Press and Journal

A study titled 'Gods in the Classroom: Religion and Education in First Millennium BCE Babylonia' has been published in the journal Iraq, published by Cambridge University Press. The research examines how religious ideas and practices featured in scribal education in ancient Babylonia, drawing on school texts from the first millennium BCE. Readers on Hacker News are sharing and discussing the article.

A major search operation is under way for a pensioner reported missing from Beauly in the Scottish Highlands. Helicopters and coastguard teams have been deployed around the village as emergency services scale up efforts to locate the missing man. The Press and Journal reports the significant presence of rescue assets in the area as the operation continues.

Searches for nearby coffee shops have spiked as Starbucks presses ahead with a wave of store closures across the United States. Outlets including USA Today, the Idaho Statesman and the Akron Beacon Journal report locations shutting down in Boise and across Ohio, with national lists of affected stores circulating widely as customers check which shops remain open.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Iran war has become a pocketbook issue in Georgia's U.S. Senate race, with economic concerns tied to the conflict shaping the campaign debate. The framing suggests candidates, including Senator Jon Ossoff, are being pressed on how military involvement in Iran affects costs for American households.

Major magazine publishers, including those behind Vogue and Esquire, are lobbying Congress to legislate against AI companies using their journalism and photography without permission or payment. The publishers argue that generative AI models are trained on copyrighted content, undermining their business, and they are seeking new legal protections as debates over AI and copyright intensify in Washington.

Medical Care Technologies Inc., traded over the counter under the ticker MDCE, has announced the rollout of optimisations to its Snapshot Recipes platform alongside a new promotional campaign. The announcement was distributed via ACCESS Newswire and picked up by outlets including The Arizona Republic and the Akron Beacon Journal. Details on the specific changes and expected business impact were not provided in the initial reports.

A Wall Street Journal opinion piece argues that disused or abandoned land should be repurposed for data center construction. The proposal ties the booming demand for data infrastructure driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing to opportunities for redeveloping vacant sites. It has drawn attention in technology and real estate circles, where land availability for data centers is an increasingly pressing question.

Choreographer Seke Chimutengwende is presenting The Last Quartet, a dance work built around the idea of beginning with the end. The piece is drawing attention from dance writers, with coverage from Dance Art Journal examining its structure and themes. Details about venues, dates and reception remain limited so far.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a shortage of data-center capacity is on the horizon, driven by surging demand for computing power, particularly from artificial intelligence applications. The warning highlights growing strain on electricity supplies, land, and hardware as companies race to expand infrastructure. Industry observers are weighing how bottlenecks could slow AI rollout and raise costs.

Centalion, a company recently rebranded, has struck a deal to acquire natural gas fields in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move signals the restructured firm is pressing ahead with an energy expansion strategy despite a volatile market for natural gas. Details of the transaction, including price and counterparties, were not immediately available.

Israeli officials have published a list of 170 people killed in Gaza who it says were militants operating under the cover of media workers, as reported by The New York Times. The claim is likely to fuel ongoing disputes over press deaths in the Gaza war, with journalism and press-freedom groups expected to challenge the designations and demand independent verification.

Media reports claimed that a giant crater on the Martian moon Phobos explains where the moon came from, but the underlying research paper draws no such conclusion and states that Phobos's origin remains an open question. Commenters are highlighting the gap between sensational coverage and what the study actually says, using it as an example of science reporting overstating its sources.

The Wall Street Journal reports on efforts to tap 'unwritten' data for artificial intelligence, the tacit human knowledge and undocumented practices that are not captured in text. As public web data becomes exhausted, companies are looking to new sources to train and improve AI models. The piece highlights how extracting this untapped information could shape the next phase of AI development.

The Journal Gazette argues in an editorial that Fort Wayne can increase its housing supply through bolder thinking on land use and development. The piece frames the housing shortage as a solvable problem if city leaders pursue ambitious ways and means rather than incremental measures, adding to ongoing local debate over housing availability.

