Artisan Partners, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor commentary for the "Artisan Global Opportunities Strategy". The letter can be downloaded here. Global equities rebounded sharply during the quarter, with the MSCI ACWI Index returning 15.3% as resilient economic growth, strong corporate earnings, and continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence supported markets despite persistent inflation, higher bond yields, and geopolitical uncertainty. The portfolio reported strong absolute returns of 12.65% (net) but underperformed the benchmark, mainly because of its underweight exposure to information technology and overweight position in health care. Strong stock selection in technology and energy partially offset these headwinds. The fund continues to see attractive long-term opportunities across AI infrastructure, health care and consumer internet, while remaining disciplined on valuation as several AI-related stocks have appreciated sharply. Management remains focused on durable franchises with identifiable profit cycles and attractive long-term earnings potential. Also, check the Strategy's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Artisan Global Opportunities Fund highlighted L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX). L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) provides mission-critical solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide. On September 01, 2026, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) closed at $263.56 per share. Over the past month, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) declined 8.44%, and its shares lost 4.08% over the past 52 weeks. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) has a market capitalization of $48.76 billion.
Artisan Global Opportunities Fund stated the following regarding L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) is a global aerospace and defense company that we believe remains well positioned to benefit from growing investment in next-generation missile defense, ****** e sensing and national security programs. Recent results exceeded expectations, with 15% organic growth driven by continued strength in its ****** e and mission systems and missile solutions segments. Order activity remained healthy, with backlog reaching $41 billion and international demand accelerating. Despite the solid operating performance, shares declined amid concerns over future competition and the potential implications for long-term market share. While strong bookings and accelerating revenue continue to support our long-term investment thesis, we began harvesting the position as we reallocated capital within the industrials sector."

#technologies #opportunities #long

Artisan Partners, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor commentary for the "Artisan Global Opportunities Strategy". The letter can be downloaded here. Global equities rebounded sharply during the quarter, with the MSCI ACWI Index returning 15.3% as resilient economic growth, strong corporate earnings, and continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence supported markets despite persistent inflation, higher bond yields, and geopolitical uncertainty. The portfolio reported strong absolute returns of 12.65% (net) but underperformed the benchmark, mainly because of its underweight exposure to information technology and overweight position in health care. Strong stock selection in technology and energy partially offset these headwinds. The fund continues to see attractive long-term opportunities across AI infrastructure, health care and consumer internet, while remaining disciplined on valuation as several AI-related stocks have appreciated sharply. Management remains focused on durable franchises with identifiable profit cycles and attractive long-term earnings potential. Also, check the Strategy's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Artisan Global Opportunities Strategy highlighted Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM). Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops and commercializes therapies for patients with serious and rare diseases. On September 01, 2026, Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) closed at $121.51 per share. Over the past month, Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) returned 25.42%, and its shares lost 13.45% over the past 52 weeks. Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) has a market capitalization of $27.14 billion.
Artisan Global Opportunities Strategy stated the following regarding Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Our biggest detractors in Q2 were Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM), BAE Systems and L3Harris Technologies. Insmed is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on pulmonary diseases. BRINSUPRI® continued its rapid launch, with robust patient uptake and encouraging third-party data. While Q1 sales came in modestly below elevated investor expectations, reflecting concerns around discontinuation rates, continuation on therapy and typical early-year seasonality, we believe the underlying launch trajectory remains encouraging. We continue to view BRINSUPRI® as a significant long-term opportunity. Our due diligence suggests the therapy remains well tolerated and is on track to achieve blockbuster-level sales. We trimmed the position during the quarter."

#insm #artisan #global #quarter

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is pressing the Army to explain why it told a unit based in Europe to stop specializing in drone warfare, an order that comes as the world's battlefields rapidly evolve and military tactics increasingly rely on uncrewed systems to fight.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade was building its own drones and practicing the kind of warfare that Ukraine has pioneered against Russia and that Iran has fought against the U.S. — warfare that has killed and wounded American troops. The brigade of 600 soldiers was set up in November to be deployed anywhere that drones were needed.
"We have deep concerns that eliminating this specialized drone unit will limit our ability to learn from allies, particularly the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and hinder our efforts to modernize drone warfare at the speed necessary to compete on the modern battlefield," the lawmakers said in a letter shared with The ****** ociated Press.
It requests a briefing from the Army to explain its decision and was sent Tuesday to departing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army's acting chief of staff. It was signed by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, independent Sen. Angus King of Maine and Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio.
"This specialized unit was a prudent response in a moment when the character of warfare is changing faster than a conventional formation's ability to adapt," the lawmakers say.

