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Sarepta soars as revenue beats estimates on Elevidys milestone
Sarepta soars as revenue beats estimates on Elevidys milestone

Boston Globe

time07-08-2025

  • Business
  • Boston Globe

Sarepta soars as revenue beats estimates on Elevidys milestone

Controversial surveillance startup Flock adds AI to police tech Flock Safety holds a ribbon cutting for their office in Boston's Seaport on July 22. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Flock Safety said Thursday it will add artificial intelligence to its surveillance products used by US police departments, an update the company said will help make society safer and that privacy advocates have called 'abominable.' The sometimes controversial $7.5 billion Atlanta-based startup, which opened a second office last month in Boston, is best known for providing customers with automated license plate readers they can use to track vehicles nationwide. The new tool, Flock Intelligence, lets users investigate crimes using natural language to surface relevant records, images, and other data troves. The new, more powerful software offers a few dozen relevant images in a few seconds rather than requiring a manual review of thousands. The software also automatically pulls data, including footage collected in real-time from relevant Flock camera locations the moment a 911 call begins. Infusing AI into the software is designed to automate investigative work, narrowing thousands of leads to dozens 'instantly,' said Flock chief executive officer Garrett Langley. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up FINANCE Advertisement Trump opens the door for private equity and crypto as 401(k) retirement plan options Advertisement Millions of Americans saving for retirement through 401(k) accounts could have the option of putting their money in higher-risk private equity and cryptocurrency investments, according to an executive order signed Thursday by President Trump that could give those financial players long-sought access to a pool of funds worth trillions. There is no immediate change in how people invest part of their work earnings. Federal agencies would need to rewrite regulations to allow the expanded choices, and that would take months or more to complete. But once done, employers could offer a broader array of mutual funds and investments to workers, according to the White House. The president's order directs the Labor Department and other agencies to redefine what would be considered a qualified asset under 401(k) retirement rules. — ASSOCIATED PRESS MERGER Paramount and Skydance close their merger, kicking off reign of new entertainment giant Paramount Pictures Studio will be part of the conglomerate. Apu Gomes/Getty Skydance and Paramount officially closed their $8 billion merger on Thursday — kicking off the reign of a new entertainment giant after a contentious, year-long endeavor to get the transaction over the finish line. The new company — which will trade under the 'PSKY' ticker on Wall Street — brings Paramount's legacy Hollywood footprint, major TV networks CBS and MTV, streaming services, and more under the roof of a new power player: billionaire Skydance founder David Ellison. The merger's close came just two weeks after it received regulatory approval from the Trump administration. While now a done deal, the path toward that approval was far from smooth. Months of scrutiny and turmoil surrounded the transaction — particularly amid President Trump's legal battle with '60 Minutes,' the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount agreed to pay a $16 million settlement to the president in early July. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement CHIPMAKER Intel's stock tumbles after Trump says its CEO must resign Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has been urged to divest investments in Chinese companies. Chiang Ying-ying/Associated Press Shares of Intel slumped Thursday after President Trump said in a social media post that the chipmaker's CEO needs to resign. 