All posts tagged: theyre

What AI companies want for the millions they’re spending on elections

What AI companies want for the millions they’re spending on elections

Published by Sam Flores

AI executives and companies are betting that spending millions in the 2026 midterm elections will allow them to influence AI bills being developed in Congress. As of the end of June, the two biggest artificial intelligence political action committees have dropped at least $44 million into 40 House and Senate candidates, per a CNBC analysis of Federal Election Commission data. That’s an early taste of how the groups will spend the more than $200 million they’ve raised on the rest of primary season and into the general election, according to fundraising totals provided by groups. The spending by the burgeoning AI industry makes it an increasingly powerful player in the Washington influence space. The companies — through their PACs — are setting themselves up to shape how the first national legislation to regulate AI use takes form. Brad Carson, who heads Public First Action, a nonprofit organization with several PACs, said he’s seen more bills introduced and discussion around AI legislation, especially as concerns about the capabilities and risks of powerful AI models like Mythos …

These Church Members Disagree On Politics. Together They’re Wiping Out Medical Debt.

These Church Members Disagree On Politics. Together They’re Wiping Out Medical Debt.

Published by Sam Flores

TUESDAY, July 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Some issues, like immigration or student loans, are too divisive to unite Trinity Moravian Church. “We’ve got quite a spread of political beliefs,” said the Rev. John Jackman, who leads this 114-year-old red-brick church in North Carolina, near Winston-Salem’s old textile mills.  Conservative Republicans sit with liberal Democrats. Supporters of President Donald Trump mix with his fierce critics. “It’s definitely a purple congregation,” Jackman said. But four years ago, when Jackman suggested a new church mission to alleviate medical debt for residents of the wider Winston-Salem area, there was no dissent. “This is the easiest money I’ve ever raised,” he said. “All I do is tell people what we’re doing, and they write me a check.” Few issues have been more politically explosive in recent years than healthcare, pitting Democrats and Republicans in bitter debates over the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and other flash points. Yet moved by the sense that the medical debts their neighbors faced were deeply unfair, members of Trinity Moravian, no matter their politics, …

The FDA Ruled That ZYN Pouches Are Safer Than Cigarettes. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Safe

The FDA Ruled That ZYN Pouches Are Safer Than Cigarettes. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Safe

Published by skeptic

On June 30, the US Food and Drug Administration authorized 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products to carry a specific “modified risk” claim. This means that in the US, ZYN can now assert that “using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.” The decision does not mean nicotine pouches are safe or approved as smoking cessation products. It simply allows Swedish Match, which manufactures ZYN, to market certain products as a less harmful alternative for adults who completely switch away from cigarettes. The regulatory green light comes at a time wheN the nicotine-pouch boom has already reshaped the conversation about alternatives to smoking. Nicotine pouches have become one of the fastest-growing nicotine categories globally, fueled by their discreet nature, lack of smoke or vapor, and growing perceptions that they represent a “cleaner” form of nicotine consumption. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, global retail sales of nicotine pouches reached 23.4 billion units in 2024, an increase of …

Polestar EVs are a smoking deal at k off now that they’re banned in the US

Polestar EVs are a smoking deal at $25k off now that they’re banned in the US

Published by skeptic

On the back of the Commerce Department’s incredibly stupid move to ban Polestar from selling EVs in the US, the Polestar 4 is now nearly the cheapest EV in America after a $25k discount, and the Polestar 3 has a pretty great discount applied too. Last week, the Commerce Department abruptly decided that Polestar, a Swedish company building electric cars in South Carolina (Polestar 3) and South Korea (Polestar 4) that run on American software made by Google, would be banned from selling cars in the US due to made-up cybersecurity concerns. It turns out, due to the company being owned by Geely Automotive, Commerce decided they shouldn’t be able to sell connected vehicles starting in the 2027 model year. Volvo, which is also owned by Geely but which sells both EVs and gas-powered vehicles, somehow avoided the same fate, as did Mercedes which has significant investment from China and is also not an EV-exclusive brand. But that dumb decision will at least make a few customers happy, as Polestar is now offering deep discounts …

TPS holders fear they’re now deportation targets following Supreme Court ruling

TPS holders fear they’re now deportation targets following Supreme Court ruling

Published by Sam Flores

When Harlaine, an emergency room and travel nurse, learned Thursday morning that the Supreme Court opened the door for the Trump administration to end immigration protections for Haitians like herself, she said the weight of the decision sliced through her. Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. “I just couldn’t breathe. I think I stopped breathing for a few minutes, and it was just like a heaviness on my chest,” said Harlaine, a recipient of Temporary Protected Status since her mid-30s. The program provides temporary humanitarian relief to people from countries experiencing war, natural disasters or other catastrophes. It also allows them to work legally in the country and shields them from deportation. Some have lived in the U.S. for decades. Harlaine feels desperate at the idea that she and potentially hundreds of thousands of others will suddenly lose their jobs once they lose their work permits without TPS status. She worked as a nurse in hospitals during the Covid pandemic with patients that included critically …

This Canadian team has raced solar cars since 1992, and they’re bringing their best yet to the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge

This Canadian team has raced solar cars since 1992, and they’re bringing their best yet to the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge

Published by skeptic

This July, the 2026 Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) and American Solar Challenge (ASC) head north to Minnesota. Meanwhile, I caught up with one of the teams making the trip, and they’ve been racing solar cars longer than almost anyone. Éclipse, out of École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) in Montreal, has been building them for over 33 years, since 1992. Hence the big 92 you’ll spot on the car. The team’s captain, Yohann Gourmelen, sat down with me to talk about their new car (Éclipse 12), some rule changes shaking up this year’s race, and how they build nearly an entire solar car in-house. A team that builds almost everything in-house ÉTS is a renowned engineering-only college, and it is one of Éclipse’s biggest strengths. The team works out of what Yohann says is one of the most advanced student club workshops at any university in North America. “We get visits from universities all over the world every week trying to see how it’s done here,” he told me. They build almost everything themselves. …

10 gadgets that can give your iPhone useful superpowers (and they’re cheaper than you think)

10 gadgets that can give your iPhone useful superpowers (and they’re cheaper than you think)

Published by skeptic

A classic. Apple’s EarPods (USB-C) are ideal for the latest iPhones, just about any Android phone, laptops, tablets, and more, says editor-in-chief Kerry Wan. These are the perfect purchase for ease of use, long battery life, and the built-in microphone — not top-notch sound. They’re so spectacular that Wan says he uses them to record his voiceovers for nearly every video he makes for ZDNET’s social platforms.  Source link

Prime Day Ends Tonight. Shop These 184+ Deals Before They’re Gone

Prime Day Ends Tonight. Shop These 184+ Deals Before They’re Gone

Published by skeptic

The NotePin S AI wearable, seen here on the wrist of CNET’s Katie Collins, could be really useful for my job. And it’s on sale for Prime Day. Andrew Lanxon/CNET I took over the role of CNET’s editorial leader earlier this year, and while I’ve participated in Prime Day sales as a TV reviewer and general deals editor here for (literally) decades, this is my first Prime Day as EIC. In case you’re wondering what purchases a person like me is considering this time around, here’s a sampling. iPad 11-inch A16 ($300): My artistic daughter has been asking for an iPad and if my wife approves, I’ll likely get her this basic version, our top pick for most people. I’d also get her the Apple Pencil (on sale for $60). We’d save both of these for Christmas presents. Belkin Portable Charger Bank ($38): My family and I always need portable chargers. Half our devices call for Lightning and the other half for USB-C. This does both and I like the built-in cables. Plaud NotePin S …