Why semiconductor manufacturing is a prime target for AI

Semiconductor fabrication is one of the most data-intensive manufacturing processes on earth. A single advanced fab can generate millions of data points per second from sensors, metrology tools, etching equipment, deposition systems, and lithography machines. Each wafer passes through hundreds of process steps, and small variations in temperature, pressure, chemical concentration, or timing can affect the final yield. Engineers must correlate data across equipment logs, defect images, electrical test results, and supply chain records. The complexity has grown as chipmakers push to 3-nanometer, 2-nanometer, and eventually angstrom-class nodes.

Large language models are not a replacement for physical process models or statistical process control. Instead, they can act as an intelligent layer that helps engineers query unstructured data, summarize equipment alarms, generate maintenance checklists, and connect information that would otherwise remain trapped in silos. Mistral AI's models are known for being compact, efficient, and adaptable, which matters in fabs where latency, data residency, and compute costs are critical. A model that can run on-premises or in a private cloud is more attractive than one that requires sending sensitive manufacturing data to a public API.

What Mistral AI brings to the table

Mistral AI is a French artificial intelligence company that has gained attention for releasing high-performance open-weight models and enterprise-focused offerings. Its models are designed to balance capability with computational efficiency, making them suitable for organizations that want to fine-tune AI on domain-specific data without building enormous clusters. In semiconductor manufacturing, that could mean training or adapting models on historical process recipes, failure reports, and maintenance records.

The company has positioned itself as an alternative to larger AI providers, emphasizing European data sovereignty and customizable deployment. For Samsung, which operates fabs in South Korea, the United States, and other regions, data governance is a major consideration. Semiconductor manufacturing know-how is among the most valuable intellectual property in the world. Any AI deployment must protect process recipes, defect libraries, and equipment settings from leakage. Mistral's ability to offer private or on-premises deployment options could be a key reason Samsung is interested.

Samsung's manufacturing challenges and AI ambitions

Samsung is the world's largest memory chip maker and a major player in contract chip manufacturing, or foundry. In recent years, its foundry business has faced stiff competition from TSMC, which dominates advanced logic manufacturing. Samsung has also struggled with yield issues at advanced nodes, particularly as it ramps up gate-all-around transistor technology. Improving yield is not just a technical goal; it is a financial imperative. A few percentage points of yield can translate into billions of dollars in additional revenue or savings.

The company has already invested heavily in automation, digital twins, and AI-based inspection. Samsung has used machine learning for defect classification and predictive maintenance in its memory fabs. The next step is to apply generative AI and large language models to make engineering knowledge more accessible. For example, a process engineer could ask a natural language question about a repeated etch anomaly, and the model could retrieve relevant historical cases, equipment manuals, and corrective actions. This reduces the time spent searching through documents and allows experts to focus on solving problems.

Potential use cases in the fab

There are several ways Samsung could deploy Mistral AI models in semiconductor manufacturing. One is equipment log analysis. Fab tools generate cryptic error codes and event logs. An LLM can translate those logs into plain-language summaries and suggest probable causes. Another is process recipe optimization. While LLMs do not directly control lithography machines, they can help engineers explore parameter spaces by summarizing simulation results and recommending experiments.

• Defect root cause analysis: Models can correlate defect patterns with process steps, equipment conditions, and material batches, then generate hypotheses for engineers to test.
• Predictive maintenance: By reading maintenance histories and sensor trends, LLMs can help prioritize which tools need service before they fail.
• Knowledge management: Fabs rely on decades of undocumented expertise. LLMs can create searchable, conversational interfaces to technical documents and past incident reports.
• Supply chain and materials: Models can analyze supplier quality reports, shipment delays, and material specifications to flag risks.
• Training and onboarding: New engineers can use AI assistants to learn complex processes faster, which is important as the industry faces a talent shortage.

Technical and operational hurdles

Integrating large language models into semiconductor manufacturing is not trivial. Fabs demand extreme reliability. A wrong recommendation could waste wafers worth tens of thousands of dollars or damage expensive equipment. Hallucination, or the tendency of LLMs to generate plausible but incorrect information, is a serious concern. Any deployment would likely keep humans in the loop and restrict the model to advisory roles rather than direct control.

Data integration is another challenge. Manufacturing data resides in different formats and systems: SECS/GEM equipment interfaces, MES, ERP, yield management systems, and image databases. Mistral models would need connectors and retrieval-augmented generation pipelines to access the right data securely. Real-time constraints also matter. Some decisions must be made in milliseconds, which is beyond the scope of current LLM inference. For those tasks, traditional machine learning and rule-based systems will remain essential.

Cybersecurity is paramount. Semiconductor fabs are critical infrastructure and have been targeted by cyberattacks. Adding AI models expands the attack surface. Samsung would need strict access controls, model monitoring, and possibly air-gapped deployment for the most sensitive processes. Mistral's open-weight models can be inspected and customized, which may help with security audits, but they still require robust governance.

Competitive landscape

Samsung is not alone in pursuing AI-driven manufacturing. TSMC has used machine learning for yield analysis and defect detection for years. Intel has invested in AI for factory automation and is building AI capabilities into its foundry services. Memory rivals SK Hynix and Micron are also applying AI to process control and maintenance. Equipment makers such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, and ASML are embedding AI into their tools to help customers optimize processes.

The rise of generative AI has added a new dimension. Chipmakers are experimenting with LLM-based assistants for engineers, while EDA companies like Synopsys and Cadence are integrating AI into chip design. Nvidia, whose GPUs power most AI training, is also a major supplier to Samsung and other fabs. The competitive advantage will come from combining domain data, talent, and secure AI infrastructure, not just from accessing a powerful model.

Geopolitical and regulatory context

The partnership also has geopolitical undertones. Mistral AI is a European champion, and Samsung is a South Korean industrial giant. Both regions are trying to strengthen their technological sovereignty. The European Union has introduced the AI Act, which sets risk-based rules for AI systems. South Korea has its own AI framework and is investing heavily in semiconductor research. By working with Mistral, Samsung may diversify its AI suppliers beyond U.S. hyperscalers, which could be attractive given export controls and data localization trends.

Semiconductor manufacturing is increasingly caught in U.S.-China competition. Export restrictions limit access to advanced equipment and AI chips. Samsung operates in a delicate environment, balancing its U.S. investments with its Korean base and Chinese customers. Using Mistral models, which can be deployed on-premises, may reduce exposure to cross-border data transfer restrictions. It also supports Europe's ambition to build local AI capacity, though the actual manufacturing use would likely occur in Korea or the United States.

Economic impact and the road ahead

The economic stakes are enormous. A modern fab costs $10 billion to $20 billion or more. Yield improvements of even 1% can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in value. Predictive maintenance can reduce unplanned downtime, which can cost millions per hour. If AI can shorten the time to ramp a new process node by a few weeks, the return on investment could be substantial. Samsung's move with Mistral is likely a pilot or a framework agreement that will expand as results are proven.

Industry analysts expect AI to become a standard layer in fab operations, much like advanced process control and statistical process control. The next phase may involve agentic AI systems that can autonomously coordinate maintenance schedules, order spare parts, and adjust process recipes within approved limits. However, that vision requires trust, validation, and regulatory acceptance. For now, the focus is on assistant-style tools that augment human engineers.

Samsung has not publicly detailed which Mistral models will be used or how they will be integrated. The company has been expanding its AI partnerships across memory, mobile, and foundry. Its Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and various business units are researching generative AI for chip design and manufacturing. A collaboration with Mistral would fit that pattern, bringing in external expertise while keeping core manufacturing data in-house.

As chipmakers compete at the angstrom era, the ability to turn data into decisions faster than rivals may become as important as lithography or materials innovation. Samsung's interest in Mistral AI models reflects that reality. The coming months will reveal whether the collaboration moves from exploration to production deployment, and whether it delivers measurable gains in yield, uptime, and engineering productivity.

Source: AI News News

Une série, un casting et une rumeur persistante

Olivia Rodrigo et Joshua Bassett se sont fait connaître du grand public grâce à la série High School Musical : La Comédie musicale, diffusée sur une plateforme de streaming. Elle y incarne Nini, une lycéenne ambitieuse et passionnée de comédie musicale, tandis que lui prête ses traits à Ricky, son petit ami dans la fiction. Leur alchimie à l'écran a rapidement nourri des spéculations sur une relation amoureuse dans la vie réelle. Ni l'un ni l'autre n'a jamais confirmé ou démenti ces rumeurs, ce qui a évidemment alimenté la curiosité des internautes.

En parallèle, Joshua Bassett a été aperçu à plusieurs reprises en compagnie de Sabrina Carpenter, actrice et chanteuse connue pour ses rôles dans des productions destinées aux jeunes adultes. Les deux artistes ont publié des vidéos complices sur les réseaux sociaux, où ils chantaient et dansaient ensemble. Pour de nombreux fans, ces images ressemblaient à une confirmation officieuse de leur couple. Sabrina Carpenter, de son côté, est plus âgée qu'Olivia Rodrigo de quelques années : elle avait 21 ans au moment des faits, contre 17 ans pour Olivia Rodrigo. Un détail qui allait prendre toute son importance.

Drivers License : un succès historique et des paroles ambiguës

Le 8 janvier 2021, Olivia Rodrigo dévoile Drivers License. La chanson raconte une rupture douloureuse, la difficulté de passer à autre chose et la jalousie ressentie en imaginant l'être aimé avec une autre. Très vite, le titre devient un raz-de-marée. Le 12 janvier, il bat le record de la chanson la plus streamée en une journée avec plus de 17 millions d'écoutes. Puis il pulvérise le record de la chanson la plus streamée en une semaine, avec plus de 65 millions d'écoutes. Le morceau atteint la première place des charts aux États-Unis, au Royaume-Uni, en Australie, en Norvège

Source: Purebreak News

The match was part of the 2026 MLS regular season, Round 25, and it carried significant weight for LAFC's playoff positioning. The home side entered the night desperate for a win after a run that had included four draws and two losses. Although the victory was the first in seven matches, it snapped a six-game winless streak dating back to the previous month. The three points lifted LAFC to third place in the Western Conference with 40 points from 25 matches, composed of 11 wins, seven draws, and seven losses.

Match Overview and Key Facts

LAFC lined up with their strongest available lineup, including Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga. Son had entered the match in excellent form after recording one goal and one assist in his previous appearance. That performance had signaled a growing understanding with his teammates, and against the Red Bulls he continued to look dangerous whenever he received the ball in the attacking third.

The opening goal originated from Son's left foot. In the left side of the penalty box, he used his signature step-over to unbalance the defense and then fired a left-footed shot. The goalkeeper could only parry the effort, and the rebound fell kindly for 18-year-old rookie Terry Juda, who slotted it into the net. It was a goal that perfectly illustrated Son's ability to create something out of nothing, even without registering an official assist.

After taking the lead, LAFC increased their pressure. Son, fully warmed up and clearly enjoying the rhythm of the match, attempted shots whenever he touched the ball. He was aggressive, direct, and willing to test the goalkeeper from various angles. New York responded with a physical defensive approach, and their goalkeeper produced several saves to keep the score within reach. Still, the Red Bulls could not fully contain Son or prevent LAFC from dictating the tempo.

Son Heung-min's Influence on the Decisive Moment

Son's contribution was not limited to the opening goal. Throughout the first half, he drifted across the front line, combined with midfielders, and stretched the New York back line. His movement created space for teammates, and his willingness to run at defenders forced the Red Bulls to commit extra bodies. That attention, in turn, opened pockets for Bouanga and others to exploit.

The second half belonged to LAFC as well. New York attempted to change the game by using three substitute cards simultaneously, hoping fresh legs would disrupt LAFC's rhythm. But the home side countered effectively, maintaining control and continuing to create chances. In the 33rd minute of the second half, Son unleashed a powerful left-footed shot past a defender, only to see it strike the post. In the 40th minute, he successfully dribbled past two defenders but could not apply the final touch.

Those near-misses summed up Son's night. He was involved in almost every dangerous attack, yet the ball would not go in for him. His shot count was the highest among all players: eight attempts, two of which were on target. He also hit the woodwork, completed a daring dribble, and played the full 90 minutes. It was a performance that combined frustration in front of goal with undeniable influence on the result.

Terry Juda and Armando Sib Provide the Finish

While Son dominated the buildup, the goals came from two other sources. Terry Juda, an 18-year-old rookie, was in the right place at the right time to convert the rebound after Son's first-half effort was saved. For a young player, scoring in such a crucial match was a significant moment. It demonstrated LAFC's depth and the ability of their academy or scouting network to produce contributors in high-pressure situations.

With Son missing consecutive chances, LAFC sealed the victory in stoppage time. Armando Sib's shot from inside the penalty box flew straight into the New York net, removing any lingering doubt. The second goal allowed LAFC to close out the match with composure, and it rewarded a performance in which they had been the better side for long stretches.

LAFC's Tactical Approach and Strongest Lineup

LAFC's decision to field their strongest lineup reflected the importance of the match. With Son and Bouanga leading the attack, the team had both creativity and pace. The midfield worked to feed them early, and the full-backs provided width to stretch New York's defense. Defensively, LAFC limited the Red Bulls to few clear chances, and when New York did threaten, the back line and goalkeeper dealt with the danger.

The use of three simultaneous substitutions by New York was an attempt to inject energy and change the momentum. However, LAFC's structure held firm. The home side continued to press, win second balls, and transition quickly. In doing so, they prevented the Red Bulls from building sustained pressure and protected their lead until Sib's late goal put the result beyond doubt.