'The CEO of Intel is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!' Trump made the post after Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel chairman Frank Yeary expressing concern over CEO Lip-Bu Tan's investments and ties to semiconductor firms that are reportedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army, and asked the board whether Tan had divested his interests in these companies to eliminate any conflicts of interest. Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so it is not immediately clear if Tan, who took over as Intel's CEO in March, has divested his interests in the companies. — ASSOCIATED PRESS MEDIA Closure of Midwest-based newspaper chain leaves dozens of communities without a news source Dozens of communities in the Midwest and West learned Thursday they had lost their newspapers after an Illinois-based publisher announced it would abruptly close because of financial problems. News Media Corp., which owns local newspapers across five states, said it will close 14 operations in Wyoming, seven in Illinois, five in Arizona, four in South Dakota, and one in Nebraska. Touting itself as 'the voice of small town America,' NMC's closure affects longtime newspapers that were often the primary source of news in numerous small towns, worsening the problem of news deserts in rural areas. The closure follows a decades-long pattern of financial challenges for local newspapers — the US has lost over one-third of its print newspapers and two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2004 as the news media has struggled to adopt to a changing readership and revenue landscape, according to the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement HEALTH CARE GLP-1 weight-loss pills are coming. So are doubts about their potency. The Eli Lilly headquarters in Indianapolis. AJ Mast/Photographer: AJ Mast/Bloomberg Next-generation weight-loss pills could hit the market in the coming months, with new data raising a key question: Will patients embrace a more convenient alternative to injecting themselves, even if it means losing less weight? Eli Lilly said Thursday it will seek regulatory approval for its experimental weight-loss pill by the end of the year, announcing results from its latest clinical trial that, while positive, did not appear to be as potent as injectable anti-obesity medications. The pharmaceutical giant said clinical trial participants taking the highest dose of its once-a-day pill lost an average of 12.4 percent of their body weight, compared with a placebo group that lost less than 1 percent, over 72 weeks. That fell short of the weight loss achieved by participants injecting semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, in an earlier clinical trial. — WASHINGTON POST Trump orders federal regulators to probe alleged bank discrimination against conservatives President Trump has accused JPMorgan and Bank of America of debanking him and his companies in the past, something both banks have denied. HARUKA SAKAGUCHI/NYT President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating a probe into whether banks have discriminated against conservatives and certain industries including gun manufacturers and cryptocurrency companies, invoking the vast powers to go after entities that the Republican president alleges have discriminated against him and his allies. The executive order deals with an issue known as 'debanking,' which is when banks close accounts of individuals or declines to go into business with certain industries. Trump has accused JPMorgan and Bank of America of debanking him and his companies in the past, something both banks have denied. Trump ordered federal bank regulators to make sure banks do not discriminate against individuals or companies for their political or religious beliefs. He also ordered bank regulators to probe when banks may have allegedly discriminated and refer the cases to the Department of Justice. The move could open banks to potential civil or criminal investigations, fines, or punishments. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement

