear at 2024 Roland Garros and undergoing surgery, Djokovic was back in action by Wimbledon wearing a knee sleeve.© © PA Wire/PA Images
© © PA Wire/PA Images
The science behind a traditional compression sleeve is straightforward: tight, elastic garments are worn to enhance blood circulation, increase stability by acting as a shock absorber for muscles, and speed up recovery by limiting inflammation.What makes Incrediwear sleeves different? The sleeves don't compress. Instead, the company says they “engage” targeted joints and muscles via patented “semiconductor” (germanium) and charcoal-infused fabric that is activated by body heat to promote better blood and oxygen flow, which supports faster natural healing. (These claims are “clinically proven,” though the science behind them remains inconclusive.)Djokovic deepened his relationship with Incrediwear in August 2025, when he became an investor, acquiring a “significant stake” in the company while also signing on as a global brand ambassador."When one of the world's greatest athletes reaches out because our product made a difference, that's the power of real results," said Jackson Corley, founder and CEO of Incrediwear. "Novak shares our belief that recovery is the foundation of performance, and we're proud to welcome him as both an investor and brand ambassador."
What makes Incrediwear sleeves different? The sleeves don't compress. Instead, the company says they “engage” targeted joints and muscles via patented “semiconductor” (germanium) and charcoal-infused fabric that is activated by body heat to promote better blood and oxygen flow, which supports faster natural healing. (These claims are “clinically proven,” though the science behind them remains inconclusive.)Djokovic deepened his relationship with Incrediwear in August 2025, when he became an investor, acquiring a “significant stake” in the company while also signing on as a global brand ambassador."When one of the world's greatest athletes reaches out because our product made a difference, that's the power of real results," said Jackson Corley, founder and CEO of Incrediwear. "Novak shares our belief that recovery is the foundation of performance, and we're proud to welcome him as both an investor and brand ambassador."
Djokovic deepened his relationship with Incrediwear in August 2025, when he became an investor, acquiring a “significant stake” in the company while also signing on as a global brand ambassador."When one of the world's greatest athletes reaches out because our product made a difference, that's the power of real results," said Jackson Corley, founder and CEO of Incrediwear. "Novak shares our belief that recovery is the foundation of performance, and we're proud to welcome him as both an investor and brand ambassador."
"When one of the world's greatest athletes reaches out because our product made a difference, that's the power of real results," said Jackson Corley, founder and CEO of Incrediwear. "Novak shares our belief that recovery is the foundation of performance, and we're proud to welcome him as both an investor and brand ambassador."
Launched in 2009, Incrediwear is a pioneer in “wearable therapeutic technology”—body-worn devices (like smartwatches, patches and garments) that actively treat, manage or rehabilitate medical conditions rather than just tracking data. Incrediwear garments are designed to be worn 24/7 and can be used as an alternative to, or supplement for, compression.Djokovic, 38, credits his sustained dominance to a holistic and evidence-based approach to longevity. He incorporates yoga and a plant-based, gluten-free diet into his lifestyle, focuses on recovery, mobility and mental training, and is also a proponent of red light therapy. Last year, he even launched his own recovery pod with Regenesis.Djokovic, the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, will play his first match in the second round on Saturday, where he faces Kamil Majchrzak on Court 1.He will also be in action in men's doubles, having teamed up with Stefanos Tsitsipas to form one of several high-profile teams in the draw. They'll face No. 3 seeds Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in the first round.
Djokovic, 38, credits his sustained dominance to a holistic and evidence-based approach to longevity. He incorporates yoga and a plant-based, gluten-free diet into his lifestyle, focuses on recovery, mobility and mental training, and is also a proponent of red light therapy. Last year, he even launched his own recovery pod with Regenesis.Djokovic, the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, will play his first match in the second round on Saturday, where he faces Kamil Majchrzak on Court 1.He will also be in action in men's doubles, having teamed up with Stefanos Tsitsipas to form one of several high-profile teams in the draw. They'll face No. 3 seeds Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in the first round.
Djokovic, the No. 3 seed at Indian Wells, will play his first match in the second round on Saturday, where he faces Kamil Majchrzak on Court 1.He will also be in action in men's doubles, having teamed up with Stefanos Tsitsipas to form one of several high-profile teams in the draw. They'll face No. 3 seeds Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in the first round.
He will also be in action in men's doubles, having teamed up with Stefanos Tsitsipas to form one of several high-profile teams in the draw. They'll face No. 3 seeds Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in the first round.
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After both players secured second-round wins Friday, Coco Gauff's next test at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will come from rising 20-year-old Alex Eala, who continues to build momentum in Tennis Paradise.
INDIAN WELLS -- With age, inevitably, comes responsibility.
As recently as a few years ago, Coco Gauff lived with her family in southern Florida and her mother dutifully did her laundry. No more. These days, Gauff has her own place nearby, has acquired a new skill and seems to enjoy the space.
“There are times, because I have my younger brothers,” Gauff said, “they're like, `Are you spending the night here?'
“I'm like, 'No, I'm going back to my bed.'"
On Friday, the No. 4 seed at the BNP Paribas Open hit a brief nap before finishing off qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6 (5) in a windswept second-round match. Gauff impressively overcame 5-2 and 6-5 second-set deficits.
Sometimes it feels like Gauff, who turns 22 a week from Friday, has been doing this virtually forever. It was the sixth straight year she's won a main-draw match here, making her the third youngest do that, after precocious predecessors Caroline Wozniacki and Lindsay Davenport.
“I think I'm pretty confident in my return, so I feel like I know I'm always going to get most of the time one of the two return points almost on every swing,” Gauff said “Then after that, it's just more so my serve. Also, I think fitness-wise, obviously tiebreakers are usually later in the match, so I think I'm able to just get that extra ball back, be mentally there.”
The win sets up a Sunday third-round meeting with No. 31 seed Alex Eala, who outlasted Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in a late-night match. The 20-year-old from the Philippines has quickly become one of the tour's most intriguing young players.
A few takeaways:
Consistent clutch-ability
Gauff remains a superior competitor, rising to the challenge when points matter most. She raised her level in the tiebreak, winning the match point by scrambling to pick up a dropshot and firing a killer overhead.
Gauff saved 8 of 13 break points overall and overcame that three-game deficit in the second set.
In the critical eighth game of the first set, Rakhimova was threatening to win her third straight game and level things at 4-all. At 15-all, Gauff hammered a running backhand pass and then prevailed in two long and absorbing rallies to take the game and swing the momentum back in her favor.
True grit and determination 💥@CocoGauff delivers a dominant performance over Rakhimova in straight sets!#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Cg7bx7rnvO
Changing it up
Gauff displayed a full toolkit against the No. 88-ranked Rakhimova, often going to a slice backhand and, a few times, off the forehand as well. An accomplished doubles player, Gauff moved forward when the opportunities presented themselves and knocked off some crisp volleys.
Gauff's speed and instinct make her one of the game's best defenders. She repeatedly tracked down Rakhimova's shots deep in the corners. On the other side, knowing what Gauff was capable of, Rakhimova consistently overhit balls from neutral positions.
Double trouble
Double faults have plagued Gauff this season -- only Kimberly Birrell (88) has more than her 86 -- and they were again a factor Friday.
Gauff hit 10 doubles, and one of them came in the tiebreak and could have cost her. Meanwhile, Gauff struck zero aces.
By the numbers
Eala overcomes Yastremska in late night thriller
Gauff's next opponent will be 31st-seeded Eala. She needed 2 hours, 43 minutes to overcome Yastremska. After the players split the first two sets, Yastremska served for the match in the 10th game of the third before Eala broke back. Eala won three straight games to complete the 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 victory just before midnight local time.
"I think focus was a huge part of the match today. She played really well, in my opinion," Eala said. "I had to really go after all the balls and trust my gut. I think mental fortitude was a big part of today's game.
"I think that this match could have gone either way. I don't think there was a huge shift in momentum at any point.I was down 4-5. She broke me to love, I think. I tried to remind myself I was still in the game and just kept there, stayed there, and kept fighting."
A few takeaways from Eala's win:
Creating history for Philippine tennis in Tennis Paradise
Eala became the first player from the Philippines to appear in the main draw at Indian Wells. She is also the only player from the Philippines to have competed in a Tier I/WTA 1000 main draw since the format's introduction in 1990.
Double trouble for Yastremska as well
The Ukrainian was undone by 15 double faults in the match, including eight in the final set. In contrast, Eala committed only four. Yastremska is now 0-2 against Eala at the WTA Tour level.
Second career meeting with Gauff
The win sets up a quarterfinal matchup between Eala and fourth-seeded Gauff. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Gauff winning their quarterfinal match in Dubai last month while losing only two games.
"I think it's definitely going to be a tough one," Eala said. "Coco is an amazing player and playing at home. I'm expecting a big crowd to rally behind her just because she's amazing. But it's like every other match. Today I had to dig really deep, so I'm expecting that the next match I have to do even more. So I'm ready, and I'm looking forward to it."
After both players secured second-round wins Friday, Coco Gauff's next test at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will come from rising 20-year-old Alex Eala, who continues to build momentum in Tennis Paradise.
The 20-year-old Californian is the youngest American man to hit that number since Andy Roddick.ByJohn BerkokPublished Mar 06, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 06, 2026
© AFP or licensors
Learner Tien came out swinging at Indian Wells on Thursday, battling past Adam Walton in two tie-breaks in his opening match at the ATP Masters 1000 event, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8).His victory over the Australian was a special one, as it was the milestone 50th tour-level win of his career.And it gets even more special.At just 20 years old, Tien is the youngest American man to achieve 50 career tour-level wins since Andy Roddick, who was 19 when he hit that number at the 2002 Australian Open.YOUNGEST U.S. MEN TO RECORD 50 WINS SINCE 2000 (tour-level):19 years & 4 months: Andy Roddick [at '02 Australian Open]20 years & 3 months: Learner Tien [at '26 Indian Wells]20 years & 5 months: Alex Michelsen [at '25 Delray Beach]20 years & 10 months: Sam Querrey [at '08 US Open]20 years & 11 months: Taylor Fritz [at '18 Basel](Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
His victory over the Australian was a special one, as it was the milestone 50th tour-level win of his career.And it gets even more special.At just 20 years old, Tien is the youngest American man to achieve 50 career tour-level wins since Andy Roddick, who was 19 when he hit that number at the 2002 Australian Open.YOUNGEST U.S. MEN TO RECORD 50 WINS SINCE 2000 (tour-level):19 years & 4 months: Andy Roddick [at '02 Australian Open]20 years & 3 months: Learner Tien [at '26 Indian Wells]20 years & 5 months: Alex Michelsen [at '25 Delray Beach]20 years & 10 months: Sam Querrey [at '08 US Open]20 years & 11 months: Taylor Fritz [at '18 Basel](Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
And it gets even more special.At just 20 years old, Tien is the youngest American man to achieve 50 career tour-level wins since Andy Roddick, who was 19 when he hit that number at the 2002 Australian Open.YOUNGEST U.S. MEN TO RECORD 50 WINS SINCE 2000 (tour-level):19 years & 4 months: Andy Roddick [at '02 Australian Open]20 years & 3 months: Learner Tien [at '26 Indian Wells]20 years & 5 months: Alex Michelsen [at '25 Delray Beach]20 years & 10 months: Sam Querrey [at '08 US Open]20 years & 11 months: Taylor Fritz [at '18 Basel](Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
At just 20 years old, Tien is the youngest American man to achieve 50 career tour-level wins since Andy Roddick, who was 19 when he hit that number at the 2002 Australian Open.YOUNGEST U.S. MEN TO RECORD 50 WINS SINCE 2000 (tour-level):19 years & 4 months: Andy Roddick [at '02 Australian Open]20 years & 3 months: Learner Tien [at '26 Indian Wells]20 years & 5 months: Alex Michelsen [at '25 Delray Beach]20 years & 10 months: Sam Querrey [at '08 US Open]20 years & 11 months: Taylor Fritz [at '18 Basel](Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
YOUNGEST U.S. MEN TO RECORD 50 WINS SINCE 2000 (tour-level):19 years & 4 months: Andy Roddick [at '02 Australian Open]20 years & 3 months: Learner Tien [at '26 Indian Wells]20 years & 5 months: Alex Michelsen [at '25 Delray Beach]20 years & 10 months: Sam Querrey [at '08 US Open]20 years & 11 months: Taylor Fritz [at '18 Basel](Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
(Note: the ATP website lists Tien as having 48 career wins coming into Indian Wells, but due to a glitch his semifinal win from the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals is missing from that total, and it's 49—see today's ATP media notes for correct stats)
Tien's milestone win didn't come easily on Thursday, as the big-serving Walton pushed him to the brink in both sets.The first set stayed entirely on serve, and things were initially neck-and-neck in the first set tie-break, too, as Walton inched ahead 3-2—but Tien caught fire just at the right time, winning the last five points in a row to run away with it. He finished the set off with back-to-back winners, first a backhand return winner and then a huge forehand down the line to close it out.Walton got the first break of the match in the first game of the second set, but Tien broke right back and the two traded holds again all the way to the tie-break, where this time Walton had two set points—he unluckily mis-hit a forehand on his first one at 6-5, then Tien clubbed a crosscourt forehand winner on his second one at 8-7. Tien ultimately closed the match out on his third match point after Walton mis-hit a forehand wide.It was the American's first career win at Indian Wells.
The first set stayed entirely on serve, and things were initially neck-and-neck in the first set tie-break, too, as Walton inched ahead 3-2—but Tien caught fire just at the right time, winning the last five points in a row to run away with it. He finished the set off with back-to-back winners, first a backhand return winner and then a huge forehand down the line to close it out.Walton got the first break of the match in the first game of the second set, but Tien broke right back and the two traded holds again all the way to the tie-break, where this time Walton had two set points—he unluckily mis-hit a forehand on his first one at 6-5, then Tien clubbed a crosscourt forehand winner on his second one at 8-7. Tien ultimately closed the match out on his third match point after Walton mis-hit a forehand wide.It was the American's first career win at Indian Wells.
Walton got the first break of the match in the first game of the second set, but Tien broke right back and the two traded holds again all the way to the tie-break, where this time Walton had two set points—he unluckily mis-hit a forehand on his first one at 6-5, then Tien clubbed a crosscourt forehand winner on his second one at 8-7. Tien ultimately closed the match out on his third match point after Walton mis-hit a forehand wide.It was the American's first career win at Indian Wells.
It was the American's first career win at Indian Wells.
Awaiting the No. 25-seeded Tien in the third round of Indian Wells will be No. 8-seeded Ben Shelton, who came back from a set down—as well as a mini-break down in the second set tie-break—to make it past Reilly Opelka, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-3.Tien won the pair's only previous meeting, in the second round of the grass-court event in Mallorca last year, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Tien won the pair's only previous meeting, in the second round of the grass-court event in Mallorca last year, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
The 2018 champion made her first appearance since withdrawing at the Australian Open.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 07, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 07, 2026
© 2026 Robert Prange
“First of all, it's a leopard, not cheetah.”Naomi Osaka stepped out for her opening match with Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva on Friday evening at the BNP Paribas Open. Naturally, she came prepared with a new look for Indian Wells.Taking Stadium 1, the 2018 champion rocked a leopard-inspired outfit. The head-to-toe ensemble included ear and mouth accessories, a rad pair of matching sneakers and a bag that incorporated the animal print into her custom logo.But perhaps the most notable element of her latest kit was the intention behind the material on the dress.“It's a fabric that shifts when I move. So depending on the light, it will change colors,” she shared during an on-court interview.
