WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R49189) on Aug. 14, 2026, entitled "AI Chatbots as Companions - Overview, Uses and Considerations for Congress:" (Continued fromPart 1 of 2) * * * Selected Issues: AI Chatbot Use As mentioned, much of what is known about AI chatbot interactions is from short-term studies or company disclosures. Some surveys indicate that the use of AI chatbots for companionship is becoming more prevalent,/71   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 22 -- The American Farm Bureau Federation issued the following news release on Aug. 21, 2026: * * * Increased Beef Imports Could Create Long-term Damage American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on President Trump's plan to import an additional 300,000 metric tons of beef in addition to already record-high beef imports. "Farmers and ranchers are extremely disappointed to learn that President Trump plans to flood the American market with  more

LA GRANGE PARK, Illinois, Aug. 20 [Category: Energy] -- The American Nuclear Society posted the following news: * * * ANS names 2027 Congressional Fellows * Loumis Lockhart The American Nuclear Society is excited to announce that it has officially selected two of its members to serve as the 2027 Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows. Madeline Lockhart and Aristidis Loumis will provide key support to one of the Society's four strategic pillars of action: informing p  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued the following news on Aug. 21, 2026: * * * AU, allies seek 5 Tenn. school districts' plans to post Ten Commandments NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In letters sent yesterday to five Tennessee school districts, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, ACLU, and Freedom From Religion Foundation have requested all public records relating to the districts' recently an  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * DOJ Moves to Restore Gun Rights for Some Convicted of Felonies * The Department of Justice (DOJ) has finalized a process allowing people convicted of certain nonviolent felonies to apply to have their gun rights restored, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on Monday. According to The Hill, Blanche framed the move as ensuring the Second Amendment is not treate  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- East Tennessee State University posted the following news: * * * ETSU celebrates opening of new Academic Building * East Tennessee State University opened its new Academic Building in the heart of campus. For college students, the start of the academic year means new faces, new classes and new opportunities. For East Tennessee State University's Class of 2030, the start of the year brings another first - a brand-new academic home. Today, ETSU celebrated   more

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama, Aug. 22 -- The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology issued the following news: * * * Beyond Petroleum: The Plant-Based Blueprint for Modern Materials An Everyday DNA blog article By Sarah Sharman, PhD Take a quick look around you right now. How many plastic items do you see? Your morning iced coffee cup, the housing on your computer keyboard, your car's dashboard, or the bottle holding your favorite shampoo. Plastics are completely woven into the fabric of modern l  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- Lipscomb University posted the following news: * * * IDEAL alumni medal at 2026 Special Olympics USA games * This summer, two Lipscomb University Igniting the Dream of Education and Access at Lipscomb (IDEAL) program alumni had the unique opportunity to represent Tennessee on a national stage at the 2026 Special Olympics USA games in Minnesota. Both came home with medals and memories to last a lifetime. Carter Cottrell earned bronze in the golf competition,   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Introduction to Veterans Law Program Set for October * The TBA will host "General Introduction to the Practice of Veterans Law" on Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. The program will cover representation before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), claims procedures, eligibility for VA benefits, appeals, disability compensation, dependency and indemnity  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: * * * National laboratory research collaboration focuses on accelerated qualification of critical nuclear components * The Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge and Idaho national laboratories announced a collaboration to expand the domestic supply chain of industrial pressure vessels. Together, the labs will help enable wire arc 3D printing of these large compon  more

SANTA BARBARA, California, Aug. 21 [Category: Health Care] -- Direct Relief posted the following news: * * * PPE, Medications Depart for DRC Ebola Response, Solar Power Strengthens Haiti Hospital, and More * Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 365 shipments of requested medical aid to 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 13.9 million defined daily doses of medication. Medications and supplies shipped this week included antibiotics, d  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Status Unclear of DOJ Investigation Into CoreCivic Prison * The status of a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) civil rights investigation into Trousdale Turner Correctional Center remains unclear two years after it was launched, the Nashville Post reports. The investigation began in August 2024 following reports of staffing shortages, assaults, murders and high turn  more

OXFORD, Mississippi, Aug. 22 -- The University of Mississippi posted the following news: * * * Teacher Builds Legacy by Investing in the Next Generation * OXFORD, Miss. - When she reflects on her career, Jessica Rabb is quick to clarify: Biology may be what she teaches, but teaching itself is her true calling. "Honestly, I do not have a passion for biology," the Nashville, Tennessee, resident said. "Biology plays to my academic strengths. My biology aptitudes allow me to teach biology, but   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- Lipscomb University posted the following news: * * * Tennessee's history is on the move with alumnus Caleb Williams * Williams is on the team coordinating the logistics to move thousands of artifacts per week for the state museum's move to a new facility. It's unlikely that the Maryville boy whose favorite vacations were to Williamsburg, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina, ever thought he would become the caretaker for a massive storehouse of Tennesse  more

GREENVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- Tusculum University posted the following news: * * * Tusculum University's Center for the Arts holding auditions for Shakespeare comedy and production centered around Poe * GREENEVILLE - Whether people want to act in intimate plays outdoors or perform in a Shakespearean comedy on the stage inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center, Tusculum University is ready to give them a chance. Actors perform a scene during a 2025 performance of "Edgar Allan Poe and Ot  more

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, Aug. 21 -- The University of Tennessee Chattanooga Campus posted the following news: * * * Weeks of Welcome welcomes UTC students to the new academic year * Chamberlain Field during the 2025 Oak Street Roast. Photo by Angela Foster. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga welcomes students back to campus with games, swag and plenty of free food. Running Aug. 23 through Sept. 5, this year's Weeks of Welcome expands UTC's annual Welcome Week tradition with two week  more