The fifteen-story collection, newly available from Palmetto Publishing, blends action, romance, and biblical tragedy through narrators who break the fourth wall and challenge readers' expectations at every turn.

CHARLESTON, S.C., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Palmetto Publishing has released Brechtian, a new flash fiction anthology by debut author Asher Rush. The collection brings together fifteen stories that span action, romance, and biblical tragedy, each told by narrators who interrupt themselves, argue with the reader, and pull back the curtain on their own storytelling.

The anthology opens with X, a self-described "near miss assassin" who wakes battered in a hospital bed, trading sharp dialogue with a nurse before he can feel his broken ribs. A trained killer who has never completed a single job, X is a walking contradiction whose trademark failures reveal themselves to be acts of quiet rebellion against the world that made him. From there, the collection moves through a villager hanged for the crime of honesty and a reluctant vampire cursed to become something far worse than what she already is.

As Brechtian shifts into its Romance and Love section, the stakes change shape but lose none of their weight. A Cupid who cannot fall in love, a wraith haunting a guilt-stricken preacher, a beast bargaining for his humanity, and a lonely tombstone named Epitaph who outlives every friend he makes all populate these pages. The collection closes with a retelling of the biblical prince Avshalom, a beautiful traitor reimagined with irreverence and heart, a son at war with his father in a rebellion born not of hatred but of love.

Asher Rush stated, "I loved the whimsy of Spaceballs and always wished to create my own satirical work. If the reader can be moved to tears, laughter, or joy even slightly, I have succeeded in my goal."

Named for the theatrical tradition of Bertolt Brecht, which shatters the illusion of the stage to engage audiences on a deeper level, Brechtian applies that same philosophy to the page. The collection sits at the intersection of literary experimentation and accessible genre fiction, positioned for readers who enjoy the irreverent humor of Douglas Adams, the playful mythmaking of Christopher Moore, or the self-aware narration found in Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth. It is a debut that speaks directly to the BookTok audience drawn to voice-driven, trope-savvy fiction.

Brechtian is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

About the Author: Asher Rush is a writer and poet from West Orange, New Jersey, whose debut collection, Brechtian, showcases a distinctive voice that moves fluidly across genres. Raised in a family of teachers and lifelong readers, Rush brings a natural curiosity and literary sensibility to every page of this wide-ranging flash fiction anthology.

Rush's passion for writing ignited in sixth grade, when a school assignment gave him the chance to have his work read and critiqued by a professional author. That early spark carried him through high school, where he joined his school's poetry team and began honing his craft in verse. Poetry taught him economy and precision, skills that translate seamlessly into the compact, vivid stories of Brechtian. The collection spans hilarious farces, touching romances, philosophical explorations, and spiritual reflections, all united by Rush's belief that a single book should offer readers genuine variety and value.

When he is not writing, Rush remains an avid reader with a taste for the eclectic, always drawn to stories that surprise and challenge. He credits his family's love of books with shaping his own creative ambitions, and he approaches each new piece with the whimsy and curiosity he hopes his readers will bring as well.

About the Book:

Title: Brechtian

Author: Asher Rush

Publisher: Palmetto Publishing

ISBN-13: 9798318851308, 9798318851315

SOURCE Palmetto Publishing

Share this article

Partnership brings Silicon Valley-based Law Innovation Agency's AI enablement expertise to the MENA region.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Law Innovation Agency today announced its business partnership with Kulana, a leading systems integrator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and, in particular with its division, Kulana Academy, a learning and capability-building partner supporting corporations, public sector institutions, and educational organizations in the MENA region, with developing future-ready talent and resilient learning ecosystems.

Through the partnership, Law Innovation Agency brings its globally-recognized expertise in AI enablement, including AI readiness, AI literacy and AI policy and governance for public and private sector organizations to Kulana Academy's clients. Kulana brings its expertise supporting digital transformation initiatives for corporate enterprise, quasi-governmental and government institutions in the MENA region. Together, Law Innovation Agency and Kulana Academy will deliver powerful AI enablement programs to clients in the region, helping them to leverage the power of AI in their organizations and future-proof their workforces.

"Kulana Academy is a leader in supporting organizations in the MENA region through digital transformation, and their work is more essential than ever in the AI era," said Monica Zent, Managing Director, Law Innovation Agency. "We are honored to collaborate with Kulana Academy's team to provide a robust array of AI enablement programs that will serve to support the development of future-ready teams."

"We are delighted to partner with Law Innovation Agency to bring its AI expertise and its best practices from its leadership with decades of experience serving the U.S. market to our clients here in the MENA region," said Jonathan Ane, CEO, Kulana. "The partnership will support our mission to deliver scalable, high-impact learning solutions that strengthen workforce capability, support transformation, and enable sustainable growth across the Middle East, Africa and beyond."

Earlier this year, sought-after industry thought leaders Zent and Ane addressed key topics related to AI enablement and readiness in the region as panelists at a series of events hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Mauritius, one of Africa and the Indian Ocean region's most globally connected economies. Along with Craig Halbmaier, Chargé d'Affaires, U.S. Embassy Mauritius, and public and private sector leaders, Ane and Zent spoke at events focused on "Designing an AI Roadmap: Why AI Enablement is Critical for Today's Organization," as well as "The Key Role of the Legal Team in Leading AI Adoption."

About Law Innovation Agency

Law Innovation Agency is a collective of seasoned operators in technology, law, compliance, security and governance, shaping policy and opportunity at the intersection of AI, law, and tech for public and private sector organizations. Through consulting, building, and investing, Law Innovation Agency serves the global legal ecosystem, including Corporate Legal Departments, Law Firms, Public Sector Legal Teams, VCs and LegalTech Startups. For more information, visit lawinnovationagency.com.

