Why the fall of Pokrovsk would matter to Ukraine and Russia

The battle for this strategic point on a big road and rail artery in the Donetsk region has been going on for well over a year.

I Regret To Report ‘Grand Theft Cthulhu’ On Game Pass Just Ain’t Good

Dead Static Drive looks amazing and has a great premise, but bugs, bad controls, and a bizarre lack of audio sink it The post I Regret To Report ‘Grand Theft Cthulhu’ On Game Pass Just Ain’t Good appeared first on Kotaku .

If You’ve Finally Run Out Of Stuff To Do In Baldur’s Gate 3, How About A New Campaign?

A team of over 100 fans is releasing a new story for Larian’s RPG The post If You’ve Finally Run Out Of Stuff To Do In Baldur’s Gate 3, How About A New Campaign? appeared first on Kotaku .

Research finds writing emotional product reviews increases our brand loyalty

Reading reviews from others helps inform our decision-making on what to buy, where to visit, or who should provide our services—but how does the way we write them affect our own likelihood to recommend and repeat these experiences?

Ukraine's massive nature project is helping veterans and land recover

Ukrainians have always felt closely tied to their land, often expressing this through literature and folktales. But these connections have grown even stronger since the country was invaded by Russia in 2022.

Sex for money: Study reveals the harm that 'blessers' can do to young women

A "blesser" is typically an older, relatively wealthier man who provides a younger woman with money, gifts, school fees or lifestyle access in exchange for a relationship that includes sex. Similar arrangements exist around the world, often called "sugar-daddy" relationships,

Traders on prediction markets see a 30% chance Supreme Court backs Trump's tariffs

On Kalshi, contracts tied to whether the court would rule in favor of Trump's tariffs slipped to around 30% from nearly 50% before Wednesday's hearing.

Marvel's new Wonder Man trailer has big hints about its twist

Disney Plus series Wonder Man gets a second trailer, one that reveals Simon Williams' secret.

Sulfur cave spiders build an arachnid megacity and possibly the largest-ever spider web

Researchers may have discovered the world's biggest spider web, a massive subterranean structure spanning over 100 square meters in a sulfur cave on the Albania–Greece border. The multilayered web along a wall near the cave entrance is home to a colony of approximately 69,000

GuadaLAjara Film Festival Honors Alexandre Desplat, Edgar Ramírez; ADG Adds Excellence in Production Design Award

Alexandre Desplat and Edgar Ramírez will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award during this year’s GuadaLAjara Film Festival (GLAFF XV), set to take place at the Opening Night Gala on Nov. 6 at the United Theater in Los Angeles. The Árbol de la Vida Award honors

Starbucks baristas authorize strike if demands not met — just ahead of critical holiday rush

The union said workers are prepared to strike if a contract is not finalized by Nov. 13, which is the company's Red Cup Day, and strike actions could hit more than 25 cities and escalate if there is a lack of progress.

Swiss top court upholds conviction of four over 'Kill Erdoğan' banner at 2017 rally

The banner featured an image of the Turkish leader with a gun pointed at his temple. A regional court convicted the defendants in 2020, handing down fines and suspended prison sentences.

This Bruce Lee Stamp Kicks Ass!

Speaking of new stamps , these Bruce Lee stamps are pretty great too: Tags: Bruce Lee · stamps · USPS 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →

The left is making Nick Fuentes seem cool?

The New York Times is now boosting Fuentes as the successor to Charlie Kirk, the recently assassinated conservative media figure who loathed Fuentes and worked to minimize his influence.

China intentionally spreads authoritarian practices abroad

Protests erupted in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in October 2020 following disputed parliamentary elections. Only four political parties out of 16 had passed the threshold for entry into parliament. Three of these had close ties to the country’s then-president, Sooronbay

US Supreme Court questions legality of Trump's global tariffs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Supreme Court justices raised doubts on Wednesday over the legality of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs in a case with implications for the global economy that marks a major test of Trump's powers.