#lawmakers #brigade #explain

NEW YORK — During the fourth game of Alexandra Eala's first-round match at the US Open, a long point unfolded that drew gasps and cheers with increasing frequency. By the time Eala sent a passing shot by American Mary Stoiana to finish it off, it had built to a full roar.
Chair umpire Marijana Veljovic was not amused.
"Please," she warned the crowd. "Out of respect for both players, keep your voices down."
As Eala has risen up the rankings this season to the point where she's a fringe contender for the US Open ***** le, fan etiquette has become a topic around her matches. As the first significant tennis player from the Philippines, she has drawn remarkable crowds from one tournament to the next, filled largely with people who are new to the sport and not steeped in the customs of when to cheer and when to be quiet.
It has created some insane atmospheres at otherwise sleepy tennis tournaments. It has also rankled some opponents, or at least made them uncomfortable. After losing to Eala in a final earlier this summer in Washington, D.C., in front of a heavily partisan crowd, American Jessica Pegula acknowledged it was like playing a road game.

#alexandra

When thinking of the greatest managers of the Premier League era, ******* ne Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola are names that belong high on the list.
They are three of the rare breed to have managed 250 games with a single Premier League club, and Mikel Arteta is now the 10th member of that elite group.
Monday's 1-0 win over Aston Villa was the 250th top-flight game in charge for Arteta with the Gunners, and his champions delivered a trademark performance.
At full-time at Villa Park, the travelling supporters sang about how they are going to win the league again with Arteta in charge.
With ******* nal coming into this season as trophy holders, and with transition affecting rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, it is hard to see how the fans' partisan prediction is going to be proved wrong.

#premier #manchester #charge

On August 19, Lowe's Companies (NYSE:LOW) reported second-quarter sales of $26 billion, up 8.3% from a year earlier, even though comparable sales inched up just 0.2%. The headline number hides a split personality inside the business. Pro contractors, online shoppers and Do-It-For-Me customers kept spending, while everyday DIY homeowners pulled back hard enough that management trimmed its full-year guidance. That gap between who is still spending and who isn't is the real story in this quarter.
Pro sales grew again, and management credited small and medium-sized contractors responding to the company's digital planning tools and the MyLowe's Pro Rewards loyalty program, which lets Pros quote, plan, and manage jobs inside Lowe's own platform. Online sales jumped 15.7%, helped by expanded visualization tools and the Mylow AI agent, which has fielded more than 25 million customer and ******* ociate questions since launch.
Notably, CEO Marvin Ellison said the conversion rate for online shoppers who use Mylow runs triple that of shoppers who don't, a sign the tool is doing more than answering questions. Appliances delivered a seventh straight quarter of positive comparable sales, aided by next-day delivery in virtually every US ZIP code and a push into premium products like Traeger grills and a GE Profile refrigerator that scans groceries for an Instacart shopping list. Loyalty is compounding too: MyLowe's Rewards has crossed 30 million members who shop more often and spend more per visit than nonmembers, giving the company a growing base to sell that premium ******* ortment into even while the broader housing market stalls.
Comparable transactions fell 2.1% during the quarter, offset only by a 2.3% rise in average ticket, and management pinned the weakness on weather-sensitive and seasonal categories where DIY shoppers dominate. Executive Vice President Joe McFarland said Pro customers themselves are noticing it, describing homeowners who are "more cautious about their spending" and shifting toward smaller repair jobs instead of full remodels.
That caution pushed Lowe's to guide toward the bottom of its prior range, now targeting roughly $92 billion in sales and $12.25 in adjusted earnings per share for the full year. Margins felt it too. Adjusted operating margin slipped 62 basis points to 14%, and CFO Brandon Sink noted that an $80 million tariff refund benefit was largely wiped out by elevated fuel and transportation costs. The company's Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group acquisitions add another layer of risk, since Sink flagged "softer-for-longer new home construction" pressuring demand in both segments. Inventory climbed to $17.7 billion, up $1.4 billion year over year, and adjusted debt to EBITDA sits at 3.0x against a 2.75x target management doesn't expect to hit until mid-2027. Third quarter earnings are guided to come in roughly 7% below last year's adjusted EPS.