About Kulana Academy

Kulana Academy is a learning and capability-building partner supporting corporates, public sector institutions, and training centers in developing future-ready talent and resilient learning ecosystems. We work closely with our partners to strengthen workforce capabilities, advance transformation agendas, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning aligned with long-term strategic goals. Through strategic partnerships with global technology leaders and industry experts, Kulana Academy delivers internationally aligned training across digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and emerging technologies. For more information, visit www.kulana.academy.

SOURCE Law Innovation Agency

Share this article

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.

Winnipeg Jets at Tampa Bay Lightning

Winnipeg (+190) at Tampa Bay (-235) – Total 6 (-110)

7 p.m. ET

The Jets enter tonight’s contest having lost six straight and scored two goals or fewer in each of the last five games. They have just one win in their last eight games, and that coincides with losing their best defenseman, Josh Morrissey, to injury. Winnipeg has kept most of their losses close, losing by just one goal in six of their eight setbacks this season.

The Lightning have been off since Saturday, when they gave up two goals in the final six minutes to Utah before losing to the Mammoth, 5-4 in overtime and will look to snap a two-game losing streak. This is a good spot for the Bolts to end the streak against a Jets team that just can’t score. Five of Tampa’s seven wins this season have seen them score 4+ goals and cover the puck line (-1.5 goals). It looks like Stuart Skinner will get the start tonight for the Jets, who play again tomorrow against the Florida Panthers. He has struggled against Tampa in his career, giving up four or more goals (5,4,1,5,5) in four of his last five appearances. Nikita Kucherov has four goals in five games against Skinner.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Total Over 3.5 (-135) – 1 unit

Nikita Kucherov anytime goal (+145) – ¼ unit

Point/Goncalves point parlay (+168) – ¼ unit

Utah Mammoth at Pittsburgh Penguins

Utah (-130) at Pittsburgh (+110) – Total 6.5 (-138)

7 p.m. ET

It’s the second meeting of the season for the Mammoth and Penguins. Utah defeated Pittsburgh, 5-4 just 10 days ago in Utah. Five of the last six meetings between these two teams (including when Utah was in Arizona) have had a combined seven goals or more. The Mammoth are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday and have traded wins and losses over their past six games. Utah has yet to lose back-to-back games this season, going 4-0 after a loss, and has scored 4+ goals in all eight wins. The Pens are on a two-game winning streak after losing their previous four games, giving up 4+ goals in each. Utah’s Dylan Guenther has five goals in his last four games versus the Penguins.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Utah Mammoth Team Total Over 3.5 (-118) – 1 unit

Dylan Guenther anytime goal (+160) – ¼ unit

Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes

Columbus (+195) at Carolina (-235) – Total 6 (Over, -120)

7 p.m. ET

The Blue Jackets come into Carolina feeling good after two overtime wins over the Golden Knights and Flyers, though they squandered a 3-0 lead against Philly on Tuesday before Kent Johnson scored the OT winner. But now they come into Carolina, where they have dropped each of their last eight games at the Lenovo Center, and in six of the last seven losses have been by 2+ goals, and they have given up four goals or more in four straight losses to the Canes.

The Canes are coming off a pair of wins as well, outscoring their two opponents (St. Louis and Boston) by a combined score of 6-1. The story in goal this season for Carolina is not Brandon Bussi but Pyotr Kochetkov, who is 8-0-0 with a 1.62 goals against average.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 goals (+115) – 1 unit

Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings

Chicago (+145) at Detroit (-180) – Total 6 (-115)

7:30 p.m. ET

NOTE: Late-breaking news out of Detroit. Dylan Larkin will not play tonight as trade talks intensify

The Blackhawks put an end to a three-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, while the Detroit Red Wings rallied with a late goal from Dylan Larkin to force overtime before defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout, 4-3. Rookie goalie Michal Postava earned his first career NHL win in his first NHL start.

The Wings have owned this series lately, winning six of the last seven head-to-head meetings and scoring 4+ goals in five of their previous six wins against the Hawks. I don’t trust Detroit as a (-180) favorite, and there is the potential for a letdown coming off a big win over Edmonton and this being their first game back after playing four games in seven days on the road. Chicago is (0-4) on the road. They have given up four or more goals in seven of their eight losses this season, so I will lean on the team total and take Detroit to score at least four goals tonight. Former Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat has five goals in his last four games against Chicago. With the news of Dylan Larkin being held out of the lineup, Emmitt Finnie slots into the role of number one center.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets: 

Alex DeBrincat anytime goal (+140) – ½ unit

Emmitt Finnie anytime goal (+250) – ½ unit

Emmitt Finnie 1+ assist (+200) – ½ unit

Montreal Canadiens at Dallas Stars

Montreal (+135) at Dallas (-165) – Total 6 (-110)

8 p.m. ET

Tonight is the final stop on the Canadiens’ four-game road trip that has seen them win the first three games. They outscored their opponents 8-2, thanks in large part to some excellent goaltending from rookie Jacob Fowler, who stopped all 46 shots against the Blues on Tuesday, including 24 in the third period (Habs outshot 24-3) in a 2-0 Canadiens win. Tonight, it will be Jakub Dobes between the pipes for Montreal, who is making his first start since October 20 (4-3 overtime loss to San Jose). Dobes has lost his last four starts, giving up 4+ goals (4,5,5,6) in each of the losses.