Size of November SNAP payments revealed: Here's the minimum, maximum benefits

The 42 million Americans who rely on food assistance to afford groceries are getting a better idea of how big (or how small) their benefits will be in November when they are eventually issued.

The escape room challenge: How one person's narcissism can undermine a whole team

A new study has revealed how different types of narcissism can influence the morale and performance of an entire team. Researchers invited over 100 people to complete escape room challenges in small groups, observing their interactions and behaviors throughout the tasks.

'Collect the data and share the data:' How can game companies support women with leadership ambitions?

Former Sony Santa Monica director of product development, Meghan Morgan Juinio, and Gearbox Montreal executive producer, Fleur Marty, attempt to answer that question.

Burger Kings hoarding pennies and other stores rounding up — as US phases out one-cent coins

Scramble began after US Mint stopped penny deliveries to armored carriers in the wake of Trump’s February directive to eliminate the one-cent coin.

Strong Films From the Middle East Should Make a Mark on the International Oscar Race

As a film reviewer and obsessive follower of the Academy’s international feature category, I’m willing to bet that several films from Middle Eastern countries will make the shortlist. And even posit that one will triumph on Oscar night. Even though only 10 Middle Eastern

Solar radiation could cool Earth, not replace emissions

Techniques to reflect an additional small portion of sunlight back into space could help cool the planet if deployed globally, but they cannot address the full range of climate impacts or replace emission cuts, according to a Royal Society briefing.

Schumer, Mamdani talk in wake of electoral victory

Nation topped goal of 1 million more STEM graduates over the past decade, analysis finds

A recent analysis of national higher-education data by a researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, found that the United States exceeded the goal of producing one million more graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) over

Thirty years after Rabin's murder, Israelis must stop fearing peace and start fearing life without it

Back in the '90s, Netanyahu realized that the only way to defeat the left was to eliminate the possibility of a Jewish-Arab partnership. After these terrible two years, we must say with courage that this path must be condemned

Judge Again Tosses Blake Lively’s Claims Against Social Media Operative Jed Wallace

A judge on Wednesday dismissed Blake Lively’s claims against a social media guru she accused of helping to smear her reputation online during the release of “It Ends With Us” last year. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively’s attorneys had failed to show that Jed Wallace, who is

China’s bet on self-reliance won’t fix an unbalanced economy

Every few years since 1953, the Chinese government has unveiled a new master strategy for its economy: the all-important five-year plan. For the most part, these blueprints have been geared at spurring growth and unity as the nation transformed from a rural, agrarian economy to

Turkey, Hamas team discuss next Gaza plan phases, security sources say

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkey's MIT intelligence agency chief met Hamas' negotiating team head Khalil Al-Hayya on Wednesday and they discussed the path to be followed in implementing the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire plan, Turkish security sources said. They said MIT chief

Sabato's Crystal Ball shifts 11 California races toward Democrats, 1 toward GOP

Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifted 11 California races toward Democrats on Wednesday, while pushing one district toward the GOP. Voters in the Golden State passed Proposition 50, a ballot measure that will allow lawmakers to redraw congressional lines ahead of the midterm

Attack on funeral in Sudan's Kordofan region kills 40: UN

An attack on a funeral in the strategic city of El-Obeid in Sudan's central Kordofan region killed 40 people, the UN said Wednesday, as paramilitaries looked poised to launch an offensive there. The United Nations' humanitarian office did not specify when the attack took place

One Piece's God Valley flashback proves you shouldn't believe in legends

In the God Valley flashback, One Piece shows that neither characters nor history are as they seem, including heroes and monsters

Pillar-cage fluorinated hybrid porous framework features rare quasi-Johnson solid J₂₈ structure

Adsorptive separation process based on porous materials is widely employed in various separation scenarios owing to its mild operating conditions and energy-efficient characteristics.