Western Conference Standings and Playoff Implications

The win moved LAFC up to third place in the Western Conference with 40 points. Their record now stands at 11 wins, seven draws, and seven losses. More importantly, the three points allowed them to keep pace in the race for a high playoff seed. The league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps sit on 46 points, although they have played one fewer match. That gap is not insurmountable, but LAFC will need to string together results to close it.

In MLS, where road form and consistency often determine playoff success, ending a winless run is psychologically important. The victory over New York gives LAFC a foundation to build on. It also reinforces the idea that when Son is fully integrated and firing, the team's ceiling is high. The challenge now is to turn this performance into a streak rather than a one-off relief.

Son Heung-min's Career Context and MLS Impact

Son Heung-min arrives in MLS with a reputation as one of the most accomplished Asian players of his generation. He has captained South Korea, starred in the English Premier League, and won a Golden Boot as the league's top scorer. His blend of pace, two-footed finishing, and relentless work rate has made him a global icon. When a player of that caliber joins a club, expectations rise immediately, and every match becomes a test of how quickly he can adapt to a new league, new teammates, and new tactical demands.

For LAFC, Son's presence is about more than goals. He attracts defenders, creates space for others, and raises the standard in training. His movement is intelligent, his first touch is reliable, and his shooting volume reflects a player who never hides from responsibility. Even on a night when he did not score, he was the most influential attacking player on the pitch. That influence is exactly what LAFC need as they push for a strong finish to the 2026 season.

From a commercial and cultural perspective, Son's arrival also boosts the profile of MLS. His fan base across Asia and beyond brings additional attention to the league, and his performances are followed closely by supporters who might otherwise focus on European football. Each match becomes a global event, and his interactions with younger players, like rookie Terry Juda, can have a lasting impact on the squad's development.

New York Red Bulls' Defensive Resistance

The Red Bulls deserve credit for making the match difficult. Their physical defense frustrated LAFC at times, and their goalkeeper made several important saves. They tried to disrupt Son's rhythm by crowding him when he received the ball and by defending the penalty area with numbers. For much of the match, that approach kept the score close. But LAFC's persistence, and Son's relentless shooting, eventually created the breakthrough.

New York's decision to use three substitutes at once showed ambition, but it also risked leaving gaps. LAFC were able to exploit those spaces in transition. The Red Bulls will look back at the opener and feel they could have done better on the rebound, but they also faced a player in Son who can create chances from minimal space. That is the kind of quality that decides tight matches.

Son's Shooting Display in Numbers

Son finished the match with eight shots, two on target, the most of any player on the field. He hit the post, dribbled past multiple defenders, and played the full match. Although he failed to score for a second consecutive match, his overall contribution was decisive. In the previous match, he had recorded one goal and one assist, showing that his form remains strong even when the ball does not find the net.

For an attacking player, shot volume is often a positive sign. It indicates that he is getting into dangerous positions and that his teammates are finding him. Son's eight attempts suggest that LAFC's attacking patterns are working, even if the finishing was not always precise. If he continues to generate those opportunities, goals will likely follow. The key for LAFC is to ensure that his movement and the team's buildup remain synchronized as the season progresses.

What the Win Means for LAFC's Season

The three points ended a difficult run and restored confidence in the locker room. LAFC now have a platform to chase the Western Conference leaders and secure a favorable playoff position. The team showed that it can win even when its star forward does not score, which is an encouraging sign for the depth and resilience of the squad. Terry Juda's goal and Armando Sib's late finish are evidence that contributions can come from multiple sources.

At the same time, LAFC will want to convert more of their chances. Son's near-misses and the team's overall shot count suggest that they could have won by a larger margin. In the tightly contested Western Conference, goal difference and consistent finishing can matter at the end of the season. Improving efficiency in front of goal will be a priority in training.

For Son, the match was another step in his adaptation to MLS. He has already shown that he can score and assist, and now he has shown that he can be the creative catalyst even without a goal. His leadership, work rate, and willingness to take responsibility will be crucial as LAFC navigate the remainder of the campaign. The win over New York Red Bulls may be remembered as the night the season turned, and Son's pivotal role in that turnaround will not be forgotten.

LAFC's next task is to build on the three points and close the gap on Vancouver, while Son will look to convert his shot volume into goals in the coming matches. The team's position in third place gives them a solid base, but the margin for error remains thin. With Son in the lineup, however, LAFC have a player capable of changing any match in an instant, and that threat alone makes them a dangerous opponent down the stretch.

Source: MSN News

• Alex Ossa, 22, of Welland, practices cold water immersion, also called cold thermogenesis.
• He entered the near-freezing Welland Recreational Canal off Thorold Road, watched by friends who timed his dip and filmed with a drone.
• He began with cold face dunks in July, progressed to 10 C water every other night, then used a horse trough filled with ice.
• He says the practice has given him more energy, better sleep and fat loss with little exercise.
• He warns that cold shock is the biggest risk and says people should consult a doctor first.
• A Brock University kinesiology professor says the benefits are mostly psychological and warns about cold shock, heart rate spikes and hypothermia.

A Cold Dip in the Welland Recreational Canal

On the banks of the Welland Recreational Canal, Alex Ossa pulled two ice-filled cups from his backpack and drank them back. The 22-year-old then stripped down to a pair of shorts and sandals and prepared to enter the near-freezing water off Thorold Road in Welland.

Ossa says he is not crazy, though his mother and stepfather disagree. He slowly worked his way to waist-deep water before taking numerous deep breaths and submerging himself neck-deep. A friend onshore started a stopwatch on a cellphone, making sure Ossa stayed in the water no longer than two minutes. Another friend used a small drone to capture the action.

Before setting foot in the water, Ossa measured the temperature with an infrared thermometer. He spoke about why he was taking the chilly dip. 'I started getting into this because in the past I had some health and fatigue issues,' he said.

The 'this' Ossa referred to is cold therapy or cold thermogenesis, a practice that uses cold water immersion to address various health issues. 'I was always into working out and fitness. I stumbled on this method. I like to explore new ideas,' said Ossa.

From Face Dunks to an Ice Bath

Ossa found research done by a neurosurgeon who set out a protocol for cold water immersion. 'I decided to give it a shot to see how it works for me,' he said. He started in July by dunking his face in a sink full of cold water. Then he dunked his face in 10 C water every other night for a month. 'And then I felt like I was ready to do an actual ice bath.'

Ossa bought a horse trough and filled it with cold water and large ice chunks. 'It was really hard for me at first, but the more I did it the easier it became over time.' Before his dip in the canal, 6 C was the lowest temperature Ossa had reached. He could sit at that temperature for at least 15 minutes.

With the repeated dunking, Ossa noticed he had more energy, felt healthier and started to lose fat with little to no exercise. He said it has also helped him sleep better. On this day, he said he planned to be in the recreational canal for two to three minutes at most.

'I care about my safety, I am not planning to swim. The biggest risk at this temperature is cold shock. I would not just jump in,' he said. He added a disclaimer that people should not just go out and try cold thermogenesis. 'You do have to be careful.' Although advising people they should consult their family doctor first before trying, Ossa said he had not spoken with his before carrying out his research. He added, 'It is good for my well-being and is very therapeutic.'

After getting out of the water, he was in for just more than two minutes, Ossa said everything in his body was telling him to get out. 'Your survival instincts kick in. My arms and legs were a bit numb. My hands were stinging a bit,' he said, adding it was nevertheless a big rush.

What Cold Water Does to the Body

Stephen Cheung, a professor in Brock University's kinesiology department, said cold therapy or cold thermogenesis, in his opinion, is more of a psychological benefit than anything else. 'I do not believe it has any major long-term health benefits,' he said.

Cheung said when a person goes into cold water their skin temperature drops rapidly, eliciting a cold shock response. 'Your body responds with a very strong flight or fight response. You will hyperventilate and breathe more rapidly.' A person's resting heart rate can climb anywhere up to 140 to 150 beats per minute, which could be dangerous for those with heart issues.

He said if a person is in cold water for just a few minutes there will not be a significant drop in body temperature. The longer they are in the water, however, their core temperature could drop, and hypothermia can set in. Being in the cold water for a few minutes can be a 'real wake-up and leave you in a highly-stressed state for a few minutes,' said Cheung.

Cold Thermogenesis in Context

Cold water immersion is not new. Cultures around the world have used cold baths, winter swimming and icy plunges for centuries. In Northern Europe and Russia, banya and sauna traditions often pair intense heat with a roll in the snow or a plunge into a frozen lake. In Japan, misogi involves standing under a cold waterfall or entering the ocean for purification. In modern wellness circles, cold therapy has gained a following through athletes, biohackers and advocates such as Wim Hof, who popularized breathing techniques and cold exposure.

Some researchers have studied cold water immersion for recovery after exercise, mood and stress resilience. Cold water can trigger the release of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter and hormone that can increase alertness, focus and energy. It can also activate brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that burns calories to produce heat. That mechanism is one reason some people claim cold exposure helps with fat loss. However, the evidence is mixed, and the effect is generally modest compared with diet and exercise.

Cold water also activates the mammalian dive reflex, especially when the face is submerged. This reflex slows the heart rate and redirects blood flow to vital organs. It is why some people begin with face dunks before attempting full-body immersion. Ossa followed a similar progression, starting with cold sink water, moving to 10 C face dunks, then an ice-filled horse trough and finally the canal.

But the same reflex and cold shock response can be dangerous. The first minute of cold water immersion is often the most risky. Gasping, hyperventilation and a racing heart can lead to panic, aspiration of water or cardiac events in vulnerable people. Cold shock can also cause a sudden increase in blood pressure. People with heart conditions, high blood pressure or other cardiovascular concerns are usually advised to speak with a doctor before trying cold water immersion.

Safety Lessons from Cold Water Swimmers

Experienced cold water swimmers often follow strict safety rules. They enter gradually, never alone and keep sessions short. They avoid jumping or diving into cold water because the shock can trigger an involuntary gasp. They wear appropriate footwear to protect against cuts and slips. They monitor the time and have a warm, dry change of clothes waiting. Some use a buddy system, and some carry a phone in a waterproof case. Ossa's friends timed him and used a drone to watch from shore, a setup that reflects the need for supervision.

Another risk is afterdrop. After leaving cold water, the body can continue to cool as cold blood from the limbs returns to the core. This can cause a further drop in core temperature and lead to shivering, confusion or hypothermia even after the person is out of the water. Warm layers, a hat and a warm drink can help. Alcohol should be avoided because it can impair judgment and increase heat loss.

For people who want to try cold exposure, experts often recommend starting with cold showers or face dunks. A gradual approach allows the body to adapt to the shock. The goal is not to endure as long as possible but to stay safe. Even strong advocates say cold water is not a substitute for medical care. If someone has a health condition, they should talk to a doctor first.

Why Some People Keep Doing It

Despite the warnings, many people report that cold water makes them feel alive and mentally sharper. The rush after a plunge can be intense. Ossa described numbness in his arms and legs, stinging hands and a strong survival instinct telling him to get out. Yet he also called it a big rush and said it was good for his well-being. That mix of discomfort and reward may explain why cold therapy persists.

Cheung's view is that the benefits are largely psychological. The cold shock response stresses the body, and the relief after exiting can improve mood. Some people feel more resilient, more focused or more confident after facing a difficult physical challenge. That does not mean the body is being healed in a lasting way, according to Cheung. He said he does not believe there are major long-term health benefits.

The debate is likely to continue. Cold water immersion is easy to try, inexpensive and visually dramatic. It also carries real risks. For Ossa, the practice is personal. He began because of health and fatigue issues, and he says it has helped him feel better. He also acknowledges that others should be careful and consult a doctor. On the day he entered the canal, he planned only a short dip. His friends watched. He measured the temperature. He knew the cold shock risk. And after just over two minutes, his body told him it was time to get out.

Source: St. Catharines Standard News

De'Aaron Fox n'a pas voulu attendre. Alors que le training camp officiel des Spurs ne débutera que dans trois semaines, le meneur All-Star a pris l'initiative de réunir plusieurs de ses coéquipiers à Houston pour des entraînements quotidiens. Victor Wembanyama, Harrison Barnes et la recrue Tobias Harris ont notamment répondu présent. Ce rassemblement informel, loin des caméras et de la pression médiatique, vise à créer une longueur d'avance sur une saison qui s'annonce très attendue après le parcours de l'équipe jusqu'en NBA Finals.

Pour Fox, il ne s'agit pas d'un simple entraînement estival. C'est une déclaration de leadership. « Le training camp ne peut pas être la première fois où l'on se retrouve en tant qu'équipe », explique-t-il. « Sinon, on est déjà en retard et on passe son temps à essayer de le rattraper. Pouvoir organiser ce genre de choses et réunir quelques joueurs nous permet de prendre un peu d'avance. »

Cette initiative fait suite à un premier rassemblement organisé à Paris à l'initiative de Victor Wembanyama. Le prodige français, originaire de la région parisienne, avait déjà réuni certains de ses coéquipiers dans la capitale française pour travailler ensemble. Ce deuxième camp, à Houston, confirme une tendance de fond dans la NBA moderne : les joueurs prennent les devants, loin des structures officielles, pour bâtir la chimie avant que le compte à rebours de la saison ne commence vraiment.

Houston, un choix stratégique pour Fox

Le choix de Houston n'est pas anodin. De'Aaron Fox est originaire de Katy, au Texas, une ville située à proximité de Houston. Il a grandi dans cette région et y conserve des attaches solides. Organiser ce rassemblement à Houston permet donc au meneur de combiner travail et proximité avec ses racines. C'est aussi une manière de faciliter la logistique pour plusieurs joueurs, la ville disposant d'infrastructures de premier plan et d'une culture basketball profondément ancrée.