The Dallas Stars are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Devils on Tuesday and made life easy for Connor Hellebuyck, who was making his New Jersey and season debut, mustering just 17 shots on goal. I am anticipating a much better performance from the Stars tonight. I will lean on two of their best players, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, to lead the Stars to victory. Robertson has 11 points in his last eight games versus Montreal and has three goals in the two games (on nine shots) he has faced Dobes. Johnston has points (4) in three consecutive games and five of the last seven versus the Habs.

I am also going to come back and play the first period “draw” as I did with Montreal on Tuesday. Ten of Montreal’s 12 games this season have been tied after the opening 20 minutes, but instead of playing both (1-1) and (0-0), I will split a half unit between (1-1) exact score and just the game to be tied after 20 minutes. Four of Dobes’ five starts ended in a first period draw, but none of them ended with a 0-0 score.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Jason Robertson anytime goal (+150) – ½ unit

Robertson 1+ point/Johnston 1+ point/Stars Money Line (+143) – 1.5 units

1st period Draw (+175) – ¼ unit

1st period, exact score, 1-1 (+600) – ¼ unit

Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues

Boston (-105) at St. Louis (-115) – Total 6 (Under, -118)

8 p.m. ET

The Bruins are coming off a disappointing 2-1 loss at Carolina on Tuesday in a game they scored first, 91 seconds into the contest. They were blanked the rest of the way as the Canes did what they do best: smothering the Bruins, giving up just 16 shots on goal for the game. The B’s have lost consecutive games just once this season and, in their two wins following a loss, put up six goals against both Utah and Nashville. History is on the Bruins’ side to get back to their winning ways. They have won back-to-back, three of four and seven of the last nine meetings versus St. Louis and five straight at St. Louis. Three of the five games between the two teams in St. Louis have gone past regulation.

David Pastrnak has had 3+ shots on goal in eight consecutive games against the Blues and 4+ shots on goal in five of the last seven head-to-head meetings. Give me Pasta for 3+ shots, and I will parlay him with “Mr. Automatic” Ryan Leonard of the Capitals for 2+ shots. With Leonard cashing his 2+ shots on goal prop last night against the Flyers, he’s now done so in 11 straight games this season and 21 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season.

The Blues have struggled lately as the “O” in offense has disappeared. St. Louis has been blanked in each of their last two games and has not scored a goal over the last 123:55, when Dylan Holloway scored with 3:55 left in the third period of the Blues’ 6-2 win over Vegas seven days ago. One Blues prop I like is a Robert Thomas anytime goal. He has just one goal this season, but he has four goals in five games against B’s starting goalie, Jeremy Swayman.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

Boston Bruins Money Line (-105) – 1 unit

Pastrnak 3+ shots/Leonard 2+ shots (+127) – 1 unit

Robert Thomas anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit

Regulation Draw (+310) – ¼ unit

New York Islanders at Minnesota Wild

New York Islanders (+155) at Minnesota (-190) – Total 5.5 (-120)

8 p.m. ET

The Islanders come off a 4-3 shootout win over Nashville on Tuesday and make their final stop on a three-game road trip. The Wild are returning home from a four-game road trip (three wins, one loss) but then head out after tonight for two road games. For me, this is a bad spot for the Wild, as I refer to a game like tonight as an “island game” (ironically vs. the Islanders) when you return home from an extended road trip for just one home game and then immediately head back out on the road.

The Wild have won eight of the last ten head-to-head meetings with the Islanders, but New York has won two of the past three. Isles goalie Ilya Sorokin has won his last two starts against Minnesota. Though I do believe Minny is the better team, the Islanders in this spot are worth a small bet, and we are getting a good price on the road team.

A couple of player props for me in this game. Kirill Kaprizov has goals in eight of his last 10 games and leads the NHL this season with 14. He has goals in five of his last seven games against the Islanders and has had 4+ shots on goal against New York in six of his last eight meetings. This will be former Isles player Max Shabonov’s first game against his former team.

EPL Best Bets and Predictions October 31-November 1

Here are this week’s EPL best bets:

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET

Eight rounds of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign in the books, Manchester City and Arsenal sit locked together at the summit, for now, with City holding the edge on goal difference after a first league defeat of the season. The midweek EFL Cup slate delivered drama: Liverpool edged Chelsea on penalties after a 1-1 tie, Manchester City survived Brighton by the same route following a 2-2 stalemate, and Arsenal suffered a stunning exit to League Two Fleetwood Town also on spot-kicks.

Taking all of fatigue, rotation, and psychological hangovers into account, here are my three best value plays of the weekend.

Arguably, the game of the weekend is at Anfield, where two sides meet who were both in domestic cup action this week, as mentioned, and also travel away in the Champions League on Wednesday. That always creates a dilemma for managers as they try to share the workload, but it adds another factor for us bettors.

Arsenal has something of an injury crisis throughout the team with defenders Riccardo Calafiori not fully fit and William Saliba still a couple of weeks off a return. In midfield, Declan Rice is having to manage a thigh problem, while there are real issues in attack with Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis out, Max Dowman suspended and Noni Madueke struggling with an ankle injury.

A combination of those potential absentees and a terrible record, which sees them without a win at Anfield since 2012, should see Liverpool well bet here in the lead-up to kickoff. The Gunners aren’t firing currently, and after that embarrassing defeat in midweek I believe they will want to keep this very tight.

The home side will also fancy this. Their rotated side took care of Chelsea in midweek; in Alexander Isak, they have a striker back to his best, and we are finally seeing why Florian Wirtz commanded such a huge fee. Let’s also not forget after signing off at Bournemouth with a 19-game unbeaten run, Andoni Iraola has only lost one of his 13 games in charge of Liverpool.