Naomi Osaka stepped out for her opening match with Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva on Friday evening at the BNP Paribas Open. Naturally, she came prepared with a new look for Indian Wells.Taking Stadium 1, the 2018 champion rocked a leopard-inspired outfit. The head-to-toe ensemble included ear and mouth accessories, a rad pair of matching sneakers and a bag that incorporated the animal print into her custom logo.But perhaps the most notable element of her latest kit was the intention behind the material on the dress.“It's a fabric that shifts when I move. So depending on the light, it will change colors,” she shared during an on-court interview.
Taking Stadium 1, the 2018 champion rocked a leopard-inspired outfit. The head-to-toe ensemble included ear and mouth accessories, a rad pair of matching sneakers and a bag that incorporated the animal print into her custom logo.But perhaps the most notable element of her latest kit was the intention behind the material on the dress.“It's a fabric that shifts when I move. So depending on the light, it will change colors,” she shared during an on-court interview.
But perhaps the most notable element of her latest kit was the intention behind the material on the dress.“It's a fabric that shifts when I move. So depending on the light, it will change colors,” she shared during an on-court interview.
“It's a fabric that shifts when I move. So depending on the light, it will change colors,” she shared during an on-court interview.
A closer look at the footwear.© 2026 Robert Prange
© 2026 Robert Prange
Speaking about the inspiration behind the latest creation, Osaka joked with press to “get ready for my long spiel.”As Osaka recounted, Naomi Campbell's infamous 2009 "Harper's Bazaar" editorial of her running with a cheetah in South Africa, along with being in the California desert for this tournament, was a starting block for an exploration that ultimately dove deeper.“Based on who I am, my leopard is more like a huntress, like I'm hunting something, there is something I want to go get,” she explained.“Then we kind of morphed into the story of, like, there is desert, there is dunes, there is a leopard. Crazy, now we're, like, Mad Max. Then we're like, okay, huntress, hunting. There is the story of pursuing something, and then we just kind of built the world in there.”
As Osaka recounted, Naomi Campbell's infamous 2009 "Harper's Bazaar" editorial of her running with a cheetah in South Africa, along with being in the California desert for this tournament, was a starting block for an exploration that ultimately dove deeper.“Based on who I am, my leopard is more like a huntress, like I'm hunting something, there is something I want to go get,” she explained.“Then we kind of morphed into the story of, like, there is desert, there is dunes, there is a leopard. Crazy, now we're, like, Mad Max. Then we're like, okay, huntress, hunting. There is the story of pursuing something, and then we just kind of built the world in there.”
“Based on who I am, my leopard is more like a huntress, like I'm hunting something, there is something I want to go get,” she explained.“Then we kind of morphed into the story of, like, there is desert, there is dunes, there is a leopard. Crazy, now we're, like, Mad Max. Then we're like, okay, huntress, hunting. There is the story of pursuing something, and then we just kind of built the world in there.”
“Then we kind of morphed into the story of, like, there is desert, there is dunes, there is a leopard. Crazy, now we're, like, Mad Max. Then we're like, okay, huntress, hunting. There is the story of pursuing something, and then we just kind of built the world in there.”
Osaka's walkout components.
On the court, the No. 16 seed ran away from Jiménez Kasintseva after a tight opening set for a 7-5, 6-2 victory. Osaka's appearance marked her first since the Australian Open, where she withdrew ahead of a scheduled third-round meeting with Maddison Inglis due to a left abdominal injury.“I was really disappointed, because it's something that I have done to myself before, and I feel like every year I go through that specific injury. Every year I can kind of, like, feel it starting to happen,” she reflected.Putting an opening 2025 exit behind her here, Osaka now looks to advance to the fourth round for the first time in seven years.
“I was really disappointed, because it's something that I have done to myself before, and I feel like every year I go through that specific injury. Every year I can kind of, like, feel it starting to happen,” she reflected.Putting an opening 2025 exit behind her here, Osaka now looks to advance to the fourth round for the first time in seven years.
Putting an opening 2025 exit behind her here, Osaka now looks to advance to the fourth round for the first time in seven years.
Set in platinum with emerald stones, the world No. 1 shone like a diamond in Tennis Paradise on Friday.ByDavid KanePublished Mar 07, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 07, 2026
© Getty Images
Aryna Sabalenka wore an extra-special accessory to kick off her 2026 BNP Paribas Open, donning her 12-carat diamond engagement ring to beat Himeno Sakatsume, 6-4, 6-2.“It's very comfortable,” the world No. 1 said of the ring in her post-match press conference. “We double-checked if there is a possibility to lose the diamond, and there is none, so I was pretty confident wearing this ring, and it feels comfy, feels shiny.“I hope that my opponent will get distracted with this diamond and it's going to benefit me,” she added with a laugh.Sabalenka announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis in the lead-up to her first match since the Australian Open, sharing the glamorous ring on social media and around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
“It's very comfortable,” the world No. 1 said of the ring in her post-match press conference. “We double-checked if there is a possibility to lose the diamond, and there is none, so I was pretty confident wearing this ring, and it feels comfy, feels shiny.“I hope that my opponent will get distracted with this diamond and it's going to benefit me,” she added with a laugh.Sabalenka announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis in the lead-up to her first match since the Australian Open, sharing the glamorous ring on social media and around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
“I hope that my opponent will get distracted with this diamond and it's going to benefit me,” she added with a laugh.Sabalenka announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis in the lead-up to her first match since the Australian Open, sharing the glamorous ring on social media and around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Sabalenka announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis in the lead-up to her first match since the Australian Open, sharing the glamorous ring on social media and around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Designed by Isabela Grutman—wife of Sabalenka's good friend and entrepreneur David Grutman—the oval-cut stone was set in platinum with a curved band and accenting emeralds.“We spent months working on the design, selecting the stones, and perfecting every detail of the craftsmanship to make it truly special for Aryna,” Grutman told *Page Six Style*. What made it even more meaningful was Georgios' idea to incorporate emeralds into the design, as it's her favorite stone—a personal touch that makes the ring uniquely hers.”Though Sabalenka has publicly nudged Frangulis to pop the question for the last six months, the reigning US Open champion confessed her shock once the moment arrived, getting neither warning nor glam ahead of time.
“We spent months working on the design, selecting the stones, and perfecting every detail of the craftsmanship to make it truly special for Aryna,” Grutman told *Page Six Style*. What made it even more meaningful was Georgios' idea to incorporate emeralds into the design, as it's her favorite stone—a personal touch that makes the ring uniquely hers.”Though Sabalenka has publicly nudged Frangulis to pop the question for the last six months, the reigning US Open champion confessed her shock once the moment arrived, getting neither warning nor glam ahead of time.
Though Sabalenka has publicly nudged Frangulis to pop the question for the last six months, the reigning US Open champion confessed her shock once the moment arrived, getting neither warning nor glam ahead of time.
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“I was crying half of the time, because I thought that I looked ugly, not prepared, and this is such a beautiful moment,” she said on Friday. “I stopped everything, and I asked the videographer and the photographer to make sure that my face is not there, just the ring, and, I don't know, side views and from the back, just so you guys wouldn't be shocked by the way I looked.“In the end, it looked better,” she clarified later on. “It looked real, it looked like it was a real surprise. Honestly, I'm super happy with the way they all did it to me.”Sabalenka came within one match of the Sunshine Double in 2025, reaching the BNP Paribas Open final and winning the Miami Open. In a stacked section of the draw that features Iva Jovic, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Emma Raducanu, and Amanda Anisimova, the top seed will look to sparkle throughout the Sunshine Swing with Jaqueline Cristian standing between her and the fourth round.
“In the end, it looked better,” she clarified later on. “It looked real, it looked like it was a real surprise. Honestly, I'm super happy with the way they all did it to me.”Sabalenka came within one match of the Sunshine Double in 2025, reaching the BNP Paribas Open final and winning the Miami Open. In a stacked section of the draw that features Iva Jovic, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Emma Raducanu, and Amanda Anisimova, the top seed will look to sparkle throughout the Sunshine Swing with Jaqueline Cristian standing between her and the fourth round.
Sabalenka came within one match of the Sunshine Double in 2025, reaching the BNP Paribas Open final and winning the Miami Open. In a stacked section of the draw that features Iva Jovic, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Emma Raducanu, and Amanda Anisimova, the top seed will look to sparkle throughout the Sunshine Swing with Jaqueline Cristian standing between her and the fourth round.
The Greek, and now-Greece resident, have accepted a wild card into the draw in Tennis Paradise.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 06, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 06, 2026
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They've stood opposite the net from each other 14 times, and now they're on the same side: Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas have taken a wild card into the BNP Paribas Open men's draw.The Greek, and now Greece resident, are one of three high-profile teams to enter the historically star-studded event this year, along with Reilly Opelka and Jannik Sinner, and Emilio Nava and Ben Shelton.Other notable names teaming up in the men's doubles event, which begins on Friday, include Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda, Daniil Medvedev and his recent nemesis Learner Tien, and cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.
The Greek, and now Greece resident, are one of three high-profile teams to enter the historically star-studded event this year, along with Reilly Opelka and Jannik Sinner, and Emilio Nava and Ben Shelton.Other notable names teaming up in the men's doubles event, which begins on Friday, include Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda, Daniil Medvedev and his recent nemesis Learner Tien, and cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.
Other notable names teaming up in the men's doubles event, which begins on Friday, include Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda, Daniil Medvedev and his recent nemesis Learner Tien, and cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.
Though Tennis Paradise has seen its fair share of big-name doubles teams over the years looking for extra match play or a longer tenure amongst the scenery, Djokovic's decision to take part in this pairing sends a message, too.In his pre-event press conference, Djokovic said that his run to the final of the Australian Open in January, where he beat Jannik Sinner in a five-set semifinal before losing in four to Carlos Alcaraz in the title match, showed that he "still [has] that edge."
In his pre-event press conference, Djokovic said that his run to the final of the Australian Open in January, where he beat Jannik Sinner in a five-set semifinal before losing in four to Carlos Alcaraz in the title match, showed that he "still [has] that edge."
"My logic is why not keep going as long as I have that fire and flair and quality and also motivation to do that," he said. Schedule is unclear, as it was in the last kind of couple years. You know, it kind of revolves mostly around Slams, but I kind of pick and choose where I want to play, where I feel like it's not just from a tennis standpoint but also emotionally, you know, brand-wise, or whatever it is, you know, that inspires me to come."And I have my reasons ... Indian Wells, as I mentioned, has been always a location that I was really happy to come back to in a tournament that I really love playing. I haven't had great results and performances in the last 10 years, but in the first 10 years of my career, this was one of the best tournaments."That's all. I mean, I really enjoy the thrill of competition. I enjoy still getting out there in front of the fans and really being competitive. Still No. 3 of the world, so I don't think it's too bad, you know, in terms of the ranking and results and performances."I still have that edge, and I'll keep on going as long as I feel like it," he added.
"And I have my reasons ... Indian Wells, as I mentioned, has been always a location that I was really happy to come back to in a tournament that I really love playing. I haven't had great results and performances in the last 10 years, but in the first 10 years of my career, this was one of the best tournaments."That's all. I mean, I really enjoy the thrill of competition. I enjoy still getting out there in front of the fans and really being competitive. Still No. 3 of the world, so I don't think it's too bad, you know, in terms of the ranking and results and performances."I still have that edge, and I'll keep on going as long as I feel like it," he added.
"That's all. I mean, I really enjoy the thrill of competition. I enjoy still getting out there in front of the fans and really being competitive. Still No. 3 of the world, so I don't think it's too bad, you know, in terms of the ranking and results and performances."I still have that edge, and I'll keep on going as long as I feel like it," he added.
"I still have that edge, and I'll keep on going as long as I feel like it," he added.
Marton Fucsovics earned just his second Top 5 win and first in nearly six years on Friday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he stunned World No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-1.
Musetti was competing for the first time since he was forced to retire from his Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic with a psoas muscle injury when leading by two sets to love. Returning to the Tour in California, the 24-year-old committed 26 unforced errors and showed signs of rustiness against Fucsovics, who is into the third round in Indian Wells for the second time.
The Hungarian played with high intensity and capitalised on a misfiring performance from the Italian to improve to 4-35 against Top 10 opponents, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Fucsovics' previous Top 5 win came against Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros in 2020, with this his first Top 10 victory on a hard court.
The No. 56 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Fucsovics will next meet Arthur Fils after the Frenchman advanced when Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic retired. Fils, who returned to Tour last month following a back injury, was leading 6-2, 3-2.
In other action, for a large period, eighth seed Ben Shelton appeared on course to join fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti in an early exit from the ATP Masters 1000 event. However, the 23-year-old American staged a comeback to secure a hard-fought 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3 victory against Reilly Opelka.
Shelton came within two points of defeat when he trailed 4/5 in the second-set tie-break. Yet Opelka faltered at the crucial moment, losing both points on his serve to hand Shelton a lifeline. The lefty later took a tumble while serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set, slipping as he hit a volley. Nevertheless, Shelton quickly recovered, regained his composure and eventually sealed the win after two hours and 13 minutes, during which he appeared physically unwell and struggled to find his normal infectious energy.
“I think every week we go through something, maybe not at full 100 per cent," Shelton said. "Just happy to be through to the next round, that I went out there and gave myself a chance to compete and get a win against a tough opponent, especially on a court like this."
The Top 10 star, who advanced to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells last year, will next face Learner Tien. The reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion leads Shelton 1-0 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
You May Also Like: Tien moves behind Roddick on exclusive list...
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2026 Australian GP Qualifying: Lindblad almost hits Lawson after Bortoleto pit entry issue
GHOST CAR: See how Russell beat Antonelli in the fight for pole position
The 2026 season is underway at Albert Park in Melbourne and we've complied a guide to what bettors need to know about the circuit before making their predictions.
The Australian Grand Prix weekend is finally underway with teams and drivers taking to the Albert Park circuit overnight for the first two practice sessions of the season.
It is the second year in a row that Albert Park has been picked to host the opening race, with the famous Melbourne track first hosting an F1 race back in 1996.
The circuit is flat and uses roads that are open to the public throughout the year, meaning overtaking can be tricky and the Safety Car has featured more often than not in recent years.
Here is everything you need to know about the Australian Grand Prix and the Albert Park circuit as you prepare your weekend bets.
Norris began his title-winning season by taking his first Australian Grand Prix victory from pole position, although it was far from straightforward.
Both he and team mate Piastri slid off the track when a heavy downpour hit during Lap 44, causing the McLaren duo to allow Verstappen to take the lead in the race.
However, Norris recovered to take the race win, finishing less than a second ahead of Verstappen and eight seconds clear of Russell in third.