Ce mini-camp permet à Fox de renforcer son rôle de leader. Arrivé chez les Spurs avec l'étiquette de franchise player, il a été prolongé au prix fort en 2025. Mais son parcours en Finals a été compliqué, et les critiques n'ont pas manqué. Plutôt que de se murer dans le silence, il a choisi de réagir en prenant des responsabilités collectives. Réunir ses coéquipiers avant l'heure, c'est envoyer un message clair : il veut être le moteur de cette équipe, sur et en dehors du parquet.

L'intégration de Tobias Harris, un enjeu majeur

La présence de Tobias Harris à Houston est l'un des éléments les plus importants de ce mini-camp. À 34 ans, l'ancien joueur de Detroit débarque avec une expérience considérable et une capacité éprouvée à apporter du scoring. Dans une équipe qui a parfois manqué de solutions offensives lors des dernières Finals, son apport pourrait être précieux. Harris n'est pas seulement un scoreur : il peut créer son propre tir, jouer sans ballon, défendre sur plusieurs positions et apporter un leadership tranquille dans un vestiaire jeune.

Pour De'Aaron Fox, l'intérêt de ces séances dépasse largement le travail physique ou tactique. « C'est super que Tobias soit ici et qu'il puisse apprendre à connaître tout le monde », souligne-t-il. L'intégration d'un vétéran comme Harris ne se fait pas

Source: MSN News

The case centers on price increases Logitech imposed in April 2025, when it raised prices on 51 percent of its product portfolio, with some prices climbing as much as 25 percent. According to the complaint, Logitech did not publicly announce the increases, and the higher prices remain in effect. The plaintiffs—SJK Development, a construction and residential housing builder in California, and California resident Ala Awadalla—both bought Logitech mice at inflated prices during the relevant period. They argue that, had the tariffs not been used as a justification, they would have paid less for the same hardware.

“Had Logitech not inflated its prices in the name of the unlawful IEEPA tariffs, Plaintiffs would have paid less for the same product. Plaintiffs have received no refund, credit, or other compensation from Logitech corresponding to the tariff component of the price Plaintiffs paid,” the complaint alleges.

Key facts at a glance

• Product scope: Logitech raised prices on 51 percent of its portfolio in April 2025, with increases as high as 25 percent.
• Plaintiffs: SJK Development and Ala Awadalla filed the proposed class action in the Northern District of California.
• Claim: Logitech collected higher prices because of IEEPA tariffs and retained a $61 million refund after the tariffs were ruled unlawful.
• Relief sought: The lawsuit asks for a declaratory judgment that Logitech must pass the refund proceeds to customers.

The tariff backdrop

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, gives the president broad authority to impose economic controls during a declared national emergency. The Trump administration used that authority to place tariffs on imported goods, creating a new cost layer for companies that manufacture overseas. Many hardware makers responded by adjusting prices before the duties fully took effect, and Logitech was no exception.

In April 2025, Logitech implemented price increases across more than half of its product lineup. The company did not issue a consumer-facing announcement about the changes, but the increases were visible in retail prices for products such as mice, keyboards, and other peripherals. The complaint says Logitech tied those increases to the tariffs, though the company has not publicly confirmed the exact pricing rationale.

On investor calls, Logitech executives discussed the pricing strategy more openly. In May, Logitech CFO Matteo Anversa said, “The positive impact of the US price actions and favorable foreign exchange more than offset the impact of tariffs and higher promotions.” Anversa was speaking about Logitech’s fiscal Q4 2026, a period he described as “the highest level of profitability in the history of the company outside of the COVID peak.” The plaintiffs point to those statements as evidence that Logitech was not simply absorbing tariff costs but was using them to justify price increases that improved profitability.

The Supreme Court ruling and the $61 million refund

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the IEEPA tariffs were imposed illegally. The decision invalidated the tariff program and opened the door for companies that paid the duties to seek refunds from the federal government. The refund process has been ongoing since the ruling.

According to the complaint, Logitech received a full refund of $61 million for the invalidated tariffs, including $15 million during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 and $46 million after the close of that quarter. The plaintiffs argue that keeping those refunds while leaving customer prices elevated amounts to a windfall. The complaint states that Logitech “has been—and absent relief will continue to be—enriched twice over at its customers’ expense: once by the tariff-justified overcharges collected from Plaintiffs and the Class, and again by the government’s refund, with interest, of the very duties those overcharges were represented to cover.”

From the plaintiffs’ perspective, the money belongs to the people who actually paid higher prices. They argue that Logitech used the tariffs as cover to collect extra revenue, then received the tariff money back from the government. If Logitech is allowed to keep both, the company would benefit twice from a tariff regime that the Supreme Court has said was unlawful.

Legal claims and requested relief

The complaint seeks to recover money on behalf of a proposed class of U.S. customers who bought Logitech products at tariff-inflated prices. The exact legal theories will be tested in court, but the underlying argument is straightforward: Logitech was unjustly enriched when it retained price increases tied to duties that no longer had a lawful basis.

The lawsuit also requests a declaratory judgment stating that Logitech must give the IEEPA tariff refund proceeds to customers. That request reflects a broader question about what companies owe consumers when a government-imposed cost is later invalidated. Businesses usually have no legal obligation to reduce prices after a tax or tariff is struck down, but plaintiffs argue that the circumstances here are different because Logitech explicitly treated the tariffs as a cost that customers needed to cover.

Broader wave of tariff refund lawsuits

Logitech is not alone in facing this kind of case. Customers have filed similar lawsuits against Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony over tariff-related price increases. The technology industry broadly relied on imports and supply chains in Asia, making many consumer electronics companies particularly exposed to the tariffs. When the Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA tariffs, refund applications and class action claims followed.

Those cases could set a precedent for whether tariff refunds must flow through to end consumers. Some companies have taken the position that refunds from the government are separate from the retail prices they set. If a court accepts that argument, consumers would have no claim to any refund that a manufacturer receives. If the courts side with consumers, companies could be forced to recalculate pricing and distribute refunds across large customer bases.

Potential defenses and arbitration issue

One likely defense is that Logitech’s prices were set independently and reflected many factors beyond tariffs. While executive comments tied the price increases to tariffs, the company could argue that market conditions, component costs, and currency movements also played a role. Courts may need to determine what portion of the price increase was actually attributable to the invalidated tariffs.

Another significant issue is arbitration. Logitech’s end-user license agreement includes arbitration provisions, and companies in similar cases have attempted to move disputes out of court. Nintendo, for example, filed a motion to compel arbitration in the tariff refund lawsuit against it. Nintendo also argued that customers “received exactly what they paid for” and that there is not “anything ‘unjust’ about Nintendo retaining money that it may receive from the government as tariff refunds.” Logitech could pursue a similar procedural challenge before the case reaches the merits.

The outcome of these motions could determine whether the Logitech case proceeds as a class action in federal court or is pushed into individual arbitration. If arbitration is compelled, individual consumers would face a much higher barrier to recovery, since the cost and effort of pursuing a claim could exceed the value of a mouse or keyboard.

As the legal process moves forward, Logitech has not yet responded publicly to the complaint. A request for comment was not answered. The company will have the opportunity to file a response, and the court will decide whether the plaintiffs can represent a broader class of customers.

Source: Ars Technica News

What the Revised Terms Say

The new agreement specifically deletes and replaces Section VI(2)(B) of the publisher's general user agreement for the technology site. Under the original wording, the exact scope of the company's license may have seemed limited to operating the service. The revised language expands that scope by explicitly allowing the company to use content on or in connection with the service, or the promotion thereof, including commercial purposes. That addition is critical because it lets the company take comments, forum posts, or other submissions and incorporate them into advertising, marketing campaigns, sponsored content, and other promotional materials.

The license lists a long series of permitted actions: copy, reproduce, modify, edit, crop, alter, revise, adapt, translate, enhance, reformat, remix, rearrange, resize, create derivative works of, move, remove, delete, erase, reverse-engineer, store, cache, aggregate, publish, post, display, distribute, broadcast, perform, transmit, rent, sell, share, sublicense, syndicate, or otherwise provide to others, use, or change all such Content. This list is deliberately exhaustive and intended to cover every conceivable way a digital platform might exploit user-generated content, including future technologies not yet invented. The phrase “or otherwise provide to others” further extends the license to third-party partners and distributors.

The rights apply to “Content you post, upload, transmit, send or otherwise make available on or through the Service,” which includes comments, articles, images, videos, data, and any other material submitted by users. The agreement also states that entering a sweepstakes or contest or engaging in any other form of communication with the company grants the same license. This provision ensures that even if a user sends a direct email, a product suggestion, or a contest entry, the company has full rights to use the contents without seeking additional permission.

Retained Ownership vs. Blanket License

One of the most important aspects of the updated policy is that it does not strip users of ownership. The agreement explicitly states that “you or the owner of any Content you post, upload, transmit, send or otherwise make available on or through the Service retains ownership of all rights, title, and interests in such Content.” This is a familiar structure in user-generated-content platforms: contributors keep their copyright, but they grant the platform a license to use their work.

The distinction between ownership and licensing matters. Ownership means that a user could theoretically republish their own comment or article elsewhere or take action against others who infringe on their copyright. The license, however, gives the company a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive, unrestricted, worldwide right to use the content. In practice, this means the company does not need to pay royalties, does not need to ask permission, and may continue using the content even after the user stops visiting the site or asks for it to be removed. Perpetual means there is no expiration date. Non-exclusive means the user can also license the content to others.

The aggressive scope of the license may be surprising to casual commenters. Many people assume that posting a comment or uploading a photo grants the hosting site limited rights to display that material. In reality, platforms often require broad rights to manage and distribute content. Social media sites have used similar language for years to enable features like sharing, embeds, and advertising. However, the explicit inclusion of “rent, sell, share, sublicense, syndicate” goes beyond what many users expect from a news website, especially one that does not typically run user-generated content as a core product.

Ideas and Suggestions Are Covered Too

The revised agreement also contains a sentence that could have significant implications for users who submit feedback, ideas, or inventions. It states that “we may use any ideas, suggestions, developments, and/or inventions that you post, upload, transmit, send or otherwise make available in any manner as we see fit on or in connection with the Service, or the promotion thereof without any compensation or attribution to you.” This type of clause is sometimes called an “idea submission” clause. It is intended to prevent users from later suing the company for stealing their suggestions or claiming that a new feature was based on a comment they made.

For example, if a reader posts a detailed proposal for a new section, a redesigned app, or a business strategy, the company could implement that proposal without crediting the reader or paying them. The clause is broad enough to cover unsolicited ideas sent by email or through a “contact us” form, in addition to public comments. While such clauses are common in the technology industry, they are often buried in lengthy terms-of-service agreements that most users never read.

The provision also states that the license covers “any form of communication with us (on or through the Service or otherwise).” This means communications outside the site, including emails and direct messages on social media, may fall under the same terms if a user has agreed to the user agreement. That is a particularly expansive reading of the relationship between the user and the company. Users should be cautious about sending confidential or proprietary information to the company through any channel, because the agreement explicitly reserves the right to use that information at no cost.

Why Platforms Update Their User Agreements

User agreements are frequently updated for legal, technical, and business reasons. In this case, the change may have been motivated by a desire to clarify that the license extends beyond the basic operation of the website. Without such language, courts could interpret a license narrowly, limiting the company's ability to quote user comments in advertising, compile user feedback for marketing materials, or create derivative works such as promotional videos.

Companies are also increasingly using user-generated content in paid advertising and sponsored social media campaigns. To do so legally, they need explicit permission from content owners. Some platforms solicit permission on a case-by-case basis, but adding a clause to the user agreement is a simpler and cheaper approach. By making the license part of the terms of service, the company obtains permission from every user who creates an account or posts content, simply through the act of agreeing to the terms.

The balance of power in such agreements is decidedly in favor of the platform. Users generally do not have the opportunity to negotiate terms, and they may not understand the full scope of the rights they are granting. This is not unique to this particular site; virtually every major online platform relies on broad user agreements to protect its operations and future business ambitions. However, the transparency of these terms matters. Some sites have faced backlash when they changed their policies to allow more expansive use of user content, and public criticism has sometimes led to reversals or clarifications.

The specific change to this site's agreement also comes amid growing scrutiny of data privacy and digital rights. Regulators and consumers have become more attentive to how companies collect, use, and share user data. While this update is focused on content licensing rather than data collection, it still touches on important issues of control and consent. Users who feel uncomfortable with the broad scope of the license may choose not to post content, or they may decide to delete their accounts entirely, though deletion does not necessarily terminate the license for content already posted.

What Users Should Consider

Anyone who contributes content to a platform should review that platform's terms of service carefully. Key phrases to look for include “perpetual,” “irrevocable,” “royalty-free,” and “worldwide.” These terms indicate that the platform is requesting a broad and lasting license. The inclusion of “sell” and “sublicense” is particularly important because it means the platform may transfer the content to third parties or incorporate it into products that generate revenue.

Users should also consider whether they are willing to grant promotional rights. The new language explicitly allows the company to use content “for commercial purposes” and “the promotion thereof.” That means a comment left on a news article could appear in a print advertisement, a banner ad, a sponsored social media post, or a promotional email. The user would not be paid and might not even be notified. While the company may rarely exercise these rights, their existence changes the relationship between the platform and its community.

Another practical concern is the permanent nature of the license. Once content is posted, the company's rights continue even if the user later tries to revoke them. The agreement says the grant is irrevocable. This is standard because platforms cannot easily remove content from every archive, cache, and partner site. However, it means that users should not post anything they might later regret or wish to sell exclusively to someone else.

Because of the broad license, users should back up any content they care about before posting it. The agreement itself includes a note encouraging users to “make copies of or otherwise back-up any and all Content, personal data or communications you post.” While that advice may seem self-serving, it reflects the reality that content submitted to a digital platform can be used in unexpected ways over a long period. Relying solely on the platform to preserve a user's content is risky, especially when the platform claims the right to delete, remove, or erase material.