But for me, I have to bet the Unders here, and I like it so much it is clear as my best bet of the weekend. Under 2.5 goals at -105 looks like a huge value play.

The two meetings last season could hardly have been lower scoring! This fixture ended in a 1-0 win for the hosts as a result of a wonder goal, with the return at the Emirates ending 0-0. Two incredibly dire matches.

Mikel Arteta has struggled to shake off a reputation for going to the bigger clubs in the league and setting out not to get beat. I believe that is exactly what he will do again here.

They won’t care if this is another bore draw or if they can nick it from a set piece or moment of brilliance. Ultimately, either way leads to that Under 2.5 goals, and that makes it a complete lock for me.

EPL Best Bet: Liverpool vs Arsenal — Under 2.5 goals at -105.

Manchester City vs. Brighton

Saturday, 11:00 a.m. ET

Brighton have really impressed me this season, and despite what is, in essence, two defeats this week, my opinion of them hasn’t changed. They were excellent against Liverpool last weekend, dominated the second half, and I have no idea how they failed to score. The Seagulls were also the better side for most of the midweek cup tie at City but, after taking the lead twice, were pegged back on both occasions before exiting on penalties.

That game ended 2-2 after regular time, and this “rematch” also screams goals. Manchester City’s last six fixtures across all competitions have seen 31 goals at over five per game, with both teams scoring in all but one of those. The last seven have all cashed for Over 2.5 goals, with five seeing at least five goals, two featuring six plus a 5-3 home win over Sunderland cashing for Over 7.5 goals bettors!

With an attack-minded head coach like Fabian Hürzeler in charge, it’s no surprise to see plenty of goals when he takes his side on the road. As well as that midweek 2-2 tie, we’ve already seen 5-0 and 3-2 wins at Coventry and Manchester United, as well as a crazy 4-3 defeat to Chelsea.

One thing we have seen consistently from Enzo Maresca this season is getting his side to come out fast, especially on home soil. They have scored at least twice in the first half of four of their last five at the Etihad across all competitions, while in the other they trailed 3-0 to PSG at the break.

Brighton have only conceded seven league goals this season, but strangely six of them have come in the first half. However, they can nearly double that tally at the other end, firing in 11 goals of their own before the interval.

All of which points towards another goal-filled opening 45 minutes in Manchester on Saturday, with both sides set to carry on where they left off in midweek. Every market is reflective of that, Over 3.5 is the goal line, with both teams to score priced at -220.

However, Over 1.5 first-half goals is set at what feels like a template price of +105. It certainly doesn’t fit in with those other odds or the stats I outlined earlier. That makes it the perfect way to get goals onside for me. It’s cashed in the last five City home games and in five of Brighton’s eight in the league across all venues. It’s set to cash again here.

EPL Best Bet: Manchester City vs Brighton – Over 1.5 First Half Goals at +105.

Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace

Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET

After successive wins over Coventry at home and Chelsea on the road, are Tottenham back? Well, time will tell, but the most significant thing for me is that after eight rounds of Premier League matches and despite a poor start on seven occasions, Spurs’ price on a Thursday has been shorter on match day. Significant players, data analysts, and big bankrolls are supporting Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

I am betting them here, and I am taking them on the -1 Asian Handicap at -118.

However, that has little to do with Spurs and everything to do with what is happening at Crystal Palace. They are a club in serious trouble, a club that can’t stop conceding goals and struggles to score them. Not a recipe for success in any day or age.

Palace have shipped a league-high 19 goals already this campaign at nearly 2.5 per game. Their expected goals against is only better than one other team, and they have allowed more attempts from set-pieces than any other side.

Last time on the road in the Premier League, Pierre Sage saw his side hammered 5-0 by Brighton and were 3-0 down inside 10 minutes. They followed that up with a tame 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle, and they just find so many different ways to concede goals.

This is likely the worst moment to be facing Tottenham in some time. The crowd are excited about what the future could hold under De Zerbi and will still be buzzing from that rare win against Chelsea – only their second there in 36 years.

Tottenham are starting to click, some of their big players are beginning to look the part, and they have had a week to prepare for this while their opponents battled out a victory in a dour London derby with Fulham. I feel there is a big win on the horizon, and it may well be Saturday against the Eagles.

EPL Best Bet: Tottenham vs Crystal Palace – Tottenham -1 Asian Handicap at -118.

Breeders’ Cup Distaff 2026

A field of nine fillies and mares will hit the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, as Nitrogen looks to improve by one spot as the favorite. In her quest to move up from second to first, she looks to have some pretty stiff competition from Fully Subscribed, Splendora, and perhaps one or two surprise contenders from the group of longshots. Race 10 with a scheduled post time of 4:58 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 1 is part of the Late Pick 3 and also the Daily Double Special with the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

We’ve got all kinds of horse racing coverage this week from myself, Ed Sehon, and Dave Tuley, plus more handicaps from our friends at Daily Racing Form. See it all here.

Here are the Breeders’ Cup Distaff post positions, horses, jockeys, trainers, and odds.

This is a top-heavy board to say the least, with horses at 6/5, 8/5, and 9/2. If chalk holds up, the payouts are going to be pretty small, but a winning ticket is still a winning ticket. Perhaps a bigger price will sweeten exotics or maybe even sneak into an exacta. On the surface, though, this legitimately looks like a three-horse race.

