A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s ban to prevent international students from enrolling at Harvard on Friday, the latest development in the White House’s escalating pressure campaign against the Ivy League university. The judge granted Harvard’s request for a temporary restraining order on the basis that the school would “sustain immediate and irreparable injury” before a hearing, which CNBC reports is set for Tuesday, could take place.  On Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered her agency to withdraw the school’s certification for admitting foreign students, known as a Student and Exchange Visitor Programcertification. The change would block future international students from enrolling at Harvard while also imperiling the legal status of international students currently studying there. The university filed a lawsuit on Friday morning to oppose the ban, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. “Harvard has, over this time, developed programs and degrees tailored to its international students, invested millions to recruit the most talented such students, and integrated its international students into all aspects of the Harvard community,” the lawsuit states, noting that the university along with 7,000 visa holders would suffer “immediate and devastating” effects. Homeland Security accused Harvard of permitting “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students” and jeopardizing safety on campus, pointing the finger at foreign students. The agency also referenced alleged connections between the university and the Chinese Communist Party. “They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law,” Noem said. “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.” The escalation against Harvard is the latest attack on high-profile universities during Trump’s second term. The administration has repeatedly targeted Harvard and other academic institutions over their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, and claims that they foster antisemitism through student protests over Israel’s ongoing invasion of Gaza. However the Trump administration’s attack on Harvard shakes out in court, schools that attract the best and brightest from around the globe are likely to suffer as foreign students think twice about taking the risk on elite American universities. #federal #judge #halts #trumps #ban

Chinese automaker BYD sold more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla for the first time, according to a report by JATO Dynamics, as an aging model lineup and CEO Elon Musk’s politics hurt demand for the U.S. EV maker’s cars. BYD, which also makes plug-in hybrid vehicles, registered 7,231 battery-powered electric vehiclesin Europe in April, while Tesla registered 7,165 units, the market research firm said. “This is a watershed moment for Europe’s car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022,” JATO Dynamics’ global analyst Felipe Munoz said. Demand for electric vehicles in Europe remains steady. BEV registrations surged 28% in April from last year, largely driven by Chinese car brands. Despite the EU’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, registrations of such cars increased 59% in the month from a year earlier, while carmakers from Europe, Japan, South Korea and the United States recorded 26% growth. WEAK TESLA DEMAND The company reported its first drop in annual deliveries last year, and analysts expect another fall this year after a 13% decline in the first quarter. Musk said earlier this week that Tesla had already turned around sales, and demand was strong in regions apart from Europe. His political views have triggered waves of protests against Tesla in the U.S. and Europe, leading to a slump in sales. Additionally, production halts to retool factories to make the redesigned Model Y crossover globally caused a drop in manufacturing and sales in the first quarter. Analysts have also attributed lower sales to customers waiting for less-expensive versions of the new Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, to become more widely available. —Akash Sriram in Bengaluru, Reuters #maker #byds #sales #europe #surpass

As the FDA halts the sale of Ozempic and Zepbound copycats, online clinics have begun offering liraglutide, an older GLP-1 medication injected daily instead of weekly. #blocked #selling #offbrand #ozempic #telehealth

Polybius: A Novel by Collin Armstrong $21.76 (was $29) See at Amazon One of gaming's most fascinating urban legends becomes reality in a new novel published on April 29 by Simon & Schuster imprint Gallery Books. Polybius, the debut novel by Collin Armstrong, transports readers to a small town during the golden age of arcade machines. Unfortunately for the citizens of Tasker Bay, the new game at their local arcade is about to wreak havoc on their daily lives. There are surprisingly few novels from major publishers centered around video games, and this one is definitely worth a read. Polybius is a fast-paced and thrilling tale that mixes psychological horror with sci-fi.Amazon is offering a 25% discount on Polybius just two weeks after its release. You can get the hardcover edition for $21.76 (was $29). Polybius is also available as a Kindle ebook and audiobook via Audible. Amazon included it on its list of the best sci-fi and fantasy novels of May 2025. Polybius: A Novel by Collin Armstrong $21.76 (was $29) The novel regularly switches narrative perspectives, but the main characters who drive the plot forward are teenagers Andi and Ro. Andi is a part-time employee of Home Video World, and Ro is a regular at the arcade who crushes on Andi from afar.When Home Video World acquires a new arcade cabinet of unknown origins, players, including Ro, immediately become transfixed by the advanced graphics and gameplay. Though not a gamer herself, Andi is a programmer with experience fixing the machine boards. After observing the obsessive and concerning behavior from Polybius players, she opens the cabinet to learn more about its tech and code. Believing the game is dangerous, Andi and Ro begin searching for the answers they need. All the while, Tasker Bay descends further into madness with each passing day.Polybius does a great job of turning the town of Tasker Bay into a compelling character of its own. Armstrong accomplishes this, in part, by utilizing numerous third-person perspectives beyond Andi and Ro, including Home Video World's sketchy owner, the town doctor (Andi's mom), the sheriff (Ro's dad), and multiple of Andi's and Ro's friends. These subplots are interspersed throughout, giving the novel a panoramic structure that showcases the different ways in which Polybius creates pandemonium.Even as someone who was already well-versed in the Polybius urban legend before reading the novel, the story's strong execution more than makes up for those "spoilers." That said, if you don't know the ins and outs of the urban legend, which dates back at least 25 years, you might as well read the novel without any additional research. I'll leave it at that.Bestselling horror author Richard Chizmar compared Polybius to Stranger Things in a blurb that appears on the dust jacket. After reading all 352 pages in two late-night marathon sessions, I can definitely see the similarities between Tasker Bay and Hawkins. And just like Stranger Things, amidst carnage and chaos, Polybius feels like horror-sci-fi comfort food. See at Amazon More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders First Book In Joe Abercrombie's New Fantasy Series Is Finally Here Amazon Restocks Lego Transformers Optimus Prime, Offers Big Discount PSA: Lego Bowser's Muscle Car Is Retiring - Save Big On 3 Mario Sets Before They're Gone + Show More More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders Links (5) Tomtoc Releases Nintendo Switch 2 Version Of Its Popular Form-Fitting Travel Case Lego Star Wars Day Sale Is Live - Get Two Free Sets With Jango Fett's UCS Starship All The Nintendo Switch 2 Games You Can Preorder Now Studio Ghibli Movies With Collectible Steelbooks Are Available For Cheap 8BitDo Halts US Shipments Due To Tariffs, But You Can Get Great Controller Deals (For Now) Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/great-new-sci-fi-horror-novel-is-inspired-by-polybius-arcade-urban-legend/1100-6531323/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f #new #horror #novel #inspired #polybius #arcade #urban #legend #off