#sales #billion #shoppers #online

Victor Wembanyama made a sensational return to the FIBA world stage Thursday, scoring 22 points in 21 minutes as Team France trounced Slovenia 92-67 in World Cup qualifying action.
For the 22-year-old Spurs superstar, recently minted as the French captain, it marked his first international game that counted since the Les Bleus took a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Wembanyama was a mixed bag in a pair of friendly contests against Nikola Jokic and the Serbian team last week. On Thursday, playing before a partisan home crowd at Bercy Arena in Paris, Wembanyama looked more like his All-World self.
In addition to several highlight reel plays, Wembanyama added nine rebounds as the French squad cruised to victory over a Slovenia team missing its top player in Luka Doncic. The Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star has opted to sit out this round of qualifying games due to family reasons.
With the win, the French continued their march toward next year's World Cup in Qatar. Les Bleus are 6-1 and in first place of Group L, with their next game coming Sunday against Sweden in Stockholm.

#Paris #qualifying

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) delivered an earnings beat alongside weak organic growth and a reduced outlook. Second-quarter total sales increased approximately 8.3% to $25.96 billion, supported by acquisitions, but organic comparable sales rose just 0.2%, below the 0.8% expected. Diluted earnings were $4.27 per share. Company-defined adjusted diluted earnings, a non-GAAP measure, reached $4.40 per share and exceeded the $4.22 FactSet consensus estimate. Results also included a $0.11-per-share benefit from tariff refunds. Management reduced its full-year sales forecast to $92 billion and now expects comparable sales to be approximately flat. Still, the shares reversed a premarket decline and closed 2.0% higher at $220 on August 19. For Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), the question is whether contractor demand can cushion the combined pressure from weak DIY spending and subdued housing activity.
The operating split was clear. Pro, online, and home services growth helped Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) produce a fifth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales. Online sales increased nearly 16%, while contractors and repair-and-maintenance projects supported demand. Acquisitions expanded the reported revenue base but are excluded from the comparable-sales calculation, making the 0.2% organic increase the better measure of underlying momentum.
The weaker side extends beyond the consumer. Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) said persistent pressure on discretionary DIY spending partly offset its stronger categories. The revised outlook also incorporated softer housing trends affecting Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group, particularly their residential-construction exposure. Consumers continue prioritizing necessary repairs while postponing larger projects, and weak housing turnover is also limiting construction and renovation activity.
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) is getting support from customers whose spending is less discretionary than a kitchen remodel or major outdoor project. Pro demand, home services, and online growth provide several ways to capture repair, maintenance, and contractor spending while DIY customers remain cautious. The adjusted earnings beat shows that profitability held up better than organic sales, even after accounting for the tariff-refund benefit. If lower mortgage rates eventually revive housing turnover, these businesses could provide a stronger base for renewed DIY and construction demand.

#Companies #NYSE #housing #online

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) delivered an earnings beat alongside weak organic growth and a reduced outlook. Second-quarter total sales increased approximately 8.3% to $25.96 billion, supported by acquisitions, but organic comparable sales rose just 0.2%, below the 0.8% expected. Diluted earnings were $4.27 per share. Company-defined adjusted diluted earnings, a non-GAAP measure, reached $4.40 per share and exceeded the $4.22 FactSet consensus estimate. Results also included a $0.11-per-share benefit from tariff refunds. Management reduced its full-year sales forecast to $92 billion and now expects comparable sales to be approximately flat. Still, the shares reversed a premarket decline and closed 2.0% higher at $220 on August 19. For Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), the question is whether contractor demand can cushion the combined pressure from weak DIY spending and subdued housing activity.
The operating split was clear. Pro, online, and home services growth helped Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) produce a fifth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales. Online sales increased nearly 16%, while contractors and repair-and-maintenance projects supported demand. Acquisitions expanded the reported revenue base but are excluded from the comparable-sales calculation, making the 0.2% organic increase the better measure of underlying momentum.
The weaker side extends beyond the consumer. Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) said persistent pressure on discretionary DIY spending partly offset its stronger categories. The revised outlook also incorporated softer housing trends affecting Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group, particularly their residential-construction exposure. Consumers continue prioritizing necessary repairs while postponing larger projects, and weak housing turnover is also limiting construction and renovation activity.
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) is getting support from customers whose spending is less discretionary than a kitchen remodel or major outdoor project. Pro demand, home services, and online growth provide several ways to capture repair, maintenance, and contractor spending while DIY customers remain cautious. The adjusted earnings beat shows that profitability held up better than organic sales, even after accounting for the tariff-refund benefit. If lower mortgage rates eventually revive housing turnover, these businesses could provide a stronger base for renewed DIY and construction demand.

