I t’s hard to remember this now, but before the pandemic of 2020, Anthony Fauci was probably the most widely respected public health official in America. As an immunologist at the National Institutes of Health in the early 1980s, he was instrumental in mobilizing the government against the AIDS crisis — a role immortalized in Randy Shilts’ epic book And the Band Played On. Activists blamed Fauci for Washington’s sluggish response, but he persisted in reaching out to critics and eventually won their grudging respect. Twenty years later, during George W. Bush’s administration, Fauci was part of the small team that designed and pushed for PEPFAR — the government program to fight AIDS overseas, principally in sub-Saharan Africa. It was Bush’s signature foreign policy achievement, credited with saving millions of lives (before Donald Trump set about dismantling it last year). Had Fauci stopped there and called it a career, he would have gone down in history, quietly, as one of the most universally admired public servants of his time.

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The Treasury Department on Tuesday issued guidance that could allow parents to make pre-tax contributions to their child’s Trump Account directly from their paycheck, with potential matching from employers, after a poll indicated a small percentage of companies would seek out a contribution program.

Regardless of whether leaders are born and/or made, great leadership is a choice.

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Whether great leadership is a result of nature or nurture is always a fascinating question to ponder. Quite frankly, I have found myself on both sides of this, which leads me to conclude that it is both. On the one hand, individuals are born with certain traits of great leadership, such as confidence, charisma, and, to some extent, a dose of curiosity. On the other hand, some traits can be acquired, such as integrity, empathy, and a deeper level of curiosity, which can be refined through lived experience and continuous learning. Regardless of whether leaders are born and/or made, great leadership is a choice.

The next season of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens will train a spotlight on the famously reclusive, notoriously obsessive Stanley Kubrick.

Hosted by Ben Mankiewicz and made in partnership with the Criterion Collection, the 11-episode “Stanley” premieres Sept. 24 and features excerpts from a never-before-heard 1972 audio interview with the filmmaker conducted by Newsday film critic Joseph Gelmis tied to the release of A Clockwork Orange (1971).

The New York Film Festival has revealed its Spotlight lineup for the 64th edition and the section is stacked with fall’s most buzzy names and titles.

At the top of the list is Tom McCarthy, writer and director of best picture winner “Spotlight” (2015), who returns with “A Statement.” Described as a gripping ensemble piece built around a pivotal 1980 conference on the threat of climate change, it’s one of the slate’s most significant additions. Set for release from Sony Pictures Classics, the film boasts a deep bench that includes Paul Giamatti, John Turturro, Paul Rudd, Amy Ryan, Evan Peters and Tatiana Maslany.

Question: What makes a homegrown player?

Answer: A homegrown player is a player who, regardless of their nationality or age, has been affiliated with any English or Welsh club for a period of three entire seasons or 36 months before their 21st birthday.

10 August 2026, Rhineland-Palatinate, Koblenz: Boats at the recreational marina in Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein are sitting on dry land.

dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

Low water levels on some of Europe’s busiest rivers are forcing several cruise lines to adjust or cancel their summer itineraries. The Rhine, Main and Danube are all affected.

I'll admit to using AI for things it was probably never designed for. When my van threw a fault I couldn't immediately figure out—one that seems notorious for trips back and forth to a repair shop—I ended up in a long (but cheaper) back-and-forth with an AI system, working through the symptoms. The same happened with a run of gutters and with stud framing in my house. It isn't magic, and perhaps more often than I'd like, it's wrong, but as a way of thinking through a problem with something that's read more manuals than I ever will, it has earned its place in the toolbox. So I read this next story with some sympathy and interest.

Twice in one month, companies full of exceptionally smart people shipped AI features capable of producing convincing synthetic imagery that could be misrepresented as evidence, watched the public demonstrate the risk within hours or days and then withdrew, restricted or revised the feature. The question is no longer whether these tools can be misused. It is why foreseeable misuse keeps being discovered by the public instead of in the review that approved the launch.

A 38-year-old fitness founder shares 2 habits she uses to build muscle

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Julia Pugachevsky

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