Here are some thoughts on the horses in the BC Distaff field:

1. Immersive (30-1; Alvarado/Cox): The daughter of Nyquist and Gap Year had a monster 2024 with over $1.6 million in earnings, including the win in the BC Juvenile Fillies. She was 4-for-4 in her 2-year-old season, but didn’t return to racing until June, so she missed the Filly Triple Crown events, though she still had a win and two seconds before wintering again. This season, she’s run five times, finishing in the top three every time, but only at the front of the pack once. She won the Fleur de Lis Stakes back in June and was third behind Splendora and Yes It Tix and third behind Fully Subscribed and Counting Stars in the Locust Grove and Spinster, respectively. She has been a strong, consistent horse, but some rain in Saturday’s forecast would have helped her. She won the Fleur de Lis in the mud, but she can’t keep pace on a fast track with the rest of this field.

2. Nitrogen (6/5; J. Ortiz/Casse): Nitrogen has never missed the board in 18 starts, winning nine times. She has over $3 million in earnings and the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and Tiffany Case is favored to score some extra hay from her trainer in this one. After starting on turf, her win in the G2 Wonder Again at Saratoga opened up all kinds of doors. The 4-year-old Bay has run only once on the Keeneland dirt, a runner-up to Gin Gin in last year’s Spinster Stakes. She shipped out to Del Mar and was second to Scylla in the BC Distaff last year before wintering at Oaklawn Park. She’s had three monster dirt runs this year, winning the Ogden Phipps and Beldame to go with a second against the boys in the Whitney. She did run almost five lengths behind winner Sovereignty, but she had a rough start from the gate for John Velazquez there. Jose Ortiz gets the mount here. He’s been aboard for all five of her dirt wins.

3. Regaled (20-1; Ramos/Beckman): This 5-year-old vet of 24 races is another one who could’ve used some mud. She’s hit the board in 13 of 24 races with five wins, but she’s seemed to enjoy the slop more than her opponents. She ran third in the Distaff at Del Mar last year and just won the Delaware Handicap on Oct. 3 on a sloppy surface. She was second in the Fleur de Lis to Immersive. As one of the few deep closers in this fast-paced race, she’s got a chance to move up the board late, even with no threat of rain as of Thursday afternoon.

4. Fully Subscribed (8/5; Prat/Brown): Flavien Prat has arguably the most important ride here. He’ll look to sit in the pocket with the daughter of Tiz the Law and Sweetbaby and will have to flip the switch at just the right time. We have seen plenty of flashes and we’ve seen three of them in a row from Fully Subscribed, as she won the Shuvee, Personal Ensign, and the Spinster right here at Keeneland, a big 1 ⅛-mile prep for this race. She also finished second in the Ogden Phipps to Nitrogen at similar odds…except she was second by nearly 13 lengths. She’ll be hard to leave out of exactas and trifectas, but closing that big of a gap about four months later is a huge ask. Prat has been her longtime rider, though, so he should be ready.

5. Scottish Lassie (15-1; Saez/Abreu): Is Scottish Lassie the most overlooked horse in this field? The daughter of McKinzie and Bodebabe didn’t get started for this season until June, coming off the shelf to win an allowance race. She was then second at Saratoga in the Shuvee and Personal Ensign. We are talking about a horse who was third in the Acorn and won the Coaching Club American Oaks running away as a 3-year-old. We just don’t know what we’re going to get, but she’s one of the more interesting big prices in my eyes.

6. Measure (20-1; Franco/Casse): Mark Casse’s other entry in the field is far less heralded. A lot of times, a trainer will enter two horses in the same field because they have a complimentary running style, like setting the right type of pace or being physical enough to open up the field. Measure, though, is a deep closer who doesn’t have the top-end speed of the others in this event. She is one of just two 3-year-olds in the field, and she is stepping up in class against older horses. She hasn’t won a graded stakes, but has finished third, second, and third in three G1 races this year. I think Casse might have a late bloomer on his hands and a filly to watch as a 4-year-old. Just probably not one to watch here.

7. Super Corredora (15-1; Rosario/Sadler): The other 3-year-old in the field comes from California for John Sadler. The winner of the Zenyatta Stakes came off the shelf following nearly seven months off to win that race before shipping east. She won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar last Halloween. But, those two wins are her only monster showings lifetime. Sadler and the connections felt strongly enough to take the costly trip to Lexington. I won’t be surprised if she’s in the mix. I won’t be surprised if she’s not. I will be very surprised if she doesn’t cash in on some nice purses in California as a 4-year-old.

8. Splendora (9/2; Gaffalione/Baffert): The lone Maryland-bred, and only non-Kentucky-bred, in the field has an interesting post draw. There are a lot of pacesetters and pace-pushers here. If she can avoid getting boxed out by Super Corredora, she may be able to get out front without the bumping and grinding on the interior. If Prat doesn’t have the most important ride here, then it is Tyler Gaffalione. Splendora has never won at 1 ⅛ miles. The daughter of Audible and Miss Freeze was in last year’s Breeders’ Cup, but she won the Filly & Mare Sprint. Since then, though, she’s had no issues with 1 1/16, winning three straight races this year at that distance. She was second in the Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita in April 2025 in her lone start at 1 ⅛. Gaffalione has an excellent horse. He needs an excellent ride to pair with her talent.

9. Eunomia (30-1; Husbands/Joseph): The far outside post belongs to an interesting filly. The daughter of Tiz the Law and maternal granddaughter of American Pharoah ran her first stakes race this year as a 4-year-old. She’s won two of them, including a G1 score in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes back in August at Del Mar. She’s run everywhere, including several starts at Keeneland. This is her first dirt try at 1 ⅛ miles. On the surface, she looks overmatched, and the odds suggest as much. Sometimes, it just takes a horse a while to settle in, as evidenced by her history of sprints, dirt, turf, and coming up short of the board in a lot of allowance races.

