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2026 has been a huge year for God of War fans, even though it's fast approaching four years since the launch of God of War: Ragnarök . All the way back in February, Santa Monica announced that it was working on a full remake of the original God of War trilogy, which will give fans a chance to relive Kratos’ conquest of the Greek pantheon. Just last month, at one of PlayStation’s most anticipated State of Play events in history, Santa Monica closed out the showcase by unveiling 20 minutes of interrupted gameplay footage from the first God of War spin-off game, God of War Laufey , which will be centered around Kratos’ late wife. The game still does not have an official release date, but it’s likely to launch sometime in 2027 .

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The U.S. Air Force’s new VC-25B Bridge aircraft will receive additional upgrades that will result in its capabilities being “maxed out,” according to President Donald Trump. This follows a flurry of recent reports that the modified, Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8i lacks the same array of defensive features and other capabilities as the Air Force’s existing VC-25A Air Force One jets. TWZ has repeatedly raised serious questions about the overall feasibility of turning this plane into an interim Air Force One , especially on an extremely tight timeline and with a relatively small budget, since the plan first emerged last year .

New questions were raised about the Bridge aircraft’s self-protection suite, in particular, after Trump took it to the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month, but then left unexpectedly on an older VC-25A . Subsequent reports said that the Secret Service had urged the President to make the swap as a security precaution amid escalating fighting with Iran .

POTUS has just departed Turkey on the “Old Air Force” (VC-25A) Speculating if it will meet the new VC-25B Bridge in the UK for a fuel stopover and POTUS will return to Andrews on the VC-25B Bridge. pic.twitter.com/Xm4qOt52uq

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) July 8, 2026

Trump departs Türkiye following the conclusion of the NATO Summit. pic.twitter.com/iWhBCb31dI

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 8, 2026

“Mr. President, this plane does not have anti-missile defense systems on it. Why are you flying it?” S.V. Date, White House correspondent for HuffPost , asked Trump at a press gaggle at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., yesterday. The President had just returned from a trip to attend the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.

“Well, it has – it has a lot, and, you know, it has a lot of capability,” Trump said in response. “But as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out. So they’re going to be sending it, and they’ll have it be maxed out. It’ll take about a month.”

Reporter: Mr. President, this plane does not have antimissile defense systems on it. Why are you flying it?

Trump: Well, it has — it has a lot, and uh, you know it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're going to send it to have it be,… pic.twitter.com/wDimk6RiQm

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 20, 2026

Trump did not elaborate on what “maxed out” might mean for the Bridge aircraft.

“The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President’s travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to TWZ . “During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One.”

We have also reached out to the U.S. Air Force and L3Harris for more information. L3Harris is the defense contractor that served as the lead integrator for the modifications to the former Qatari 747. You can read more about what is known about the conversion process, which took approximately 10 months, here .

The VC-25B Bridge aircraft, seen at Andrews Air Force Base at its official unveiling in June. USAF

“We knew there were some issues around security with the plane. We’ve known that from the very beginning,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, said separately at a roundtable at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom today, according to Breaking Defense . “Obviously, there was an effort to address that.”

“If there … was an examination and a problem apparently was determined to exist, the good news is that it’s apparently going to be addressed,” Senator Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, also said, per Breaking Defense . “And I think it’s important for all of us to determine what that problem is and to be supportive of corrective measures.”

Shaheen and Moran both serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Defense. Shaheen is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

As noted, there has been significant new scrutiny of the Bridge aircraft’s defensive and other capabilities since Trump’s trip to Turkey and the swap with the VC-25A on the way back. On July 9, The New York Times reported that the ex-Qatari jet “lacks the same defensive countermeasures that were security features of the old model, including its advanced antimissile capabilities,” citing unnamed officials.

A stock picture of one of the Air Force’s existing VC-25A Air Force One jets. USAF

The Times ‘ story included a statement from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, saying that “the new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff.”

Other outlets published similar stories about Air Force One’s capabilities, also citing anonymous sources. In a highly unusual development, the FBI subsequently subpoenaed four journalists at the Times as part of a leak investigation, which now appears to go beyond the more recent reporting on the Bridge aircraft.

The current array of defensive features found on the VC-25B Bridge aircraft is unknown. Details about the self-protection capabilities of the existing VC-25As — arguably the most well defended aircraft on the planet — are not usually openly discussed, but at least some of the countermeasures systems on those aircraft are plainly visible to the general public. This includes a version of the AN/AAQ-24 directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system , also called Nemesis or the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system. There is the AN/ALQ-204 Matador infrared countermeasures (IRCM) system, as well. The AAQ-24 uses lasers to blind and confuse the seekers on infrared-homing missiles. These laser turrets are mounted all over the bottom of the aircraft. The older ALQ-204 system has a similar function, but sends out large fixed pulses of infrared energy rather than a steerable laser beam. The VC-25As also have visible missile launch warning sensors at various points around the aircraft to cue these and other defensive capabilities, and to just provide general alerts to incoming threats. There are certainly other capabilities that are not so plainly visible, as well. The planes are hardened against electromagnetic pulses (EMP), as well.