Unaffordable housing leaves people homeless, not funding cuts

The Trump administration has proposed cutting funding for permanent housing for the homeless from $3 billion to $1 billion, which could lead to increased homelessness, but research suggests that building more homes and lowering housing costs is the key to reducing homelessness.

Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Unity Software, Rivian, Pinterest, Trex & more

These are the stocks posting the largest moves midday.

One of the biggest streamers on Twitch is trying to take Asmongold and Emiru to court over defamation claims

Mizkif has filed a lawsuit against the two streamers along with three media companies.

China suspending retaliatory tariffs on some US farm goods

China on Wednesday announced it will suspend some of its highest retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. for a period of one year, part of a truce reached between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping when they met last week. American exports of soybeans to China will

McDonald’s US sales rise — but profits fall short as it warns Americans are dining out less

The Golden Arches continued to warn that Americans are dining out less often, especially low-income diners.

Ed Sheeran Says Changes to U.K. Music Education ‘Give Young People Hope’

A review of the National Curriculum led to the adoption of several changes that Sheeran and his foundation had previously advocated for

House Republicans launch battleground ad blitz tying Democrats to Mamdani

The campaign arm of House Republicans is launching a battleground ad blitz tying Democrats to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has faced scrutiny from the right over his democratic socialist affiliation. In a press release, the National Republican Congressional

Judge scolds Comey prosecutors, orders records to be produced

Prosecutors must provide a grand jury with records and evidence from the investigation into former FBI Director James Comey, a federal judge ordered Wednesday. At Wednesday's hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered prosecutors to produce the information by

Land degradation outpaces restoration in Africa's Great Green Wall

A new study led by Prof. Li Xiaosong from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has evaluated land productivity dynamics (LPD) across the African Great Green Wall (GGW) between 2013 and 2022. Their findings were recently published in

Customers can become more loyal if their banks solve fraud cases, researchers find

When banks issue their defrauded customers refunds and successfully identify the perpetrators, fraud victims are 60% more likely to stick with their bank than customers that didn't experience any fraud.

Republicans lick their wounds after electoral rout

12:30 Report is The Hill's midday newsletter. Subscribe here. It’s Wednesday. The 2026 midterms are 363 days away! In today's issue: • Supreme Court criticizes president’s tariffs • Trump’s strategy session with senators • GOP blame game over election losses • Schumer, Jeffries

USPS Lowrider Stamps

The US Postal Service released a sneak peek at some of the stamps they’re going to release in 2026 . Among them are these lowrider stamps: Five models grace the stamps: a blue 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline named Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy; a blue 1958 Chevrolet Impala

The post-Civil War Assassin's Creed game might have gotten made in the 1980s

We look back at Freedom: Rebels in the Darkness, a groundbreaking strategy from game designer Muriel Tramis, about organizing a slave rebellion in 18th-century Martinique.

One to One: John & Yoko’ Draws Stark Similarities Between Political and Social Unrest in the ‘90s With That of Today

A war no one really knows how to stop is raging, causing protests on college campuses and at the White House. People with disabilities are neglected by underfunded and ill-equipped resources. Activists are arrested on trumped-up charges. A Black woman runs for president. A

Two independent quantum networks successfully fused into one

Many quantum researchers are working toward building technologies that allow for the existence of a global quantum internet, in which any two users on Earth would be able to conduct large-scale quantum computing and communicate securely with the help of quantum entanglement.

Hand gestures that illustrate speech boost persuasiveness, study shows

Words matter—but your hands might matter more, according to a new UBC study which found that purposeful hand gestures can make speakers appear more competent and persuasive.

Historical maps reveal 99% loss of meadows in English countryside

A new study from the University of Portsmouth has uncovered a dramatic collapse in traditional meadowland across the lower Rother catchment in the South Downs, West Sussex, with losses of up to 99.9% since the mid-19th century.

Ancient mammoth tooth offers clues about Ice Age life in northeastern Canada

A worn-down mammoth tooth discovered nearly 150 years ago on an island in Nunavut offers new insights into where and how the Ice Age giants lived and died.