Three of the last five Melbourne race winners have started from pole position, with the exceptions being Valtteri Bottas in 2019 and Carlos Sainz in 2024.
However, on those occasions, they still started on the front row from second place on the grid.
Only one of the last five drivers to begin the Australian Grand Prix in pole position has failed to finish on the podium when Verstappen suffered brake problems just three laps into the 2024 race.
Back in 2019, Lewis Hamilton started on pole but ended the race in second place behind team mate Bottas, while Charles Leclerc in 2022, Verstappen in 2023 and Norris in 2025 all topped the podium.
Expect the unexpected is the best advice for the first race of the new era of F1 as drivers get to grips with the altered driving style required under new technical regulations, while we also have little data to help judge how teams will respond under race conditions.
When you also consider the high rate of Safety Car deployment and the chance of some changing weather conditions, you have all the ingredients for a fantastic race.
Be prepared to forget any preconceived views you had on the teams from testing and Friday practice once the real action starts on Sunday.
Keep a close eye on the live timing to make sure you know what is happening throughout the field and don't be shy to step in if you think the odds of an outlying tyre choice or pit stop strategy playing off are generous.
Almost a third of the field have previously won in Melbourne, including Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris and Fernando Alonso.
Now-Ferrari star Hamilton is the only multiple time winner in both 2008 and 2015, with the British driver currently priced with odds around 7/1 (8.0, +700) as fourth favourite to add a third success in 2026.
Verstappen is the only driver on the grid with three Australian podium finishes in the last five runnings, finishing third in 2019, first in 2023 and second last year.
However, the Red Bull driver failed to finish in both 2022 and 2024, leaving him with odds at around 5/6 (1/83, -120) for another top three finish this season.
Nico Hulkenberg often shines around the streets of Melbourne and has finished in the top 10 in an impressive eight of his last nine visits.
After placing within the points in the last three seasons, the German is available at up to 3/1 (4.0, +300) to grab early points on the board in his first drive for Audi.
Heading into the weekend, Russell is the 9/4 (3.25, +225) favourite to win the Australian Grand Prix this season for Mercedes, with Verstappen his closest rival at 4/1 (5.0, +400) and Leclerc as third favourite at 9/2 (5.5, +450).
As for the reigning world champion, Norris is currently priced as the 10/1 (11.0, +1000) sixth favourite to repeat his Melbourne win this season.
The last six races in Melbourne have been won by different drivers.
Ferrari won four of the last seven races in Australia with three different drivers.
Oscar Piastri finished eighth, fourth and ninth in his first three races in his home city.
Like last season, there is currently rain forecast in Melbourne across the weekend, but it looks more likely to affect Qualifying than the race itself.
Prices are correct at the time of publication but can fluctuate. Please note that the information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only and F1 does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. Any action you take based on the information in this article is strictly at your own risk, and F1 will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of this article. F1 does not encourage gambling and remind you to please gamble responsibly.
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2026 Australian GP Qualifying: Lindblad almost hits Lawson after Bortoleto pit entry issue
GHOST CAR: See how Russell beat Antonelli in the fight for pole position
There were mixed fortunes for Mercedes in third practice at the Australian Grand Prix, with George Russell setting the pace while Kimi Antonelli suffered a significant crash.
George Russell ended the third and final practice session of the Australian Grand Prix on top, the Mercedes driver going fastest in a disrupted hour that saw his team mate Kimi Antonelli suffer a hefty crash.
Following a slightly delayed start due to barrier repair works after an earlier collision in the F3 Sprint Race, Alpine's Franco Colapinto led a group of cars out onto the track – including Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso – when the session began at 1250 local time.
A mixture of tyre compounds were at play as the initial laps went on the board amongst those out on the circuit, with several drivers remaining in the garage. There was early trouble, meanwhile, for Carlos Sainz, whose Williams came to a halt near the pit entry, leading to the yellow flags being waved before a Virtual Safety Car was deployed.
The session was subsequently red-flagged as the stricken FW48 was recovered, while Sainz was seen walking back down the pit lane. A queue formed in the pit lane ahead of the action resuming once the vehicle had been safely removed, a stream of cars heading out as 38 minutes remained on the clock.
This made for a busy track as the majority of the field put some mileage in, with Lance Stroll the only driver yet to make an appearance in the hour due to a power unit issue causing a delay to the rebuild of his Aston Martin.
As the disrupted FP3 reached its halfway point, Charles Leclerc had gone fastest on a 1m 20.271s, the Ferrari man dislodging Mercedes' Antonelli at the top by 0.053s, while Hamilton followed in third.
Practice 3 results
FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026
The times continued to tumble as many cars completed soft tyre runs, with Hamilton going on to beat his team mate to top spot by just under one tenth. Elsewhere, the yellow flags were briefly waved as Alex Albon started to run slowly before getting his Williams going again.
While McLaren's Oscar Piastri dislodged the Ferraris at the head of the timesheets, Leclerc went on to return to P1, the lap times getting even quicker as the clock ticked down. Aston Martin, meanwhile, confirmed that Stroll would not participate in the session due to a suspected ICE issue.
A number of cars bolted on a fresh set of soft tyres during the final quarter of third practice, before the red flags were thrown when Antonelli suffered a heavy crash at Turn 2, the Mercedes driver taking slightly too much kerb and losing the rear of the W17.
After fortunately reporting that he was okay, Antonelli got out of the car as the clean-up operation began on track, the marshals recovering the car and clearing the debris while the Italian returned to his team's garage.
With just under four minutes left on clock when the session resumed, a busy end to FP3 ensued as cars fought to secure a position in the pit lane queue before heading out for their final runs. Lando Norris was at the front of the pack, the McLaren man moving up to fifth – before Russell pushed him down a position by going fastest of all by a significant 0.774s from Leclerc.
Russell's effort of 1m 19.053s remained on top as the chequered flag fell, while Hamilton moved up into second place, albeit still 0.616s behind his former team mate. Leclerc placed third, ahead of Piastri and the Red Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen.
Antonelli ended the hour in seventh – amid question marks over whether his car will be repaired in time for Qualifying – while Norris, Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and the Haas of Ollie Bearman completed the top 10.
Rookie Arvid Lindblad continued his impressive form so far in 11th for Racing Bulls, from team mate Liam Lawson, Haas' Esteban Ocon, Audi's Nico Hulkenberg and the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto. Albon was 17th in a tricky outing for Williams, while Alonso recorded a decent 18 laps for Aston Martin.
The Cadillac duo of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were 19th and 20th, with Sainz winding up in 21st, having been unable to return to action following his stoppage, and Stroll did not run in the session due to a suspected ICE issue.
With the final practice hour complete, the attentions of the paddock will switch to the first Qualifying session of 2026, which is set to get underway at 1600 local time.
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This week sees the release of “Hoppers,” Pixar's latest film and the company's best movie since…the original 2015 “Inside Out,” probably? I reviewed the film, giving it a B+ , and wrote that one of its best attributes is that it's the studio's first film in years to feel like it's coming from a very specific and unique point of view. Director Daniel Chong has been in the Pixar orbit for a while, getting his start as a storyboard artist on films like “Cars 2” and “Inside Out.”
But before “Hoppers,” he was best known for his 2015 Cartoon Network series “We Bare Bears,” a series with a lot of creative DNA that can clearly be seen in how “Hoppers” was conceptualized.
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The story of an ecologist activist who puts her brain in a robot beaver body with the mission of infiltrating the animal kingdom, “Hoppers” sets itself apart from other animated movies about cute forest critters with its quirky, dry sense of humor and its commitment to showing the less-than-flattering sides of animal behavior with an obvious sense of affection. These are all traits found in “We Bare Bears,” and anyone charmed by “Hoppers” will probably find the show a sweet, enjoyable comfort watch that can appeal to adults as much as to its target audience of kids.
Currently streaming in its entirety on Hulu and Disney+, consisting of four seasons and a wrap-up TV movie, “We Bare Bears” is set around a mostly realistic facsimile of the San Francisco Bay Area. The main exception is that a few (but not all) animals can speak as they attempt to integrate into human society. The show follows three bears and adopted brothers in their awkward, frequently failed attempts to fit in with their neighbors. Roaming around the city stacked on top of each other (the show's signature “Bear Stack”), the trio consists of the boisterous leader Grizz (Eric Edelstein), the anxious Panda (Bobby Moynihan, who appears in “Hoppers” as the character King George), and the laconic, stoic Ice (Demetri Martin). Every episode is an 11-minute vignette of one of their slice-of-life adventures, as they try to go viral online, open a food truck, and other harebrained schemes.
While the episodes are so short, “We Bare Bears” builds a surprisingly vivid world over its run, introducing a memorable supporting cast that includes a socially awkward bigfoot (Jason Lee) and a narcissistic, social media-famous koala (Patton Oswalt). But the focus remains squarely on the show's trio, who are a sharply written and distinctive little family, one that sometimes gets on each other's nerves but is also deeply and heartwarmingly bonded. The show's simple, rotund art style makes the three bears adorable, but they're also quirky and hilarious, and the show's often at its best when it incorporates the same gently skewed look at their animalistic behaviors that made “Hoppers” such a success.
Take Season 1 highlight “Primal,” in which Grizz grows concerned that living among humans for so long has made the bears lose their survival instincts. To try to toughen his brothers up, he intentionally gets them lost in the forest to test their survival instincts, only for the excursion to become a complete disaster — the trio accidentally swallows ants, finds the cold completely miserable, and the experience eventually reverts Panda and Ice into aggressive savages. Other episodes, like “Hibernation,” where Grizz tries and fails at hiibernation after realizing he's the only brother who can do it, get similar mileage out of the tension between the characters' animal reality and their aspirations for a human existence.
Like “Hoppers,” which proves sweetly emotional without ever being too saccharine, the series also has an authentic heart that peeks out from time to time, especially in episodes that focus on how the bears met and became a family. One of the show's best episodes, “Burrito,” is particularly skilled at this: for most of the runtime, it's a silly story about Grizz growing unhealthily attached to a gigantic burrito he wins from an all-you-can-eat contest at a local Mexican place. In its last few minutes, though, the episode uses the story to unveil a bit of the character's past in a way that's deeply heartwarming and a little sad. It's a great installment of TV that shows exactly what “We Bare Bears” does best, and what makes the show such a joyful little treat.
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Don't wait run fast.
A fan faceplanted after falling through a hole in the stage during Machine Gun Kelly's concert at The O2 Arena in London on Thursday night.
As seen in a video shared on TikTok, a concertgoer, who was on stage while the “Starman” singer was performing, was dancing and clapping her hands before she accidentally missed the large gap in the floor and stepped right into it. MGK turned around as she plunged through the stage.
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The fan seemingly hit her face on the edge of the stage as she went down, too.
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MGK, whose real name is Colson Baker, screamed, “Oh my god, hold on,” as he reached down to help her out. Keeping in tune with the song he was performing, the artist added, “I really hope you're fine.”
Other audience members on stage also rushed to help pull the woman up.
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“Are you okay?” MGK asked, to which she seemingly said yes.
“You are?” continued the Grammy nominee. “Let's f–king go!”
Luckily, the fan quickly recovered and continued singing and dancing.
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After the song ended, the fan tried to apologize for the mishap, to which MGK responded: “Oh, dude. No, no, no. Sorry? That was the coolest thing you could have ever f–king done.”
“This is the first time I've ever sold out The O2. That was the first time anyone has ever fallen off the stage, dude. Let's f–king go,” he continued before the pair hugged.
The hitmaker then gifted the fan his hat before she left the stage with a massive smile on her face.
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When Maggie Gyllenhaal started prep on “The Lost Daughter,” one of the first things she and cinematographer Hélène Louvart talked about in their early Zoom conversation was light. What the light looks like in the first scene of the movie — the color of light, its clarity or gauziness or texture, how it plays with lens choice and framing — is as much a storytelling tool to guide viewers toward the film‘s emotional reality as the dialogue.
For her second film, “The Bride!”, Gyllenhaal employed many different kinds of light, real and fantastical, to play with. But she needed to find a cinematographer who understood the relationship between Christian Bale's still-kicking, still-lonely Frank(enstein's Monster) and Jessie Buckley's The Bride, in her first life, a ‘30s mob mole named Ida, but now reinvigorated into something else entirely and haunted by Mary Shelley (also Jessie Buckley) herself.
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“I was speed-dating DPs. I met so many DPs who were so incredible, and so interesting, and so talented, and fancy,” Gyllenhaal told IndieWire on an upcoming episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast. She wanted a partner in crime who would understand how to use cinematic tools to weave the audience through the tiny shifts in the tapestry of the characters' emotional language. And she found her answer in cinematographer Lawrence Sher.
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“He and I were totally on the same page,” Gyllenhaal said. “He understood, in the most complicated way, the emotional trip through the movie.”
The emotional trip through the movie, at least in terms of its visual language, is one that treats the world of “The Bride!” as both iconic, heightened, and expressive, like the panels of graphic novels, and also grounded in something very real. That sometimes meant a back-and-forth between DP and director about how to visually capture the spaces in the film.
“[Sher] became a major teacher and one of the most exciting things about working with him was disagreeing with him and knowing that I had a point of view,” Gyllenhaal said. “I really love the magic and the value of very long lenses. They're not for always, but in this move that's full of magic and full of a kind of mind connection between people, I often found I was pushing him towards longer lenses.”
Another way Sher and Gyllenhaal worked to imbue a bit of magic into “The Bride!” was through their use of IMAX. The most fantastical parts of the movie retain some of their power because Sher and Gyllenhaal subtly manipulate aspect ratio changes and a vertical growth across the film.
“I had barely consumed anything in IMAX. I know I was in ‘The Dark Knight,' one of the first of its kind to dramatically use IMAX. And I think I'd seen something at the Museum of Natural History about rock climbing in IMAX. But I think that's it,” Gyllenhaal said. “Learning these tools, not only on the job, but learning and digesting them in my own way — what I've been told by the people who I got to know really well at IMAX is that the way that we use it is different than it's ever been used before.”
How “The Bride!” uses IMAX is sometimes a slow change — it has a native 2:39:1 aspect ratio for a kind of epic, sweeping feeling. But if you see it in one of the 40 1:43:1 IMAX theaters around the world, “The Bride!” find ways to grow into itself. It changes to a 1:90:1 aspect ratio and to a 1:43:1 aspect ratio. It shifts between 2:39:1, 1:90:1, and 1:43:1, and sometimes the aspect ratio changes across three cuts.
“That's new,” Gyllenhaal said. “It's amazing what it does because the movie's about bringing people back from the dead. There's magic in it. And actually, in an IMAX theater with those vertical grows, it creates a feeling of magic.”
“The Bride!” is now in theaters. The full Filmmaker Toolkit interview with Maggie Gyllenhaal launches on podcast platforms Wednesday, March 11.
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It's been four years since we heard from Harry Styles. When he dropped Harry's House in 2022, the megastar leveled up with the ubiquitous pop-rock gold of chart-topper “As It Was,” won his first Album of the Year Grammy, and helmed an impressive two-year live run with the Love On Tour.