To date, there have been no visible signs of any of these obvious defensive features found on the VC-25As being present on the VC-25B Bridge aircraft. This is something we have noted since the official rollout of the new aircraft in June. The Air Force and L3Harris have previously pushed back on any operational security concerns surrounding the jet gifted by Qatar.

There are additional questions now about what modifications could reasonably be made to the Bridge aircraft during another month-long upgrade period. As we previously wrote after Trump’s swap back to the VC-25A on the way back from Turkey:

“Defensive countermeasures, in particular, take time and careful work to integrate onto any airframe, let alone a newer type for which there might not be pre-existing procedures. Rigorous testing has to be done after integration to ensure those systems work as intended and do not conflict with other features, physically or in the radiofrequency spectrum.”

That being said, there are countermeasures systems that have already been qualified on at least some 747 variants, such as the aforementioned capabilities known to be found on the VC-25As today. There are other self-protection options available on the open market today for 747s and other similarly large aircraft, such as the C-MUSIC DIRCM system from Elbit in Israel. Northrop Grumman also offers a podded DIRCM system called Guardian that utilizes some of the same components as NEMESIS/LAIRCM. Both of these examples are not for high-volume threats, though.

Any move to upgrade the Bridge aircraft’s defensive capabilities now can only prompt the question as to why this was not done already? This is a matter of ensuring the safety of the President of the United States, whoever that might be, and underpinning the credibility of America’s nuclear deterrent whenever they are onboard.

There was certainly a push to have the Bridge aircraft in service, at least to some degree, by July 4th. The plane was a centerpiece of flyovers above the nation’s capital to mark this year’s Independence Day. Trump had flown on the jet for the first time just before , on a trip to North Dakota to attend the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and other celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The new VC-25B Bridge aircraft, at left, and one of the older VC-25As, at right, seen together at Andrews Air Force Base ahead of flyovers over Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2026. USAF

If the Bridge aircraft was rushed into service without certain defensive systems installed to be available for July 4th and other 250th anniversary celebrations, it could still have been sent back for additional upgrades afterward. However, there appears to have been no plans to get the Bridge aircraft any additional defensive or other capabilities before it was put into full service. This was proven when Trump and many other passengers headed overseas to Turkey aboard the new jet. Before the plane was delivered, TWZ had questioned whether the jet would ever fly abroad in the Air Force One role, and not be reserved for lower-risk domestic travel, due to these exact kind of security concerns.

There is an additional operational security layer to the equation here given that any aircraft serving in the Air Force One role inherently slots into America’s nuclear deterrent posture. Beyond their array of self-protection features, the VC-25As, in particular, have an extensive secure communications suite designed to ensure the President remains in contact with the National Command Authority at all times. The National Command Authority is the mechanism through which the President would order a nuclear strike, as you can read about in more detail here .

A report from CBS News earlier this month implied that the new Bridge aircraft lacks the same communications capabilities, as well as defensive features, found on the VC-25As. That story suggested both aspects here pushed the Secret Service to recommend Trump use the older aircraft on the return trip from Turkey, which came amid the start of the new campaign against Iran. The President had also just directed a new round of strikes on Iranian targets from the sidelines of the NATO summit. TWZ highlighted all of this at the time as potential contributing factors in the swap between Air Force One jets.

All of this raises further questions about what risks may have been accepted in allowing Trump to use the Bridge aircraft to travel to Turkey in the first place. There’s an additional question here of what would have happened had circumstances not prompted Trump to swap Air Force Ones, and had The New York Times and others not reported on the reasons behind that decision. Would it have ever gotten these extra defenses if those things didn’t happen?

The Boeing VC-25B Bridge, Air Force One, carrying President Donald J. Trump has landed in Ankara, Turkey, ahead of this week’s NATO Summit. pic.twitter.com/Qqea5RihiM

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 7, 2026

The Bridge aircraft has subject of criticism and controversy from the start. The circumstances under which the Qatari government gifted the plane to the United States in the first place were highly irregular.