The other thing that intrigues me is that she’s run a lot in her career. She ran four times in 3.5 months as a 2-year-old and seven times in eight months as a 3-year-old. When she won the Hirsch, it was her first race in 11 weeks. That kind of layoff had been unheard of for her previously. She’s on a pretty similar schedule here.

Breeders’ Cup Distaff Picks

Full disclosure, I’m going to have a super long ticket on Eunomia to win, wondering if maybe this very well-bred horse has finally found her way and the right schedule.

But, this is absolutely Nitrogen’s race to lose. Her impressive effort against the boys followed by yet another win against the girls cemented it for me, especially with Jose Ortiz back in the irons.

I’m debating if I want to throw Eunomia in some exactas and trifectas to increase the price, as I’m not convinced about both Splendora and Fully Subscribed. I do prefer Fully Subscribed to Splendora, though.

2 Nitrogen

4 Fully Subscribed

9 Eunomia

8 Splendora

For more coverage, check out our horse racing page.

"Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung" zum Eu-Kanada-Gipfel

Heidelberg (ots)

Kommunikation funktioniert zu einem großen Teil über symbolische Gesten. Eine solche war auch Ursula von der Leyens Angebot einer assoziierten EU-Mitgliedschaft an Kanada. Der Vorstoß der Kommissionschefin war ein Aufruf an demokratische Mittelmächte, sich hinter dem Banner der EU zu versammeln und gemeinsam an Stärke gegenüber den Großmächten zu gewinnen.

Nun wollen einige Regierungschefs um Kanzler Friedrich Merz von der Leyens Angebot wieder kassieren und setzen damit ebenfalls eine Geste - eine fatale. Denn laut Regierungskreisen soll der Rückzieher auch aus Angst vor der Rache des US-Präsidenten erfolgt sein. Keine Frage: Die Abhängigkeit von den USA ist groß und das Kriechen vor Donald Trump günstiger als ein Handelskrieg. Doch auf lange Sicht lohnt sich der aufrechte Gang.

Denn die internationale Politik wird immer willkürlicher und die USA nie mehr der Partner, der sie mal war. In dieser Situation ist die Suche nach Gleichgesinnten prioritär und die Einheit der EU eine Lebensversicherung für Deutschland und Europa. Also, liebe Staatschefs, aufrecht bleiben.

Pressekontakt:

Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung

Dr. Klaus Welzel

Telefon: +49 (06221) 519-5011

Original-Content von: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, übermittelt durch news aktuell

PARIS, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ekinops (Euronext Paris: EKI) (ISIN: FR0011466069), a leading provider of optical networks, connectivity and SASE cybersecurity solutions for telecom service providers and enterprises, announce its association with Orange Business to advance its decarbonization efforts and contribute to Orange Group's ambitious goal of achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2040.

The decarbonization plan aligns Orange Business with Orange Group's 'Trust the Future' strategy to build growth around trust, innovation and sustainability. Read the original press release

Most of Orange Business's carbon footprint lies in Scope 3 emissions¹. Last year, 81% of emissions came from equipment purchases, customer equipment use, services, and other purchases, with equipment and customer use making up 43%. The plan aims to target these areas with Ekinops, while paving the way for future supplier collaborations.

"This decarbonization plan reflects a true partnership focused on measurable environmental benefits," says Sébastien Bernard, Corporate Sustainability & Risks Manager at Ekinops. "It aligns with our climate goals and elevates both companies' environmental commitments."

Ekinops will keep improving the measure of its products' carbon footprint, identify reduction opportunities in manufacturing, usage, and logistics, and track environmental performance over time. It will also assess energy use across configurations and design modular, repairable, and recyclable products. Long-term, Ekinops aims to increase renewable and low-carbon energy in manufacturing. In turn, Orange Business will incorporate supplier innovations into network and product designs, integrating these innovations into future solutions.

"The decarbonization plan is an important milestone in embedding sustainability across our operations and supply chain," says Sandra Servières, Orange Business Chief Procurement Officer. "By working closely with partners, we can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon digital future and create lasting value for our organizations, communities, our customers, and the environment."

Read the original press release

All press releases are published after Euronext Paris market close.

Ekinops contacts

Lionel Chmilewsky, CEO

Mathieu Omnes, Investor relation

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 92

Amaury Dugast, Press relation

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 74

For more information, visit https://www.ekinops.com/

SOURCE Ekinops

Share this article

- Future Standard becomes the Premier Partner, Official Jersey Patch Partner, and Exclusive Asset Management Sponsor of Villanova Athletics

- Partnership creates new opportunities to connect clients, advisors, business leaders, and future talent through experiences, shared learning, and meaningful engagement

- Future Standard and the Villanova School of Business to collaborate on thought leadership, professional development, and student engagement initiatives

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Future Standard, a $94 billion global alternative asset manager, today announced a premier multiyear partnership with Villanova Athletics, bringing together one of the nation's leading universities with one of the fastest-growing firms in alternative asset management.

Under the agreement, Future Standard will become the Premier Partner, Official Jersey Patch Partner, and Exclusive Asset Management Sponsor of Villanova Athletics. The Future Standard logo will appear across all Villanova varsity uniforms and will debut on the men's and women's basketball jerseys when Villanova faces Notre Dame at the "Eternal City Tip-Off" in Rome, Italy, on November 1, 2026.