After so many highs, Styles is finally back with Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, and eclectic project that goes heavy on the disco ball introspection. From the way Styles draws inspiration across decades to his honest lyrics, here are all the takeaways from the star's fourth album.
Perhaps you've heard — Styles has been spending a lot of his downtime hanging out in clubs, mostly the techno and electronic scene in Berlin. He goes anonymous, just another sweaty body in the darkness of the dance floor, where we are all fam. Hence the album's recurrent vibe of dirty electro-sleaze, with “Aperture,” “Ready Steady Go,” and “Dance No More,” featuring the party chant, “Get your feet wet! Respect your mother!” Club sounds are all over the music; he's cited Floating Points and Jamie XX. “When you're out at night, it's such a community, but you're also watching people have such individual experiences,” Styles told the legendary Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. “I wanted to recreate [what] I had on the dance floor, being lost in the instrumentation and the musicality.” Also, you have to applaud how “Dance No More” stresses the importance of keeping hydrated in the club, where “It's feeling like the music is heaven sent / And there's no difference in between the tears and the sweat.” —Rob Sheffield
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While promoting Kiss All the Time, Styles said he's been listening to a lot of LCD Soundsystem, catching recent shows in Madrid and London that influenced his new album. “It was so joyous watching them be immersed in it,” he said of James Murphy & Co. “The inspiration from watching and realizing, ‘That's how I want to feel when I'm on stage,' and it matched the music I was making.” He's not wrong. Styles dances himself clean a lot here (or, as he puts it, “squeaky clean fantasy”), particularly on the glitter ball smash “Are You Listening Yet?” and the shimmery synths of “Season 2 Weight Loss.” He dips his toes into the 2010s without overdoing it — see his expert track sequencing, and how he puts the gentle stunner “Coming Up Roses” in between “Season 2 Weight Loss” and “Pop.” It's in his Sound of Silver era, and we're here for it. —Angie Martoccio
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“Just for tonight, let's go hangover chasing,” Styles purrs, in the album's one big romantic ballad, the only song he wrote totally solo. It sounds like a seductive invitation, but there's strings attached: fear, doubt, pain, awkward confessions of past damage. “I'll talk your ear off about why it's safe,” our boy sings, “as I fumble my words and fall flat on my face through the truth.” It's a heart-rippingly intimate tune, just piano and orchestra, with pizzicato strings that sound like his heart is pounding. In other words, it's a Fine Line-worthy ballad. (For people who love Styles because they love to hear him siiiiing, Fine Line's still the album to beat.) It's one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful tunes he's ever done — especially the final minute, when he leaves the lyrics behind and just sings along with the orchestra wordlessly, not needing any words at all to break your heart. No disco in this song, maybe not many kisses, but it's the album's most brutal soul-punch. — R.S.
On Kiss All the Time, Styles turns his lonely eyes to Simon & Garfunkel quite a lot (“One time is all right, two times is one too many,” he sings, but we beg to differ). He references “Keep the Customer Satisfied” on “Dance No More,” and honors Paul Simon's “You Can Call Me Al” by commanding Kid Harpoon to solo — just like Simon did for bassist Bakithi Kumalo. “Carla's Song” is named after “Kathy's Song,” Simon's heartbreaking ballad to his English girlfriend, and it opens with a tribute to “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” In an interview with Zane Lowe, Styles said he introduced his friend Carla to the 1970 classic, and watched her experience it for the first time. “Watching her listen to it, having never heard that song, felt like I was watching someone see in technicolor or discover magic,” he said. Consider this our official plea for this English muffin to cover “Punky's Dilemma” next. —A.M.
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If you're a One Direction fan, “Paint My Numbers” just might break your heart. The acoustic number marks the first time Styles has written about his boy band past with such a devastating vulnerability. “Oh what a gift it is to be noticed / But it's nothing to do with me,” he admits, trading his typical tenor for a whisper. When Styles evokes the image of “kids with water guns, watch them run,” it's enough to make anyone who remembers videos of 1D onstage let out a tear or two. Meanwhile, on the propulsive “Pop,” Styles shatters the “squeaky clean fantasy” of his teen pop past and leans into his fantasies, be it misbehaving or not. —Maya Georgi
Remember just a few years ago, when Styles made his name as a sensitive singer-songwriter in Laurel Canyon? The days when he wanted to be Joni so bad, he not only got a dulcimer, he got it built by the same luthier who made Joni's? Well, he's put that era on pause here. The vibe on Kissco is “What IS a dulcimer? Who is this Stevie Nicks person you speak of?” He goes hardcore into the Eighties, with loads of old-school synth gadgets. There's so much Depeche Mode on this album (both Eighties AND Nineties DM — check that Speak and Spell synth on “Season 2 Weight Loss” along with New Order, Prince, the Jonzun Crew, Yaz, and Mantronix. Talking Heads are such a huge inspiration, it sounds like he made a point of watching Stop Making Sense on VHS tape. (Especially “Dance No More,” where the low-end synth revs like the late great Bernie Worrell over the Chic-style bass.) But he weaves all the Eighties sonics into something fresh and original. —R.S.
Styles follows the lead of other stars, like Rosalía, by incorporating live instrumentation into a dance-inflected LP. There must be something in the lustful Berghain air that makes you crave symphonic drama — it's almost like the two musicians went to the Berlin mainstay and left with similar inspirations. On lead single “Aperture,” he employs a choir to flesh out the idea that we belong together, while the lovely “Coming Up Roses” swells with the waltzy strings of a 39-piece orchestra.
In the Lowe interview, Styles mentioned that he saw Radiohead in Berlin late last year, during their momentous comeback tour — and it had a profound effect on him (same, dude). He takes his fandom a step further on Kiss All the Time, recruiting jazz drummer Tom Skinner, who plays in Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood's side project the Smile. Skinner plays on six songs here, plus backing vocals for “Dance No More.” (In another great move, Styles also tapped Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell to sing on several tracks). It's proof that Styles is a true music geek, who probably has a lot to say about In Rainbows Disk 2. —A.M.
Harry, you're no good alone. After the massive success of Fine Line, Styles had his pick of musical collaborators — no doors were closed to pop's It Boy. But he chose to keep working with the same trusted core of longtime collaborators who've been with him every step of the way, like Tyler Johnson and his loyal wingman Kid Harpoon, who executive-produced for the first time. (But who probably still calls him “Gary.”) No features, no guests; he keeps tight with the friends who speak his musical language. By now it's like the Janet Jackson/Jam & Lewis partnership, a long-running creative bond that can't be replicated. The album has a dedication: “For those who helped me make this. For those who inspire me to make anything. For those who helped me to know when to say NO, when to say YES. For all my friends to dance to.” —R.S.
“You've been a little over-honest lately,” Styles tells himself in the poignant and soaring “The Waiting Game.” The man isn't kidding. He goes deep into 2020s angst all over the album, dissecting the madness of modern life. He runs down the symptoms in the witty “Are You Listening Yet?”: “God knows your life is on the brink / And your therapist's well fed.” Other details include forgetting your mantra, ignoring what your therapist advises, and escaping into “un-intimate sex.” No wonder the characters on Kissco crave the sweet release of the club — the daylight world is driving them crazy. But Styles offers his own therapeutic advice: “If you join a movement, make sure there's dancing.” —R.S.
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By
Alex Morris
F
irst there were the press conferences. Then there were the parties. Turns out, the first time figure skater Alysa Liu got a proper sleep after winning Olympic gold was on her flight home from Milan a few days later. “We got upgraded, because they were like, ‘We can't put you in the back of the plane!'” she says, grinning. “So, shout-out to those Delta flight attendants.”
Since then, Liu has been getting used to a hero's welcome, from the Oakland creamery that offered her ice cream for life to the paparazzi who followed her car after a Today show appearance. Gearing up for her Rolling Stone photo shoot at members-only club Moss NYC, she's presented with boxes of goodies: a lemon ricotta pound cake, white chocolate matcha crinkle cookies, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, and a Lucky Charms concoction devised especially for Liu (“I did a little bit of research, and I knew that she loves Lucky Charms,” the pastry chef explained. “I added extra of the marshmallows. When we found out that she would be coming in, everyone here was very, very excited”).
America loves a sweetheart, and we love a winner even more. But Liu has captivated the country with more than just her skill and her charm. At 13, she was the youngest person ever to win the women's National Championship (only four feet seven at the time, she famously had to be helped up onto the podium). At 16, she placed sixth at the Beijing Olympics, earned bronze at the World Championships, and then abruptly quit the sport in a post on Instagram. Her return to figure skating two years later was more than just an incredible comeback (nine months after resuming training, she was named world champion); it was a testament to individuality, to the power of finding success on one's own terms. With her halo hair, her “smiley” piercing, and her vibey performances to Lady Gaga and Laufey, Liu is no ice princess; she eats what she wants, wears what she wants, skates how she wants — and looks like she is having a ball doing it. (“That's what I'm fucking talking about!” she shouted after her medal-clinching free skate in Milan.) “My goal was to just do amazing programs,” she says. “And the moment I finished my free skate and also the gala program, that's when I was like, ‘Yeah, my goal is complete.'”
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How did you start skating?I was five years old, and my dad took me and my sister, Selina, to the rink, and I really liked it. I loved to fall. I loved to go as fast as I could. It gave me a roller-coaster feeling. I picked it up really fast, so [my dad] put me in group lessons, and that turned into private lessons, and then I became competitive.
When did your life start to look different from the average kid's?From sixth grade on I was homeschooled, and I hated it. I have ADHD, so I do not do well learning like that. I couldn't do independent study very well, and I would procrastinate a lot on my homework. It was a really big struggle.
When you were 13, you won nationals. But you've said you don't have a lot of memories from that time.Yeah. I blocked them out. Every time I see a clip of it, it's like I'm watching a movie. I know that's me, but it's like I'm seeing what everyone else is seeing.
Why do you think that is?Probably because [that time in my life] was so bad, I just didn't want to remember it. Practice was so serious. I would cry after falling on every jump. The team I had around me was so strict. I was in fight-or-flight mode all the time. I didn't enjoy being at the rink from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, but I skated every day because I was scared that I would lose all my jumps and lose my abilities if I took a day off. And [since] every day was the same, I can't recall certain years or stuff like that. I missed birthdays and holidays, so that also makes the timeline a little bit sketchy for me. There's no pinpoints.
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That sounds really hard.It was. And I was living alone, too, for a long time, from 14 to 16. I lived in the Olympic Training Center [in Colorado Springs], and I trained at the [nearby] Broadmoor facility. I was just Ubering from the OTC to the rink, back and forth, back and forth, every day. That's it. And it was Covid, so I was there by myself.
You didn't even see your coaches?No, they were at their houses, and I was just skating by myself. That was my life. So, yeah, it's not ideal.
When you trained away from home and your family, how did you choose where you were going?I didn't pick where I was going. They just sent me off to certain facilities where they thought, “Oh, these coaches are great. This environment will be good for you. It'll make you a better skater.”
When you say “they,” who was making these decisions?I have no idea.
I presume your dad was involved.He was definitely involved in it. And I don't know who else. Probably higher-ups in the [U.S. skating] federation.
I've heard you say competition is meaningless. What do you mean?Well, my last skating career, all the programs [I did], I didn't like. They weren't my ideas. I never made a single decision. I was put in dresses and hair and makeup that I wasn't comfortable in. It wasn't me. I didn't know who I was at that point, to be fair. But I didn't like to perform because I was embarrassed to show my programs. Now that I have control, I want to show it. I am more confident.
You graduated high school at 15 because your coaches wanted you to have almost a full year for Olympics prep.Yeah. And I didn't want to let anybody down. But when Covid hit, I did not care anymore. I was really just doing it for my younger self, because I knew I wanted to go to the Olympics when I was a little kid, so I was going to hold out for her and then be done. I had my plan: “I'm just going to go to the Olympics and then quit.” And that's what I did.
So, you walked away from the sport at 16. What did you do?I got my driver's license, so I was more free. I could go wherever I wanted, hang out with my friends, take my siblings out. That helped me feel like my own person. And then I went on vacation for the first time, family vacation with my best friend's family. We were just at the beach for a week, swimming a ton. I went to school, started UCLA. I went skiing for the first time.
That ski trip led you back to skating, right? Tell me about that.It was in 2024, January. I'd never been skiing, and I loved it so much. It's so similar [to skating]. You're cold, you're gliding, you're going fast. And the adrenaline rush I felt was unlike anything else since I had quit. I wanted to do it more often. But the mountains are far [from where I live], and the ice rink is right there. So that week, I went to the rink with my best friend and stepped on for an hour. And it was a lot of fun. Then a couple of weeks later, I went again, and I was like, “Oh, this is even more fun.” My goal was to go once a week. Then when summer hit, I was like, “I'm going to skate a couple of times a week.”
You were scratching an itch.Yeah. I was like, “I need to find a way to kind of satisfy this urge to go fast.” But it was really traumatizing to go back to the rink. I had to go with my best friend, otherwise I would have never tried it again. It was really scary to go back.
How long did it take until you started to feel like you were skating at a preretirement level?Definitely months. But I was already better in some ways. My artistry was better because I was more in my body. I would say after less than a year, I was back.
Well, after less than a year, you won the World Championship.Yeah. Crazy.
Tell me about telling your coach that you wanted to return to competition.It was Feb. 21, 2024. I called him, like, “I just want lessons. Let's see where this takes us.”
And his response was?He said no, and then I had to convince him! He was like, “Before, you didn't like doing this, or this. What about now?” I'm like, “Well, I'm just not going to do that. I want to pick my own music” — I had music ideas, dress ideas that I wanted to put out into the world.
Your dad was really invested in your career before you retired. I read that he would show up at the rink with a radar gun to test the speed of your jumps.He did.
What was his response when you decided to come back?I have no idea. He was happy, but that didn't matter to me. I was almost mad that he was happy. Like, “How dare you?”
What do you mean?Well, I was just like, “You don't deserve to be happy over this decision, because you were mad when I quit.” I thought he shouldn't have an opinion on it, if that makes sense. I didn't want him to care at all, because it shouldn't affect him as much as it did the last time.
In some ways, he must have known that you were going to carve your own path because—He raised me that way.
Exactly. Can you talk about your dad's background? He helped coordinate demonstrations around the time of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. And then he literally had to flee, right?Yeah, he got smuggled out of China and brought to America. He was a student protester in China, and he immigrated here and built his life. He left everything to start fresh. So he's really brave, and he breaks a lot of social norms. And he raised us to be independent. We would take [public transit trains] as kids all the time. He wasn't there a lot because he would be at work. Our family has five kids — that's a lot of kids to take care of — so he had to work in the office all day long to provide for us financially.
You're the oldest of those five kids, all born through anonymous egg donors and surrogates. What was it like growing up in a family with that structure?We didn't know about it for a long time. I figured it out because [my dad's ex-wife] is Chinese too. I was like, “I don't look full Chinese. Something's up.” So I put two and two together. It hasn't affected us at all. We're just like, “It is what it is.”
Growing up, did you talk a lot about thinking for yourself?Yeah, because my dad is so into politics. My whole family is — just the ideology to speak up and fight for basic human rights. Our family is pretty liberal thanks to my father. We're proud of his story, and we're outspoken just like he was. I mean, I was no student-protest organizer, but we go to protests, call our policymakers, write letters.