The justification for needing the Bridge Air Force One at all remains a subject of debate, now fueled further by the clear continued relevance of the VC-25As. The Air Force’s efforts to acquire two fully equipped VC-25B Air Force One jets from Boeing have been repeatedly delayed , and the costs of that effort continue to rise . The first of those jets is now expected to be delivered in 2028 , which is actually a slight improvement in the timeline. What will happen to the Bridge aircraft afterward is unclear.

The Air Force has separately acquired another 747-8i from German flag carrier Lufthansa , which is now being used as a trainer for aircrew and ground personnel. An additional ex-Lufthansa 747 will be cannibalized for spare parts, as well, in support of the burgeoning Air Force One fleet.

It is worth noting here that the VC-25As are also based on older 747-200 models, a type that has all but disappeared from service globally, even with commercial airlines. Those jets are becoming more complicated and costly to operate and maintain just as a result of diminishing supply chains.

With Trump’s comments yesterday, the VC-25B Bridge aircraft is now slated to get the defenses it should have had originally, or at least more than it has now, but the path to getting there is bizarre and raises real concerns, to say the least.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

The post New VC-25B Air Force One Will Be Pulled From Service To Be “Maxed Out” With Upgrades appeared first on TWZ .

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A common culprit behind severe gum disease may also stiffen and narrow the heart's aortic valve, preliminary research suggests. This may help explain links between gum problems and poor heart health.

Scientists have long linked severe gum disease to inflammation throughout the body and a higher risk of heart problems , including coronary artery disease , which can raise the risk of heart attack. Studies have also found that treating gum disease can improve blood-vessel health.

Now, researchers suggest that Porphyromonas gingivalis , one of the main bacteria involved in severe gum disease, may also contribute to calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD), a condition in which calcium builds up in the heart's aortic valve. The findings were presented in July at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Boston and have not been peer-reviewed yet.

Dr. Elena Aikawa , a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the study, said the findings "fit well with our current understanding of calcific aortic valve disease as an active, inflammation-driven disease rather than simply wear and tear of the valve."

Periodontal disease is likely just one contributor among many, rather than the sole cause of CAVD, she added. But the study does identify a biologically plausible pathway linking oral health to heart health that could open new opportunities for prevention and treatment.

How mouth bacteria harm the heart

CAVD affects millions of people worldwide , and there are no approved drugs that slow or stop its progression. As the disease worsens, people may develop fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain, and in severe cases, they often require valve-replacement surgery .

Meanwhile, prior to the new research, it was known that bacteria and inflammatory signals from the mouth can sometimes enter the bloodstream and affect distant tissues, said Richard Lamont , chair of oral immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, who was not involved in the study. Over time, these effects can accrue and gradually reshape how the immune system behaves, he said.

In CAVD, calcium builds up in the aortic valve, which connects the left side of the heart to the large artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body. (Image credit: Noctiluxx via Getty Images) P. gingivalis is known to be particularly destructive to gum tissue, causing lots of inflammation, and it's been tied to cardiovascular disease in the past. To see if the bacterium might be directly impacting heart health, researchers at Fuwai Hospital in Beijing looked for P. gingivalis in aortic valve tissue removed during valve-replacement surgery. They compared this diseased tissue to valves that weren't calcified.

The calcified valves contained much higher levels of P. gingivalis DNA and proteins made by the bacterium. " P. gingivalis was about 30 times more abundant in calcified valves than in non-calcified valves," study first author Dr. Chenyang Li , a doctoral candidate at Fuwai Hospital, told Live Science in an email.

To test whether the bacteria might directly contribute to valve damage, Li and colleagues injected live P. gingivalis into the bloodstreams of healthy lab mice. The bacteria reached the animals' aortic valves, triggering inflammation, calcium buildup and narrowing of the valve.

"We were surprised to see valve calcification even in mice without high cholesterol," Li said. "This suggests P. gingivalis may directly contribute to valve disease, beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors."

A comparison group of mice was given antibiotics before the injection and had less bacteria in their aortic valves and slower disease progression. Meanwhile, mice injected with dead P. gingivalis bacteria did not show any changes in their aortic valves.

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The researchers traced the changes in the mice's hearts to interleukin-1 beta, a signalling molecule that normally helps the body fight infections. Exposure to P. gingivalis ramped up the production of this molecule, and in turn, the immune signal switched on genes that pushed healthy valve cells to behave more like bone-building cells, which is a hallmark of CAVD . This switch causes the cells to lay down calcium in the surrounding valve tissue.

When the scientists blocked interleukin-1 beta in some mice, the animals developed much less valve calcification even when the bacteria reached the valve. Lamont said that the mouse experiments strengthen the case that there's a biological mechanism directly linking gum and heart diseases. However, he cautioned that mice have very different oral microbiomes than humans, making it difficult to know whether the exact same process occurs in people.

