According to an official executive fact sheet, former President Joe Biden’s administration “accumulated a significant surplus of funds that were not used to benefit the Americans who paid these higher premiums.” Federal reports indicate that the proposed funds would stem from roughly $500 million in unused fees collected through the federal marketplace. White House representatives noted that the money “was over-collected and just sitting there”. Eligibility for the disbursements is limited to self-paying marketplace policyholders in states utilizing the federal Healthcare.gov exchange who did not receive federal premium assistance, making them responsible for paying “the full cost of Biden’s premium tax”.

The disbursement plan emerges alongside heightened discussions around national healthcare expenses. Premium costs for many program enrollees rose considerably earlier in the year following the expiration of pandemic-era federal subsidies, which congressional lawmakers declined to extend. Critics and industry observers note that statutory approval mechanisms and administrative procedures for transferring the surplus exchange funds remain unverified, as officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not provide public details regarding execution parameters.

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The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit maintains an injunction barring the U.S. Postal Service from instituting sweeping changes to mail voting procedures. The ruling marks a major setback for executive administration officials who sought to enforce new regulations governing ballot envelope designs and voter transmission verification.

The three-judge panel determined that federal authorities failed to demonstrate that the lower court erred in finding the directives likely unauthorized by law. Writing for the court, the panel noted, “Appellants have not demonstrated entitlement to a stay. Most prominently, appellants have not made a strong showing that the district court erred in determining that the Final Rule is likely unlawful”. The appellate decision emphasized that under the Elections Clause of the Constitution, regulating the mechanics of congressional elections belongs to state legislatures and Congress, “and not to an executive agency, such as the Postal Service, acting without congressional” authorization.

The litigation stems from an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who paused the directives over concerns that abrupt mandates would create significant logistical hurdles for election administrators. Under the proposed framework, states and local authorities would have been required to adhere to specific design specifications, such as unique barcodes, and submit participant rosters to a federal database. Non-compliant mailings faced potential rejection and return to local election offices. Plaintiffs, including a coalition of state officials and civil rights organizations such as the League of Women Voters, argued the requirements posed severe risks of disenfranchising eligible citizens.

Agreeing with the lower court’s analysis, the appellate panel cited potential administrative burdens and operational confusion so close to an election cycle. The judges observed that the lower court had made “detailed findings about the chaos and widespread disenfranchisement that would occur between now and November 3 should the Final Rule take immediate effect”. The decision highlighted that requiring rapid overhauls of ballot printing processes presented insurmountable timing issues for several states, creating operational hurdles without sufficient justification.

While the First Circuit refused to lift the restraint, the legal conflict continues in parallel before higher authorities. Government attorneys have separately petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and grant an emergency stay of the district court’s ruling. Administration representatives contend the measures represent a “lawful exercise of USPS’s express statutory authority to regulate the design of envelopes and the information needed about addressees”, while state officials maintain that election procedures must remain under local control as mandated by constitutional provisions.

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Darnold was injured on Seattle’s opening possession when Patriots defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones sacked him. The quarterback limped off the field and was later ruled out after undergoing medical evaluations. He completed one of two passes for 13 yards before leaving the game. Initial X-rays and a CT scan ruled out a fracture, and Darnold underwent an MRI Thursday to further assess the injury.

The subsequent testing brought more encouraging news for Seattle. Coach Mike Macdonald said the hip itself remained intact and described the problem as muscular rather than damage to the joint. The Seahawks have not established a firm timetable for Darnold’s return, but reports indicate the injury is not expected to result in a lengthy absence.

Drew Lock is expected to start against Arizona after taking over for Darnold in the opener and helping Seattle rally from a 10-0 deficit. Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, including a 45-yard scoring connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as the Seahawks scored the final 13 points of the game.

Darnold’s absence could extend beyond Week 2, but the Seahawks appear to have avoided the major injury initially feared. Seattle has a 17-day gap between its Week 2 game against Arizona and its Sept. 27 matchup with Washington, giving Darnold additional recovery time if he continues to progress as expected.