Young people in Boston are trying a new way to date: running.
Young people in Boston are trying a new way to date: running.

Boston Globe

time07-08-2025

  • Lifestyle
  • Boston Globe

Young people in Boston are trying a new way to date: running.

'Gouda,' one participant said, to which another responded, 'Ohhh, Swiss.' The pandemic and increasing reliance on social media have left many young people in Boston craving as friends, and share a common interest. Lunge's Singles Run Club fits the mold. The more than 100 Gen Z and Millennials who have met up every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. for the past 13 weeks, for either a 3-mile run or 1.5-mile hot walk, are eager to connect face-to-face with people who live in their city as an escape from scrolling on social media or dating apps. Advertisement Philip Myers wore Run Club attire at the weekly gathering in Boston. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff 'Dating in 2025 is joining a run club, and I'm willing to try anything at this point,' said Leeza Smith, 30, who lives in East Boston and works in marketing operations. 'Except for being on Hinge.' Advertisement 'Swipe-free summer,' added her friend Elsa Schenck, 26, who works in finance 'We're trying to talk to people in person.' The run club started in May 2024 in New York City. Founded by Steve Cole, who also created the When the run club, which is now in five Northeast cities, started expanding, Philip Myers, a cofounder with Zavrl, jumped on the opportunity to start one in Boston. 'We'll give it a whirl,' he recalled thinking, 'and through the power of social media, here we are,' Myers said. 'People want to meet new people in the city.' Some weeks, nearly 300 people tie up their running shoes to maneuver through crowded Boston streets and run along the scenic Charles River Esplanade, Myers said. While most runners are single, the unattached wear black shirts to avoid any confusion. The club already has two success stories — couples who started in black but now wear colors. The reward for the run? Runners from the Lunge's Single Run Club end their 3-mile run at the Dubliner on July 30 in Boston. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff A cold pint of Guinness at the Dubliner. At least to start. Chris Nelson, 27, wore a yellow bucket hat with a duck beak outside of City Hall before the run. He moved to Dorchester last year to work for the city's fire department. The run club is 'a way to talk to' women that's better than the online dating scene, he said. Nearby, Jess Keenan, who lives in the North End, and Elise Wu, of Acton, both 23 and working at Brigham and Women's Hospital, were preparing for their first 3-mile run with the club. Wu was already looking ahead to the idea of a 'meet cute.' Advertisement What better way to introduce your partner to new people, she thought, than to say you serendipitously met at a run club. Wearing Beats headphones around her neck and a silver necklace with a large heart pendant, Valencia Vixama, a fashion stylist from Quincy, said she's 'dipping [her] toe' back into the dating pool after two years, and the run club inspired her. 'I've been very nervous, but this is the kick that I needed,' Vixama, 27, said. 'I might see an ick or two depending on how they run, but we'll see.' As the group split up into two around 7 p.m., Zavrl led the runners down Cambridge Street to the river. 'It's going well so far,' said Olivia Picca, 22, who met Tom Magee, 28, five minutes before as the run began. Magee, who lives in Somerville, smiled next to her. 'He seems to be running really well,' Picca, who lives in downtown Boston, said. Runners started with an ice breaker question before beginning a run, starting at Boston City Hall. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Both Picca and Magee blushed. They ran the full 3 miles together. Ahead, sisters Maryjane Elwood, 25, and Laura Elwood, 23, were joining the group for the first time. Running side by side, they explained they both went to the same college, both live in South Boston, both are nurses, and 'are both looking for boyfriends,' Maryjane Elwood said, laughing. 'It's so bad that we're out here running for a dating scene,' she said. Both sisters agreed the Boston dating scene is not for the faint of heart. Advertisement Behind them, Vaisakh Srinivas, 37, who lives in Acton, and Graham Codd, 24, from Cambridge, took a break to catch their breath. 'People have been looking for community,' Codd said. Srinivas, who met Codd just minutes before, agreed. As the runners looped back to the Dubliner for drinks, Neil and Micaela Guiney, both 29, finished their run at 7:35 p.m. Some of the few people not in black, the married couple, who immigrated from South Africa last month, wore white and blue. 'I was desperately looking for a running community,' Micaela said. 'And I found this place,' looking toward the group outside the Dubliner. Runners mingled at the Dubliner after their run. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Around 8:15 p.m., after a long line to enter the Irish pub, Allan Velasco jumped on the opportunity to dunk his head at a SweatHouz cold plunge station set up outside the Dubliner. The club partners with different brands like SweatHouz, a contrast therapy studio with multiple locations in Massachusetts. 'Keep breathing,' the SweatHouz employee told Velasco as he exhaled rapidly in the about 45-degree water. 'Let's go,' said Velasco, 29, with a fist pump, embracing the pain. Originally from Ecuador, Velasco has lived in Boston for three years and enjoys the club for 'that first sip of beer' after the run and because 'Bostonian girls are cool,' he said. The runners packed the pub, filling the room with lively chatter and not bothering to change clothes or put on layers. As they talked, they gulped down cups of water and thirst-quenching beers. Vixama held her pink handheld fan inside the Dubliner. 'I met him,' she said, smiling at a man who walked by. Jackie Champoux, 25, who lives in Beacon Hill, met her boyfriend at the club on May 21. The pair recently spent a weekend in Cape Cod with Champoux's family, she said. Advertisement 'We just hit it off,' she said. 'I feel so lucky.' The couple will soon celebrate two months together. They leave their black gear at home in lieu of bright colors. Ava Berger can be reached at

Now past an anticlimactic deadline, the Red Sox look ahead
Now past an anticlimactic deadline, the Red Sox look ahead