What are issues you care about?Climate, election things, Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, ICE protests.
With these Olympics, there was some tension around the political moment we're in. Is that something you thought about?The fact that all of us American athletes have such unique stories and backgrounds, that is kind of what it's all about. I was proud that I could represent who I was on the big stage on behalf of Americans who could relate to me. I think it's all about sharing stories and having people feel for you. More empathy needs to happen, for sure.
You skated to the Donna Summer song, “MacArthur Park,” which is a park in Los Angeles where there have been ICE protests happening. Is that something that you thought about when you picked that song?I had no idea. Someone just recommended that song to me, and I was like, “Yeah, I vibe with this.” A lot of people give me music suggestions. I have my own, but I like to add to my playlist.
How did you pick the other songs that you use in your program?I was listening to “Promise” by Laufey since she released it, and I was like, “Wow, this is perfect for my figure-skating story. It moves me. I have to skate to it.” And then the “Stateside” remix by Pink Pantheress and Zara Larsson is one of my favorite songs. I related to a lot of Zara's lyrics.
What's a lyric you related to?When she says, “All these years I've put in for the American dream, is it worth all the work if you can't be here with me?” I really related to that line. I was like, “Oh, this describes the whole Olympic experience, because it's so many people's dream, and you put in years of work.”
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Are you still majoring in psychology at UCLA?Right now, I'm taking a break from school, but I was always into psychology. “Why do I think the way I do? How can I change my mindset and be more positive about things?” — not even “positive,” because, honestly, in life I also love sadness. I love anger. I love to feel all of that. I don't think the pinnacle of life's goal is happiness, actually. Maybe just more peaceful thinking.
Watching you compete for Olympic gold, you seem more relaxed than I am buying groceries. How do you get to that place of peace?Through trial and error. Genuinely, if I didn't hit rock bottom so many times, I could not have gone up. So that's why I say I wouldn't tell my younger self a thing. I want her to go through all that, because that's the only reason why I'm here. I wouldn't change a thing about my past.
Production credits:
Video director of photography: GRAYSON KOHS. Lighting Director: LUKE NILSSON. Photographic assistance: JOEL LORA and PAIGGE WARTON. Stills Post Production: ALBERTO MORA. Film Processing & Scanning: PICTUREHOUSE + THESMALLDARKROOM. Location: MOSS, NYC.
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By
Alexis Coe
T
he Founders missed Frankenstein by 30 years and the Mar-a-Lago face — that overworked, unnatural, unmistakably altered look — by a few hundred more. But they may have recognized the presidency we have now: a grotesque concentration of authority in the hands of Donald Trump. The modern executive branch is a creature made monstrous by what George Washington called “unprincipled men.” The Framers had another name for them: Congress.
If the presidency seems dangerous, don't fixate on Article II, the part of the Constitution laying out the powers of the presidency. The office expands because Article I permits it. The Constitution opens with Congress — taxation, spending, war, commerce, and the laws “necessary and proper.” That's constitutional architecture; the branch that writes the permissions controls the outcome.
The Framers feared concentrated executive authority. They had, after all, just fought a king. So they built a system in which Congress would write the rules and the president would execute them. James Madison's design in Federalist No. 51 was mechanical: ambition counteracts ambition. The branches were meant to grind against each other. Liberty lived in the friction — but Madison assumed ambition would guide the legislative branch like it does the presidency. It doesn't anymore.
In a polarized Congress, ambition runs through the party, not the institution. Safe districts and incumbency mean many members fear a primary more than a general election. They are threatened by ideological purists, not swing voters. The incentive is clear: protect the party's president, not the branch's prerogatives. The rivalry Madison imagined has been replaced by partisan alignment. The check on the president dissolves; the office of the president grows.
It didn't start with Trump. Over the 20th century — especially after 1945 — Congress began delegating vast discretion to the White House. Statutes grew elastic: “in the national interest,” “as the president shall determine,” and so on. War accelerated the habit, and the rise of open-ended “national emergencies” made that temporary flexibility feel permanent. After Vietnam, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 to reclaim authority over military engagement. Presidents of both parties have treated it as a courtesy memo, and Congress has done little to enforce it.
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After Vietnam, Congress also passed the National Emergencies Act of 1976 to prevent indefinite rule by declaration in the event of a national emergency. But ending an emergency requires a joint resolution, which a president can veto. Congress needs a two-thirds vote to override a presidential veto, which means, in practice, a president needs only one-third of one chamber plus a simple majority of the other to sustain the emergency. In a polarized era, that minority shield is often enough.
The hurdle for Congress is real — but it is statutory design. Congress wrote those rules. It could impose automatic sunsets, narrow the triggering authorities, or condition appropriations.
But here's what Congress does instead: It leaves decades-old war authorizations on the books, then feigns shock when presidents launch strikes without a new vote. It appropriates billions to ICE and Customs and Border Protection, funds tactical units and expanded enforcement authorities, then expresses alarm when federal agents deploy into cities over local objections. It renews national emergency declarations year after year and preserves statutes that allow tariffs under “national security” rationales, and sanctions without fresh congressional approval, then complains about executive overreach. It funds the executive branch at higher levels, leaves the executive's authority to transfer funds intact, and, when funds are redirected or aggressively interpreted, holds hearings that regulate it about as effectively as a tweet.
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Congress possesses the power of the purse — the bluntest instrument in the Constitution — yet it almost never uses targeted appropriations cuts or funding conditions to reclaim a specific executive power. Government shutdowns become theater, and real structural reform remains a nonstarter.
Partisanship didn't just dull Congress' oversight of the president, it rewired it. Lawmakers defend the presidential constraints in Article I only when it injures the other party's president. When their own occupies the Oval Office, they cede power to the president to cover their own asses. Political scientists call it “congressional drift,” when lawmakers prefer broad delegations that spare them hard votes. Let the president decide; if he fails, blame him, and if he succeeds, claim alignment. They keep nominal authority and outsource accountability, and voters, at least so far, have rewarded the arrangement.
Courts intervene only when Congress has clearly withheld its own power. In Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952), the Supreme Court stopped President Harry Truman from seizing steel mills during the Korean War because Congress had not authorized it. The boundary mattered because Congress had drawn it, and drawn it clearly.
The same principle has surfaced repeatedly. In Biden v. Nebraska (2023), the Court rejected sweeping student-loan cancellation because Congress had not clearly authorized debt forgiveness on that scale. And in Learning Resources v. Trump (2026), it invalidated global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, holding that the statute did not grant tariff authority. Writing in that case, Justice Neil Gorsuch reminded readers that “most major decisions affecting the rights and responsibilities of the American people (including the duty to pay taxes and tariffs)” are supposed to pass through Congress.
But the modern Supreme Court wants Congress to speak — and to speak plainly. For decades, under a doctrine known as Chevron deference, courts deferred to agencies — the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Education, and their counterparts across the administrative state — when statutes were ambiguous. In 2024, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo overruled Chevron, holding that courts — not agencies — must exercise independent judgment when interpreting ambiguous federal law. That era is over. In Biden and Learning Resources, ambiguity was fatal. Combined with the “major questions” doctrine — which requires unmistakable clarity before agencies may wield vast economic or political power — ambiguity no longer enlarges executive authority. It triggers judicial resistance.
The common thread is not judicial activism or restraint. It is legislative drafting. If Congress draws a line, courts enforce it. If Congress writes vaguely or broadly, presidents test it — and now courts often narrow it. Either way, the presidency rests on permissions Congress writes.
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It doesn't matter the president. Absent congressional authority, the court blocks the action. Everything else proceeds because lawmakers decline to use the powers they possess. The creature changes faces — powdered wig, Texas drawl, Mar-a-Lago sheen — but the pattern does not. Each time, Congress adjusts a stitch, adds a limb, looks away when it lurches off the table and into public life.
Bad presidents are temporary. Congress is the through-line — and it keeps feeding a fire that will not spare it.
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“Outlander” has officially entered its final chapter as the time-travel drama begins airing its eighth and final season.
As anticipation builds around how the story will end, star Sam Heughan revealed that even the cast does not know the outcome.
During an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Heughan explained that the production filmed multiple endings for the final season.
“I actually don't know the ending,” Heughan said. “We shot multiple endings. I was there, but I don't know how it ends. I'll be watching with you all.”
Heughan previously discussed the unusual filming process while visiting journalists on set in Scotland during production.
According to Heughan, the creative team intentionally filmed several different endings to protect the finale from leaks.
“We're going to shoot various endings. I don't know which one they'll use,” Heughan said.
The strategy helped keep the outcome hidden from both fans and the cast while filming the final season.
Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire Fraser, said the secrecy surrounding season 8 was different from the show's usual production process.
“Our showrunner Matt Roberts is keeping everything so close to his chest,” Balfe said. “I'm worried about what we're going to be doing.”
Balfe explained that the cast typically receives a clear outline of the season before filming begins.
“I am such control freak. I like to know, and we don't know, and it's driving me crazy,” Balfe said. “We're literally going block by block, and we've never worked this way before. We've always had an overview of the season, and at least episode breakdowns, and we've had nothing this time. So it's really crazy.”
The secrecy helped limit the risk of spoilers leaking ahead of the final episodes.
Season 8 draws inspiration from Diana Gabaldon's ninth novel in the series, “Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.”
However, Gabaldon's planned tenth and final book, titled “A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out,” has not yet been published.
Because the books are not finished, the television production team needed to create its own ending for the series.
Executive producer Matthew B. Roberts explained that the goal was to keep the tone of the final season consistent with the rest of the show.
“What we want is a really authentic season of ‘Outlander,'” Roberts told Entertainment Weekly. “We weren't going to try to make every episode a very special episode of ‘Outlander.' I wanted this to fit fully into the series, and I think we successfully have done that.”
Executive producer Maril Davis also acknowledged the challenge of ending the show before the book series concludes.
“It's tough to end the TV series before the book series concludes,” Davis told EW. “I think no matter what ending we have, it's going to be bittersweet.”
“Outlander” season 8 premieres March 6 on Starz.
After that, new episodes will be released every Friday until the season — and series — finale on May 8.
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The 'Real Time' host, as promised, addressed the commander-in-chief's recent criticism including the dinner the president now says was a waste of time.
By
Hilary Lewis
Deputy Editor, East Coast
Nearly three weeks after Donald Trump spent part of his Valentine's Day lashing out at Bill Maher, claiming that he wasted his time having dinner with the Real Time host last year, Maher offered a detailed rebuttal, complete with clips, of just where he stands with the president, revealing that he has both criticized and praised him.
At the end of his “New Rules” segment, Maher said that despite what the president wrote on Truth Social, he doesn't “suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Instead, the comedian says, the president, who has continued to post to social media about Maher as recently as Friday amid an ongoing conflict with Iran, has “Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome.”
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First Maher corrected some facts from Trump's Truth Social post about the dinner, noting he didn't ask for it, he was invited by their mutual friend, Kid Rock, on his podcast, and that he “had a drink before dinner and then a couple more during.”
“I was having a good time,” he said. “So were you, Don, because we were talking like real humans, not like that crazy act you put on in public, but I know that's what you do. You are, if anything, a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. And so you did here, listing your accomplishments and how hurt you feel that people, including me, have not recognized them enough. I understand that feeling.”
He went on to explain that shortly after the dinner Trump texted him “complaining I was still part of the lunatic left” and insisting that he should have “won a Nobel Prize for ending wars.”
Maher said he replied with, “Yeah, and I should have won 20 Emmys.”
“We argued for a while, and [Trump] ended by saying, ‘Bill, you know what? Don't change. I wouldn't know what to do with you if you did OK.' That's the normal human being I saw the night we broke bread,” Maher said. “And as long as I think there's even a spark of a possibility to bring that guy out more, I will not consider the dinner a waste of time, even, as I now see we're back to name calling and that I have some new ones, like ‘highly overrated lightweight' to add to the list you signed. Thank you. I'll be by with the new one.”
He then went through what he felt Trump should get credit for, showing clips of when he's supported those initiatives on his show.
First, Maher said “despite all the hate I got from my side,” I “never threw [Trump] under the bus.”
“You say no mention of the perfect border,” Maher added. “The border is a win. You mentioned the mass removal of stone cold criminals. This is what got Trump elected. We're going to get the gangs out.”
He went on to say that he supported Trump bombing the nuclear facility in Iran over the summer and didn't “hate” the U.S. military operation removing Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela earlier this year.
And he listed a number of other Trump initiatives that he supported including ones related to animal rights, marijuana, the White House ballroom, the “golden dome missile shield” and that Trump “wasn't wrong” about making NATO members pay “their fair share.”
He added, “About the Nick Fuentes Jew-hating wing of the Republican Party, [cutting to a clip of an earlier episode] Trump is the one who said, and I give him credit for this, he said, ‘We don't want you.'”
And Maher showed a clip of him admitting he was wrong when he said he thought by July 4 “the economy would be in the shitter.”
“See, that's the difference between you and me, Don, I can admit when I'm wrong and I can be honest,” Maher said as he started to share some tough love with Trump. “In fact, I may be the last person from the lunatic left that is still an honest broker when it comes to you.”
He added, “It's a shame you can't take criticism, because in an alternative universe where we could have further honest conversations, I could say things to you that might be quite helpful, like, Don, I'm going to level with you. I'm going to give it to you straight. Some people don't like you. … I always want the American president to succeed, and I do give credit when you have, but there's lots of stuff you do that is not my idea of success, and I have every right to say so in a democracy.”
He went on to list what he thought were Trump's failures including the current manifestation of ICE: “Yeah, I'm glad you got rid of stone cold criminals, but no one wanted the sadism and stupidity that went along with it.”
Elon Musk's DOGE, Maher added was “a complete disaster. People died for no reason, and it cut no government waste.”
Other Trump positions Maher opposed included the president's stance on coal “not beautiful or clean,” “taking the side of autocrats instead of democratic allies around the world” and hating “Canada and wind.”
“Criminalizing dissent is wrong, and so is the juvenile trolling and suing people into silence,” he added.
“It's not derangement for me to be always calling out the election-denying obsession you have or the pardons-for-my-friends-and-punishment-for-my-enemies mode of governing or the side deals for your family that always seem to be part of everything,” he said. “We see how rich you've all become, but the people of West Virginia don't seem to be feeling the winning. A Democratic senator recently said, of your administration, ‘they are the elites they pretend to hate.' Free advice, if the Democrats ever learn to weaponize that message, your MAGA movement is in big trouble.”
In his initial Truth Social post on Feb. 14, Trump said, taking issue with some of Maher's criticism the night before, “Sometimes in life you waste time! T.V. Host Bill Maher asked to have dinner with me through one of his friends, also a friend of mine, and I agreed. He came into the famed Oval Office much different than I thought he would be. He was extremely nervous, had ZERO confidence in himself and, to soothe his nerves, immediately, within seconds, asked for a ‘Vodka Tonic.' He said to me, ‘I've never felt like this before, I'm actually scared.' In one respect, it was somewhat endearing! Anyway, we had a great dinner, it was quick, easy, and he seemed to be a nice guy and, for his first show after our dinner, he was very respectful about our meeting — But with everything I have done in bringing our Country back from ‘OBLIVION,' why wouldn't he be?”