#sales #comparable

A US airman who was arrested twice, once on the steps of the US Capitol while calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, was officially criminally charged Monday for his comments, according to a charging document his attorney shared with CNN.
Maj. Jason Watson faces the following charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to the document: three violations of Article 88 for alleged "contemptuous" remarks about Trump, five violations of Article 92 for allegedly disobeying orders and two violations of Article 133 for alleged conduct unbecoming an officer.
The rare Article 88 charges are connected to the Air Force officer's June interview with the Defenders of our Republic Substack newsletter, his July 1 protest in uniform at the US Capitol, and an August 17 CNN interview.
It can be considered a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to participate in uniform in any overtly partisan activity, such as a political protest, or to use "contemptuous words" against the president and other high-ranking civilian officials. Many low-level offenses of these rules are resolved informally, but Watson's violations were unusually high-profile.
Watson was first arrested in July while protesting in uniform at the US Capitol, and he was then arrested again last week just days after criticizing Trump again during a CNN interview. One of his attorneys, Chris Mutimer, told CNN that his client was ordered to remain in "pre-trial confinement" — an action ******* ogous to a denial of bond in civilian court — pending legal action against him.

#capitol #arrested

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 killed the restricted application strategy for anyone born after January 1, 1954, closing it to all new claimants by 2026.
Deemed filing now forces spouses to claim both spousal and personal retirement benefits simultaneously, eliminating the ability to collect one while the other grows.
Couples can still delay the higher earner's benefit to 70 for roughly 8% annual growth, and sequence survivor benefits separately from retirement benefits.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
Picture a couple in their mid-sixties. Linda spent 35 years as a hospital administrator; Mark earned less as a school counselor. As they plan their Social Security claims, Linda remembers the move her older sister used years ago. She collected a spousal check while allowing the benefit on her own work record to grow until 70. Then she then dropped the smaller payment and switched to her larger one.

#benefits #benefit #years #january

While it seems that Democrats and Republicans can't agree on much of anything these days, there's at least one common enemy that's bringing both sides of the aisle together: data centers. Representatives on both sides of the aisle are increasingly pushing back against hyperscalers who are developing massive data center campuses on local energy grids, driving up energy demand and therefore causing electricity prices to skyrocket for everyone, whether they benefit from the artificial intelligence boom or not.
The Trump administration has attempted to resolve the issue by pushing the tech sector to provide its own energy sources to power its rapidly proliferating data centers. But while the legislation ostensibly pushes the responsibility of energy buildout – and the money to support it – back onto the tech firms responsible for skyrocketing energy demand rates in the first place, there is some concern that the policy may yield some considerable and costly unintended consequences.
Trump "essentially envisions a bespoke new power system built in parallel to the existing one," argues a recent op-ed from the energy editor of non-partisan news outlet Semafor. By inviting Big Tech to build its own energy infrastructure, policymakers are inviting the private sector to create a shadow grid that operates outside of the regulations that govern our standard electricity grids, and the oversight mechanisms that ensure compliance with other policy measures, such as environmental protections.
Plus, by encouraging Big Tech to invest in its own energy infrastructure, the country is missing out on a major opportunity to encourage much-needed investment in its own aging grid at a time when more resilience and greater transmission infrastructure is sorely needed. "Most of today's cost pressure is coming from transmission, distribution, and system readiness, not energy supply," Brandon Owens, a grid expert and founder of advisory platform AIxEnergy, was quoted by Politico last week. "Those costs remain even if a data center self-supplies generation."
Despite these concerns, Big Tech is pushing ahead with some truly gargantuan energy infrastructure projects, most of which are being developed in tandem with sprawling data center campuses. Amazon is currently building a gas-fired power plant in Texas that is set to become the single-biggest source of power-related emissions in the entire United States. And just this week, Nvidia announced that it would team up with ****** an's SoftBank and the United States government to build the country's largest fossil-fuel plant to power an OpenAI project in Ohio.

#Trump

Christina Polychroni, Chief Human Resources Officer of The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc.(NASDAQ:CHEF), sold 2,752 shares of common stock on Aug. 14, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. focuses on supplying high-end and gourmet food products across both the United States and Canada. The company maintains an extensive catalog featuring more than 50,000 stock-keeping units, including specialty items such as artisanal charcuterie and premium cheeses.
Sector: Consumer Defensive
Industry: Food Distribution
Employees: 5,156