Boston Globe

time02-08-2025

  • Sport
  • Boston Globe

Now past an anticlimactic deadline, the Red Sox look ahead

Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'I think we got better,' said Sox manager Alex Cora, who'd suggested past post-All-Star-break struggles reflected the team's deadline caution. 'I think the team is a lot different than the last three. We're more complete, we pitched better, our bullpen is in a great place.' Advertisement Red Sox manager Alex Cora feels the additions made by the front office recently have made his ballclub "more complete." Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Shortstop Trevor Story added: 'You're always looking for the big, exciting blockbuster. But I think the sentiment with us is we're more happy that we kind of stuck our core together. We still have all the main pieces here still, and we just added to that group. So more about us feeling like the guys in the room got us here, and we know that we're capable.' Advertisement That said, there's also no sugar-coating the reality of what transpired leading up to the deadline. The Sox aimed higher. They wanted Ryan but couldn't get him. They wanted an offensive upgrade, but didn't land one. (Orioles first baseman Ryan O'Hearn had been on their wishlist, but was part of the Padres' push to acquire what seemed like every player.) Meanwhile, the Sox made fewer and arguably smaller moves than any of the seven top AL contenders — division leaders Toronto, Detroit, and Houston; followed by the tightly clustered group of the Yankees, Boston, Seattle, and Texas. The Yankees (loading up on bullpen arms) and Tigers (adding rotation and bullpen depth) each added seven big league players in the week leading up to the deadline. The Mariners (who turbocharged their offense with Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor), Astros (Carlos Correa), and Rangers (Merrill Kelly — the top starter to move) each added three. The Blue Jays (Shane Bieber —a a bit of a wild card as he builds back up from Tommy John surgery, but with the potential to pitch in the middle of a postseason rotation) and Sox had two. Based on the trades that were and weren't made, it seems evident that the Sox are more conservative about deadline deals than their competitors — particularly deals for rentals. The Rangers' acquisition of Kelly for three well-regarded prospects was illustrative. Texas thus landed a pitcher who seems all but certain to be a postseason starter if the Rangers get to the playoffs; there are no such guarantees with May. The biggest impact move the Red Sox made Thursday was adding righthanded starter Dustin May from the Dodgers. Winslow Townson/Getty Even so, it's possible to exaggerate the impact of the deadline. As much attention as July 31 comings and goings get, postseason chases are more meaningfully defined by mainstays. Still, it's fascinating to note the movement of postseason odds before and after the deadline movement. Advertisement The Mariners broke the seal by landing Naylor on July 24. According to Fangraphs, their playoff odds went from 71 percent on the morning of July 23 to 76 percent on August 1, the morning after the deadline. Their World Series odds went up from 5 to 7 percent. Between their strong play and deadline moves, the Rangers' postseason odds went from 32 percent to 40 percent. As for the Sox? They jumped from 43 percent odds of reaching the postseason on the morning of July 23 to 62 percent on August 1 — a 19 percent increase that is the largest in the AL in that time, and a reflection of how a stretch of five wins in seven games had impacted their chances of playing in October. 'I guess [this year's deadline is similar to last year's] in a way,' said Story, 'but I think just the way we've been playing and how we've been doing it is different, so we're not sad that we should have added more or harping on what could have been. The guys that are going to get it done are going to be the guys that we have now. 'We've been doubted kind of all year, and so [skepticism about the team's deadline] is going to be one of those things that we continue to call on for motivation. We really do believe that we can get it done. And we added two more guys to help us with that.' Now, everything related to the machinations of the deadline becomes irrelevant. It's up to the players to prove whether or not the roster as currently constituted is enough to get the team into the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Advertisement 'It's Aug. 1. Everything [with the deadline] is in the past,' said Cora. 'We've got a shot to make something special here this year in the Wild Card, in the division. You look at the Green Monster, we're in third place, five games back, so we feel like we can compete with anybody, and we've got a real shot to win the division.' Time, and the performance of the roster holdovers, will tell. Alex Speier can be reached at

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