"The most effective partnerships build on the strengths of both organizations and create opportunities to generate even greater impact together," said Edwin Conway, Chief Executive Officer of Future Standard. "Villanova's combination of academic excellence, national reach, and a highly engaged alumni community makes it a uniquely valuable partner. Together, we will create new opportunities to connect with clients, advisors, business leaders, and future talent through experiences, conversations, and shared learning. The jersey patch may be the most visible expression of the partnership, but the greatest value will come from the relationships, connections, and opportunities our organizations can create together."

The partnership will create opportunities for Future Standard to engage clients, advisors, alumni, students, and business leaders through hospitality, executive programming, events, and other experiences throughout the year. It will also provide a platform for the firm to share insights and deepen relationships across the broader Villanova community.

"At Villanova, we are committed to pursuing excellence and providing an exceptional student-athlete experience," said Eric Roedl, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Villanova University. "We are thrilled to partner with Future Standard, an organization that shares our values and our belief in creating opportunities for student-athletes to succeed in the classroom, in competition, in the community, and beyond. This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver on that commitment, and we look forward to building a lasting relationship that benefits our student-athletes and the broader Villanova community."

Future Standard and the Villanova School of Business intend to collaborate on initiatives designed to expose students to careers in financial services and private markets through mentorship, professional development, networking, and educational programming. The relationship will also create opportunities for engagement between students and professionals across investments, client engagement, capital formation, technology, and operations.

Community impact will also be a central element of the partnership. Future Standard and Villanova will work together on an annual initiative aligned with shared priorities across the Philadelphia region, reflecting both organizations' commitment to creating value beyond campus and competition.

The partnership supports Future Standard's continued growth across institutional and private wealth markets while strengthening its connection to one of the nation's top athletic and educational institutions. It also expands opportunities to engage clients, develop future talent, and support the communities served by both organizations.

About the partnership

The partnership was facilitated by Playfly Sports, the exclusive multimedia rights holder of Villanova Athletics and the sports industry's leading revenue maximization company.

About Future Standard

Future Standard is a global alternative asset manager serving institutional and private wealth clients, investing across private equity, credit, real estate and infrastructure. With a 30+ year track record of value creation and $94 billion in assets under management, we back the business owners and financial sponsors that drive growth and innovation across the middle market, transforming untapped potential into durable value.1

1. Total AUM estimated as of June 30, 2026.

Contact information

Media

Marc Hazelton

[email protected]

ABOUT VILLANOVA ATHLETICS

Villanova University has a long and storied athletics history defined by excellence both in competition and in the classroom. The Villanova Athletics Department is a community of student-athletes, coaches, and staff whose primary focus is to achieve academic excellence while striving to produce teams and individuals committed to athletic competition and outstanding performance. Villanova Athletics sponsors 24 varsity sports, which together include more than 600 student-athletes. For more, visit www.villanova.com.

ABOUT PLAYFLY SPORTS

Playfly Sports, the sports industry's leading revenue maximization company, drives growth for its partners across the sports ecosystem â including 2,200+ brands, 100+ professional teams, 65+ college athletic departments, all U.S. local sports networks and associated streaming platforms, and other marquee properties. Its fan engagement platform allows its partners to reach and engage over 85% of all U.S. sports fans. Playfly builds and implements custom strategies across media, sponsorship, premium experiences, ticketing and fan engagement offerings through proprietary data, innovative technology and compelling storytelling. Playfly operates an expansive portfolio of services with a data-driven and fan-focused approach to maximize revenue yield in key growth areas, such as media, sponsorship, ticketing, premium experiences and fan engagement offerings. Founded in September of 2020, Playfly Sports is now home to approximately 1,000 team members located across 43 U.S. states and internationally dedicated to maximizing the impact of highly passionate local sports fans. The company has been named a Best Place to Work in Sports by Sports Business Journal, Front Office Sports, and Newsweek. To learn more, follow Playfly Sports on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X, or visitâ¯www.Playfly.com.

SOURCE Future Standard

Share this article

Whitehead Institute researchers have used a recently-discovered tiny, transparent fish species to create the first comprehensive whole-body single-cell atlas of an adult vertebrate. This offers a new resource for studying brain regeneration, cellular diversity, and how different tissues function together.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viewed from above, Danionella cerebrum offers a rare sight in a vertebrate: its brain, visible through the top of its head. Since the species was adopted for neuroscience research in 2018 and formally described in 2021, the tiny, transparent fish has drawn rapidly growing interest for its unique biology.

Whitehead Institute researchers recognized another opportunity in the tiny fish: it brought whole-animal single-cell profiling within reach, allowing the team to create the first comprehensive map of cell types and gene activity across an adult vertebrate. That perspective could help reveal how cells in different tissues coordinate their responsesâand how changes in one part of the body influence others.

In a study published in Science on October 29, the team profiled more than 600,000 cells from across the fish to build the whole-body map of which genes are active in which cell, known as a single-cell transcriptome atlas. A cell's transcriptome is the full set of RNA molecules it has made from its DNA at a given time, providing a snapshot of which genes the cell is using.

Together, the data provide a molecular reference for the cell types found throughout Danionella, the patterns of gene activity that distinguish them, and where many of them are located. The atlas also gives researchers a baseline for exploring how injury, aging, drugs, or other changes affect cells across the whole animal.

"Once you have a spatially resolved atlas, you know what cell types exist, but you also know the neighbors of those cell types in this context," says Kutay Deniz Atabay, who led the work as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Whitehead Institute Member Peter Reddien. "This gives you access at multiple different levels of complexity, from molecular to cellular to systems."

Cell atlases have become increasingly detailed, but extending them across a whole adult vertebrate has been difficult for a simple reason: size. Profiling the cellular diversity of larger animals comprehensively is technically demanding and expensive. Danionella offered a unique way around that problem. Its miniature bodyâbarely one centimeter longâmakes the experiment possible, while its close relationship to zebrafish allows researchers to draw on genetic tools developed for one of biology's most widely used model organisms.