The updated agreement also applies to contest entries and sweepstakes. Participants who submit photos, videos, essays, or other creative works may inadvertently grant the company a license to use those submissions in future marketing campaigns. Contest rules often contain similar terms, but participants should read both the user agreement and the official contest rules to understand how their submission may be used.

For journalists and professional writers, the implications are even more serious. A reporter who posts a draft, a tip, or a source's document in a comment thread could be giving the platform a license to publish and sell that material. Some newsrooms encourage readers to send story ideas through official channels, but those channels may be covered by the same broad license. Writers should avoid submitting confidential or exclusive material unless they are certain about how the platform will treat it.

Online platforms defend expansive user agreements by noting that they need flexibility to operate and innovate. If a company cannot adapt content across new formats and partners, it may be less able to provide a useful service. The company might also argue that users retain ownership and can use their own content however they like, so the license is not a transfer of rights but merely a permission slip for the platform to do its work. From a business perspective, a broad license helps the company avoid costly legal disputes and enables seamless sharing and syndication of content across the web.

From a user's perspective, however, the terms can feel one-sided. Many users do not realize they are granting commercial rights when they post a comment or participate in a contest. The language in the updated agreement is explicit, but it is buried in a legal document that few people read in full. Media literacy campaigns and privacy advocates have urged users to be more informed about their digital rights, yet the complexity of legal terms often overwhelms ordinary readers.

The change may also prompt other websites owned by the same publisher to consider similar revisions. While this update applies only to the technology news site, the wording could serve as a template for other properties. If the publisher adopts similar language across its network, the impact could be substantial, given the large number of readers and commenters on those sites.

What remains to be seen is how the community will respond. Public reaction to broad content licenses can be unpredictable. Some users may stop commenting or refuse to enter contests. Others may simply ignore the changes, assuming that the risk is low. Legal scholars may debate whether a click-through agreement can validly obtain rights to a user's future ideas and inventions, particularly when those ideas are shared in a public forum without expectation of compensation. Courts have sometimes invalidated overly broad idea-submission clauses, especially when they are hidden or unconscionable.

In the meantime, the practical recommendation is clear. Users should assume that anything they post, upload, or communicate to the company may be used in promotional materials, edited, reformatted, or distributed to third parties. They should not post content they wish to keep private or sell exclusively. They should create backups of anything valuable. And they should remember that agreeing to the terms is not merely a technicality; it is a contractual decision that grants significant rights to a large company.

Source: Ars Technica News

In a clip shared Tuesday, February 18, Schofield said, “I’m gonna be so real. I am buying the Skims’ butt pads.” She continued by describing the effect she hopes to achieve: “When you see me walking down the street with a fatty trailing behind [me] … fabulous. Fabulous!”

Schofield, who co-hosts the popular podcast Cancelled with Tana Mongeau & Brooke Schofield, went on to note that society’s attitude toward such products has changed. She added, “Gone are the days where we make fun of stuff like that.”

Fans Rally Behind Schofield’s Honest Approach

The comment section quickly filled with supporters who appreciated Schofield’s straightforwardness. One follower cheered her on with a simple “You know what hell yeah 💅.” Another wrote, “Thank u for saying this,” suggesting that many people have privately considered similar body-enhancing products but hesitated to admit it.

Some fans expressed frustration over the product’s availability. “How dare they all be sold out,” one commenter said, indicating that demand for Skims’ padded shapewear remains high. Others asked Schofield to document her experience after receiving the item, with one person writing, “Can you post a review when you get them?”

This kind of open dialogue about body image and cosmetic aids has become a hallmark of Schofield’s public persona. Whether she is discussing her relationships, her career, or her physical appearance, she has built a following by being unfilteredly candid. That candor appeared to resonate once again in her latest TikTok, where she refused to treat the decision to wear padded shapewear as a taboo topic.

The Product Behind the Buzz

The item Schofield wants to buy is part of Skims’ popular shapewear line, often referred to as the “Butt Collection.” Kim Kardashian’s brand first made waves in the shapewear industry with pieces designed to sculpt, lift, and smooth the body. Among the most talked-about items are the Butt Pad Shorts, which feature discreet padding in the bum area to create the illusion of a more lifted and rounded shape.

According to product descriptions, the shorts combine a high-waist design with a biker-short silhouette. The padding is intended to provide extra volume exactly where some wearers want it most. The garment retails for $78 on Skims’ official website, and the brand frequently faces sellouts whenever new colors or styles are introduced.

Skims has built an empire by addressing a wide range of figure-flattering needs. Founded by Kim Kardashian in 2019, the brand quickly grew from a simple shapewear label into a lifestyle and apparel company that celebrates inclusivity and confidence. The company offers everything from seamless undergarments to loungewear and swimwear, and its campaign imagery frequently features women of different sizes, shapes, and backgrounds.

The Butt Pad Shorts, in particular, have sparked conversations about how modern shapewear has moved beyond simply squeezing the body into a smaller form. Instead, many consumers now seek products that add volume, enhance natural curves, or create a specific hourglass balance. This mirrors a broader cultural shift in which women are more openly embracing cosmetic aids, both clothing-based and surgical, without feeling pressured to hide that they have had help achieving their desired appearance.

Schofield’s History of Body Honesty

This is not the first time Schofield has invited audiences into her personal journey with her body. In November 2024, she underwent breast augmentation surgery, a decision she discussed openly with fans before the procedure. At the time, she explained her motivation in a YouTube video, noting that she had previously felt more satisfied with her chest before losing weight.

“My boobs are small,” she said. “I had big boobs before I lost some weight and now they’re just not how I like them to be. I’m getting them pumped up again.”

Her willingness to speak explicitly about such a personal choice was consistent with the way she has handled other topics on her podcast. Schofield and Tana Mongeau have built a brand around unfiltered conversations that often touch on taboos, personal mistakes, and the sometimes messy realities of growing up in the digital age. By bringing her breast augmentation conversation onto her platform, Schofield gave many listeners the vocabulary to think about cosmetic procedures without shame.

After the surgery, she provided updates on her recovery. She claimed that the experience was far easier than she had anticipated, saying, “I honestly have had the easiest experience. I feel like I’ve hardly any pain at all and I’m really happy with my size.” Throughout the post-operative weeks, she modeled bikinis and sports bras in videos and photos, often taking questions from fans who were curious about the results. She told viewers, “I love my results, it’s exactly what I wanted!”

By pairing her surgical enhancement with a decision to try butt-enhancing shapewear, Schofield highlights the many ways modern women can choose to shape their appearance. Some decisions are permanent, while others are as easy as pulling on a pair of shorts before leaving the house. Her transparency about both options has made her feel more relatable to an audience that is constantly bombarded with images of seemingly perfect celebrity bodies.

The Changing Conversation Around Padded Shapewear

Schofield’s comment about leaving behind the days of making fun of padded shapewear points to a larger evolution in beauty standards. For many years, products like padded bras and butt pads were ridiculed or viewed as deceptive. Women who wore them were sometimes accused of “tricking” others into believing they had naturally fuller figures. That judgment seems to be fading, replaced by an attitude that personal styling tools are simply choices, not secrets.

The rise of platforms like TikTok has accelerated this cultural shift. Creators now regularly film honest reviews of shapewear before and after they put it on. They show exactly how the garment looks under clothing and discuss what it does and doesn’t do. This demystification has normalized the use of these products and stripped away much of the stigma that older generations may have felt.

In that sense, Schofield’s video is part of a much younger conversational wave. Rather than pretending that she naturally has an hourglass figure, she happily announces that she is buying artificial padding. She also frames the goal not as fooling anyone but as feeling fabulous. That choice of words is significant. It suggests that body enhancement can be a source of joy rather than a guarded secret.

Skims has also played a role in normalizing such products through its marketing. The brand presents its padded shapewear almost like a beauty tool, placing it alongside other garments meant to make the wearer feel more confident. The company’s campaigns often emphasize comfort and wearability, showing that the padding is not just for special occasions but can be worn as part of everyday outfits. This approach has made padded shapewear seem less like a special-effects garment and more like a regular item in a fashionable woman’s wardrobe.

Although Skims has attracted some controversy in the past over advertising missteps and sizing complaints, it remains one of the most recognizable brands in the shapewear space. Its influence is so widespread that even celebrities like Schofield are openly discussing their desire to purchase its products. The brand’s ability to generate excitement with a single product drop is proof that consumers are hungry for innovative solutions to age-old fashion concerns.

What This Means for Schofield’s Brand

For Schofield, embracing body-enhancing products is another way to connect with a loyal audience. Her podcast and social media channels thrive on discussions that feel confessional and raw. When she mentions a specific product, her followers often trust her because she doesn’t present herself as perfect. Instead, she openly shares what she doesn’t like about her body and what she chooses to do about it.

That sense of shared experience is reinforced when fans respond with comments like “Thank u for saying this.” Many people likely feel that they, too, have considered buying padded shapewear but were worried about being ridiculed. Hearing a public figure admit to the same thought can be validating. It also sends a message that wanting to adjust the way clothes fit is normal, not shallow.

Schofield’s announcement arrives at a time when body positivity and body neutrality are both prominent concepts. While some people choose to accept themselves completely as they are, others pursue changes that make them feel more comfortable. Neither approach is universally right, and Schofield seems to embrace the messy middle. She can declare that she loves her breast augmentation results while also hoping to add a little extra volume in another area.

There is also a practical side to her choice. Not everyone wants to undergo a surgical procedure to achieve a more curvy shape. Butt pads offer a temporary, reversible way to experiment with a new silhouette. For women like Schofield, who is in the public eye and frequently photographed, such products can provide an easy boost for a red carpet event, a podcast recording, or simply a casual walk down the street.

Given that multiple fans pointed out the product being sold out, Schofield may have to wait before she can make the purchase. But she seemed determined. Her lighthearted tone suggests that she views the journey as an adventure rather than a serious statement about her worth. She is not turning to these pads out of desperation; she is adding them to her toolkit because she has decided they will be fun.

The response to her video also shows how far celebrity culture has come since the days when stars quietly wore fake lashes, hair extensions, and heavily padded undergarments without ever acknowledging them. Now, conversations about beauty enhancements are happening in real time, with fans and celebrities sharing the same products and comparing notes. Schofield’s TikTok post may have been a joke at times, but it was also an invitation to join her in trying something new.

Her openness about both her breast augmentation and her interest in padded shapewear reflects a generation that values choice and transparency over secrecy. The old rules, which demanded that women pretend their bodies were entirely natural, have largely collapsed. In their place, a new standard has emerged: be honest about what you want and refuse to apologize for it.

Source: Yahoo Life News

Why double teams remain a problem for Durant

Durant’s unique combination of size, shooting range, and ball-handling has made him virtually impossible to guard one-on-one for most of his career. Standing around 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, he can shoot over any defender, attack the rim with long strides, and create his own shot from almost any spot on the floor. Because single coverage rarely stops him, opponents often send a second defender to force the ball out of his hands. This tactic has been a constant throughout his career, but it becomes even more important in the playoffs, where schemes are designed to make stars work for every possession.

Lovell says the goal this summer is to make Durant even more dangerous when those extra defenders arrive. “We’re really working on him staying low and we’re sending a lot of double teams at him,” Lovell explained. “We’re doing a lot of live situations. We’re really trying to make it hard for him and working on his passes to get out of double teams.”

To replicate game conditions, training sessions have included occupied spaces, forcing Durant to operate in tight areas. “We’re filling the floor so he has to play in small, congested spaces,” Lovell added. This type of drill is designed to prepare him for the moments he will face against elite defenses that want to trap him near the sideline or in the pick-and-roll.

Film study led to a new development plan

The decision to focus on this part of his game was not random. Durant’s camp reviewed footage from last season and identified several situations where the veteran could still make better decisions. Even at his age and with his scoring ability, there were possessions in which he lost the ball while trying to escape a trap. Lovell explained that the main objective is to turn those losses into clean passes, especially when fatigue becomes a factor.

“When teams send double teams at him and he is tired, we want him to improve so he doesn’t turn the ball over trying to get out of it,” Lovell said. “So it’s about making sure he improves as a passer against double teams. That was one of our areas of focus after watching his games.”

The approach is not about overhauling Durant’s style or questioning his playmaking instincts. Lovell was quick to point out that Durant already knows how to pass the ball at an elite level. The point of the summer sessions is repetition. By practicing these reads over and over again, Durant hopes to make his reactions automatic when defenses try to trap him in real games.

A growing need for Durant to create under pressure

Durant has always been more than a scorer. He has demonstrated strong playmaking ability throughout his career, particularly during his time with the Brooklyn Nets, where he frequently initiated the offense and averaged career-high assist numbers. Still, there have been stretches where he chose to force shots through contact instead of making the extra pass. This was especially visible during the moments when his teammates struggled to knock down open looks, or when the offense lacked a reliable secondary creator.

In Houston, those moments became more frequent than expected last season. The Rockets signed Durant during the 2025 free-agency period to serve as the veteran anchor for a young and rising team. But injuries forced him to take on even more responsibility. Fred VanVleet, the team’s starting point guard and one of its best decision-makers, was sidelined for a significant stretch. Without him, Houston often looked to Durant to initiate sets, create advantages, and bail out broken plays. That extra workload took a toll, especially when teams loaded up on him defensively.

Durant’s ability to pass out of double teams became an even more valuable skill under those circumstances. If he can calm down, survey the floor, and fire quick passes to open shooters or cutters, opposing defenses will pay for sending extra bodies. That is exactly what Lovell has been trying to reinforce during the summer workouts.