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Jacobs appeared in Brown County court in Wisconsin, where the battery charge resulted in a $1,000 fine plus court costs. Proceedings on the property damage charge were deferred for 12 months and will be dismissed if Jacobs satisfies the conditions of the agreement. Additionally, as part of the agreement Jacobs must avoid contact with the alleged victim, refrain from additional criminal activity, participate in counseling, remain under criminal justice supervision and pay restitution. A follow-up court date was set for Sept. 10, 2027. Jacobs told the court, “I fully understand the seriousness of the situation and I take full responsibility.” He left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.

Jacobs was arrested May 26 after police responded to a disturbance complaint at his home in the Hobart area near Green Bay. He was initially booked on five potential offenses, including felony strangulation, but prosecutors ultimately filed the two misdemeanor charges in August after reviewing additional evidence. The NFL placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list following the charges, preventing him from practicing or playing while allowing him to continue receiving his salary.

The resolution of the criminal case leaves Jacobs’ NFL status as the next major question. The league has not announced a suspension, but Thursday’s plea clears the way for the NFL to complete its review and determine whether further discipline will be imposed. Jacobs, 28, rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games last season and is entering the third season of a four-year, $48 million contract with Green Bay.

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The series reunites LL COOL J with the franchise as he reprises fan-favorite NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna following his long run on “NCIS: Los Angeles.” He stars opposite Caan, who plays Special Agent Nick Schaeffer, a new character partnering with Hanna as they tackle major investigations centered on one of the nation’s busiest cities and ports.

Beals, a Golden Globe nominee known for roles in “The L Word,” “Luckiest Girl Alive” and “Devil in a Blue Dress,” will portray Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robyn Wells, the respected leader of the New York field office. According to the official character description, Wells “leads with her intuition and is widely respected by her team.” Byers has been cast as Special Agent Addison “Addy” Ross, a determined investigator eager to prove herself, while Harper will play Special Agent Wyatt Hill, an accomplished field operative with a romantic streak. Druid rounds out the core team as tech specialist Sean Sullivan, a gifted but authority-resistant analyst.

The program has been slotted into the network’s Tuesday night block at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time, positioned directly between the flagship “NCIS” and the prequel series “NCIS: Origins.” Byron Balasco is serving as the showrunner for the freshman season, which will be available for linear viewing on CBS and stream the following day via Paramount+.

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Rather than adapting a specific game, the series will tell an original story while drawing inspiration from the franchise’s signature mix of isolated settings, dangerous power struggles and unpredictable characters. Like the games, each season will feature a different location and an entirely new cast, allowing the show to explore standalone stories within the broader “Far Cry” universe. The series received a green light from FX and Hulu in late 2025 and is being produced by FX Productions in association with Ubisoft Film & Television.

Hawley, the Emmy-winning creator behind “Fargo” and “Alien: Earth,” serves as executive producer through his 26 Keys banner, while Rob Mac also executive produces through More Better Productions. Additional executive producers include Simon Emanuel, Emilia Serrano, Nick Frenkel, Monica Macer, Peter Calloway, John Campisi, Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin and Austin Dill. Hawley has previously indicated the series is intended to capture the spirit of the games instead of recreating one of their existing storylines.

A premiere date has not yet been announced, but the series is expected to stream on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ in international markets where available.

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The single-sum payments represent a substantial bonus on top of the staffers’ official taxpayer-funded earnings. White House salary reports submitted to Congress show that Harp, Martin, and Harris each draw an annual government salary of $150,000, making the $45,000 payments equivalent to nearly 30 percent of their base income. Nauta, a longtime aide who previously served as a military valet, earns an annual government compensation of $175,000. All four aides belong to the president’s closest working group, with several having served him continuously both during his post-presidency in Florida and into his current administration.

Administration representatives vigorously defended the legality of the disbursements. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated, “The President has a longstanding practice of giving Christmas gifts to people in his orbit, including at times employees and aides, both in government and in his time in the private sector.” Officials emphasized that the payments were entirely personal in nature and unlinked to government actions. Spokespersons maintained that “The gifts at issue here have nothing to do with any of these individuals’ official government duties, and therefore are entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards.”