That said, the team also saw the same pattern in human valve cells grown in the lab. Exposure to P. gingivalis increased inflammation and calcium buildup among the cells, while blocking interleukin-1 beta blunted those effects.

Both Aikawa and Lamont said more research is needed to confirm the relationship in humans. The findings give researchers a new pathway to explore for future treatments, raising questions of whether targeting inflammatory signals like interleukin-1 beta could help slow the progression of this widespread heart disease.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

What do you know about the body's hardest-working muscle? Find out with our heart quiz!

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Volkswagen has announced pricing for the 2027 Atlas.

Arrives this fall for $41,610, which is a significant hike.

Crossover sports a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 282 hp.

Ahead of its launch this fall, Volkswagen has announced the redesigned Atlas will start at $41,610 before a $1,525 destination fee. That’s a significant jump as its predecessor began at $39,310 and had a lower $1,475 delivery charge.

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While the $2,350 price hike is tough to swallow, the 2027 Atlas is more luxurious and powerful. The entry-level SE variant features LED lighting units, keyless entry, a motion-activated power liftgate, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

More: 2027 VW Atlas Debuts With A Cabin You Won’t Have To Apologize For

The interior steps up its game with genuine wood trim and leatherette seats with 12-way power adjustment on the driver’s side. The crossover also comes equipped with a heated leather steering wheel as well as heated and ventilated front seats.

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They’re joined by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.9-inch infotainment system. Buyers will also find a dual wireless smartphone charger, a nine-speaker audio system, a tri-zone automatic climate control system, and a ten-color ambient lighting system. Volkswagen also throws in a three-month trial subscription of In-Vehicle Premium, which provides Wi-Fi connectivity, AirConsole gaming, myQ Connected Garage, and navigation with real-time traffic information as well as points of interest.

The Atlas comes with a host of driver assistance systems including Park Distance Control and the ID.Drive suite. The latter includes Travel Assist, Emergency Assist, and Light Assist – among others.

The Atlas SE w/Technology starts at $45,610 and features a fancier exterior with illuminated door handles and glowing Volkswagen logos. They’re joined by remote start and larger 20-inch wheels. The crossover also comes with a trailer hitch, which enables the model to tow up to 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg).

Inside, there’s a larger 15-inch infotainment system and a rearview mirror with HomeLink. Elsewhere, there’s extended ambient lighting and a 115-volt power outlet in the second-row.

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The $52,110 Atlas SEL R-Line is distinguished by sportier bumpers, body-color side sills, and a blacked-out grille. The model also has R-Line wheels, chrome window surrounds, and silver roof rails. They’re accompanied by fancier LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and heated washer nozzles.

Upgrades extend to the well-equipped cabin, which sports Varenna leather seats and 12-way power adjustment on both sides. The model also has a driver’s seat memory function as well as heated and ventilated second-row seats.

Other niceties include a head-up display and a Discover Media navigation system. They’re accompanied by stainless steel pedals, illuminated scuff plates, and a 30-color ambient lighting system sporting an “organic spiral pattern” on the dash.

Last but not least is the range-topping SEL Premium R-Line, which begins at $56,610. It rides on larger 21-inch wheels and features power folding mirrors as well as mirror-mounted puddle lights that project the Volkswagen logo onto the ground.

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Inside, there are Nappa leather seats with perforated headrests, patterned stitching, and a massage function up front. The crossover also has a 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system with a subwoofer.

Regardless of which trim is selected, all models are equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developing 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) and 258 lb-ft (349 Nm) of torque. It’s connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. The former returns 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, while the latter drops down to 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined.

2027 VW Atlas Pricing

Trim FWD AWD

SE $41,610 $43,610

SE w/ Technology $45,610 $47,610

SEL R-Line – $52,110

SEL Premium R-Line – $56,610

SWIPE

Prices exclude a $1,525 destination fee

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Marilla Country Store has been open for business since 1851, which means it has outlasted the Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the rise of the shopping mall, and a global pandemic without ever shutting its doors.

Three families have owned it across that span, and the current owner, whose family took over in 1979, can tell you the life story behind nearly everything on the shelves and most of the people who walk in to buy it. Inside, there's a 1917 safe still bearing the dents from a long-ago dynamite job, a collection of guestbooks going back 25 years that doubles as an oral history of the surrounding community, and a shelf of locally made specialty foods that have nothing to do with the hardware sitting next to them.

It is, somehow, still a working general store rather than a museum about one — the kind of place where regulars get asked about their kids by name, and where a woman once drove all the way from New Jersey just to see it for herself, then drove straight home, satisfied.