#resources #officer

Republican lawmakers are still locked in a power struggle with the White House over control of federal cash, long since President Donald Trump swept back into office with unprecedented orders undermining Congress' power of the purse.
Earlier this month, GOP senators overwhelmingly agreed to a bipartisan government funding bill that would temporarily block the Trump administration from finalizing a federal rule to let political appointees steer money toward grants "aligned with the president's agenda." The House could clear that bill next month, and Trump is expected to sign it to avert a shutdown before the midterms.
And while the days of widespread funding freezes might be over, the Trump administration continues to create new rules for federal grants and then deny funding based on them — only to be repeatedly shot down in court this summer.
Lawmakers in both parties have also blasted White House budget director Russ Vought this year for delaying the release of cash for congressionally backed programs for antipoverty services, foreign **** istance, banking in underserved areas and more.
"Congress has appropriated money, and you don't have the authority to impound it," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) chastised Vought this spring over the withholding of hundreds of millions of dollars the Trump administration is supposed to send quarterly to states.

#Trump #administration #power

Aug 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas in an ‌investigation into whether a Senate candidate ‌in Alaska with the same name as a Republican incumbent entered the race to confuse voters, according to a source familiar with the probe.
The grand jury subpoenas are part ‌of a federal ⁠probe into the candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan, who is ⁠running against incumbent Dan S. Sullivan, the source said.
Both candidates are running in the state's nonpartisan Senate primary on Tuesday. The top ‌four candidates will advance to the November election, which could cause further headaches for Senator Dan S. Sullivan if challenger Dan J. Sullivan makes the cut.
The ‌subpoenas were first reported by NBC News.
An investigation does not always result in criminal charges.

#running

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An appeals court has ruled that Sigal Chattah, the Trump administration's initial pick for U.S. attorney in Nevada, was unlawfully appointed to lead federal prosecutions in the state.
The decision Monday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals marked another setback for Trump's efforts to extend handpicked U.S. attorneys beyond a 120-day limit set by federal law. The strategy was designed to bypass confirmation by the U.S. Senate — something that generally requires a degree of bipartisan support.
Chattah has continued in the office under the ******* le of first ******* istant U.S. attorney since a lower-court judge paused a ruling disqualifying her from overseeing several criminal prosecutions while the appeals process took place.
Earlier this year, the White House selected George Kelesis as a replacement, but he must still go through the Senate's nomination process. Kelesis, a Las Vegas native, has been practicing law in the Silver State since 1981.
The administration's decision to nominate Kelesis in February signaled its uncertainty regarding Chattah's long-term position in the role after setbacks in similar cases across the country.

#kelesis #appeals

Lowe's approaches its fiscal second-quarter earnings with a different mix of opportunities and risks from its larger rival Home Depot. While both retailers are exposed to the same difficult housing environment, Lowe's remains more dependent on the do-it-yourself customer, making consumer confidence, household budgets and housing affordability particularly important indicators for traders.
The company is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 results on August 19, one day after Home Depot. That sequencing could make Lowe's report especially important for investors looking for confirmation of whether the weakness in home improvement is stabilizing or becoming more entrenched.
The key issue is whether Lowe's can continue taking market share even if the broader home improvement market remains broadly flat.
Lowe's delivered a relatively solid fiscal first quarter. Sales increased to $23.1 billion from $20.9 billion a year earlier, while comparable sales rose 0.6%. The company benefited from strong spring execution, a 15.5% increase in online sales, and continued strength in appliances, home services and Pro sales.
Reported diluted EPS came in at $2.90, compared with $2.92 a year earlier. However, the quarter included $96 million of pre-tax expenses related to the acquisitions of Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group. Adjusted diluted EPS increased 3.8% to $3.03.

#home #quarter #remains

By Diana Novak Jones
Aug 18 (Reuters) - As opening statements get underway in a landmark trial over claims that Meta Platforms misled the public about the safety of Instagram and Facebook for young users and violated child privacy laws, one of the biggest fights in the case has ‌already been resolved: whether a bipartisan group of U.S. states could present their claims together.
The states pushed for a single trial covering state consumer ‌protection and federal privacy claims brought by 29 attorneys general, while Meta argued for a series of smaller trials grouping states that have similar laws.
The fight was about more than courtroom logistics. The states argued that the case centers on company-wide decisions affecting young users across the country and seeks nationwide changes to Meta's platforms, and that jurors should hear a single story about Meta's actions. Meta countered that jurors should evaluate states' claims separately because the underlying laws differ and warned that a combined proceeding could blur important distinctions among the claims.
Ultimately, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers adopted a hybrid approach for the multi-week trial, allowing Colorado, California, Kentucky and New Jersey to try their state law claims together, while also including ‌the federal law claims brought by all of the ⁠states. Although Rogers will decide the case, she appointed an advisory jury whose findings may inform her final ruling.