Atabay first became interested in Danionella in early 2019, while searching for a small, transparent animal in which he could watch the nervous system regenerate. Its miniature size and accessible brain made it especially promising for that work, and the researchers found that the fish has broad regenerative capacity, including in the brain and fins. Reddien's lab, meanwhile, had already seen the value of a comprehensive whole-animal cell atlas through its work on planarians, regenerative flatworms whose small size had made such an atlas possible. Together, those interests led to a larger question.

"Deniz and I had the thought: Would it be possible to get a cell-type transcriptome atlas for a complete vertebrate?" said Reddien, who is also a professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "Here's an animal where we'd have a chance."

To build the atlas, the researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing to measure gene activity in individual cells collected from across the brain, spinal cord, eyes, internal organs, fins, head, and trunk. They paired those data with spatial methods that mapped cell types and patterns of gene activity back to their locations in tissues. The resulting atlas was extensive enough to capture even exceptionally rare cell populations.

Looking across the animal revealed patterns that can be difficult to see when tissues are studied separately. In the nervous system, neurons from the same region often had more similar patterns of gene activityâeven when they used different neurotransmitters, the chemicals neurons use to communicateâthan when compared to neurons using the same neurotransmitter in different regions. Similar patterns have been observed in other vertebrates, including mammals, suggesting that regional and developmental identity may be an important organizing feature of vertebrate nervous systems.

The atlas also revealed signs that adult cells retain a molecular memory of where they belong in the body. Fibroblasts, a type of connective-tissue cell, maintained region-specific activity of genes best known for establishing different parts of the body during development. Cells in the pectoral and pelvic fins, for example, retained gene programs associated with forelimb and hindlimb development in other vertebrates. What these persistent signals do in adult Danionella remains unknown, but they may help tissues maintain or rebuild the appropriate structures. In planarians, positional information provides molecular guidance that helps regenerating tissues rebuild the correct structures.

The research also used the atlas as a reference for studying Danionella's remarkable regenerative abilities. After injuring the telencephalon, a region of the forebrain, the missing neurons regenerated and the researchers tracing a progression from an early wound and immune response to neural stem-cell activity and the production and maturation of new neurons.

The team has made the atlas publicly available through DigiFish, an interactive resource for exploring cell types and gene activity throughout the animal. Paired with Danionella's transparency and growing experimental toolkit, the atlas can help researchers identify specific cells and genes to study or manipulate and then follow their activity in the animal.

For Reddien, the advance presents numerous, diverse opportunities for new science. "There's been this era of genome sequencing, where you get the complete list of all the genes that it takes to make an organism," he says. "The transcriptomes of cells tell you how that genome is being utilized in the different cell types. To have the transcriptome of every cell type seems like a big turning point in how one would investigate the biology of an organism."

SOURCE Whitehead Institute

Share this article

Scientology Volunteer Ministers help feed Hurricane Isaias survivors in the Florida Panhandle

Churches of Scientology Disaster Response teams worked alongside Operation BBQ Relief in Okaloosa County as more than 270,000 hot meals reached families without power

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteer Ministers from Churches of Scientology Disaster Response (CSDR) deployed to the Florida Panhandle this month to support Operation BBQ Relief in serving hot meals to families displaced by Hurricane Isaias. The two organizations, both members of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD), worked together as Operation BBQ Relief served more than 270,000 hot meals in the days after the storm, until power was restored.

Hurricane Isaias made landfall on the Panhandle in early October, displacing thousands of families and leaving more than 900,000 people without power. In the days and weeks that followed, many households had no way to cook and depended on relief organizations for hot food.

Operation BBQ Relief contacted CSDR, a fellow National VOAD partner, to request help at its base of operations. CSDR sent Volunteer Minister teams from the Tampa Bay area to Okaloosa County in northwest Florida, where they worked days and evenings behind the scenes so that meals could be delivered to the hardest-hit areas.

The Volunteer Ministers cooked, assembled and labeled food boxes, loaded and unloaded trucks and assisted with distribution.

"We often forget or don't know about all that goes on behind the scenes in bringing relief to those impacted by disasters," said Doyle Mills, lead CSDR Volunteer Minister for the deployment. "In this case, Operation BBQ Relief needed support at their base in not only cooking the hot meals, but preparing all the food boxes, unloading and loading trucks, labeling boxes and helping with the food distribution. Despite the hard work, helping Operation BBQ Relief to serve some of the over 270,000 hot meals, in the days following the hurricane until power could be restored, was a real joy."

The partnership between the Volunteer Ministers, known for their yellow shirts, and the red-shirted Operation BBQ Relief teams reflects National VOAD's guiding principles, the "4Cs" of communication, coordination, collaboration and cooperation among disaster relief organizations.

Information on CSDR deployments and how to volunteer is available at csdr-us.org.

About Operation BBQ Relief

Operation BBQ Relief is a nonprofit disaster relief organization that deploys volunteer pitmasters and mobile kitchens to provide hot barbecue meals to families, first responders and relief workers in the wake of natural disasters.

About Churches of Scientology Disaster Response

Churches of Scientology Disaster Response was formed following 9/11 and is based in Washington, D.C. Its Volunteer Ministers have responded to hundreds of disasters, including tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires.

About the Volunteer Ministers

The Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service and disaster response program sponsored by the Church of Scientology International. Created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, it operates in more than 170 countries. Its motto is "Something Can Be Done About It."

SOURCE Church of Scientology International

Share this article