Durant still producing at an elite level

Despite turning 37, Durant continues to post impressive numbers. Last season, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range. Those numbers would be considered outstanding for a player in his prime, let alone for a 37-year-old entering his 20th NBA season. His scoring remains effortless, and his shooting efficiency has barely dipped with age.

Durant has also shown remarkable durability in recent years. After dealing with an Achilles injury that forced him to miss an entire season with the Golden State Warriors, he returned to action in the 2020-21 season and has consistently played at a high level. Over the past two seasons with the Phoenix Suns and then Houston Rockets, he has remained available for the majority of games, silencing many concerns about whether his body could hold up.

Some players at this stage of their careers would avoid the gym or rely solely on their talent. Durant takes the opposite approach. His trainer is still impressed by the level of curiosity and humility he brings to training.

“You never see a Hall of Famer look at you and ask, ‘Am I doing this correctly?’ He wants us to teach him things at this age,” Lovell said. “That’s rare.”

Durant’s place among the all-time greats

The discussion around Durant’s legacy has shifted in recent years. He has won two NBA championships, earned two Finals MVP awards, and claimed one regular-season MVP trophy. He has also won multiple Olympic gold medals with Team USA, including the 2024 Paris Olympics, and has been selected to numerous All-NBA and All-Star teams. At this stage of his career, the only remaining debates center on his place among the greatest scorers and the best players in the history of the sport.

Many analysts place him in the top 10 or top 15 of all-time, with some ranking him as high as number six or seven. His ability to score in every conceivable way—off the dribble, from mid-range, behind the arc, and at the rim—makes him a unique offensive weapon. He has also developed into a solid defender when locked in, using his length to block shots and disrupt passing lanes.

What makes Durant’s current development so fascinating is that he is still adding to his game after so many years of dominance. The list of superstars who keep working on their weaknesses at age 37 is very short. Most rely on past success and natural ability. Durant, by contrast, appears driven by the same hunger that made him a highly sought-after prospect out of Montrose Christian School and then the University of Texas.

Houston’s improving supporting cast

The Rockets are hoping that Durant’s summer work will pay off in 2026-27. They also expect that their roster will be healthier and deeper than it was at times last season. VanVleet is scheduled to return as the primary point guard, which should ease the creation burden on Durant. The addition of Marcus Smart, a seasoned defender and capable playmaker, gives Houston another veteran who can handle the ball and make sound decisions under pressure.

Smart’s presence should also benefit Durant defensively. Durant will no longer be asked to carry as much of the playmaking load, and he can focus more on scoring and playing off his teammates. That could extend his effectiveness, especially during the regular season, and allow him to save energy for the playoffs.

The Rockets have built an intriguing mix of young talent and veteran leadership. With Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and other promising young players, the franchise has plenty of upside. Adding Durant to that core made them an immediate contender in the Western Conference, and the return of VanVleet and Smart should provide even more balance.

What the training sessions look like on the court

Durant’s workout routine with Lovell is not simply a series of shooting drills. The sessions are designed to simulate game pressure. Lovell said the staff sends multiple defenders at Durant and fills the floor so that driving lanes become crowded. The idea is to make it uncomfortable for the veteran, so that he must think quickly and execute clean passes under duress.

Durant has always been willing to experiment with new movements and techniques. He has worked on post-ups, ball screens, catch-and-shoot opportunities, and isolation plays throughout his career. Adding advanced trapping and passing reads to that list only increases the number of ways he can hurt opposing defenses.

It also helps that Durant is unselfish by nature. He has never been the type of superstar who insists on shooting every possession. He routinely makes the extra pass and has played alongside other high-usage stars like Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, and Kyrie Irving. That experience has taught him how to share the ball and adjust to different offensive systems. This summer’s work on double teams can be seen as another extension of that team-first mentality.

The challenge of learning while at the top

Kevin Durant’s willingness to learn may be the most underrated part of his greatness. At 37 years old, with more than 30,000 career points and two Finals MVPs, he still asks his trainer for feedback. He still wants to know if his footwork is correct and if his escape passes can be sharper. That attitude is rare in any sport, and it explains why Durant has been able to keep evolving as the game changes around him.

His rivals have taken notice over the years. Players such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry have also managed to stay elite well into their 30s by adding new elements to their games. Durant appears determined to follow the same path. This offseason is proof that he is not finished growing.

The specifics of his double-team work will be tested when the Rockets face the league’s best defensive teams. There will be nights when the opponents send blitzes at him from the first possession to the last. With more practice and better passing reads, Durant should be prepared. If the extra work turns a few turnovers into open three-pointers for his teammates, Houston’s offense could become even more dangerous than people expect.

For a franchise aiming to compete at the highest level, that is an encouraging thought. For opposing defenses, it is a warning that the future Hall of Famer is still finding ways to improve.

Source: BasketSession.com - Le meilleur de la NBA : news, rumeurs, vidéos, analyses News

L'édition 2021 du Festival de Cannes restera comme celle d'une rentrée fracassante pour le cinéma français. Parmi les visages les plus attendus sur la Croisette, celui de Noémie Merlant s'est imposé avec une évidence particulière. L'actrice, qui avait conquis le public et la critique grâce à son rôle dans Portrait de la jeune fille en feu de Céline Sciamma, était cette fois doublement à l'affiche. Elle présentait son premier long métrage en tant que réalisatrice, Mi iubita, mon amour, sélectionné en Séance Spéciale, et défendait simultanément Les Olympiades, le nouveau film événement de Jacques Audiard, en compétition officielle. Une double exposition qui en dit long sur la vitalité et l'ambition de cette artiste complète.

Noémie Merlant n'est pas du genre à s'endormir sur ses lauriers. Depuis ses débuts, elle a construit une carrière aussi éclectique que courageuse, alternant grosses productions et cinéma d'auteur, devant et désormais derrière la caméra. Ce passage à la réalisation était attendu par beaucoup de ses admirateurs, qui voyaient dans son intensité et sa sensibilité les qualités naturelles d'une conteuse. Avec Mi iubita, mon amour, elle ne déçoit pas, livrant une œuvre intime, solaire et profondément humaine, fidèle à son tempérament.

Le contexte cannois de cette année était particulier. Après une édition 2020 annulée pour cause de pandémie, le festival retrouvait enfin les projecteurs et le tapis rouge avec une programmation dense et prometteuse. La présence de Noémie Merlant symbolisait en quelque sorte ce retour à la normalité, mais aussi la nouvelle vague de cinéastes françaises qui prennent la parole et s'affirment derrière la caméra. Elle incarnait avec d'autres cette génération qui ne veut plus choisir entre interprétation et mise en scène, et qui considère le cinéma comme un espace total de liberté.

« Mi iubita, mon amour », un projet né entre amis

Le titre du film, Mi iubita, mon amour, mêle le roumain et le français, comme pour mieux traduire la rencontre improbable qui se joue à l'écran. On y suit Jeanne, une Française, et un jeune Roumain, Gabriel, dont les chemins se croisent pendant un été caniculaire. Entre eux, c'est immédiatement le coup de foudre, un élan inattendu, puissant, qui bouscule leurs certitudes et les entraîne dans une relation aussi intense que fragile. Le film explore ce moment suspendu où tout devient possible, où l'attirance physique et émotionnelle transcende les différences de langue, d'origine et de culture.

Noémie Merlant a elle-même insisté sur la dimension profondément amicale du projet. « C'est un film fait entre amis ! » a-t-elle déclaré, avec un enthousiasme communicatif. Cette phrase n'est pas qu'une formule. Derrière la caméra, l'actrice a réuni autour d'elle une équipe de proches, des techniciens et des comédiens qui partagent sa vision du cinéma. Ce climat de confiance et de camaraderie se ressent à l'écran : les comédiens jouent juste, les regards sont libres, et la mise en scène respire une certaine douceur de vivre. On sent que le plateau devait être un lieu de joie et de création collective, loin des protocoles rigides des grosses machines hollywoodiennes.

Le choix de tourner en Roumanie n'est pas anodin. Noémie Merlant a souvent exprimé son attachement à l'Europe de l'Est, à ses paysages, à sa lumière, à ses gens. En plantant sa caméra dans ce décor à la fois familier et dépaysant, elle crée un contraste avec la France de Jeanne, peut-être trop policée, trop rationnelle. Le film devient alors un double voyage : géographique, d'un pays à l'autre, mais aussi intérieur, à la rencontre de soi-même et de l'autre. La réalisatrice filme les corps, les silences, les non-dits, avec une justesse qui évoque parfois le cinéma de Mia Hansen-Løve ou de Claire Denis, mais avec une singularité bien à elle.

La Séance Spéciale de Cannes a été l'occasion de découvrir une cinéaste qui maîtrise déjà les codes du récit classique tout en les subvertissant. Elle n'a pas peur des ellipses, des ambivalences, ni des fins ouvertes. Elle préfère la suggestion à la démonstration, laissant au spectateur le soin de combler les vides. Cette écriture du sensible, parfois fragile, est sans doute ce qui a touché le public cannois, venu en masse assister à la projection. Les retours furent enthousiastes, saluant la fraîcheur et l'audace de ce premier long métrage.

Une histoire d'amour universelle

Au-delà de l'anecdote romantique, Mi iubita, mon amour raconte quelque chose de plus universel : la difficulté de l'abandon, la peur de l'inconnu, mais aussi la beauté des rencontres qui nous transforment. Jeanne et Gabriel viennent de mondes différents, portent en eux des histoires singulières, des blessures peut-être. Leur amour n'est pas un long fleuve tranquille ; il est fait de doutes, de malentendus, de rapprochements fulgurants et de silences lourds de sens. Noémie Merlant ne cherche pas à idéaliser la relation, elle la montre dans sa complexité chaotique, avec ses élans et ses retenues.

La dimension sensorielle du film est également à souligner. L'été est brûlant, les peaux moites, les nuits étoilées. La réalisatrice a l'intelligence de faire de la météo un personnage à part entière, une toile de fond qui exacerbe les sentiments et précipite les déclarations. Le spectateur est plongé dans cette atmosphère enveloppante, porté par une photographie lumineuse et une bande-son délicate. Ce n'est pas un hasard si le terme « amour » apparaît dans le titre, dans les deux langues : il s'agit d'un sentiment qui se passe de la traduction, qui se vit et se ressent.

Pour une première réalisation, Noémie Merlant fait preuve d'une assurance remarquable dans la direction des acteurs. Elle-même comédienne, elle sait combien il est important de créer un environnement sécurisant pour que chacun puisse se livrer sans retenue. Gimi-Nicolae Covaci, interprète de Gabriel, livre une performance habitée, à la fois rugueuse et tendre. Le duo qu'il forme avec Noémie Merlant est d'une évidente complicité, et c'est cette alchimie qui porte le film. La presse présente à Cannes a particulièrement salué cette rencontre, la jugeant crédible et émouvante. Le choix d'une actrice française et d'un acteur roumain pour incarner ses deux amants donne au récit une vérité documentaire bienvenue.

Les Olympiades, une autre facette de l'actrice

Le même jour, Noémie Merlant apparaissait dans Les Olympiades, le nouveau film de Jacques Audiard, présenté en compétition. Il s'agit d'un film choral se déroulant dans le XIIIe arrondissement de Paris, adapté de trois nouvelles graphiques. Le cinéaste, connu pour des œuvres aussi puissantes qu'Un prophète, De rouille et d'os ou Dheepan, se réinvente ici avec un noir et blanc élégant et une narration moderne, fragmentée. L'histoire se concentre sur les amours croisées de jeunes adultes, pris dans la tourmente des sentiments à l'ère du numérique et des rencontres virtuelles.

Noémie Merlant y joue une femme polyamoureuse, un rôle qui contraste singulièrement avec celui de Jeanne dans Mi iubita, mon amour. Elle incarne une certaine liberté des mœurs, une quête de soi à travers l'expérience multiple de l'amour. La comédienne a expliqué à quel point elle avait été impressionnée par la méthode de travail de Jacques Audiard. « Sur le plateau, Jacques est comme un enfant, avait-elle confié. Il s'émerveille de tout, il essaie, il teste, il est dans une jubilation constante. Cela donne une énergie folle à l'équipe. » Cette expérience a visiblement nourri sa propre pratique de réalisatrice, elle qui revendique volontiers l'influence des grands cinéastes avec lesquels elle a tourné.

La critique a réservé un accueil très chaleureux aux Olympiades lors de sa projection cannoise. Beaucoup y ont vu une œuvre audacieuse et générationnelle, portée par une mise en scène sophistiquée et des interprètes impeccables. Noémie Merlant, aux côtés de Makita Samba, Jehnny Beth et Geneviève Doang, tire son épingle du jeu en imposant sa présence magnétique. Ce rôle témoigne de sa capacité à se renouveler sans cesse, à accepter des propositions déroutantes, loin des attentes commerciales. Son parcours rappelle celui d'autres actrices françaises devenues réalisatrices, comme Sophie Marceau, Emmanuelle Bercot ou Maïwenn, mais elle y ajoute une dimension européenne revendiquée.

Le fait de voir Noémie Merlant à la fois en séance spéciale et en compétition explique pourquoi elle était si attendue par les festivaliers. Elle représente une figure moderne de l'artiste complet, qui ne veut pas choisir entre les métiers du cinéma, mais au contraire les conjuguer et les enrichir mutuellement. Loin des rivalités stériles entre premiers rôles, elle s'est bâtie une carrière en toute indépendance, n'hésitant pas à partager l'affiche avec d'autres grandes actrices, comme Adèle Haenel ou Céline Sallette, ou à s'effacer derrière ses personnages.