#states #young

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Friday declined a request to appear voluntarily before a second Senate panel after majority Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee voted along partisan lines last week to hold the longtime infectious disease expert in contempt.
In a pointed letter to Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, a lawyer for the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said any effort to compel him to appear before a Senate subcommittee, after a contentious July 29 hearing, would be to "impermissibly harass or degrade Dr. Fauci for political purposes."
During the July hearing on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 100 times, prompting the Aug. 6 contempt vote and setting up a referral to the Justice Department for potential investigation over whether he had properly exercised his constitutional rights.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman who pressed for the contempt finding, said the constitutional protection did not apply because Democratic President Joe Biden had issued a preemptive pardon to Fauci, and he did not need to be concerned about potential prosecution.
Paul has long accused Fauci of misleading the public during the pandemic and the July hearing was the latest episode in his highly publicized confrontations with him. Paul has repeatedly called for Fauci to be prosecuted and imprisoned.

#contempt #senate #republican

Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the market opens on Aug. 19. Much like its chief rival, Home Depot, the home improvement and building-products retailer's business has been stuck of late as it contends with soft demand. While Lowe's reported better-than-expected results last quarter, management maintained a soft outlook, setting low expectations for the year.
Lowe's shares are down by about 10.5% year to date. Already trading at a cheap valuation compared to its main peer, the stock could become even more of a bargain if investors react negatively to the upcoming earnings release.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
For the quarter that ended on Aug. 1, sell-side forecasts call for revenue of $26.2 billion and earnings of $4.24 per share. That would amount to year-over-year sales growth of 9.3% and a 2% decline in earnings.
Lowe's has made some large acquisitions since last year, including Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group. While those purchases have increased its top line, sluggish same-store sales coupled with higher interest expense and lower margins have led to less-stellar near-term bottom-line results. That said, these acquisitions, part of the company's pivot toward a greater focus on the contractor market, could pay off in the long term.

#signal

If the Wrigley Chewing Gum company weren't so deeply **** ociated with the arch-rivals of the St. Louis ballclub, they'd probably offer the Cardinals the opportunity to be the new face of Doublemint Gum, on account of all the double killings they turned tonight. In the absence of an endorsement deal, the Redbirds will have to settle for winning the game.
The Phillies put runners on the corners on the first, but didn't convert them into runs. And the same was true in the second, as the Phillies put runners on the corners and saw the inning end on a Justin Crawford 6-4-3 GIDP. The Cardinals soon found themselves in a comparable situation, putting runners on first and third against Cristopher Sánchez on singles from José Fermin and Masyn Winn. And the Redbirds, wanting to be gracious and considerate hosts, chose not to upstage their visitors and promptly hit into a 5-4-3 twin killing. The Phillies, however, misunderstood this kind gesture, thinking that home team was trying to upstage them with a GIDP slightly fancier than the standard 6-4-3. "We can match that," said the Phils. And so it was that in the next inning they did indeed replicate the 5-4-3 DP, via grounder from Bryce Harper.
The **** embled masses, Philadelphia Phaithful and toasted ravioli-eating St. Louis partisans alike, cried "stop! No more!" But their calls went unheeded. The Cardinals, their dander up and their ire drawn, one-upped the Phillies by hitting into a 4-6-3 version of the pitcher's best friend. to conclude the bottom of the third. The arms race was on. Your faithful recapper sprinted to his bookshelf, removed his copy of the **** son Baseball Dictionary, flipped to the entry on double plays, and groaned upon realizing that only four synonyms were listed; one was used two sentences ago, and the others weren't distinct enough to be of use (technically you can shorten double play to just double, but isn't that confusing?)
In the fourth inning, the first two Phillies batters, Luis Arraez and J.T. Realmuto, made outs, thus ensuring the chain of double plays would at last be broken. But while the double plays ended, offense was still hard to find. In the top of the fifth, Alec Bohm sent a slider flying to center, where Everson Pereira leapt and came down with it elegantly; poetry in motion, and frustration in action for the Phillies. The Cardinals proved no more adept at scoring in their portion of the fifth, and then in the sixth the double play chain began again, with the Phillies matching the 4-6-3 their avian foe hit into earlier.
The Phillies faced the Redbird bullpen in the seventh, with Brady Pallante departing after six scoreless, with four hits and just two Ks. His replacement, George Soriano, quickly induced two outs, then allowed a single to Brandon Marsh and a walk to Bohm. That brought up Justin Crawford, who lined out. The scoring drought continued.