Ground Zero Blues Club, the Mississippi venue co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, is in the news spotlight via Delta Business Journal coverage. The club, a staple of the Delta blues scene in Clarksdale, Mississippi, hosts live music and remains a landmark for blues tourism in the region.

Volunteers in Medicine is holding a panel discussion titled 'Civic Crises: Democracy and the Press Under Siege' on October 8 at Barrington Hall. The event will examine pressures facing democracy and journalism. Beyond the announcement of the date, venue and topic, no further details about speakers or the discussion have been reported.

The Wall Street Journal runs an opinion piece asking whether the Associated Press hurt AI's feelings, framing a debate over how news organisations and artificial intelligence systems interact. The article, published under the outlet's opinion section, is drawing attention for its provocative framing of tensions between the wire service and AI technology.

Tech giants are under scrutiny over undisclosed agreements surrounding AI data centers, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive. The report raises questions about the secrecy of these deals and their implications for competition, energy use and transparency in the AI infrastructure boom. Lawmakers and regulators are expected to press for more disclosure about how such facilities are financed and negotiated.

Barack Obama has issued a blunt warning about press freedom in the United States, saying he is 'not surprised by Trump' in remarks touching on threats to journalism. The comments come amid ongoing debate over the Trump administration's treatment of the media, and observers are weighing the significance of a former president publicly raising alarms about First Amendment protections.

Columbia Journalism Review has published a new 'Laurels and Darts' column focused on following political money, examining how journalists cover campaign finance and the flow of money in politics. The column format awards praise ('laurels') and criticism ('darts') to media coverage, in this case assessing reporting on political fundraising and financial influence in elections.

The Puget Sound Business Journal examines whether co-housing — shared communities where residents own private homes but share common spaces — can work in Seattle. The answer, per the report, is yes, but only for some. Shared living arrangements are being explored as housing costs in the Seattle area remain among the highest in the country, though the model faces limits in affordability, availability and buyer appetite.

First Insurance Co. of Hawaii has promoted Nina Ota to senior vice president of underwriting. The announcement, covered by The Business Journals, marks a leadership change at the Honolulu-based insurer, one of Hawaii's largest property and casualty insurance companies. Ota's elevation reflects the company's internal succession planning in its core underwriting operations.

American Black Journal's ongoing Black Church in Detroit series, produced with BridgeDetroit, turns to the topic of 'Faith in Detroit', looking at who will lead the Black church going forward. The discussion considers generational change, declining membership and how congregations are preparing new leaders, as the Black church's historic role in Detroit's civic and spiritual life faces new pressures.

The Council of Europe is highlighting efforts to counter growing threats to media pluralism and independence. The issue concerns declining press freedom, concentrated media ownership and pressure on journalists across Europe. Rights groups say independent journalism is under strain from political and economic forces, making institutional responses to protect pluralism increasingly urgent.

A reader is searching for four missing issues of The Green Book: Writings on Irish Gothic, Supernatural & Fantastic Literature, a literary journal edited by Brian J. Showers and published by Swan River Press. The request, tagged under books wanted and book search, has drawn a small wave of attention, with people sharing it in case other collectors can help track down the specific back numbers.

Business press coverage is framing higher education as an increasingly high-stakes sector. The report, carried by The Business Journals network, suggests universities are facing greater financial and institutional pressure, though the specific findings are not detailed. Discussion centers on how colleges and their leaders are navigating rising costs, enrollment questions and accountability demands.

CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward gives an interview discussing her reporting on the Gaza war, coverage of Donald Trump, threats to press freedom, and her future at the network under the Ellison era. She reflects on the pressures facing frontline journalism and how the network navigates a shifting political and ownership landscape.

Democratic senators are pressing Trump administration officials over an oil deal involving the Pentagon and Venezuela, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive. The lawmakers are questioning the terms and oversight of the arrangement, which links US military structures to Venezuelan oil interests amid ongoing political tensions with Caracas.