Un avenir prometteur derrière et devant la caméra

Avec cette double présence, Noémie Merlant s'impose comme l'une des figures montantes du cinéma francophone. Déjà révélée par Portrait de la jeune fille en feu, elle a su enchaîner les projets exigeants, de J'irai où tu iras à Une belle histoire, en passant par des séries et des films indépendants. Son passage à la réalisation n'est pas un accident de parcours, mais bien une étape logique dans une carrière guidée par la passion et le désir de raconter des histoires justes.

Les spectateurs ressortent de Mi iubita, mon amour avec cette impression d'avoir vu naître quelque chose : un cinéaste avec une voix, un regard, une sensibilité. On pense évidemment aux premières œuvres de Céline Sciamma ou de Rebecca Zlotowski, où l'intime se mêle déjà au politique. Mais Noémie Merlant semble vouloir tracer son propre chemin, sans étiquette. Elle explore les relations humaines dans ce qu'elles ont de plus fragile et de plus nécessaire, avec une douceur qui n'exclut ni la violence ni l'ambiguïté.

Le mois de juillet 2021 aura donc marqué un tournant pour elle. Les marches montées pour défendre ces deux films resteront dans sa mémoire, mais aussi dans celle du public, qui a pu apprécier la diversité de son talent. Alors que les projecteurs de Cannes se sont éteints, Noémie Merlant continue son chemin, nourrie de ces rencontres, de ces expériences. Elle prouve, si besoin était, qu'avec du travail, de la sincérité et un brin d'insouciance, on peut faire du cinéma un espace de fraternité et de découverte. C'est peut-être là, finalement, la plus belle leçon de cette édition du festival.

Source: Premiere.fr News

Addressing reporters alongside Sven Schulze, the outgoing state premier and defeated CDU candidate, Merz acknowledged that "something changed" in Germany after the vote. "My determination is to pursue the course of reforms, without a break, but I know that ... we must explain them better," he said after a meeting of the CDU leadership in Berlin. The chancellor's initial public reaction was one of bewilderment, using the word "shocked" to describe the outcome, while insisting that his government's social and economic reforms would stay on track.

A Historic First for the Far Right

Sunday's election in Saxony-Anhalt marks a watershed in post-war German political history. The AfD, founded in 2013 as an anti-euro fringe movement, has now become the strongest party in a German state parliament and is just three seats short of an absolute majority. Its leader in the state, the 35-year-old Ulrich Siegmund, was quick to claim a mandate to govern. "The voters have made us the strongest force, and we are ready to lead," he said, while thanking supporters and welcoming congratulations from Elon Musk overnight. Siegmund, widely described as charismatic and ruthless, has been a driving force in radicalizing the party's Eastern branches, pushing a hard-line anti-immigration agenda and cultivating close ties with Moscow.

The party's triumph in a state that was part of communist East Germany until 1990 follows its strong performance in the 2025 federal election, when it became the second-largest force in the Bundestag. But winning a state government has long remained an unattainable goal because all mainstream parties refuse to form coalitions with the AfD. That "cordon sanitaire" or firewall remains intact for now: the CDU, the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Left have all ruled out any cooperation with Siegmund's party. However, with nearly half the electorate backing the far right, political observers say the pressure on the firewall has never been greater.

Merz Under Fire

Friedrich Merz, who became chancellor only fourteen months ago after leading his party to a narrow victory in the 2025 federal elections, is now facing an existential crisis. His conservative-liberal economic agenda and his promises to harden Germany's migration policy have failed to resonate with voters in the east. According to research published in June 2026, Merz had the support of only 14% of voters, a stunningly low figure for a sitting chancellor. Intra-party discontent has been growing for months, and Sunday's debacle has reignited speculation about his future. Paul Maurice, secretary general of the Franco-German Relations Studies Committee at IFRI, noted that "days might be numbered. Internal battles within the CDU are underway. Merz arrived with a clearly right-wing program, but critics accuse him of not implementing the conservative, economically liberal program on which he campaigned in 2025. Therefore, conservative voters are gradually drifting toward the far right."

CDU officials interviewed after the vote were unsparing. "We are paying the price for Merz's bad policy in Berlin. I have been a super supporter of Merz, but voters are not stupid," said one party member, echoing a sentiment that was widespread among Christian Democrats in Saxony-Anhalt. Even the party's youth wing, which had enthusiastically backed Merz during his rise, turned on him. Fabian Theige, a member of the Christian Democratic youth organization, said: "What he is doing is frightening. Let's hope this result makes the message of the people heard."

The chancellor has promised to adjust his communication style but not his substance. He remains convinced that his reforms, including cutbacks in social benefits and stricter controls at Germany's borders, are necessary to revive the economy and to reduce pressure on public services. He argued that the AfD's success was largely a protest vote against the government in Berlin, and that the answer was to demonstrate that reforms will deliver results over time.

Voter Mobilization and Protest

Sunday's turnout reached 78%, a remarkably high level for a regional election, and analysts said the strong mobilization clearly benefited the AfD. Exit polls showed that a majority of voters who supported Siegmund said they did not necessarily share his party's ideology but wanted to punish the federal government and particularly the CDU. The AfD also drew votes from the CDU, while support for former coalition partners collapsed. Several voters interviewed by reporters outside polling stations said they were "desperate" about inflation, housing costs and unemployment in the region. One said: "The established parties have all had their chance. We want a fundamental change, not just in Saxony-Anhalt but across Germany."

German newspapers reacted with varying degrees of alarm. Der Spiegel, a left-leaning weekly, wrote that "it is shocking that this is possible in Germany, 80 years after the end of the Third Reich responsible for the Second World War, the Holocaust and other horrors," invoking the country's painful history. The mass-market tabloid Bild, by contrast, defended the electorate: "Voters deserve respect. They are desperate about the state of our country. The established parties have been swept away." The Münchner Merkur described the result as "an execution" for Chancellor Merz, while Berlin's Tagesspiegel argued that "the AfD's triumph is a final warning to Merz and to the established parties."

A Radicalized Party

Experts point not only to the electoral earthquakes but also to the changing nature of the AfD. Paul Maurice said that the party's program should not be confused with the conservative CDU politics of the 1990s. "This is a program that carries, it must be said, neo-Nazi undertones," he said. "Especially in the east, there are ideologues of the far right who have pursued a strategy of entering the party and reorienting its ideological content, making it truly a laboratory for a renewed, ideologized far right very close to Russia and also to Elon Musk, who congratulated Ulrich Siegmund." Indeed, Siegmund has fostered an openly revisionist course, questioning Germany's post-war guilt and advocating closer alignment with Vladimir Putin's regime as a counterweight to the United States and the European Union. This distinctly anti-Western, or at least anti-EU, profile has allowed the AfD to tap into economic resentment in eastern Germany, where industries have struggled through energy transition and globalization, and where many citizens feel left behind by the political system.

Yet the party also maintains a more moderate façade on the national stage, embodied by its federal co-leader Alice Weidel, who has sought to present the AfD as a normal conservative force. On Sunday evening, Weidel and Siegmund both extended a "hand" to parties to form a government, saying they were ready to take responsibility. But all mainstream parties remain hesitant, not only because of the party's radical elements but also because of recent legal proceedings against several AfD politicians accused of using fascist slogans.

Coalition Arithmetic

According to projections by Germany's public broadcasters, the AfD won about 39 of the 81 seats in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, leaving the party three seats short of the absolute majority needed to govern without partners. This has led to speculation about potential defections from other parties or a minority government. The CDU, which sank to under 18% and lost dozens of seats, has excluded any alliance with the AfD, and the other parliamentary forces have done the same. The dilemma facing the state is stark: if no coalition is formed, the Alternative for Germany could rule as a minority government, or the state could face a prolonged political crisis.

For Friedrich Merz, already weakened by his low approval ratings, this regional defeat deepens a growing vulnerability. While CDU leaders have stopped short of openly calling for his resignation, several party insiders say that his authority is now seriously compromised. The chancellor, however, remains defiant, insisting that his policies are the only way forward and that he will fight to win back the voters who turned to the AfD. "We must explain our reforms better," he said on Monday. "But we will not change our course because of a single election."

Meanwhile, the next federal election is still more than two years away, and the AfD continues to gain momentum across the country. Polls indicate that the party is now the preferred choice of a significant minority of German voters, particularly in the east. Whether the established parties can preserve the cordon sanitaire or whether Germany enters uncharted political waters remains to be seen, but the results in Saxony-Anhalt have already sent a shockwave through Berlin and beyond.

Source: RFI News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — September 3, 2026 — The Broadcast Retirement Network (BRN) today is marking seven (7) years of daily, advertising-free, fact- and evidence-based programming dedicated to retirement, aging, finance, lifestyle, privacy, and wellness. 

Since its launch in 2019, BRN has aired more than 2,500 original programs, broadcasting seven days a week at 7:30 AM ET. Over that period, the network has produced more than 625 hours of programming featuring international experts sharing their expertise with the audience. 

BRN programming is made available at no cost, complete with full transcripts, and is broadly syndicated across major news sites, aggregation services, streaming platforms and podcast services—ensuring BRN’s content reaches its audience wherever media is consumed. Shorter clips are also distributed across all major social media channels every two hours, further extending the network’s reach.

BRN distinguishes itself through a straightforward editorial commitment: no sales pitches, no advertisements, and no politics—just the facts, every morning. The network also delivers a daily, hand-curated newsletter The Morning Pulse on aging, finance, lifestyle, privacy, retirement, and wellness, selected by an expert editor.

“Reaching our seventh anniversary is a testament to the trust our audience and partners have placed in us,” said Jeffrey Snyder, Chief Executive Officer and Lead Anchor of the Broadcast Retirement Network. “For seven years—drawing on my 32 years in the retirement industry, our mission has remained the same: to deliver clear, credible and useful information to the people who need it, free of any external noise.

A September-Only Anniversary Offer

To mark the occasion, BRN is offering new subscribers 20% off The Morning Pulse—its daily newsletter delivering expert-curated news on money, health, and retirement, written by a human, without the use of AI, and free of ads and sales pitches. Every subscription directly supports BRN’s daily programming. Read today’s edition here: https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=26e6dd4c63255e9ef5e07a4c4&id=152e013f21

Normally $4 per month, new subscribers can save 20% with code BRN20 through September 30, 2026, only. Individuals can subscribe at https://buy.stripe.com/4gw9CS5NI8cibVm7su.

Looking Ahead

BRN will unveil a new opportunity for prospective partners on September 9, 2026. Details will be shared across the network’s platforms and social media channels.

“This milestone belongs to our guests, audience and partners as much as it does to us,” Snyder added. “We are grateful for seven years of continued support—and we’re just getting started.”

About Broadcast Retirement Network

The Broadcast Retirement Network (BRN) is an independent daily program delivering fact-based news and expert insight on aging, finance, lifestyle, privacy, retirement, and wellness. Airing seven days a week at 7:30 AM ET, BRN provides advertising-free programming, complete with transcripts, syndicated at no cost across major news, streaming, and podcast platforms. BRN is led by Chief Executive Officer and Lead Anchor Jeffrey Snyder, who brings 32 years of retirement industry experience to the network’s daily coverage.

Media Contact

Jeffrey Snyder 

Chief Executive Officer / Lead Anchor 

Email: jeff@broadcastretirementnetwork.com 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BroadcastRetirementNetwork

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<p>The post Broadcast Retirement Network Marks 7 Years of Daily, Fact- and Evidence-Based Programming first appeared on PR Business News Wire.</p>

Des débuts prometteurs

Mikey Madison naît à Los Angeles en 1999, dans une famille nombreuse qui la laisse libre de suivre ses envies. Son premier rêve n'a rien à voir avec le cinéma. Elle se passionne pour l'équitation et passe une grande partie de son enfance auprès des chevaux. L'idée d'une carrière de cavalière professionnelle lui traverse d'ailleurs l'esprit. Mais la découverte du jeu d'acteur, de la liberté offerte par les plateaux et de la puissance émotionnelle d'un scénario change sa trajectoire. Fascinée par la manière dont le cinéma peut capturer des existences complexes, elle franchit le pas et décide de se consacrer entièrement à la comédie.

Son passage à la télévision est décisif. Pendant cinq saisons, elle incarne Max dans Better Things, la série semi-autobiographique de Pamela Adlon diffusée sur FX. Max est une adolescente en quête de repères au sein d'une famille monoparentale. Elle observe le monde des adultes avec un mélange d'insolence et de vulnérabilité. Ce rôle de longue haleine permet à Mikey Madison d'apprendre les exigences du métier, d'ajuster sa présence face à la caméra et de travailler des émotions plus nuancées. Elle n'a pas encore vingt ans lorsqu'elle s'installe durablement dans le paysage audiovisuel américain.

En 2019, elle fait une entrée remarquée au cinéma sous la direction de Quentin Tarantino. Dans Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, elle interprète Sadie, une jeune femme liée à la famille Manson. Le rôle est court, presque fugace, mais sa tension intérieure et sa menace contenue marquent les esprits. Elle évolue dans un univers très stylisé, entre nostalgie hollywoodienne et violence latente. Elle y démontre déjà sa capacité à abriter des ombres derrière un visage paisible.

Elle rejoint ensuite la franchise horrifique Scream pour le cinquième volet. Sous les traits d'Amber Freeman, elle incarne une adolescente au sourire angélique qui se révèle peu à peu manipulatrice, cruelle et terrifiante. Ce personnage en trompe-l'œil lui permet d'explorer les codes du thriller et de l'horreur. Elle apporte à cette figure pourtant sinistre une présence singulière et presque malicieuse. Avec ce rôle, Mikey Madison confirme qu'elle peut évoluer entre la candeur apparente et la violence intérieure avec une aisance rare.