#runners #first #justin

A major bill seeking to regulate college sports hit a roadblock in the Senate last week despite lawmakers racing to have the framework approved before leaving Washington for a scheduled five-week recess.
The long-stalled Protect College Sports Act, which would establish federal regulations for name, image and likeness deals for student-athletes, was injected with sudden momentum last week — but that progress quickly sputtered out as the week came to a close. Among other concerns, some lawmakers raised objections that the bill could create legal loopholes in states that have laws restricting transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.
A group of attorneys general from six red states, including Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, wrote a letter to the two main sponsors of the bill to urge changes before it's brought to the floor for a vote.
"For decades, the integrity of women's sports has been under attack by those pursuing a radical transgender agenda at the expense of the safety of female athletes and equal athletic opportunity," the state attorney general wrote in the letter, which was sent to lawmakers on Friday and obtained by the Deseret News.
The Protect College Sports Act is a sweeping proposal to regulate college athletics by creating a national framework dealing with NIL deals, athlete compensation, media rights, revenue sharing, transfer eligibility, and more. Bipartisan lawmakers behind the legislation have argued federal guidelines are crucial to absolve confusion from 50 states operating under different rules.

#sports #Attorney

Progressive Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, cruised to victory in her primary on Saturday, setting up a showdown with Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa in November.
Tokuda is seeking a third term representing Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, which includes the entire state outside the island of Oahu, as well as rural and suburban parts of Oahu itself.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district D+12. That means it's highly likely that Democrats keep hold of it in this year's midterms.
2026 Midterms State Of Play: Key Races Unfold As Stevens, El-sayed Battle In Michigan
Rep. Jill Tokuda speaks as Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve appear at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on May 15, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

#state

WASHINGTON (AP) — When George W. Bush wrote an essay this year about another president named George, he avoided mentioning the one named Donald.
So did Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The three ex-presidents joined a roster of historians and authors in contributing to the In Pursuit project, a 250th-anniversary series that had each writer produce an essay about a president or first lady.
Though the project was explicitly designed to transcend today's politics, some of its essays nevertheless reflect anxieties that are flaring in the era of President Donald Trump over the use of power, the health of the democracy and the integrity of the presidency.
The project is being curated by Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist who was fired without explanation by Trump last year. She instructed contributors not to be partisan or ideological. "Everybody took those instructions and that guidance very seriously," she told The ****** ociated Press. The goal was for all Americans to "feel welcome to be able to read these lessons and essays and learn something from them."
The mission, Shogan said, "is to surface the lessons from the past 250 years of American history, so that we can learn from those lessons, from both our successes and our failures, so we can plan for the present and the future. It's what has been described as debriefing the American story."

#donald #Trump #year

Gary Cordery, who owns a contracting company, won the Republican nomination for Hawaii governor after defeating business owner Ken Fujiyama in Saturday's primary.
He is now set to face Democratic Gov. Josh Green in November in a race that heavily favors the incumbent. The Cook Political Report rates the contest as Solid Democratic, with a Partisan Voting Index of D+13.
Cordery faces a steep challenge: Hawaii has not had a Republican governor since Linda Lingle left office in 2010.
Former Top Oregon Gop Official Secures Nomination For Governor As Republicans Target Blue-state Pickup
Businessman Gary Cordery is a Republican candidate for governor in the 2026 Hawaii gubernatorial election.

#cordery #republican #gary #josh

Courts have blocked President Donald Trump's earlier attempts to use existing laws for his trade war, but Congress is advancing a new law that would provide broad discretion to impose steep tariffs.
In an 86-to-11 vote, the Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 on Friday, with the House expected to approve the bill with similar bipartisan support next month.
It sanctions Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Kremlin officials while also targeting the country's energy sector to cripple the economy amid its war on Ukraine.
The bill would let Trump impose fresh tariffs as high as 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas. While that could include U.S. allies like the European Union, South Korea, ******* an as well as top trading partners like China and India, the president also has the ability to issue waivers if he deems it "in the national interest of the United States."
Despite the overwhelming support, Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., tried to remove the bill's tariff authority, but failed.

#russian #bill #like #courts

By Nandita Bose
WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats preparing for a possible return to power are developing a broad investigative strategy targeting companies and financial firms surrounding President Donald Trump, instead of trying to impeach him immediately, according to four people familiar with the discussions.
Senior Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and committee aides have discussed using hearings, subpoenas and document ‌requests to obtain records from entities tied to Trump's political and business orbit, the sources said. It is a bet that investigating private companies and outside financial players will prove more fruitful than directly ‌confronting a White House they expect to resist oversight, they said.
The approach reflects both Democratic caution and a lesson many in the party say they learned during Trump's first term: that impeachment proceedings can consume Congress while allowing Trump to cast himself as the victim of a partisan campaign.
Instead, Democrats involved in the planning envision using House investigative powers after November's midterm elections to scrutinize the administration's decision-making and examine whether Trump used his power to benefit himself, allies or donors.