Then Trump objected to Maher's Real Time for “devolv[ing] into the same old story — Very boring, ANTI TRUMP.”
Of Maher, Trump said, comparing him to late-night hosts that he'd criticized, “he is no different than Kimmel, Fallon, or Colbert.”
Maher briefly addressed Trump's comments on his Feb. 20 show before promising a more detailed response when he returned from a one-week break on March 6.
“He went off on me and said the dinner we had was a waste of time — well, I didn't think it was — and that I'm a jerk, and I'm a low-rent lightweight, and all this … because I never stopped criticizing him,” Maher said on Feb. 20. “I never said I would! I know how women feel now: A guy buys you dinner and then expects you to put out. I'm not that guy.”
Maher spoke about his dinner with Trump, which happened in the spring of 2025 on the April 11, 2025 episode of Real Time, saying that during their meeting, the president was “gracious and measured,” and not like the “person who plays a crazy person on TV.”
“The guy I met is not the person who the night before the dinner shit tweeted a bunch of nasty crap about how he thought this was a bad idea and what a deranged asshole I was,” Maher said. “I read it and thought, ‘Oh, what a lovely way to welcome someone to your house.' But when I got there, that guy wasn't living there.”
Maher's willingness to have dinner with Trump sparked backlash from some circles, with Larry David even penning a satirical essay for The New York Times, mocking Maher's visit to the White House, titled “My Dinner With Adolf.”
Near the end of the year, Maher said David “certainly is not really my friend anymore,” indicating that they haven't spoken recently.
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The two stars competed for the top spot on the Billboard 200 in late 2022 and early 2023 with SOS and Midnights, respectively.
By
Hannah Dailey
SZA couldn't believe it either when her album SOS exploded in popularity in 2022, beating out none other than Taylor Swift on the Billboard 200 — an achievement the R&B/pop star says her label initially told her would probably never happen, given the Eras Tour headliner's consistent chart dominance.
In an interview with i-D published Friday (March 6), SZA reflected on one of the wildest career moments she experienced as her sophomore album catapulted her to new heights of stardom. “My label told me that it was likely that I wouldn't beat Taylor Swift, and I should prepare for that,” she told the publication. “I was laughing by week three.”
“It was just like, ‘What is this? I never even imagined I could be on the radio,'” continued the Grammy winner, who is signed to Top Dawg Entertainment.
As it turned out, SOS debuted at No. 1 on the album's chart in December 2022, with Midnights — which had been released two months prior — sitting at No. 2. SZA's project would remain in the top spot for 10 weeks before falling lower on the tally, eventually returning to No. 1 in 2025 for another three weeks with the Lana deluxe edition.
When SOS was first ruling the roost, SZA clarified on X that she had nothing but respect for Swift. “Uhh I feel silly that I even have to say this but i see supporters arguing and I hate that,” she wrote at the time. “I don't have beef w ANYONE especially not Taylor lmao I genuinely loved her album and the writing!”
In 2025, SZA told Jennifer Hudson that she would love to work with the pop singer someday. “Every time she walks up to me or approaches me, I'm just like, ‘All right, this is happening, because that's fully Taylor Swift,'” she said that March. “I would love to write with her and build some things together. I love her storytelling.”
Though some people may have doubted it four years ago, SZA is now a formidable artist on the charts herself. In December 2024, she and Kendrick Lamar scored a massive hit with their “Luther” collaboration, which spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
“I feel like anything is possible,” she told i-D. “I feel like I'm adulting kind of hard right now, and I might be eating. I feel like I might be alright when it's all said and done.”
See SZA on the cover of i-D below.
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A speechwriter for presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy, he also adapted his novel for the Jack Nicholson-directed ‘Drive, He Said.'
By
Mike Barnes
Senior Editor
Jeremy Larner, whose experience as a speechwriter for 1968 presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy informed his Oscar-winning screenplay for the Robert Redford-starring The Candidate, has died. He was 88.
Larner had been ill for some time and died Feb. 24 in a nursing facility in Oakland, California, his son Jesse Larner told The Hollywood Reporter.
For his only other produced screenplay, Larner adapted his 1964 novel Drive, He Said, for the audacious basketball-centric 1971 film of the same name that marked the feature directorial debut of Jack Nicholson.
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Larner had joined McCarthy on the campaign trail in March 1968, with the Minnesota senator, running on a platform to end the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, attempting to secure the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
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McCarthy appeared on his way to victory, but following the withdrawal of President Lyndon Johnson from the race and the assassination of fellow candidate Robert F. Kennedy, the nomination would go to Vice President Hubert Humphrey.
After writing Nobody Knows: Reflections on the McCarthy Campaign of 1968, a book that gained traction when it was serialized in Harper's magazine in 1969, Larner was approached by Redford and director Michael Ritchie to write the script for The Candidate (1972).
In the Warner Bros. film, Redford stars as idealistic young liberal Bill McKay, a poverty lawyer and son of a wheeling-dealing governor (Melvyn Douglas) who is groomed by a political consultant (Peter Boyle) to run against Republican incumbent Crocker Jarman (Don Porter) for senator in California.
McKay speaks his mind, figuring he has no chance of winning — until he does, prompting him at the end to ask Boyle's Marvin Lucas, “What do we do now?”
Redford and Ritchie “had a few ideas of what they wanted it to be about, and of the ending as well,” Larner recalled in an extensive 2016 Brooklyn Magazine interview with Steve Macfarlane about his work on the film. “One of the reasons they approached me was, I was one of the very few writers who had written speeches for a presidential campaign, and a screenwriter at the time as well.
“Here's what I said the first time I met with [them]: I said, to me, a politician was like a movie star. He could lose himself in a character — it's true of many stars, and was even truer then — who resembles himself, only larger than life, as a symbol of what's beautiful and what's true. I was aware, of course, that Redford was that kind of a symbol. As I said this, I thought to myself: ‘You are now definitely losing the job.'
“This is where my experience with McCarthy came into it: I would write a speech, hear McCarthy deliver my words as part of his stump speech, and see the response he got from it. He'd say things that enabled people to cheer themselves by cheering him.
“I thought a campaign was like drifting downriver on a raft, where everything is beautiful: then you begin to hear the roar of the falls up ahead, but it's too late. You go over the falls, you lose yourself, you become eternally confused by the difference between yourself and who your public thinks you are. And it's a disarming, dissociative experience. And Redford played that very well: the better McKay gets at campaigning, the more he loses himself.”
Jeremy David Larner was born on March 20, 1937, and raised in Indianapolis, where he won the city's high school tennis championship while attending Shortridge High. His father, Martin, was president of the Jewish Community Center Association.
Larner graduated from Brandeis University in 1958, where his classmates included soon-to-be activist Abbie Hoffman, then attended the University of California at Berkeley for graduate work on a Woodrow Wilson fellowship.
He moved to New York when he was 22 and stayed throughout the 1960s, working as a freelance journalist for such publications as Life — for whom he covered the 1968 Mexico City Olympics — The New Republic and Harper's.
Larner also authored two novels and three nonfiction books during this period, including Poverty: Views From the Left; Drive, He Said; The Addict in the Street; and the LSD-centric The Answer.
During the McCarthy campaign, Larner penned a radio commercial for Paul Newman that played in Indiana, and he ghost-wrote a magazine article for the actor talking about why he was impressed with the senator.
Larner's Drive, He Said novel revolved around two Ohio University roommates, one an alienated basketball star (played by William Tepper in the film) and the other a revolutionary (Michael Margotta). Its title is taken from a quote from the Robert Creeley poem I Know a Man.
In 1968, Nicholson phoned Larner and said, “Jer, I'm gonna be a star, and they're gonna let me direct a picture. I want you to come out and write it,” he told Los Angeles Magazine in 1996. So Larner left Boston — he was working at Harvard at the time — to come to L.A.
Larner said he wrote the first draft of Drive, He Said and then rewrote Nicholson's rewrite. (Also contributing to the script: Terrence Malick and Robert Towne, both uncredited.)
By the time production had wrapped on the R-rated film — it was dismissed at Cannes and played mere weeks in theaters before being pulled — Nicholson was indeed a star with Easy Rider in his pocket, and Larner had returned to Harvard before The Candidate opportunity arose.
“I came down to New York,” he told Macfarlane. “Redford and Ritchie saw 10 different writers with experience on political movies, or with experience as speechwriters. I figured I would not get the job, especially because I had kind of long hair and a beard at the time [Laughs]. But I figured I was free to say what I wanted to say, and to my surprise they called me back.
“Then they came up to Cambridge … and we worked mostly in my kitchen — I think we went out to dinner a couple times. We worked out the nature of the story, and I told them stories of my experience with McCarthy, some of which I put directly in the script. For example, the moment when somebody hands McKay a Coke and a hot dog, so his hands are occupied, and then slugs him in the face — that really happened to McCarthy!”
For additional research, Larner spent a week with Democratic Sen. John V. Tunney, who had recently been elected a California senator. One of Tunney's lines — “I have a confession to make: I ate all the shrimp” — made it into his script.
Given a month to write the screenplay, Larner said it took him two weeks, working from noon to 3 a.m. very day to come up with 180 pages. Then, he was on set of the $1.1 million picture every day, rewriting constantly.
“I'm a little surprised the ending worked out OK — more than OK, he said. “That line, ‘What do we do now?,' is probably not something a real politician would say. They think they know what they're doing as a rule, even when they don't!”
On Oscar night in 1973, Larner in his acceptance speech thanked “the political figures of our time who've given me terrific inspiration. I think as long as they continue to do the things they do and to use the words that they use, words like ‘honor,' there'll be better pictures and sharper pictures even than The Candidate.”
Larner went on to write about a dozen screenplays but never had another onscreen writing credit. “I was much better paid for them and I thought some of them were far better than The Candidate, but I could never get any of them made,” he said. Those included several drafts of North Dallas Forty (1979) and an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Victory for Sydney Pollack.
“I thought I was the exception to the rule in terms of writers having clout, but writers don't have any clout unless they get to be Paddy Chayefsky,” he said. He did pen environmental speeches for Redford, speak on college campuses and write Chicken on Church & Other Poems, published in 2006.
Survivors include his sons, Jesse and Zachary, and his brother, Daniel. He was married to Brandeis classmate Susan Berlin from 1960 until their 1968 divorce.
In his interview with Macfarlane, Larner said that during the making of The Candidate, many people working on the film didn't understand his script, and he noted he was “constantly explaining myself.”
“It made sense to Redford and Ritchie, I always thought, but then again I was always reminding them of where the scenes fit together, and it was a constant concern of theirs to make sure the scenes did,” he recalled.
“But the idea for the movie predated the script. When Redford and Ritchie approached me, McKay would be the son of a former governor, trapped into an uncomfortable position, and surprised when he wins. Kind of like me winning the Oscar.”
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Cary Elwes took to Instagram on March 6, sharing an emotional message on Instagram in honor of Rob Reiner's birthday, with this being the first one since his passing.
“Today would have been your 79th birthday. Still hard to believe you're gone. Missing you so much #robreiner ⚔️💔,” Elwes captioned the post.
Elwes worked closely with Reiner on the hit movie “The Princess Bride,” in which Elwes portrayed Westley. When news of his passing first broke, Elwes took some time before sharing his first tribute post on Instagram, posting behind-the-scenes footage while filming the hit movie. In the caption, he detailed his relationship with Reiner, having met the director when he was 24 years old.
“And from that very first meeting I fell in love with him,” Elwes wrote. “I was already a fan of his work, so meeting him in person was a dream come true. As we began spending more time together I knew this was someone I wanted in my life.”
Rob and his wife, Michele, were found dead in their home on Dec. 14, having passed away from “multiple sharp force injuries.” Shortly after their death, the couple's son, Nick, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder. On February 23, Nick appeared in court, where his lawyer entered a plea of not guilty.
Under Elwes' post, many comments were left in honor of the beloved filmmaker.
“I'm so sorry for your loss Cary. We are all sad 😢. But he brought us so much joy,” one person wrote.
“Happy heavenly birthday Rob! Thanks for changing my childhood,” another person shared.
“I'm so sorry for your loss Cary. I knew how much you loved him. 😢,” someone commented.
At the 2026 Oscars, the In Memoriam segment will feature a special tribute to Reiner and it will be led by two people who worked very closely with him.
Variety reports that “When Harry Met Sally” co-stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are set to reunite for this special moment.
“Details now include Crystal talking about the late filmmaker and actor during the In Memoriam segment. Ryan will be on the stage at the same time along with other stars of Reiner's films,” the outlet states.
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More than 97 percent of participating union members voted to approve the slate of contract demands.
By
Katie Kilkenny
Labor & Media Reporter
Members of the Writers Guild of America have approved a slate of contract priorities in upcoming labor negotiations with studios and streamers that includes shoring up the union's health plan, expanding AI protections and improving compensation.
More than 97 percent of participating union members voted to approve the bargaining slate ahead of negotiations starting with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on March 16, the union said on Friday.
The pattern of demands released on Friday depicts a labor group that is focused on increasing contributions to its benefits plans and increasing the maximum amount that employers can pay into the plans. As The Hollywood Reporter has previously reported, the WGA's health fund cumulatively lost $122 million in 2023 and 2024, according to tax returns, as a decline in Hollywood work and general health care inflation took their tolls.
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Though the pattern of demands was light on details — the union is still keeping its specific proposals close to the vest for now — AI will be another point of discussion. Though the protections the WGA enshrined in its contract in 2023 were generally considered strong, the union notes that it wants to expand these as the technology develops.
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And like all unions, the WGA is intent on boosting compensation to its members. The pattern of demands says the union will be attempting to increase minimum compensation rates, raising minimums for “page one” rewrites, raising residuals for reuse in streaming and focused on pay rates for writers in post-production as well as comedy/variety, quiz and audience writers.
The labor group will also have a set of demands relating to common industry practices. The union has long railed against the “free work” required of writers and will be attempting to squash the issue in negotiations again this year. The WGA wants to expand on a breakthrough it made in its 2023 negotiations when it landed a second “step,” or point of payment, for screenwriters. Finally, it also wants to bolster guardrails around if/come deals, screen roundtables and employment on TV series.
The union previously went over these objectives with members at meetings at the Sheraton Universal in L.A. on Feb. 11 and at the DC 37 office in New York on Feb. 17. Two more member meetings to discuss these key items were scheduled but were then canceled once the guild's own West Coast staff members went on strike.
This year the WGA is following the performers' union SAG-AFTRA in its negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios and streamers in labor negotiations. SAG-AFTRA began its negotiations on Feb. 9 and will continue them through next week, it announced Friday.
This will be the first time that the WGA has sat down at the bargaining table with major companies — including Netflix, Warner Bros., Universal and Paramount, among others — since it waged a 148-day strike over issues including compensation in the streaming age and generative AI in 2023.