Despite executive assurances, government ethics analysts expressed concern over the precedent and legal implications under federal law. Section 209 of Title 18 of the United States Code strictly prohibits federal executive branch workers from receiving outside funds or compensation for their official public service. Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics counsel during the George W. Bush administration, stated that “If someone is your employee and you would give them a gift, it is almost certainly not a gift. It’s income,” arguing that the payments likely violate federal statutes restricting salary supplementation.

Other administrative law experts noted the uniqueness of the scenario, as federal regulations typically guard against gifts flowing upward from subordinates to superiors rather than downward. Don Fox, former acting director of the Office of Government Ethics, observed that a direct, large cash transfer from a president to junior employees is “not a circumstance that OGE ever really envisioned,” adding, “This just doesn’t happen.” While noting the legal violation would depend on whether the payments directly supplemented official salary, Fox described the large transfers as “troublesome” for potentially creating personal indebtedness to the president.

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Constructed with a polished grade 5 titanium chassis, the book-style device features a 5.4-inch outer cover display alongside an expansive 7.6-inch folding internal screen. The unit relies on a multi-layer lamination method using viscoelastic adhesives, allowing screen layers to move smoothly “like pages in a book” to reduce display stress over extended use. Engineered with a custom 100-component hinge structure, the smartphone folds down to passport-like dimensions while maintaining an ultra-thin profile when fully extended. “iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said Ternus. The internal screen incorporates a laser-patterned microlens finish designed to flatten the visible seam along the central crease, while a nano-texture coating minimizes surface reflection.

The phone is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip and features a titanium frame, precision hinge and dual-battery system. Apple said the inner display is its largest iPhone screen to date and uses a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare. The device also incorporates an under-display front camera and a pair of 48-megapixel cameras, while its foldable design enables features such as split-screen multitasking and new ways to take photos and videos. Touch ID is built into the side button, rather than Face ID.

Apple has redesigned iOS 27 to accommodate the Duo’s different orientations and screen configurations, allowing users to run apps side by side and transition between the inner and outer displays. The company is also emphasizing Apple Intelligence and its updated Siri AI features as part of the device’s software experience. Apple says the Duo is the thinnest iPhone when opened and is available in Star White and Night Sky.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States for 256GB of storage, making it Apple’s most expensive iPhone. Higher-capacity versions will be offered up to 2TB, with the top configuration priced at $3,199. Preorders begin Oct. 16, with the phone scheduled to reach stores and customers Oct. 23 in the United States and more than 70 other countries and regions.

You can view the Apple iPhone Duo introduction video HERE.

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Rybakina will officially take over the top ranking when the WTA rankings are updated Sept. 14, ending Aryna Sabalenka’s 99-week run at No. 1. She will become the 30th woman in WTA history to reach the top spot and the first player from Kazakhstan, male or female, to hold the No. 1 ranking.

The victory continued a remarkable turnaround for Rybakina, who has produced the strongest season of her career after dealing with injuries and inconsistent form during the previous year. She won the Australian Open in January for her second Grand Slam title, also captured the Stuttgart title and reached finals in Indian Wells and Toronto. Her U.S. Open run is already her best result at the tournament.

Rybakina faced a major test late in the third set when Zheng earned a break point at 4-3, but the Kazakhstani held firm before winning the final three games. Zheng, an Olympic champion who entered the tournament through qualifying after returning from a chronic elbow injury, had defeated Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek on her way to the quarterfinals.

Rybakina will play either fourth-seeded Coco Gauff or fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals. Despite reaching the milestone, Rybakina said her priority remains winning the tournament, with the opportunity to capture her first U.S. Open championship still ahead.

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The procedure was performed by Dr. Daniel Cooper, and the Raiders are now preparing to begin the season without one of their most important offensive players. Bowers also is considered unlikely to play in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, potentially making his first appearance of the season in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints.

Bowers’ latest knee issue comes after an injury-plagued 2025 season. He played in 12 games and recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns while dealing with a PCL injury and bone bruise in his left knee. He ultimately spent the final portion of the season on injured reserve.

With Bowers sidelined, Michael Mayer is expected to assume a larger role at tight end, with Ian Thomas also available. The Raiders will host Miami on Sunday before traveling to face the Chargers in Week 2.

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