Une comédienne façonnée par le cinéma indépendant

Entre ses débuts télévisés et sa consécration aux Oscars, Mikey Madison s'est construite une filmographie attentive aux marges. Les personnages qu'elle choisit ne sont jamais unidimensionnels. Ils portent en eux une dualité, une fêlure, une part d'ombre. Ce goût pour les rôles complexes l'éloigne naturellement des productions standardisées et la rapproche des cinéastes qui filment des univers sociaux peu représentés. C'est précisément cette énergie singulière que Sean Baker a su capter dans Anora.

La consécration avec Anora

Anora raconte l'histoire d'une strip-teaseuse de Brooklyn qui épouse par coup de tête Ivan, le fils d'un oligarque russe. Ce mariage précipité déclenche une réaction en chaîne dès que la famille du jeune homme apprend l'existence de l'union. Anora se retrouve confrontée à un monde d'argent, de mensonges et de rapports de force qu'elle ne maîtrise pas. Le scénario alterne entre comédie noire, drame social et course-poursuite presque burlesque, offrant à l'actrice une matière dramatique d'une rare richesse.

Mikey Madison est présente dans presque chaque plan. La caméra de Sean Baker l'accompagne dans les rues, dans les boîtes de nuit, dans les espaces confinés où son personnage tente de garder la face. Elle porte le film avec une énergie fébrile, tantôt explosive, tantôt fragile. L'alchimie entre l'actrice et le réalisateur repose sur une même envie: montrer des êtres humains dans leur vérité la plus brute, sans les juger.

Le film avait déjà une longue histoire de succès derrière lui. Présenté en grande pompe lors du Festival de Cannes, il avait conquis la critique internationale et s'était imposé comme l'une des œuvres majeures de l'année. L'interprétation de Mikey Madison y avait été saluée pour son intensité, sa justesse et sa capacité à faire basculer le récit d'un registre à un autre. La saison des récompenses a amplifié ce phénomène. Après avoir impressionné lors des Golden Globes, l'actrice est devenue l'une des favorites sur la route des Oscars. La statuette reçue le 2 mars 2025, dans la catégorie de la meilleure actrice, a scellé sa transformation en star internationale.

Sur scène, son discours de remerciement a été marqué par la gratitude. Elle a remercié Sean Baker, les producteurs, les techniciens, et a aussi rendu hommage aux autres actrices nommées. Son ton humble et son émotion visible ont tranché avec le faste habituel de la cérémonie. Elle a insisté sur son attachement aux histoires humaines et authentiques, loin des paillettes et des artifices. Cette prise de parole a encore renforcé l'image d'une artiste sincère, passionnée par son métier et peu habituée aux projecteurs.

L'empreinte Madison

Ce qui fait la force de Mikey Madison, c'est cette capacité à habiter des rôles intenses, à la frontière du bien et du mal. Son visage juvénile cache une profondeur qui séduit les réalisateurs et les réalisatrices en quête d'interprètes capables d'apporter du relief à leurs personnages. Sa filmographie, encore récente, dessine une artiste exigeante. On l'imagine mal dans des comédies légères sans nuance. Elle préfère les rôles marqués par un conflit, une faille ou un secret.

Que ce soit sous l'œil de Quentin Tarantino, dans l'univers angoissant de Scream ou dans le réalisme cru de Sean Baker, elle impose une présence singulière. Elle n'a pas besoin d'en faire trop pour capter l'attention. Son jeu repose sur des micro-expressions, des silences, des élans brusques. Cette économie de moyens lui permet de circuler entre les genres sans jamais perdre son identité. Les comédiennes qui réussissent cette bascule sont rares. Mikey Madison a déjà prouvé qu'elle peut passer d'un registre indépendant à un dispositif plus spectaculaire sans se renier.

Et après ?

L'Oscar marque souvent un tournant. Mikey Madison deviendra-t-elle l'une des nouvelles figures du cinéma américain indépendant ou s'ouvrira-t-elle à des projets plus grand public ? Son parcours récent montre un goût prononcé pour les choix audacieux. Elle a suivi Sean Baker dans un projet économique modeste, tourné avec une équipe resserrée et une liberté artistique que permettent rarement les grosses productions. Cette décision, prise avant la consécration, en dit long sur ses priorités.

Hollywood, de son côté, regarde déjà vers l'avenir. Les producteurs veulent capitaliser sur son nom. Les metteurs en scène lui imaginent des projets sur mesure. Les plateformes de streaming, également, espèrent l'attirer dans leurs océans de contenus. Mikey Madison devra arbitrer entre des propositions financièrement alléchantes et des projets plus personnels. Son instinct créatif, forgé auprès de cinéastes exigeants, devrait la guider.

Le public, lui, attend déjà de la revoir. Anora circule encore largement sur les écrans, mais la carrière de Mikey Madison ne fait que commencer. Les prochains chapitres de son histoire s'écriront sous la lumière nouvelle d'une reconnaissance internationale. Pour l'heure, une chose est sûre: l'empreinte laissée par l'actrice sur cette cérémonie des Oscars reste gravée dans les mémoires. Et toutes les options sont ouvertes devant elle.

Source: ELLE.be News

Henry let that frustration surface on a recent episode of “The Lounge” podcast. He did not try to hide his feelings or downplay what is at stake.

“I want to win a Super Bowl. That’s a big motivation,” Henry said. “I just want to be able to feel that feeling. I’m tired of watching. Every year, I’m tired of being at home on the couch watching. I want to be a part of it.”

Those words carry extra weight because Henry rarely says anything that feels like complaining. His career has been built on work, durability, and production. But the frustration has been building. He has played in nine playoff games and rushed for more than 1,000 postseason yards, yet only once has he reached a conference title game. That came after the 2019 season with Tennessee, when the Titans lost 35-24 to Kansas City. A Super Bowl still feels far away.

His move to Baltimore was supposed to change that. Henry signed with the Ravens in 2024 to team up with Lamar Jackson, giving Baltimore something it had lacked in big moments: a ground game that could shorten games and take over in the fourth quarter. The pairing exceeded even the highest expectations.

Henry ran for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024. Jackson responded by throwing for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns overall. Together, they set an NFL record by combining for 2,836 rushing yards in a single season. Defenses had to pick their poison. If they focused on Jackson’s improvisation, Henry ran wild. If they stacked the box against Henry, Jackson kept the ball and created explosive plays. For most of that season, the Ravens looked like the most dangerous team in the AFC.

The ending, however, was painfully familiar. Baltimore lost 25-27 to Buffalo in the divisional round. Henry did everything he could, rushing for 270 yards and two touchdowns across two postseason games, but the result still crushed a roster with Super Bowl ambitions. The loss was not solely on any one player, but it reinforced the narrow line between regular-season dominance and January glory.

The 2025 season should have been another chance. Instead, the Ravens went 8-9 and missed the playoffs entirely. That collapse made the frustration much harder to process. A team with Jackson, Henry, Roquan Smith, and Kyle Hamilton had no business sitting at home when the postseason began. But that is exactly what happened.

Henry is not the kind of player who declines quietly. He answered the disappointing season with another outstanding individual year. He ran for 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2025, finishing just 26 yards behind James Cook in the race for the league’s rushing crown. The numbers prove that age has not caught up with him. He is still capable of carrying an offense and breaking a defense’s will in the second half.

The problem is that football does not wait forever. Henry will turn 33 in January. He is entering his 11th NFL season, and running backs are often judged on their championship windows, not just their career totals. He has already made a Hall of Fame case. But there is a difference between having a great career and being remembered as a champion. Henry wants that memory.

That is why he spoke so directly about his partnership with Lamar Jackson.

“It would be crazy for me to say I played with Lamar Jackson, and we didn’t win no championships,” Henry said on the podcast. “I cannot have that. I do not want that to be a thing. We’ve got to do it.”

Jackson is still searching for the same breakthrough. He has won two MVP awards and is regarded as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in NFL history. But the playoff results are harder to excuse. His postseason record entering 2026 is 3-5. Baltimore has reached the AFC Championship Game only once during his time as the starter. Whether that is fair or not, it has become the defining criticism of a remarkable career.

The pressure is not just on Jackson, though. Henry’s postseason resume is also incomplete. He has appeared in nine playoff games and posted 1,002 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, but the only conference title game appearance of his career ended in a double-digit loss to Kansas City. This is a partnership that needs a playoff breakthrough, not just regular-season production.

Baltimore’s Offseason Reset

Ravens officials recognize that the current approach is not enough. That is why they did not simply run things back in 2026. After the Ravens missed the playoffs, John Harbaugh was out after 18 seasons. Jesse Minter, the new coach, has brought a different voice to the locker room and has already made structural changes around the team.

One of the most visible changes is the decision to move away from rotating captains. Baltimore will now have season-long captains chosen by teammates. The list of candidates speaks to the kind of leadership Minter wants: Jackson, Henry, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Calais Campbell. Those are established veterans with strong voices, not just the most famous names on the roster.

Jackson immediately felt the impact of the new coaching energy. He described the change as “a breath of fresh air” and said everything around him feels new. That could be exactly what a quarterback with two MVPs needs after multiple playoff disappointments.

Minter wants the stars to take ownership in a more permanent way. Henry is not just expected to produce on Sunday. He is expected to shape the locker room during the week, to hold teammates accountable, and to carry the standard for a franchise that believes it is ready to win now.

Baltimore did not stop with the coaching staff. The front office added Trey Hendrickson to give the defense another proven pass rusher, making the team far less predictable on third down. The offensive line was also strengthened with an eye toward keeping Jackson upright and opening clearer lanes for Henry. Every roster move was built around the same idea: stop wasting elite talent on seasons that end too early.

A Window That Cannot Stay Open Forever

Henry’s age makes the timing critical. Running backs usually feel the effects of wear and tear by their early thirties. Henry has been more durable than almost anyone, but history says production can fade quickly. He understands that his opportunity with Jackson cannot be treated as a long-term project. The time to win is now.

The Ravens have all the pieces on paper. They have an elite quarterback, a powerful runner, a talented defense, and veteran leaders who know what is at stake. What they have not shown is the ability to put it all together when the lights are brightest.

Henry has never been shy about his desire to change that narrative. He has said he believes the roster has everything required to make a title run.

“I believe that we have all the pieces to get it done. We just got to go out there and get it done,” Henry said.

The words are simple, but they capture the challenge facing Baltimore. Talent has never been the issue. Execution in January has been the problem. Henry is tired of watching Super Bowls from his couch. Jackson is tired of hearing about his playoff record. The two stars have the motivation, the support, and now the new coaching staff surrounding them. What remains is proving it on the field when the season matters most.

Source: Yardbarker News

Une élimination difficile à digérer

La Coupe du Brésil reste une compétition très disputée, et chaque élimination est vécue comme une petite tragédie locale. Pour Santos, ce revers dans son propre stade face à Palmeiras a probablement laissé des traces. Le contexte n'a fait qu'empirer quand Neymar a ressenti une gêne à l'arrière de la cuisse. L'ancien Parisien a tenté de continuer, mais il a rapidement compris qu'il ne pourrait pas rester sur le terrain. Les images le montrant touchant la zone douloureuse ont immédiatement inquiété les supporters. Le verdict, rendu après des examens complémentaires, n'est pas rassurant : une blessure qui devrait éloigner le joueur des pelouses pour une période estimée à deux mois.

Pour un joueur de ce niveau, une absence de huit semaines est énorme. C'est autant de temps pour retrouver le rythme, pour enchaîner les séances collectives et pour répondre aux exigences physiques du calendrier. Neymar, qui a longtemps été l'un des meilleurs joueurs du monde, doit maintenant composer avec un corps de plus en plus fragile. Cette fragilité n'est pas nouvelle, mais elle devient problématique à un âge où chaque blessure est plus difficile à réparer.

Le coupable désigné par Neymar

Plutôt que de courber l'échine, Neymar a choisi de riposter. Dans une story publiée sur son compte Instagram, il a pointé du doigt le terrain de Vila Belmiro et, plus précisément, le travail du jardinier responsable de sa préparation. « Je voulais féliciter le responsable du terrain de Vila Belmiro. C'était le pire terrain que le club ait jamais connu », a-t-il écrit, dans un message chargé de colère. Il a ajouté : « Plein de trous à cause des travaux de terrassement effectués la veille. Pas étonnant que trois

Source: Football.fr News

Sanghvi said Groom decided he wanted to invest within the first 30 minutes of their first meeting. Groom, who has built a reputation for making early, concentrated bets on ambitious founders, acknowledged the technical risk behind the startup’s mission.

An aircraft that harvests energy from the sky

Most aircraft carry the fuel or battery power they need for the duration of a mission. That imposes hard limits on endurance. Alteon is trying to break free of that constraint by designing small, fixed-wing autonomous aircraft that can pull energy from wind shear above the ocean through dynamic soaring.

Dynamic soaring is a maneuver in which an aircraft repeatedly moves between layers of air traveling at different speeds. By climbing through faster-moving air, turning, and descending into slower-moving air, a vehicle can gain energy from the wind itself. Albatrosses use this technique to fly extraordinary distances while expending very little energy. Alteon hopes to replicate that biological trick in an engineered aircraft capable of staying aloft for more than a year.

“Once you build airplanes that can stay in the air for more than a year, there are millions of things you can do with them,” Sanghvi said. The company’s initial focus is maritime surveillance, which would give governments a long-endurance, real-time view of activity in their waters without the operational cost of crewed patrol aircraft or the battery limits of conventional drones.

From high school garage to ocean winds

Sanghvi began working on what would become Alteon immediately after finishing high school in 2023. He learned to build aircraft by making and crashing radio-controlled models before developing early prototypes. In 2025, he formally founded Alteon. The company received early support from Emergent Ventures and 1517 before attracting the new pre-seed funding.