Since then, the industry has undergone a painful contraction that has squeezed employment at all levels of the business. In 2024, one year after the WGA's strike, writer employment was down 9.4 percent from one year previously (the year of the strike, which de facto restricts employment) and 24.3 percent below 2022, according to the guild's annual financial report.
The union's negotiations will be led by chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman, who will be flanked by negotiating committee co-chairs John August and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. The AMPTP will be piloted by new president Gregory Hessinger, who succeeded longtime head Carol Lombardini in 2025.
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Nancy Guthrie's Tucson, Ariz., neighbors reported an internet outage just before she vanished, and federal investigators are now said to be looking into whether there's a link between the events.
A neighbor reportedly told NewsNation that his Ring camera surveillance footage from the night the 84-year-old Guthrie matriarch disappeared — between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, when she was officially reported missing — is “not available.”
Additional neighbors from the quiet community told NewsNation that the FBI investigators have questioned them about an “internet service disruption” on Feb. 1.
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Questions are said to have arisen about whether a device seen in a suspect's pocket via surveillance camera footage extracted from Nancy's Nest camera could be a signal jammer.
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Journalist Brian Entin demonstrated the closeness via X on Friday, zooming in on Nancy's residence from where he stood.
“This is the distance from where the ring cameras that went offline are located in relation to Nancy Guthrie's house. It is open desert in between. You can see the roof of Nancy's house when I zoom in,” he wrote.
The Pima County Sheriff's Office and the FBI did not immediately return Page Six's request for comment on Friday evening.
Terrifying footage of the suspect who allegedly took Nancy from her home in the middle of the night showed a masked man, whom FBI authorities described as being of average build and 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 in height.
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He carried a backpack believed to be a Walmart brand called Ozark Trail and wore what appeared to be black gloves during the apparent home invasion.
The elderly mother of Savannah Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1 after failing to attend her usual church services, following a night out with family members.
Authorities believe she was taken “against her will” in an apparent abduction, as drops of her blood were left on her doorstep.
The investigation into the kidnapping continues, with family members recently increasing their reward offer to $1 million for “any information that leads to the return of Nancy Guthrie.”
Savannah briefly returned to the “Today” show earlier this week for an emotional reunion with staff and co-stars.
A spokesperson confirmed to Page Six, “While she plans to return to the show on air, she remains focused right now supporting her family and working to help bring Nancy home.”
Ben Stiller just formally got his invitation to hang out with Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and Radiohead at the Cool Kids Whose Work Has Been Misunderstood And Misappropriated By The Uncool Kids Table, as the Hollywood star has become the latest artist to ask that the Trump White House please not jam his hard work into their lazy work in an effort to promote their latest military misadventures. Per THR, Stiller hopped on Twitter this weekend to request that the official social media account for The White House remove footage from his 2008 comedy film Tropic Thunder from a video it posted this week, in which it used various yelling men/yelling male-coded robots from TV, films, and video games in order to drum up excitement for its current bombing campaign in the Middle East.
“Hey White House,” Stiller wrote, with a level of decorum that would price him right out of our current national government's online classiness range in a scant three words, “Please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie.”
And, you might reasonably find yourself asking, isn't there something a little too on the nose about Tropic Thunder—a movie in which buffoons who believe they are in a movie stumble into an actual military conflict that ends up killing people—winding up in a compilation of militaristic film clips all forced to share space with Pete Hesgeth's receding hairline and actual footage of actual people being blown up? To which the answer is, of course, that that only matters in a universe where media literacy has not become, not only unwanted, but a quality actively to be mocked; having increasingly devolved into government-by-memes, it's pretty clear at this point that the White House social accounts are now deliberately doing stupid things (like scoring their war videos to Mortal Kombat audio) in order to mock the desires of those who would like them to conduct themselves with even a sliver of dignity. Unlike, apparently, some of the United States' key missile defense systems throughout the region, it's a pretty easy position to defend: Once you've described thoughtfulness and effort as negative qualities to be mocked, all you have to do is continue picking the laziest, dumbest choices in order to act from a position of, hey, let's call it “strength.” It's an unbeatable strategy—at least, once you've radically redefined what it means to not be beat.
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After working on the Steve McQueen classics, the former attorney penned ‘They Call Me Mister Tibbs!'
By
Mike Barnes
Senior Editor
Alan Trustman, who wrote the screenplays for The Thomas Crown Affair and Bullitt, back-to-back 1968 films that starred Steve McQueen in two of his most memorable roles, has died. He was 95.
Trustman died Feb. 5 in a Miami nursing home, his son, John Trustman, told The New York Times.
Trustman also co-wrote They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), the crime drama that was directed by Gordon Douglas and starred Sidney Poitier as police detective Virgil Tibbs in the sequel to the Oscar best picture winner In the Heat of the Night (1967).
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Trustman was working as a Harvard-trained corporate lawyer at a large law firm in Boston in 1967 when he acted on an idea to write a film about a bank heist. “I knew I could never write a book. But maybe I could write a movie,” he told author John Spooner years ago.
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Through his college connections, Trustman found the name of a New York literary agent and pitched him his story, and it wound up becoming The Thomas Crown Affair. Directed by Norman Jewison and produced by Walter Mirisch, the movie shot primarily in Boston and starred McQueen as the dashing millionaire title character and Faye Dunaway as insurance investigator Vicki Anderson.
Five months after The Thomas Crown Affair premiered, Bullitt hit theaters, with Trustman and Harry Kleiner receiving screenplay credit for their adaptation of a 1963 novel by Robert L. Fish.
It was Trustman who suggested that Englishman Peter Yates make his U.S. directing debut on the thriller that features McQueen as San Francisco cop Frank Bullitt and one of the great car chases in cinema. (Trustman had admired Yates' work on a chase scene in the 1967 film Robbery.)
Born on Dec. 16, 1930, in Brookline, Massachusetts, Alan Robert Trustman attended the Boston Latin School and The Phillips Exeter Academy and got a summer job at the First National Bank of Boston at age 15.
He graduated from Harvard in 1952 and Harvard Law School in 1955 and eventually went to work for the Boston law firm Nutter McClennen & Fish, where his father, Benjamin A. Trustman, was a partner. (His dad would serve as a director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.)
Trustman told Spooner that he pursued a career in the movies out of the boredom that resulted when his favorite NFL player, New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle, retired. “Suddenly, I have nothing to do on Sunday afternoons,” he said. “But I've had an idea for a long time about how to rob the First National Bank of Boston.”
He convinced Jewison to make the movie after taking him on a tour of the bank and showing him just how a robbery would work.
In a 2014 interview, Trustman said he “originally wrote Bullitt for New York City. But when producers Philip D'Antoni and Robert Relyea and McQueen wanted to shift it to San Francisco, I was ecstatic. I told them that back in the summer of 1954, I had worked there at the law firm of Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro and was familiar with the city.
“I learned that when you drove a light car like a Ford downhill in San Francisco, as we often did at 2 a.m., it would take off and fly through the air as you crossed some of the intersections. When we were discussing Bullitt, I suggested a Mustang, which was still quite a new car model in 1968. Steve was ecstatic. He couldn't wait to try it.”
Trustman retired from the law after Bullitt and was handpicked by Mirisch to write They Call Me Mr. Tibbs. He also was hired for the McQueen-starring Le Mans (1971) but got into a disagreement with the actor and was replaced by Kleiner.
He then co-wrote the screenplays for Lady Ice (1973), starring Donald Sutherland and Jennifer O'Neill, and Hit! (1973), starring Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor; wrote on two 1976 films, Crime and Passion and The Next Man; was a executive producer on The Tracker (1988); and adapted a Raymond Chandler story for a 1995 episode of the Showtime anthology series Fallen Angels.
He also wrote novels, taught screenwriting at Harvard, NYU and the University of Miami and traded currency.
In addition to his son, survivors include his fourth wife, Barbara, a psychiatrist whom he married in 2008; his daughter, Laurie; his sister, Patty; and 11 grandchildren. His third wife was Playboy magazine cartoons editor Michelle Urry; they were married from 1989 until her death in 2006.
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The rapper-designer yawned and nodded off while answering "I don't recall" when questioned about the home designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, according to reports.
By
Kevin Dolak
Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, had a tough day in court on Friday as he reportedly struggled to stay awake while on the witness stand in the trial over his former Malibu mansion.
Appearing during the second week of the trial in a Los Angeles courtroom, the rapper-producer-designer “repeatedly yawned, closed his eyes for long stretches and at times seemed to catch his head falling forward,” Rolling Stone‘s Nancy Dillon reported on Friday.
“I don't recall,” the rapper answered when attorneys questioned him about the work done on the mansion, which was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who is renowned for his work incorporating architecture and landscape, and “gutted” by the rapper as he attempted to transform the architectural marvel into a disaster. Ye bought the estate for $57 million in 2021 and sold it at a massive loss, unloading the estate for $21 million in 2024.
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Amid Ye's seemingly sleepy performance on the stand, the lawyer representing the plaintiff reportedly turned away from the stand and mouthed, “Is he asleep?” — a moment that was noticed by the judge overseeing the trial. The judge noticed what was happening and then asked the attorney to “make things a little snappier,” referring to the questioning of the defendant.
The trial, one of several Ye is facing in the coming months, centers on the labor of contractor Tony Saxon, who is suing for unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions and wrongful termination. Saxon accuses the rapper of forcing him to live in the property as he tried to realize the rapper's strange plans for the home, which he wanted to make self-sufficient and “off the grid.” As of now, the property has no windows, doors, electricity or plumbing.
The 4,000-square-foot, four-bedroom mansion was stripped to a “concrete shell” during the failed renovation. Ye's esoteric design demands included replacing a staircase with a slide. Saxon said in legal filings that, during the failed construction, he suffered an injury, was fired in retaliation after raising security concerns and that the rapper is on the hook for his medical bills.
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“Pawn Stars” personality Rick Harrison says his son, Corey, doesn't actually need help with his medical bills stemming from a motorcycle accident.
“As far as I know, I paid all of Corey's medical bills long before he put the GoFundMe out,” Rick told Page Six via a representative on Friday. “He is a grown man in his 40's and is responsible for how he handles his finances.”
Corey's pal Aron Chambers launched a GoFundMe page for Corey earlier this week, claiming they're “raising emergency funds to cover more than $100,000 in medical bills and related expenses after a serious motorcycle accident in Tulum, Mexico, that left him fighting for his life.”
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Corey, 42, broke 11 ribs in a serious motorcycle crash in Tulum, Mexico, in January.
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“Pretty messed up but I'm good,” the “Pawn Stars” alum wrote via Instagram at the time, while also sharing a picture from his hospital bed. “Crash bars are awesome. Three nights in the hospital. 11 breaks in my rib cage.”
He missed Rick's wedding to Angie Polushkin in January due to the injuries. A rep for Rick, 60, told Entertainment Weekly at the time that Corey would “recover fully” after being on “bed rest for 6 weeks while he heals.”
“Rick saw him in the hospital yesterday,” the rep told the outlet on Jan. 26.
Chambers claimed via the GoFundMe page that his close friend also suffered a concussion, internal bleeding and a punctured lung in the collision.
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Corey was transported to a hospital in Playa del Carmen, where “costs for care add[ed] up fast,” Chambers noted.
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After checking out of the hospital after 14 days under mounting financial pressure, Chambers wrote that Corey ultimately spent 18 more days in the hospital and had “three life-saving surgeries.”
Chambers claimed his friend is now “three months behind on rent” and needs help with medication expenses and “ongoing follow-up care.”
“He's not yet strong enough to travel back to the United States for continued treatment and support from his family,” Chambers claimed. “This fundraiser is our lifeline to get him through this.”
“Corey has always been the guy who works hard, stays humble, and gives back without asking for anything in return,” Chambers wrote.
“Now, it's our turn to rally for him. Asking for help isn't easy for someone as independent as Corey, but this accident has changed everything, and we can't do it alone.”
Corey, meanwhile, shared his concerns with TMZ on Friday. “What am I going to do, fly out to Vegas and sell stuff?” he told the outlet. “I can't move from my recliner.”
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His father — who appeared with him on “Pawn Stars” since its 2009 debut until the series went on hiatus in 2025 — previously told the outlet that “Corey is a grown man and he will deal with his life as he sees fit.”
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The hit History Channel series is set to return in 2027, sans Corey, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The drama comes two years after Rick's son Adam died in 2024 following a fentanyl overdose at the age of 39.
By Nellie Andreeva
Editor-In-Chief
Bill Lawrence can breathe a sigh of relief — likely helped by nostalgia and curiosity, the Scrubs reboot launched to impressive ratings last week, amassing 11.36M total cross-platform viewers on ABC, Hulu, Disney+ and digital platforms in its first five days, per Disney.
“I'm so happy and grateful that anybody still cares about that show,” Lawrence said about the revival's performance during an interview about his latest series, Rooster for HBO, which stars Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Phil Dunster, Danielle Deadwyler and Scrubs alum John C. McGinley.
In its return after 17 years, Scrubs, headlined by original stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke, delivered the highest-rated comedy episode on ABC and top ABC series debut on streaming in over a year, since the premiere of Shifting Gears.
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“I love the people that are in it so much, not only the old ones because I've talked way too much about Zach,” Lawrence said, referencing the fact that Braff has been working on all of his shows, including directing an episode of Rooster. “And Donald and Sarah, I've been working with them a long time.”
He also mentioned Scrubs OGs McGinley and Judy Reyes, who are recurring on the revival, with Christa Miller set to return for a guest turn at the end of the season, and Neil Flynn coming back too.
“All the new kids are great as well,” Lawrence added about the new cast who play medical interns under the tutelage of J.D. (Braff), Turk (Faison) and Elliot (Chalke). “It's been really cool, metaphorically, to watch not only the actors, Donald, Zach and Sarah, who were the kids, be the older people, both professionally and in real life, to a new group of young actors and actresses, but even behind the scenes.”
Lawrence is referring to the revival's showrunner, Aseem Batra, who got her first job as a writer on the original Scrubs.
“She grew up and stayed on the show; she and I really connected there, so I like both those stories,” Lawrence said about the revival's multi-generational dynamic on- and off-screen. “I think the goal of that show was to not be a reboot but a revival and to keep it going with the next wave of characters.”
Three episodes in, the Scrubs revival ranks as ABC's No.1 series in linear adults 18-49 ratings. Coupled with its potent streaming numbers, the medical comedy has made a strong case for a Season 2 renewal. (Scrubs also has high scores on Rotten Tomatoes, 90% from critics and 95% from viewers.)
“We're all crossing our fingers that they let us do a whole bunch more, but we're really hopeful,” Lawrence said.
That would be great news for fans of the original and, in particular, one of its stars who is not in the revival's nine Season 1 episodes.
As Lawrence told Deadline ahead of the revival's debut, “Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins) will be back next year. It just didn't work out this year but it will next year.”
Dessi Gomez contributed to this report.
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The premier was good, but ive lost interest with each following episode. I never saw season 9 but this seems to be repeating the complaints of season 9. This week's episode heavily focused on the new characters. Dr cox missing is a real drag.
I've loved this show so much. I've worked in the hospital for a very long time and it is very close to real life. But with card and light humor. Which we all need especially after a long shift. I was still watching reruns because I love this show so much!