#instead

A Trump-appointed federal appeals judge spent months running a Washington public affairs firm after being appointed to the bench last year, an arrangement that contributed to an exodus among the firm's staff and clients and only ended when the firm went out of business at the end of June.
Jennifer Mascott, a former conservative law professor who sits on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, was deeply involved in daily operations at the firm, Adfero, for at least six months after she was confirmed as a judge in October 2025, according to 14 former employees and clients granted anonymity to discuss internal details of the firm's final months.
Nine of the former employees said Mascott, who inherited her ownership stake in the firm from her late husband in 2023, worked at least once a week out of Adfero's office in Washington and oversaw the firm's staffing, business development efforts and client relations in between her full-time judicial duties in Wilmington and Philadelphia.
The firm was historically a nonpartisan business that did public relations and marketing work for companies and trade ******* ociations such as PhRMA and the National Retail Federation. In the final months of the business, Mascott brought on consultants with strong MAGA credentials, according to eight of the former employees and clients. Her leadership of the firm involved operational and strategic decisions: She required her signoff on marketing materials and suggested staff pitch the firm's services to health insurers after the loss of crucial clients like PhRMA.
The details of Mascott's involvement with the firm, which have not been previously reported, come amid a yearslong push by members of Congress and others in the legal community for stricter ethical requirements for judges. While judges are barred from engaging in business activities that could call their impartiality into question, they may maintain ownership of family businesses as long as they are not using the prestige of their judgeship to further the business or taking significant time away from their judicial duties.

#firm #months #employees

The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 has been covered primarily through the lens of introducing reform and guardrails into the current landscape of college athletics. The legislation, which has bipartisan support and has been approved by the "Power 2" of the Big Ten and SEC, proposes ideas such as limits on coaching moves, multi-transfer eligibility, and the protection of athletes' rights.
The Act also addresses sports broadcasting by working to maintain antitrust protection for collective college sports broadcast negotiations and "market-level" broadcast access for college football and basketball games, as well as legislation focused squarely on HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities), per HBCU Gameday.
Title III is the IGNITE HBCUs Sports and Media Act and is aimed at creating competitive grants for long-term improvements to broadband, information technology, and media infrastructure at eligible Black colleges.
The grants could be used to support journalism programs that provide hands-on training for students, or to upgrade equipment to aid in the production, transmission, and distribution of live coverage of college athletic events. The grant period would last between two and five years, with eligible institutions able to apply for and receive multiple grants through a process requiring schools to describe and explain their planned projects and the impact said projects would have on long-term institutional goals.
For a large swath of HBCUs, these grants could address competitive disadvantages stemming from a lack of production infrastructure as athletic conferences lean further into requiring institutions to produce their own games for streaming platforms.

#colleges #Media #legislation

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida university leaders are asking Congress to take a timeout and call some audibles in the college sports legislation that could pass the Senate as soon as this week.
Athletic directors and other top officials in the college-sports-crazed Sunshine State see the proposal, the country's most substantial attempt yet to govern this chaotic athletics marketplace, as "progress over perfection" — a potential shift they welcome yet hope will evolve in the Senate or eventually the House.
Notably, they are apprehensive about how the legislation could put schools in purgatory if they want to switch athletic conferences, and they're unsure about the idea of capping the number of colleges in those conferences. They also want more guardrails around third-party name, image and likeness deals they contend schools are using to funnel money to student athletes.
With senators positioned to possibly vote soon on the so-called Protect College Sports Act, the state university system's Board of Governors is sensing it's time to kick off on lobbying the Florida delegation. And there appears to be an open channel, as some Florida athletic directors spoke Monday night with Florida Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott about the bill. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) released a new version of their legislation Tuesday after weeks of negotiations with the largest athletics conferences and the Trump administration, as Cruz remains adamant about passing the bipartisan measure before senators leave for August recess at the end of this week.
"Getting something done in Congress is difficult; changing it later is going to be really difficult," Keith Perry, a former GOP state lawmaker serving on the Board of Governors, said Tuesday during an athletics task force meeting. "The only opportunity, really, to have any kind of influence is there now."

#athletics #congress