Alteon plans to begin with an aircraft of roughly three meters in wingspan. The aircraft would fly near the ocean surface, climb, turn through faster-moving air, and repeat that cycle to gain energy from the wind. Later versions are expected to use propellers as turbines, converting some of the energy harvested from dynamic soaring into electricity to recharge onboard batteries.

Progress and the next big test

The startup has not yet demonstrated sustained flight using only energy harvested through dynamic soaring. It has, however, completed meaningful early testing. In a recent autonomous flight over the Bay of Bengal, Alteon’s aircraft completed seven O-shaped cycles at more than 62 miles per hour while flying within one meter of the water’s surface.

Alteon calls its next major milestone “energy-neutral dynamic soaring.” That would allow the aircraft to fly continuously with propulsion switched off, extracting enough wind energy to remain airborne. If achieved, it would be a significant step toward the company’s longer-term promise of multi-month or even yearlong missions.

The company is already building four to five aircraft per week for testing at its 10,000-square-foot facility in Bengaluru. Sanghvi said Alteon has conducted more than 200 test flights in the past 30 days, reflecting an aggressive iteration cycle.

Expert views: promising but difficult

Dr. Gabriel Bousquet, an aerospace and robotics engineer who studied dynamic soaring during his PhD at MIT, called Alteon’s low-altitude flight over water a “promising first result.” He cautioned, however, that the harder challenge will be proving the aircraft can reliably extract enough energy from real-world winds to sustain flight over long periods.

Bousquet noted that flying low enough to harvest dynamic soaring energy safely is especially tricky. The aircraft would need to contend with turbulence, waves, spray, rain, and changing light conditions while continuously sensing and reacting to a moving ocean surface. That makes the engineering problem far more complicated than simply demonstrating dynamic soaring in calm conditions.

Dr. Bharath Swaminathan, who earned his PhD from IIT Madras studying the stability of dynamic soaring, said the underlying physics is well established. He described Alteon’s effort as commendable, adding that keeping an aircraft airborne for several days using dynamic soaring would itself be “a very big step, and a big achievement.”

Swaminathan also pointed to a key practical obstacle: although large-scale wind conditions can be predictable, local wind shear and turbulence vary substantially. That variability could complicate an aircraft’s ability to continuously extract energy from the wind. Some of those challenges, he suggested, may only emerge through real-world flight testing.

“Ambitious problems are always going to come with risks,” Groom said about the investment. “For me, it came down to believing Samay and the Alteon team are the ones to figure them out.”

The broader aviation industry is watching such efforts closely. Long-endurance aircraft have multiple potential applications, including ocean monitoring, communications relay, environmental sensing, and disaster response. Yet the history of experimental aircraft is also full of bold promises undone by the gap between controlled demonstrations and real-world endurance.

For now, Alteon’s team of 20 in Bengaluru remains focused on scaling up its test program and reaching energy-neutral flight. The company’s ability to turn a five-minute autonomous maneuver into days or weeks of wind-powered flight will determine whether its ambitious vision becomes a reliable reality.

Source: TechCrunch News

Faith, America, and a New Memoir

Vance made the statement during an interview with Bryce Crawford, a Christian podcaster. The discussion centered on Communion, Vance’s second book of memoirs, which follows his spiritual journey and his 2019 conversion to Catholicism. The vice president used the hour-long conversation not only to discuss the book, but also to reflect on belief, darkness, atheism, God, Jesus, and even Pope Francis.

At one point, Crawford asked Vance directly whether he believes in the end of the world. Crawford justified the question by noting that Vance holds one of the most powerful offices on earth and has access to information unavailable to most people. Vance laughed at the framing but then answered seriously, saying that he has always been fascinated by biblical prophecy about the end times. He said he is convinced that the end of the world will come, though he does not know when.

“The question is whether it will happen in thousands of years or in a few months,” Vance said. The vice president then suggested that certain trends in contemporary society might be carrying signs of the approaching apocalypse. He even raised the possibility that the presence of the Antichrist—the figure described in Christian theology as the ultimate adversary of Christ—may be discernible in current events.

A Dark Spiritual Energy in Artificial Intelligence

When Vance was asked to explain what signs he sees, he turned to an unlikely example: artificial intelligence. He said he feels a “strange, dark spiritual energy” around some AI companies and AI-related behaviors. He specifically cited virtual romantic partners and people using ChatGPT as a marriage counselor. Those uses of technology deeply unsettle him.

“It makes me genuinely uncomfortable,” Vance admitted. “It’s a little satanic, when you completely detach the human being from the social dimension that God created us for. I find that very serious.” For Vance, human beings were made for relationship with God and with each other, not for artificial substitutes that simulate intimacy without its true source.

The comment adds a distinctive religious dimension to a broader conservative critique of big technology companies. Some critics of the tech sector focus on monopolistic power, data privacy, or social harm. Vance’s concerns are more explicitly theological. He describes a spiritual battle taking place through technology that alters human relationships and encourages people to turn away from the natural order God established.

Advice for the End Times: Do Not Obsess, Serve

Despite his fascination with end-times prophecy, Vance warned that becoming too preoccupied with the subject is probably unhealthy. Rather than constantly looking for signs of the final hour, he argued, the best response is to shape the world according to God’s will. In practical terms, he described a world in which people build their lives through friendship, conversation, family, and flesh-and-blood community, not through chatbots designed to replace human interaction.

“There is a lot of work to do right now,” Vance said. He added that his immediate responsibilities are more pressing than apocalyptic speculation: “I have to be a good husband to my wife, a good father to my children, and I have to be the best leader I can possibly be for the United States.”

He returned to that point later, saying, “What I try to focus on is doing as much of God’s work as I possibly can right now. If that leads to the end times, so be it. And if it leads us to build a better world that thrives and survives long after I’m gone, that’s wonderful too.”

From Hillbilly Elegy to the White House

Vance’s faith has been a growing part of his public identity since he entered politics. He first came to national prominence with Hillbilly Elegy, a best-selling memoir about poverty, family, and social decay in the white working class. The book appeared long before his political career, but it shaped his reputation as a voice for forgotten Americans. Over time, Vance moved from being a harsh critic of Donald Trump to being one of his most loyal supporters. Trump eventually chose Vance as his running mate, and Vance became vice president after their victory in the 2024 election.

Vance’s conversion to Catholicism, which he describes in Communion, has provided him with a structured intellectual tradition. He has often credited Catholic social teaching, church fathers, and conservative Christian commentators with shaping his thinking on economics, family, and the limits of technology. His latest book is not just a personal spiritual memoir. It is an argument about how faith should shape public service.

The Political Weight of Apocalyptic Language

Since taking office, Vance has made clear that he does not separate his political duties from his religious convictions. The interview with Crawford is one of the most direct public expressions of that belief. But his words also raise questions about how such views might influence policy, especially in an administration that exercises vast military and technological power.

Ideas about the end times have a long history in American political culture. Many earlier leaders, including presidents, have invoked biblical prophecy in their speeches. But perhaps no modern vice president has spoken so openly about the possibility that his own actions might be part of a divine plan ending in the last days. In the past, American statesmen often used apocalyptic metaphors to describe national struggles, such as the Cold War, while maintaining a system of secular governance. Vance appears to go further, grounding his sense of mission directly in Christian eschatology.

That worldview has significant implications. If the end times are seen as inevitable and even desirable, some political choices could look different than they would if politics were simply about managing the long-term future of the United States. Concerns about climate change, war, artificial intelligence, and demographic decline might be framed not as problems to be solved over generations, but as stages in a spiritual drama that will conclude with Christ’s return.

AI, Isolation, and the Proper End of Humanity

Vance’s comments about artificial intelligence are particularly rich in meaning. He does not object to technology as such, but to technologies that encourage people to turn inward and abandon their need for other humans. His use of the word “satanic” is intentional. Satan in Christian tradition is the great deceiver, the one who offers false forms of fulfillment to lead people away from the true source of life. In Vance’s view, artificial companions and AI advisers can become such illusions. They promise intimacy, advice, and understanding but deliver none of the real thing.

He also suggested that the people creating or promoting these technologies may be animated by something beyond ordinary greed or ambition. The “dark energy” he says he feels around parts of the AI industry is not a measurable quantity. It is, for him, an unmistakable spiritual signal. He is not alone among religious conservatives in treating certain technological developments as possible marks of the Antichrist. Christian writers have long predicted that the Antichrist would appear with a system of control that imitates divine authority.

Vance stopped short of saying that any specific individual is the Antichrist or that AI is literally demonic. But his attempt to connect the emergence of artificial intimacy with biblical prophecy gives his comments a gravitational pull that ordinary policy statements do not have. It connects a technical debate about chat-bots and machine learning with an ancient theological struggle between good and evil, Christ and the Antichrist, communion and isolation.

American Christianity and Public Office

The vice president’s willingness to speak in these terms has pleased conservative evangelical and Catholic communities. Many of them see him as a leader who does not hide his faith behind a wall of secular mumbo jumbo. For those voters, Vance’s interview is evidence that a high government official can still believe in the Bible, church doctrine, and the reality of spiritual warfare. Crawford, a Christian interviewer, was able to draw out not just campaign talking points but a serious account of how Vance understands the sacred dimension of his work.

Yet Vance’s comments are also likely to alarm religious liberals and civil libertarians. They worry that a senior official who sees the world in absolute terms, and who even hints that he hears the approaching footsteps of the Antichrist, may be less committed to democratic norms, compromise, and the separation of church and state. The vice president has, however, argued that his faith is not a threat to pluralism. In his book and in his public remarks, he emphasizes that Christianity teaches humility and service. He asserts that his aim is not to impose a medieval theocracy but to help Americans rediscover the bonds of family, friendship, and neighborhood that modern life has broken.

There is an inevitable tension in these messages. On the one hand, Vance speaks like a traditional Christian statesman who accepts the coming judgment of God and is determined to do his part before that hour arrives. On the other hand, he presents himself as a pragmatic conservative who wants to build a stable, successful, and lasting American society. Vance acknowledge the tension in the interview when he tried to balance the end times with the strengthening of the nation for the long term.

No Secular Bridge

Vance’s language is striking because it blurs the line between the private and the public. Many politicians use religious language as ornament, but Vance uses it as a compass. He says he wants to be a good father and a good leader, yet even those human responsibilities are defined under a divine commission. The immediate remains important, but the ultimate gives it meaning. That is a reasonable religious perspective for an individual, but in the mouth of the vice president it can become a statement of policy philosophy as well.

During the hour-long interview, Vance appeared relaxed, good-natured, and even amused by the topic. His laugh at Crawford’s question about the end times suggested that he is accustomed to thinking about such things. Once he started answering, however, his tone changed. He spoke about the Antichrist, AI, and the future of humanity without hesitation. At one point, he referred to an increasingly isolating culture in which people have surrendered their richest human relationships to machines. That culture, he believes, is pulling the world away from the social order for which God made humanity.

His remedy is not to retreat from the world but to engage it more intensely. He says Christians should build institutions that protect marriage, family, vocational work, and civic friendship. He repeatedly returns to the idea of communion, both in the sense of the Eucharist and in the broader sense of shared life. The title of his memoir carries both meanings. Vance views the crisis of the modern world as a crisis of communion. By his account, Americans no longer share life together, and technology accelerates that unraveling by replacing risky, sometimes painful human love with friction-free digital substitutes.

Vance’s particular fear about ChatGPT and other AI tools is that they allow people to escape the otherness of other people. A marriage counselor, however imperfect, stands outside a couple and asks them to listen. A chatbot is constructed to agree with a user, to soothe the user, and to obey. Vance argues that this creates a universe of one. For a Catholic statesman, that is not just unhealthy. It is a violation of the metaphysical structure of creation.

His words were not given in a cathedral or in a church retreat, but in a podcast. Podcaster Bryce Crawford invited his guest to speak as a Christian, and Vance accepted. The broad distribution of the interview ensures that his comments will be parsed not only by believers but by every constituency trying to understand the influence of religion in the administration.

What remains uncertain is how the vice president’s end-times worldview might change the conduct of ordinary politics. Vance did not offer any policy prescriptions based on the Antichrist or the apocalypse. He did not say that the United States should refuse to plan for its own future because the world might soon end. Instead, he insisted on trying to build a world that is worth leaving behind. His vision of God’s work includes caring for his children and governing the United States. Those are not otherworldly tasks; they are this-worldly obligations that he considers sacred.

By grounding those obligations in a story about the end of the world, however, Vance reminded listeners that philosophical questions are never far from governance. How much confidence should leaders place in long-term progress? Should technology be allowed to reshape human nature? What do religious believers owe to the political community and to God? Vance gave his own answer in a single sentence: do as much of God’s work as possible, trust that the outcome belongs to God, and accept the result, whatever it may be.

That kind of radical trust may be theologically satisfying, but it leaves open the most difficult question: who gets to define God’s work? For Vance, the answer is bound up with his Catholic faith and his reading of scripture. For others, it will be a warning wrapped in a blessing. The vice president’s clear and calm statement of his apocalyptic hope makes it impossible to ignore the role of eschatological belief in the highest levels of American power.

Listeners can decide whether they find his remarks inspiring or ominous. What is undeniable is that JD Vance has framed his entire political life under a divine horizon. In his own mind, he is not merely a political executive doing case work on a national scale. He is a man trying to be faithful to his God while also holding the second most powerful office in the world. And if that faithfulness leads to the final curtain, so be it. If it leads instead to a million little acts of service, family dinners, and a stronger country, he says he will accept that as a blessing as well.

Source: MSN News