Very happy with the reboot so far. A solid pilot and several laugh out loud jokes in the second episode.
They did a brilliant job of bringing this show back. It captures the vibe of the original show and looks like it is building good new characters as well. I was prepared not to like it, but was pleasently surprised with how good it was.
Why would you be ‘prepared not to like it'?
Because there was a decent chance a reboot would suck
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By Glenn Garner
Associate Editor
As Hollywood's concern around artificial intelligence grows, Seth MacFarlane is justifying the technology after bringing one of his long-running impressions to life.
The Oscar nominee recently explained why he used AI in the sophomore season of the 1990s-set Ted, now available to stream on Peacock, to turn himself into President Bill Clinton for a cameo in the episode ‘The Sword in the Stoned'.
“I've been doing my Bill Clinton impression since the early days of Family Guy,” he told the Associated Press. “It's an interesting example of how AI can be used as a tool and not necessarily trample on the art that the rest of the industry is doing.”
MacFarlane added, “We tried prosthetics, we tried traditional CGI and everything just looked terrifying. So we just said, ‘To hell with it, let's try AI.' It worked. It was the only way to look like Bill Clinton.”
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In the scene, hot-headed Republican dad Matty Bennett (Scott Grimes) gets a part-time job at Dunkin Donuts, where President Clinton (MacFarlane) comes in for a photo opp, only for Matty to criticize him. The POTUS proceeds to cuss him out while putting on a smiling face for the cameras outside.
MacFarlane returns in Season 2 of Ted to reprise the voice of the eponymous foul-mouthed stuffed bear, who was wished to life by young John (Max Burkholder). The series is a prequel to MacFarlane's feature comedies Ted (2012) and Ted 2 (2015), which starred Mark Wahlberg as John.
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Good tool. Used like this is fine.
Was planning on binging season 2 tonight. Guess my plans are changing. Bummer, season 1 was dope
AI will be a great tool for people who already work in entertainment, and it will be a great asset to people who aren't in the industry, but are trying to create their own high quality content.
“I wasn't smart enough to figure out a way to do it involving actual people with talent, so I cut them out of the picture and leveraged a plagiarism machine instead.”
Good work, Seth.
Supreme wrote the script. He played the role. A union crew filmed it. A human being used a computer to change his face. Then more humans refined it. And more humans edited it together. Same pipeline it's always been. Do you imagine a robot walked into a room and pulled this out of its butt as part of its plan to destroy humanity?
Get over yourselves long enough to understand how things are made and what tools are. The entire point of this is there are different ways to use tools.
You really don't know what you're talking about, do you.
He owned you, buddy. Walk away.
Enlighten the rest of us. What's wrong with that comment?
Not very creative, Seth.
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The situation "is beyond the control of the artist, the promoter, and the venue," says promoter Ocesa.
By
Natalia Cano
The two concerts that P!nk had scheduled for this spring at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City have been canceled, promoter Ocesa announced Friday (March 6).
A show by singer Carolina Ross and another by rapper Lucho SSJ were also canceled, but Ocesa tells Billboard Español the cancellations are unrelated.
In a statement shared on social media, the promoter said the cancellation of the pop star's performances originally scheduled for April 26 and 27 is due to “complications arising from an unforeseen circumstance that affects the logistics of the event,” a situation that is “beyond the control of the artist, the promoter, and the venue.”
The shows would have marked the return of the “So What” and “Get the Party Started” singer to Mexican stages after more than two decades. “We understand how much fans were looking forward to these concerts, and we deeply appreciate their understanding,” Ocesa added.
The company informed that those who purchased tickets online through Ticketmaster Mexico would receive a full refund automatically, including service fees, directly to the card used for purchase, in accordance with the timelines established by each banking institution. Those who bought tickets at box offices can request their refund at the original point of sale in the coming days.
Regarding the cancellation of the show by regional Mexican singer Carolina Ross, which was scheduled for May 2 at Mexico City's Teatro Metropólitan, the promoter explained that it was due to “unforeseen logistical circumstances completely beyond the control of Ocesa, the artist, and the venue.” Tickets purchased online will also be refunded directly to the bank card used for the purchase. If the tickets were purchased at the venue's box office, refunds can be requested starting March 12.
The third canceled show was that of rapper Lucho SSJ, at Foro Puebla, also in the capital city. As with the cases of P!nk and Ross, the promoter said that this was due to “logistical reasons completely beyond the control of the artist, the venue, and Ocesa.” Refunds would also be processed automatically to the bank card used for purchase, and directly at the venue's box office starting this Friday.
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Perhaps realizing that Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood was the perfect endpoint for his career, Quentin Tarantino has yet to make good on the oft-repeated promise that his 10th film will be his last. Over the last few years, he came close to directing a project with Brad Pitt called The Movie Critic, which may or may not have become the upcoming Netflix film The Adventures Of Cliff Booth. Cliff Booth ended up going to David Fincher, who has yet to give his career an endpoint and seems mostly content to let his movies disappear into the Netflix algorithm. “I love this script, but I'm still walking down the same ground I've already walked. It just kind of unenthused me,” Tarantino told THR last year. “This last movie, I've got to not know what I'm doing again. I've got to be in uncharted territory.” Plus, he's been keeping busy by “moving back and forth between [Hollywood] and Israel” and publicly insulting Matthew Lillard and Paul Dano. Who has the time?
But now that Israel has launched a new war, which, ironically, led to the Tarantino family becoming fodder for misinformation, the director is prepping a new project for the London stage. Per The Daily Mail (via Variety), Tarantino's next project is an “old-fashioned British farce in the door-slamming, trouser-dropping, mistaken identity vein of Brian Rix or Ray Cooney,” with its sights set on London's West End.
Last year, the filmmaker announced the play on The Church Of Tarantino podcast. “The play is all written, it is absolutely the next thing that I'm going to [do], and we will start the ball rolling on it in January,” he said. “I'm preparing for it to be a success. If it is a flop, then I will be done very quickly.” He also said that if it were “a popular play, then I'll probably make a movie.” Tarantino's last stage show was a live script read of The Hateful Eight, which seemed destined for the stage after the screenplay leaked. Eventually, of course, he did end up filming Hateful Eight. As for his next film project, he has said in the past that he wants to wait until his son is six before making his next movie. “That way he will know what's going on.” His son turned six this past February, so maybe some of that door-slamming, trouser-dropping fun can make its way to movie theaters.
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© 2026 Paste Media Group. All Rights Reserved
By
Althea Legaspi
A Texas GOP candidate has drawn scrutiny after video surfaced of him happily boasting about having a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.
Brandon Herrera is the GOP nominee for Texas' 23rd congressional district after incumbent Tony Gonzales dropped out of his reelection bid following a sex scandal over which MAGA lawmakers called for his resignation. A subsequent ethics investigation ensued after reports surfaced that he had an affair with someone on his staff who later died by suicide.
Meanwhile, Herrera has become the district's de facto GOP nominee in the wake of departure of Gonzales — who in 2024 called Herrera a “known neo-Nazi” — from the race. (Herrera denied the accusation, saying on X at the time, “This should be obvious, but I am not, nor have I never been a neo-Nazi.”) The firearms manufacturer and YouTuber, who's known on the internet at “The AK Guy,” went viral on Friday after a video surfaced where he is seen boasting about his copy of Mein Kampf.
“That's my copy at my house next to a bunch of the German stick grenades,” Herrera said in the clip. In the video, he appears to pull up a photo of it on his phone to show one of the hosts. “I got the 1939 edition printed in English, just because I thought it was wild that you couldn't buy it on Amazon, but you could buy The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital.” (Hitler's hateful, antisemitic book appears to be available on Amazon).
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GOP nominee in #TX23 Brandon Herrera shows off his copy of Mein Kampf, “I got the 1939 edition printed in English” pic.twitter.com/9fQmENoa42
It's not the only time he's proudly showcased neo-Nazi behavior. In another clip shared on social media by House Majority Pac on Thursday, Herrera is seen goose-stepping to the Nazi marching song “Erika.” On Friday, Herrera doubled down on his stance. “I standby it, this shit was funny as hell,” he commented in response to the posted video.
I standby it, this shit was funny as hell.
Despite the disturbing circulating clips and mounting accusations of him being racist, Herrera denied to Hearst Newspapers that he is antisemitic. He also said he found the backlash about the Mein Kampf clip “hilarious.”
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“I bought a copy for my historic book collection, and I keep it right next to my copy of the Communist manifesto,” he wrote in a text message to Hearst. “I uh, don't agree with either book.”
He added, “If my opponents continue to purposely pretend to not know the difference between humor and jokes clipped out of context, and my actual beliefs, it's going to be an annoying few months.”
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At least they're not hiding it anymore. Facing accusations of plagiarizing human labor for slop, the AI industry has become much more brazen about what its models are trained on. ByteDance allegedly faked a fight between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise to scare Hollywood screenwriters. Spotify is filled with AI knockoffs of artists protesting the company's AI weaponry investments and ICE ads. Now Grammarly, which rebranded to Superhuman last year, fearing someone could possibly forget that it's been enshitifying its own product with AI for the past few years, has launched a new feature that openly admits, “Yeah, we trained on real authors' work without permission. Do something about it!”
Grammarly's latest complete waste of time, money, and resources isn't a more advanced comma-splice detector, but rather a chance for AI Chatbots to learn the verbiage of writers, living or dead, under the guise of some throwaway advice. Last summer, Grammarly launched eight specialized AI agents to “provide targeted assistance for specific writing challenges.” The idea has since evolved to hoover up famous authors' work. Earlier this week, Wired reported that using Grammarly's “Expert Review” allows an approximation of Stephen King and Neil deGrasse Tyson to nitpick your work. While Tyson has the opportunity to say whether he'd like to be turned into a chatbot, other authors, like Carl Sagan, cannot because they are dead.
Today, The Verge reports that Grammarly's Review has stolen the identities of its writers, as well as those of writers at The New York Times, The Atlantic, Gizmodo, and more. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't do a very good job either. “The descriptions for some experts contain inaccuracies, such as outdated job titles,” writes Steven Bonfield, “which could have been accurately updated had Superhuman asked those people for permission to reference their work.” The disclaimer underneath Reviews warns, “References to experts in this product are for informational purposes only and do not indicate any affiliation with Grammarly or endorsement by those individuals or entities.”
One person who did not indicate any affiliation with Grammarly is Verge Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel, who wrote on Bluesky, “I am allllllmost more offended by the suggestion that I would give this shitbox edit than having my identity stolen.” Patel also wrote that Grammarly's CEO is scheduled to appear on The Verge‘s Decoder podcast soon and “we will see if they back out.” He concludes, “Also it feels important to say there is literally no possible way to know what an editor is like as an editor by reading published written work by that person, which often goes through… other editors!”
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Team Tetrapod has announced that its mystery visual novel Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure has sold over 100,000 units on PC via Steam. A free demo is also live, allowing players to experience the first two cases.
Staffer Case asks players to find clues, arrange them into documents, and identify contradictions among them to solve a series of murders. The story is set in a fictional version of 1960s London, where roughly 10% of the population, known as “staffers,” possess supernatural abilities. As a result, crimes involving these powers are frequent.
Players control Notrick, the newest detective in the Mana Affairs Division. Because many of the crimes revolve around supernatural abilities, traditional investigative techniques are not enough to solve them. Instead, players must analyze documents that detail each suspect's abilities and determine how those powers could have been used in the crime.
Unlike Notrick, his fellow detectives are also staffers and use their powers during investigations. Their abilities allow them to uncover unusual evidence. The full game features five main cases.
The franchise's third and newest entry, Staffer Retro: A Supernatural Mystery Quest, is planned for later this year.
Random gamer equally confused by the mainstream and the unusual.
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Psychic Modulation Phonec3 is a major update to its unique retro Lo-Fi-inspired Synthesizer plugin for macOS and Windows, featuring new features.
Many virtual analog/analog modeling synthesizers attempt to imitate the sounds of vintage analog instruments, with varying degrees of success. Psychic Modulation took a different, “vintage” approach from the very beginning with its Phonec Synthesizer. The plugin focuses on retro Lo-Fi synthscapes.
A bit like Boards of Canada, or like running an analog modeling synth through an old VHS tape to get a very lush and wobbly lo-fi sound. Phonec fans can rejoice. Phonec has released Phonec3, a major upgrade of its lo-fi synthscape Synthesizer.
Like its predecessors, Phonec3 is a subtractive virtual-analog Synthesizer focused on retro lo-fi sounds. According to Psychic Modulation, they rebuilt Phonec3 from the ground up to make it compatible with newer systems, such as Apple Silicon chips.
Phonec3 incorporates many familiar features from Phonec2, along with new additions. The new GUI is immediately noticeable in the teaser; it appears cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than Phonec2.
For example, the mixer is no longer available, but you can now mix the oscillators right in the OSC section. The core still consists of two oscillators, a sub-oscillator, and a noise source, including sync, PWM, X-wave, and more.
The developer states that the oscillators have been improved and now include, among other features, new waveforms. A unique feature is the logic mix parameter between OSC 1 and OSC2, enabling per-voice distortion and audio-rate interactions.
Then, Phonec3 features a revamped filter section with various modes and built-in overdrive. Phonec2 featured a 2-stage lowpass filter with eight modes, an acid filter, a post-highpass filter, and filter saturation.
Part of the filter also includes three new flavor ingredients: feedback, melt, and clips. Features that allow you to incorporate the lo-fi, dirty character into the filter.
Psychic Modulation also upgraded the modulation system in Phonec3. Three multi-wave LFOs, the beloved HFO (high-frequency oscillator), and three advanced ADSR envelopes form the mod section.
Alongside the built-in arpeggiator and pitch sequencer, Phonec3 also has a 16-step modulation sequencer for the amp and filter cutoff. These also offer more features than the previous versions, including scale locking for instant melodic harmonic.
Choose between chromatic and scaled modes, and the pitch steps will snap into harmony. This scale-locking feature will also be available on the pitch wheel with the quantizer.
Of course, the beloved and key feature of Phonec, the melt feature, is again onboard but in an upgraded form. It's a unique feature that lets you lo-fi the sound engine with drifting, detuning, and malfunction artifacts.
Phonec3 also features a multi-FX section with an EQ, a lush chorus, and echo with a ping-pong option. Important note: MPE, which is part of P2, will not be available in Phonec3 from version 1.0. This will be added in an update.
Psychic Modulation does not yet offer a demo or sound demo of Phonec3 because the plugin is in the final phase of development.
With the switch from Intel to Apple Silicon, developers had to adapt their plugins. For some, it was a breeze; for others, the entire framework had to be rewritten. The latter was the case with Absynth and also with Phonec2.
It's great to see that a new version of Phonec is coming soon, and we will be able to use it again on modern computers with added functionality and hopefully even more Lo-Fi goodness.
Psychic Modulation Phonec3 is available now for $89 + VAT. Existing Phonec2 owners should receive an upgrade offer via email. If not, please get in touch with the developer. Phonec3 will run as a VST/AU plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) + Windows.
More information here: Psychic Modulation
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nice, even Looks Like the 90s! 🔥😎
love Lofi!
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